Step-By-step Guide to STARTING a Travel Blog and Make Money in 2023

ByPep Blogging

How to Start a Travel Blog and Make Money from Travel Blogging in 2023

Interested in learning how to create a travel blog and make money from it in 2023? Have you ever wondered how to make your travel blog profitable? Your search has ended.

This post contains affiliate links, which means we'll receive a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. Read the disclosure here.

With the potential to generate thousands of dollars each month, travel blogging isn’t simply a pastime anymore.

The popularity of travel blogging is on the rise. There is simply too much competition in the market now to be successful.

Despite the abundance of information available online on how to start a travel blog, following the advice in this guide will ensure your success as a travel blogger.

Let’s get to the meat of the matter, shall we?

Step 1: Choose a niche [Make use of Google Trends to help you!]

The travel blogging industry is incredibly crowded.

If you want to be successful at travel blogging, you must specialise in a specific area.

Here are the TEN most profitable sub-niches for travel writing that you may pursue.

Solo travel: Organizing a solo trip can be difficult, and first-time solo travellers should conduct extensive study and read all they can find on the internet. 

As a result, starting a blog dedicated to solo travel and providing tips and ideas on how to travel like an expert is always a good idea.

Moto-vlogging travel: Moto-vlogging is a sort of video blogging in which a person records themselves while riding a motorbike. Moto vlogs are quite popular among viewers. 

To post your films online, you may do it through your YouTube account as well as your travel blog. Additionally, you may create moto vlogs in your native language in order to target a specific audience.

Female travel: As a result of the large number of female travel bloggers (and vloggers) who are travelling across the world, the popularity of female travel is fast increasing. 

If you’re a woman or if you enjoy sharing travel advice with other women, this is an excellent niche for you.
Those that specialise in travel photography make a substantial amount of money. 

Travel Photography: For travel bloggers, selling their images online on platforms such as Adobe Stock, Shutter-stock, Alamy, Etsy, or even on their own travel websites, is a viable option.

In the adventure tourism niche, risk-taking exploration is mixed with a certain amount of uncertainty. In case you’re a thrill seeker, you may go all over the world and see anything from woods to deserts to mountains and everything in between!

For those who have sponsors or a large enough income, luxury travel is an excellent niche to pursue. 

Everything from your luxury hotel experience to flights, shopping, vacation, and more may be shared with your friends and family.

Budget travel: You may learn how to travel on a tight budget without blowing your whole savings account. People adore living on a tight budget. 

People will be grateful to you if you can educate them how to travel on a budget.

Traveling across the world: Do you have any intentions to go around the world? Then you should absolutely think about starting a travel blog to document your adventures. Everything from the schedule to travel tricks to accommodations to major attractions may be covered in detail.
Traveling gear: If you enjoy writing product reviews, you might want to consider entering this sector, where you can discover travel gear on sites such as Amazon and write helpful evaluations about it.

Make money from travel blogging by doing one of the following: As a digital nomad, this is a wonderful opportunity to discuss your methods of earning money while travelling. 

You may exchange information about how to make money via freelancing, affiliate marketing, and other sources.

Here’s a brief advice to get you started:  Google Trends may be used to determine the popularity of a certain theme that you are considering for your blog site.

Here’s an example of comparing Family travel vs luxury travel on Google Trends

Get your Domain( 3 easy Steps)

Coming up with an excellent domain name concept is always tricky. It takes a lot of time for novices.

Don’t worry, we’ll teach you how to identify amazing domains within a few minutes. Here are some basic yet effective strategies to come up with a distinctive domain name for your travel blog.

1. Make use of domain search tools: There are a plethora of free tools accessible online that may assist you in coming up with creative domain name ideas for your website.

For example, we utilised Lean Domain Search as an example to demonstrate our point. Simply type in any keyword and you will be presented with a list of all possible domain name suggestions.

2. Use your name:

The simplest method to come up with a short yet memorable domain name for your travel blog is to incorporate your name as a suffix or prefix.

Examples include (replace Div with your name Please…);

Div Travel Diaries
Div Travelogue
Div Travelogue
Travel with Div
and list can go on…

3. Be innovative and come up with your own version: After all, we now Google everything to discover information on the internet, don’t we? Google has become synonymous with the term “search.”

But what really is the significance of Google? No one has any idea.

They came up with their own phrase, which is straightforward, easy to type, and easy to remember for the audience. 

You may even brainstorm domain names to make them easier to recall if you want to.

After you have selected  perfect domain for your Pet Blog, Now to Time to Purchase the domain name. I’d recommend Namescheap.

You can also use your domain name in an email address (for example, hello@digitallydiv.com.au). 

To create an email address, you must also purchase an email service or hosting, which is distinct from registering a web address.

The Industry Leading Domain Providers NameCheap

Name Cheap Offers the Following goodies

  • Popular domains at reasonable prices
  • Save money by using our domain price search tool.
  • When you register, you will receive free products and services.
  • When you register, you will receive free products and services.
  • Free lifetime privacy protection and much more.
  • Simple setup and helpful instructions
  • Expert assistance and advice are available whenever you require it.

Try NameCheap

Purchase your Hosting

It’s time to choose a web host that is both economical and trustworthy after you have a domain name.

If you’re searching for a reliable web host, you’ll want to be certain that you’re getting the greatest service available.

Using a reputable web host has the following advantages:

  • It’s important that your website loads quickly for your visitors if you’re using a decent web host. This is critical for retaining visitors to your site and also helps boost your search engine results.
  • Security: A reputable web host will guard your website from internet threats such as hackers.
  • When you need help, a reputable web host will always be there for you.
  • Having adequate room to keep your website and upload photos, videos, etc. is a must for a solid web host
  • Make sure you choose a web host that is reasonably priced.

Is there a single web server that meets all of the above criteria?

Bluehost.

We strongly recommend Bluehost as a web host if you’re starting a new pet blog.

Why? Over 2 million websites rely on Bluehost, making it one of the most popular web providers in the world.

Additional benefits of using Bluehost include the following:

  • You can get one year of hosting from Bluehost for for under $35!
  • In addition to free SSL, SSD storage, unlimited email accounts, and unlimited website hosting, Bluehost is endorsed by WordPress.
  • When you join up for a hosting plan, you get a free domain name and a free SSL certificate.
  • A 30-day money-back guarantee is also available from Bluehost if you’re dissatisfied with their service.
  • So, how can you get started with Bluehost? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to buy hosting from Bluehost.com.

The Bluehost website may be accessed by clicking on this link.

You can buy Bluehost hosting for just $2.95 per month instead of $8.99 per month by using our exclusive link.


Try Bluehost

Click on the Get Started Now button to continue.

Then, you’ll be redirected to their hosting plans page where you’ll see 3 shared hosting plans from Bluehost. 

Go with their Basic plan (costs $2.95 per month) where you can install ONE website along with a free domain.

In case you’re curious, here are the 4 shared hosting plans offered by Bluehost.

  1. The Basic plan costs you $2.95 per month where you can install 1 website with 50 GB storage. You’ll also get a free domain, SSL, and CDN.
  2. Plus plan costs you $5.45 per month where you can install unlimited websites with unlimited storage. You’ll also get a free domain, SSL, CDN.
  3. Choice Plus plan costs you $5.45 per month where you can install unlimited websites with unlimited storage. You’ll also get a free domain, SSL, CDN, free backups, and free domain privacy. 
  4. Pro plan costs you $13.95 per month where you can install unlimited websites with unlimited storage. You’ll also get a free domain, SSL, CDN, free backups, free domain privacy, and free dedicated IP.

Once you pick a plan, you’ll be taken to a domain registration page where you can either enter a domain or skip this step and create a domain later. It’s FREE to register a domain with Bluehost.

In the final step, you’ll need to create your account with Bluehost.

Try Bluehost

Choose a Theme

 Select a High-Quality Theme Not just a free theme..

The design of your website is incredibly significant.

It is the first thing that visitors will see when they arrive at your website.

I wont say Do not make use of free themes as many Bloggers say( Most of my sites started off with a Free theme then moved on to paid theme).  Its ok to start with a Free theme and Jump to Premium themes as you move-on your Blogging Journey.  

This os because, Most of the Free Themes  don’t provide enough personalisation options, and the most of them aren’t search engine optimised either. 

PRO TIP:  Its ok for a Beginner Blogger to start with a Free WP theme available but I suggest you need to get a premium theme just after 2-3 months of your Blogging.

Invest a few dollars in a premium theme for your travel blog to make it stand out from the crowd.

If you use a premium theme, you will have the ability to personalise the look and feel of your travel blog to your liking.

The majority of premium WordPress themes are search engine optimisation (SEO) friendly and mobile responsive.

So, which premium theme is the superior choice?

However, although there is a large selection of premium themes available for travel blogs, we prefer Elementor Pro as a page Builder and Premium theme to go with it…

Elementor Pro

Elementor Pro is a design tool that allows you to create beautiful layouts.

With over 5 million users worldwide, Elementor is a popular page builder plugin for the WordPress platform. It is also available in a free version.

You have complete control over how you personalise your travel blog using Elementor. 

You may also construct landing pages, configure your 404 error pages, design your header and footer, and a variety of other features.

Some of the features of Elementor Pro are listed below.

  • Builder that you can drag and drop
  • Access to More Than 300 Professional Templates
  • The ability to use the Theme Builder
  • Signup forms may be created quickly and effortlessly.
  • Everything from landing pages to a blog to an online store may be designed.

You may also check out our in-depth Elementor Pro review to learn more about this fantastic page builder in further detail.

Try Elementor

Find out where to get WordPress themes for your blog here. When it comes to selecting a WordPress theme, you’ll have to choose between free and paid options. 

I would suggest for a beginner like you, WordPress free Blog themes like 

Although there is no fundamental difference between the two, premium themes tend to have more elaborate designs and functionality than free themes. 

Pro-Tip:As a beginner Blogger you can start with a free Theme available on WordPress list , as you move on you’ll need to  Purchase a Paid theme. Just go to the theme section >> add new >> Search for Blog themes.You will given many Options , and you choose the one you like.

Step 5: Get to Work on Creating Content

Once you’ve completed the process of setting up your blog and installing a premium theme, it’s time to begin writing fresh material for it.

It is possible to write your first blog post on a variety of themes, or you can just use it to introduce yourself and the topics that you want to cover on your blog (as well as how it will be valuable to your audience).

Here are some brief pointers on how to develop outstanding content for your travel blog that will actually get you noticed.

Ensure that you are optimising for long-tail keywords: Using long-tail keywords can help you attract more search traffic to your website. 

A long-tail keyword is a term that consists of three or more words in its description.

Example: “how to start a vacation blog for free” is a long-tail keyword that has 8 words and is found on Google.

You may achieve higher ranks by focusing on long-tail keywords such as “travel blog” rather to short-tail keywords such as “travel blog.”

Are you understanding what I’m saying? Long-tail keywords attract a very particular audience and are simpler to rank for than short-tail keywords, regardless of the niche in which you operate.

 You can uncover valuable long-tail keywords quickly and simply with tools such as Semrush.

The Top 5 Must-Have Plugins for Every Travel Blog

The nicest aspect about utilising WordPress is that you’ll have access to hundreds of plugins.

The majority of them are free, but a few of them will set you back a few dollars. We’ve hand-picked some of the most important plugins for making your travel blog a success.

Let’s Start with Free Must have Plugins:

1. Google site Kit: It’s critical to keep track of your site’s traffic so you can figure out what your most popular content are and how people are finding your site. 

Although Google Analytics may be used to track your traffic, you can use this useful plugin to view all of your metrics from the dashboard.

With just a few clicks, you can set up Google Analytics for WordPress and see real-time analytics in your Google Analytics dashboard. Installing it is completely free.

2. Rank Math: If you operate a travel blog and want to increase your search traffic, the Rank Math SEO plugin is a must-have. It’s a WordPress plugin that aids in the optimisation of your blog posts for specific keywords.

It also includes a free version that comes with a lot of features, but if you want even more, you can upgrade to one of their premium plans. You can also read our Rank Math plugin review for more information on this plugin and all of its capabilities.

Wordfence Security: Because hundreds of WordPress sites are hacked every day, security for your travel blog is critical. Although utilising a safe web host such as Siteground or Blue Host  might be beneficial, you should also consider installing security plugins such as Wordfence.

It comes with a firewall that detects and prevents harmful traffic. It also includes a real-time IP blocklist that protects your website while decreasing server load by blocking all requests from the most harmful IPs. It’s also completely free to use.

UpdraftPlus: You should back up your site on a regular basis so that you can recover all of your files in the event of data loss. The UpdraftPlus plugin comes into action at this point.

You may upload a full backup of your files and database backups to the cloud with this plugin and restore them with a single click. It’s completely free to use.

Paid Plugins: 

Smush Pro: If you’re writing a travel blog, you’re probably utilising a lot of photographs. Installing a free plugin like Smush, which lowers your picture size to optimise website loading speeds, is a better solution.

You may also bulk-reduce the size of your photographs. This plugin also includes “Lossless Compression,” which compresses photos without compromising image quality.

WP Rocket: One of the most essential components in the success of your website is its speed. Get a premium caching plugin like WP Rocket if you want to speed up your page loading times.

It’s the same plugin we use here at BloggersPassion, and it’s fantastic. You may also discover more about WP Rocket by reading our in-depth review of the premium caching plugin.

Akismet Anti-Spam: With over 5 million active downloads, Akismet is one of the most popular WordPress plugins.

This free WordPress plugin automatically examines all comments and filters out spam comments, ensuring that spammers do not leave unwanted links on your site.

Editorial Calendar: If you want to be successful at blogging, you need to be consistent. You may not have enough time as a travel blogger to write content on a regular basis. 

Here’s when having an editorial schedule comes in handy for batching your pieces or draughts.This WordPress plugin displays a timeline of your blog’s posts and when they will be published. 

To control your complete blog posting schedule, you may just drag & drop your blog.

Also Read: 10 Must have Essential WordPress Plugins for successful Blogging

Before you start a travel blog, here are five things you should know.

Here are the FIVE most critical things you must know if you want to start a successful travel blog from beginning.

Begin collecting emails right away.

If you want to generate money from your travel blog, start building an email list right now.

Most travel bloggers make thousands of dollars per month because of their email list.

Here are some eye-catching email marketing statistics to consider.

  • According to Statista, 3.9 billion people use email every day. By 2023, this figure is predicted to rise to 4.3 billion.
  • Marketers who deployed segmented campaigns saw a 760 percent gain in income, according to Campaign Monitor.
  • According to HubSpot, during the previous 12 months, 78 percent of marketers have witnessed an increase in email engagement.

So, if you’re starting a travel blog from the ground up, don’t overlook email marketing.

Similarly, you may use freebies like newsletters, eBooks, free guides, checklists, and other similar items to quickly increase your email subscriber base, as most people enjoy getting “free stuff.”

Make sure you have the correct blogging tools.

To be successful at travel blogging, you must have access to the necessary tools.

Although there are other tools accessible, we’ll just discuss two ESSENTIAL tools that you may utilise to increase your search traffic and subscriber base.

Use Semrush.

For more than 2+ years, we’ve been utilising Semrush. Using their affiliate programme, we also made over $100,000 in affiliate commissions. 

It’s also the same SEO toolset that over 6 million individuals use all around the world.

So, what makes Semrush unique? Why would you want to utilise it?

Semrush provides you with access to more than 45 SEO tools all in one place. You’ll have access to a variety of tools, including:

  1. Searching for keywords( key word magic Tool)
  2. Analyze the domain
  3. Organic investigation
  4. Monitoring of the brand
  5. Audits of the site
  6. Backlink analysis
  7. Examining social media
  8. Tracking keyword rankings
  9. The list goes on and on.
  10. Would you want to sample Semrush for free trial ?Get a free Semrush Pro account for 30 days (valued $119.95).

Use GetResponse for Email Marketing

Thousands of bloggers rely on GetResponse to establish and expand their email subscribers. It has a tonne of features that make creating lists a breeze.

GetResponse’s main feature is that it has a free plan that allows you to grow up to 500 subscribers for no cost.

The following functionalities are available with ConvertKit premium plans.

There are no limits on the number of landing pages and forms you may create.

  • Send out email blasts
  • Offer digital items and subscriptions for sale.
  • Migration from another tool is free.
  • Conversion funnels and sequences that are fully automated
  • Custom audiences on Facebook
  • Referral scheme for newsletters

So, what do you have to lose?

To give ConvertKit a try right now, go here.

 Have a Holistic understanding of SEO.

You’ll need traffic if you want to operate a profitable travel blog. Focusing on obtaining more visitors from search engines like Google is a good strategy. 

Why? For no cost, search traffic delivers you high-quality visitors.

To improve your results, you must study and grasp fundamental SEO. 

The practise of boosting the visibility of your website pages in search results is known as SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

The following are some things you can do to boost your organic exposure.

  • Searching for keywords
  • Creating connections
  • Improving your website’s page loading speeds by creating helpful information
  • Improving the user experience on your website
  • Technical SEO (such as resolving difficulties with your website)

Although you are not need to master all of the above-mentioned skills, you must have a fundamental grasp of them.

That said, if you’re new to SEO, we strongly advise you to check out our Coming soon premium eBook SEO Blueprint( 

Even if you’re a newbie, it will show you how to get 1000 visitors each day via Google.

The-SEO-BluePrint
This eBook will teach you the following:

  • How to make a design that is SEO friendly and ranks well
  • How to make Google-friendly content
  • How to acquire 1000 Google visits each day
  • Obtain high-quality backlinks for your website.

So, if you’re a novice looking to increase your search traffic, be sure to check it out.

Before you even begin, learn how to Monetize.

If your blog isn’t profitable, you won’t have the drive to work on it. Even before you publish your travel blog, it’s a good idea to figure out how you’ll generate money from it.

  • Passive revenue sources, such as selling your own items and affiliate marketing, are the greatest ways to monetize your travel blog.
  • Travel blogs may potentially bring in a lot of money if done correctly. 
  • All you have to do now is concentrate on the best monetization tactics.
  • You may also look for and examine other travel blogs in your field to learn how they make money. Only a few travel bloggers provide revenue reports on their sites, so keep an eye on them and study them.

Find out how to market your Travel blog.

The money of the internet is website traffic. How are you going to monetize your travel blog if you don’t have any visitors?

That is why blog advertising is so critical. Learn how to advertise your travel blog even before you start writing it so that it reaches a wider audience throughout the world.

Here are some tried and true methods for increasing traffic to your travel blog in 2023.

  • Analyze your competitors: You can rapidly locate the best-performing content in your niche using tools like Semrush.
  • Simply input any of your rivals’ URLs, and Semrush will provide all of the terms that are driving more traffic to them.
  • Take the NomadicMatt website as an example; after you input the name, you’ll see a list of all of the domain’s top organic keywords.
  • To increase traffic to your travel blog, just choose a few of those keywords (if they are related to your market) and develop fantastic content around them.
  • Write on Quora: Quora is the world’s most popular question and answer site, with millions of users asking questions and receiving answers. 
  • You can choose a few subjects and respond to them on Quora. To attract traffic from Quora, you can link to related information on your site.
  • Guest writing is the most effective strategy to market your travel blog. You may attract relevant visitors to your site by building excellent links. 

Here’s a comprehensive list of free guest blogging sites where you may produce guest articles in exchange for high-quality links and traffic to your website.

In 2023, here are some frequently asked questions about starting a travel blog.

Here are some of the most often asked questions about beginning and running a travel blog in 2022 and beyond.

What are the earnings of travel bloggers?

A travel blog may make you anywhere from $5000 to $15,000 per month once it’s established and has got good Authority on Google search. Freelancing, affiliate marketing, selling their own products, AdSense, and sponsorships are all sources of revenue for many travel bloggers.

Is it possible to start a travel blog without going on a trip?
Yes, you certainly can. 

There are many bloggers that write travel blogs without ever going on a trip. 

Consider launching a vacation blog to give travel blogging advice, inexpensive airfare recommendations, travel vlogging equipment, and more.

What are best Travel Affiliate programs to promote

What is the best blogging platform for starting a vacation blog?

The finest blogging platform for starting a travel blog is WordPress.org.

WordPress allows you complete control over your site, improves search engine optimisation, and gives you access to a plethora of plugins and themes to help you operate your travel blog with ease & It’s FREE with your Hosting.

Hand Picked Articles for You

How can you make money from blogging about Travel?

Three of the best methods!

As a travel blogger, how can I generate money?

As a travel blogger, the easiest approach to generate money is to develop passive revenue streams such as affiliate marketing and selling your own things such as eBooks and digital printables …like checklist etc…

Affiliate marketing.

The best approach to monetize any blog, even a pet blog, is through affiliate marketing.

We made nearly $150,000 from Three  affiliate programmes belle & June ( Home decor), Booking.com( Travel) and SEmrush( SEO) & Canva( Creating Creatives)

Here’s some good news: affiliate marketing  can bring you a LARGE income if done right.

  • In order to begin advertising their products, several pet product manufacturers provide affiliate programmes.
  • Because you can make money while you sleep with affiliate marketing, starting a pet blog is a terrific method to supplement your income.
  • When someone clicks on one of your links or photos and makes a purchase after clicking on it, you’ll get compensated. It’s that simple.

So, how can you use affiliate marketing to make a lot of money?

The following are some helpful Tips:

Finding a high-quality product to advertise is a great method to generate money through affiliate marketing.

  • Do your research before purchasing Travel essentials from an unreliable source. In addition, you should select a product that is in high demand and likely to pique people’s curiosity.

What’s the secret to making more money with affiliate marketing? 

  • Find a product that earns you a lot of money for each sale. 
  • The commission structure is an important consideration while deciding which product to promote. 
  • If you want to make more money on each sale, go for a product with a high commission rate.

Amazon, eBay, CJ.com, Clickbank, ShareASale , Flexoffers, Impact and other affiliate marketing platforms may be used to identify high-paying items in the pet business.

For your final step, you need to generate helpful material that will assist you sell your products:

  • This information must be both useful and interesting in order to entice customers to make a purchase.
  • Be sure to publish pieces that are creative, entertaining, and informative in order to attract people to your site..
  • Don’t worry if you’re not an expert — simply use your own personal experiences with animals to create fresh stories.
  • Case studies on pet training and care are another great way to share your knowledge

Sell Digital Products/Premium Content

Promote and market high-end content Or the Digital Products
If you’re looking to earn some additional cash, consider selling your quality material to others for a fee.

As long as your material is high quality, consumers won’t hesitate to pay for it.

In fact, you can purchase our premium material as eBooks right here.

What do you think about this? With premium content, you can make a lot of money.

Those that are most interested in what you have to offer will only see your greatest content if you charge your website audience a fee for access to it.

A excellent technique to increase your earnings while also shielding your greatest work from people who may not value it as highly.

  • When it comes to pet care, many people are willing to pay for special information like eBooks, online courses and video lectures.
  • Tips for selling digital items (or premium content) are provided here.
  • Offer discounts in return for signing up for your newsletter, and add an opportunity to join up for a fee-based service somewhere on your pet blog.
  • If you want to sell premium material, make sure your blog gets more traffic.
  • Use social media and email lists to spread the word about your blog. Building a fan base on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is a breeze.
  • Your friends and relatives can help you spread the news about your new website if you tell them about it and ask them to do the same.
  • Not to mention, having a blast! To become the next major pet blogger, you’ll have to put in some time and effort, so don’t give up.
  • In order to keep your readers satisfied even if your site isn’t getting thousands of visitors a day, it’s best to focus on quality rather than number.

Display advertising are a great way to monetize your Travel Blog site.

To make money from your pet care blog, what’s the quickest route?

Give display advertising a go.

Ad publishers can post adverts on websites via display ad networks, a sort of internet advertising network. 

The display ad network subsequently sends the advertising to the relevant websites after advertisers bid on the placement of these adverts.

With Google AdSense, millions of website owners are able to earn money through advertising.

AdSense or Media.net (or any other display advertising network) is all you need to join and start making money.

The amount of money you make from these ad networks is directly proportional to the volume of visitors your website receives. 

The more people that read your pet blog, the more money you’ll generate from it. It’s that simple.

The choices for AdSense replacements are many, including but not limited to:

  • Ezoic
  • Media.net
  • Infolinks
  • Mediavine
  • Adsterra
  • AdThrive
  • PropellerAds
  • Taboola
  • a variety of other tools

Wrapping Up

It takes time to build a profitable travel blog from the ground up. You should be prepared to play for the long haul. Expect to wait a while for results and be consistent.

Make it a point to work on growing your audience right away. Also, strive to diversify your sources of income.

So, what are your opinions on the subject? Did you like our step-by-step guide to starting a travel blog? Do you have any other inquiries? Please let us know in the comments section.

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