So, you enjoy traveling the world and writing and think that it’s a good idea to put those two together and start a blog. I support you in your decision entirely and I think you will have a lot of fun doing this. Still, this is not an easy thing to do and there are many things you need to consider before starting your own travel blog.
I know I had a lot of difficulties and, when I look back at things, I wish that there was someone at my side to give me sensible advice. This is exactly what I’m about to do. Just because I had to do everything on my own and figure things out doesn’t mean that everyone should. However, be prepared for all the hard work that awaits you.
I’m not talking about things like getting quality photo editing for travel photos and other technical aspects, as these can easily be outsourced. I’m talking about personal and professional issues you will have to face as a new travel blogger.
1. Don’t start without a goal
A lot of people start their travel blogs for different reasons and you need to have your own as well. This will give you a frame through which you will work. When you have a clear goal, it will be much easier for you to design your blog and establish your position based on your goals.
Of course, you might change your goals over time, but it’s always good to have a clear focus in your efforts. You won’t be able to pay attention to the right things, create a target audience or give a sweet personal touch to your blog if you don’t have a goal.
2. You will have to learn how to handle pressure
There are many different challenges that bloggers face. Still, in most cases the biggest problem is to publish new posts while being satisfied with the content you’ve published. For most people publishing content is difficult, even when they have a small audience that consists of friends and family members.
People are worried about criticism, judgement, or being laughed at. This is something everyone needs to overcome and learn to be dedicated towards improving their writing skills. Be prepared to receive criticism and look at it in a positive way, improve yourself instead on dwelling on negative comments, and when you see that those people have turned around and given you compliments, you will get the best feeling in the world.
You will experience self-doubt, but this is something every blogger needs to deal with on his/her own. If possible, make a break when you feel stressed and clear your mind before writing something new.
3. Your travels will change
Most beginners have an image of them chilling at some beach for away, drinking cocktails and casually writing on their laptops while tanning. Sadly, it doesn’t work this way. We are all lucky to have the opportunity to travel around the world, but those travels change when you start blogging.
At the core, you will have to create a balance between experiencing things yourself for your own pleasure and investing time in working on your blog while travelling. When you have blogging on your mind as you travel, many things will change and you won’t be “free” to do whatever you please.
You will have to organize yourself to visit important locations, have time to work, find peace to do so, and also leave some time for yourself so that you can enjoy the trip. All of these things carry their difficulties, but its way better than sitting at an office working 9 to 5 every day, don’t you agree?
These are the three main things you need to prepare yourself for when starting a travel blog. If you prepare yourself and overcome them quickly, you will be able to advance much faster and grow your blog sooner.