Tiffany CondeCreating a travel blog is like penning a love letter to yourself. Not only are you charting your journeys as they happen, but you are also following the ways in which you grow as a person and a traveller over time. When you crack open your old journals and read past entries, it’s almost as if you are encountering different versions of yourself — snapshots of a life taken and sent from different parts of the world. Each entry is like a postcard written by you.
Running a travel blog seems to be everyone’s dream these days. But how will you know if you have what it takes to start one? If you’re still on the fence about whether travel blogging is the right decision for you, these signs will nudge you in the right direction.
Also read: Why It’s Important to Write About Your Travels
1. You’re looking for a place to keep your memories safe
If you are thinking about starting a travel blog of your own, you probably have a plethora of existing material to use for future stories. Maybe a box in your room is brimming with hastily scribbled notes, used boarding passes, plane tickets, and memorabilia from past adventures. Maybe the photographs from your life-changing trips are hidden inside your camera. Either way, you’re looking for a platform to channel your creative energy.
When you’re just getting started on your blog, you don’t have to worry about adapting to the demands of a changing market or conforming to anyone’s expectations just yet. There’s only you, the weight of your words, and the power of a blank page.
2. You make time for your craft in small ways
Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t have to quit your job to become a travel blogger! You can always dedicate at least a few hours in your day to work on your blog, without necessarily having to take up writing or photography full-time.
This early in the game, blogging is less about your productivity and more about cultivating good habits. Essentially, time management and discipline are what you need to build a solid portfolio. By allocating a certain time for your writing, you can slowly incorporate blogging into your normal routine, for as long as your schedule allows it.
You can start with small topics before moving on to more ambitious projects. Maybe you can talk about the summer you went hiking in Indonesia or the first time you swam in Boracay island. The most important thing is to get the first draft down. Gradually, the habit of moving sentences around and curating images will begin to feel more natural to you as time goes on. When this happens, the words will start to flow.
3. You are excited to learn new things
Aspiring travel bloggers know that the digital landscape is always changing to accommodate emerging trends and technology. Few things are static in this ever-evolving industry. And so, when you sign up for the life of a travel blogger, it’s important to embrace fresh experiences and tackle incoming challenges with an open mind.
If you think of yourself as a master of one skill, travelling is going to change that. As you make steady progress on your travel blog, you can always pick up new talents and experiment with different specialties, such as food writing or wildlife photography. When the world is your teacher, you are free to learn at your own pace. One story at a time!
4. You know what motivates you to travel
Imagine what your future travel blog would look like. Not what your friends might want to see or what you think the world needs right now. What does travel blogging mean for you?
Knowing your niche can give you an edge and help you stand out among other travel bloggers. But the best way to keep yourself motivated in a fluctuating industry is to circle back to the reason why you fell in love with travel in the first place. What compels you to leave home? Why do you cover great distances? What spurs you to hop on a plane?
Later, you can figure out how you can monetise your blog and expand your reach. For now, find out what is it about travelling that makes you happy. Then chase that feeling with everything you’ve got.
Also read: Why It’s Important to Travel for Yourself Every Once in a While
5. You have a genuine desire to inspire others
It’s surprising how blogging for an audience of one — that is, yourself — can sometimes lead you to find the readership that has been looking for you all this time. In making yourself vulnerable through your stories, you meet people who are just like you or feel represented by your work.
If you have a genuine desire to inspire fellow travel bloggers, your stories will inevitably find a home within a larger community of readers and collaborators. After reading your escapades, they might even want to follow in your footsteps!
At the end of the day, travelling has the ability to forge lasting connections and bring people together. Sometimes, that’s all the motivation you need to get started!
Also read: 10 Practical Ways to Start a Life of Travel
So what are you waiting for? There’s no better time to start your travel blog than today!
