I’ve been blogging since 2008 – that’s 17 years of running websites, writing posts from hotel rooms, dealing with tech headaches, celebrating traffic spikes, and adapting to the ever-changing world of online content. Travel blogging today looks very different from when I first started, and there’s a lot I wish I’d known back then that would have made life so much easier.
Over the years I’ve learned what works, what’s worth your time, and what’s a distraction. In this guide, I’m sharing those hard-earned tips to help you skip some of the mistakes I made and set up your blog for long-term success. Think of it as a condensed version of nearly two decades’ worth of trial and error – so you can start strong, stay consistent, and enjoy the process.
Step 1: Build Your Brand and Find Your Voice
First, decide on your niche. Travel is a huge space, and narrowing your focus in the beginning will help you reach the right people. Whether it’s solo female adventures, slow travel, food-focused trips, luxury escapes, or budget backpacking, having a clear niche will make your blog easier to market and will guide your early content choices.
Next you’ll need a name that will grow with you. Think carefully and avoid anything too specific that you may regret at a later date. Changing your domain name further down the line is a hassle and can result in a loss of rankings in search results.
Instead, pick something timeless, memorable, and easy to type. Check that you can get the matching domain and social handles before you commit.
Finally, settle into a voice that feels natural. Whether you write with humor, warmth, or a straightforward tone, your voice should be consistent across all your posts. It’s what makes your writing feel like you.
Pro Tip: Write down three words that describe the mood you want your blog to have – and keep them in sight whenever you create content or make design decisions.
Step 2: Treat Your Blog Like a Business from the Start
Even if it’s a side project at first, thinking like a business owner will help you set goals, prioritize tasks, and eventually earn an income.
Research other blogs in your niche. Notice what topics they cover, how they structure their posts, and where they might be leaving gaps. This isn’t about copying — it’s about finding ways to offer something different or more useful.
Pro Tip: See your first year as an investment in learning and building. Focusing on growth instead of immediate income will take the pressure off and help you make better long-term decisions.
Step 3: Choose the Right Platform and Set It Up
When I started blogging, getting a website online was far more complicated than it is today. Now, you can have a blog up and running in hours if you choose the right tools.
If you want something quick and stress-free, the Website Builder from IONOS for easy setup is an excellent option. It includes your domain name, hosting, mobile-optimized templates, and drag-and-drop design tools. You can focus on your content instead of wrestling with code.
If you’re comfortable with a steeper learning curve and want maximum flexibility, a self-hosted WordPress site gives you more control. You’ll need to arrange hosting, choose a theme, and manage plugins, but you can customize almost everything.
Whichever route you take, make sure your site is secure (SSL certificate), loads quickly, and works perfectly on mobile. In order to ensure fast load times, I’d recommend using caching plugins and a CDN. Monitor your Google Page Speed Insights and test your site to ensure everything is running smoothly.
Connect analytics from day one so you can see what’s working and adjust your strategy as you grow.
Pro Tip: Launch with a simple, clean design. You can always add more features later – the most important thing is to get started.
Step 4: Design with the Reader in Mind
Your blog’s design should help visitors explore, not confuse them. Keep navigation simple, group posts into clear categories, and make sure your most important pages are accessible from the main menu.
Photography plays a huge role in travel blogging. Use high-quality images and use an optimizer plugin such as ShortPixel to make sure your file sizes aren’t too big. Stick to a consistent color palette and font style so your site feels cohesive.
Since most readers will find you on their phones, check how your site looks on mobile before you publish anything. Make sure text is easy to read, buttons are easy to tap, and images load quickly.
Pro Tip: Before launching, ask a friend to click through your site. Watching how they interact will reveal small frustrations you might have missed.
Step 5: Create Content That’s Worth Coming Back For
In the early days, I made the mistake of writing only about my day-to-day travels. While personal stories are great, they work best when paired with useful information your readers can use.
Aim for a balance: detailed destination guides, itineraries, and “how-to” articles alongside posts that share your personality and experiences. For example, a post about hiking in Patagonia should include your route, what to pack, how long it took, and what you wish you’d known.
Mix evergreen content, like “Best Packing Tips for Carry-On Travel,” with seasonal or timely topics. Evergreen posts will keep attracting readers for years, while timely content shows you’re active and engaged.
Pro Tip: Before publishing, ask yourself what the reader will take away from the post. If the answer isn’t clear, refine it until it is.
Step 6: Build an Audience That Lasts
Getting readers is one thing; keeping them is another. Choose two or three social platforms where you can post consistently and where your audience spends time. Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok are often effective for travel content. Use them to share engaging snippets that link back to your blog.
Email marketing is worth starting early. Offer a useful freebie – like a printable itinerary or packing checklist – in exchange for an email address. Send occasional updates with new posts, personal notes, travel deals, and extra tips.
Networking helps too. Comment on other blogs, join online travel groups, and look for opportunities to collaborate with other creators. This can introduce you to new audiences and help your site gain authority in search engines.
Pro Tip: Social media trends change fast. Your email list and search engine traffic will be more stable in the long run, so don’t neglect them.
Step 7: Monetize in a Way That Fits Your Audience
Once you have steady traffic, you can explore different income streams. Affiliate marketing is a simple place to start – recommend products or services you use and earn a commission when readers purchase through your links. Be selective, and only promote things you’d recommend to a friend. I’d highly recommend signing up for Travelpayouts, which features affiliate programs for all the major booking platforms all under one easy-to-manage interface.
Sponsored content can be lucrative, but make sure it feels natural on your blog. Whether it’s working with a hotel, a tourism board, or a travel gear brand, the content should still be useful to your audience.
Other options include placing display ads, creating and selling digital products like travel guides or photography presets, and offering services such as freelance writing or trip planning. Once you reach a certain level of traffic, you can apply to Mediavine, for steady income from display ads.
Pro Tip: Spread your income across several sources. If one stream slows down, the others can help balance it out.
Step 8: Keep Improving and Growing
Blogging isn’t something you set up once and forget about. Keep your content up to date, especially destination guides where prices, opening hours, or rules might change.
Review your analytics regularly to see which posts are attracting the most traffic and which ones might need improvement. This will help you focus on what’s actually working.
As your site grows, think about scaling your efforts. You might outsource design tweaks, editing, or social media scheduling so you can focus on creating content and building your brand.
Pro Tip: Schedule regular “big picture” days where you step back from daily tasks and think about where you want your blog to be in six months or a year.
Step 9: Set Up the Legal and Business Side Early
If you plan to make money from your blog, set up the legal basics right away. You’ll need a privacy policy, terms of use, and affiliate disclosures. If you collect emails, make sure you comply with regulations like GDPR.
Track your income and expenses from day one so tax time isn’t a nightmare. Depending on your country, you might need to register as a business. In the US, for example, I’d recommend starting an LLC and having a business bank account for your earnings to be deposited into, that way your business finances aren’t intermingled with your personal finances. This makes things a lot easier come tax time.
Pro Tip: It’s easier to do this now than to untangle it later. Even if you’re not earning yet, get the basics in place.
Final Thoughts
After 17 years of running blogs, the biggest lesson I can share is that consistency matters more than perfection. Start with a simple, functional site, focus on creating helpful content, and build relationships with your readers.
The intuitive website Builder from IONOS can take care of the technical side so you can concentrate on the creative work. From there, it’s all about steady, thoughtful growth – and enjoying the process of sharing your travels with the world.
