Planning on traveling the world soon, and want to document it on the web for everyone to see? Though the technical aspects of learning how to start a travel blog can be intimidating, it is actually quite easy once you get started. For all the necessary blogging tips, check out our easy to follow checklist below…
1) Come up with easy to remember blog name
Take a couple hours to think about what kind of traveler you are. There are various kinds of wanderers out there, from party packers that travel far and wide to hit up the best nightlife, concerts, and parties that the world has to offer, to adventure junkies that seek out the highest peaks and sickest adrenaline sports venues.
These are just a couple examples out of an innumerable series of niches, and it doesn’t stop at interests. Consider your age group, gender, nationality, or even a preferred part of the world when picking the brand that your blog will represent.
When you have done this, come up with a short and snappy blog name, preferably less than 20 characters, avoiding symbols like hyphens if possible. This will make it easy for visitors to remember your blog from a one off encounter, as not every person interested in your site will bookmark it straight away.
2) Find a reliable web host
Once you have registered a domain based on your blog title, the next item on your shopping list should be a reliable web host. There are plenty of web host providers out there, but they all differ in aspects such as customer service, uptime, and other crucial metrics.
While there are a number of add-ons that you will see at checkout for your site hosting plan that are unnecessary for someone that is just starting out, we strongly recommend that you purchase a privacy protection plan, as anyone can look up your name and mailing address by doing a WHOIS query on your site without this safeguard in place.
3) Install WordPress on your web host server
While it is not required for you to use this platform in order to operate a website in this day and age, it is far easier to get started by uploading WordPress to your site. This will give your blog the structure you need without having to hire a coder (or learning how to do it yourself).
WordPress is designed to be super easy to install … just follow the instructions given, and it should be up and running within five minutes of initiating the process.
4) Upload plugins that will make your life easier
At this point, you will be ready to begin publishing. Before you do, take some time to upload some uber-useful WordPress plugins, which are programs built to work with WordPress to enhance the function of your website.
Askimet will shoo away nuisance spam that will otherwise overwhelm your ability to cope with it, Yoast SEO will make your blog spots easier for Google to find on the net, and CommentLuv will attract like-minded bloggers to your site, as their latest posts will be promoted in the comment section when you install this plugin.
5) Post at least once per week
When you start travel blogging, you will likely be motivated to post almost every day. This honeymoon period will not last, as various distractions will inevitably stand in the way of posting. Fight this waning motivation by putting together a posting schedule where you put up a post at least once per week. This will help your site in the eyes of your fans and Google, as neglecting to do this will lead to a decline in interest from both parties.
