How to Launch your Own Travel Blog
You love to travel and you enjoy writing. For years you have dreamed of a way to bring your expertise to the forefront where others can read your insights and learn from your escapades and travels. You may have even written for magazines in the past, but you want to have a platform to call your own. Well, it’s about time that you have started your own travel blog! Here are a few steps to help you get started on the process:
Choose a Domain Name
A domain name is the actual link that will lead others to your blog. Ideally, your site’s name and your domain name will be similar enough that your travel blog will be found easily. Once you have thought of a name, check with any domain name seller to see if your blog name plus “.com” has been registered. If it hasn’t, this should be your go-to domain name. If it is unavailable, try other suffixes with your site name, such as “.net” or “.me” or try a variant of your site’s name with the suffix of your choosing.
Find a Host
After you have purchased a domain name, you will need to choose a hosting company to provide the services and technologies needed for your website. You will be required to pay a particular monthly or annual amount to this company to keep your site operating on the internet. Most hosting companies also provide you with WordPress, an excellent platform which can be easily installed and used to build your website. A WordPress website is simple to work with and it is highly recommended among experts.
Creating a Site
Creating your actual website can either be very complicated or surprisingly simple. It all depends on your own amount of design and coding skills, or whether you would prefer to delegate the task out to a professional. While you may have a few travel-friendly design ideas, it is probably best to let a web designer handle the process for you. They understand color usage, typography, and the importance of the optimal layout.
If a designer seems pricey, and you are not particularly choosy, you can always choose from the variety of templates offered on WordPress. Most of these templates are free to use and come with simple instructions for all types of website personalization.
Content Creation
When you hear “content is king,” your mind, like many people, probably defaults to text. And, while it is probably likely that you have an affinity for writing if you are going to the trouble of creating a blog, you should also consider diversifying your content.
In this day and age, blog readers are still interested in what you have to say, but they want to see it imparted in different ways. Consider going live from exotic locations, making tourist-friendly videos, or adding images from past vacations (either your own or those used with permission of the original owner). You can also use podcast platforms to share audio content about various travel destinations, discussing history, culture, tradition, local spots, and activities the city is known for. To begin with, you can get professional help from a podcast audio production company that could provide you with impeccable sound quality, seamless editing, and expert mixing. These different streams of media can be shared via social media, video-sharing sites, and internet radio forums, so not only are you changing how you deliver your message, but you are also creating additional streams of promotion.
Managing a WordPress Website
When using WordPress for creating a blog, there are several details that you will need to stay on top of. There are frequent updates and back-ups should be made of all widgets, posts, and lines of code that are added to your site. Also, if your site starts getting a steady stream of traffic, or you decide to add a new feature, maintenance may be required to keep the site up and running.
If you believe that you have the proper skill set to manage the technical workings of your site, go for it, but it is probably best for most of us to work with a programmer or WordPress management services that can be trusted and has good references. Remember, this travel blog is the culmination of a lot of your own hard work, so do diligent research before hiring anyone.
Now Start Creating your Own WordPress Travel Blog
In conclusion, there are quite a few steps to getting your travel blog off the ground, but we live in an exciting time where you have the ability to broadcast your message across the world in a matter of seconds, so it is well worth the effort. Soon you will be able to podcast about Paris, post images of India, and chat about China all with a few clicks using a blog you can call your own.