The starter pack 2017

Newbie travel writing and blogging starter pack 2017

If you’re considering becoming a travel blogger,

there are two things to check off before moving forward:

• Are you concerned for your own privacy and that of your friends/family (in regard to sharing personal details about your lives together online)
• Is 5bucks a month for site hosting too much for me?

If you answered NO to both questions, hold ye back no more, you’ve been ready all along. So How do you do it?

step #1 : see the world

We Travel folk need experiences to discuss and share our unique opinions as well original photography to stand apart.

step #2 : choose a domain name

Consider your passions and strengths. Are you a spread eagle? Or do you want to focus on a particular niche ie. Parents and the Mountains like www.mummyinthemountains.com

step #3 : is the magic number

Write for yourself three totally different blogs to start, with the pictures you would want to publish with them at hand, ready for later. Also consider how much time it took you to do this and if you really did enjoy it. The only pressure you have to post is that which you put on yourself so don’t stress about best practice of the fun is gone. This post is for making your blog, not making your blog a steaming success….that comes later. 

One perceived pitfall many new bloggers run into is starting a blog that isn’t posted to frequently enough. A shortage of recent posts can give your visitors a bad impression of your site. The idea being to give your audience a reason to visit often, you need to be there often.

However these facts of blog life may not apply to you if you’re just here to do what you love, to showcase your life and style (talent) because you simply love travelling and enjoy sharing. Being seen and heard doing it is a bonus. Being paid to do it comes down the line for any talented motivated writer.

I personally have no interest in Social Media outside of Family facebook anymore which drove me to add the new section to my site regarding news and opinion in a more editorial way. The kind of discussion missing from my daily family life and certainly one which has lost its place in the facebook/twitter “echo chamber” (Twitter is notedly Left Leaning, although not necessarily an Echo Chamber so much as a “band wagon”).

step #4 : Your “Brand”

Before you run way with the branding fairies, it’s more important that you – do you.

Don’t pigeon hole yourself if you don’t like birds. Like birds? Brilliant, maybe you could tell tales of travelling with your bird? sorry to say www.thebudgiesmuggler.com is already taken

Your voice in this instance is also going to extend to your image, are you girly, modern, boho, you will find inspiration in the next step…

step #5 : do your research

Prior to buying your domain/setting up your blog you want to make sure you are getting into bed with the right website company. Be warned some of those bastards will tuck the sheets so tight in you’ll end up paying for an extra set for comfort. Then one day you`ll find leaving the bed is going to cost you too.

This exact bedroom situation is why I chose to use BoldGrid (as you can see in the bottom on this page). I have some graphic design experience with posters and dabbled in HTML in my forum days but still found this a real challenge. Be prepared for at least three late nights until you are happy with it, BUT you will be happy with it. With the flexibility to change sheets and even beds whenever you please!

Here is a great review comparing all the options out there from someone who has experienced them ALL: https://websitesetup.org/website-builders/

Be sure to follow his links for a look at the actual websites as that’s how this hero amoungst men makes lis living, and we salute you in this way.

 IF YOU GET STUCK ASK YOUTUBE

step #6: take off!

You are so 2017.

I didn’t worry about building my site “live” as I went through the final stages of adding my content to the template. The chances of anyone coming across it are so small, and even smaller since I disactivated the SEO chit-chat to google.

Something to consider : 

You don’t tell any larger circles the domain you have purchased or the project you have started until you are perfectly happy with the product. Many people abandon their builds part way through and it would feel less than warm and fuzzy to have friends and family remind you how easy it should be, and that you are senile etc.