Imagine hiking the Dolomites in Italy, enjoying a cup of coffee at a café in Paris with a view of the Eiffel Tower, or fulfilling your digital nomad dream. The excitement is high and you want to tell everyone about this adventure — specifically, the roadblocks that you ran into because you want to give the next person a heads up.

So you start thinking, What if I told others about this travel tip or trick? What if I become a travel writer?

You read some of your favorite travel blogs to prepare for your trip, but they were missing information that would have been helpful. What if I write down my own adventures? You’re already on the trip anyways, you like writing, and you could make money doing it.

I mean, who couldn’t get behind that?

But now, a million and one other questions are bombarding you. How do I start a travel blog? Is travel blogging worth it? How do I make money as a beginner travel blogger?

You need all your travel blogging 101 questions answered.

Well, we’ve got news for you!

Here at Wanderful, many in our international community of women who love to travel started off as bloggers. We are a sisterhood that supports women who are building businesses in the travel industry. Some of these businesses — like our very own — grew from a simple travel blog, and their founders take on opportunities to travel all expenses paid and more because of their credentials as a travel writer.

For a quick jumpstart to blogging, snag our free beginner’s guide to travel blogging. We will walk you through important steps like choosing a name, picking your website host, and more.

Wanderful created the WITS Travel Creator Summit because we know firsthand how valuable a blog can be. Every year at WITS, travel bloggers and other creators connect with leading industry professionals and come away with opportunities to make their blog more than just a passion project.

To get you one step closer to launching your travel blog, we are answering some FAQs about travel blogging. It’s time to stop wondering and start wandering.

Is it worth starting a travel blog?

If you will find it rewarding, then heck yes!

After a particularly fun adventure, do you find yourself wanting to tell everyone about it? Do you wish you could remember that moment forever? Well, travel blogging can help you do both of those things.

If you like the idea of writing, recalling details of your adventures, giving tips on family travel, or informing others about tips and tricks you picked up while traveling, then starting a travel blog has your name written all over it.

What are the benefits of a travel blog?

As a travel writer, you will have a memory bank of all your trips to look back on. When you forget details or just want to relive the experience, a blog can help you recall a favorite time during your travels.

Sharing your experiences can also help others plan their voyages. You would be helping them to create memories! You have a unique point of view that others would appreciate hearing from. If you think you’d enjoy helping others to travel, consider becoming a travel blogger.

On top of those heartfelt reasons to start a blog, you can also make money blogging! It’s your choice to make it a passive income that pays for the classic blogger’s addiction of coffee or even — as a full-time travel blogger — cover the cost of an entire trip.

What does a travel blogger need to start a travel blog?

Well, start traveling for one. If you want to start a travel blog, then ideally you are traveling or planning some type of trip. You need travel content for a travel blog. What a great excuse to go backpacking, take a road trip, or check something off your bucket list.

It doesn’t need to get more complicated than having somewhere you can write down your adventures. That can be a notebook, the Notes app on your phone, or an app on your laptop that you can type up your story. While traveling, jot down notes to help your brainstorming process later.

Then, all you have to do is post it. You can post on sites like Medium for free, or you can sign up for a website and start building your brand. Popular blogging websites are WordPress or Squarespace.

You will need to have some grit and dedication. Travel blogging is fun, but it’s hard work to maintain consistency. It’s important to keep posting blogs and building your name as a travel writer.

Now, of all things you need to start your travel blog, what you need the most is to understand your unique story and how you want to tell it. A story to tell is what will keep readers coming back for more. Be as authentically you as possible and tell your story. Of all the travel blogs out there, what can you bring that will stand out against the noise? That’s the story you need to tell.

How do you get followers on a travel blog?

As a part of the Wanderful community, our creator members share their posts with our bank of travel members. Other travelers benefit from learning about travel from bloggers, and our creators get active feedback and help building traction for their blogs.

Successful travel bloggers drive traffic to their website from social media. Remember, once you drive traffic to your blog, make sure you are adding readers to your email list and keeping up with your loyal readers. You want to keep those who have a connection with you and your blog in the loop.

You can also guest post on travel-related websites, magazines, etc. Wanderful partners with bloggers who have bold stories to tell. You can receive a year membership to our Wanderful community and sometimes payment in exchange for posting your own blog on our website where thousands of travelers can see it. Talk about a win win!

Ask your friends. Use your network and ask friends, family, and those you know in the travel industry to give your blog a shout out.

Business cards. While traveling, see if you can leave them in local coffee shops, hostels, or at host’s homes. Where you are traveling, your audience is traveling. A nice eye-popping business card with your website link can gain more followers than you think.

Paid ads, though not necessary or done often in the blogging community, are an option. Ads can help bring relevant views to your own blog, helping you gain momentum, build a following, and ultimately earn money.

How much do travel bloggers get paid?

That depends. There are a few ways you can make money as a travel blogger. It is up to you to decide what is within your means to manage and make profitable.

As a newbie, you may rely on affiliate marketing first. This means you partner with brands and link to their products in you blog. When a reader clicks the link and makes a purchase, you get a portion of payment, according to a contract you have with them.

Once you have a successful travel blog with a following, you might also want to start a podcast or sell travel guides or online courses while also being a travel writer.

You can also dive into the community of bloggers at national and worldwide events. Wanderful hosts WITS, a summit to connect top travel experts and brands in the industry that want to work with influencers and travelers like you. They are looking for travel bloggers to share travel stories to their audience. An event like this opens the door for business relationships and future opportunities.

How do you start a travel blog?

It can be as easy as starting to write and post! If you would like a step-by-step guide that walks you through the process, Wanderful has a free blogging course on how to start your travel blog. Get eight easy and actionable blogging tips that you can implement today to launch your successful travel blog.

Gain insight into choosing a domain name, a blog name, a blogging platform, and how to start making money. This course breaks down confusing terms like search engines, google analytics, WordPress themes, hosting plans, optimization, and more — all for newbie bloggers.