Is traveling your passion? Are you the type of person who keeps every detail of your journey written in your diary? And you give more meaning to it with the collections of your best candid shots. Suddenly, you realize you want to take your travel diary to a wider purpose this time. So, do you want to start writing a good travel blog post?
Travel blogging is a great way to keep track of journeys with your friends and family so that you’ll have good memories to look back on for many years ahead. But before you can dive into the idea of travel blogging per se, make sure that you capture the essence of it, so that there is greater value in your purpose for it.
To many people, travel blogging is just simply writing the vivid memories of your journeys – in your own style and in your own words. But this shouldn’t be the only case if you’re objective is to represent high traffic visibility in your post.
So, what’s the main essence of travel blogging then? It must serve as a useful guide to travelers who are planning a trip, and they can refer to your blog posts for tips, factual information, and inspiration.
Writing a good blog post can take a bit of practice, so we’ve compiled some best practices that are proven to create a great post. Don’t worry; these aren’t official rules you should comply with because every post is unique and diverse. But it will aid you in creating a blog that people would love to read for many years after the trip.
First, create an enjoyable and memorable trip.
You need to be fully immersed in your trip before you can write engaging content. You see, writing from experience gives high-quality impression and expression on the blog. So, why not start creating and completing that fun-filled trip so that you are excited to write about it when you get back.
Ideally, writing is best at the end of the day, before bedtime, or the moment you wake up. Your brain is fresh and clear during these periods, and you’ll be able to think of the best content and remember the most valuable information and experiences you’ve had on your trip.
Are you a newbie to travel blogging and want to hit at par with well-known bloggers? Then learn the craft by referring to the best travel blog posts and make it your inspiration. The things you write about on your travel blog will determine how good your piece is and the number of people reading your post.
For a start, you can begin with that first heartfelt, trailblazing trip you’ve just had or if you’ve been on several trips, why not do a mix of your trip highlights and recommendations. Say, for example, the title and content of your blog could be “10 Reasons to Travel in your mid-40s.”
What’s so good about travel blogging is that you can write about anything if your passion dictates you to add value to your content. Even if it’s just a soothing coffee drinking session you enjoyed in a rare ambiance, an interaction with a fellow traveler, or a unique travel guide you have encountered during your destination, you can come up with an interesting article given the right disposition and proper execution.
What is your purpose?
There are varied reasons why people start blogging. Like earlier mentioned, it can be about keeping memorabilia with your family and friends, or a notable diary for yourself can trigger that craving to write.
Some people want it more interactive. They see blogging as a place to showcase the best of their photoshoots, to socialize with other travel bloggers, or become famous in this field. Whatever your goal is, give it a clear purpose from the very beginning so you can craft and layout a blog that serves your purpose.
But what if you already had more travel experiences and references, and you want it extended outside the circle of family and friends? There you go – it means you are opting for a better purpose.
That is, instead of having the same circle going through your never-ending anecdotes about your colorful travel adventures, then you might want to create a blog post that reaches out to a wider audience. If you do this, you must produce an article that is flexible enough to capture varied interests.
Come up with an impressive title before writing your blog post.
Have you noticed that many traveler bloggers include numbers written in their titles? It means that they can learn from several useful tips in that article. So readers automatically will click on that travel blog post immediately without any hesitation.
Although you could do a title explaining the cloud nine emotions you felt on your first-time trip to Seoul, readers will still dwell more on your post if your titles appear to list down the reasons or tips on what made your trip to Seoul so fantastic. Take note; readers can easily remember if most of your important notes are bulleted or numbered.
Try to come up with a specific title. For example, “Nine Best Places to Visit in Seoul during Autumn.” Or you can make it more interactive like this – “What are the Nine Best Places to Visit in Seoul during Autumn?”
Try to avoid a monologue title which goes like this – “My Memorable Autumn Moments in Seoul.” If you want your post to rank high, this kind of “all about me” title is not going to catch much attention because not all the people in the world are interested in the affairs of others especially a stranger.
Discover who is in your audience.
Do you want to reach a wider audience? Then it shouldn’t be limited to your family and friends alone. Consider who your other readers are and their interests: are they backpackers, surfers, trekkers, shopping addicts, exotic food fanatics, or cultural adventurers? This the real challenge. You need to identify the varied interests of people from different walks of life.
Keep in mind that you are writing to your readers when you write your blog post. In due course, your posts should be less about you and more about your readers and what kind of value you can offer to them.
Create a sharp storyline.
If you think that your trip is already a story by itself, you’re not on the right track. It’s just a series of your day-to-day itineraries, and it can be boring to your readers. If your title needs to be specific, then the whole plot of your blog post should be about a story you want to share and the events that transpired leading up to that story.
There are interesting events you can use to format your storyline. For instance, “I made it to the Pyramid of Giza.” And there are events in your trip which may not be good to consider when creating a sharp storyline. One example is, “I almost missed the train to Mongolia.”
So as a writer, the first thing you should decide on is the story you want to tell. Try referring to notable published stories and look at the bold line of the introductory part of the articles in papers, magazines, and websites. Why not use one of those examples and practice writing the so-called “standfirst” for your own story and use it as your brief? You may do this before writing your original blog post.
Make your first paragraph compelling.
To capture your readers’ attention, learn to use humor, dialogue, drama, or a mixture of it all – so that the first paragraph will embed like a permanent tattoo. Most prominent travel articles start with the gist of the story and flashback toward the following paragraphs to explain how they happened to be in that situation.
Keep your blog post to around 1500 words.
Do you belong to those online readers who have a very short attention span, easily get bored, and search again for what looks to be a more candid article? If you do, then don’t make your readers feel the same with your long-winded, never-ending tales in such a lengthy and wordy article.
Give them an easy-to-ready travel blog post by writing short sentences, grouping your information, and separating your texts into short paragraphs and headers. Headers summarize the information in the paragraphs and give your readers a chance to skip some sections in your post and hit the ones that interest them the most.
Have focus.
Do you have lots of adventures to share and want to put it all in one travel blog post? It could be helpful in a way because you are being generous in sharing a comprehensive amount of information. But having a focus in your article, one event at a time, is a lot more useful for your readers.
For example, if you traveled to Tel Aviv for five days, why not split your travel blog post into different subjects like these:
- Where to shop around Tel Aviv?
- Exciting nightlife at the Great Synagogue
- Dining in Beit Romano Restaurant at Tel Aviv’s old textile district
- Take a walking tour at the White City in Central Tel Aviv
- Staying in Hotel Herods Tel Aviv
Write dialogues.
Dialogue brings a story to life, gives personality to the characters in your account, and makes you convey significant events with a punch! Whenever you travel, make notes of what people say and how they say it.
Check this sentence: “Here, take a look at those colorful and different types of flora species in Singapore’s National Orchid Garden. Isn’t it astounding?” As compared to this sentence: “The colorful and different types of flora species in Singapore’s National Orchid Garden is astounding.”
Which sentence do you think is more engaging and would attract the readers’ attention? It should be the first one. Agree? Of course, don’t forget to include photos so that there is an image or personality in what you are trying to illustrate when you are writing that enchanting dialogue.
Differentiate show and tell.
What is the difference between showing and telling in storytelling? Well, these are just the essential techniques in writing which seasoned writers use. Showing is when you take a moment to describe a scene in more detail. It can be about something memorable you have seen, felt, tasted, or heard. Through their eyes, you are taking your reader to that place you’ve been or the moment you have experienced.
How about telling? It is simply writing your story more fluidly without going into the detail of each of the important events in your trip. For example, “I have to be at the airport at least four hours before my departure because traffic in Manila is terrible.”
You see, travel blog posts interchange frequently between the portrayal of ‘showing’ and the practicality of ‘telling.’ In this case, you will need both to give your post an exciting variety.
Share and don’t show off.
Beginners in writing often try to convey literary phrases in their articles. But good writers prefer to present an article in the best and simplest way.
Nowadays, readers look for valuable materials to enjoy. They prefer the more clear-cut articles and are hoping to read on the things they need instantly at the beginnings of the article.
It doesn’t mean that flowery words, even if it’s good to read and true in its sense, are irrational. We just don’t want to waste readers’ time especially if they are already craving for that information they need for their very upcoming trip. The tendency for them is to search for travel blogs that are simple, short, and concise.
So, what do neophyte writers need to learn from the experts? If you choose to write travel blog posts, it is good to be interactive with your choice of words but not overly poetic. Travel blog posts are completely different from literary articles.
Use striking language.
Did you notice how most travel articles are structured with many descriptive words? You will find travel blog posts with words such as splendid, magnificent, fantastic, stunning, incredible, melting pot, bustling, and many others.
Of all of these can be used to describe thousands of destinations worldwide. If you use such words in your travel blog posts, you are painting a clear picture in your readers’ minds. It will make them feel more excited to take that trip you have featured in your post.
Insert signposts.
Do you usually look for signposts whenever you stroll around in a foreign country? So, you’re no different from any other travelers who are also wide readers of travel blog posts. Imagine if you can include precise signposts where readers can also travel through your story, then your article will likely hit the top in Google search engine.
Tell your readers where you’re going next in every few paragraphs of your article. Make sure you include your objective in every place you mentioned you are going to and let them know in your article how useful it was part of your travel itinerary.
You could write this way for instance: “The following day, we traveled from Lima to Machu Picchu” or you would rather signpost things a bit, by writing: “We were enticed to trek into Canon de Los Perdidos to see the red rock waves similar to Arizona’s Antelope Canyon, but our quest for Peru’s few native small hamlets made us trek farther north of the countryside called the Cordillera Huayhuash.”
Do you know how this signpost sentence appears to your readers? You are giving them an interesting idea of where your story is going and why they should keep tagging along in pursuit of useful information, particularly in planning for a good itinerary.
Use high-resolution photos.
“A picture paints a thousand words.” (1) Familiar with this phrase from a popular song? It also holds to writing a travel blog post. Most of the time, readers would only tend to look at photos, or they spend more time gazing at the photos in an article and less time reading the text. Some readers can read a complete story just by looking at the photos.
So, if you want to write a good travel blog post, it is a commandment to arm your article with high-resolution photos and best shots which are equivalent to telling a story. Make sure you take your pictures in your travel blog because it’s proof that you’ve been there and been at that moment, so there is more engagement in your article.
A well-written travel blog post can inspire readers and follow the trek of the writer’s travel adventures. How can you inspire your readers more with your article?
You have to give them key tips and facts, for example, the most affordable airline and hotels to book, how to get to your hotel from the airport, the visa process and fees (if any), the nearest convenience store from where you stayed, the best beer in town, and how to go from your hotel to the places of destinations included in your article.
These are the things that readers want to find out as they research the destination they choose. And, if you’ve got those facts and tips with you, highlight it in your travel blog posts!
Give an inspiring conclusion.
Are you tempted to include every mesmerizing point in your travel blog posts? It may not sound like a good idea because you’ll be like wrapping up your travel article like a bullet train hitting the cushions and leaving your readers confused.
Step on your brake pad and always end with a notable conclusion in your article. Let your readers know that the end is near in your article. Wrap it up with a reflection from where you started and summarize the experience.
How do you nail your conclusion then? Share something more inspiring rather than just saying, “I wanna go back to this place again!”.
Ready to start your travel blog post now?
Writing a travel blog post may seem easy. But, always remember that knowing your audience, what are their interests, and where they come from, is necessary for coming up with a good travel blog post.
By the way, don’t expect to see many readers or followers in your travel article straight away. It may take longer as you build your rapport with your audience and can give multiple value-added and credible information based on your first-hand travel experiences.
Is travel blogging your dream job? Go for it! However, it’s still a job that will require you to put enormous hours and effort into it. Writing a good travel blog post won’t happen overnight. Meaning – it is really hard work, but if it’s going to make travel easier for your readers, then all the hard work will pay off.
So, are you ready to start writing your travel blog post now? The fact that you have completed reading this article is already a great start! You deserve a round of applause. Have fun in writing a good one!