If you’re daydreaming about becoming a travel influencer and being able to explore the world, capture stunning photos, and share stories about your adventures, then you might be wondering how you can turn that into a full-time job and actually make money from it. Well, it’s certainly possible and plenty of people do it, but you’ll need to be brave and make the leap from doing the occasional travel post to doing it all the time, and that can be the most difficult part of all. Once you get started, it all becomes a lot easier.
That’s what this post is all about – keep reading, and you’ll find some useful tips to help you take that big step so you can enjoy the life (and work) you’re dreaming of.
Get Weekly Freelance Gigs via Email
Enter your freelancing address and we'll send you a FREE curated list of freelance jobs in your top category every week.
Find Your Travel Niche
The world of travel influencers is a bit like the world itself – huge, varied, and full of different things, some of which you’ll love and some… not so much. So the first step is setting yourself apart to find your niche, which is the specific corner of the travel world that works for you and that you like the most. So ask yourself what it is you want and enjoy from your travels – are you passionate about eco-tourism? Luxury stays? Budget backpacking? Family adventures? Work out what it is and focus on just that and that will help you find an audience and narrow down loads of other decisions you’ll have to make.
Once you define your niche, you need to create a recognizable brand to attract the right audience – an audience who knows what they’ll be getting when they follow you. So think about what excites you the most about travel, what experiences you want to have, and then start building your brand around those passions, and you’ll start to find a following that loves you and what you do.
Build Your Content Skills
Creating appealing, professional content is really the key to growing your numbers and getting people to follow you as a travel influencer – if what you’re writing and showing them isn’t much good or isn’t interesting, what’s the benefit to them for clicking on your profile and digesting your content? They can find plenty of other places to do that and enjoy the experience much more too. That’s why it’s wise to learn how to be good at all types of content, including videography, photography, writing, and editing – that way, you can make your content and posts visually appealing, and that’s going to make all the difference.
If you’re new to all this, don’t worry – these are skills you can teach yourself (although that will take quite a bit of time), and you can also find plenty of online courses to help you make the most of your skills and really improve what you’re putting out there for your followers. It’s also wise to have a good idea of some kind of aesthetic to have for all your content, ideally so that everyone who sees it will immediately know who created it. Coming up with that kind of style makes sense and can boost your profile drastically.
Connect With Your Audience
If you’ve got an audience, it needs to be an engaged audience, and to get an engaged audience, you need to connect with them in a meaningful, memorable way. That means more than just getting likes and follows (although that is important) – it means being genuine and really getting to know your audience, as well as letting them get to know you (without giving everything away because you do still need to maintain your privacy for safety and peace of mind, of course).
One way to do that is to share stories that are one hundred percent true and that really happened to you – people can often tell if something has been exaggerated, and once they start to think that (or even to disbelieve the entire story), you’ll lose them completely. It’s also a good idea to be as honest and transparent as possible about your journey, and always respond to comments and messages if at all possible – it’s another way to connect and make people feel like they’re part of your travels. Remember, a small but loyal group of followers is much better than a large but ultimately quite passive following in the end.
You’ll need to include plenty of behind the scenes moments, talk about the realities of travel (the good and the bad), and give people as much insight as you can while also showing that it’s all ultimately worth it. That’s not as hard as it sounds once you get into the habit, so start now and soon enough you’ll be doing it without even thinking.
Pack Light And Smart
When you’re a travel influencer, you’ve also got to think about logistics – you’ll be on the move a lot, so knowing how to pack efficiently is a must because the less you carry, the more freedom you’ll have, and that’s vital if you want to do and see all the things on your list. Therefore, it makes sense to invest in some quality, versatile bags that can be used in various different environments, depending on where you go and what you want to do. A good carry-on suitcase, reliable and strong backpacks, and some organizers to go inside it all can be ideal and really help you on your travels.
Don’t forget to scope out luggage storage options in popular cities as well, especially if you’re having to stay over for a connecting flight or train, for example, or you have some time before you can check into your hotel – knowing where to stow your bags means you’ve got more freedom to wander around and find all kinds of fascinating things.
Understand Social Media Trends
Social media trends and algorithms can be tricky things to get to grips with, but having a basic understanding of how they work is crucial if you want to get ahead as a travel influencer. Most platforms are going to make content that gets a lot of engagement a priority and show that to more people, so the more people who interact with what you’re putting out there, the more people will get to see it overall.
To get the best reach, you’ll need to think about the time you post, using the right hashtags, the type of content (standard posts, reels, and so on), and more because all these things can make a big difference. And keep an eye on what’s trending when it comes to travel too; if everyone’s talking about a particular place, for example, think about making that your next destination so you can get in on the interest – just make sure you’ve got a unique perspective, or you’ll be lost in the crowd.
Keep the conversation going...
Over 10,000 of us are having daily conversations over in our free Facebook group and we'd love to see you there. Join us!
