4. Write a Solid “About Me” Page
A travel blog can and should be simple. There’s no need for multiple menus and a cluttered side bar filled with links. Eventually you might want to add features (called plugins in blog speak) that showcase things like popular posts, a “where are we now?” map, or links to your favorite bloggers.
But don’t worry about any of that to start.
The one thing you really want to have from the beginning is a well-crafted “About Me” page. This page is likely to be the first thing people look at when they visit your blog. They want to know who you are and feel connected to your personal story.
I’ll be the first to admit that I slacked on this key feature for a long time. Writing about yourself is hard!
Keep it simple and on point. Give a little personal background (not your whole life story) and write about why you travel and why you want to share your experiences with others.
Add a quick photo and maybe a few sentences about your travel vehicle of choice, and that’s it – you just wrote a successful “About Me” page.
Also, if your blog design allows it, add a small photo and blurb about yourself on the front page in addition to a separate “About” page. That way no one will miss out on seeing your lovely face 🙂
5. Engage with Your Readers to Grow Your Audience
Okay, let’s be honest. In the beginning hardly anyone will read your blog. The only comments will be from your mom and grandma. But if you keep it up and write consistent and interesting posts, the masses will eventually find you.
It can be a bit scary when strangers start reading your travel blog. I still remember the first time I got a comment from someone other than my mom. It was a sharp reminder that people were actually reading the things I was writing.
It also opened me up to a whole new world of online acquaintances. Far from simply random people who read and comment on my blog, these readers have become my friends – many of whom I’ve since met in person.
The key to developing these relationships is to engage with your readers. If someone takes the time to write a comment or send an email, respond to them. Write your posts with a genuine voice and try to be relatable.
There are entire websites dedicated to the art of growing a blog audience. From using keywords, to promoting yourself on social media, it can be easy to get bogged down in all the details.
The simple truth is that the best way to attract people to your blog is to be genuine in your writing and engage your audience. That’s it. Write about what you love and people will read it.
Ready, Set, Blog!
Starting a travel blog is not hard. In fact, starting a blog is often easier than updating it on a regular basis.
The key is to keep it simple to start.
Find your passion, write with a genuine voice, share what you love, and before you know it you’ll be a travel blogging expert.
