As a travel blogger or a blogger who is in charge and gets to travel while working, you’ve got the best job in the world. People look at you with envy and think, “I wish I could have their life.” Of course, the grass is always greener. And, while you enjoy mixing business and pleasure, you also understand the pitfalls better than anybody. Having to blog while traveling is not always a walk in the park. Creating quality content and seeing the world isn’t easy. There are time restrictions, temptations, and jetlag to consider before you can be inspired. Even if you have a light bulb moment, the mental and physical fatigue could prevent you from putting pen to paper.
Are You Tripping Over Your Blog While Traveling?
Essentially, the trip itself is the thing that gets in the way the most when you’re traveling. So, how do you find the perfect balance? How do you channel your inspiration while enjoying the lifestyle you lead? There are plenty of options at your disposal – all you need to do is continue reading to find out more.
Learn How To Say No
When you begin as a blogger or travel blogger, there is a temptation to say yes to every job that comes in your direction. After all, you want to get your foot in the door and make a mark in the industry. And, the best way to do it is with a solid resume and portfolio combo. Although this isn’t a bad attitude to have – the ability to work hard is a virtue – it can get in the way once you touch down on fresh airport asphalt.
Learning how and when to say no will allow you to craft a schedule that promotes traveling and blogging simultaneously. You don’t want to be rude, so it’s vital to stay calm and be polite; you can even give them a recommendation. Also, turning down work when you might need it in the future is a bad idea. In this respect, the smart play is to hedge your bets and ask for an extended deadline.
By adding a week onto the due date, you can take your time with the content and take in the attractions.
Be Committed
Working and traveling sound as if they are the best problems you could have in your career. In reality, it’s not easy to commit to a routine when there are lots of distractions. Whether it’s socializing or going out to party, indulging in either can cause you to miss your alarm and sleep in, putting back your day by an hour or two.
Although it doesn’t seem like a lot of time, it is when you think about it relatively. Extending your day by sixty minutes each day could result in wasting a couple of days by the end of your trip. It might be as much as a week, depending on the length of your travels. Before you go, it’s essential to dedicate a set amount of time to creating content while you’re away. Then, the schedule you have at home won’t differ too much, and readers won’t bounce.
Night people can work into the early hours; however, it’s usually better to get up early. Adults tend to be more productive in the morning as opposed to at night.
Offload The Non-Essentials
As the leader of the blog, there is a lot on your plate. Unlike a job that isn’t a passion project, you like the responsibility and want to keep it in-house wherever possible. But, if you go away with this mindset, there is bound to be issues content-wise. At some point, the tasks will boil over and you’ll fall behind and start to panic, which isn’t recommended. Thankfully, there is a solution.
Offloading the non-essentials to a third-party might feel like an easy out, yet it’s a shrewd business move. Web development services take care of everything from Magento management to application development, and much more so that you don’t have to worry. Therefore, if you’re an eCommerce platform or a traditional blog, you can outsource your requirements and focus on what’s important – content. And, there’s no reason to fret about quality control or the cost providing you choose wisely. Quality outsourcers boost both facets of business as they can use their resources to concentrate on customer service, for example.
The key is to gauge your mentality. If ego is playing a part in your decision not to outsource, then you should take a long look in the mirror.
Team Up
Alternatively, you can use your trip as a means to recruit contributors to your blog. Plenty of travelers post pictures, videos or content as they move from one place to another, so the talent pool is massive. Again, the crucial point is how you choose between the candidates on offer.
Typically, they won’t have a resume or portfolio that you can analyze. However, they do have blogs or websites, which you can monitor with analytic software. Or there are social media accounts.
People with large followings, especially if the account relates to what they post, such as images on Insta, won’t be conmen.
Be Inclusive And Exclusive
Everything you write about needs to be relatable. But, you also must find a way to talk about destinations and experiences that aren’t popular. Posting blogs about stuff that is already on the web won’t aid your goals. Why would new audiences read rehashed material, and old readers come back for more when they’ve seen it a thousand times before? If it sounds like a contradiction, that’s because it is in many respects.
However, there is a way to be inclusive and exclusive at the same time. Critically, you should focus on the non-negotiable features of your readership and find quirky, creative ways to write about old concepts. A prime example is going to an expensive destination. Your readers want to visit, but can’t afford the trip, which is why smart, money-saving hacks are in order.
If you include local tips and tricks, it will make the region more attainable.
Are you struggling to create content and travel? What are you doing wrong?
I’m not a travel blogger but some tips were spot on for every blogger. The one about saying No holds for me as a book blogger as does the one about being committed. I’ve become careful over the years in what assignments I accept balancing the ones I enjoy with the ones that make me money.
Obsessivemom recently posted..Who Should be Buddha? #BookBytes 21
Oh yes, it’s hard to say no to books, isn’t it? I sometimes over commit there!