Starting a travel blog is an exciting way to share your adventures, inspire others, and even generate income. Whether you’re documenting global explorations or weekend getaways, launching a travel blog requires more than just a passion for travel. The best part? Divi makes it all super easy to do.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to start a travel blog from scratch, covering everything from choosing your niche to customizing your website, setting up hosting, and promoting your content.
Research Your Niche
Before diving into the technical aspects of blogging, it’s crucial to define your travel niche. The travel blogging world is vast, and to stand out, you’ll need a specific focus. Do you want to blog about luxury travel, budget travel, adventure travel, solo travel, or perhaps travel with kids?
Why Niche Research Matters
- Specialization attracts a loyal audience: A niche helps you attract readers who are specifically interested in the type of travel you cover.
- SEO benefits: A focused niche allows you to rank better in search engines for specific terms.
- Content consistency: Knowing your niche makes content planning much easier.
FURTHER READING: If you want to know more about how to select your niche, you can read our article on Finding a Niche Market.
Memorable Travel Blog Names
Choosing a catchy and memorable blog name is crucial. Your blog’s name should reflect your niche and be easy to remember and spell. Brainstorm ideas that are relevant to your travel focus. Consider combining travel-related words with elements that are unique to your experiences.
Tips for Choosing the Perfect Name
- Keep it short and simple: Avoid long or complex names.
- Make it memorable: Your blog name should stand out and be easily recalled.
- Check domain availability: Ensure the domain is available for purchase and is suitable for branding purposes.
FURTHER READING: We have an article that goes into more depth on how to choose a domain name in case you need a little help to come up with one.
Some Examples of Travel Blog Names Are:
- Wanderlust Chronicles
- Roam & Revel
- GlobeTrek Diaries
- Nomad’s Notepad
- The Vagabond Tales
- Boundless Horizons
- Lost & Found Travels
- Journey Beyond Borders
- The Roaming Compass
- Trailblazer Travels
- Footprints & Flights
- Wander Wise
- Sail & Sojourn
- Pathway Wanderers
- Voyage Vibes
Feel free to use any of them should it resonate with you and your vision for your travel blog.
Choose a Blogging Platform
Once you’ve nailed down your niche and name, it’s time to pick a blogging platform. We recommend using WordPress combined with the Divi Website Builder, which makes creating a beautiful, responsive blog easier than ever.
Why Use WordPress and Divi
- WordPress: The most popular and versatile blogging platform, trusted by millions worldwide. It offers flexibility and a massive library of plugins.
- Divi Website Builder: Divi provides a drag-and-drop builder that allows you to design your site with ease, even without technical skills. It’s perfect for bloggers looking to customize their travel site without hiring a designer.
Set Up Web Hosting
Web hosting is the foundation of your blog. For a travel blog that loads quickly, stays online during peak traffic, and performs well worldwide, we highly recommend Cloudways.
Why Cloudways Is Ideal for Your Travel Blog
- Speed and Performance: Cloudways’ managed hosting ensures fast load times, which is essential for user experience and SEO.
- Scalability: Cloudways allows you to scale your hosting plan as your blog grows.
- Easy WordPress Integration: Cloudways makes it easy to set up WordPress with just a few clicks.
We’ve written an in-depth article on the best hosting options for Divi, which includes Cloudways—make sure to check it out for more information.
If you need help setting up your blog on Cloudways – we have you covered in our article How to create a blog on Cloudways.
Customize Your Travel Blog
Once your hosting is set up, it’s time to make your travel blog stand out visually. Here’s how you can establish a strong brand presence for your blog:
Establish Your Branding
Branding is what sets your blog apart.
Your colors, fonts, and overall style should reflect your travel niche to create a cohesive and visually appealing brand that resonates with your audience. For example, if your travel blog focuses on tropical destinations, you might want to use vibrant, warm colors like turquoise, coral, and sandy beige to evoke the feeling of a beach paradise. Alternatively, if you’re blogging about hiking and outdoor adventures, earthy tones like forest green, deep brown, and sky blue might better represent your theme.
Some tools you can use to determine your colors are:
The fonts you choose should also align with your blog’s tone. A sleek, modern font might work for a luxury travel blog, while a more rustic or handwritten style could reflect an adventurous or personal travel journal. Consistency is key—your design elements should work together to tell a visual story about your brand, making your blog instantly recognizable to readers.
By aligning your colors, fonts, and overall style with your niche, you create a seamless, professional look that builds trust and keeps visitors engaged.
Pick a Theme for Your Travel Blog
If you’re using Divi, you’re in luck.
Divi offers a wide variety of pre-made layouts that you can fully customize to fit your unique style and branding. These layouts are perfect for bloggers who want a professional look without starting from scratch. Whether you’re showcasing breathtaking travel photography, writing in-depth guides, or creating interactive maps, Divi’s layouts provide a flexible foundation that you can modify with ease.
While we love Divi and believe everyone should be using it for their sites, you are not restricted to using it for your website. One of WordPress’ strengths is it’s vast ecosystem and this includes a huge theme library – both free and premium.
Some considerations when selecting a theme for your travel blog
When choosing a theme, it’s important to pick one that is clean, mobile-responsive, and SEO-friendly. A clean design ensures that your blog is easy to navigate, allowing your content to shine without clutter or distractions. This is especially crucial in the travel niche, where visuals and storytelling play a big role in engaging your audience.
Mobile responsiveness is non-negotiable—many of your readers will access your blog from smartphones or tablets. Divi’s layouts are optimized for all screen sizes, so your blog will look great whether it’s viewed on a desktop or a mobile device.
Lastly, an SEO-friendly theme will help your blog rank higher in search engine results. Divi is designed with SEO in mind, offering fast loading times, clean code, and built-in SEO optimization features. This means you can focus on content creation while Divi takes care of the technical side, helping your travel blog get discovered by more readers.
Create a Logo
Let’s start by addressing an important point: every brand needs a logo, and here’s why:
- A logo visually represents what your company does, stands for, and offers.
- It serves as a recognizable mark across different platforms and mediums.
- A well-designed logo boosts brand awareness and fosters customer loyalty.
- Over time, a logo can become iconic, symbolizing your brand in a way that’s instantly recognizable and unchangeable.
While branding encompasses various elements, a logo is a key piece of that puzzle. Your brand might have a compelling backstory, a strong foundation, and core values that inspire. But without a logo, how will people identify and remember your brand?
To create a logo, you have several options:
- Professional Design Services: You can work with freelance designers on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork, or hire a design agency to create a custom logo tailored to your brand’s vision.
- Logo Design Platforms: Websites like 99designs or Looka allow you to collaborate with multiple designers or use their tools to create a logo that fits your brand.
- AI-Based Logo Generators: If you’re looking for a quick and affordable option, AI-powered tools like LogoMaker and Canva’s Logo Creator use algorithms to generate logo designs based on your preferences. These can be great starting points, and some even allow you to customize the designs further.
No matter which route you take, having a memorable and recognizable logo is a critical step in building a strong, cohesive brand identity.
Design Your Travel Blog
Use Divi’s drag-and-drop builder to design pages, layout elements, and create a blog that stands out visually. Don’t forget to ensure that your site is mobile-friendly, as many readers will access your blog on mobile devices.
Install the Necessary Plugins
A few must-have plugins for every travel blog include:
- Yoast SEO: For optimizing your blog posts for search engines.
- WP Rocket: For caching and improving site speed.
- Smush: To compress images and improve load times.
Set Up the Key Pages
A well-structured travel blog needs essential pages to provide information to your readers. These should include:
- About Page: Tell your readers who you are and why you’re passionate about travel.
- Contact Page: Make it easy for readers and potential sponsors to reach you.
- Privacy Policy and Terms of Service: Important for legal reasons.
Publish Your First Blog Posts
Now that your blog is set up, it’s time to publish your first posts.
Determine the Blog Topic
When choosing your blog topic, think about the experiences that truly matter to you and that you believe will connect with your readers. It’s not just about writing what you know; it’s about writing what excites you and what you can offer that others might not. For instance, you might have a unique take on budget travel, luxury getaways, or solo adventures that can set your blog apart. Start by diving into specific moments from your travel experiences, like that hidden gem of a restaurant in a remote village or a memorable cultural festival. These details make your content personal and relatable, giving your readers something they can’t find in a generic travel guide.
Your topic should speak to your niche, not just in terms of the places you’ve been, but also the style of travel you represent. Maybe you’re all about eco-friendly tourism, or you thrive on finding adventures for families. Whatever it is, your blog topic should echo what your target audience is looking for — it’s this alignment that keeps readers coming back.
Write High-Quality Content
The key to a successful travel blog is offering value, and that starts with writing high-quality, engaging content. Rather than just listing facts or providing surface-level tips, dig deeper. Use your own experiences to tell a story, guide readers through a journey, or offer practical advice that comes from real situations you’ve encountered. People want to feel like they’re right there with you, so the more vivid your descriptions and the more relatable your stories, the more you’ll capture their attention.
In travel blogging, personal anecdotes can be your superpower. Don’t hesitate to get personal and share what really worked for you or what didn’t. Readers will appreciate the authenticity, and it helps build trust. But don’t stop at just anecdotes; detailed guides or well-thought-out travel tips can turn casual readers into loyal followers. They should leave your blog feeling more informed, inspired, and ready to plan their next trip based on your advice.
Set Up Scheduled Post Publishing
Consistency in blogging is what separates the casual from the serious, and WordPress’ scheduling feature can help you maintain that rhythm. Think of it as building a steady drumbeat for your content. When you plan and schedule posts in advance, you’re not only making life easier for yourself but also ensuring your readers know when to expect fresh content. This creates anticipation and can even become part of your brand’s identity.
By establishing a regular publishing schedule — whether that’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly — you can keep your audience engaged without scrambling to write new posts at the last minute. Over time, this consistency builds trust and authority in your niche. A well-planned content calendar also gives you room to stay creative without the pressure of last-minute deadlines, allowing you to keep your content high-quality and thoughtful.
Promote and Grow Your Audience
Your travel blog won’t grow on its own—promotion is essential.
Connect to Google Analytics
Set up Google Analytics to track visitor numbers, traffic sources, and other key metrics. Understanding your audience helps you make better content decisions.
FURTHER READING: You can read through our article on How to Add Google Analytics to WordPress if you need help setting up your Google Analytics.
Build an Email List with MailerLite
Use MailerLite to create an email marketing list. Building an email list allows you to engage with your readers and notify them of new blog posts, giveaways, or updates.
MailerLite is beginner-friendly and offers free email marketing tools, making it a great choice for new bloggers.
Monetize Your Travel Blog
Once your travel blog gains some traction, you can start earning money from it. Here are a few ways to monetize your blog:
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a great way to monetize your blog as you are making money off of products that you use, love and recommend.
Promote travel gear, accommodation services, or travel insurance. Sign up for affiliate programs that are relevant to your niche.
Sponsored Posts
Once your blog starts attracting readers, travel-related brands may reach out to you, offering payment in exchange for writing about their products or services. This could involve reviewing a new travel app, showcasing luggage, or promoting a hotel or tour company.
The key here is authenticity—choosing partnerships that genuinely align with your niche and audience’s interests. Not only does this help maintain trust with your readers, but it also makes the sponsored content feel more natural. Additionally, these collaborations can often open doors to free products, discounts, or even sponsored trips!
As your blog grows, you might even start pitching to brands yourself. It’s a great way to bring in extra income while sharing valuable resources with your audience, so long as the content feels seamless and honest.
Digital Products
Digital products are an excellent way to create passive income while sharing valuable information with your audience. Unlike physical products, digital products don’t require inventory, shipping, or large upfront costs, making them a low-risk, high-reward opportunity. Once created, they can be sold repeatedly, providing ongoing revenue while you focus on other aspects of your blog or travel.
The beauty of selling digital products is that you can align them perfectly with your niche and the needs of your audience. For instance, if your blog focuses on budget travel, consider creating a digital guide on how to travel the world on a shoestring budget. If you’re an expert in navigating certain regions, you could create detailed itineraries, language guides, or local insider tips. Travelers are always seeking helpful, detailed information that they can download and take with them on their journeys.
Here are a few ideas for digital products to get you started:
- Travel Guides: Create comprehensive destination guides that include the best places to visit, where to stay, restaurant recommendations, and unique experiences tailored to your audience. These guides can be region-specific, or themed around adventure, luxury, or budget travel.
- eBooks: Share your expertise in a longer format. You could write about your top travel hacks, how to travel full-time, or how to start a travel blog. eBooks allow you to dive deeper into topics and provide a valuable resource for your readers.
- Courses: Do you have specialized knowledge or skills that others would benefit from? Create an online course on topics like photography for travelers, how to plan the perfect trip, or how to find the best flight deals. Courses can be pre-recorded and sold on your website, giving you a hands-off revenue stream.
The best part about digital products is that they are scalable. With the right marketing and traffic to your blog, you can continue to sell your products indefinitely, creating long-term passive income that grows alongside your audience. Plus, they help solidify your position as an expert in your niche.
Take Blogging Courses to Grow Your Blog
Blogging is a learning process. To grow your travel blog, consider taking online blogging courses to improve your skills in areas like SEO, content marketing, and social media strategy. Sites like Udemy and Skillshare offer plenty of blogging courses that can help you scale your site faster.
Some Travel Blogs for Inspiration
Salt in our Hair is one of my personal favourite travel blogs.
It’s a popular travel blog run by Nick and Hannah, a couple from the Netherlands who share their travel experiences, tips, and photography from around the world. The blog covers a wide range of topics related to travel, including destination guides, budgeting tips, travel itineraries, and practical advice for both novice and seasoned travelers.
Salt in Our Hair has a distinct visual style, with stunning photography and a focus on unique, lesser-known travel experiences. They also emphasize sustainable travel practices and provide valuable content for aspiring travel bloggers and influencers, including tips on social media, blogging, and photography.
Their success has turned them into influencers in the travel community, partnering with various travel brands and tourism boards for collaborations. They’ve managed to build a brand that’s not only visually appealing but also informative, offering a blend of personal stories and practical advice that resonates with their audience.
Nomadic Matt is one of the most well-known and established travel blogs in the industry, created by Matt Kepnes. He began traveling in 2006 and started his blog to share his experiences, advice, and tips on how to travel more affordably. Matt’s blog covers a wide range of travel-related content, from budget tips and destination guides to travel hacking, cultural experiences, and itineraries.
Some key aspects of Nomadic Matt:
- Budget Travel Focus: One of the defining features of Nomadic Matt is the emphasis on traveling the world on a budget. He provides in-depth guides on how to save money while traveling, from finding cheap flights and accommodation to navigating the cost of living in different countries.
- Destination Guides and Travel Resources: Matt offers comprehensive travel guides for destinations all over the world, along with resources like travel gear recommendations, packing lists, and tips for first-time travelers.
- Travel Books and Courses: Matt has expanded his brand beyond the blog, offering books like How to Travel the World on $50 a Day and online courses such as the Nomadic Matt Blogging School, which provides guidance for aspiring travel bloggers.
- Community Building: Matt has successfully built a large community of travelers. His website includes a travel forum, and he also organizes travel meet-ups and small-group tours for his readers. His emphasis on community helps foster deeper connections among budget travelers.
- Monetization and Influence: Like Salt in Our Hair, Nomadic Matt has grown into a trusted source for travel advice, which has led to partnerships with travel brands, tourism boards, and affiliate programs. He also generates revenue through ads, sponsored posts, and his digital products (e.g., courses and books).
If you’re looking to draw inspiration from Nomadic Matt, he’s an excellent example of how to scale a travel blog into a business through a mix of authentic content, travel expertise, and monetization strategies like affiliate marketing and product creation.
Conclusion
Starting a travel blog takes dedication and time, but with the right tools—Divi for design, Cloudways for hosting, and MailerLite for email marketing—you’re set for success. Remember to stay consistent, promote your content, and connect with your readers to build a community that will follow your travel adventures.
Now that you know how to start a travel blog, it’s time to hit the road and start sharing your experiences!
Happy blogging!