Last week was a very full travel week for me. I spoke at the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Tourism and then hopped on a plane after my presentation to attend BlogWorld and New Media Expo in Las Vegas. I organized the travel portion of the conference and also moderated a panel. It was a productive week and I was excited to make new relationships, both personal and business.
Two things happened that made me pause and think about how one goes about making money from a travel blog. First, one of the travel panelists made a comment that one CANNOT make money from travel blogging. I wasn’t sure if I agreed with this statement and I think it all depends on how one interprets what constitutes making money from a travel blog. The second thing that happened was a major news corporation had gone through a list of blogs to determine which ones they wanted to feature for a business story on blogging. When they asked to interview me, I was both flattered and shocked. I didn’t know if I truly wanted people knowing what I earned from my writings. In fact, one of my mom bloggy friends declined the interview for this reason alone (which I appreciate her honesty in why she declined.)
Back to the big question: How does one make money from a travel blog?
My answer is: Think outside the blog.
Here’s how I make money from travel blogging:
Advertising – I do sell sidebar advertising in the form of graphics and text phrases. I do not sell text links inside of my posts as I made a personal decision not to do this. If I mention a link somewhere in my content, it’s because I really think it’s a useful link for readers.
Sponsorships – Similar to advertising, I have recently accepted site sponsorships. What this usually includes is acting as an ambassador for products I already use and purchase. I make it very clear before with potential sponsors that I have a responsibility to my readers, not the sponsors, to write honest opinions. I have yet to have a sponsor walk away from this personal rule.
Books – I have written books and make money from advances, royalties and/or direct sales.
Consulting – Many brands and businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry have contracted me for consulting projects. I try to be very tactful in my comments, but I’m always honest when I think something is a bad idea or if a project can be handled in a cost effective way. I don’t get paid to fluff them up with glowing praise. I’m brought in to help them improve their product or customer service relations. Again, my loyalty is to my readers who are consumers. Helping companies make the consumers happy is a win-win situation in my book. I also help companies understand the culture of the blogging community versus the old school traditional media.
Speaking Engagements – I didn’t plan on going into the speaking business. It just seemed to happen. I do speak to conferences and groups for a fee plus all travel expenses. If I’m speaking to a tourism organization, I do like to tack on a day before or after to explore the destination I’m visiting so that I can still get a story for my blogs. I like to make the most of my time in an area.
Writing Paid Content for Other Sites – I do write content for other sites that have a freelance budget. While I could place this content on my own site and leave it at that, the branding opportunity and chance for incoming links isn’t lost on me.
Other Ways to Make Money from Travel Blogging
Affiliate Sales - I don’t like this method of generating revenue, but others claim it can be very lucrative. Personally I haven’t had much success with affiliate ads and find them a waste of my time and graphic space.
Selling Ebooks on How to Make Money with a Travel Blog – The books I write are travel guides and offer practical information on destinations and such. Some travel bloggers have been able to make a living from selling ebooks on how to make a living blogging. It’s kind of ironic and humorous. Maybe I should try my hand in that instead of offering this all in a blog post. But then again, I like to keep my content free for readers.
Donation Buttons – I’ve seen a number of travel bloggers place a PayPal donation button on their sites. I don’t know if they are actually making money, but it’s free to put on your site and you just never know what kind a financial giving mood a reader might be in.
Premium Content Subscriptions – Some travel blogs and sites offer basic information for free and premium content for a fee. The fee may include a forum or other perks to the site. It sounds good in theory.
Google Adsense – I do have Google ads in my sidebars, but I can promise you it takes up way more real estate and generates less money than selling direct ads on my sites. There are some successful travel bloggers who claim they are making thousands of dollars from Google Adsense. I applaud them and wish them well, but realize it just doesn’t work for my sites as the sole source of generating revenue.
The Bottom Line
This post ended up being much longer than I anticipated, but I hope you’ll look at the various options to make money from travel blogging. It doesn’t happen overnight and you have to be willing to invest long hours, develop a thick skin, and remember to have fun with it. Once you stop enjoying the experience, it’s time to re-evaluate why you started travel blogging in the first place. It can be done, but as it was stated in the BlogWorld travel track - Don’t quit your day job just yet. The secret to all successful blogger is this: If you write good content, they will come.
Are you a blogger making money? What are some suggestions or issues you’ve come across in running your blog as business instead of a hobby?
All of your points seem to indicate that they are trickles (and yeah, many trickles can add up to a river), but that overall the blog seems to be a loss leader primarily for the consulting because it buys you visibility and that all those trickles don’t amount to much.
I guess the blog is more of the platform by which to generate the revenue. The trickles keep my glass full, which works for me. It may not work for everyone.
.-= Shannon´s last blog ..How to Make Money from a Travel Blog =-.
I wish I had thought of this last week, but I know that Barabar from holeinthedonut.com officially makes enough money from travel blogging to support herself and her travels – because she told me when she hit that magic mark a few months ago.
I don’t think it’s accurate to call a blog a loss leader, because if you have ads, sponsorships, etc. it’s generating income as well. Also, I think people forget that being a “travel blogger” encompasses more than a few pixels on the Internet that may or may not include an ad or shopping cart.
And? THANK YOU for this. I’m getting tired of raising my hand at conferences in response to the “who makes a living as a blogger” question, only to be told that “no one makes a living as a blogger”.
.-= Miss Britt´s last blog ..Vegas and bwe10- the first 23 hours =-.
Interesting article. I agree with your findings re affiliates and AdSense – a lot of real estate for little return. I think affiliate success depends on the style of your site and the actual niche that you are serving.
.-= Mark H´s last blog ..Rafting the Dunajec Slovakia – Poland =-.
Nice post. I have a Caribbean Travel blog called RumShopRyan.com One way I have found to make money is to sell products. Turn yourself into a brand. I call my audience the Castaways, which came about by a facebook contest. This puts a name to the readers and makes them feel exclusive. I began selling Castaway Wristbands and have just ordered RumShopRyan can koozies. Both of which fit in to the island lifestyle that my readers love.
Hope this helps!
Cheers!
Great tips, Shannon. Yes, I agree, “think outside the blog!” I am just implementing an advertising and sponsorship program to my blog now, as I think that’s the best way to generate income. We’ll see how it goes!
.-= Lori Henry´s last blog ..Quebec Microbrewery- Les Brasseurs du Temps in Canada =-.
Great tips on how to make some money from your blog. There’s a lot of money to make if you know what you’re doing.
Keep it up!
.-= Portable Recorders´s last blog ..Edirol R09 Review =-.
Great post Shannon. All great ideas – yet I look at the long list and think – the key is to focus – pick a couple of these things and try to pursue them. If you try to do them all at once you’ll burn out and won’t make money from any of them!
I didn’t really start my blog with the intention of making money. But, I have received a lot of stuff *in kind* as a direct result of the blog as a result of which, not only blog posts, but articles placed elsewhere, for which I’ve been paid emerged.
So, does this come under the heading of ‘making money from your blog’?
.-= Keith´s last blog ..St. Pietersberg Caves =-.
I’d add that if you want to turn your blog into a business, it’s important to treat it like one. Coming up with goals, strategies, and evaluating what works and doesn’t over the long run. Good content, *lots* of work, and patience!
.-= Anil´s last blog ..Halloween In Seoul South Korea =-.
Don’t know who the panelist was, but I beg to differ. I’m making good money off my blog, using a variety of the ways you list above. Not everything works for everyone. You just have to set goals, treat it like a business as Anil says, and then figure out the methods you are going to use to meet those goals. This is still an emerging industry and we’re all feeling our way to some extent, but for someone who is supposed to be an expert on travel blogging to say you can’t make money by blogging, well, I don’t know what universe they’re living it, but it’s not this one.
.-= Barbara at Hole in the Donut Travels´s last blog ..Rickshaw Ride through the Streets of Kathmandu- Nepal =-.
I’m glad you mentioned that it doesn’t happen overnight and hinges on a foundation of good content delivered over a period of time. I haven’t given up my lucrative non-blogging day job yet but am hoping that if I persist in developing some of the revenue streams you mention, I’ll reach a tipping point when it will be worth it to take that leap.
.-= Heather on her travels´s last blog ..Hotel Slalom in Les Houches – a boutique hotel for skiers and walkers =-.
When you’re looking at making money from a travel blog, it’s important to realise that the blog isn’t the money-maker. It’s a content management tool to provide you with an audience or perceived authority and trust.
Blogging for money is like writing for money: it’s only profitable if you can find someone to buy your work or buy because of your work. As Anil said, a business plan is much more important than a bit of software and your excellent content.
.-= Craig´s last blog ..Don’t track your own site visits – with WordPress =-.
Well, I love this article. As my blog (and my travels) are still young, I’m not making very much yet, but I know this will only get better with time, and traffic. I know I have to focus on quality content, and as you said, they will come. Anyone could make money travel blogging, with the right mindset and persistence.
.-= Shawn from The Poor Travel Blogger´s last blog ..Where is Bamberg =-.
IMO, refusing to share information such as cited in the beginning this article, above falls into the scarcity principle. Most all bloggers got a leg up and into blogging because someone was generous, giving and not fearful about sharing. When we share, we can inspire others. (Thanks for what you’ve shared here.)
One thing that you can rely to your readers well and to earn from travel blog? You must travel too so you will know the feeling of being a traveler. In this way you, you can communicate well because you know what t write.
It is possible to make money with a blog, but it does not come easy. As Anil and other bloggers here have pointed out you have to treat is as a business if you want to make money from it. This means you’ll have to invest money and time (or a lot of time if you don’t spend) to eventually generate an income. At the end of the day if you want to make money from blogging you have to use it as a tool to reach your objective, not make it the objective per say. A good list Shannon!
Great tips, I think anyone can make money from travel blog If they are persistent and active.
Come up with your goals and your vision,I think you’re successful because you had a good strategies.