Do you wish to discover ways to flip your ardour for journey right into a six-figure enterprise? Journey running a blog is an thrilling and versatile approach to earn cash whereas exploring the world. You get to share your experiences, encourage others, and create a enterprise that matches your life-style. However how do you go from simply writing…
Do you wish to discover ways to flip your ardour for journey right into a six-figure enterprise?
Journey running a blog is an thrilling and versatile approach to earn cash whereas exploring the world. You get to share your experiences, encourage others, and create a enterprise that matches your life-style. However how do you go from simply writing about your journeys to truly making $100,000+ per 12 months?
At the moment, I’m excited to share the story of Jessie Festa, a profitable journey blogger who began her weblog, Jessie on a Journey, with the aim of serving to vacationers. Jessie went from incomes nothing to constructing a six-figure journey running a blog enterprise.
On this interview, I ask Jessie questions on learn how to begin a journey running a blog enterprise, like:
- How a lot cash can a journey blogger realistically earn, and what are the principle revenue streams?
- Is there nonetheless room for brand new journey bloggers to reach such a aggressive area of interest?
- Do it’s good to journey regularly to take care of a profitable journey weblog, or are you able to weblog about journey with out being on the highway continuously?
- What instruments and gear are essential for working a profitable journey weblog? Do newcomers want to speculate quite a bit to get began?
Plus extra!
If you happen to’ve ever questioned how a lot cash journey bloggers actually make, how they receives a commission to journey, or learn how to begin your individual journey weblog, this interview with Jessie is for you. She’ll break down her journey and share recommendations on every part from online marketing to working with manufacturers and tourism boards.
And, if you happen to’re prepared to show your love for journey right into a thriving enterprise, Journey Weblog Prosperity is the right useful resource for you. Created by Jessie, this membership provides 100+ programs and workshops, and a supportive group that will help you develop your weblog right into a worthwhile enterprise. Whether or not you’re a newbie or trying to scale, Journey Weblog Prosperity supplies the instruments and techniques to make it occur.
Technically, the doorways are closed, however if you happen to use my affiliate hyperlink, you possibly can be a part of proper now. You can too use coupon code “MAKINGSENSE9” to get your first month for simply $9. After that, it’s $49 per thirty days to remain a member, and you’ll cancel at any time – even earlier than your trial month is over.
Please click on right here to be taught extra about Journey Weblog Prosperity.
Let’s dive into how Jessie makes $100,000+ annually as a journey blogger, and how one can get began too.
How I Make Cash With A Journey Weblog Enterprise
Advisable studying: How To Begin a Journey Weblog and Make Cash
1) Inform me your story. Who’re you, and what impressed you to start out your journey weblog?
Hello, my title is Jessie Festa, a journey blogger, photographer, and weblog coach from New York.
I began my first journey weblog, Jessie on a Journey, in 2011. On the time, there weren’t many assets on-line for solo vacationers, and after going by the difficult technique of planning a 3-month solo backpacking journey by Europe, I wished to assist others extra simply plan their very own solo journeys.
Moreover, I wished to create a enterprise that might enable me to proceed touring.
I graduated with my BA/MA in Communication throughout a recession, so jobs had been scarce. Whereas it was a scary and unsure time, it additionally gave me the area to pursue journey running a blog and see the place it could lead on me.
Inside a few 12 months I used to be in a position to start incomes a gentle revenue from it, and at this time it’s my full-time job. Together with Jessie on a Journey, I personal the web sites Epicure & Tradition (sustainable tourism and tradition weblog) and NYC Photograph Journeys (my picture expertise web site that will get most of its reserving by the weblog).
2. How a lot cash do you make as a journey blogger?
I’m proud to say I’ve been in a position to create a 6-figure enterprise for myself by running a blog—which I attribute primarily to treating it like a enterprise, which I share extra about beneath in query #5.
I additionally attempt to diversify my visitors and income streams as a lot as attainable to assist defend my enterprise.
Moreover, I monitor what’s working—and what isn’t—so I can regulate my methods accordingly.
Lastly, I automate and streamline as a lot as attainable, comparable to by creating gross sales funnels to promote my digital merchandise.
3. Why did you resolve to change into a journey blogger?
In the end, it was my love of journey. I used to be decided to search out—or create—a job that might enable me to earn a dwelling from anyplace in order that I might hold exploring the world.
Humorous sufficient, I didn’t actually know what running a blog was earlier than I began mine. Once more, this was 2011, and running a blog as a profession wasn’t frequent but. I’d at all times assumed a weblog was simply an internet journal.
However, I noticed different vacationers—regular individuals who weren’t celebrities—doing it and truly earning profits writing about their travels on their web sites. I instructed myself that if they might do it, so might I. So I did!
4. What do you get pleasure from most about working a journey weblog?
The flexibility to be my very own boss, receives a commission to be inventive, and journey the world.
Working a journey weblog means attending to create my very own schedule primarily based on targets I’m enthusiastic about and initiatives I’m enthusiastic about. Moreover, I can work from anyplace on this planet—or select to take break day, as a result of I’m the one approving trip time. 😉
With journey particularly, you possibly can select to monetize your journeys, comparable to by writing weblog posts that comprise advertisements and affiliate hyperlinks or working with sponsors.
Don’t get me incorrect, working any sort of enterprise, together with a weblog, is tough work; however, there are plenty of perks too.
5. What are a few of your favourite locations that you simply’ve traveled to because of your journey weblog?
My favourite place is often wherever I’ve simply been! 🙂 Lately, I visited Kyrgyzstan and Tanzania—each of which had been completely unimaginable.
Subsequent week I’ll be heading to Nova Scotia for a partnership, which I’m very enthusiastic about.
6. How a lot cash can a journey blogger realistically earn, and what are the principle revenue streams?
I do know journey bloggers incomes nothing and journey bloggers incomes a number of six figures, so it actually relies upon.
For my part, one of many greatest errors bloggers make is considering that writing in itself will finally result in revenue.
Sure, your content material can—and may—be worthwhile; however, to essentially earn a dwelling running a blog you want a revenue plan. It’s important to implement income streams, set targets, observe success, and tweak your technique as wanted.
Constructing on this, a few of the essential revenue streams for journey bloggers embody:
- Internet affiliate marketing
- Working advertisements (for example, I’m a Mediavine writer)
- Launching services and products
- Working with manufacturers and tourism boards on paid campaigns and press journeys
- Freelance writing and creating content material for manufacturers (whether or not by UGC collaborations or being a ghost author/creator for his or her channels—the latter of which I’ve discovered pays extra)
7. What instruments and gear are important for working a profitable journey weblog? Do newcomers want to speculate quite a bit to get began?
To start with, I’d advocate investing in good internet hosting with safety features and constant uptime, a light-weight theme with assist, and a premium key phrase analysis instrument in an effort to optimize your web site for Search Engine Optimization (search engine optimisation).
As you develop, you might spend money on different instruments, as properly. It simply relies on your technique.
As an illustration, I personally pay for Later to schedule my Instagram posts and plan my feed; nonetheless, I additionally know many bloggers who use Instagram’s native scheduler or publish in real-time without spending a dime.
Additionally, many important instruments are free to start out. As an illustration, you’ll undoubtedly need an e mail advertising and marketing platform, like Mailerlite or ConvertKit, which generally supply free plans to get began.
8. What does your typical work schedule appear to be as a journey blogger? What number of hours per week do you dedicate to sustaining your weblog?
I like to interrupt up my month into 4 weekly “sprints”. These embody:
- Getting the content material and occasion schedule for my Journey Weblog Prosperity membership (one in every of my essential merchandise) prepared for the next month
- Creating content material and doing outreach to land collaborations and sponsorships
- Creating and scheduling any content material essential for my subsequent upcoming progress challenge
- I select one “progress challenge” per thirty days that’s meant to assist me develop my visitors and/or revenue—comparable to launching a brand new digital product, co-hosting a webinar with an affiliate, collaborating in a bundle or summit, or implementing a brand new visitors technique
- Overflow week
Moreover, one in every of my merchandise is my NYC picture excursions and shoots, which I launched after having so many readers asking me to point out them round New York. This implies there are days after I’m in particular person with these shoppers.
Once I’m engaged on the above, my day seems like a fairly typical workday, although I can take a day without work if I want, transfer issues round, and work from anyplace.
As a journey blogger I additionally journey quite a bit, so some weeks I’m on the highway. As an illustration, I simply received again from spending two weeks touring round Tanzania.
Whereas touring, I’m not likely on my laptop computer; nonetheless, I’m taking notes, pictures, and video clips to make use of in future journey content material I’ll create as soon as I’m again dwelling.
9. Is there nonetheless room for brand new journey bloggers to reach such a aggressive area of interest?
Completely, although I’d area of interest down extra than simply “journey”. Actually intention to construct a enterprise that helps a particular viewers and in a particular means.
As soon as you realize who you assist and the way, it’ll be a lot simpler to decide on what subjects to cowl, which associates and types to work with, and which services and products to create—as they are going to all be an extension of your mission.
10. How has your strategy to search engine optimisation advanced as Google’s algorithms have modified over time?
I’m lucky that I’ve at all times been centered on rising and nurturing an e mail checklist, as I feel that is extra essential than ever. This manner, you possibly can flip one-time readers into devoted group members and seize that visitors on a listing you personal.
Moreover, I like to recommend diversifying your visitors sources in addition to fascinated about your weblog as a enterprise (vs merely writing over-optimized posts to attempt to rank).
11. How do you pitch manufacturers or tourism boards for paid partnerships or press journeys? Any suggestions for newcomers?
Don’t overthink pitching. Go into as if you happen to’re having a dialog and sharing an concept for a mutually helpful partnership (vs asking the model to present you one thing).
Earlier than you do that, attempt to pinpoint what you convey to the desk. Perhaps it’s affect, a particular viewers, a inventive content material creation model, or one thing else.
You’ll be able to watch a current YouTube video I shared for an precise pitch template that I am going over step-by-step beneath:
12. Are you able to define the steps somebody ought to take to start out a journey weblog and switch it right into a worthwhile enterprise?
I’d advocate new bloggers first pinpoint their mission (ie who you assist and the way).
When you’ve outlined this, break your mission up into 2-3 essential subjects—usually referred to as “content material pillars” —that you simply’ll create content material round. This can enable you hold your content material cohesive and construct topical authority. You may even go exhausting on one content material pillar to begin to develop faster.
From there, create content material that matches inside your content material pillars. Ideally, you’ll first create your foundational posts—these posts that readers will anticipate to be in your weblog—and then you definately’ll do key phrase analysis to search out low-competition key phrases (ie search queries) you possibly can create content material round and rank for. Under is a useful video I made:
Whereas optimizing your web site and content material for search engine optimisation is essential, I like to recommend implementing a couple of different visitors methods—like Pinterest, Fb, and Flipboard—and constructing an e mail checklist to seize your visitors and switch one-time guests into repeat readers.
Your e mail checklist may also help you develop each your visitors and revenue, as you possibly can share your free content material (like weblog posts and YouTube movies) with subscribers in addition to paid merchandise and affiliate hyperlinks (with disclosure).
Which brings me to an essential piece of the technique: monetization.
As talked about above, it’s essential to implement and develop income streams. Then, you need to use your content material to develop your visitors to develop your revenue.
As an illustration, you possibly can monetize content material immediately by affiliate hyperlinks and advertisements. Or, if in case you have your individual product, you possibly can create content material that might appeal to your preferrred patrons and get that product in entrance of them.
13. Do it’s good to journey regularly to take care of a profitable journey weblog, or are you able to weblog about journey with out being on the highway continuously?
It relies on your particular area of interest. As an illustration, if you happen to run a weblog about Paris journey and you reside in Paris, you gained’t must journey in any respect.
Nonetheless, if you happen to cowl many locations you’ll wish to be sure you’re both touring frequently otherwise you contract or rent writers who may also help create content material.
14. What are some frequent errors new journey bloggers make, and the way can they keep away from them?
The commonest mistake new bloggers make shouldn’t be fascinated about their weblog as a enterprise.
Many bloggers merely suppose they’ll optimize their content material for key phrases, develop their visitors, and monetize with advertisements and affiliate hyperlinks.
To essentially construct one thing sustainable and long-lasting, I like to recommend fascinated about your weblog as an precise enterprise—together with having your individual merchandise/providers—and your content material as a instrument for rising the enterprise.
15. What are the challenges of working a journey weblog, and the way do you overcome them?
One of many greatest challenges for journey bloggers is maintaining with altering algorithms.
As an illustration, within the final 12 months, we’ve seen a variety of massive Google algorithm updates which have utterly shifted what reveals up in Google search outcomes.
Whereas some blogs grew from this, others misplaced some—and even all—of their visitors. Additionally, some who misplaced visitors within the first replace bounced again within the third replace.
And it’s not simply Google. Pinterest, Instagram, Fb, and different social media platforms frequently change the way in which their algorithms work.
Due to this, it’s essential to:
- Sustain with adjustments and be adaptable
- Diversify your visitors and income streams
- Have an e mail checklist, which you personal (vs your social media followers, which you don’t)
16. Are you able to inform me about Journey Weblog Prosperity? What number of members do you’ve gotten? How can it assist journey bloggers? Is that this for brand new bloggers?
Journey Weblog Prosperity is an internet membership devoted to serving to journey and life-style bloggers develop their visitors and revenue by a mixture of schooling, collaboration, and group assist.
When you login, you’ll have rapid entry to 100+ programs and workshops. This contains the Core Curriculum, which takes you from setup to wage and teaches you learn how to get setup for visitors and revenue success.
From there, you need to use the included Running a blog Technique Roadmap to convey every part collectively and create a marketing strategy for your self.
That can assist you construct this out, there are extra workshops and trainings that educate methods associated to branding your weblog, rising your visitors, rising your e mail subscribers, launching and advertising and marketing services and products, rising your affiliate revenue, working with manufacturers and tourism boards, freelance writing, seeing success on social media, scaling with advertisements, creating workflows, enhancing productiveness and mindset, and extra.
Plus, there’s not less than one new dwell workshop taught each single month—replay included.
Different perks embody a 15-minute onboarding name that will help you create an motion plan, month-to-month dwell teaching calls and bonus occasions with visitor specialists, weekly paid alternatives despatched to your inbox, over $2k price of included bonuses, and extra.
We presently have over 200 members. It’s a very supportive and nurturing group that might like to welcome you!
Bonus: As a Making Sense of Cents reader, I’ve received a particular coupon code so that you can strive Journey Weblog Prosperity out for simply $9 on your first month.
➡️ Click on right here and use code “MAKINGSENSE9” at checkout to snag the deal.
Simply be aware that the coupon is legitimate for brand new members solely. After your trial month is over it’s $49/month to remain a member and you’ll cancel at any time—even earlier than your discounted month is over!
You’ll be able to click on right here to be taught extra about Journey Weblog Prosperity.
Are you curious about beginning a journey weblog?
Advisable studying:
