I often get asked about how I began my blog and took it to the level it is right now. Many people are fascinated by full time bloggers and wonder how we can earn a living by travelling around the world. It seems too good to be true! The reality is that travel blogging requires hard work, commitment, passion, skills and experience. Here are a few must-haves that will make blogging easier.

It is also vital to note that being a blogger comes with ups and downs, just like any other professional. It is easy to feel jaded by the worst bits of this job and wanting to give up. However, if you love travelling, meeting people, writing, taking photos, sharing tips about what you learn about new cultures and destinations, then there is no better job!

The truth is that anyone can start a blog! You can do it today and start building your audience right away. The hard part is becoming a travel writer. Depending on your travel site, it needs a setup and maintenance, so you must learn the basics of web management and SEO.  There are lots of resources online on how to get started.

Trust me, this comes directly from a person who began writing a blog when she didn’t even know how to write reviews. I learnt from experience and research. Slowly, I developed my style, defined my blog niche and grew my followers. I built a network of connections with other bloggers, influencers, PR’s and brands.

When you are a travel blogger, you get to discover and explore new destinations and have experiences that most people will never have. For me the press trips are the best part of being a blogger for me. I love meeting other people and travelling as part of a group.

Don’t forget, it is work and is not glamorous all the time. I lived for years on little sleep and lots of caffeine to get me going. Not forgetting about all the dragging around of equipments that as a travel blogger you need to document your experiences.

Photo by Ekrulila from Pexels

You will have to live out of your suitcase, move from one hotel to the other, be on your phone all the time to edit photos and share posts on social media, write up your trips in airports or during train journeys, and so on… The good news is that the burden of being a travel blogger can be significantly reduced if you have the right equipment. Things like a good camera or a light laptop can make your job significantly easier. Here are my 4 top tips.

Essential Accessories Every Travel Blogger Must Have

A lightweight laptop

Less is usually more when it comes to traveling, and the same case applies to your laptop. When you are switching accommodation every three days and dragging your gear on every type of transport possible from planes, buses, trains, and even on horseback, you must have a balance of a powerful and lightweight machine.

Traveling sometimes back meant having a large chunk of cash and a MacBook Air to get a machine with decent specs. However, traveling for us is supposed to be as thrifty as possible, it would be best to carry lightweight machines. We would also recommend that you choose cheap transportation that will save you money. For instance, you can use the Motability car search to get yourself a car that you will be using for your travel time.

Photo by Anete Lusina from Pexels

A WordPress Blog

One of the first steps to becoming a successful travel blogger is creating your own blog, and WordPress is an excellent platform to start with. It’s user-friendly, highly customizable, and has a wealth of plugins and themes that can help you design a professional-looking site without needing advanced technical skills. It’s easy to learn how to create a website – CreateWPSite Youtube Channel for example is a great resource for learning how to put together your own wordpress blog. Combining skills learnt from here with other resources online can be an effective way to put together a site that meets all your needs.

When setting up your WordPress blog, choose a memorable domain name that reflects your niche and personal brand. Invest in a reliable hosting service to ensure your site runs smoothly and can handle traffic as your audience grows. Spend time exploring and experimenting with different layouts and features to make your blog visually appealing and easy to navigate. Consistent updates and engaging content will keep your readers coming back for more, and over time, you’ll build a loyal following that can turn your passion for travel into a sustainable career.

A powerful camera

A powerful camera will come in real handy when it comes to documenting and sharing your travel experience. Your smartphone’s camera is good enough for most day-to-day photography, but when it comes to sharing photos on a blog or on Instagram, smartphone photos have their limitations. Step up your photography game with a  best quality camera such as DSLR, mirrorless or even a point and shoot.

The camera you choose should not only be powerful and reliable, but also lightweight. Besides, with the digital age of Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook, you would want to have your images perfect for the image-conscious and image-focused society. I would recommend using a camera that is fast to deploy, shatters perfect photos, and takes razor-cut videos.

Photo by Andre Furtado from Pexels

A high capacity power bank

We have all experienced an agonizing device shutdown at one time in our lives. Therefore, if you are traveling and using any internet-enabled device, you will need a power bank. A power bank is a small device that you can use as backup power for charging your devices.

Carrying a portable power bank helps me keep my devices charged, gives me the ability to diversify, improves my convenience, and, more importantly, helps boost my security and safety. Imagine being in a new place and losing your path; your phone will be the only luck as you can simply navigate your way into your next destination.

Photo by Anete Lusina from Pexels

If you are looking to inspire, educate, and are enthusiastic about traveling, you should probably start a travel blog. As travel bloggers, we help people maximize their vacation time and travel on a budget. Blogging gives people a perfect way to learn from your experience.

Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post.