Becoming a successful travel blogger is predicated upon two primary factors. The first is the consistent production of quality content, and the second is self promotion and marketing. The truth is, no matter how awesome your stories or insightful your articles, if you haven’t done any marketing, its not going reach many people . Therefore it is essential that you undertake and strategize a marketing scheme.
Understandably, self promotion and marketing is probably the least fun part about being a travel blogger. However, as I stated above, it is a vital variable of success. Most traditional marketing strategies revolve around social media. This includes the creation of an interactive facebook page, and twitter account, to name a few. A second medium of marketing and one that is often overlooked is real world marketing.
Although internet marketing is the most effective means of marketing your travel blog, if you’re serious about becoming a successful travel blogger, you must market your blog in every capacity.
I know what you’re thinking, real world marketing is a thing of the past, a method hardly worth it when compared to the thousands of people you can reach online. Admittedly, online social media and networking is much more efficient and powerful than hitting the streets and handing out flyers for your blog. However, meeting people face to face can have the greatest reader conversion rate. Nothing beats interacting and relating to your fellow, like minded, travel enthusiast, human.
If you’re worried that mentioning your blog might make you look vain, just don’t. People are almost always intrigued to hear about a travel blog. If the conversation stays positive and light, be sure to mention other things such as your social media accounts. If you become really friendly, you could even remind the person to “like” your facebook page.
While meeting fellow travelers is effective, networking with other travel bloggers is considerably advantageous. The best way to meet other travel bloggers is at trade shows and conferences such as TBEX, and TBU among others. Here, since everyone shares the same passion and livelihood, it is easy to make friends and share your blog.
Among promotional items for trade shows or conferences, the most effective is the old fashioned business card. It doesn’t have to be super fancy, it just has to have your name ,website and preferably a few social media accounts. In order for business cards to work, especially if you’re networking at large events, you need to form solid relations with travel bloggers before you hand them out.
When networking and marketing yourself and your blog, it is best to be yourself. Share your passion for travel and blogging and others will relate to you and subsequently check out your blog. In order to make sure they are able to find your blog and don’t forget, be sure to hand out promotional items such as business cards. Although online marketing is the easiest, don’t underestimate the power of real world marketing.
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