I love the sentiment that we don't have to know it all. And--currently residing in ice-covered western Maine--I'm *really* craving that Jamaican vacation!!! Much love, Kristi!
Exactly!!! And if you eventually start a dedicated blog for either of those destinations, that's when the real fun begins. The perks, the freebies, the paid work, etc. I feel like I can't give out this information fast enough lol. There's a lot to know but it's well worth it!
Maybe it depends on how many posts you have for Egypt. If it's quite a few it could be helpful to add a tab on your navigation. But if it's only a few and you have no plans to write more, maybe save the space.
I don't think there is. There's an option to have a blog roll but you need to use actual links in that section. Like, if you got to my home page and scroll down, on the right I have a heading called "Services" that I created. But it has to be page links there.
I had not traveled much in my life at all until a few years ago, then my husband and I decided to take a dream trip. I had always wanted to go to Hawaii, so I did a little research and settled on trying Kauai first. That first trip in April of 2022 was life-changing for me! We visited twice last year, once with our youngest daughters and once alone. It's never enough. I am beyond obsessed and continue to feel the draw of Island life, one that I may never get to fully experience as a resident, but want to enjoy visiting as often as I can.
This is my question for you Kristi: As a former blogger, I know that blogging has changed so much, even in the last few years. I would absolutely love to start a travel blog about Kauai, but am overwhelmed by all the things you have to do other than just write (which is the part I love....well that, and the travel of course!). Researching keywords, having to write the post so it ranks well on Google, managing multiple social media accounts...the list is never ending. So my question is, do you really think it's still possible to grow a travel blog that focuses on the writing and not so much all the other stuff? And if there's anything you would suggest doing now that maybe you didn't do back when you started yours, what would it be? Really looking forward to hearing your reply and any ideas you might have. :)
Kimi, I LOVE that you have so many questions! And 100% YES, I think regular blogging is still very relevant without the stress of over-complicating things. If I were to start all over again in a different destination I'd do it the same way I've always done it, which is just writing from the heart about what I experience, not what you think the people want to experience. In the 10 years I had my blog, there wasn't a single mainstream tourist attraction on it and I STILL ranked in the top 3 on Google searches. I also didn't frequent the most highly tourist populated areas, I was more off the beaten path in locations that were not popular. I honestly think that was one of the biggest draws to my blog.
I think the difference is that when you focus on ONE destination, by default you become well known for it. Not once did I focus on SEO and social media, I focused on where my heart was - my own adventures and dragging readers along with me through writing.
For social media I had a Facebook page and an Instagram account. The Facebook page blew up much more than IG, with over 6000 members by the time I sold it. But here's a fun fact....my Instagram account only had around 1200 followers yet that is the medium that attracted the most perks for me. Most importantly, social media always came SECOND to my blog. I was way more interested in my blog than social stuff. So yes, I think it's possible still.
Honestly, there is SO much more I could talk to you about. Too much for this comment block lol. But if you'd ever like to have a live chat (phone or zoom or something) I'm open to that. At one time I was going to start 1-on-1 coaching for this but I'm not sure there's enough demand so I'm just happy to answer questions along the way. When you get Hawaii famous down the road you can just recommend my newsletter to the world 😁😁 Pay it forward!
Hi again Kristi, I did shoot you an email, I would absolutely love your thoughts on which platform to go with for a travel blog. I also have a couple of other questions. I'm open to a phone chat as well as you mentioned if that's your preferred method of contact. Email is always easier for me, lol. Looking forward to hearing from you! <3
When did you send the email? Just today? I haven't received anything yet. Maybe send it again and I'll purposely watch for it. Kristi@writtenbykristi.com
Thank you so much for your thorough answers, and for the offer of advice. I would totally love to pick your brain a bit more and will shoot you an email. And yes, I will absolutely pay it forward and recommend you to the world! :)
I have been thinking on and off about this. I have lived in the same beautiful county all my life and I love it here. I have not had much time or money to travel.
I know my immediate local area quite well and have a love of the countryside and walking. There's also lots I am sure I am not aware of.
I am feeling a bit torn because part of its beauty is it's very rural and not so many people. Do I want to encourage more tourism? Would it impact the environment detrimentally? If I do start writing about it how far afield would I go?
Too much thinking and analysis and not enough action?? 😜
And hey, I 100% understand the ruminating on 'do I want to attract more tourism' because that was a huge thing for me in Jamaica. Back in my beginnings I discovered SO many things tourists would never know about, but I had found because locals showed me. I did write about them and eventually, several of them became tourist attractions and it didn't sit well with me. It was as if the hidden gems were no longer gems, they were just another attraction.
The only way I justified it in my heart was that if it hadn't been me, someone else would have done it eventually. Also, tourist attractions create jobs for locals and in Jamaica, that's important. It's a very poor country.
One thing to consider....are there already hotels and attractions anywhere near where you are?
What attracts people to my neck of the woods on the Welsh Borders in the UK is outdoor activities, walking, hiking, mountains, woodlands. It's peaceful and slow paced. A place to be close to nature. Oh and the history. There's a whole black and white trail thing going on, churches and a cathedral that houses the Mappa Mundi and we are surrounded by little quaint market towns. Lots of lush places to eat. Local food producers selling fruit, veg and meat.
There are hotels but not huge affairs. More boutiquey mainly. It's quite a wealthy area in some ways and some very poor areas too. But mainly lots and lots of countryside, National Trust houses and castles. Just over the border into Wales it's even more sparce and more mountains. We are a good hour and three quarters from beaches.
Ooooh those boutique-y places to stay are perfect. 90% of the free accommodations I reviewed in Jamaica were boutique (villas, guest houses, beach cottages, etc). None were giant resort places (except my Forbes story you probably read).
Regardless, just stay tuned in here. I'll be covering more and you never know...maybe one day you'll be inspired to act! 😊
Sage advice, Kristi. Plus I love the AI Coconuts! AI can be such a fun time suck!
I think I fall into #2, sort of. I SO admire what your adventures and success, so I'm just enjoying reading. I also live by the beach half the year....it's high tide as I'm writing and the waves are crashing over the break wall just below my patio... and I've reached the age where I am content.
I love the idea that you will be helping others achieve a travel dream!
I'm glad you wrote about only needing a bit more experience than other people. I get imposter syndrome and fall to the feeling that I need world class accomplishments under my belt in order to write with authority!
If I had a dollar for every time I've heard the term "imposter syndrome" in the writer's world, I'd be wealthy. We ALL have it at some time or another. Even me with this section, I'm like who am I to think I can teach things? It's messed up lol.
I love the happy coconuts! Your encouragement is much appreciated, as always! You’re like the musician or ballerina who makes it all look seamless, but at the same time, there’s this nagging push telling readers (like me); wake up; it’s not that difficult; we’re just laying out all these roadblocks and getting in our own way. Thank you for kindly telling us to get out of our way and take that first step! 😊
Starting anything new always feels like a big challenge (or roadblock as you say). But if you just start, eventually you'll look back and be like, "That was easier than I thought." And you'll be glad you did it!
Yes I understand the perks travel agents get. I actually have a post to publish in the future about exactly this. Such a world of difference between travel agents and destination specialists.
My first post on Substack was also called My First Post. 🤣🤣 That’s like using PASSWORD as your password.
You’ve got the juices churning since Italy will be a part of my life. ❤️
Hahaha maybe there's something to this "my first post" business 🤣
I love the sentiment that we don't have to know it all. And--currently residing in ice-covered western Maine--I'm *really* craving that Jamaican vacation!!! Much love, Kristi!
This is awesome advice!
I did a quick search of how to do this.
I now have navigation links on my homepage for specific countries and regions. Still a work in progress but I like the result.
No need to clutter the top navigating bar unnecessarily.
Thank you so much!!
This is awesome advice.
I have a couple of destinations, Egypt and Portugal (Azores), that I have 8 -9 posts each.
I am not an expert but I do have personal experience.
Since these posts, I have had several people head to those places and thanked me for the tips.
As the article states, it's about knowing more than the next person.
You may not know everything but to some, you are the expert.
Exactly!!! And if you eventually start a dedicated blog for either of those destinations, that's when the real fun begins. The perks, the freebies, the paid work, etc. I feel like I can't give out this information fast enough lol. There's a lot to know but it's well worth it!
Absolutely!
I will likely add a separate section on Portugal as I plan to travel to different regions, but I likely will not return to Egypt.
So now the question I ask myself is, should I separate out the Egypt posts or just leave them.
At what point should a collection become a separate heading on the navigation bar?
I'm still new so I'm still learning how to structure the navigation bar.
Any thoughts?
Maybe it depends on how many posts you have for Egypt. If it's quite a few it could be helpful to add a tab on your navigation. But if it's only a few and you have no plans to write more, maybe save the space.
I have 9.
I'm wondering if there is another way to set up a different section instead of a tab on the menu.
I don't think there is. There's an option to have a blog roll but you need to use actual links in that section. Like, if you got to my home page and scroll down, on the right I have a heading called "Services" that I created. But it has to be page links there.
I had not traveled much in my life at all until a few years ago, then my husband and I decided to take a dream trip. I had always wanted to go to Hawaii, so I did a little research and settled on trying Kauai first. That first trip in April of 2022 was life-changing for me! We visited twice last year, once with our youngest daughters and once alone. It's never enough. I am beyond obsessed and continue to feel the draw of Island life, one that I may never get to fully experience as a resident, but want to enjoy visiting as often as I can.
This is my question for you Kristi: As a former blogger, I know that blogging has changed so much, even in the last few years. I would absolutely love to start a travel blog about Kauai, but am overwhelmed by all the things you have to do other than just write (which is the part I love....well that, and the travel of course!). Researching keywords, having to write the post so it ranks well on Google, managing multiple social media accounts...the list is never ending. So my question is, do you really think it's still possible to grow a travel blog that focuses on the writing and not so much all the other stuff? And if there's anything you would suggest doing now that maybe you didn't do back when you started yours, what would it be? Really looking forward to hearing your reply and any ideas you might have. :)
Kimi, I LOVE that you have so many questions! And 100% YES, I think regular blogging is still very relevant without the stress of over-complicating things. If I were to start all over again in a different destination I'd do it the same way I've always done it, which is just writing from the heart about what I experience, not what you think the people want to experience. In the 10 years I had my blog, there wasn't a single mainstream tourist attraction on it and I STILL ranked in the top 3 on Google searches. I also didn't frequent the most highly tourist populated areas, I was more off the beaten path in locations that were not popular. I honestly think that was one of the biggest draws to my blog.
I think the difference is that when you focus on ONE destination, by default you become well known for it. Not once did I focus on SEO and social media, I focused on where my heart was - my own adventures and dragging readers along with me through writing.
For social media I had a Facebook page and an Instagram account. The Facebook page blew up much more than IG, with over 6000 members by the time I sold it. But here's a fun fact....my Instagram account only had around 1200 followers yet that is the medium that attracted the most perks for me. Most importantly, social media always came SECOND to my blog. I was way more interested in my blog than social stuff. So yes, I think it's possible still.
Honestly, there is SO much more I could talk to you about. Too much for this comment block lol. But if you'd ever like to have a live chat (phone or zoom or something) I'm open to that. At one time I was going to start 1-on-1 coaching for this but I'm not sure there's enough demand so I'm just happy to answer questions along the way. When you get Hawaii famous down the road you can just recommend my newsletter to the world 😁😁 Pay it forward!
Also, my email address is kristi@writtenbykristi.com
Hi again Kristi, I did shoot you an email, I would absolutely love your thoughts on which platform to go with for a travel blog. I also have a couple of other questions. I'm open to a phone chat as well as you mentioned if that's your preferred method of contact. Email is always easier for me, lol. Looking forward to hearing from you! <3
When did you send the email? Just today? I haven't received anything yet. Maybe send it again and I'll purposely watch for it. Kristi@writtenbykristi.com
Jan. 25th, lol. No worries, my email is a total mess, ha ha. I will try to resend, thanks! :)
So is mine 😂 I'll watch out for it.
Thanks so much. I'm not sure what the issue is, I sent it again yesterday right after my last message. Darn it. :(
Thank you so much for your thorough answers, and for the offer of advice. I would totally love to pick your brain a bit more and will shoot you an email. And yes, I will absolutely pay it forward and recommend you to the world! :)
I have been thinking on and off about this. I have lived in the same beautiful county all my life and I love it here. I have not had much time or money to travel.
I know my immediate local area quite well and have a love of the countryside and walking. There's also lots I am sure I am not aware of.
I am feeling a bit torn because part of its beauty is it's very rural and not so many people. Do I want to encourage more tourism? Would it impact the environment detrimentally? If I do start writing about it how far afield would I go?
Too much thinking and analysis and not enough action?? 😜
I think they call this "analysis paralysis."
And hey, I 100% understand the ruminating on 'do I want to attract more tourism' because that was a huge thing for me in Jamaica. Back in my beginnings I discovered SO many things tourists would never know about, but I had found because locals showed me. I did write about them and eventually, several of them became tourist attractions and it didn't sit well with me. It was as if the hidden gems were no longer gems, they were just another attraction.
The only way I justified it in my heart was that if it hadn't been me, someone else would have done it eventually. Also, tourist attractions create jobs for locals and in Jamaica, that's important. It's a very poor country.
One thing to consider....are there already hotels and attractions anywhere near where you are?
What attracts people to my neck of the woods on the Welsh Borders in the UK is outdoor activities, walking, hiking, mountains, woodlands. It's peaceful and slow paced. A place to be close to nature. Oh and the history. There's a whole black and white trail thing going on, churches and a cathedral that houses the Mappa Mundi and we are surrounded by little quaint market towns. Lots of lush places to eat. Local food producers selling fruit, veg and meat.
There are hotels but not huge affairs. More boutiquey mainly. It's quite a wealthy area in some ways and some very poor areas too. But mainly lots and lots of countryside, National Trust houses and castles. Just over the border into Wales it's even more sparce and more mountains. We are a good hour and three quarters from beaches.
Ooooh those boutique-y places to stay are perfect. 90% of the free accommodations I reviewed in Jamaica were boutique (villas, guest houses, beach cottages, etc). None were giant resort places (except my Forbes story you probably read).
Regardless, just stay tuned in here. I'll be covering more and you never know...maybe one day you'll be inspired to act! 😊
Sage advice, Kristi. Plus I love the AI Coconuts! AI can be such a fun time suck!
I think I fall into #2, sort of. I SO admire what your adventures and success, so I'm just enjoying reading. I also live by the beach half the year....it's high tide as I'm writing and the waves are crashing over the break wall just below my patio... and I've reached the age where I am content.
I love the idea that you will be helping others achieve a travel dream!
Wow, your home sounds like a dream!!! I'd be content too, if I lived on a beach! Water is my spirit animal 😁
I'm glad you wrote about only needing a bit more experience than other people. I get imposter syndrome and fall to the feeling that I need world class accomplishments under my belt in order to write with authority!
If I had a dollar for every time I've heard the term "imposter syndrome" in the writer's world, I'd be wealthy. We ALL have it at some time or another. Even me with this section, I'm like who am I to think I can teach things? It's messed up lol.
Obviously, I don't wish it on anyone, but it's good to hear there are others. Now I feel like I'm part of an outlaw motorcycle gang for nerds! 🤣
😂😂😂
I'm not your target audience for this but had to tell you it's persuasive advice, engagingly presented.
I love the happy coconuts! Your encouragement is much appreciated, as always! You’re like the musician or ballerina who makes it all look seamless, but at the same time, there’s this nagging push telling readers (like me); wake up; it’s not that difficult; we’re just laying out all these roadblocks and getting in our own way. Thank you for kindly telling us to get out of our way and take that first step! 😊
Starting anything new always feels like a big challenge (or roadblock as you say). But if you just start, eventually you'll look back and be like, "That was easier than I thought." And you'll be glad you did it!
Thank you for that Maureen! Compliments on my humor are always welcome 😁😁 Making people smile is fulfilling to me.
This is helpful
Yes I understand the perks travel agents get. I actually have a post to publish in the future about exactly this. Such a world of difference between travel agents and destination specialists.
I'll be sure to tag you when I publish it!