Guest contributor: Auston Matta, Co-founder & Creator at Two Bad Tourists and speaker at TBEX Europe 2024

Auston Matta, Two Bad Tourists,
TBEX Europe 2024 Speaker

In the competitive and easy to enter world of travel blogging, monetizing content is often the ultimate goal. The idea of ditching your 9-5 and become a digital nomad is the dream that many seek out. However, amidst the excitement of sharing adventures and experiences, many aspiring travel bloggers fall prey to common pitfalls that hinder their path to financial success and business stability. Here are three critical mistakes often made when monetizing content on travel blogs, and how to avoid them.

1) Not Treating Your Blog as a Business

One of the most prevalent mistakes among aspiring travel bloggers is failing to treat their blog as a bona fide business. While running a website may seem like a different endeavor from a traditional business, transitioning it into a profitable venture requires a shift in mindset. Without a business mentality, monetization efforts are likely to falter, leaving bloggers unable to transform their passion into a full-time gig.

To avoid this pitfall, it’s essential to approach your travel blog with the same level of dedication and professionalism as any other business endeavor. This means setting clear goals, developing a strategic plan, and investing time and resources into its growth. You need to set out a financial plan of how much revenue you plan to earn and how you’ll achieve that throughout the year. Further, you should treat your blog as a brand, cultivate a unique identity, and prioritize building a loyal audience base. By adopting a business mindset from the outset, you set yourself up for long-term success in the competitive world of travel blogging.

2) Unwillingness to Invest

Monetizing content on a travel blog requires more than just passion and creativity—it demands a willingness to invest both time and money. Unfortunately, some bloggers underestimate the importance of financial investment, believing that success can be achieved solely through unpaid efforts. However, just like any other business, building a profitable travel blog often necessitates a monetary investment to expedite growth and maximize returns.

Whether it’s investing in professional website design, purchasing high-quality photography equipment, website hosting or allocating funds for digital tools, financial investment plays a crucial role in positioning your blog for success. If budget constraints are a concern, be prepared to compensate with a significant investment of time and effort upfront to build your audience. Focus on organic growth strategies, such as consistently producing valuable content, engaging with your audience, and optimizing your blog for SEO.

3) Pitching the Wrong People for Paid Work

In the quest to monetize their travel blogs, many bloggers make the mistake of pitching their paid campaigns to the wrong people. While it’s essential to network and collaborate with industry professionals, pitching to the wrong individuals can result in missed opportunities and wasted effort. For example, reaching out to a PR person at a tourism office may secure an invitation for an unpaid press trip, but they might not have control over the marketing budget for paid collaborations.

To avoid this common misstep, take the time to research and identify the decision-makers within organizations. Look for marketing managers, brand representatives, or content coordinators who have the authority to allocate resources for sponsored partnerships. Craft personalized pitches that demonstrate the value you can offer to their brand and showcase your expertise in the travel niche. If you don’t know the right person, simply ask the contact you do have, and they will often make an introduction few you. By targeting the right individuals within organizations, you increase your chances of securing lucrative paid opportunities that align with your monetizing content goals.

To learn from Auston Matta and his fellow TBEX Europe 2024 session presenters on subjects like monetizing content and more, register today! To see a full list of all sessions to be presented at TBEX Europe in San Sebastian, Spain, May 28 – 31 visit our Conference Schedule.