I don’t usually write about the nuts and bolts of travel blogging, mainly because I haven’t been doing this terribly long and I don’t really feel qualified to give out a lot of advice. That said, I’ve been getting a fair amount of queries lately on how I built Twenty-Something Travel into what it is today.
The truth is hard work, persistent networking and tons of research. Since July I have read a virtual library worth of web-tips, e-books and real paper books on how to create a successful blog. One of the best resources I’ve come across thus far is the new Travel Blog Success course built by David Lee.
Dave is my co-organizer for the monthly DC travel meet-up (we just had our third one this past Friday). He is also the creator of GoBackpacking, one of the biggest and most successful personal travel blogs out there. In the past three months Dave tells me he has made over $5000 on his travel blogs! Additionally, GoBackpacking and Medellin Living are both finalists in the 2010 Weblog Awards. This is a guy who clearly knows his stuff.
Dave’s brilliant blogging brain has been a huge resource for me, even if we are just hanging out and drinking beer. I was thrilled when he offered me a sneak peek at the educational program he has been working on for months (I, in turn, gave him super helpful critiques like “change your font”).
Anyways, now I can give you the inside scoop that Travel Blog Success is pretty awesome. The core is a collection of twelve lessons on important subjects like “Content Creation,” “SEO for beginners” and the all important “How to make money.” There is a lot of really great information on creating, promoting and profiting from your blog.
That content is supplemented with a useful new blog, updated with information on internet marketing, networking and leadership. Also included are audio interviews with other travel blog titans like Craig Martin of Indie Travel Podcast. We are talking a serious wealth of information here.
There is also a message board where travel bloggers can ask for and give advice. I think this may be the most useful bit of the whole package. I posted a question about advertising and received several really helpful answers (and this was before the site even went live!). The fact that this is not just a lesson packet but also a community is a major selling point for me.
I think that the TBS package would be extremely helpful for beginner bloggers trying to learn the ropes, although I picked up quite a few tips myself, particularly on monetization. There is a lot of basic information as well as some more advanced help. The community aspect and the renewing blog content and resources make it worthwhile for all travel bloggers to get involved.
Right now Dave is offering membership to TBS for reduced prices as low as $75. Once he fills the first 100 spots I know he is planning to jack up the price, so if you interested in being a part of this great new program, better jump on it now!
Full Disclosure: Dave gave me free access to the TBS site. I believe in it strongly enough to become an affiliate, which means if you click through one of the links on my site and join, I will receive a small commission.
