How to become a travel influencer

Social media has created many professions that nobody could think of a decade ago. There are many benefits of online platforms and apps, one of them being the opportunity to follow your passion and even generate income out of it. Being a travel influencer is exciting not only because you get to explore interesting places but also inspire others to do so – all over the world. However, turning your passion into a full-time profession isn’t easy. You’ll encounter many challenges along the way, but it’ll all be worth it when you reach your goals. Let’s see what you need to do to become a travel influencer.

First, define your niche

Simply posting pictures and videos on social media apps is not enough to become a travel influencer – there is much more to it. You should first define your specific niche and focus on it. If you don’t have an idea already, think about some of these travel categories:

• Budget travel and backpack trips
• Luxury travel
• Solo travel
• Couples traveling
• Health, wellness, and spa
• Adventure travel
• Hiking
• Religious travel
• Summer or winter destinations
• Gastro-tourism
• Rural tourism
• Family travel
• Fashionable travel
• Traveling with kids
• Sustainable travel

As you can see, the list seems endless. It shouldn’t be too difficult to choose your niche or a combination of two. For example, you can be a travel influencer with the main focus on rural family tourism, or you can be a solo traveler on a budget. The choice is entirely yours, and each niche has its audience and followers.

Finding an ideal niche is important because you will be able to build a recognizable style over time and stand apart from others in the same industry.

Choose a username, and make a blog/website

Now it is time to think about a recognizable username for social media platforms and start a blog or a website. Don’t use confusing symbols or strange spellings for your username. Instead, use your actual name or something travel-inspired. Keep it short and easy to remember.

A blog or website is not only a place where you’ll expand and grow, but also a place where you can sell or promote some products, and much more depending on your focus. Your website design should be responsive if you want it to thrive, and you should also have a mobile-friendly website to attract an even larger audience.

Create your brand

As a travel influencer, you are a travel inspiration, so you need digital branding. Be creative, innovative, inspiring, and consistent in posting new photos and videos. By doing so, you will attract travel enthusiasts from all over the globe and allow them to explore the wonders of the world through your page. Build your page as a brand and engage people with the same interests and passions.

You can also use color psychology to your advantage when making a marketing campaign. Colors affect our mood and thinking, so don’t be afraid to experiment with some photo effects when you edit your pictures before publishing.

Share creative pictures and videos

Instagram is the crucial platform for each travel influencer. It’s a visual one, so utilize it to your maximum advantage. Photos speak a lot about experiences; that’s why you need to perfect your photography skills. Your photos will eventually attract many people to your page and help you gain new followers.

Creating great videos is another art form that you need to master to become a travel influencer. Images speak for themselves without saying a word, but an expertly shot video can make an even more significant impact. Instagram videos, short videos, and live videos are becoming extremely popular. Moreover, putting the right kind of music into your videos is crucial for your content because it makes it more attractive.

Use hashtags

Every future travel influencer should know the importance of using hashtags on the Instagram platform. Hashtags are used to group all people with the same interest in one place. Whenever you use a particular hashtag, it helps people discover your post more easily. Hashtags also get people attracted to your brand and content and motivate them to start following you.

Engage your audience

Interact with your audience through comments, messages, stories, etc., and be approachable. People like to be engaged, asked about a common subject, and want their opinions to matter. Do a poll on the Instagram story, and ask them a question. For example: “Where should I travel next?” or “Have you ever traveled to… (name a place), and what spots would you recommend visiting there?”

Accept collaborations

It would help if you made connections even outside the social media platforms. Whenever possible, meet with other influencers and agree to create unique and innovative content together. This will allow you to grow your audience, increase your followers’ number, and make many new opportunities.

Networking

Each person, brand, or company you communicate with is your gateway to new possibilities. Whenever you’re searching for paid-sponsorships and travel compensations, have these rules in mind:

• Be yourself, be real and be honest. You know what you are capable of and what is your uniqueness. Be honest each time you agree with someone, and don’t make false promises.
• Be respectful to anybody you come into contact with, and be relentless. Even though many brands and companies will probably say no to you, you must learn to accept rejection with dignity. Not everyone wants to work with influencers all the time. You need to understand and respect that and learn through it. Don’t take it personally and move on. See if you can improve in some way while you are waiting for a new opportunity to arise. Many businesses still don’t realize the value of social media marketing and the vast importance and impact of social media influencers. However, there are still plenty of other companies out there that can benefit from what you have to offer.

Key to becoming a travel influencer

To become a travel influencer, you need to continually give your best and provide consistent and creative content. There are no shortcuts to success, and like in any other profession – you need to put a lot of time and effort into what you do to become successful and popular. As a travel influencer, your audience will pay attention to what you have to say, so always try to create quality, educative, and unique content. That’s how you achieve not only success but also meaningful impact.

About author: Jennifer Morrison is a consultant for Pro Movers Miami, as well as a freelance writer with a main focus on travel themes. In her spare time, Jennifer is enjoys cooking, reading, and outdoor activities with her family.