5 Things You Need To Know About Travel Bloggers
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Travel bloggers… they’re the kings and queens of the blogging community and the go-to source for inspiration and information when you think of your next adventure. While jetting off here, there and everywhere is all in a day’s work for a travel blogger, there are a lot of misconceptions that surround the industry. So, if you think travel bloggers have it easy, we’re here to bust 5 myths about travel bloggers and prove that they’re just as important to the travel industry as traditional travel editors.
1. They work incredibly hard
You’d think it is safe to assume that travel bloggers are living a carefree life, simply travelling the world to snap and share pictures from incredible places. But the reality is, travel bloggers work extremely hard to get the perfect candid Instagram shot and create the ridiculously good content they’re known for. It’s certainly not a 9-5 job, and they’re almost always in transit (and in the same clothes). And while work might involve watching the sunset in Santorini one day, it’s almost certainly followed by days of researching, writing, capturing, editing, observing, exploring and learning. And that’s exactly why brands in the travel industry are eager to work with this unique breed of digital publishers (check out our guide to working with influencers here).
2. They’re always on the go
Travel bloggers are always on the road, sometimes for months at a time, through various countries and multiple timezones. Because of the nature of the job, travel bloggers are away from their friends and families for long periods of time, undoubtedly missing milestone celebrations, birthdays and special events back home. You may think it is incredible that your favourite travel blogger is in a different country each month, but that lifestyle does come with sacrifice and a demanding schedule.
While work might involve watching the sunset in Santorini one day, it’s almost certainly followed by days of researching, writing, capturing, editing, observing, exploring and learning.
3. They travel with a lot of gadgets
It might come as no surprise that travel bloggers carry a lot of gadgets with them, from cameras, video recording equipment and tripods to laptops, iPads and charging devices. They’re the tools of the trade and they’re always within arms reach so they don’t miss a thing. If you’ve ever tried travelling with a DSLR, GoPro, iPhone, polaroid camera, tablet and laptop, you’ll know how much effort and care is required when capturing your experiences on the go, with thousands of dollar of equipment on your person.
4. They need to be open to new experiences
In order to tell the best stories, have the best photos and give readers unique information, travel bloggers need to be open to new experiences every single day. From eating bugs and learning new customs to climbing volcanoes, skydiving, sleeping under the stars and hitchhiking, you can almost guarantee that a travel blogger has been there, and done that.
5. Things do go wrong
Some of the best travel bloggers have had terrible experiences and nearly all have horror stories to share, just like anyone else who travels. As travel bloggers are always on the job, their catalog of horror stories is as big as their highlights reel, and while they may not always publish the things that went wrong along the way, rest assured that they too miss flights, sleep on the floor in airports, get food poisoning, loose their cameras, get sunburnt, feel scared, run out of money, get lost, run out of batteries, have bad hotel experiences and get caught up in dangerous situations, just like any other traveller.
So, do you think you’ve got what it takes to become a travel blogger? Or would you prefer to watch their journey from afar, opting to travel for pure pleasure rather than intense work commitments? If you are a travel blogger with a myth to bust, hit us up in the comments below - we’d love to hear your stories!
