**This is the year. Do it.**

(psst, don’t forget to pin this for later!)

I’m a travel blogger. It’s 2026 and I actually make money from writing online (while growing my personal brand too). Because with blogging, you’re actually creating a business asset (and it’s not too late to start).

Travel blogging is creative and entrepreneurial. It’s fulfilling, skill-building and unlocks amazing opportunities for freedom, exploration and personal growth.

And it’s definitely not dead!

Traditional blogging is still very much alive, but it’s just different now. So if you’re here, nice. I’ll show you exactly how to start a travel blog in 2026 (the right way).

Because I’ve actually done it.

I’m right there with you, actively regrowing my own travel blog after massive disruptions (since late 2023 when I lost ~80% of my traffic). This post isn’t another ChatGPT-regurgitated list of generic advice. This is exactly what I’m doing in 2026 to grow my travel site and my personal brand through blogging.

Now let’s do this!

Table of Contents

Hey there, just a heads up some links in this post may be affiliate links, which earn me a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you, but helps me keep the lights on. Thanks for your support!

So…Travel Blogging Is Still a Thing?

Totally! Unless you’re blogging like it’s 2018, then you’ll want to update some of your strategy.

Platforms are different and user behavior has changed. But good information is just as (maybe more) valuable than ever.

You just need to meet people where they are now.

And no, you don’t need social media or to even show your face.

As bloggers, we need to adapt. So I’m showing you exactly how to start a travel blog in 2026 (even with AI, social media dominance and tons of competition).

If you go to the right places with the right strategy and pull the right levers, you will grow a successful travel blog.

That’s my promise. Follow this system and you will have success.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve been testing new methods and reviving my own travel blog, which lost around 80% of its traffic from Google updates, AI and industry disruptions.

I nearly quit. But I’m glad I didn’t.

Your travel blog becomes a personal brand asset——an entry point into your brand universe.

This (your brand) is the highest leverage thing you can start building for your future. And blogging is still an awesome evergreen strategy (i.e. your content doesn’t die after 24 hours).

Blogging opens up incredible opportunities down the road. And you’re learning core skills that you can rinse and recycle across other domains and projects, including different content styles (like video or podcasting), new niches and other passion projects.

The coolest part? It is NOT too late to start. You just need to go to the right places and use the right strategy.

Here’s why I love travel blogging:

Travel more
Build an audience
Make money online
Blogging is therapeutic
Learn high-demand skills
Turn your passion into profit
Connect with amazing people
Build something you’re proud of
Tap into professional opportunities
Actually help people travel/live better
Tap into the ever-growing creator economy
It’s an entry point to build your personal brand universe

How to Start + Grow A Travel Blog In 2026

1. Choose a Name + Website Builder

Okay, so you still need a website to become a travel blogger (unless you’re only using Medium, Substack or opting for YouTube or social media).

Personally I use Squarespace for all of my blogs. It’s super intuitive, has powerful SEO, gives you plenty of customizations and has an amazing community of creators and resources. Plus, everything (from domain management to email) is all under one roof.

And honestly, especially nowadays, it really doesn’t matter which platform you use——even if your website platform has limited SEO features——because I don’t rely solely on Google anymore (but more on that later though).

So how about WordPress? Everyone says use that, so shouldn’t I?

*WORDPRESS RANT:

I don’t know why so many bloggers push WordPress as being beginner-friendly or being the best and only option.

The best reason I’ve heard for using WP over another platform is one site owner had trouble with scaling ads…apparently WP could handle the high volumes of traffic better and offered more flexibility for ad placement and optimization.

Fair enough. But I don’t know how true this is either. Plus, ad revenue shouldn’t be your core income driver.

So sure, WP works. And if you prefer high levels of customization, it might be the best option for you. Or you can go somewhere else. That’s fine too.

Because despite the claims online, WordPress is not easy to set up or manage (maybe it’s better with AI improvements these days, idk). But to me, it feels clunky and unnecessarily confusing to just set up and publish a dang blog…there’s a definite learning curve.

And I’m tech-savvy too!

I’ve used almost every modern CMS platform (through my work in content marketing), I produce electronic music, I make digital art and I even create custom Squarespace plugins using AI and integrated development environments (IDEs) like Cursor.

And yet, WP still annoys/confuses me lol.

I think it has to do with the mismatch between platform complexity and purpose though.

Aka, I’m just trying to publish some words online, grow an email list and offer some products! Why make things complex and nuanced?

It’s 2026 and it feels stupid to have to think about complexities like site backups, separate plugins for more features, theme customizations, separate hosting, email setup…and so much more.

Come on——gimme simplicity! Complexity does not mean better.

Plus, WP really isn’t that cheap (things add up——I was left with a $400 bill after my first year).

But I promise, I’m not trying to take a jab at bloggers who use or recommend WP either. For some people, it really is perfect. But it’s a preference thing, not a necessity. For me, I hate it.

So all this is to say one thing: don’t feel like you need to use WP, there are Plenty of other options.

Today, the website builder you use does not matter. What matters is how you get consistent traffic and convert those visitors.

And with Google pulling the rug on most bloggers, taking back control of your traffic means the website builder you decide to use matters not (*more on how to actually get traffic and grow a blog below).

So for now, just focus on the main stuff to get your blog set up:

Choose a website hosting platform you like (again, I like Squarespace)
Research and secure a custom domain
Add your core pages and website copy
Add your branding and vibe
Set up a professional email address (skip the gmail)
Start writing and publishing your first blogs

2. What Kind of Travel Blog Do You Want?

Niching down still works. But if you’re really not sure where to focus, test different subtopics and explore. Or use ChatGPT to help you narrow down your options.

For example, solo travel in Asia for females and US road tripping for retired couples are both niche travel blogs with a very obvious audience.

Travel is pretty broad, so it helps to have a lane. You’ll be able to make more resonating content and create specific offers that actually convert.

You can always expand later, but starting with focus adds guardrails. It helps you grow faster, create better content and build an audience.

Here’s are a few tips to niche down your travel blog:

Focus on a specific location
Look for underserved markets
Write for a specific audience demographic
Leverage your unique expertise or passions

3. Write the Right Posts

To actually grow a travel blog, you need to write articles that make sense. Here’s how:

Do keyword/topic research
Research your audience for pain points
Analyze your niche/other creators to know what’s working
Write posts that support each other and link together to build topic clusters

This is the formula for how to build a basic (but successful) travel blog. Add in some branding and a good POV and you’re on your way to something special.

Here’s a list of (Google) keyword ideas for inspiration:

MSV = monthly search volume
KD = keyword difficult (<10 indicates an easy ranking score)
1. “how to travel with a yoga mat” (30 MSV; 1 KD)
2. “yoga travel gear” (10 MSV; n/a KD)
3. “travelers wellness app” (20 MSV; 4 KD)
4. “yoga retreat for beginners” (150 MSV; 4 KD)
5. “yoga retreat caribbean” (50 MSV; 1 KD)
6. “how to stay fit on vacation” (60 MSV; 6 KD)
7. “food to pack for hotel stay” (10 MSV; 0 KD)
8. “overeating on vacation” (10 MSV; 1 KD)
9. “vacation eating” (20 MSV; 5 KD)
10. “best gym for travelers” (80 MSV; 1 KD)
11. “backpacking exercises” (40 MSV; 1 KD)
12. “car exercises for long trips” (40 MSV; 4 KD)
13. “exercise equipment for traveling” (20 MSV; 2 KD)
14. “can you bring fruit on a plane” (900 MSV; 0 KD)
15. “road trip snacks non refrigerated” (200 MSV; 2 KD)
16. “vegan travel destinations” (10 MSV; 1 KD)
17. “can you bring cookies on a plane” (200 MSV; 3 KD)
18. “best sandwiches for long flights” (40 MSV; 1 KD)
19. “healthy holiday travel” (60 MSV; 0 KD)
20. “best foods to pack for international travel” (10 MSV; 3 KD)

4. Take Back Control of Your Traffic (use Pinterest)

I broke up with Google this past year. We had a good run for nearly 5 years, but I can’t deal with the rug pulls, unknowns and traffic volatility anymore.

I want something more predictable, which I can actually control.

Enter, Pinterest.

Pinterest is one of the best ways to get traffic to your blog. It’s a little bit more hands on than Google, but the tradeoff is worth it.

I feel like I’m not at the mercy of SEO or an algorithm. SEO still matters, but not in the same way.

My traffic is directly related to whether or not I write about relevant topics and create decent pin designs to promote those posts.

I feel like I’m in control. I’m actually growing my traffic in a predictable way. I do love the unknown, but not with my business. This is liberating.

I still optimize for Google (and other platforms like ChatGPT) naturally by following basic SEO advice. But my attention isn’t there anymore.

Pinterest is one of the best ways for bloggers to get sustainable reliable traffic in 2026.

Some other ways to take back control of your traffic (and not rely on a moody algorithm) include building an email list and diversifying your traffic sources by using other platforms or content styles like Medium, podcasting or YouTube.

Explore more:
➤ How I Use Pinterest for Blogging

5. Double Down On What’s Working

As you grow and publish more content, you’ll notice that some posts perform better than others. Lean into that.

Double down on what’s working.

For example, this blog started as a self development/lifestyle personal blog. But one day, I decided to post an article about Tokyo. And it ended up ranking really well and had some of my highest engagement rates.

It’s still one of my top-performing posts.

So I leaned into this data by expanding my travel content. Now, I’m a travel-lifestyle site.

Repeat things that work, whether that’s a blog post structure, a particular topic or a winning Pin design.

Data is only good if you use it.

6. Monetize

You can start monetizing your travel blog early on, but the exciting (job replacing) income usually takes time to build. So remember to stay patient and set realistic expectations and goals.

But if you lean into platforms like Pinterest and set up a decent funnel with good audience targeting, you could sell digital products pretty quickly.

Here are some of the most common ways to monetize your travel blog:

Ads
Sponsored posts
Affiliate marketing
Sell digital products
Coaching or selling services

Explore more:
➤ My 3 Income Streams As a Digital Nomad

7. Commit to 6-12 Months

What would happen if you actually committed to blogging (or anything) for a year?

This doesn’t mean you need to publish a new article everyday (or 30 pins on Pinterest). It just means staying patient and continuing to show up——trusting the process.

Imagine where you’ll be if you fully committed to a year of blogging, pinning and optimizing.

Trust me, you will grow. And it’ll be so worth it.

This is the dream. A true digital nomad path. And the door is wide open (it just takes a little work, some patience and the right strategy).

Travel Blog FAQs

This is hard to answer. Some travel regularly, and some maybe never at all. It depends on things like a blog’s sub niche, the content, the audience and a blogger’s goals. But keep in mind that you can always become a part-time traveler (full-time isn’t for everyone).
Totally! It may not surprise you, but many (probably most) major blogs outsource their writing. Often, the writer that’s hired hasn't actually had any firsthand experience with the topic — it’s just great research and writing skills.
In my work, I’ve seen multiple local travel sites hire writers from all over the world to write on topics and places they may or may not have ever visited before.
So you can start a travel blog without traveling — especially if you focus on a niche that doesn’t require hands-on travel (such as travel planning or budgeting). Eventually though, adding some personal experiences is smart.
Definitely! In fact, the travel niche is one of the most profitable niches out there. Besides, any blog can be profitable if you pull the right levels and have the right strategy. You can monetize your travel blog in lots of ways, including:
- Affiliate marketing
- Brand partnerships
- Sponsored posts
- Memberships
- Gated content
- Selling digital products
- Selling services
- Ad revenue
The general travel niche, sure. But there are endless pockets and sub-niches to go after. So no, the travel isn’t too saturated — especially if you have stand-out blogs that are optimized and have a solid content strategy.
You can start a travel blog for next to nothing. Technically, if you went started with social media, you can get going for free.
If you decide to use Squarespace (like I do), then you’ll need to sign up for at least their basic plan, which starts at just $25/month (first year of email is free, but you’ll need to buy a domain too for around $15-20). IMO, it’s totally worth it and super cheap for building a business (which is essentially what you’re doing).
Not much! Here’s everything you need to start (and grow) a travel blog:
- A website
- Content
- A plan
- A social media account
- Email automation software
You can add extra stuff as you grow (like keyword research tools or AI subscriptions), but you really don’t need much to launch your travel creator brand. So go make stuff!