Travel Blogging Guides & Tips From A Full-Time Travel Blogger: 2024

How I Increased My Pinterest Referral Traffic By 224% And 5 Easy Ways To Do The Same

Looking to drive traffic to your blog using Pinterest? From designing pins that people want to click on, to coming up with appealing titles and what to do once your pin is live, here are a few handy tips, and some stats and examples too!

From One Blogger To Another…

This blog started as a place to share my adventures in food and travel. Unlike many bloggers, I’ve never written much about blogging itself.

But as this IS my full-time job, why haven’t I written about it? Firstly I worried it might confuse readers if I had content on travel, food and then blogging too. If you’re looking for travel inspo, do you want to read about WordPress, SEO and the hard graft that goes into a beautiful blog? Probably not…

Secondly, I wondered what I knew that was of value. I’m still learning and growing all the time. I definitely don’t have all the answers! So why would I blog about blogging when others have been going longer or are more successful?

Traffic Growth

Well, over the last year or so, I’ve had a few wins. One thing I’m really proud of is that my traffic has increased considerably. I used to write blogs that *hopefully* a few hundred people would read. I was happy if I logged onto my Google Analytics and saw there was 1 person on my site. That was exciting – who were they? How had they found me? What were they reading?!

These days though, those numbers have risen substantially. Google has ranked several of my posts on page 1 and 2, meaning that I receive daily traffic to those. That’s pushed up things like affiliate earnings and advertising rates. Nope, I’m not talking millions or even thousands, but it’s a step in the right direction! Perhaps I should write a little post like this one about SEO if anyone is still listening by the end of this post?

Then there’s Pinterest. A platform I pretty much ignored until about a year ago. But wow am I glad I got involved! It turns out Pinterest is a HUGE traffic driver.

Incredible view from Cat Bells in the Lake District

Find out more about my time so far as a Visit England ambassador, including my top destinations, a few new passions and where I’m heading next!

Last summer I received one of those emails that made me leap out of my chair, grab my phone and errr… call my Mum!

“I’ve been offered a really exciting opportunity – Visit England want me to be an ambassador,” I squealed!

It was such a perfect fit. Since I started blogging I’ve been quietly flying the flag for different areas around my home country. I’d explored Nottingham’s underground caves (not as spooky as it sounds), eaten my way around Canterbury in Kent (mmmm), looked for the perfect brunches in London (double mmmm), enjoyed a crisp spring break in the New Forest (chilly but worth it), enjoyed a retro holiday on the Isle of Wight (hilarious and very pretty), got lost in Oxford‘s charm (hello dream hometown), and discovered Hastings’ independent spirit (did somebody say gift shop?)

While I absolutely adore England, I was also aware that a lot of people my age skipped breaks on home turf for more exotic destinations. Yep, I know that weather plays a huge part in that decision, but I also think there’s another element. People don’t realise what’s right here, how accessible it is, and how much pleasure it can actually bring!

I recently wrote a blog about this exact topic – showing how there are plenty of places right here in England that compare to those abroad. Skip visiting the lavender fields of Provence and head to Norfolk instead! Swap the beaches of St Lucia for those in the Scilly Isles!

These colourful Instagram accounts are guaranteed to inspire you to travel the world!

Oh Instagram. The love/hate relationship continues. I’ve spent the last few years loving the creative process of taking photos, creating scenes and capturing moments. From candid shots in the snowy Cotswolds, to beach jaunts in Miami, I see my Instagram account as a virtual scrapbook of my travels.

The strange part is when you realise that while you’re taking your own photos of things that appeal to you, it might not be the first time it’s been snapped! This video popped up online last week, showing that many of us are unknowingly following in each others footsteps, as we use false perspective to transform the Leaning Tower Of Pisa into an ice cream sundae, or as we fling our arms out wide in front of Rio’s icon, Christ The Redeemer.

I’ve noticed something else. While many travel Insta accounts become almost clone-like as they apply washed-out filters and mute anything vibrant, I seemed to be heading in the other direction capturing the bluest of skies and choosing to leave the saturation on 0 rather than dull it down -10.

I’ve chatted about my love of colour a lot over the last year. It’s a passion that started young. Little Miss Sunshine was my role model. I loved her zest for life and how others loved to be around her.

As I’ve grown up, this love of colour has remained. It’s part of the reason I adore street art, fell in love with Miami’s beach huts, and still *partially* enjoy Instagram. Yes there is the pain of algorithms… of photos not being seen by the lovely people who decided to follow you. There’s the time it takes to curate photos that you think others will appreciate. The fear when you’re on a press trip and you can’t find THE shot. But I still enjoy it, and to be honest I think it’s partly because I use it as one form of travel inspiration, and partly because of these colourful souls.

The lighthouse at South Pointe - one of Miami Beach's incredible lifeguard huts — The lighthouse at South Pointe – one of Miami Beach’s incredible lifeguard huts

Some exciting blogging highlights, a few lows, and find out what 2018 has in store!

It’s been a little while since I wrote one of these, but as we head towards the end of the year, it feels like a reflective time! If you’ve signed up to my mailing list, apologies if there are a few repeats. If you haven’t then… come and join me for more ramblings here.

As a blogger, I don’t get an end of year appraisal. I don’t get that moment to work through my career progression and talk about the highs and lows, the things I’ve achieved and the things that need to be improved. So, I guess I thought I could talk it through with you guys. I hope that’s ok! Let’s grab a coffee and see how it goes?

So 2017 has been quite a year. In numbers it looks like this: 16 different countries visited (some multiple times – USA, Spain I’m talking about you) and 47 flights – that’s around one every seven days. Don’t worry I’m still committed to planting trees in our aptly named Blogger Grove. 105 blog posts written and published. Over 1800 photos edited and uploaded. I’ve slept in countless hotel beds, spent plenty of hours in the sky and plenty more waiting around at airports. It was the year I moved back to London. It was the year I celebrated two years with my boyfriend. It was the year of change, and settling. The year of big challenges and achievements.

So, let’s start with a few highs…

Lonely Planet Trailblazer

I’ve worked with Lonely Planet on a few projects over the last few years after signing up to their Pathfinders scheme. If you’re a travel blogger or vlogger, definitely take a look and sign up. A huge highlight this year was being sent to New Orleans on an official assignment in collaboration with Three Mobile, to present a video all about the food scene out there. It was incredible! I was so nervous, but it was a really fun shoot and I learned a lot. The video has clocked up almost half a million views, so if you haven’t seen it yet, check it out below!

This relationship is one I’m really proud of, so I was over the moon when they selected me for their top tier programme – to be a Lonely Planet Trailblazer. It means I’ll be working even more closely with them, creating inspirational travel content, videos, social media and more – watch this space! Oh and check out the other amazing travel bloggers who were selected here.

Photographing the lagoons near El Tatio, Chile

“You’re a travel blogger, so you’re basically on holiday all the time right?” Ummmm… not exactly. But what’s an average day travelling with a travel blogger really like?

I started this blog three years ago, and it’s been my full-time job for a year and a bit. It’s a strange lifestyle, and as a lot of people ask how I structure my life, I thought I’d break it down a little. I don’t write about the world of blogging very often, but there are a few elements I’ve been dying to write about!

So there are two distinct variables… being away and being at home. Days at home are usually spent tapping away on my laptop creating content about previous travels, editing photos and videos and meeting clients about future travel campaigns and trips. I also try to squeeze in some local trips and hotel and restaurant reviews.

While occasionally I go away on self-planned trips, the majority are organised by a PR company or tourist board. Some are solo like my week in Austria this summer, some are with my partner or friends, while others are group press trips. A year ago I was doing a lot of group press trips, but over the last six months I’ve really enjoyed having opportunities to travel with friends and my partner (Macca from An Adventurous World).

Usually on a group press trip there will be 5 or 6 bloggers/journalists plus a PR representative from the UK. PR companies carefully select bloggers according to their niche, quality of content and number of readers/followers. I enjoy group press trips as you meet a great bunch of people, all learn from each other, and we all understand each other’s needs, so it’s a supportive environment! I’ve made a lot of great friends on these trips and we’ve shared some unforgettable experiences.

There was the hilarious gourmet trip through Slovenia I did with Jen from She Gets Around, the Blogtrotters Greece trip where I met Emily Luxton (one of my best blogger pals), Hayley from Frock Me I’m Famous, Amelia from xAmeliax and Megan Ellaby. There was St Kitts (more on that below) with a fun group including Vicky Flip Flop. Oh and then there was #itrekhere – a Trek America trip through California with a fab bunch including a few of my faves – Amy from The Little Magpie, Laura Bubble and Scott from Intrepid Escape.