How do you make money blogging while traveling? Because exploring new countries is one of the best feelings in the world, let’s be honest. And undoubtedly, the travel industry has been hit hard this past year. However, things are beginning to pick up again, which means now is the time to get your blog in shape to make money. I mean, what could be better than to travel the world AND make money at the same time?
With blogging, all that is possible if you do it the right way.
Therefore, in this post, I will outline the best 7 types of blog posts that are designed to make money from anywhere and I’ll explain why.
Are you ready for this? Then let’s get started.
No matter whether you’ve already been blogging for some time without much success or are just starting out as a travel blogger, it’s important to set up your blog as a “money-making” blog from the very beginning.
Because here’s a secret: Money-making blogs do two things differently.
This is why some posts make money and others don’t as I’ll explain more in this post.
But what makes posts profitable comes down to these two factors:
User Intent and SEO (search engine optimization).
Let me explain.
User Intent
What is User Intent?
User Intent, or search intent, is the intent behind what they search for when they enter search terms into search engines such as Google, YouTube, and Pinterest.
- Are they searching for information?
- Or are they looking to buy something?
Additionally, you need to understand how you can answer this User Intent in a way that will drive traffic to your blog.
In my opinion, you should focus more on Google traffic than social media channels because traffic coming from Google has a search intent, whereas Facebook traffic could be someone simply browsing and finding your article interesting without the intent to purchase anything.
3 Types of User Intent
There are essentially only three categories that can be used to summarize User Intent, and these are:
- Informational User Intent
- Transactional User Intent
- Navigational User Intent
So let’s take a closer look at each one now.
What is informational User Intent?
Informational User Intent means, the user is looking to find some information about something specific because they want to gather some information about something, not necessarily buy.
In comparison, what is transactional User Intent?
Transactional User Intent means that they are ready to purchase a product or book a service once they have gathered all the information about it.
And lastly, what is navigational User Intent?
Here the user is looking to buy something specific. For example, “Best Allianz travel insurance”, which means this type of User Intent is very specific.
This User Intent also includes specific locations, places, or activities that a user is looking to book.
I’ll dive more into how to use each user’s intent when we look at the different types of posts.
Regardless of your user’s intent, the best way to monetize your post is to combine User Intent with SEO (search engine optimization). In the next paragraph, I’ll show you how.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
What is SEO and how does it work?
In short, SEO stands for search engine optimization. And it refers to the process of enhancing your blog’s visibility when people search for a product or information on Google, YouTube, and Pinterest, for example.
The more visible your pages are in search results, and the better they answer User Intent the more likely it will be for them to attract traffic to your blog.
In other words, you should research if there’s demand for the topic you intend to write about before you start writing about it.
The simplest way to do this is to research keywords.
This will help you determine if there is enough search volume for what you’re about to write about.
Because in order to make money you need to write about what readers are already searching for instead of writing about what you want, does that make sense?
How to research keywords
To research your keywords, you can use keyword search tools like the chrome extension Keyword Anywhere.
Writing strategically and researching my keywords is how I am able to build a profitable blog with a newborn between nap times and nappy changes over at my blog.
Now that you know why User Intent and SEO are important for the success of your blog, let me share with you the 7 best types of blog posts that use User Intent and SEO to make money.
7 Best type of posts that make money
If you’ve only scrolled through to this section I encourage you to read about what we talked about User Intent further up. But to sum it all up before we dive in why the following post types make money because it’s all about something called User Intent.
Remember, someone typing into Google “best hand luggage” probably has the intent to review, compare and then buy.
So let’s take a look and start off with “BEST” posts:
1. “BEST …” list posts
“Best…” list posts are one of the most profitable keywords to monetize because there is a transactional User Intent to purchase.
Because someone typing into Google “best small hand luggage” wants to know what the “Best…” of something is before they buy it. Therefore it sparks people’s curiosity and triggers them to click on your post over the competition which is great for driving traffic to your post.
Have you noticed that when you google for “BEST” something you’ll rarely land on a product page? That’s because Google prefers “Best …” posts that link to bloggers’ blogs over product pages because it recognizes the intent of the user to read a comprehensive review.
What is a “BEST…” post example?
A great example of a “BEST…” list post is, like I mentioned before, “20 BEST Small Hand Luggage of 2022” for example.
In order to monetize your article, you list 20 items, say, hand luggage, that you’ve researched, then add affiliate links and beautiful photos. If you want to make your content even stronger, you could use one of the items you suggest and post a snap of yourself wearing it on your social media accounts.
You can tag it on Instagram and show that you are living what you preach so that your audience can feel confident.
How to boost your “BEST” post?
To make your post headline more catchy, you can add a number before “… BEST”, for example “20 BEST Small Hand luggage you can’t live without” as people love numbers.
Another example of a money-making post that has the right User Intent is “11 BEST Travel Insurances that save you money”.
And with that on to post type number two.
2. “How to” posts, what you need to know
“How to” posts are the second-largest User Intent on Google because people always look for “How to” information on a number of topics.
But “How to” posts are more about informational User Intent rather than transactional User Intent.
For example, people searching for “How to travel with young children” may not necessarily be looking to buy, but rather for information and tips.
However, you can still include some practical tips and items parents can purchase to make traveling with kids easier or more fun, such as a buggy luggage with wheels.
You can also link to additional articles on your blog that answer this question in detail and might result in an affiliate sale there.
How to come up with a good “How to” post
To help you determine what “how to” post to write about you need to do some keyword research.
Research popular search terms and keywords, then write a post with an informative “How to” that answers your readers’ problems better than anyone else.
Last but not least, video tutorials are a great addition to “How to” posts, such as how to pack a backpack efficiently.
3. “… Vs. …” post
Example: Drone X vs Drone Y
Have you ever considered investing in a drone to take those highly sought-after aerial shots of a secluded beach?
This is just an example, but let’s say somebody wants to buy an item but is undecided between two options:
- brands
- models
- extras
You can help them choose which product to buy by giving them advice.
Because there is a User Intent here to purchase (transactional).
To make money with this specific product, you simply need to add your affiliate link to your blog and drive the right kind of traffic to it.
Another option would be to make a YouTube video comparing both drones in front of the camera and to include either a link to your blog post or an affiliate link.
Why do “… Vs. …” posts work?
The reason this type of post works so well is that people want to know which is the best choice for them, and avoid making the wrong one.
It is likely that these people have already done some research, so they are familiar with the brands you are comparing. However, they are curious to learn who the best one is. Perhaps they’re only familiar with one brand and want confirmation it’s better than the other one (we’ve all been there).
Either way, a comparison post will add a lot of value for your confused reader, and if you add in your affiliate links in a good way, you can close the deal right away.
4. Review posts
For most people, money is tight most of the time. Therefore they want to spend their money wisely.
With Review Posts, you can assist your audience in their buying decision by writing an article about a keyword you know they are interested in.
Whenever you write a review about a product or service, the more honest and insightful you are the better.
Generally, people trust your recommendations more when you have already established a bit of trust with them. However, if done correctly, they can also help you build an audience.
Reviewing different airline lounges at airports could also make a great review.
Additionally, using your own photos and sharing personal stories will help you boost trust with your audience.
5. Sponsored posts
This is any type of content you get someone to pay you to write like paid reviews for hotels, luggage, travel insurances, editorial pieces, branded publicity articles, and so on.
If you have a decent amount of traffic, you can reach out to brands or wait for them to contact you.
Either way, you need to prepare a media kit page with stats about who your audience is, how much traffic you receive, how many page views, top pages, time spent on your site, comments, rates, length of post, and who provides the photography.
Because sponsored posts are paid upfront, SEO and keyword research are not as important. However, if you can use popular keywords based on search volume, then you are more likely to have the sponsored post client achieve their goals. A happy client is one who comes back.
6. List post “20 travel essentials you can’t go without”
Your list posts will work best if you choose keywords that your audience searches for, along with user intent that is transactional.
Next, connect your Amazon Associates account to your listings so that you can keep track of how many products you’re selling.
It’s vital to note that the order has to be dispatched to qualify as an affiliate sale.
As an example, if you placed 3 orders on a given day and two of those orders were shipped, then Amazon would pay you a commission on two orders.
As soon as order #3 ships, you’ll get a commission, but until it has shipped, it won’t appear in your dashboard as a sale.
7. “Book” posts
These types of posts fall under the category navigational and transactional User Intent. Because here the user is looking to book or buy something specific, for example “Book hotel Brisbane” and therefore Google will only bring up posts in the search that answer this specific request for Brisbane.
On the other hand, if Google would bring up hotels in Perth, then the User Intent would not be satisfied, do you understand what I mean?
Another example for a navigational User Intent could be “Book Spa Thailand” and your post could offer a selection of the best spas by region.
To monetize your links you’ll need to outreach to each establishment and inquire whether you could become an affiliate and earn a commission in exchange for every customer your blog post brings.
Summary
There you have it, the 7 best types of posts that can help your blog make money.
- “BEST …” list posts
- “How to” posts, what you need to know
- “… Vs. …” post
- Review posts
- Sponsored posts
- List post “20 travel essentials you can’t go without”
- “Book” posts
I also want to leave you with seven tips that will help you monetize your blog even further.
7 Tips on how to make money blogging
- Blog about topics that are profitable.
- Research your keywords before you write your article.
- Don’t treat your blog as a hobby but as a business.
- Choose a niche that is in demand vs. a super small niche you like but no one else.
- Write for an audience that is willing to spend money because ultimately you want to make money from your blog to finance your passion for traveling, right?
- Think about how much is your audience willing to spend?
- Guest post to expand your audience, reach, credibility and trust.
Keep reading:
- Your complete guide to taking a workcation
- Digital nomadism, the perfect mix of work and travel
- Soft skills required to succeed in the 21st century
Kristin Brause is a new mom and now a blogger. Her blog Any Mommy Can Make Money was born out of her desire to achieve financial freedom so that she could spend as much time with her baby girl working from home instead of rushing to work each day. Her mission now is to help other mommies make money online because she believes that any mommy can make extra money for her family, even between nap times and nappy changes, with the right strategies that she shares online.
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We hope you enjoyed this post on how to make money blogging from anywhere.
Please let us know which type of post you plan to use on your blog. You can reach us on social media or via email: aworldtotravel @ gmail . com
