Is Anybody Out There? Hang in There, Travel Bloggers
Recently I've noticed more than a few travel bloggers becoming frustrated. Frustrated about being passed over for blogging opportunities. Frustrated at being left off lists of “top” travel bloggers. Frustrated over feeling left out of the clique of “cool” travel bloggers who seem to be so much more successful than everyone else.
Someone said that travel blogging feels a lot like being back in high school. The kids who are deemed cool remain so, and it's difficult for any newcomers to reach that same level of coolness.
I've felt frustrated, too. It's not easy to always feel left out, or feel like you're lagging behind with no chance of catching up. I think it's especially bad when I put a blog post out there that I'm really proud of, and then it flops. Some days, I wonder who I'm even blogging for; I wonder if anyone is even out there, paying attention.
But I think this feeling of frustration is only natural.
The “cool kids” of travel blogging started in the exact same place that I am now. True, there wasn't as much competition in the travel blogging market a decade ago as there is now. But everyone has to start somewhere.
So, on those days when I start feeling frustrated, I try to remind myself of a few things:
- It's not the end of the world if no one leaves a comment, or retweets my new post. Sure, it's disheartening. But, in the grand scheme of things, one off day shouldn't ruin my whole week. If anything, it should just inspire me to try harder next time.
- Sometimes, it's just dumb luck. I can write what I think is a brilliant post, but maybe I just post it on the wrong day. Maybe the people who would also view it as brilliant just aren't around. And maybe the next day, when I post some silly Top 10 list, that's the day someone like Lonely Planet decides to retweet my post. Often, I think it's just one of those things that's very hard to predict, and impossible to control.
- There can be no success without failure. I'm really just a baby blogger when it comes to the travel blogging universe. I haven't been doing it for that long, and yet I'm slowly crawling my way up in the ranks. The little successes — the RTs from Lonely Planet, the occasional big boosts in traffic — feel even better due to the little failures. If I keep at it and don't let the frustrations ruin the experience, eventually those successes will come more and more frequently.
- It's not anyone's “fault.” I cannot blame everything on the successful bloggers. I can be jealous that they continually get opportunities I would kill for, but I can't blame them for being successful. They've worked hard to get where they are, and what I should be doing is taking note of how they made it happen for themselves.
Obviously I'm not going to become one of the “cool kids” overnight. Contrary to popular belief outside of blogging circles, travel blogging is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work, and even more dedication. It's not something you can just half-ass and expect to be successful at.
I know that, in the end, I'm the only one who can make my blog as successful as I want it to be.
And no amount of whining or feeling sorry for myself is going to change that fact.
Are you feeling like this too? Are there days when you feel like you're just screaming into a void, begging to know if anybody is even out there?
Well, you're not alone. Believe me.
Giving advice on handling this sort of frustration is near impossible. But here are the best tips I can come up with to try and break into that “cool kids” clique. It's my plan of attack, at least:
- Post a variety of quality things. Some insightful, some silly, some practical. You don't want to pigeon hole yourself into one specific sort of advice or writing. (Or maybe you do?) Especially when first starting out, I think a bit of experimentation with your writing can help you figure out what works and what doesn't for your blog. But, no matter what, focus on quality. Proofread your stuff. Make people believe that you know what you're talking about.
- Stay true to yourself. Even though you want to try and hone in on what people want to read by trying a variety of approaches, you also want to stay true to yourself. Don't write about something you don't enjoy. And certainly don't write about something you don't believe in, just because it's what you think people want to hear. Stay true to your own convictions; your voice will shine through.
- Don't make comparisons. No two blogs are the same, because no two bloggers are the same. You shouldn't be comparing yourself to others, or feeling bad because you don't feel like you stack up. If all bloggers were the same, what would be the point? Be who you are, and others will undoubtedly appreciate it.
- Read and comment on other blogs. If you remain in your own little blogging bubble, it's going to be much more difficult for people to find you, and — more importantly — relate to you. Read other travel blogs. Leave comments and share your insights. After all, how can you expect others to do the same on your blog if you're not doing it yourself? Plus, reading other blogs can give you a sense of different styles, and perhaps help you figure out the sorts of things you do and do not want to write about yourself.
- Be active in social networking. Start a Twitter account. Utilize StumbleUpon. Create a Facebook page. Engage with your potential readers, and forge some online relationships with other travel bloggers. Not only will you make some friends, but it's likely that you can help each other out by driving new traffic to one another's sites.
- Be open to guest blogging. A good way to gain some free exposure when you're just starting out is to write a guest post for another (perhaps even more successful) blog. Save something good for your guest posts, and you'll likely be rewarded with some new readers.
- Try new things. Never tried your hand at video editing? Not sure if travel photography is really your thing? Try it out anyway. Who knows, you may discover a new talent. And adding things like strong images and video to your blog will only make it more appealing.
And, most importantly:
- Don't give up. If travel blogging is really what you want to pursue, then don't let those rough days get you down. Don't let anybody tell you that you'll never succeed. Because, if you're serious about it, I think you can make it happen. You have to be persistent. You have to actively go after what you want. Eventually, it will pay off.
The frustrating days suck. But, often, at the end of those days, I get an e-mail from someone who has just discovered my blog, or a great comment, or a kind retweet from someone I respect. And those make all the difference.
So hang in there, fellow travel bloggers.
Because, yes, it seems there is somebody out there, paying attention.
Do you sometimes get frustrated with blogging, too? How do you cope?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
I agree totally! I think you should write a travel blog because it’s what you have a passion for doing, and not compare your blog to others. Do what you enjoy doing and go with it!
I couldn’t have said it better myself, Steve. Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks for putting into words exactly how I feel sometimes. By these comments, I see that we are not alone. You also got some very encouraging and helpful comments from the “cool” kids — we all know who they are! Thanks to them for good advice, too.
I think that this post should actually get you a solid position in the popular crowd. Don’t forget those of us who aren’t there yet! Congratulations on a very meaningful post and eliciting such a great response.
This post has taken on a life of its own! Haha. But yes, it’s gotten some great feedback and advice from all sorts of bloggers that is so great to get.
And I’m definitely no “cool kid” yet, but that’s okay. I’d rather stick with all the “little guys” for now anyway, because they’ve all been so, so supportive. Thanks, Cathy!
This is a great post Amanda; and you couldn’t have written it any better. I have been there, asking myself why and for who am I doing this. But like you said, never give up… As long as you know is something you want to do and that you feel passionate about, give your all to it and some day your persistence will pay all your efforts. Great success takes time to develop.
I have posts that I thought were great and they flopped. These things happen even to the greatest writers out there. We might not have hit a jackpot with that specific post, but still it is part of the legacy of your little blogging empire. So, in the future it might be an important part of the message you’re delivering to your readers.
Keep doing that great job!
Thank you so much, Norbert! I’m just going to keep chugging away, hoping that eventually it will pay off. Though, in small ways, it’s already starting to. Regardless though, I enjoy my “blogging job” more than my real job most days. So I know I’ll keep at it.
Great post, Amanda! I’m glad to hear I wasn’t the only one thinking I was back in high school. 🙂 I’ve realized though, that there are a lot of truly kind travel bloggers out there, it just takes a little time to find them. Once you have found a core group of people, it feels a lot less lonely. I want to say that I appreciate you always being one of those bloggers that I’ve felt were easy to reach out to. I think you will do well with your blog if you keep that attitude.
My follow-up post to this was about how the travel blogging community is truly amazing. The outpouring of support and encouragement I’ve gotten from this post has been unbelievable. Thanks for reading, and for all the support you’ve shown my blog! I appreciate it so much.
Not long ago I wrote a post about this feeling of being left outside. It is not an easy feeling and it does take you back to the days where popularity competitions was an every day frustration. I remind myself every day that I’m doing it because I enjoy it, and because, let’s face it, it’s good for my business. I would love more people to comment and less spammers to take a ride, but this takes time. And just as our business is still young and struggle against the big players, so is my blog; I’m sure the day will come when it will change. Got to have some hope 🙂
There’s always hope, as the response to this post should prove! Some days it’s hard. Other days it’s a little easier. But the challenge and the hard work necessary just proves to me that this is something that’s worth it. Keep at it!
Isn’t it great, when you wear your heart on your sleeve, how everyone comes out of the woodwork to admit they too have felt similarly, or come to rescue with some great advice!
Goes to show the importance of being genuine ~ Being *you* can’t fail to strike a chord 😉
You’re so right, Linda. Being honest and true to yourself will never lead you astray. Thanks for the lovely comment.
Thanks for this! I’ve been trying to build my travel blog for the better part of a year now, and I still get only 40 hits on a good day, and I’m sure some of those are me and don’t even count. It does get frustrating, but I try to remind myself that I post and I take photographs because *I* enjoy it. And yes, the occasional comment or email saying that I was inspirational in some manner makes it all worth it. It’s just hard to remember that sometimes.
Everybody will tell you that as long as YOU enjoy what you’re doing, the traffic and number of comments you get shouldn’t matter. But, let’s face it, as much as we love writing and blogging, we also like to feel like others are reading and paying attention, too. Interaction helps fuel that sense of accomplishment. The frustration, I think, is only natural. Hang in there, Ted! No one ever said this travel blogging thing was easy. (Or, at least, if they did, they clearly had no clue what they were talking about.)
As I scrolled down to this comment box (and scrolled and scrolled) I realised you’re prob on your way to the ‘cool’ list with all these comments – and well deserved. Nice post that we can all relate to no matter how ‘popular’ we are. Like you said, we all started at the bottom with the basics. Goodluck!
Haha, thanks, Chloe! This post has gotten such a huge amount of great feedback… I had no idea it would be so popular when I posted it! But I’m glad to be putting content out there that seems to strike a chord with so many others. There’s no way anyone can feel alone out there after reading all of these encouraging comments!
Great post as I’m sure pretty much every travel blogger has felt this way at one time or another. I know I feel like this on an almost weekly basis. Should I really be doing this? Is there any way I am going to break through? Am I working my ass off for absolutely nothing? Should I just give up?
All are thoughts that cross my mind often. But you’re totally right. Then I get a great comment, a spike in traffic, and some great feedback for what I’ve been doing. It’s all about persistence. Remember that even for people like us who have started within the last few months/year, it just takes time. And even though there are several who are years or even a decade into this game, we’re all still trying to figure out the best ways to be successful. Blogging as a career is definitely in its infancy, and I think we can only go up.
Great post and comments!
You’ve summed it all up wonderfully, Adam – we all feel like this sometimes, but it’s those of us who keep chugging away at it who are eventually going to be rewarded. (At least, i certainly hope so!)
Great post and lots of wonderful feedback! I just wanted to join the ranks in saying that I am definitely with you in how cliquey the whole travel blogging scene can be, and it is incredibly frustrating, especially, as Emily @Travelated above said, on Twitter, where it feels just like high school. I have found if you just ignore the incessant brown-nosing that other people are doing and keep trucking at RTing posts you think are worthwhile and putting up great writing on your own site, you eventually gain ground. But the most important thing for me has been to completely ignore what other people are saying to each other on Twitter and just focus on the actual posts people write! Off to find you on Twitter now…!
Thanks, Megan! Twitter can indeed be a little clique-y, but it really is a great resource, as well. I find so many awesome blogs and posts through Twitter, and have also had some good conversations. I just try to focus on the content, and not get caught up in any of the “brown-nosing,” as you call it. It seems to work out well for me!
‘everyone has to start somewhere”… true… i remember when i was starting…no one bothered about anything on myblog… until we get to build good realtionships with our fellow bloggers… thanks for sharing such a great post… very helpful especially for those who are thinking of starting a blog…
Even though we probably wish we could start right at the top, the truth is always that SOMEONE has to start at the bottom. But I think coming to terms with that is just part of the whole process. Plus, if you start at the bottom, the only way to go is up, right??
It is true that the accolades are fewer and further between when starting out but they can be so much sweeter for that. Though used to our two older websites getting praised in high profile publications I get the same thrill when a previously unheard of blogger comments on the newer ‘baby’ blog, retweets a post or just says something nice about us.
In a way I am glad that getting established is hard work. Those that aren’t serious about their blogs or are just doing this because it is the ‘in’ thing will quit and those with determination and passion will be rewarded by still being around in 5 or 10 years time, having made a great deal of new friends on the way.
Judged by the number of comments you are getting here I hope you are feeling good about yourself and your blogging future too.
Thanks so much for the input, Shane. I completely agree with you on your second point – I’m glad this whole travel blogging thing is tough, too. I love that it’s a challenge sometimes. But it’s something I’m passionate about, so the fact that it’s hard work doesn’t bother me too much, because I love doing it.
And yes, I’m feeling pretty good right about now in regards to my blogging future. Let’s hope it keeps on getting better and better from here!
Thank you for posting this! I had a bit of a hiatus on my blog over the summer months and then I saw my stats! I was absolutely dumbfounded that people all over the world were actually reading some of my posts! That was nice to see.
I am looking forward to growing my audience and seeing where it can go! Can’t wait until the next trip.
You’re welcome! Thanks for reading, and for your feedback!
It’s always nice to realize that people are paying attention, isn’t it? I mean, even if you’re just writing for yourself, it still feels good to know that somebody else cares, too.
Excellent post. I just started my new blog a couple of weeks ago, so I can sympathize with the frustration. The words of encouragement and advice are very wise. You definitely succeeded with this post as evident with all the comments.
Thanks, Ted. Hopefully the words of encouragement (and the many, many supportive comments on this post!) have inspired you to keep at it. They’ve definitely inspired me!
You must have been reading my mind 🙂
It is encouraging to see all the support and encouragement you’ve gotten here, though.
I do get discouraged about the lack of comments, LIkes, or RTs I get out there, but then I look at my stats and realize that most of my traffic comes from searches for a specific topic–and those probably aren’t the people commenting, RTing and Liking posts as a general rule. Still, it gets lonely sometimes.
It’s a mystery why some of my posts draw so many hits. The posts I get the most hits on month after month? One is about a pickle store I stopped into on the way home from Indiana, the other one is a story I did about a memorial headstone for Michael Jackson in a Detroit cemetery! I wrote both of these posts over a year ago, and they are still my top two posts for hits each month.
Go figure.
It certainly is crazy the sorts of things that end up being super popular, isn’t it? I never expected this post to explode like it has! But it’s reassuring, knowing that almost everybody out there feels the same way sometimes.