BeachHunter's Florida Beaches Blog

Travel is a very personal experience

Blogging is a very personal experience too, and independent travel bloggers have stepped in to fill a void. Often with no editor, and no one picking up the tab for their travel, they don't mince words when it comes to evaluating and commenting on their travel experiences, whether it be the quality of food, services, or accommodations. And blog readers can be ruthless. If a blogger is discovered to lack honesty, credibility, or ethics, readers disappear almost instantaneously. Blogs that stand the test of time and web traffic carry a lot of weight with travelers, and posts on those blogs carry a lot of weight with search engines like Google.

A blog post can drive traffic to your business or away from it. There has been quite a bit of publicity lately about bloggers writing about bad experiences with airlines, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses, which resulted in so much bad publicity the businesses were forced to change their ways. While this might seem harsh,  ultimately it helps everyone.

What Makes Travel Blogging So Powerful?

People make decisions based on information. To make a good decision, they need good information. That means information that is accurate, timely, relevant, and that is deemed trustworthy. Blog posts provide all four elements. All other things being equal, timeliness and relevance are the two most powerful features of a blog post. I can publish a blog post within hours (sometimes minutes) after a travel experience, and I can post without being worried about each post being of interest to wide audience because the cost to publish is close to zero. An individual blog post can provide relevant, timely information to a narrow niche market.

What about TripAdvisor and similar web sites? Aren't they great tools for reviews of hotels, restaurants, and attractions? Yes, but they have one MAJOR flaw. The reviews are from a motley assortment of travelers that have not developed an acceptable level of trust. Unlike travel web site users who post "reviews," professional bloggers develop their brand over time. They are identifiable and accountable to their readership.

You may often read stories about how a blog post from a disgruntled traveler has hurt a business, but don't forget that a blogger can also publicize the positive and unique things about a hotel, a restaurant, or an attraction that can drive lots of new customers to a business.

Travel bloggers partnering with businesses is a new and evolving writing niche. Some large companies are hiring full-time, in-house bloggers to promote their products and services. While this may be helpful, it isn't as powerful as having independent bloggers writing about your business. A good blogger can make use of blog posts, static web pages, video clips, and social media to bring attention to what a business has to offer. It can give your business a competitive edge.

Hiring a Travel Blogger

How do you get a professional blogger to write about your business? Do you just sit around and hope a blogger visits your hotel, restaurant, or eco-tour and has a great experience and is moved to blog about it?

That's probably not a good strategy. You might be waiting a long time. The best approach is to familiarize yourself with professional bloggers who write about your business niche. Get to know their personality, approach, and style, and their level of professionalism. Once you've found a blogger whose writing interests you, contact them by email and tell them you'd like their help in getting the word out about what your business offers.

The sensitive part about this new writing niche of professional travel blogging is compensation. Getting paid can impair independence. There has to be an understanding between the business and the blogger that the blogger has license to give an honest review, and to mention both the pros and cons of a particular business--the warts-and-all approach.

Some argue that when a blogger accepts payment, it is too easy to just give a glowing review, take the money, and run. I agree that this is a temptation. However, a professional blogger understands that a trumped up, manufactured, glowing review that is unwarranted will soon be exposed as phony and that the blogger will quickly lose credibility and followers. A serious professional blogger will go to great lengths to remain independent and honest with his / her readers. A review is not the same as advertising.

Whether your business has a website or not, partnering with a professional travel blogger makes sense. The travel industry is only beginning to realize the value that professional bloggers bring to the industry, and the early adopters are getting a head start. If you'd like to discuss how beachhunter can help spread the word about your business, I'd love to hear from you.

Travel Blogging Information on the Web

Bloggers Are Changing the Travel Industry

Great Podcast discussing the new frontier of travel blogging with Pam Mandel and Sheila Scarborough