\u2022<\/strong>\u00a0Originally broadcast April 29, 2025 via email\u00a0<\/a>\u2022<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n One of my favorite things lately has been sharing success stories and behind-the-scenes tips from real travel bloggers inside\u00a0Scale Your Travel Blog<\/strong>.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019ve been wondering whether it\u2019s still worth starting a blog, or whether you should keep going, use this success story as proof that it absolutely is.<\/p>\n Today, I want you to meet Tanya from\u00a0The T Word on Travel<\/strong>.<\/p>\n When Tanya started her blog in 2024, she didn\u2019t have a website, didn\u2019t know SEO, and had zero experience with blogging.<\/p>\n But she knew she needed a change, and she was willing to bet on herself, just like most successful bloggers do.<\/p>\n Fast forward less than a year later, Tanya\u2019s blog is bringing in steady affiliate and ad income, and she\u2019s only getting started!<\/p>\n HOW TANYA GREW HER BLOG TO $800\/MONTH WITH JUST 4,900 SESSIONS<\/strong> In March 2025, Tanya hit 4,900 sessions on her blog, a 30% jump in traffic from the previous month.<\/p>\n Her income that month came from the following:<\/p>\n That\u2019s over $800 in blog income with traffic still under 5,000 sessions.<\/p>\n That\u2019s nuts!<\/p>\n *Tip:\u00a0<\/strong>Journey\u00a0(powered by Mediavine)<\/em>\u00a0officially says you need 10,000 monthly sessions to qualify for their ad network, but in reality, they\u2019ve been accepting bloggers who are showing strong upward momentum even if they\u2019re far below that number. Reminder:<\/strong>\u00a0You don\u2019t need massive traffic to start earning. You need a strategy that focuses on helping readers make decisions\u00a0(not just inspiring or entertaining them).<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n 4 SMART BLOGGING TIPS YOU CAN BORROW FROM TANYA\u2019S JOURNEY<\/strong><\/p>\n Tanya found strong success by incorporating Stay22 into her blog posts, offering readers easy ways to book hotels that matched the trips she was writing about.<\/p>\n But remember, the right affiliate program is going to vary depending on your blog\u2019s focus.<\/p>\n One of the biggest reasons Tanya was able to grow faster was she didn\u2019t try to reinvent the wheel.<\/p>\n She showed up for live workshops, coaching calls, and trainings inside our course and coaching program,\u00a0Scale Your Travel Blog<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n She took notes, implemented quickly, and stayed open to learning new strategies\u00a0(something a lot of bloggers, especially at the intermediate and advanced stages, forget to do)<\/em>.<\/p>\n Tanya says:<\/strong><\/p>\n You don\u2019t know what you don\u2019t know. But when you surround yourself with the right teacher and community, you can shortcut the trial-and-error phase, and grow faster than you think.<\/em><\/p>\n Tip:<\/strong>\u00a0Success leaves clues. The more you learn from others who are a few steps ahead, the faster you can avoid common mistakes and find your own path.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Instead of just sharing her experiences, Tanya writes posts that help readers make a choice\u00a0(like where to stay, what tours to book, or how to organize their trip).<\/em><\/p>\n If you want your blog to make money, ask yourself every time you write:<\/p>\n Tip:<\/strong>\u00a0Readers who are planning are far more likely to book or buy than readers who are just daydreaming. Write for the planners!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Instead of trying to cover every destination or trend, Tanya leaned into writing about the types of trips she\u2019s most passionate about.<\/p>\n Readers trust you faster when it\u2019s obvious you genuinely know\u00a0(and care about)<\/em>\u00a0what you\u2019re talking about.<\/p>\n And most importantly..<\/p>\n ..you\u2019ll actually want to keep writing when it\u2019s about something you love, which is crucial for long-term growth.<\/p>\n (Burnout is NOT fun. Trust me on this.)<\/em><\/p>\n WHAT HELPS TANYA STAY ON TRACK WITH HER BLOG<\/strong><\/p>\n Tanya currently balances her blog with managing autoimmune health conditions, which sometimes makes it hard to concentrate.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how she\u2019s been able to keep focused on her blog:<\/p>\n Important:<\/strong>\u00a0You don\u2019t have to be perfect, you just have to keep showing up for yourself.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n HER LONG-TERM BLOGGING VISION<\/strong><\/p>\n Tanya\u2019s goal isn\u2019t just a side income.<\/p>\n She\u2019s building a blog<\/a> that will eventually give her the freedom to move her family to a dream location, live anywhere she chooses, and support them 100% from her laptop.<\/p>\n And I can tell you from personal experience this isn\u2019t just a fantasy.<\/strong><\/p>\n When I first started blogging back in 2014, I had the exact same dream: to create time freedom and be able to live and travel anywhere I wanted.<\/p>\n Fast forward to 2025\u2026 and that\u2019s exactly what I\u2019m doing.<\/p>\n Blogging now fully supports my family of three, and we\u2019ve chosen to make Northern Minnesota our home while traveling part-time.<\/p>\n Big goals start with small steps, and she\u2019s proof it\u2019s never \u201ctoo late\u201d to start.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re brand new and thinking, \u201cThis sounds amazing, but I don\u2019t even have a blog yet,<\/em>\u201d I\u2019ve got you.<\/p>\n Starting a blog is simpler than it seems, as long as you don\u2019t waste time going down the wrong path.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what I recommend:<\/p>\n Choose to self-host your website using WordPress.org.<\/p>\n Do NOT use Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress.com. The freedom, SEO potential, and monetization options are way better on WordPress.org.<\/p>\n I have a free guide below that will show you how to set up your blog (the right way). Grab it below:<\/p>\n Most social media platforms, like Instagram or TikTok, might give you a quick burst of views, but that traffic disappears almost as fast as it came. It\u2019s exhausting to chase trends for a few clicks that don\u2019t last.<\/p>\n Search engines work differently. When you learn how to optimize your blog posts for search engines like Google, Bing, and Pinterest, those same posts can bring in traffic for years.<\/p>\n That\u2019s exactly how Tanya grew her blog without ever going viral.<\/p>\n Instead of spending hours on content that disappears in 24 hours, focus on creating blog posts and Pinterest pins that people are actively searching for.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t waste time writing blog posts no one sees. Join my FREE upcoming workshop<\/strong> and learn how to create content that actually gets promoted on Google, Bing, and Pinterest. >>> Click here to save your spot!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Affiliate marketing is one of the fastest and most beginner-friendly ways to start making money from your blog, even if your traffic is still small. You don\u2019t need thousands of readers to start earning. You just need to be strategic about what you promote and how you promote it.<\/p>\n I always recommend students start with affiliate marketing for a few reasons:<\/p>\n A couple of great networks to join as a travel blogger:<\/strong><\/p>\n As for making money with your travel blog through display ads, they typically become more profitable once your blog hits 10,000\u201350,000+ sessions\/month (depending on the network).<\/p>\n But it\u2019s never too early to start planning for ad monetization. Once your traffic grows, consider applying to networks like:<\/p>\n Having display ads on your website can bring in consistent monthly income without selling anything at all.<\/p>\n Pro Tip:<\/strong> Start weaving affiliate links into helpful content early, like hotel guides, destination reviews, or gear recommendations. Don\u2019t wait until you feel \u201cready\u201d; those early posts can start earning passively over time.<\/p>\n If your blog is the engine, your email list is the fuel that keeps it running.<\/p>\n An email list is the most valuable asset you can build as a blogger.<\/p>\n That\u2019s because it\u2019s the one platform you actually own. You\u2019re not at the mercy of algorithm changes, social media reach, or affiliate program rules.<\/p>\n And unlike blog traffic, which comes and goes, your email list grows in value every time someone signs up.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also one of the best ways to make money, especially if your blog traffic is still small. You can use your list to:<\/p>\n Pro Tip:<\/strong> Create a freebie that solves a specific problem for your reader (like How To Stay in an Overwater Bungalow For Free<\/a> or How To Fly Business Class For The Price of Economy<\/a>)<\/em> and deliver it through an automated welcome sequence. From there, you can build trust and recommend products or services that actually convert.<\/p>\n Want to grow faster? Add email opt-ins everywhere<\/em>: in your blog posts, your Pinterest pins, and your homepage.<\/p>\n Start growing your email list through a platform like:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2013 Kit (formerly Convertkit)<\/a>
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\u200b(AFTER LESS THAN 1 Year of Blogging)<\/em><\/p>\n\n
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If you have a couple thousand sessions per month and your blog traffic is trending upward, give it a shot and apply. You could get accepted sooner than you think.<\/p>\n\n
\nTIP #1: LEAN INTO AFFILIATE PROGRAMS THAT NATURALLY FIT YOUR CONTENT.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\nTip #2: LEARN FROM OTHERS WHO\u2019VE ALREADY DONE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\nTIP #3: TREAT YOUR BLOG POSTS LIKE DECISION-MAKING GUIDES.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\nTip #4: Focus your niche around what you actually love.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\nHow To Start A Travel Blog
(Even With No Experience)<\/em><\/h2>\n1. Set up your blog the right way<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n2. Learn how to get traffic from Google & Pinterest<\/strong> (Give Up On Instagram<\/em><\/h3>\n
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\n3. Monetize with affiliate marketing<\/strong> & Display Ads<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n4. Grow your email list<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\u2013 Beehiiv<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nRead more success stories like this here:<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n