For most of us, our blogs started out of a desire to record our travels, to write about places and things. But the best travel blogs, even the ones that do nothing but focus on specific destinations and sights, are about so much more than that. They are about the voice. Your voice is what gives a place character, what makes a city or a landmark or an experience into a memory rather than just something to tick off your bucket list. Your voice is what makes your blog unique and what will make people come back for more.
- Slow down. One of the best ways to find your voice is to slow down and really reflect on your experiences. Don’t just rush through a post about a place, take some time to think about it, to think about what you liked and what you didn’t like, about what you learned and what you would do differently next time. This will help you to look at your experience from different angles and to find your perspective on it.
- Be consistent. Consistency is key to building your voice. While it’s ok to vary your tone and style a bit depending on your subject matter, overall you want your posts to feel similar and your voice to shine through in each one. So think about the kinds of things you write about and the way you write about them. Are you serious or sarcastic? Do you focus on the big picture or the details? Are you funny or factual? Consistency will help your readers know what to expect from your blog and will make them more likely to come back for more.
- Edit. Finally, one of the best ways to develop your voice is to edit. Don’t just write a post and publish it without going back over it. Take some time to really look at your writing and think about how you can make it better. Read it out loud to hear how it sounds. Get feedback from others and see how they respond to it. Editing will help you to refine your writing and your voice, making your posts clearer, stronger and more engaging.
And that is how you build your travel blog. By focusing on quality content, engaging with others, and finding and developing your voice, you can attract and keep readers, build your brand and make your travel blog a success.
