How to Start a Travel Blog with WordPress
Now is a great time to start focusing on your passions and spending more quality time with others. If you’ve ever thought about starting a travel blog, there’s no better moment than now. This guide will walk you through how to start your own travel blog in five simple steps.
As a travel blogger, one of the most common questions I receive is, “How do I start a travel blog?” Creating my travel blog was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I’m eager to help anyone who wants to embark on this journey.
I launched my TravelFree blog in July 2014. For almost six years, we’ve been dedicated to finding amazing deals and the lowest prices to share with you, helping you travel smarter without any extra costs. I had no idea how to start a blog back then, but with determination and a clear goal, everything fell into place. So don’t hesitate—just start.
If you already have a name in mind for your blog, the next step is to order your domain and hosting. This is crucial because your blog name will be how you connect with people. Once you’ve decided on a name, it’s time to register it and get a domain and hosting package.
To get your blog online, you need to set up hosting and buy your domain name. It’s more convenient to use the same company for both services, so you have one point of contact for any issues. For domain and hosting, I recommend A2 Hosting for larger websites, or Bluehost for smaller blogs. Bluehost even offers a free domain with your hosting package, which usually costs about $10-15 per year.
Let’s get your travel blog up and running. Here’s what you’ll see when you check Bluehost. Choose the hosting plan that suits you best; the starter plan is usually sufficient at the beginning. You’ll be asked to register your domain name, which is free with the hosting package. You can sign up for hosting for 1-3 years, with prices ranging from $3.95 to $5.95 per month. Remove any additional options except for domain privacy to keep your ownership details private.
With your domain and hosting in place, the next step is to set up WordPress. Bluehost makes this easy and free. Once your WordPress blog is set up, you’ll need to work on the design and high-quality content.
To design your blog, you’ll need to choose a theme in WordPress. After setting up your hosting through Bluehost, go to your website URL and log in to the backend of WordPress. From the sidebar, find ‘Appearance,’ hover over it, and click ‘Themes.’ There are hundreds of free themes to choose from. Pick one you like, hover over it, and click activate. You can always change it later if you want to try a different theme.
Now, it’s time to publish your first blog post. Go back to the sidebar on the backend of WordPress, hover over ‘All Posts,’ and click on ‘Add New.’ Title your blog post and write your content in the subject box, then click publish. Check the live version of your blog to see it online—congratulations!
WordPress plugins are like third-party apps for your blog, adding extra features. Most are free, but some require payment. You can find and install new plugins from the ‘Plugin’ section of your WordPress Dashboard.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out for help. There’s also a video available to guide you through launching your travel blog on WordPress with Bluehost.