Hey there, travelpreneur!
The result is in from last week’s poll and learning how to get sponsored without social won by a landslide.
How to do just that is the core component of the refresh (overhaul) I’m doing of my Pitch to Travel course which I’ll hopefully have ready for you in Q1 of 2023.
But it got me wondering whether other travel creators feel they can be successful, get sponsored, and make money without relying on social media…
The truth is, I have barely spent any time on social media this year and when I did it was haphazard.
I barely use Facebook except to network in Facebook Groups. For those of you in the Wildly Successful Travelpreneurs community, you’ll likely have noticed my absence (sorry about that). I created my first Twitter account this year and halfheartedly attempted to post to it. LinkedIn really annoys me for some reason (why so many spam messages?).
I used to love Pinterest until the algorithm changed. But since it works more like a search engine than a social media, I plan to give it more attention again next year. Only because I know it will bring traffic to my blogs if used correctly.
Finally, when I first started my Instagram account back in 2016, I loved it. Sharing unedited images of things I enjoyed (like a book I was reading) was fun. Then I started following travel accounts and felt I needed to do what they were doing to be a successful travel creator. On top of that, each brand I pitched only seemed interested in Instagram stats. So, like a good little travel creator, I turned my attention to the platform and grew it steadily until one day… it just disappeared. After a year of begging IG customer service for assistance, I finally got access to it. But everything was gone - my content & my engagement. And honestly, I haven’t been motivated to work on it again.
You see, my priorities changed this year. Everything changed. I became a mom. I had less time for work. And no time for social media.
So, each time we traveled and I worked with a hotel/resort I was torn between creating content for social media and spending time with my family.
Instead of taking tons of photos of myself at sunset (to get the perfect shot), I wanted to watch my son’s face as he marveled at the candyfloss-colored sky. Instead of tediously trying to get the audio to match the video for a Reel, I wanted to take him for a swim in the warm ocean. And instead of writing the perfect caption or finding the right hashtags, I wanted to take a nap while he napped (moms know what I’m talking about).
Now I know what you’re thinking: “Daniella, without being visible on social media, your business is probably struggling!”
But that’s not the case. My business has actually thrived. Not only did I hit my highest income goal in August, but I also soared right past it again in October.
Why?
I focused on the needle-moving activities in my business and growing on the platforms I own:
My freelance travel writing & editing clients that pay well and are easy to work with.
This newsletter - growing and monetizing my email list is my top biz priority.
Learning SEO so that I can increase traffic and properly monetize my 3 blogs in 2023.
Writing for magazines/publications so that I have something valuable to offer my travel brand partners.
Connecting with community members (Facebook & Heartbeat) - admittedly I haven’t done this as well as I would like but I’m working on systems that will help me improve next year.
By paying attention to and improving the parts of my business that I own and have control over, I don’t waste time trying to please an algorithm that can take away my audience (followers) at any time. Not only has it reduced my frustration but it has taken my business to the next level.
Proving that you CAN be a wildly successful travelpreneur without using social media!
Now don’t get me wrong, if you enjoy a social platform and it’s working for you, great - stick with it!
But if you’re struggling or social media affects your mental well-being, I want you to look at what you can focus on as a travel creator that will give you more control over your audience. (Blog/website organic traffic through SEO or growing your email list or building a community on a platform besides FB.)
Hit reply and tell me about your social media experience as a travel creator. Love it? Hate it? Hate that you love it?
The Good Stuff 🔥
I’m taking part in 2 exciting bundles this month. First up is the Biz Bestie Bundle! Happening November 7th - 11th
This is the original bundle event with 180+ tools and resources you can access immediately from me and some amazing experts (your new Biz Besties!) focused specifically on helping online entrepreneurs like you create a thriving business that brings you joy.
Click here to get on the secret VIP waitlist!1
Freebies 🆓
👉 Trip Planning Bundle! With a printable or editable PDF, Jessy has got you covered whether you're a pen and paper or a digital planner!
👉 The Get Your Systems Together (to launch) Audio Summit!
👉 The Your Business Adventure Festival is a free online summit unlike anything you have ever experienced before, in fact, they are re-inventing the summit experience so much that they aren't even calling it a summit!
Paid & Sponsored Opportunities 🤑
👉 Fodor’s Travel is a source for expert travel advice. They love buzzy, zeitgeist-y, and newsworthy stories that are told with a bold voice. According to their editor, they pay $250 to $400 per story. If interested, email your story pitches to pitches@fodors.com. To learn more about them, click here. To read their pitching guidelines, click here.
👉 Being Digital Nomad reports on digital nomad visas, remote jobs, and destinations, as well as news and features on travel trends and tips. They’re currently seeking feature stories about your travel journey. The pay is 5 cents per word. To learn more, refer to this Tweet and visit their website here.
👉 JRNY Travel Magazine features travel stories, essays, and photos from some of the world’s best talents. They are seeking pitches on Peru for their Issue 4. They are happy to consider any destination in the country except Machu Picchu. The fee is £250 for 2,000 words or £125 for 1,000 words. Send your pitches to submissions@jrnymag.com. To learn more, refer to their editor-in-chief’s Tweet thread. To contact them, refer to this page.
👉 The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority and Antigua & Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association will stage the 8th Showcase Antigua and Barbuda on Antigua between 7 and 9 June 2023. If these islands fall within your niche, then reach out to Maria Blackman at maria.blackman@visitaandb.com
👉 Tourism Australia has launched Come and Say G’day, its new global campaign geared to key international tourism markets. The campaign activity will be ‘amplified’ by partnership activity with airlines, State Tourism Organisations, and key distribution partners globally. Reach out to Stuart Fyfe at sfyfe@tourism.australia.com for more info.
*Remember if you want first access to these leads, call-outs, and opportunities as well as the ones I don’t share in the newsletter, plus exclusive guides, templates, resources, and pitching sprints, you can join the Wildly Successful Travelpreneurs membership for only $9!
Interesting Reads... 📰
👉 Get smarter every day! Every day Refind picks 7 links from around the web that make you smarter, and tailored to your interests. Loved by 50k+ curious minds.
👉 Get career advice, job postings, tips on work, life, and going after your dreams with Girlboss Daily!
Bonus Content 🤩
👉 Discover 10 of the most beautiful islands in Ireland you didn’t know you need to visit.
👉 A comprehensive list — These Countries Are All Offering Digital Nomad Visas in 2022.
👉 Best of the World: Nat Geo's top destinations for 2023.
💌 Have something you’d like to promote to 2079+ Wildly Successful Travelpreneurs readers? Purchase ad or sponsorships space. Learn more here!
Until next week…
With love,
Daniella
PS. If you want to become a travelpreneur, here are 3 ways I can help you:
✈️ Grab one of my FREE courses, books, or templates for travel bloggers: https://payhip.com/OurSoulfulT...
🌎 Join the Wildly Successful Travelpreneurs membership for only $9/month and direct access to ask me anything + exclusive opportunities, resources, templates, guides & pitching sprints.
✨ Work with me privately to make your travelpreneur dreams come true: https://payhip.com/b/wXeEV
Affiliate link