The Digital Tour Guide
Bloggers are essentially online tour guides. This post outlines how both guides create itineraries, present content, and set the mood. Consequently, the more we consider ourselves Virtual Travel Guides, the more we can connect with our readers and the content we write. Bloggers essentially serve as online tour guides. As we delve into the art of creating compelling travel blog posts, we’ll explore how these two roles overlap in crafting itineraries, presenting content, and setting the atmosphere. Embracing the Digital Tour Guide approach enables a deeper connection with readers, enriching the content we create and enhancing their virtual journey with us.
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Tips for Tour Guides and Good Travel Blog Posts
It was a little funny, but after my last guided tour, I realized that blogging is essentially like being a tour guide online. Both bloggers and tour guides create itineraries. We both present the content and set the pace and mood. Here are 6 elements I think are important to include in your blog posts that could help digital tour guides write more compelling content. You can’t argue with #4, there’s always one, right?
1. Keep it Brief
I have a short attention span. You probably do too, so keep it brief, yet entertaining.
2. Delivery is a Key Component
You may miss the best meal of your life if it’s given to you in a crumpled brown paper bag—show some personality, wit, and humor.
3. Just the Facts Ma’am
Give them a taste, leave a few things to the imagination or to be explored later. Virtual Tour Guides focus on the who, what, where, how, and when.
4. Get it Right
You need to be trustworthy, so triple check your content: facts, spelling, and grammar—everything. Because there’s always that ONE GUY who will point out when you get it wrong and question your expertise. When (notice I didn’t say if) you do, don’t freak out, just make the corrections and say thank you.
5. Broad Appeal
Bloggers are digital tour guides, and they have groups that are made up of random backgrounds, ages, languages, and interests, so try to appeal to 2-3 audience types to get the most exposure.
6. Make your Writing Visual
Write with the five senses in mind. What does it sound, feel, taste, look, and smell like? You can limit using your passive voice. I have a hard time with this one; it can be difficult. One of my new tools is using ChatGPT to help me find inspiration.
7. Stay in Your Blogger’s Lane
The best digital travel guide writes about what they know. Just because something is trending on Quora or Twitter doesn’t mean you need to blog about it—unless it’s something you’ve done and it falls within your blog’s scope, where you can add value or provide a unique perspective.
8. Link Up w/ Other Digital Tour Guides
Make sure you add links to a few of your related articles. This may encourage readers to explore more of your blog, increasing opportunities for engagement. Find related blog posts and ask to be included in their articles. Make sure to offer reciprocation.
Have you ever participated in a blogging conference? If so, I’m curious about the insights and knowledge you gained from the experience. What were your standout moments, and how have they influenced your blogging journey? And would you consider attending another?
If you’re open to it, I recommend an excellent upcoming conference set for next month in Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s renowned for its engaging workshops, networking opportunities, and a roster of influential speakers from the blogging community. This event could be a valuable investment in your blogging career, offering fresh ideas, strategies, and connections that could take your blog to new heights. And you’ll meet some new friends in the process.
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Comments
Make it visual with the 5 senses is spot on. I think this advice can be applied to almost all areas of writing as well. Great photos is also a must.
Make it visual with the 5 senses is spot on. I think this advice can be applied to almost all areas of writing as well.
These are great tips! I don’t travel much so this really helps out a lot thanks,
I’ve never been on a guided tour, or really anywhere where a tour guide was needed. I’ve always thought it would be cool though.
Yes to all of these tips. As a reader, I would probably enjoy something more visual and brief posts.
Good points, thanks for your comment.
great tips – I wish I had more time to travel – I would definitely be blogging about it.
These are great tips. I can definitely use them when I will be doing a lot of travels.
These tips are so very great. I love reading people’s travel posts but not if they are too long winded for sure.
Great tips! These really work for many forms of writing. Using the senses when you write is crucial.
These are great suggestions. I have a travel blog and I have a problem with using a passive voice too often. I’m working on it!
These are some really great methods! People could really gain from it!
These sound like great tips. I find it important to be quite brief – I don’t want to have to wade through a lot of filler to find the vital information.
what great tips , I follow a few that you mention thanks for sharing
This is wonderful tips for me as I travel a lot and blog about the places and food I eat. I like how you put these points in the point form as it is easier to read and pick up.
These are all excellent tips that I use myself. One thing I notice is that people are not brief. They post 25 photos of the same travel spot that is just way too much for me.