Why Backyard Blogging is Essential to Your Brand

Lola Akinmade Åkerström

Quick Introduction – Most Applicable

Writer, photographer, bloggerwww.lolaakinmade.com

Editor-in-chief, Slow Travel Stockholmwww.slowtravelstockholm.com

Freelance writer for Sweden.sewww.sweden.se

Freelancer photographer, Sweden’s official image bankhttp://imagebank.sweden.se

PhotoBlogger for Sweden’s official Site for two yearshttp://blogs.sweden.se/photo

What we’re covering today

I. Backyard Blogging and myths surrounding it– Why bloggers don’t want to do it

II. Reasons why you should start backyard blogging

III. Case Studies –Colorado, Italy, Toronto, Indiana, New York, and Sweden

IV. Steps to get you started/building key relationships

[ I ]Myths of Backyard Blogging

Why bloggers don’t want to do it

Truth be toldChances are most of

us here want to live successfully doing

what we love through our blogs…

Money + Flexibility = More Travel

Travel blogging reality curve

Travel blogging reality curve

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Travel blogging reality curve

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Travel blogging reality curve

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Where you want to be over time

Travel blogging reality curve

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How do YOU get past this

hump of generic fluff?

How do you get past that hump?

Passion

Quality

Unique Voice**

Travel blogging frustration• Many “voices” are already taken

– Budget Transportation– Luxury Shopping– Backpacking Spa– Slow travel Boutique– Food Family– Adventure Local expert

Travel blogging frustration

Ironically, these “voices” are taken by the same bloggers on the same blog trips writing about the same things.

And so we’re back…

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…to the generic

hump of fluff

It's too late to be everything to everyone.

Other blogs already jumped on this much earlier.

And the truth is…

“Backyard Blogging”

One concept that will eventually push you over that hump over time.

CUE IN

Backyard Blogging means:

Documenting your backyard → where you

live and what your personal interests are.

In a nutshell

However…Not many bloggers are

thrilled to or are interested in blogging about their

cities or homebase.

WHY???

Myth 1 People will think I’ve “settled” down

The travel blogger that doesn’t travel

Myth 1 People will think I’ve “settled” down

What if your personal situation changes and affects the frequency of your travels?

Will you be grasping for content for your blog?

Myth 2 I will feel pigeonholed into a specific region or topic

Pigeonholing will limit my opportunities

Myth 3 There are already a gazillion bloggers in my backyard

Yes, I live in New York city

Myth 4 PR companies won’t approach me for press/blog trips

Seriously? If that’s your sole reason for travel blogging (free trips),

please make the hump smaller by leaving…

Myth 5 It’s boring

I want to travel…darn it!

The travel grass seems to always be greener on the other side… doesn’t it?

Ironically, your local tourism board keeps flying

in bloggers and journalists who

think the grass is greener on YOUR

side.

[ II ]Reasons why you should start

backyard blogging

Reason #1

Opportunity to build expertise

The problem with most forms of

media trips is that they’re platonic.

Meaning –> It’s challenging to gather unique content from the same trip with 6-14 other travel

bloggers

Other bloggers can’t go on every media

trip your local tourism board

organizes, but YOU can

They don’t have to fly you in or put

you up for 3 nights at a 5-star

hotel – You’re already there

Unique advantage and opportunity to build and be

recognized for regional

expertise 

The reason you also want to build expertise in a region is because

generic travel blogging is overcrowded.

Remember this reality curve?

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Reason #2

Gain deeper access to local resources

You can acquire more in-depth content for your own travel blog than generic surface material generated from media trips

This will, in turn, help you solidify your personal brand with fresh, in-depth and cool regional

content.

Reason #3

Additional source of income

Let’s be real

We love to be paid to do what we love = Blogging + Travel

Every tourism board has an annual or at least semi-annual

budget

If you have a rough idea of what they’re trying to accomplish, you can get yourself a nice chunk of that pie

Blogging? →Photography? → Social media? → Copywriting?

Reason #4

Leads to more work

How?

– Recommendations – from fellow bloggers/freelancers

– Existing clients – moving from your region to other regions

– Your tourism board – They have tons of contacts in the travel industry -> airlines, lodging, other DMOs

Reason #5

It keeps your content fresh even if you can’t travel

• Opportunity to build expertise• Gain deeper access to local resources• Additional source of income• Leads to more work• Keeps your content fresh

Quick recap of benefits

Case Studies

III.

Myth-busting Case Studies

–Summaries from Colorado, Italy, Toronto, Indiana, New York, and

Sweden

NOTE – Will be posting the full case studies on my blog too.

1. People will think I’ve “settled” down

2. I will feel pigeonholed into a specific region or topic

3. There are already a gazillion bloggers in my backyard

4. PR companies won’t approach me for press/blog trips

5. It’s boring

Remember those myths of backyard blogging?

MythBuster 1 – Kara WilliamsLocation – Colorado-Colorado Gal with the Vacation Gals - thevacationgals.com

-Started out as Aspen Expert

-Written numerous articles & guidebook chapters: Fodor’s, Ski Canada, Luxury Las Vegas, American Eagle Latitudes, to name a few

-Monthly column in the Denver Post

-Led to more work covering other locales (within and outside Colorado) -> Expedia

@karasw

Words from Kara WilliamsThoughts-  I am DELIGHTED when I'm pegged as the "travel writer who knows about Colorado" - again, more money in my bank account when editors find me via search with assignments about Colorado (which, are, frankly, easy for me to write because I know the destination well).

- Other bloggers who know my "niche" recommend me for work (I got the Fodor's guidebook gig because a FB friend shared the job listing with me).

Advice - Get over it. You might want to be known for your exciting, far-flung travels all over the world, but if you want to have STEADY content for your blog OR if you want to be paid for your expert knowledge of your hometown, make yourself known as a local expert. 

MythBuster 2 – Natalie TaylorLocation – Toronto

- Known as a Toronto Expert – www.nearafar.com

-Written and contributed to Toronto Tourism including writing fact sheets

- Featured blogger for Toronto Tourism

-Written for publications such as Blackbook Magazine and Design Lines

-Led to more work and assignments with AFAR

@nearafar

Words from Natalie Taylor Thoughts

- I became a local expert on TO for AFAR and won their hometown contest. From there, I became an ambassador and am now writing a digital Toronto guide for them.  In August, I went to Taiwan on assignment for AFAR to do in book advertorial and social media promotion for them. #taiwanafar

Advice

- Blogging about Toronto helped me with my personal brand because people associated me with the city because I wrote about it on a consistent basis and would give visitors personal tours. From there, if anyone had questions about TO, they would send them to me. Word of mouth! 

MythBuster 3 – Carol CainLocation – New York

- Award-winning travel blogger behind Girl Gone Travel – www.girlgonetravel.com

-Written and contributed to various brands including Expedia Viewfinder and is a NYC Correspondent for Forbes Travel Guide

- Formerly NYCityMama; Writes about multi-cultural activities and aspects of travel

- Nominated by Nickelodeon as one of the best NYC blogs

@CarolACain

Words from Carol CainThoughtsI think I stood out because I am not afraid to admit that I am not as cool as everyone in NYC likes to say they are, and that I am always looking for a good deal. I highlight things about the city that are real experiences for those who live here – good and bad – but that still make me proud to be from here. And I am not ashamed to call myself a tourist in my own town because this opens me up to learn so much more. 

Advice

It is normal to take for granted the place that you call home, but there is a reason why people visit. Put yourself in that mindset. I think a lot of places are way more interesting than their residents give them credit for, and there's great value in being a source of information.

MythBuster 4 – Emma TaveriLocation – Brindisi, Italy

- Force behind Brindisi is MY Destination - www.brindisimydestination.com

-After years in London, Rome, and Milan, decided to leave her manager role and big city life for good and go back home to Brindisi to follow her dreams and passion.

- Organized the very first “Blogger Experience” trip to Brindisi which was a success - http://www.brindisimydestination.com/en/blogger-experience/

@EmmaTaveri

Words from Emma TaveriThoughtsIt's very common to have a destination blog / website about famous destinations, but very hard to have one about an emerging destination. This is my mission, and it's being very successful so far.

The success of the Blogger Experience Trip and what happened next (conference invitations and support from local authorities) lead me to the decision to proceed with a destination blog where I also talk about my personal life and promote my destination through my story of the girl who came back, through the connection with my friends from all over the world and friends in my town.

MythBuster 5 – Nicole WiltroutLocation – Indiana

- Indiana Blogger behind Arrows Sent Forth – www.arrowssentforth.com

-Written and contributed to Visit Indiana as paid expert blogger.

- Worked with brands such as Expedia and HomeAway.

-Recently moved to England and now has a weekly column called “Dispatches from England” for Anglotopia, one of the world's largest websites devoted to British culture.

@ArrowsSentForth

Words from Nicole WiltroutThoughtsThe beauty of a personal blog is that while I CHOSE to write about Indiana often (because my family spent more time traveling Indiana than we did elsewhere), I also CHOSE to write about our travels outside of Indiana as often as I wanted. I never lost readers because I wrote about both types of "travel.“

Advice

I don't really see a reason not to write about where you live, unless you don't enjoy it or like it. (And if so, move!) ;) Often, those are the easiest posts for me to write because I know the destination so well. And I think readers really appreciate and seek out the type of first-hand knowledge that only a local can provide.

MythBuster 6 – Lola A. (Mig!)Location – Sweden/Scandinavia- Editor-in-chief of Slow Travel Stockholm – www.slowtravelstockholm.com

-Freelance for Sweden’s official site – www.sweden.se

-Photographer for Sweden’s official image bank and also their photoblogger for 2 years documenting everyday Sweden.

-Written for Visit Sweden and Visit Stockholm, worked with other local brands and have relationships with tourism boards from Swedish Lapland to Gothenburg and the Sami.

@LolaAkinmade

Words from Lola A. ÅkerströmThoughtsDestination association has helped carve out a side niche for me as well as opened doors and brought in more income and helped me build cultural expertise. I’ve had many editors contact me out of the blue for Stockholm/Sweden content and fellow bloggers/freelancers have forwarded me work or made recommendations.

Advice

Blogging is all about diversifying as well and solidifying  your brand.  There are opportunities in your backyard. There’s a reason why Visit Sweden keeps flying in bloggers and journalists to cover the country. It’s absolutely gorgeous in many ways.

[ IV ]Steps to get you started / building key relationships

Backyard Blogging 101

Tip #1

Focus on your interests first

Love readers = yourself, not more than yourself

Focus on your own interests

Focus on what naturally piques your interest

Focus on what turns you on when you’re not traveling

Backyard Blogging 101

Backyard Blogging 101

Tip #2

Take creative risks

…and don’t be afraid to fail at them

Tips for backyard blogging creativity

• Look at your daily non-traveling life

• Look at your basic habits

• Assess your other skills

• Subscribe to your local lifestyle newspapers or newsletters

• Hobby -> You love to cook

• Creative idea -> Include fresh recipes and blog posts about your local markets

Examples

Examples

• Habit -> You’re obsessed with coffee

• Creative idea -> Write posts about your café conquests around your town or city

The Key is…

Focusing on your non-travel interests so you don’t get bored.

Focusing on your natural interests which also make you

stand out from the gazillion bloggers in your backyard.

Quick show of hands

How many of you have met with the tourism board* of your home base?

* - If your base actually has a tourism board

Do they know who YOU are?

Are they aware you exist as a blogger in

their backyard?

Backyard Blogging 101

Tip #3

Contact your tourism board or

DMO* already

*DMO – Destination Marketing Organization

Tips

– Send a letter of introduction

– Send any and all links to blog posts about your location to their press contact.

Building local DMO relationships

Tips

– Start engaging with them via social media.

– Attend local press events and subscribe to newsletters.

– Propose a cool partnership idea

Building local DMO relationships

REMEMBER THESE?

How to get over that hump?

Passion

Quality

Unique Voice

Passion is what keeps you going when you still can’t see the light at the end of your blogging tunnel.

Quality naturally improves when you know what you’re talking about because you’re genuinely interested in it.

A Unique Voice is what sets you apart by telling those untold stories only you can tell because those everyday experiences are local and closer to you than one-off stories from far-flung places.

The more you start approaching travel blogging as writing about place and experiences as opposed to just your travels, the less important the destination itself becomes.

QUESTIONS?Twitter - @LolaAkinmade

Portfolio – www.akinmade.com

Blog – www.lolaakinmade.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/GeotravelersNiche