Traveling is a great way to relax and unwind but when you’ve got a blog to keep up, you might not want to leave it unattended for more than a couple of days. As well as keeping your readers up to date with new content, you might also want to check in to moderate comments and keep on top of any updates.
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Luckily, blogging is made for people who love to travel. Because everything is online, you don’t need much more than a laptop to make it work. Plus, with a few handy tools, you can keep your blog ticking over without too much fuss.
Blogging Abroad - The Practicalities
Taking your laptop abroad is only a good idea if your laptop is light and easy to transport. If you have a heavy laptop, do make sure that you weigh it before you pack it to make sure that you don’t exceed the limit. Keeping your laptop safe will be a top priority, so make sure that you don’t leave it out unattended and do consider investing in a secure laptop bag for when you travel. You should also look at your insurance policy and check that you are fully covered to take your laptop abroad - this could be part of your home insurance or your holiday insurance.
When you are abroad, it’s very likely that you will find a wi-fi hotspot somewhere, even if you have to go out for a delicious breakfast to get it! Sometimes Macs struggle to establish a connection in a new place in which case https://setapp.com/how-to/fix-wifi-connection-problems-on-mac is a good source of helpful information. Alternatively, lots of hotels and hostels do have a computer guests can use which might be useful.
If you plan to write while you are away, it’s probably best to factor in the time it takes to craft each article and add this time to your holiday plans. You might be able to get some writing in while you’re sat by the pool or the rest of your family are getting ready for dinner but you certainly won’t manage it if you are doing a group activity! If you accept guest posts to your blog, you will also need to check your email regularly and stay on top of any submissions. For large blogs, this can be quite laborious so do set some time aside each day to deal with this too.
To limit the time you spend writing, you might like to do some research before you go so that your title and subheadings are already in place and you just need to make the content readable. Similarly, you might like to upload a few images you plan to use to your media center before you go as they can take quite a lot of time to download.
Scheduling Posts
If you don’t want to check in on your blog every day, you should definitely consider scheduling a few posts so you can really enjoy your holiday. This is is also a practical solution if you are going on a motorhome holiday or you can’t guarantee that you will have wi-fi at every location you visit. While using your smartphone to get a connection is an option, it can be quite an expensive way to go!
Scheduling posts is quite easy if you are using WordPress. The feature is slightly hidden if you don’t know where to look but WordPress have made a guide if you haven’t done it before. The big advantage here is that you can write everything for the time you are away and then not have to worry about posting at a particular time - this is especially good if there is a time difference!
You can also schedule your social posts to tie in with your blogs. Again, this is all about preparation so you will need to have scheduled your post and have a URL before you get started. However, scheduling social posts is quite simple and there are a few tools that will come in really handy. While posting like this does limit you in some ways - you won’t be able to jump onto a trending subject, for example - it is really useful for staying on top of your activity. In fact, you might like to do this even when you aren’t on holiday!
Finally, use a picture editor app to get the best from your photos. A good app will be worth its weight in gold.
Finding new ideas for your blog isn’t always easy but going away is a good opportunity to find new inspiration. Perhaps you will come across a new idea that takes seed in your mind and you would like to share with others or maybe you try a particular dish and want to recreate it when you get home. Sometimes just having a break to think clearly is all you need for the idea river to come flooding back!
But going away isn’t all about place. You should also take every opportunity to talk to other people and learn from them. Even if you are staying in a resort with no plans to explore outside, you can find all kinds of interesting characters in the bar! Talking to new people does take a bit of practice if you are more of an introvert but a lot can be said for listening without judgment. When someone feels like they can confide in you, they will open up significantly.
Even if traveling isn’t usually part of your blog, documenting your trip through a photo essay or through a short account always makes good reading and will give your readers a chance to get to know you a little better too. Just add your own personal slant and no-one will bat an eyelid at you drifting topic-wise. In fact, you might find that you create a whole section dedicated to travel as a result!
Blogging while you are away doesn’t have to be too challenging and traveling is always a good source of inspiration anyway. One of the huge advantages of being a blogger is that you can do it anywhere in the world so why not give it a go?
Finding New Inspiration
Finding new ideas for your blog isn’t always easy but going away is a good opportunity to find new inspiration. Perhaps you will come across a new idea that takes seed in your mind and you would like to share with others or maybe you try a particular dish and want to recreate it when you get home. Sometimes just having a break to think clearly is all you need for the idea river to come flooding back!
But going away isn’t all about place. You should also take every opportunity to talk to other people and learn from them. Even if you are staying in a resort with no plans to explore outside, you can find all kinds of interesting characters in the bar! Talking to new people does take a bit of practice if you are more of an introvert but a lot can be said for listening without judgment. When someone feels like they can confide in you, they will open up significantly.
Even if traveling isn’t usually part of your blog, documenting your trip through a photo essay or through a short account always makes good reading and will give your readers a chance to get to know you a little better too. Just add your own personal slant and no-one will bat an eyelid at you drifting topic-wise. In fact, you might find that you create a whole section dedicated to travel as a result!
Blogging while you are away doesn’t have to be too challenging and traveling is always a good source of inspiration anyway. One of the huge advantages of being a blogger is that you can do it anywhere in the world so why not give it a go?
I admit that sometimes life seems to get in the way of my posting. I have learned a new online program called Cinchshare that has helped with my online business and I am going to attempt to get better at it and at scheduling posts here as well.
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