SEO Copywriting and Travel Writing

As a travel writer, you have to learn how to market yourself. When first starting off as a travel writer, building a web presence is essential. If your travel writing has a following on the web, then it is more likely your travel writing will be picked up for publication. However, in order to get a web reputation as a travel writer, you need to get people to come to your travel writing website. To do this, you need search engine optimization.

Consider this:

You have a website – complete with a catchy logo, professional photos, intriguing information and, most importantly, a way for perspective clients to contact you. You promote your website on your business cards and in telephone book ads. In terms of online marketing, you’ve done everything. Right?

Wrong.

As is, your website isn’t working.

Marketing on the Web

Current statistics estimate that approximately 50 percent of all website traffic is generated by search engines. The other 50 percent is predominantly repeat customers, most of whom originally found your website via a search engine. This means the key to getting potential clients to your website is through search engine marketing. To do this, you need search engine optimization.

How it Works

The key to search engine optimization is relevancy – the more relevant your website, the higher your search engine ranking. In the world of search engine optimization, relevancy is determined by how related your website is to the entered search terms. To make your website more relevant, you need keywords.

A keyword refers to the words a person enters into the search engine, such as “travel writing” or “travel writer”. The more times the keywords appear on your website, the more relevant your website is. Thus, if your website uses the keyword on a regular basis, your website will rank higher than a website that does not use the keyword.

Once you have your keywords, the next step is to turn them into content. The more content your website has pertaining to the keyword, the more relevant your site will be. Adding search engine optimization content, or SEO content, to your website means nothing more than writing keyword specific articles and placing them throughout your website.

Search Engine Optimization: A Marketing Essential

The world of search engine optimization is a complex and rapidly changing one. Although it can be time consuming and often frustrating – as more and more clients turn towards the Internet to find real estate and realtors, it is an area of marketing that simply cannot be ignored.

With a bit of strategy, and a lot of writing, you can watch your website rise to the top of search engine marketing.

Publication First

The other side of the argument is to pick the publication first. The advantage here is that you know what the travel writing magazine is looking for and can craft a travel writing article accordingly. In other words, instead of coming to a travel writing magazine looking for a square peg with a great round travel writing you can arrive with something that fits their needs.

The result is you can increase the chances of getting your travel writing articles published. The downside is you are limited in the type of travel writing articles you can come up with.

Perhaps the best approach is to do a little of both. Come up with some travel articles and approach travel writing magazines. But, as you browse travel writing publications, take note on what different travel writing magazines are looking for. Then, later on, come back with another travel writing story idea that better fits their exact needs.

The Article First

Article First:

The advantages of coming up with your travel writing article idea first is the freedom and creativity it gives you. When you are researching your next great trip, keep a notebook by you and jot down all travel writing article ideas that come up. Then, develop these travel writing articles into full travel writing magazine article ideas. From here, you can look for a travel writing publication that matches your travel writing idea. Approaching travel writing queries this way allows for more travel writing articles to be developed, pitched and possibly sold.

However, this also means you have to search for a travel writing publication who’s needs match your travel writing idea. In other words, you may find yourself trying to fit a travel writing article into a market that doesn’t completely work. Or, you may even take yourself out of the market if no travel writing publication matches your travel writing idea. Coming up with the travel writing article idea first can lead to you trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Ultimately it is the travel writing publication that is in control, not your travel writing idea. They know what they need to sell – and your travel writing idea better fit into this framework or it will remain nothing more than a travel writing idea.

Next week at Klenske, Ink. – Putting the travel writing publication first.

What Comes First, The Story or the Publication?

There are two ways to approach querying a magazine for your travel writing, and both have their advantages and disadvantages.

First, you can start with the travel writing story. You traveled somewhere, or are about to travel somewhere, and you have a great travel writing article idea to pitch to a travel writing magazine. You study the travel writing markets, make a list of possible travel writing publications to pitch your travel writing article to, draft a careful query and send it off.

The second option for getting your travel writing published is to target a specific travel writing magazine you would like to break into. With this approach, you focus on one or two specific travel writing magazines that you want to see your byline in. Next, you carefully study these publications to get a clear understanding of the style of travel writing articles they want. Then you brainstorm and develop a travel writing article idea to pitch to them.

Although the end is the same in both of these approaches – namely to get your travel writing published – the means are different. Essentially, this difference comes down to whether or not the story finds the magazine or the magazine leads to the travel writing story. The advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches to selling your travel writing will be discussed further in next week’s posting, so stay tuned to Klenske, Ink.…

Travel Writing Resources

Just as with any other job, a travel writer needs resources, or tools, for getting the job done. Thanks to the Internet, there are numerous travel writing resources available. Whether working to become a travel writer or already an established travel writer, reading tips and ideas from other travel writers is key to improving your travel writing.

Our friends at TransitionsAbroad have put together a short list of essential travel writing resources. Enjoy!

GuidebookWriters.com is a UK-based site offering promotion services and sharing of tips and info among guidebook writers.
www.guidebookwriters.com.

The Insider Secrets of Freelance Travel Writing
Become a successful travel writer using this sites home study travel writing courses. The result is gaining the knowledge needed to become a paid travel writer.

Travel Writers' News is aimed at San Francisco Bay area travel writers, but a lot of great info for everyone here.

Travel Info Exchange is the place for travel writing advice from professional travel writer Tom Brosnihan.

TravelWriters.com is mostly a site set up to sell various services to travel writers and travel PR people.

TravelWriter Market Letter is a monthly newsletter that provides writing guidelines, news from the travel publishing world, and press trip listings. Annual subscription required.

Say it Like a Travel Writer

A travel writer has the skill to describe a sight in an interesting and often funny way. In other words, a travel writer can turn a sentence and get your attention. If you want to become a travel writer, learn from the best travel writers and study not only what they say but, more importantly, how they say it.

One of the best travel writers out there is PJ O'Rourke. Here are some quotes from various PJ O'Rourke travel books published by Picador (www.bugbog.com):

Cockfighting has always been my idea of a great sport - two armed entrées battling to see who'll be dinner.
O'Rourke, P.J. (1989), Holidays in Hell. London (Picador),

In Western Australia they don't even know how to make that vital piece of sailing-boat equipment, the gin and tonic. O'Rourke, P.J. (1989), Holidays in Hell. London (Picador).

The interesting thing about staring down a gun barrel is how small the hole is where the bullet comes out, yet what a big difference it would make in your social schedule. O'Rourke, P.J. (1989), Holidays in Hell. (Picador)

Traffic was like a bad dog. It wasn't important to look both ways when crossing the street; it was important to not show fear.
O'Rourke, P.J. (1994), All the trouble in the world. (Picador)

Asian music sounds as if a truck full of wind chimes collided with a stack of empty oil drums during a birdcall contest.
O'Rourke, P.J. (1994), All the trouble in the world. (Picador)

In Japan people drive on the left. In China people drive on the right. In Vietnam it doesn't matter.
O'Rourke, P.J. (1994), All the trouble in the world. (Picador)

Of course the humans in Haiti have hope. They hope to leave.
O'Rourke, P.J. (1994), All the trouble in the world. (Picador)

Travel Writing Reading

As mentioned in previous posts, one key to becoming a travel writer is to read and study the travel writing styles of another travel writer. Every travel writer is unique, and by reading a great deal of travel writing, you will be better able to tone your travel writing into publishable material and thus be on your way to becoming a travel writer.

To get you started on your travel writing reading, check out this list of recommended travel writing books from Salon.com.

Happy reading!