It's a special time to be a travel blogger now. You haven't been able to travel for a long time, and you won't be able to travel for a long time. All you can do is be here and now, for better or worse. But what do you do as a travel blogger?
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2020 was an eye-opener
In many ways, 2020 was a wake-up call. After all, we have often said that you shouldn't take anything for granted, that nothing will stay the same and that the only thing that is constant is change. But still! Perhaps 2020 was a wake-up call for many of us. We can not count on travelling forever as we have always done. The future is, as always, uncertain.
Travel blogging in 2020
When we think back to 2020 and travel blogging for our part, it went in waves. It started with us having to cancel several trips, but we found ourselves pretty quickly. Spring gave energy and we charged for nature reserves and outdoor adventures. When the summer came, we switched to Sweden and Motorhome journey along the Göta Canal turned out better than we ever imagined.
In August we made a cruise with Viking Line and in September we ventured out on a trip to Poland and Czech Republic. There was a "window" for travelling at that time and the spirit of life was awakened. That's right, it was this much fun it was! Then it continued with several events and a planned travel fair that ...
...was cancelled. And this second time around, when everything shut down, it became harder to energise for adventure. We crawled into our little houseboat bubble, had zoom meetings and cooked. And then came 2021: new year, same limitations. But are you a travel blogger if you don't travel?
Every travel blogger finds their own way
We are not the only travel bloggers in Sweden, quite the opposite! The site "Svenska resebloggare" gathers about a hundred travel enthusiasts into bloggers. Some blogs have probably fallen asleep during the year. Others struggle on. But what do you write about?
Last summer, we found that many people were blogging about Sweden, about motorhome life, about outdoor life and about hiking. As autumn darkened, the focus shifted slightly. Dreaming of Asia? Recommend books? Winter bathing?
In the shadow of travel
Recently there was a heated discussion in a thread in the travel bloggers' own Facebook group. The group is closed, so of course I won't reveal the details shared there, but perhaps I can loosely touch on the gist of it. Many have acquired new interests during the year. Maybe a renovation project, a summer house, a garden, a puppy, cooking, health, reading books, needlework, language studies or a new education. There is certainly no shortage of energy or initiative!
So, how do we think?
Like many other travel bloggers, we have found a new life with new habits and new interests. We joked yesterday that walking is probably our new interest. It's probably not, but we walk a lot. We also jog, cook and watch TV series. We have also become involved in product development and web shop.
But, we also long for travel and adventure! When we look through old blog posts, we realise how fun, exciting and stimulating we think travelling is. Many factors limit us right now, mainly the corona pandemic, but also the fact that we don't have a car with winter tyres.
But soon, soon we will try to broaden our horizons at least a little bit. Even if it is for a new walking route. Because that's what being a travel blogger is all about, wanting to see what's around the corner, right?
We conclude with a question: How do you feel about travel and (everyday) adventure? What would you most like to read about on a travel blog in these times?
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Ann says:
As a blogger, it is very difficult to keep the same flow and inspiration for travelling, without inspiring too much travelling.
I try to mix in some food travel from our own kitchen but of course I see that's not why people read our blog 😛 However, I think we all need to add a little more everyday life and lifestyle in our travel blogs to be able to have a little more to write about now that we can't travel 🙂.
02 February 2021 - 9:02
Helena says:
Yes, it is tricky! I think that food travelling is fun! That's what I like to read about in others 🙂 ðŸ™'
02 February 2021 - 17:31
4000mil says:
My reflection as a travel blogger myself is that it went well until about November. Travelling in Sweden went well in the summer and early autumn and writing about Swedish trips and experiences is almost as fun as foreign ones. And the interest was great from readers too.
But now it's as if the air has gone out of everyone involved and everything is at a standstill, I think everyone has gone into some kind of hibernation where you just hold on and endure.
The sick thing is that I have a lot of ideas for things to write about, but see that interest is declining. Who wants to read about a 3 year old journey when the world is closed?
I have decided to reduce the number of posts a week for now to 4. My enjoyment decreases when people don't read and comment, that's just the way it is.
Then maybe both me and the readers will get a new lease of life in May?
02 February 2021 - 10:52
Helena says:
Recognise what you write very much! We also had a lot of energy and inspiration until November. And I agree that it was almost as fun to write about Sweden! Then we went a bit hibernating, haha. We still have inspiration to write (like to look in the archives) but our daily life has become much more limited, which affects in many ways.
02 February 2021 - 17:33
Lena+in+Wales+and+Spain says:
I can understand your concern.
My blog is a combination of travel blog and Swedish living abroad, so I focus more on the latter part. I also have several travel articles ready for publication.
What I have appreciated from you during the corona period are the posts from Stockholm and the surrounding area and the nice food posts. Please continue with both of these.
Interviews are always nice too.
Good luck!
02 February 2021 - 10:54
Helena says:
Reading about life abroad now is almost unusually interesting I think! News reporting is a bit dry, so blogs are a fantastic complement! It's great to hear what you appreciated about us, we'll take that to heart!
02 February 2021 - 17:34
Annika in Spain says:
I often think, when I visit your blog, that it's great to be able to keep the blog going even though you can't travel!
Something I would like is if you told us about past trips. memories, special events, I don't really know... Maybe make a blog list (which I am trying to do now 🙂 and associate a trip or an event for each word in the list? So that we readers can rediscover old trips from your amazing archive. That would be fun! Be inspired for your own, future travels 🙂
02 February 2021 - 11:33
Helena says:
Thank you, Annika! Really encouraging to hear! We'll have to think about what we can dig up from the archives and memories 🙂.
02 February 2021 - 17:37
Johnny Friskilä says:
As long as you have something different to share from a previous trip, go for it. In any case, I am a travel blogger because I am also a travel reader. If I write about a book or a dish, I should be able to angle it so that it is still about travelling. And then to the kind of destinations I've written about before. That's what my readers expect, and that's where I have my knowledge and skills that I can now broaden because all the cancelled trips give me time to do so.
02 February 2021 - 11:47
Helena says:
Relating books and food to a destination is exciting I think! Read with interest your post on Afro-Iranian cuisine!
02 February 2021 - 17:38
Goatfish says:
It can't be easy for a travel blog to write about travel when it doesn't exist.
As the old saying goes: If someone does a raise, they can tell you something, that's just the way it is.
This pandemic has not only affected some things, it affects everything.
I think you have a really nice blog and really liked it when you travelled via motorhome across from the east coast to the west coast here in Sweden. A lot of recognition, which was fun. Right now you can not use the motorhome if it does not have winter tyres, but future trips in Sweden would be something, we live in such a beautiful country that many have taken the time to experience now 😀.
My suggestion right now is that you write about old travel memories interspersed with healthy cooking 😀.
Hugs!
02 February 2021 - 12:22
Lena - good for the soul says:
I crave travelling like crazy. Even the short trips maybe to the neighbouring town for a coffee. We are pretty much only at home or go to my parents with food (admittedly the neighbouring town, but brought coffee). Soooo boring.
I think you are talented and creative about new content on the blog. Can believe that it is not easy.
Hug Lena
02 February 2021 - 13:20
Helena says:
Yes, the world gets a bit limited and boring. We also long to travel. It doesn't have to be to the other side of the globe, but maybe a little trip anyway ... we recognise the feeling!
02 February 2021 - 17:39
Sandra Lifsresor.se says:
I have almost completely lost the desire to blog myself. And for me, the blog must never be anything other than fun and enjoyable so now it is very dormant even though I have a lot of posts ready to be written. And my reading of other travel blogs is also quite cool. Maybe it starts to hurt a little too much to just dream. So focus on the puppy instead. 😂
02 February 2021 - 15:39
Helena says:
Puppy sounds as cosy as ever!!! 🙂
02 February 2021 - 18:12
Ditte says:
Of course, the situation we have is tricky. And we can't do much about it either.
We are where we are at the moment. And fortunately, Stockholm has a lot to offer. But inspiration can run out.
You can see quite clearly which posts are more popular, but even that varies considerably.
I have a lot of material from previous trips but it does not feel directly inspiring for me to write posts from and about trips that have been completed long ago. I know that from our South America trip I have a lot in stock but it was almost two years ago, we made that trip so they have to stay in the warehouse where they are. Admittedly, you can take a different angle, but it's not for me.
I think you're doing a great job and I check in often. And yes, it is a challenge to find inspiration and communicate it.
02 February 2021 - 16:19
Helena says:
Yes, the thing about writing afterwards is different. I also usually have the most inspiration when a trip is current. But if I get to do some kind of "collection post" with a new focus, I can find it fun even later!
02 February 2021 - 18:14
Matts+Torebring says:
I think a good motto is: "Those who are active always have something to say"! It's strange, but there is a thought, an idea, or a picture every day so far.
02 February 2021 - 16:28
Helena says:
Very true! And great to always have inspiration! 🙂
02 February 2021 - 18:14
BP says:
Like everyone else, I think you've done just fine despite all the travel restrictions. Last summer you travelled around Sweden, then you discovered national parks that I didn't even know existed, then Peter cooked. So there is nothing wrong with the mix, but I understand that you "long to get out and away".
Since Peter is so good at cooking, he might want to go on a "food trip". I mean you have been to a lot of places, when you could still travel. Guess you have photographed lots of different dishes that you have not shown on the blog yet.
Then you can also explore Stockholm a little more. Ditte is a world champion at it. Yes, imagine being a "boring" everyday blogger from Täby. Sometimes I don't realise that I can manage one post a day. Fortunately, there are several challenges you can follow. Maybe you can do that too from time to time.
02 February 2021 - 20:12
Travel Friday/Annika says:
Yes, many of us go and think, which in itself leads to blog posts (and interesting comment fields) and FB threads. Having a real crisis myself - because well, who is a travel blogger without their travels? Relevant question in this time.
02 February 2021 - 22:58
Liniz+Travel says:
Yes, you really have to rethink
And think new.... I'm thinking about some travel destinations in Sweden.
Maybe more skiing.
Fun to
See you in the month. Hugs
03 February 2021 - 18:50
Maria's Memoirs says:
I don't really think I'm running out of imagination and ideas when it comes to travel blogging. But lately I have not been very excited. Perhaps also because October and onwards are not those months when I am so happy to road trip and discover the local environment, so I have not wanted / managed to broaden my views lately. But soon we will have spring again and then I will certainly get started with hiking trails etc. 🙂 And then maybe the joy of blogging in general also wakes up properly again. Maybe even the February light gives me a new kickstart.
05 February 2021 - 16:11