Guest Blog by Lauren Yakiwchuk of Justin Plus Lauren
You’ve likely heard the old saying, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. As a full time travel blogger and content creator, I’ve always believed in having multiple income streams.
That strategy became crucial after Google’s “Helpful Content Update.” Practically overnight, many of our websites saw a sharp drop in traffic, and it was a wake-up call about just how vulnerable relying on one platform can be.
I started my travel blog, Justin Plus Lauren, back in 2013 and I’ve been creating content on a full time basis since 2018. Travel bloggers haven’t had it easy over the last number of years. From global pandemics and lockdowns that kept us at home to unpredictable Google algorithm updates, this industry has faced its fair share of challenges.
In this post, I’m pleased to share some income streams that have become essential to running my business, as well as a few more ideas to explore. Thankfully, there are countless ways to earn money by writing and creating content online.
Having multiple income streams ensures that when one opportunity fades, others are still thriving, giving you the flexibility to adapt, pivot, and grow your business in new directions.
Display ads are one of the most popular income streams for travel bloggers. Even when you’re not actively publishing new content, your existing blog posts continue to generate income around the clock. Before Google’s HCU and subsequent updates, this was my favourite way of making money online.
Ad networks like Mediavine and Raptive require a minimum number of pageviews per month before you’re accepted onto their platform, though Mediavine Journey has a lower threshold. There are some other ad networks that welcome travel bloggers with lower monthly page views, like Ezoic, SHE Media, and Google Adsense.
While Google search might not be a reliable form of traffic like it used to be, travel bloggers can receive traffic through promotions or shares of their articles on Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn, other social media networks and their own newsletters.
While display ads once made up a significant portion of my overall income, that’s not really the case anymore. For this reason, I have a new favourite way of generating income online…through affiliate marketing (and specifically, Stay22!).
Affiliate marketing is one of the most effective and scalable ways to make money as a travel blogger. There are countless affiliate programs that lend well to travel blogging, like hotels, travel products, tours, flights, car rentals and more.
When your readers click on your affiliate link and make a purchase, you earn a commission at no cost to them. As you can imagine, this becomes lucrative when hundreds or thousands of people plan their travels using your website each month.
Stay22 is my favourite platform for hotel bookings. Their smart tools and technologies are designed with travel bloggers in mind, resulting in more bookings and passive income.
After installing their Let Me Allez script into my blog, my affiliate income skyrocketed.
Their Nova AI booking agent predicts when visitors are ready to book a hotel and drops a hotel recommendation while the intent’s hot. Their Roam AI, optimized redirects guide readers to the booking websites that they’re most likely to use.
Stay22 also has other products like Spark, which scans your content, identifies missed opportunities, and inserts smart affiliate links without changing a single word of your writing. It’s a great way to turn your entire content archive into a steady, passive revenue stream without any extra effort on your part.
I also love their interactive maps. While I only receive a small percentage of my bookings from the maps, I think that they’re really helpful to readers. The maps allow users to browse hotels, apartments, and vacation rentals all in one place, making it easy to find accommodations in the best areas of town.
One of my main income strategies as a full time travel blogger are paid media trips with tourism boards and travel brands. Since there’s so much competition out there nowadays, I find that face-to-face networking is one of the most effective ways to build relationships that lead to future collaborations.
I attend several travel conferences each year, specifically to take part in speed networking sessions. These quick, focused meetings give bloggers the chance to connect directly with tourism representatives and pitch ideas for potential partnerships.
We continue the conversation after the conference and hopefully end up working together in the future. This might happen over the next couple of months or within a few years. It’s all about playing the long game and nurturing professional relationships.
For paid partnerships with tourism boards, I usually offer a package of content that depends on their budget and marketing goals. It can include blog posts, social media posts, short form video, long form video, photography licensing and more. These packages of content range anywhere between $2000 and $20,000, depending on the deliverables and scope of work.
Some travel bloggers also take unpaid media trips, especially if it’s an exciting destination or bucket list trip. While these will be unpaid and may even come at a small expense to the creator, you can leverage this content into paid projects. Write about it on your blog for ad and affiliate income. You may also be able to sell your story as a freelance writer to another publication (more about that later!).
Sponsored content is a popular strategy on social media, especially Instagram and TikTok. Many travel bloggers are also Instagrammers, showcasing the best of their travel photos and videos in fun, bite-sized, and catchy formats.
Since travel brands want to tap into your audience, they’re often willing to pay for sponsored posts, like Instagram reels, photo carousels, TikTok videos and more.
Another great way to earn income as a travel blogger is by selling the digital rights to your photography and video b-roll. I’ve sold assets to tourism boards, hotels, and travel brands. I find it easiest when I’ve just worked with them on a campaign. They might want to continue using your images or videos for their website, social media, or marketing materials, which opens the door to an additional income stream.
I generally offer non-exclusive rights, meaning that I retain the ability to use the content myself. Pricing typically depends on how and where the content will be used, as well as the duration of the license. For example, you might charge a lower fee for use on a website or Instagram post, and significantly more if the image appears on a billboard or in a commercial. Pricing per photo ranges from $100 to $500.
If you enjoy writing for your own travel blog, consider expanding your reach by writing for other travel publications. Many outlets are regularly on the lookout for destination guides, personal travel narratives, or fresh perspectives from experienced travelers.
While freelance writing isn’t a major focus of mine, it can be a solid income stream for many travel bloggers. Publications may pay a flat fee or offer rates based on word count, depending on the outlet and the type of story.
In my own experience, I’ve written content for tourism board websites as part of larger media campaign packages. Editors often post freelance opportunities on social media platforms like X and LinkedIn, so keeping an eye out for callouts can lead to new writing gigs.
YouTube is another powerful way to diversify your income as a travel blogger. While video creation does require a different skill set (shooting, editing, and on-camera presentation), it’s a natural extension for many travel creators who are already comfortable with photography and storytelling.
Once your channel reaches the required threshold of subscribers and watch hours, you can start earning ad revenue through the YouTube Partner Program with Google AdSense. It might not be a huge amount at first, but it can become a reliable passive income stream as your channel grows.
The real earning potential on YouTube can come from sponsorships. These can be far more lucrative than ad revenue. Brands may pay you to:
If you're already sharing travel stories and tips, branching out to YouTube could be a great way to reach a wider audience and open the door to new monetization opportunities.
While I haven’t personally ventured into this yet, many travel bloggers have found great success selling digital products. Creating digital products can be a fantastic income stream that, once set up, can generate passive income with minimal ongoing effort.
A great starting point is to repurpose your existing blog content. For example, you can turn popular posts into downloadable travel itineraries or e-books and sell them directly on your website. Completely original content might take longer, though the payoff could be well worth the effort.
This strategy works especially well if you specialize in a specific destination or niche, especially if it’s a place that can be overwhelming for first-time visitors. People are often willing to pay for expert guidance that saves them time and stress.
Beyond travel guides, many bloggers have created online courses. These courses teach others how to start a travel blog or to dive deeper into topics like SEO, affiliate marketing, or Pinterest strategy. These resources are very popular within the blogging community.
Another popular digital product is photo presets. These are especially desirable among aspiring Instagrammers who want to replicate a specific style or aesthetic for their photos.
Finally, you can also sell consulting services or coaching. Whether it’s one-on-one travel planning or helping new bloggers launch their sites, offering personalized video calls at an hourly rate can be a rewarding and profitable way to share your expertise.
Guest Author Bio:
Lauren Yakiwchuk is an award-winning travel blogger and content creator behind Justin Plus Lauren and Ontario Hiking.
Backed by over a decade of travel blogging and visits to 50+ countries, Lauren shares tips and advice from her travels, whether exploring solo or with her husband, Justin.