Whether you start a website selling online courses, become a mom blogger or start a travel blog, everyone has to start somewhere. And because there as starting Digital Nomad There are so many things to take into account, let's first go back to basics. To help you start an online existence, I have collected 10 basic tips for starting Digital Nomads below.
1. Choose a good domain name
Your online portfolio stands or falls with a good website. That's why this is perhaps the most important tip I can give. Choose a domain name where a user or potential customer immediately sees what the subject of the website is. Choose a domain name that someone will not soon forget and keep it as simple and short as possible. Consider paying (a lot of) money for a good domain name. A good name and URL does make a big difference.
The second point you should look at carefully is the speed of your website. With a slow website, Google will never rank your website high in the search results. Super fast hosting is essential and is unfortunately still too often underestimated.
Your online business depends on a good name and fast hosting. With a slow website, Google will never rank your website high in the search results. In the mobile age we now live in, speed is more important than ever - so make sure that it is already right in the basis of your website.
Cloud86 is known as the fastest web hosting in the Netherlands and their Trustpilot reviews don't lie: there simply isn't anything better at the moment.
2. Start with a clear niche
Focus on a specific topic. Take this website (Wereldreizigers.nl) as an example! There are tens of thousands of travel blogs, but only a few really focus on long-distance travel or even a complete world trip. The specific niche helps attract a target group and makes it easier to create content that suits yourself and the interests of your readers.
3. Use social media
Use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok of YouTube to connect with your audience and show where you are and what you are doing. Also share photos and videos of your work to engage and inspire your audience. An example video is this beautiful homemade drone footage of Lake Bled in Slovenia, seen below.
Tip:: Do this in moderation though. Make sure you don't spend too much time on social media, time that you can better spend on further developing your own website...
4. Use SEO
Optimize your website for search engines by using relevant keywords and a good structure. This helps increase your blog's visibility in search results. You can read more tips regarding SEO in the blog: '10x tips for website SEO'.
5. Use photos and videos
Add good images and videos to your blog post to shape your stories and help your readers better understand what you're promoting or selling. I emphasize good ones, because quality is important.
Tip:: Curious what we shoot with? Then view the display below.
The Fujifilm X-T5 with 16-80 is the ultimate all-round world travel camera† This camera has been declared several times by both the consumer association and Tweakers.net the best system camera you can buy. Even on automatic mode, you suddenly feel like a professional photographer!
- The best tested camera
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- 6.2K video
- 5 year warranty
More tips regarding photography for (travel) blogs can be found in the blog: '10x Tips for (travel) blog photography'.
6. Provide unique content
Try to offer unique perspectives. Give people a reason to visit your website instead of someone else's. Give it a personal twist. For example, as a travel blog we never post the standard 'hold your girlfriend's hand at the grand canyon photo' or videos in which a traveler makes a doing a pirouette in a nice dress with a hat in Bali. We think that's really too cheesy and the internet is already full of that... We prefer to post photos with a story, like this photo below, taken in Laos.
Tip:. You can read the story behind this photo here in my LinkedIn message.
7. Use an email newsletter
Something that I don't spend much time on myself, but that others get a lot of success from. Ask your readers to sign up for your email newsletter and send regular updates about new blog posts, tips and offers. Returning visitors are valuable visitors.
8. Monitor and analyze
Track how many people visit your blog, how long they stay, which pages are the most popular, and how they get to your website. This will help you understand how you can improve your website and write more specifically for your audience. Does a blog or page score well among your readers? Then build on that!
9. Promote your website
Do online marketing by writing guest blogs on other websites. Write nice pieces and try to get them published on news channels, both regional and national. You can also set up content collaborations with other Digital Nomads, promoting each other's websites. Finally, you can actively participate in forums to draw attention to your website.
10. Be patient
Keep in mind that it takes time to reach a large audience! For example, many travel blogs disappear as quickly as they were created because they do not achieve quick results. I see the same thing happening with prospective Digital Nomads. It doesn't happen overnight. You can count on 1 or 2 years of hard work before you really see results.
