Back on December 4th, 2020, I published a blog post called: 23 Amazing Things To Do In Mo'orea (2020 Travel Guide) It wasn’t a viral post. It didn’t have a million backlinks. And my blog wasn’t some household name in the travel space But here we are 4.5 years later, and this blog post still brings in $600+ per month, mostly from affiliate income. Here’s a look at the actual earnings; screenshots pulled from our affiliate dashboards: This kind of result isn’t rare for us. We have many blog posts that continue to bring in consistent income years after they were published, and this Mo'orea post is just one example of what’s possible when you get a few key things right. Here are 3 tips I took away from that post that I think every travel blogger should keep in mind: Tip #1: Be the Most Helpful Post on the InternetWhen I first published this Mo'orea guide, most of the other blog posts out there had maybe 5–10 things to do, and a lot of them overlapped. There wasn’t much variety. There wasn’t much depth. And there definitely wasn’t anything that covered the full range of experiences on the island. My goal wasn’t to write the best post, I just wanted it to feel complete and cater to all kinds of travelers. Whether someone was visiting on a honeymoon, a family trip, or a solo adventure, I wanted them to find something useful. That angle helped my post stand out, and it's likely a big reason it still earns, years later. Quick Tip: Before you publish your post, ask yourself: “Would I stop scrolling and bookmark this if I were planning this trip?” If the answer is no, go deeper. Add the detail, include the prices, explain the options. That extra 10% of effort is what turns a quick skim into a conversion and a casual reader into someone who will come back again. Tip #2: Conversions Matter More Than ClicksThis post actually sank in the rankings recently (ugh, thanks Big G 🥴). But… it still brings in consistent affiliate income every month. And that's because my affiliate links were placed with purpose. They were strategically placed to solve the exact problems readers have when planning a trip:
When a post is written to genuinely help and your links are relevant, timely, and based on personal experience it converts, even with lower traffic. Quick Tip: Add affiliate links where readers are actively looking for help (not buried at the end) Tip #3: Format Your Post For HumansYou could have the best recommendations in the world, but if your post looks like a wall of text, no one’s going to read it (much less click your affiliate links). One reason this Mo'orea post performs so well is because it’s scannable and reader-friendly. Here are some things I recommend:
In other words, it doesn’t read like a diary entry or a textbook. It’s built to help real humans find what they need fast. Quick Tip: After you write your post, do a scroll test. Can someone get the main takeaways just by skimming the headings and bolded sections? If not, format it again with the reader in mind. Bonus Tip: Write Content You Can RepurposeThis one Mo'orea post has not only earned us affiliate income for years, but it’s also fueled tons of other pieces of content:
That’s the beauty of a well-structured blog post.. It becomes a content hub you can keep pulling from year after year. Quick Tip: When you write a blog post, think beyond the post. How can this same content be reused, repackaged, or turned into something your audience can opt into? Want Steady Income From Your Blog?
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Laura Peters is the owner and author of Mike & Laura Travel, a blog that helps travelers find unique destinations and travel experiences on a budget. She is also the CEO of Scale Your Travel Blog, a coaching program that helps travel bloggers start, grow, and scale their travel blog income. When she isn't writing blog posts about her favorite travel destinations, she is serving her audience through Scale Your Travel Blog and her live/virtual events, Travel Blogging Summit.
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