All About Travel Vlogging, Travel Vlogs, and Travel Vloggers
Are you interested in becoming a travel vlogger? Do you want to start a travel podcast? Or are you looking for more information on how to run a travel vlog? You have come to the right place.
TL;DR
- Starting a travel vlog takes a lot of effort, even though it sounds simple: just start and never stop.
- To make things easier, I share my knowledge on how to start a travel vlog.
- Learn about AI in video editing, the best cameras for travel vloggers, and much more.
- In addition to these FAQs, you will also find tutorials and other articles about travel vlogging on my blog.
How to Start a Travel Vlog?
A travel vlog, short for travel video blog, is all about creating videos about going to a certain location. It is pretty simple, and almost everyone can become a travel vlogger. You just need something to record content with such as a camera and should regularly share videos. At least in theory!
I started the Traveling Kunz Vlog with my phone and an old laptop. Because I wanted to document Kinmen Island in Taiwan, but I also did not just take some snapshots. I wrote a blog on how Kinmen in Taiwan turned me into a travel vlogger. Since then, I have been committed to my budget approach, but of course, it can also make sense to invest in better tech. See below for more details about the camera for your travel vlog.
What is the best travel vlog camera?
When talking about videos, you quickly ask yourself about the best camera for your travel vlog. Given my budget approach, I use my Android phone, nothing fancy. Why? First of all, I did not have any money for a camera at the beginning, but I also came to realize that even mid-range phones have great cameras today. And they are just one piece of your travel vlog tech stack. Your travel vlog is just one piece in a larger puzzle, there are many things to consider.
I suggest finding a camera and a editing software that fits your skill level and budget. DaVinci Resolve allowed me to grow, so I recommend it again (and yes, I recommend it over Adobe Premiere Pro!).
After doing a few test shots, I also realized it makes sense to invest in a microphone. I spent around $100 USD on a lavalier microphone, which was actually the most expensive purchase I made for my starter setup, and another $40 USD for a desktop microphone for voiceovers.
Initially, I did not know what a gimbal was (I was really a complete rookie), but I ended up buying a mobile phone gimbal from DJI for $80. My wife also bought me a Brava action camera (a budget version of the GoPro) that gets the job done, even though it has some flaws.
The great thing about becoming a travel vlogger is that you can combine elements of traditional vlogging, videography, and storytelling to create awesome videos. Many travel vloggers document their experiences, share tips and recommendations, and look inside into different destinations worldwide.
You need to host your videos somewhere, of course. I started my travel vlog on YouTube in 2023 and later opened a Facebook account as well, though many other platforms are available.
How to be a travel vlogger and make money?
The most common questions I get are about my travel vlogger salary. I do not see travel vlogging as a job. That said, I did try to answer the question “How to Become a Travel Vlogger and Get Paid?” in a dedicated post.
For me, travel vlogging is not about making money, but about sharing stories and preserving my travel memories. I do not aim to be the travel vlogger with the most subscribers. Still, I take it seriously and try to improve with every video. For more, check out my blog post: “Why You Should Become a Travel Vlogger.”
However, being a travel vlogger does cost money. Over three years, I spent around 3,300 euros on my travel blog. This includes not only a travel vlogging camera, but also everything else: software, accessories, websites, and more. Thus, I do understand people asking for salary of a travel vlogger.
Plan your Travel Vlog Content
If you look at my videos from the early days in 2023/2024, you will notice that I had no experience shooting videos. However, I am glad that I established some important branding basics for my channel early on.
It makes sense to have clear messaging and an understanding of your target audience, so come up with a good idea for your travel vlog. Decide what specific aspect you want to focus on, such as budget travel or luxury travel. Research what other vloggers do and think about how you can publish frequent content while maintaining a consistent style.
Consider elements like creating your own logo and choosing the right music when starting your travel vlog. Platforms such as Pexels, Unsplash, and Pixabay offer free music, stock footage, and pictures to kickstart your travel blog. Take your time to build a basic brand identity, and also spend some effort brainstorming good travel vlog names.
A personal note: ‘Kunz’ is my family name, and I chose to incorporate it into the channel name because it resonates well with English speakers. Some people consider it offensive, but it is a common name in Germany.
Find the Right Level of Professionalism for Your Travel Vlog
Most people aiming to be travel vloggers want to make money with their videos. And paying their bills is a legitimate motivation, of course. Traveling Kunz is a pure amateur project. Thus, I have no intentions of monetizing the channel. I am not following all the best practices for travel vlogging. And I can only offer limited advice on how to proceed if you want to make money.
For example, if you want to become a travel vlogger and earn money, quantity often beats quality. You need to find your keywords and publish a lot of content to rank for them. And when doing so, you should place relevant SEO keywords in your video title, description, and tags to improve discoverability. Consistency is key to growing your audience.
There are several other growth hacks, such as collaborations with other travel vloggers to cross-promote content and social media promotions. However, I want to be honest: I am not the right person to advise on earning a salary as a travel vlogger. My travel vlog is really about creating great memories. I still hope that people enjoy my videos, but I fully understand if they find them boring.
I can, however, help you overcome technical difficulties. For example, my Japan travel vlog was the first time I went abroad as a travel vlogger, and I faced several new challenges. You do see that in the videos. Since then, I think I have improved my video quality a lot. Do not be afraid of making mistakes. Read the full story in my blog: “How I Became a Travel Vlogger in Japan.”
My Best Experience as a Travel Vlogger So Far
One example is Ferdinand spending Chinese New Year in a Buddhist temple. I am very thankful to have witnessed how people worship and welcome the new year in Taiwan, but it was not a spiritual journey per se. I could have potentially gained more attention by framing the experience as a profound spiritual journey with meditation and other practices that Westerners would expect in a temple, but I chose to tell the story as authentically as possible.
That does not mean that I do not care if people watch my videos. I aim to provide quality information and maintain consistent branding. Thus, a vast majority of my free time goes into the Traveling Kunz channel. For example, I took my time creating a YouTube profile, adding banners, and an about section. I even created my logo and this website.
Most audiences looking for travel content will forgive shaky cameras and may even see it as authentic. Depending on your profile, you are not bound by journalistic standards, as well, and can freely express your opinion. The best travel vloggers are often not the ones who conduct the most research, but rather those who find ways to keep their viewers entertained.
About AI Travel Videos And AI Edit Tools for Travel Vloggers
The Traveling Kunz Channel now has somewhat consistent branding. But I have to confess, I did not find many other travel vloggers I could relate to. I wanted to make documentaries and did not want to talk too much about myself. This was fine, as I did not expect to earn a salary as a travel vlogger and had no problem with a fairly small target audience.
But of course, that comes at the expense of a smaller reach, so think for far you want to bend the rules. Also, think about how to be more efficient with your editing. For me, AI in Video Editing is an important point by now.
I rely heavily on AI for my Kinmen Podcast. The English and Chinese voice-overs are AI-generated. Of course, they still sound somewhat artificial, but they save me a great amount of time. If I had to record everything myself, producing a multilingual podcast would not be possible.
Take Your Time And Always Improve Your Travel Vlogging Skills
I think the most important thing for a travel vlogger is good editing software. And I am glad that there is a free version of DaVinci Resolve. It is loaded with features and can be overwhelming, but there are many tutorials available. For me, it is the one and only choice, because it allows me to improve my footage and the quality of my content. I shared my tech stack, including details about the best camera for travel vlogging in an dedicated article. too.
You can use other editing programs, of course. But in any case, take your time and edit your videos properly. You will get better results, and in my case, I was able to mitigate many smaller flaws that arose due to my lack of experience when shooting videos. Before shooting a video, I prepare a loose structure that I try to follow, and I script my voice-over to be more focused. Depending on your target audience and your ability, this may not be necessary, but I feel more comfortable and am fine with the extra effort
By the way, I recently switched to the paid version of DaVinci Resolve. The Studio edition offers many additional features, especially AI tools that help repair and improve footage. For travel vloggers, DaVinci Resolve Studio is a great option because it comes with a perpetual license rather than a SaaS subscription. I think you see the difference in my latest videos.
How to Become a Successful Travel Vlogger?
That depends on how you define success. If you want to become a travel vlogger and get paid, I am the wrong person to ask, because I do not earn anything with my travel vlog. However, I do care about content and suggest that you just get started and aim to improve with every video, while making sure you enjoy yourself along the way.
I am glad that I have met so many wonderful people and that I have been able to gain so many great experiences thanks to my YouTube channel. Sometimes it is boring, such as when I upgraded my tech stack and bought a second-hand computer and a storage server at the beginning of 2024. There is no story and no traveling, but it allowed me to produce videos in 4K, which I see as a great benchmark.
An example of personal success is when I was allowed to carry the deities through Jincheng in Kinmen in my ‘Gods of Kinmen’ episode of the Kinmen Travel Tales. I would never have been able to do this without my channel. Again, the video did not create a lot of reach, but I am glad to have captured this experience.
Who is the Best Travel Vlogger?
There are many great travel vloggers out there, but I have to confess I do not have a favorite. Probably due to my focus on history and my personal interest. I do share my thoughts about locations, but I do not like to share serious personal information. I think it is important to add some emotion to your travel videos. But I really do not like to add too much fluff. Many successful travel vloggers do exactly that. Thus, if you want to be successful and get paid, you should consider following suit and speaking about your feelings, because emotions tend to stick with people. Another topic that ranks very well is cultural differences. Many people also enjoy hearing travel tips, but keep in mind that many of these recommendations are crafted for SEO purposes.
When starting a travel vlog, consider cultural aspects. This includes the region you aim to cover and your background. It makes a difference if you are an American travel vlogger in India or a Japanese couple traveling in Germany, for example. It affects how people interact with you, but also make sure to understand local customs and tradition. As a German, I can tell you that privacy is a major concern in my part of the woods. So make sure you have permission before filming someone.
Different Styles Among Travel Vloggers
Especially when it comes to traveling in Taiwan, I have seen several videos with rather mediocre advice. I think such content is what you get when you are prioritizing the right keywords over the quality of the information provided.
And when it comes to the cultural shock: I feel that many videos do not reflect my experience. As a German married to a Taiwanese, I am struggling quite often with the way things work in Taiwan. But I want to focus on the positive sides of traveling.
I speak about travel vlogging in episode 13 of my Kinmen podcast. Looking back, I feel that I have actually started to adopt a more documentary style in my travel videos. I still make many videos in which I simply explore a location or a city.
However, my videos about football fan culture in Germany or Caodaoism in Vietnam are a bit different, in the sense that I do more field research. I like that I was able to interview people and show their opinions. But I still hope I qualify as a travel vlogger.
These interviews also come with new technical challenges. Thus, I am always looking for feedback. If you want to support my channel, just watch my videos. And do not forget to “like & subscribe”.
These are just my thoughts, of course, and I feel it is legitimate to focus on reach, but I try to find my way. I do not see travel vlogging as a job, but just a hobby. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reach out to me.