It’s only been a few weeks since I’ve launched this blog [Here With Dia], and about 6 months since I started my travel channel. I would like to share with you some things I learned, and my thoughts on the reality of being a new travel blogger + vlogger.
UPDATE May, 2019:
Since I first wrote this article (on April of 2018), I am happy to share that I’ve hit my first goal of making 1k income during the month of March,2019 by affiliate income and ads. If you’re interested to know more about my blogging/vlogging experience, please feel free to reach out! -Dia
My story
It all began when I took my first solo trip to NYC from Los Angeles at the tender age of 19. I spent time figuring out which ferry to take for the Statue of Liberty, snapping photos inside the Grand Central Terminal, and failing at catching the sunrise at the Brooklyn Bridge. I felt SO ALIVE.
Related: Useful Tips for Solo Female Traveler | What I Learned
It wasn’t just about seeing the famous sights I grew up watching in films. It was also the empowering feeling that I can do it on my own. I could simply show up, get lost, and have the best time of my life.
The 6 years after that initial eye and heart opening experience, I continued taking yearly trips to places near and far. I’m not a fan of collecting places/countries like trophies. What I CAN say is that each of those new places I visited only fueled my thirst for more.
Chasing the Dream
Fast forward to 2016, I decided to book a one way flight and partake in my longest journey yet. In the 9 months leading up to my trip, I watched countless HOURS of travel videos in between attending classes and studying for finals. Eventually I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Linguistics from UCLA. (go bruins!)
In September of 2017, I decided to stop being a passive viewer and gave birth to my own Youtube Channel.
While I was traveling through Asia & Southeast Asia, I searched high and low for travel information on preparations, visas, train schedules, etc… but there was so much outdated information online to sift through.
So I decided to start my own blog.
I want to share my travel stories to inform and inspire others, and also provide valuable + updated guides for others searching just like I did and still do.
After 3 years of traveling:
My Packing Essentials
+
My Vlogging Essentials
Let’s start with the challenges
CONS:
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Not being fully present & in the moment
- Traveling sort of becomes your ‘job’, and you now sightsee with a goal in mind. I was constantly taking down notes and trying to ‘capture the moment’ while traveling. At times, it really took away from my own experience.
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You treat it like a job, but there is no income yet
- It can feel a bit discouraging to put so much effort and soul into creating content and not being able to monetize it yet. However, I understand the necessity of time for building your audience and brand.
- For example, just this year (2018) Youtube changed its policy so only channels with 1k+ subscribers and 4k watch hours are eligible for monetization.
Read my latest article on: The Reality of Making Money While Traveling (Almost a year later)
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Spending money on resources
- Aside from the cost of traveling itself, filming equipment, editing resources and subscriptions that help up your game can create a dent in your wallet.
*There are free alternative resources, however I really wanted to put in effort and invest in something I feel passionate about.
Let’s get into the small yet absolutely wonderful rewards
PROS:
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Connecting with your audience
- This is my absolute favorite part.
- The world is such a HUGE place, but with the resources and platforms we have today, you can connect with like-minded people in an instant! (also Ms. Chatty Cathy over here)
- I love it when my viewers reach out to me, it seriously fills my heart with joy.
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Making a difference, however small
- When people ask me for tips and opinions. I am by no means an expert yet, but I hope my own trials and adventures can save someone else’ troubles!
- When someone comment on how my videos helped them plan their trip, or even inspired them to get out there. That is the best compliment one can receive.
- There are times when you just might feel like nobody is watching or listening, but if just 1 out of 50 people find something useful in my content, I am a happy lady. [Update: My YouTube channel now has half a million views!]
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Reliving the moments!
- So earlier we talked about how it’s difficult sometimes to ‘ live in the moment’ when you’re actively capturing them. Well, the upside is you get to keep and cherish them forever!
- I have so much fun compiling all the glorious tales and creating short films out of them. I always wanted to work in film production, so this is my way of following that dream.
The Big Question: Is it all worth it?
ab-so-f*cking-lutely
Starting my own channel and blog were scary decisions. It meant that I was willing to take a risk and believe in myself enough that someday I can make my passion project into a career.
There are days when I doubt the quality of my content, or the reach of an audience, but mostly, I am just thrilled with the small wins.
One of my biggest philosophy in life is to be a constant learner. Traveling and creating content has provided me the perfect conditions so that I am always experiencing and learning new things.
So yes, there are days when I don’t want to film the gorgeous places I’m visiting, and writer’s block is just too real. But all in all, I truly feel lucky and grateful, and am BEYOND excited to keep exploring and creating!
My Essential Tech Items for Travel Blogging/Vlogging:
- My Macbook air recently ran out of space, and this extra storage card was a life saver!
- I’ve been vlogging and taking photos with this Canon g7x mark ii camera for a year now. It’s one of the most used cameras for vloggers!
- This 64GB SD card is what I use for all my video/photography needs.
- I bring my Kindle with me everywhere. On long flights and rides, I love being able to access so many books and choices without the weight of paperbacks.
Read my latest article on: The Reality of Making Money While Traveling (Almost a year later)
Amazon Associates Disclosure
Here With Dia is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
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