How-To Start A Travel Blog (Properly!) – A Biased Beginner’s Guide

Hello, fellow travelers and critical thinkers! Today, we're looking into the world of travel blogging, but with a twist. We'll be dissecting a blog post titled 'How To Start A Travel Blog (Properly!) – A Beginner’s Guide,' and exploring the bias and inaccuracies that may have slipped through the cracks. In this analysis, we'll uncover the hidden biases, questionable advice, and areas where accuracy may be lacking. It's time to put on our discerning lenses and take a closer look at travel blogging advice from travel bloggers.

1. Promotion of WordPress and Bluehost: The author's heavy promotion of WordPress and Bluehost without presenting alternative platforms or hosting services equally creates a one-sided perspective. Blogging is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor, and different platforms can cater to different bloggers' needs.
2. Affiliate Link Conflict of Interest: The fact that the author recommends Bluehost while having an affiliate partnership with them raises concerns about potential bias. Readers should be aware that the author might financially benefit from their choice of hosting service, which can influence their objectivity.
3. Misleading Emphasis on Self-Hosted WordPress: Presenting self-hosted WordPress as the only viable option for serious blogging can be misleading. While it's a popular choice, other platforms and hosting services can provide a solid foundation for a travel blog. It's essential to acknowledge the diversity of options available to bloggers.
4. Lack of Alternative Perspectives: The blog post lacks a balanced view by not providing a comparison of different blogging platforms or hosting services. Providing readers with a range of options would allow them to make an informed decision based on their unique needs and preferences.
5. Misrepresentation of Free Platforms: Labeling free blogging platforms and hosting services as inferior or non-professional is an oversimplification. Many successful bloggers have started on free platforms, and these can be an excellent way for beginners to test the waters without financial commitment.
6. Domain Authority Explanation: The author's explanation of Domain Authority and its importance could be misleading. While Domain Authority can be a useful metric, it's important to clarify that it's a proprietary metric developed by Moz, not Google. Additionally, it's just one of many factors affecting a website's performance in search rankings.
7. SEO Misunderstandings: The concept of Google's 'sandbox' is presented in a simplified and somewhat inaccurate manner. While new websites may not initially rank well, the term 'sandbox' and its implications are not universally accepted in the SEO community. Google's ranking algorithms are complex, and website ranking depends on various factors.
8. Cost Factor: The recommendation to invest in paid hosting from the beginning may not be practical for everyone. Blogging can start as a hobby or passion project, and not all beginners may be ready to make a financial commitment upfront. The blog post should acknowledge that there are cost-effective options available for newcomers.
9. Naming Advice: The advice on naming the blog is subjective and presented without acknowledging that different strategies work for different individuals. Naming decisions should align with the blogger's personal or brand goals, and there's no one-size-fits-all approach.

The author also demonstrates inaccuracies in replies to visitor comments, such as "It’s still much too early… new sites are often not recognized by Google until 6 months or more. 🙂 Good luck!"

1. Organic Traffic Expectations: The author's response to the commenter's concern about not receiving organic traffic suggests that new sites often are not recognized by Google until 6 months or more. While it's true that new websites might face challenges in gaining visibility in search results, the timeframe given can be misleading. The time it takes for a website to start receiving organic traffic can vary widely depending on numerous factors including the quality of content, the level of SEO optimization, the competitiveness of the keywords targeted, the frequency of content updates, backlink profiles, and more.
2. Misrepresentation of Google's Recognition: Saying that new sites are often not recognized by Google until 6 months or more oversimplifies the complex nature of search engine indexing and ranking. Google can index pages from a new website within days or even hours under certain circumstances. However, ranking high and gaining significant organic traffic is a more complex process that involves many factors.
3. Lack of Constructive Advice: The author's response lacks constructive advice or solutions for the commenter. Instead of providing insights on how-to potentially improve organic traffic (e.g., SEO best practices, content marketing strategies, or technical optimizations), the author simply tells the commenter it’s still too early, which may not be helpful or accurate.

And there you have it, my critique of the travel blog post titled 'How To Start A Travel Blog (Properly!) – A Beginner’s Guide.' I hope this critical analysis has shed light on the potential pitfalls of biased and inaccurate information shared by travel bloggers. Remember, as discerning readers and travelers, it's essential to question and critically evaluate the content we consume.