Getting Started as a New Blogger

For the February meet-up of Toronto Travel Tribe, we were seated around a big table in front of a roaring electronic fire in the upstairs room of the Harbord House pub. The setting was warm, congenial and quiet. It allowed us to have a moderated conversation in which everyone introduced themselves and shared their goals. Then, together, we brainstormed ideas for helping each other achieve them. Here’s a brief introduction to the people at the meet-up and a summary of the conversation, with tips at the bottom of the page.

Thanks to Gillian for bringing David’s Tea for everyone, yay! And for the people who bought my newly published book, Song of India. I really really really appreciate your support. What a great group of people! One of the highlights of the evening for me was when several people said that the January meet-up of Toronto Travel Tribe had inspired them to take action — start a Twitter account, buy a domain name, whatever. It’s just great to know that the group members are inspiring and supporting each other. P.S. My lovely co-founder Alicia was missed, especially by me. However, she wasn’t at the meeting for a very good reason: she started her new job as Social Media Specialist for Flight Centre, Canada, and was at a meeting of the Flight Centre team in Australia. Next month’s TTT meet-up will be at Flight Centre; stay tuned for details.

Mariellen Ward

I started the evening off by telling everyone about my newsletter, Travel That Changes You — the first issue went out in mid-February — and by sharing that my book Song of India is getting good reviews. I also announced that I will be running a contest to win a hat http://torontotraveltweetup.com Tilley Endurables on my blog and I am excited that Qatar Airways will be flying me to India in mid March. http://torontotraveltweetup.com India, I will be heading to Bhutan to stay at the gorgeous Uma Paro Hotel in Paro – a COMO property. Plus, I started a new Breathedreamgo Facebook page … please join!

Blog: Breathedreamgo Twitter: @breathedreamgo

Goals: Build traffic, appeal to wider readership, learn to use analytics for measuring, reporting and working with sponsors

Janice Waugh

Janice told us that her blog will be two years old on April 30 — congratulations, you’ve come a long way baby! She is co-founder of Global Bloggers Network, which she announced is free to all members. Belonging to this group is a great way to learn all about travel blogging, get support and make like-minded friends.

Blog: Solotravelerblog Twitter: @solotraveler

Goal: build traffic and learn to use Stumbleupon more effectively

Ramie Veerappan

This was Ramie’s first TTT meet-up. Through her company Integrity Tours, she organizes small-group tours to South Africa, and I must say they sound really fascinating.

Goal: learning to use social media to promote her tours

Tammy Burns

Tammy’s new year’s resolution is to throw herself into learning travel writing and blogging.

Twitter: @BurnsTammy

Goal: getting her blog started; figuring out how to travel, work and blog, and make it all happen.

Gillian

Gillian blogged for eight weeks while traveling in Australia, but has since realized that food, not travel, is her true love. She contributed the advice that one should try to be positive, and see every place, even if you’ve lived there for a long time, as an opportunity for adventure.

Twitter: @oneblondechef

Goal: create her food blog

Lindsay Young

Lindsay has a Masters in Tourism, and she recently returned to Toronto after seven years away. She is passionate about food and eco-tourism. Lindsay shared with us that the last TTT inspired her to start her travel blog, called This is how I travel.

Blog: This is how I travel Twitter: @lindsontheorad

Goal: looking for a full-time job — but she wants to be able to travel as well

Deborah Peniuk

Deb-OR-ah taught us how to pronounce her name properly! Deborah is a travel agent and through her business Aya Life, she organizes and promotes small group tours with a health and wellness theme to places such as Greece, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic / Haiti (with Free the Children). She writes for a wide range of online sites and is often pressed for time.

Blog: Twitter: @TraveliciousDee

Goal: time management

Yvonne Yuen

Yvonne works in the interactive marketing department at the Four Seasons Hotel. She recently returned to Toronto after living and working in Paris and Dublin. She regrets not keeping a travel blog while in Europe, but she’s been on Twitter for two years. She has had offers to buy her photos and to write for a Paris travel blog.

Twitter: @MlleTravelista

Goal: start a travel blog

Lindsay Tessis

Lindsay has a Masters in Communications and works in travel PR for LMA Communications (check out their logo, it’s clever and subtle). Though she works full-time, she travels as much as possible.

Twitter @LindsayTessis

Goal: start a travel blog

Natalie Taylor

Natalie wins contests! She announced she recently won a contest to San Francisco and several others, too. She is very good at online networking and using Twitter effectively. She recommends Tumblr, and talked to the group about Twitter best practises — such as saying thank you, and engaging people in conversation.

Twitter: @nearafar

Priyank Thatte

This was Priyank’s first TTT, and he was the only male at the table (but we assured him that we do get men coming out to the meet-ups). He’s originally http://torontotraveltweetup.com India, and has been blogging for about 4 1/2 years. His blog is called Final Transit because he believes in living life as if this is your last moment. He works in the government, has a Masters in Business Sustainability and plays sitar. He has only been on Twitter for a few weeks.

Blog: Final Transit Twitter: @FinalTransit

Goal: finding balance, finding time to work full-time and pursue his interests

Tips and strategies to achieve goals

– to motivate yourself to blog, team up with someone and challenge each other

– to blog regularly, create a weekly editorial schedule

– know the difference between blogs hosted independently and on WordPress, and figure out which is best for you (depending on your goals)

– come up with a Twitter strategy; find out about Twitter peak times; say thank you, compliment people, join # conversations such as: #TNI (Traveler’s Night In, Thursdays http://torontotraveltweetup.com 3:30-5 pm EST), #TTOT (Travel Talk on Tuesday, Tuesdays at 4:30 am and pm EST), #FriFotos and #NUTS

– upload photos using Burstn

– try Tumblr