The Travel Creator: Content Strategy & Marketing Tips for Travel Influencers

Laura Haley | Creator Monetization and Influencer Growth Strategist
  • 5.0 (20)
  • Marketing
  • Weekly

The podcast for travel creators to learn smarter ways to use their content so they can save time and get back to traveling. I'm your host Laura and I saw travel content creators spending way too much time on their content creation. I used my six years of digital marketing experience to create smarter ways for travel creators to use their content.  In this podcast you'll find tangible tips on how to trade your content time for travel time. We play the long game here! No 'get rich quick schemes' but real strategies you can implement to help you love your travel creator journey again and make it sustainable.  We officially launch Jan 11th 2024! Episodes are out every Thursday after. 

  1. 4d ago

    How This UGC Creator Made $107K in One Year ( + Is Canvas UGC Worth it?) | Ep 145

    What if I told you that you could make six figures as a UGC content creator, work with 80+ brands, and get paid to live in Belgium for a month? 👀 Let's talk about it. This week, I'm chatting with Goldie Choi , a former nurse who traded 11 years in healthcare for a full-time UGC business. In just two years, she's worked with over 80 brands and made more than $140,000 creating content. Casual. But we're not just here to talk about the fun stuff. We're getting into what it actually takes to build a sustainable UGC business, because spoiler alert: being good at making videos is only ONE part of the job. We're talking consistent pitching, hiring a VA, landing retainer clients, negotiating bigger packages, and the very unsexy business systems that separate making a few thousand dollars here and there from building consistent five-figure months. And, of course, we HAVE to talk about Canvas UGC. Is it actually worth it? Or are we just making hundreds of videos for the possibility of making money while slowly losing our will to create content? Goldie shares her experience with performance-based pay, the numbers behind her brand deals, and why she'd rather focus on long-term partnerships than become a content factory. Because yes, making money from content is great. But making money without completely burning yourself out? Even better. IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT: How Goldie went from nursing to making six figures as a UGC content creator.The business systems that helped her move from inconsistent income to consistent five-figure months.Why consistent pitching matters even when you're fully booked with brand deals.Hiring a virtual assistant (VA) to manage pitching and buy back your time.The reality of working full-time in UGC, including scripting, filming, editing, and ALL the admin nobody talks about.How to land UGC retainer clients and turn one-off brand deals into long-term partnerships.Canvas UGC and whether performance-based compensation is actually worth your time.The real numbers behind making hundreds of videos for one brand.Why bigger packages, better creative, and long-term brand relationships might be a better approach to travel content monetization.How UGC has given Goldie the freedom to travel, work with brands internationally, and create experiences she never would have had as a nurse.Goldie's upcoming UGC marketplace, Pando, and her plans to make life easier for creators.Why UGC is worth exploring if you want more control over your income, schedule, and career.CONNECT WITH GOLDIE: Find Goldie on Instagram at @goldie.ventures for more about her UGC journey, brand partnerships, and life as a full-time creator. She's also building Pando, a UGC marketplace designed to help creators and brands manage their workflows in one place, from contracts and deliverables to revisions and payments. Sign up for my newsletter, the Content Compass, the weekly newsletter for travel creators who are already landing brand deals and are ready to build the business behind their content.Get five shifts that will take you from travel creator to business owner with actionable next steps included. AND two private podcast episodes. Get the Creator to CEO Playbook for $5Say hi on InstagramJoin Us 👉 The Travel Creator Business Plan Community! The only business-building community designed specifically for travel creators.   You’ll get:   ✔ monthly business systems   ✔ coworking + Q&A calls   ✔ a private community of creators building real businesses   ✔ guidance to help you move from “content machine” to “CEO energy” Sign Up HERE

  2. Oct 22

    Why LinkedIn Might Be Better for Your Travel Creator Business Than Instagram (Seriously.) | Ep 144

    What if we’ve been fighting for our lives on Instagram while LinkedIn has been quietly getting people clients, brand deals, speaking gigs, and actual business opportunities? In this episode, I’m joined again by Laura England, founder of The Writer’s Harbor, and she is officially here to convince me (and probably you) that LinkedIn is no longer the crusty, dusty corporate platform we’ve made it out to be. We’re breaking down what LinkedIn marketing actually looks like for creators and business owners, how to create a content strategy that doesn’t require you to constantly feed the algorithm, and why storytelling might be one of the most underrated ways to grow your travel content business. Laura shares her two-pronged LinkedIn strategy: casting a wider net with relatable, funny, or story-driven content, then using niche expertise posts to turn that visibility into the right audience, opportunities, and potential clients. And if you’re in the travel industry? Pay attention. We talk about why LinkedIn can be especially powerful for connecting with tourism boards, marketing teams, event organizers, brand partnership managers, conference organizers, and other decision-makers who might not even be active on Instagram. We also get into how LinkedIn can fit into your larger content strategy for travel, including how to turn podcast episodes, travel experiences, events, and everyday stories into LinkedIn content — and then repurpose those ideas across Instagram, Threads, Pinterest, and email. Inside the episode, we talk about: Why LinkedIn marketing isn't just for finding a corporate jobHow Laura uses storytelling to build visibility and relationshipsWhy LinkedIn can help travel creators connect with tourism boards, brands, and decision-makersLaura's strategy for combining broad storytelling content with niche expertiseWhy you might only need to post 1–2 times per week when you're startingHow commenting on other people's posts can create major visibilityWhy LinkedIn content can continue gaining impressions months after you post itHow to use your Featured section to funnel people to your website, email list, podcast, or YouTubeHow to use SEO keywords naturally in your niche LinkedIn postsWhy your LinkedIn posts should actually sound like YOUHow LinkedIn fits into a sustainable content strategy for travel creatorsWhy Laura recommends giving your LinkedIn strategy at least three months to compoundThe biggest takeaway? You do not need another platform where you're desperately trying to go viral. You need relationships. You need the right people finding your work. And you need a travel marketing strategy that doesn't require you to be online 24/7. Maybe it's time to stop overthinking LinkedIn, tell your stories, talk about what you actually know, and let your content do a little more of the work for you. Because apparently… there is life outside of the Instagram bubble. Who knew? CONNECT WITH LAURA ENGLAND: Follow her on Instagram Amplify Your Voice on Linkedin: Q4 Spots Almost Sold OUT  Follow her on LinkedIn Sign up for my newsletter, the Content Compass, the weekly newsletter for travel creators who are already landing brand deals and are ready to build the business behind their content.Get five shifts that will take you from travel creator to business owner with actionable next steps included. AND two private podcast episodes. Get the Creator to CEO Playbook for $5Say hi on InstagramJoin Us 👉 The Travel Creator Business Plan Community! The only business-building community designed specifically for travel creators.   You’ll get:   ✔ monthly business systems   ✔ coworking + Q&A calls   ✔ a private community of creators building real businesses   ✔ guidance to help you move from “content machine” to “CEO energy” Sign Up HERE

  3. Oct 16

    How to Price Your Services as a Travel Creator or UGC Creator | Ep 143

    Travel creators: do you actually know how much you make per hour? Whether you’re a travel creator, travel influencer, UGC creator, or running a full-blown travel content business, figuring out what to charge can feel like the Wild Wild West. We see what other creators are charging, pick a number that sounds good, and hope it somehow makes sense. But are you actually making a profit? In this episode, I’m joined by profit strategist Michelle Denio to talk about how to price your work based on actual numbers — not vibes, what another creator charges, or the fact that $997 sounds like a nice internet-business number. Michelle breaks down how to figure out what your time needs to be worth, the hidden hours you’re probably forgetting to account for, and why bringing in more revenue doesn’t necessarily mean you have a profitable travel content business. We also talk about what happens when you hit capacity — because despite what the internet loves to tell us, the answer isn’t always, “Just raise your prices!” Sometimes you need to change the way you work. In this episode, we talk about: How to price your services as a travel creator, UGC creator, or content creatorWhy copying another creator’s pricing doesn’t tell you what YOU should chargeHow to figure out what your time actually needs to be worthThe hidden hours you might not be accounting for in your client and brand workWhy Michelle recommends adding a buffer when estimating how long projects will takeHow to know if a project or client is actually costing you moneyWhat to do when you realize you’re seriously underchargingWhy hitting capacity doesn’t automatically mean you should raise your pricesHow changing your business model can give you more time without sacrificing revenueProject work vs. retainers and how recurring revenue can create a more sustainable businessHow to price profitably without pricing yourself out of your target marketWhy more revenue does NOT always equal more profitIf you’re building a travel creator business and constantly wondering what to charge, whether you should raise your prices, or why you’re making money but still feel like you’re working ALL the time… this episode is for you. Because making more money as a travel creator isn’t just about landing more brand deals, UGC projects, or clients. You also need to make sure the work you’re already doing is actually profitable. 🎧 Connect with Michelle Listen to Michelle’s podcast, The Real Truth About Business, for more on pricing, profitability, sustainable business growth, and the actual numbers behind running your business. Subscribe to her newsletter, the Sunday Morning Brew Have a virtual coffee chat with Michelle ☕️ Sign up for my newsletter, the Content Compass, the weekly newsletter for travel creators who are already landing brand deals and are ready to build the business behind their content.Get five shifts that will take you from travel creator to business owner with actionable next steps included. AND two private podcast episodes. Get the Creator to CEO Playbook for $5Say hi on InstagramJoin Us 👉 The Travel Creator Business Plan Community! The only business-building community designed specifically for travel creators.   You’ll get:   ✔ monthly business systems   ✔ coworking + Q&A calls   ✔ a private community of creators building real businesses   ✔ guidance to help you move from “content machine” to “CEO energy” Sign Up HERE

  4. Oct 8

    When is it Time to Hire a Virtual Assistant for Your Travel Creator Business? | Ep 142

    🌎 Join the Travel Creator Business Plan Community and get the systems, support, and strategy to grow your creator business. Sign up here! ✈️  your content creator business feels like a hot mess express, hiring a virtual assistant might be exactly what you need. But how do you know when you're ready, what should you outsource first, and how do you make sure you're not just creating more work for yourself? In this episode, I'm joined by my very own virtual assistant, Glen from Serenique VA , to talk about hiring your first virtual assistant and building the support system your business actually needs. We're getting into the signs it's time to outsource, how to figure out what to hand over, and how to work with a VA without needing to have every single system perfectly organized first. We also talk about how to use virtual assistant support strategically in your travel creator business, from managing leads and creating content to tracking opportunities that can actually grow your business. Because the goal isn't just to get things off your plate. It's to free up your time and energy to focus on the work that moves the needle. In this episode, we cover: How to know when it's time to hire your first virtual assistantThe signs you're ready to outsource, even if you don't feel readyWhat to delegate first, from admin and client communication to content creation and lead follow-upsWhy you don't need perfect systems before hiring a VAHow to create simple SOPs using Loom and AIHow to figure out which tasks belong in your zone of genius and which ones you should hand overHow to use a time audit to see where your hours are actually goingHow to communicate with your VA, set expectations, and create better boundariesHow a VA can support lead tracking, nurture relationships, and manage business growth opportunitiesHow to hire strategically so your new support helps you grow your business and create more freedomPlus, Glen shares how consistent lead tracking and follow-ups helped one client secure 10 discovery calls and generate $40K in proposals and discovery-call opportunities in just one month. Connect with Glen: Instagram: @serenique.va Check out Glen's Before You Hire guide for practical exercises to help you identify what to outsource, create your handover list, and understand the value of bringing support into your business. Sign up for my newsletter, the Content Compass, the weekly newsletter for travel creators who are already landing brand deals and are ready to build the business behind their content.Get five shifts that will take you from travel creator to business owner with actionable next steps included. AND two private podcast episodes. Get the Creator to CEO Playbook for $5Say hi on InstagramJoin Us 👉 The Travel Creator Business Plan Community! The only business-building community designed specifically for travel creators.   You’ll get:   ✔ monthly business systems   ✔ coworking + Q&A calls   ✔ a private community of creators building real businesses   ✔ guidance to help you move from “content machine” to “CEO energy” Sign Up HERE

  5. Oct 1

    Pitching Brands as a Travel Content Creator: Copy My Exact Email Strategy | Ep 141

    🎧 Love this episode? Hit follow, leave a review, and send it to the creator friend who's been staring at a blank email draft for three days. You know who they are.  pitching brands doesn't have to feel awkward, desperate, or like a full-time job.  I'm walking you through the cold pitch email I send to creators, and the exact same structure works for pitching brands and tourism boards. You'll learn why most pitches get ignored, how to write a first line that proves you did your homework, and how to ask for a conversation without begging for a credit card. Whether you want to grow your travel content monetization or land more brand partnerships, this is the pen-and-paper episode you need. Today you'll learn: Why most cold pitches get ignored (hint: nobody cares about your follower count)How to write a first line that's a compliment, not a résuméWhy one simple yes/no question gets more replies than a wall of textHow to use email marketing stats to make a brand feel the problem you solveHow to adapt this template for tourism boards and brand partnershipsHow long to wait before following up, and what to say instead of "just bumping this up"How many follow-ups to send (spoiler: I've landed deals after the sixth email)Why you should only pitch 3 to 5 people a day so you don't burn out The Pitch Formula, Broken Down A personalized, specific compliment. Not "loved your trip to France." Think "that tiny village in France." Specificity proves you did your homework.One easy question. We're humans, and we're hardwired to answer questions.Why it matters. Two quick bullets or stats that make them feel the gap.Proof. Share one result or one past partnership. Not all of them. One, maybe two.Audience match. If you're pitching a tourism board, tell them where your audience lives.A yes/no ask. "Would you be open to a conversation?" or "Would it be helpful if I sent over a couple of ideas?"Space it out. Every line gets its own paragraph. Nobody wants to read a block of text.Sign up for my newsletter, the Content Compass, the weekly newsletter for travel creators who are already landing brand deals and are ready to build the business behind their content.Get five shifts that will take you from travel creator to business owner with actionable next steps included. AND two private podcast episodes. Get the Creator to CEO Playbook for $5Say hi on InstagramJoin Us 👉 The Travel Creator Business Plan Community! The only business-building community designed specifically for travel creators.   You’ll get:   ✔ monthly business systems   ✔ coworking + Q&A calls   ✔ a private community of creators building real businesses   ✔ guidance to help you move from “content machine” to “CEO energy” Sign Up HERE

  6. Sep 24

    How This Travel Influencer Grew a 4,000+ Person Travel Community Practically Overnight | Ep 140

    What happens when you throw a completely unhinged idea onto TikTok… and then 40 strangers actually show up?  Maddy Garrett knows a thing or two about turning travel content into an actual travel community. After moving to Lake Tahoe and realizing she knew approximately… nobody, Maddy posted a TikTok asking, “What if we got a bunch of single people together and went camping?” The internet said YES. Within a week, her Facebook group had 4,000+ people. Two weeks later, 40 strangers from across the U.S. showed up for a camping trip in the Nevada desert. And just like that, Outsiders Together was born. In this episode, we’re talking about what it REALLY takes to turn a following into a community — and how travel influencers and travel content creators can use group travel and retreat travel to create experiences people actually want to pay for. We’re getting into: ✈️ How Maddy turned one TikTok into a 4,000+ person travel community ⛺ Why starting with FREE meetups can be the smartest way to build community 🌎 How to sell group travel when you don't have a huge audience 💰 How travel content monetization can work through group trips 🔥 Why FOMO was one of Maddy’s biggest marketing strategies 📱 The simple content strategy she used to make people feel like they were missing out 🗓️ How she would launch a group trip TODAY in just two weeks 👯‍♀️ Why people often aren't buying the trip — they're buying the chance to hang out with YOU 💻 How travel influencers can turn their audience into an actual travel community 🥂 And why you need to stop overthinking it and JUST DO THE THING Maddy also shares what she learned from hosting international trips through Trova, including trips to Peru, Iceland, Alaska and Costa Rica, and what the financial side of group travel can actually look like. If you’ve been thinking about creating a travel community, hosting group trips, or adding retreat travel to your business… this is your sign to stop waiting for everything to be perfect. CONNECT WITH MADDY: Find Maddy at @maddyoutdoors.coach Listen to her podcast: Paid to Travel  Sign up for my newsletter, the Content Compass, the weekly newsletter for travel creators who are already landing brand deals and are ready to build the business behind their content.Get five shifts that will take you from travel creator to business owner with actionable next steps included. AND two private podcast episodes. Get the Creator to CEO Playbook for $5Say hi on InstagramJoin Us 👉 The Travel Creator Business Plan Community! The only business-building community designed specifically for travel creators.   You’ll get:   ✔ monthly business systems   ✔ coworking + Q&A calls   ✔ a private community of creators building real businesses   ✔ guidance to help you move from “content machine” to “CEO energy” Sign Up HERE

  7. Sep 17

    Top Email Marketing FAQs I Get from Travel Creators About Growing Their Newsletter | Ep 139

    💌 Want your newsletter to feel as easy as texting your bestie? Join my next workshop From Overthinking to Outbox  Your newsletter does NOT need to be complicated.  If you’re a travel content creator trying to grow your audience, get more eyes on your offers, or turn your followers into actual business leads, email marketing needs to be part of your strategy. In this episode, I’m answering some of the questions I get asked ALL the time about newsletters — from how often you should send them to what actually belongs inside your emails. We’re talking: ✈️ How often you should send your newsletter (and why consistency matters more than frequency)💌 Why a simple email template can make newsletter growth SO much easier👀 What your email open rate is actually telling you✍️ How much educational content you should include👋 How to weave your personal story into your emails without making every email about you👀 Why I LOVE a good PS📝 Why a TLDR can be especially useful for travel creators💰 How to balance value and selling in your emailsPlus, I’m sharing my actual approach to email marketing for travel influencers so you can stop overthinking your newsletter and start sending emails people actually want to open. And if you want to learn how to make sending an email feel as easy as sending a text message, I’m hosting a training where I’ll walk you through exactly how to create strong educational email content, choose a sustainable sending cadence, and actually get people opening your emails. 👉 Sign up for my next email marketing workshop here on how to send a newsletter as easy as sending a text.  This is usually invite-only, but I’m opening it up to my podcast fam. 💌 Happy creating, happy emailing, and I’ll see you on the internet! Sign up for my newsletter, the Content Compass, the weekly newsletter for travel creators who are already landing brand deals and are ready to build the business behind their content.Get five shifts that will take you from travel creator to business owner with actionable next steps included. AND two private podcast episodes. Get the Creator to CEO Playbook for $5Say hi on InstagramJoin Us 👉 The Travel Creator Business Plan Community! The only business-building community designed specifically for travel creators.   You’ll get:   ✔ monthly business systems   ✔ coworking + Q&A calls   ✔ a private community of creators building real businesses   ✔ guidance to help you move from “content machine” to “CEO energy” Sign Up HERE

  8. Sep 10

    Business Lessons I Learned This Summer in my Travel Content Creator Business | Ep 138

    Today’s episode is a little different because I’m actually stealing an episode from my friend and podcast producer  Marie’s podcast, Your Girl, where we sat down with Andrea to talk through our biggest business lessons from July. And honestly? There are A LOT. We’re talking about delayed gratification, client rejection, self-trust, networking, burnout, CEO time, making more money by doing less, and why sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is… go outside. In this episode, we’re talking about: Why the clients you sign today might have been watching you for monthsThe reminder that business is basically one giant lesson in delayed gratificationWhy you should never celebrate until the money is in the bankHow to stop taking client rejection personallyThe difference between someone rejecting your offer and rejecting youWhy people can say yes on a sales call and change their mind afterwardHow setting boundaries can completely change the way you show up in businessWhy your network is probably much closer than you thinkHow “one degree away” relationships can lead to clients, referrals, friendships, and opportunitiesWhy you should stop forcing yourself into a productivity schedule that doesn't actually work for youThe weird realization that sometimes the less I work, the more money I makeWhy successful business owners can become addicted to being busyThe importance of creating actual CEO hours instead of spending every second doing client workWhy you need to work on your business, not just in itGiving yourself permission to have hobbies, travel, go to the beach, and have a personality outside of your businessWhat it looks like to let your business grow up a little so it doesn't need you 24/7Why self-trust becomes absolutely essential when you're making big life and business movesWant to check out more from Marie? 🎧 Listen to her podcast about scaling your business: Your Girl  👉 Follow her on Instagram: @yourgirlmedia  Sign up for my newsletter, the Content Compass, the weekly newsletter for travel creators who are already landing brand deals and are ready to build the business behind their content.Get five shifts that will take you from travel creator to business owner with actionable next steps included. AND two private podcast episodes. Get the Creator to CEO Playbook for $5Say hi on InstagramJoin Us 👉 The Travel Creator Business Plan Community! The only business-building community designed specifically for travel creators.   You’ll get:   ✔ monthly business systems   ✔ coworking + Q&A calls   ✔ a private community of creators building real businesses   ✔ guidance to help you move from “content machine” to “CEO energy” Sign Up HERE

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The podcast for travel creators to learn smarter ways to use their content so they can save time and get back to traveling. I'm your host Laura and I saw travel content creators spending way too much time on their content creation. I used my six years of digital marketing experience to create smarter ways for travel creators to use their content.  In this podcast you'll find tangible tips on how to trade your content time for travel time. We play the long game here! No 'get rich quick schemes' but real strategies you can implement to help you love your travel creator journey again and make it sustainable.  We officially launch Jan 11th 2024! Episodes are out every Thursday after. 

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