Being able to run a food blog while traveling through the world and enjoying new experiences in new cities sounds like a dream job, and it is indeed. However, there is a version of this kind of job that people do not discuss in detail at dinner parties – spreadsheets, backup plans, and hunting for reliable Wi-Fi in a guesthouse that claims to have “high-speed internet.” In this article, we are going to reveal how a food blog can be created without the need for having one fixed address.
Why Location Independence Really Helps to Run a Food Blog
Unlike many other types of content that are difficult to generate during travels, food blogging is a type of content that gets improved with continuous movement through various locations. While a travel blogger gets exhausted after the tenth city, a food blogger gets new angles and food ideas each time they visit a new city and try something different.
Regional ingredients, new dishes, cooking techniques, etc. – each location brings something new to your content, and you will have to find ways of describing it.
The problem with food blogging is that it lacks routine, as it cannot be done according to the usual patterns – there is no constant kitchen setup, the internet connection is unstable, and the schedule varies greatly depending on where you are. The secret of being successful in this field is to create a routine that exists only in your habits.
Developing a Work Routine That Will Last Across Time Zones
The main mistake of those who decide to launch a blog while traveling is thinking that they will somehow cope with the difficulties during travels. It may work if you are going to stay away from your home for a couple of weeks. But if you are planning to be on the road for a year or more, and your blog is the source of your income, it is essential to establish some kind of routine that will suit you wherever you go.
There are a number of basic aspects in the working routine of every blogger that should remain unchanged:
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A consistent schedule of publication and editing, independent of time zones, that will let your readers know when they can expect a new post.
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A cloud-based system of storing photos and drafts of posts to avoid losing important information due to a broken laptop or stolen phone.
Apart from this, every blogger creates some rhythm of work that will fit them in a week:
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They shoot and test the new food in the first days of arriving in a new place.
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They create drafts during the middle period of their stay in a particular location.
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They publish the posts during the last days in the particular place.
Thus, you will be able to concentrate on creating posts without worrying about catching a bus or finding a Wi-Fi hotspot in a café.
Gear You Need While Running a Blog
You do not need to have an entire studio at your disposal to create a good food blog from anywhere in the world. However, there is some equipment that makes your life simpler:
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A mirrorless camera with a macro lens can be used to capture pictures of food.
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A smartphone with a good camera can also be used; nowadays, many food blogs are created only using smartphone cameras.
Also, a good laptop is necessary for editing photos and writing posts. Working with a tablet is possible, but it requires much more time.
Apart from laptops, portable chargers and universal adapters are always useful while traveling, especially for bloggers. Also, some bloggers use small tripods and a clip-on light while shooting in restaurants.
Keeping Connected and Storing Information Securely
Internet access becomes a problem for those who decide to create a food blog from the road. There will be situations when you have to connect to the Wi-Fi of a hotel, and it poses some security risks.
Public networks are extremely easy to intercept, which may cause trouble while you are uploading new posts to your website or while entering your credentials in order to pay for sponsored content.
While traveling, full-time bloggers are much more careful with their information security than usual travelers. Not only is access to your blog important, but protecting it is also crucial while you are connecting from random cafés or hotels.
Many bloggers route their traffic through a VPN while working in shared spaces, as this service encrypts your traffic and prevents hackers from intercepting it.
It has become an important part of the toolkit, just like a laptop or a camera bag, for those who run websites with an administration interface that needs protection.
Apart from security, there is also a matter of consistency. Some countries limit access to particular websites and platforms, and this is why a connection system becomes important to ensure the consistency of your posts.
Management of Content While Traveling
As you will not be able to predict what a new location offers to you, a rigid content calendar will not suit you well in such cases. Therefore, many bloggers prefer to have a list of post formats that they can write about rather than a detailed plan with particular topics.
For example, instead of “writing a post about Restaurant X on March 3,” it would be better to plan writing “one post on street food, one interview with a chef, and one post on regional food” at each location.
Backup is very important for those who are creating their blog while traveling. A laptop, smartphone, or other devices may easily be lost or damaged. Thus, having cloud storage and regularly making backups becomes a necessity in such cases.
Most experienced food bloggers always do it automatically and make sure that the backup is actually performed successfully.
Establishing Connections with Local Food Communities
The most popular blogs are not those with beautiful photos and good writing. Those are the blogs that provide exclusive access to some special places that nobody knows about.
Spending more time in a particular city gives you a chance to talk to vendors twice or even invite them to see the production process that is not accessible to others.
Such access can be achieved with some special efforts. Showing up at the same market stall twice, knowing a few words of the local language, and telling everyone what you are looking for instead of just showing a camera may become the key to success.
Most local food communities are generous to those people who are sincere about their interests.
Earning Money While Being a Nomad
Your earnings while blogging on the road are likely to vary, as they are provided by different sources: sponsored content, affiliate links, ads, and sometimes freelance writing for online media that needs food coverage in a particular place.
Diversification is an important aspect here, as sponsored content is quite unstable in case of a lack of a local base for establishing relationships with brands.
Currency and payments are also important factors that should be considered beforehand. Having to receive money in one currency and spend it in another, as well as paying taxes for different states and using foreign payment platforms, may be quite confusing.
Therefore, it is better to prepare for these aspects beforehand.
Taking Care of Yourself
Many people believe that a food blog requires constant activity, but that is a big misconception. Burnouts in the field of blogging are very common precisely because of blurred boundaries between blogging and living your life.
Continuous trips through cities, visiting new restaurants, and taking pictures of them may spoil the hobby that brought you here at the beginning. It is crucial to take regular breaks while traveling.
Therefore, some meals should be eaten but not photographed. Some places should be visited without having a blog post idea in mind.
This will help to maintain your activity in this sphere and keep the posts high-quality and interesting for your readers.
Conclusion
Thus, creating a food blog without having a fixed place does not require anything except creating efficient workflows, maintaining connection and content safety, and being curious about the people who produce this food.
