xploring the world while you make money. That sounds like a dream to a lot of people, but for some it has become reality. With the rising popularity and influence of social media, it's becoming easier than ever to travel and get paid for it. In the past year I've been to over 11 countries and got paid to go there. Here is how I did it, and how you can do it too.
1. Develop a skill.
Nobody is going to give you a ticket and let you fly the world for free. At least not that I know of. So if you want to do it, you have to be good at something. And that's why you should develop a skill that is valuable in this world. And because this article is also about how I did it, this is what I did. I've always loved traveling and meeting new people. While I was traveling for myself I stumbled upon a guy who was bringing his camera to every place he'd go to. It turned out he was a photographer who travelled the world and even got to do it for money. He was a full-time travel photographer. And he inspired me to do the same. So when I got home, I bought myself a camera and started developing my photography skills. I learned the technical part of the job and made sure I knew how to handle my camera. After a few months I was starting to get confident with the machine and took some paid jobs with it. But I wasn't traveling which was my main focus, and that brings me to the second step. Marketing.
2. Market your skills
You can be a great photographer but if nobody sees your masterpieces, it isn't worth much (yet). That's why it's important to get out there and make sure you show the world what you're capable of. But that's easier said than done, here is how I did it. When I started out I did everything for free, just to develop and build a portfolio. I posted my work on sites like Upwork and Fiverr, to get some (low-paid) jobs. That helped me to understand how to grow online and get some clients. Then I started posting on Instagram and TikTok. And these two are very powerful if you want to become a travel photographer or even a travel videographer. The most used tool for people to find places to go to is... social media. So if you can show people the beauty of the places you travel to, you have value. And the best part is, that you don't need to be an influencer or have a big following (it certainly helps). So how do you get clients when you're not a celebrity? I'll tell you.
3. Finding clients
The world is moving towards social media. Almost everybody is using it, and so are companies. Big and small companies rely heavily on social media, 78% of the companies that use social media drive revenue from it. But that also means that there is a lot of competition on these platforms to get the attention from clients. And so quality and creativity is what stands out. And that is where you can come in and create value. If you have a good set of skills, in either photography or videography, you can make money with (travel) social media. I would recommend starting out with building your Instagram and TikTok page to make it look professional and attractive. And when you've got a strong page, you can help others. Just create a template with the message that you can help the company you're reaching out to, with their photos, videos or whatever that you want to offer. In this message it is important that you include your service, examples and a personal touch for the company. Becoming a travel photographer can be very broad, so it's good to niche down. Do you want hotels to hire you, travel agencies, or even cities (things like visit UAE)? When you've got a specific niche you want to target, you can start.
