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How to Write a Travel Guide and Sell It Through Your Blog

How to Write a Travel Guide and Sell It Through Your Blog

Creating and selling a travel guide is one of the most effective ways to transform your blog into a consistent source of income. If you already write travel content, you’re halfway there. This guide will walk you through the exact steps to turn your knowledge into a product people are willing to pay for.

Step 1: Choose the Right Type of Travel Guide

Not all travel guides are created equal. Start by choosing a format that aligns with your expertise and your readers’ interests:

  • Destination-specific (e.g., "A Local’s Guide to Lisbon")
  • Thematic (e.g., "Europe for Solo Female Travelers")
  • Budget-focused (e.g., "7 Days in Japan Under $500")
  • Experience-based (e.g., "Cultural Immersion in Oaxaca")

Check what’s selling on Amazon or Gumroad and study what’s missing in your niche.

Step 2: Identify Your Unique Angle

Thousands of guides exist, so what’s your unique value? Think about:

  • What do you know better than most?
  • What do readers frequently ask in your comments or emails?
  • What’s the personal perspective you bring?

This is your selling point.

Step 3: Research What Already Exists

Search Google, Amazon and Etsy for similar guides. Look at:

  • Content structure
  • Length and depth
  • Price point
  • User reviews (especially complaints)

Your job is to offer something better, clearer, or more specific.

Step 4: Outline the Content

Structure is everything. A basic travel guide outline might include:

  • Introduction / Why this guide is different
  • Essential travel tips (visas, transport, money, safety)
  • Day-by-day itineraries
  • Food and accommodation recommendations
  • Insider tips / local customs
  • Resources (apps, websites, maps)

Use your blog analytics to identify popular topics and make sure to include them.

Step 5: Write and Reuse Blog Content Wisely

You don’t have to start from scratch. Pull together:

  • Your most helpful blog posts
  • Comments and feedback from your readers
  • Instagram captions with practical advice

Repurpose this into more polished, structured, and value-packed content.

Step 6: Add an Interactive Map

Including a custom map with all the locations mentioned in your guide greatly improves its value. It makes the guide more actionable and easier to follow for your readers.

Here are a few tools you can use:

  • Google My Maps – Add custom pins, layers, and descriptions for free
  • MakeMyMap – Easy-to-use map tool for creating custom itineraries
  • Atlist – Create stylish interactive maps with categories and embed options
  • MapHub – Collaborative and minimalist map tool

You can embed the map in your blog, link to it in your guide, or offer it as a bonus resource.

Step 7: Design and Format for Digital Sale

  • Use free tools like Canva, Designrr, or Google Docs + PDF export
  • Keep layout clean and scannable
  • Add original photos, maps, and links
  • Make it mobile-friendly

You can sell your guide in PDF format, or use platforms like Etsy, Gumroad, Payhip, or Shopify.

Step 8: Price It Right

Check what similar products charge. Typically:

  • Short weekend guides: $5–9
  • In-depth country guides: $15–25

Offer launch discounts to your mailing list and blog readers.

Step 9: Create a Landing Page

Build a simple sales page using:

  • Clear headline
  • What’s inside the guide
  • 3–5 bullet points of benefits
  • Screenshots or sample pages
  • Testimonials (even from beta readers)
  • Call-to-action button (Buy Now)

Use your blog to funnel traffic to this page.

Step 10: Promote via Blog, Email & Social

  • Write related blog posts and link to your guide
  • Offer a free sample chapter in exchange for emails
  • Use Pinterest pins and Instagram Stories
  • Create a dedicated "Start Here" page on your blog

Consistency is key — promote it regularly, not just once.

Bonus: Bundle & Upsell

  • Sell itineraries as separate products
  • Bundle city guides into a regional pack
  • Offer coaching or custom planning as a premium option

Creating a travel guide might seem like a big task, but it’s manageable — especially when you repurpose content you already have. Most importantly, it’s a product that keeps working for you long after it’s published.

Start simple. Launch it. Learn. Then improve.

Your blog can be more than just stories — it can be a store.

Marina