A travel blogger’s influence extends across multiple channels where they share stories, destination highlights, tips and recommendations that targets people moving through each of the five stages of travel. How can you then collaborate with travel bloggers in a way that maintains the integrity of their story, yet tap into their influence to showcase your destination, and commit them to visiting? Caroline (‘Caz’) Makepeace shared her insights into how they effectively marketed destinations on their road trip while keeping it very real to their own story. She offered tips on how to create these campaigns, choose the right bloggers and how to effectively work with them. Caz is the co-founder of yTravel blog with her husband, Craig. They’ve just finished an 18-month road trip around Australia with their children, collaborating with many tourism boards along the way. They’ve been featured on Lonely Planet, National Geographic Online, Virgin Australia, Expedia, and the Today Show. Their reach extends into the millions. yTravel have partnered with brands such as Nissan, Ford, Qantas, Amex, and Canon. They were invited as one of the top travel bloggers in the world to attend the first ever travel summit at the White House and regularly speak at travel, blogging, and social media conferences.

1. How to collaborate with
travel bloggers to share your
destination through
their AUTHENTIC travel story

2. About Us
We’ll let the Today Show tell you!

3. A group campaign alternative
helping committed travellers

4. The five stages of travel
Dreaming
Planning
BookingExperiencing
Sharing

5. Our Trip
I will keep reading whether you’r
e
travelling 24/7 or staring at your
picket fence.
Your journey has been so much
fun
to follow and given me so much
to
dream about.

6. IF WE CAN DO IT YOU CAN TOO

7. The total package
14, 10
7
38,17941, 817
339, 652 559, 666

8. How it worked
Our STORY, your
DESTINATION

9. Deliverables
• Live social media updates
• Joint copyright to images
on social media
• Content highlighting
experiences and
destinations published on
our blog and shared
through our communities

10. Before
INFORM, INVITE, INVOLVE

11. During
Sharing tip
s
Brand
interaction
Sharing
memoriesSHARE
INTERACT

12. After
INSPIRE
INFORM
INCLUDE
CARE

14. THE BENEFITS

15. Real story told by real
travellers

16. Australian ambassadors

17. More bang for your buck
• Less on the ground costs
• More flexibility
• No need for hosts
• Long-term relationships save you money
• Relevant activities avoid wastage and give greater
exposure
IF CHOSEN CORRECTLY

18. Passion and authenticity leads to value over-
delivery
Shelley Winkel - TEQ
PASSION exchang
e

19. Structured content

20. Constant new and recycled
content

22. USEFUL
INSPIRING
SHAREABL
E
169, 732 views 87, 051+ shares153 comments

23. Booking functionality
ACCOMMODATION

24. Useful and inspiring content that doesn’t
disappear

25. “We didn’t know Australia was like th
is.”
“You’ve made me want to see m
y own country instead of going o
verseas.”

26. PINS REPINS SEARCH TRAF
FIC

27. LEVERAGE

29. Provide content to other
sites

30. Share their authentic story through your
channels
Caz and Craig are on t
heir way to Sunshine C
oast – what should the
y see and do there?

31. Share their story with traditional media

32. Work in collaboration with
brands

33. Create content for your site

34. Use their authority
Speaking at trade sh
ows
and events
Meet ups/ Hang outs
INSPIRATION +
EXPERT ADVICE

35. CASE STUDY

37. You can’t fake PASSION and
AUTHENTIC story telling

38. These stats are still increasing
4, 173

41. GETTING IT
RIGHT

42. FISH WHERE THE
COMMITTED FISH ARE

43. Choose correctly
Story
Experiences
Blogger

44. Trust the blogger

45. Clear expectations +
communication

46. Professionalism

47. What’s the leverage?

48. CHOOSING THE
RIGHT BLOGGER

49. Do your due diligence

50. What to look for?
• Case studies
• Stats
• Research their content
• Audience
demographics
• What’s the angle?
• Engagement
• Wider influence
• Working relationship

51. WHAT’S NEXT?

52. The road trip continues
• Finding a match
between our desires
and our reader’s
interests.
• The Perfect Match is
USA
65 tips already

53. Q & A
yTravelBlog.com @yTravelBlogcazcraig@yTravelBlog.co