Europe a la Carte Blog

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I was hoping to gain some insight into “What readers want from a travel blog?” from last night live blog. However although the live blog was a really interesting and informative discussion between travel bloggers, there was no input from travel blog readers. Maybe the event didn’t get enough publicity. There were 20 viewers at the event and the couple of viewers who made comments were bloggers. Perhaps a few of the other viewers were travel blog readers who didn’t wish to make comments.

The majority of visitors to my Europe a la Carte blog come through search engines and appear to be interested in reading about the specific topic about which they are searching. I’m not sure if readers want to subscribe to blogs and receive every post leading to being b(l)ogged down by information overload. I also think that many readers aren’t aware of blog subscription.

There’s also the misconception that blogs are the online outpourings of teenage geeks rather than a type of online magazine. Travel blogs can also be interpreted as travelogues i.e. a personal trip diary of a travellers. Would we travel bloggers be better christening our blogs “online travel magazines” rather than “travel blogs”? |t could be that readers will be more willing to subscribe to a magazine that to a blog.

My blog is an extension of my online travel business, a way of promoting the business. Personally I’m not too obsessed by the number of subscribers to my blog or even the number of page views. It’s how many visitors are converted into buyers of accommodation, car hire etc and/or click on the ads, whether than be on the blog itself or on the main site. generating income for me, that is of importance to me.

In conclusion to answer my question “What do readers want from a travel blog?” - useful, relevant and entertaining posts to fulfill the readers current desire, whether that be armchair travelling, information about a destination, insightful commentary, inspiration, beautiful photos, travel trips or offers. So no easy answers for travel bloggers.

You could argue it’s wise to write a niche blog eg concentrating on luxury travel, a specific destination but then some readers may prefer a blog, sorry should I say online magazine, which covers various aspects of travel. I suppose I fall into both camps, my Europe a la Carte blog focuses on authentic travel in Europe on a modest budget, although that still gives me an awful lot ot cover. The other blog for which I write, Wandalust aims to inspire people to develop the irresistibly strong desire to travel, well that could be anything and anywhere.

You’re invited to tonight’s live blog featuring 5 travel blogger panelists discussing “What readers want from a travel blog”. You just need to come to this post at 8pm British Summer Time, which is one hour in advance of Greenwich Mean Time (here’s a link to check the time in your time zone). The console below will go live and you can follow the discussion and make comments or pose questions to the panelist. You can read about the panelists below.

I’m Karen Bryan, creator of the Europe a la Carte blog, hosting tonight’s event. I’ll be moderating tonight’s live blog. My travel business Europe a la Carte features authentic travel in Europe on a modest budget. I started a blog for my travel business in October 2006. I try to make my posts useful, informative and entertaining for readers who want to see more of the real Europe, beyond the well worn tourist track. I recently started as the editor of Wandalust a UK travel blog.

I’ve listed the panelist in alphabetical order of their first names. I asked the panelists to email my their own introduction.

David Stanley is the author of Moon Handbooks South Pacific, Moon Fiji, and Moon Tahiti, published by Avalon Travel Publishing of Berkeley, California. His South Pacific travel blog is intended to provide updates to his printed guidebooks and to discuss issues of interest to Pacific travelers.

Gil Zeimer is an accomplished travel writer, advertising wordsmith and globetrotter. His true passion is his role as lead editor/writer of www.Vagablond.com, a luxury travel blog focusing on travel, food, wine and shopping. Since the site’s launch in April 2005, Gil has crafted over 1,325 stories and acted as catalyst for Vagablond’s position as the online resource for luxury travel with highly entertaining content.

Hi, my name is Jeanne from Soultravelers3. We are 20 months into an open ended, multi-year trip around the world as a family on a tight budget & we blog/vlog about our adventures and collaborate with other readers, travelers, teachers, schools, and homeschoolers around the world. We retired early and also share how-to information about that, mobile global living, e-education & homeschooling while traveling, budget family travel and RVing in Europe and world wide. This year we are excited about bringing a few classrooms of disadvantaged children in NYC and Chicago along with us virtually!

I’m Sebastien Tobler, I believe that my blog Colliding Continents offers a true travelers perspective that strays from the beaten path. I think that my experiences around the world can help people find a more qualitative approach to traveling. Having lived in a significant amount of countries throughout my life I find that there are ways to better assimilate with the cultures you live in/are visiting instead of maintaining an outsider’s perspective.

Tom Meyers is the founder and the Editor-in-Chief of EuroCheapo.com. EuroCheapo’s mission is to make travelers’ time in Europe affordable and memorable. EuroCheapo’s editors have scoured Europe’s most popular cities to find hotels that are both welcoming and wallet-friendly. The hotels EuroCheapo recommends are perfect places to settle in for a few days while exploring cities, interacting with locals and learning about the places you’re visiting. EuroCheapo’s budget travel blog includes daily posts containing advice and insider information for saving money while traveling. The EuroCheapo blog focuses on areas that are most likely to impact travel budgets, including hotels, budget airlines and alternative transportation options, and the occasional restaurant recommendation.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like running your own web based business, you can read my everyday agonies and ecstasies running my travel website and blog on Twiiter. Share in my daily frustrations with IT, my joy when I get publicity or positive feedback. Have a laugh with me when things go array, like when I misspelled budget travel as “bodget” travel on a live blog. Perhaps I could diversify into writing a sit-com entitled “Bodget Travel”. Read about the moment when divine inspiration strikes and I try a new ploy to develop the business or I suddenly work out how to master the latest IT gizmo like blog widgets.

Divine Inspiration by azrainman

I started my travel business Europe a la Carte in 2002 to promote authentic travel in Europe on a modest budget. I believe that if you venture, even slightly, off the beaten track, you’ll see more of the real Europe. My site features guides to less well known European destinations. I started the Europe a la Carte blog in October 2006 and write about travel news, tips and advice, travel deals, accommodation and restaurant reviews.

Things recently moved up a gear for me when I started the editor of the Wandalust UK travel blog, where I’ve to write five posts a week. It’s getting even harder trying to fit everything in - my travel business and blog, my part time day job as a social research interviewer and having some time for family and friends.

Well certainly life is never dull as an internet entrepreneur and blogger, so if you are already a Twitterer you can follow me or you can sign up to Twitter and start receiving my “Everyday agony & ecstasy of a non techie Scot running a travel website and blog” updates.

PS I’ve been trying to add my Twitter badge to this post but in keeping with being a non techie, I can’t get the code to work in a blog post. The code works fine the margin of the home of Europe a la Carte but apparently not in a blog post.

I recently blogged about Travel Alltop and how I think it’s great to have the most recent post headlines of the leading travel blogs on a single site. This set me thinking that there’s now no need to subscribe to blogs on your favourite topics if you can just skim down the topic page on Alltop.

I may be shot down in flames for such heresy by many bloggers for whom one definition of the success of their blog is measured by the number of RSS subscribers proudly displayed on their blogs. I’m looking at it from the readers’ perspective. Why be b(l)ogged down with all the posts from several blogs when you can easily and simply pick and mix what takes your fancy on the Alltop topic page? You could argue that reading the most recent post titles of the 60 or so travel blogs featured in Alltop Travel will increase information overload.

I suppose this is going to put even more pressure on bloggers to come up with zappy post titles to attract readers. Will it force we bloggers to come up with consistent excellent posts for readers to become subscribers to ensure they never miss any of our riveting posts?

I’ve never been too obsessed by my subscriber numbers. I look at my overall blog stats. Of course all we bloggers would love to have regular readers but you can have regular readers who aren’t subscribers. I still believe if I produce interesting, informative and entertaining contents I’ll get readers. It’s great that readers now have more choice in how they access blogs.

Will you still continue to subscribe to your favourite blogs? Are fellow bloggers concerned about the possible decline in subscribers?

Tracy Deluca is the author of the Travel Betty blog which “encourages fearless independent travel for women”. Tracy believes “travel is freedom”.

1 What is the aim of your blog?

Travel is a passion of mine and I put a lot of time and effort into researching destinations. I realized that I had a lot of knowledge that would be useful to pass along and I wanted to encourage more people, especially women, to get out there and see more of the world.

2 What prompted you to start your own blog?

I love writing as much as I love travel. I had been writing another blog called How I Died Today. It was just for fun and to learn blogging basics. After taking a travel writing seminar in San Francisco about a year and a half ago, I decided to switch over and focus on Travel Betty.

3 What has been the hardest aspect of having your blog?

Finding time to write posts. I have so many thoughts and ideas, but I never seem to have enough time to write it all up. The other hard part was finding a blog techie who was competent and reliable. I finally found Joel at BlogTechGuy.com and he helped to whip my blog into shape.

4 What is the funniest thing that has happened to you running your blog?

Nothing particularly hilarious has happened so far (I’m hopeful it will!). But I have been able to meet some really amazing people through blogging. I met up with Chris at Nomad4Ever.com when I was in Bali last year and that was a real treat. It’s also great hearing how I’ve been able to help other Betties plan their own trips. I love it when someone writes back and lets me know that something I wrote led them to their own grand adventure.

5 Is there anything you would do differently with the benefit of hindsight?

I would have gotten someone to help me with the technical aspects right from the beginning. I also would have started off with my own domain name and used a hosting company like Dreamhost. I started off using Blogger and had to switch a few months in. That was a time consuming process. But really, it’s all a learning experience and I’m so very happy I started Travel Betty. I’d encourage anyone who is thinking of starting their own blog to take the leap. We’ve all got amazing stories to share, no matter what the topic.

My comments

I think it is a good idea to self host your own blog from the outset, it gives you more freedom and control. Luckily one of our sons is my IT expert (he’s a 3rd year computing student} and he got my Europe a la Carte blog set up as part of my main site. Unless you are in the fortunate position of being an all rounder, a blogger really needs some technical support.

Finding the time to write posts is always an issue. This is especially true for me now that I write five posts a week for Wandalust as well as writing for my own blog. I find I might have a good idea for a post but if I don’t take a note of it there and then I’ll probably forget it.

Welcome to the second Europe Travel Carnival. I hope that you be entertained, informed and inspired by the following melee of articles relating to travel in Europe.

Activities

Rouge-Bleu: A Newbie Vine Farmer in Provence posted at Diary of 1, recommends, “If traveling in the south of France, don’t miss Jean-Marc’s vineyard in Provence - he gives tours!” The blogs author, Jen, describes how she contacted Jean-Marc, to ask for advice in pursuance of her dream of one day owning a vineyard.

Christopher Cook presents Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp: taking time during your vacation to remember posted at -noambit -Travel Europe- where to go, what to see, and how to get there, saying, “Just outside Berlin in the small town of Oranienburg lies a concentration camp that was built as a model for all others to follow. This article provides a brief history as well as information on how to experience this free day trip from the capital of Germany.” I walked around the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe when I was in Berlin last month. It really started me thinking, First of all, how could this have happened and then would have had the courage to speak out against the atrocities if I’d lived during that era?

Jewish Memorial, Berlin

Destinations

Chris Christensen presents Episode 126 - Malta posted at The Amateur Traveler Podcast - travel for the love of it. It’s interesting to listen to an American interviewing an New Zealander, Linda of the Indie Travel Podcast who lived in Malta for a few months. Linda was most impressed by the history of Malta. I’ve never been to Malta and have heard very mixed reports about holiday experiences there.

Eddie Lake presents Edinburgh, Scotland - Feb 16 through Feb 18, 2008 posted at London and Beyond. Eddie rated Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill highly. I agree as they are two of my tips in Edinburgh off the beaten track.

View toward Scottish Parliament and Arthurs Seat from Calton Hill

Niharika presents Lost and Found: 12 Ancient Cities Rediscovered posted at Travelhacker. I’d never heard of the city of Veliky Novgorod in the north west of Russia, south east of St Petersburg. It looks beautiful.

Yaroslav’s Court and Ancient Torg, Veliky Novgorod by AndIfeelfine

In Lithuania - Vilnius posted at Norway - An American In Oslo Kristie gives us a lot of information about Vilnius, the capital of the Baltic state. Vilnius is known as the “city of churches” and has the largest old town in Europe.

paulmct presents Amsterdam In the Afternoon « Bloggin’ Off posted at Bloggin’ Off, He descrbes the Vondel Park as attractive escape from the city. Paul was born in Scotland but now lives in Vamcouver, Canada.

Julie’s view of Paris features in the whatIseeoutofmywindow blog where Tony aims to “connect the World one window at a time”. You can submit the view from your window to his blog, I’ve already submitted the view from my office window, pictured below.

The view from my office of the Royal Border railway bridge over River Tweed

Budget Tips

Christine describes Barcelona on the Cheap posted at Me, My Kid and Life: An American Single Mom Living in France. If you help with cleaning and serving breakfast it’s possible to stay free in the Sea Point hostel located right by the beach. It can be confusing to compare hostel prices because some prices are all inclusive and others charge extra for sheets, blankets, towels, linen and breakfast.

7 reasons to love train travel posted at Europe String certainly makes you consider travelling in Europe by rail. Having said that the train is a much more viable option if you live in mainland Europe or at least in the south east of England. Living in Scotland or the north of England, it can be a lot quicker and cheaper to fly.

Malta gets another mention in this carnival by Hilary in Baring My Budget: Malta « Less Than a Shoestring posted at Less Than a Shoestring, saying, “A three-night trip to Malta, including round-trip airfare, cost me a whopping 50 euros.”

Travel Tips

Sounds of the city - podcasts posted at Heather on her travels, saying, “This post looks at the podcasts available to give you a flavour of your destination or to guide you when sightseeing. The post reviews various sites where you can find podcasts, especially those for Rome and Valencia which Heather will be visiting in this month.” Now I was supposed to be starting weekly podcasts on the podcasting equipment I won in a competition. The plan was to talk about blog posts and travel news for the past week but I only managed a couple. Something else to add to the to-do list.

The next Europe Travel Carnival will be posted on Monday 5 May 2008 with a closing date for submissions of 30 April. Please only submit articles about travel in Europe. If you submit more than one post, I’ll only be able to feature one post per author.

Bellagio, Lake Como

I read an article today about the different types of travel writing which reckoned that the more bizarre the topic the more likely the book was to get the necessary publicity to become popular. I have to say that Round Ireland with a Fridge about an guy hitchhiking around Ireland with a fridge, sprang to mind immediately.

The article suggested that there are an increasing number of travellers looking for information about location off the beaten track which is exactly the theme of my travel site.  There’s also a demand for books describing how the “journey” can change your life.  Readers want to be able to put themselves in the writers shoes and think “I could do that” of “that could happen to me”.

In some ways I’ve come to the conclusion that I’d rather travel than read about travel. I suppose I am a travel  writer of sorts in that I write guides for my site and posts about travel for this blog and the Wandalust blog,  However in my destination guides I’m not even attempting to conjure up the atmosphere and beauty of a location with my clever use of descriptive, evocative turn of phrase - I’ll rely on photos. My aim is to inspire readers to visit a less well known destination such as Lake Iseo presenting the reader with links to find out more information about accommodation. local history and activities. I don’t want to be prescriptive in my guides as I am a firm believer is spending time wandering around and soaking up the atmosphere and going to a restaurant which is frequented by locals, rather than the star pick from a guide book.

The genre of my adventures “how wonderful and amusing it was when I moved to warner climes” such as Under the Tuscan Sun never really appealed to me. I think many Brits are under the impression if you move somewhere sunny that all your boring everyday tasks, problems and concerns will somehow disappear. Whereas I think they may well multiply rather than diminish if you can’t speak the language, don’t know local laws and miss your friends and family.  I love visiting places such as the Italian Lakes on holiday but have never felt that I wanted to actually live there.

What can I say, I rarely seem to have the time to read books. Our sons gave me New Europe by Michael Palin for my Christmas present, a good choice for a Mum who has a website about travel in Europe, and it lies unopened.  Maybe if you work in the travel industry you are looking a different topic when you select a book?

What type of travel books do you like to read?  What’s your favourite travel book?  Maybe you prefer  browsing on the internet to get your travel fix?

When I was reading the Twitter updates of my friends in the travel sector I came across a link to Travel Alltop a collection of stories from all the top travel sites and blogs in the web.  Well imagine my delight when I spotted the Europe a la Carte blog near the top of the page, in the left hand position of the second row.

What I really like about the site, apart from the fact that my blog is prominently listed in a collection of around 60 travel blogs and sites, is that I can click on the headline of the feed headlines and read the first few sentences of the post and then click if I want to read the whole post.  I think that this is great, as it means I can skim through all the latest travel content on a daily basis.

There are loads of other categories too such as wine, food and photography. So if you want to have a single source to the top stories on your favourite topic Alltop.com is for you.

From next month “flogging” or misleading commercial blogging will be outlawed by the European Union. Under the new rules companies who post glowing reviews of their own products or services or pay others to enhance their reputation. will be liable to prosection.

It’ll be interesting to see if transgressors will be tracked and prosecuted. It sounds like the EU might have to employ an army of investigators. I also wonder if prosecutions will be successful as that will hinge on whether the information posted is likely to affect the buying decision of the average customer.

For a start what is an average customer? You could even argue that recent publicity about flogging should have made the customer aware that user generated reviews are not always reliable or honest.

In some respects perhaps the new rules are a little late. I recently wrote about the declining appeal of user generated reviews due to information overload as well as mistrust of the content.

Do you think this new legislation is timely, necesary and/or enforceable? Would negative publicity about offenders be the most more effective deterrent - the modern day equivalent of a public flogging?

Nominations have opened for the 2008 Travvies. It’s up to you the readers of travel blogs to nominate your favourites.

There are several categories:

• Best Travel Blog
• Best Single-Author Travel Blog
• Best Group-Written Travel Blog
• Best Destination or Trip Narrative Blog
• Best Informative/Practical Travel Blog
• Best Photography on a Travel Blog
• Best Big Media Blog
• Best Podcast or Video Blog

So think back over the last year and decide which travel blogs have been the most informative, useful, interesting, inspirational and/or entertaining to you and get nominating. You can choose up to 3 blogs in each category, so if you’re a fan of multiple blogs you won’t be forced to choose between them.

I’m delighted that the Europe a la Carte blog has been nominated in the Best Destination or Trip Narrative category.