Working as a travel influencer could allow you to see a variety of wonderful locations around the world, and still earn a healthy income. However, rather than simply quitting your day job and jumping on a plane, you may want to make sure you have a proper plan in place first.
This can involve incorporating several useful tools which can make your working life easier, as well as to keep things running when you work remotely.
Invoice Templates
Creating and sending a different invoice for every single piece of work you do can be a long, arduous process, especially if this involves multiple clients too. Rather than simply putting it down to being an unenjoyable aspect of your influencer lifestyle, you could instead find a way to speed up the process involved.
Using a straightforward invoice template can make it so much quicker, and doesn’t require any advanced technical knowledge. You can simply alter the text and logos, along with the work you have undertaken, input a payment amount, and then save it uniquely before sending it to the client.
Saving each invoice with a unique name, such as the client’s name, month and year of invoice means that it will also be a lot easier to find the correct file should you need to query something at a later date.
Digital Camera
While the technology found in cell phone cameras is always advancing, you may find that your pictures have better quality when using a digital camera. In addition to this, there may be less lag involved, as your camera won’t also be attempting to do a vast number of other functions at the same time.
When you plan to be away from home for a long time, it could also potentially double as a webcam, allowing you to make video calls back home to friends and family, liaise with clients, or even stream yourself live to any participating viewers.
When uploading pictures, you may want to consider adding a subtle watermark, to prevent them from being stolen by others. Your camera could also bring you in a little extra revenue, such as if you sold any unused images to stock photo websites.
Luggage Locks
When you have several expensive electrical goods in your bag, the last thing you might want is for someone else to be able to take them. Although you may lock your doors and windows securely when out, or at night, you may not have considered the risk of theft when you are moving around.
Even keeping your bags on your person may not be enough, as pickpockets might still be able to undo them. Investing in a fairly inexpensive yet effective locking system can help to keep unwanted hands off of your possessions, allowing you to work without fuss.
Portable Chargers
As a travel influencer, you’ll be switching between your digital devices frequently, throughout your trip. Whether you’re taking photos on your phone and uploading to social media, writing down important information for a blog post on your iPad, capturing stunning video footage with your DSLR camera or you’re editing a vlog in a cafe somewhere, running out of charge on any device can seriously hinder your progress and impact the quality of your work.
Therefore, travel influencers shouldn’t leave home without a variety of portable chargers that they can use to keep their devices running whilst on the go. All you have to do is top them up with juice by charging them in your hotel room before you head out for the day and then give your phone, tablet or camera a boost when you need to. These portable chargers are very small and can easily slip into your day bag.
Clip-on Mic
Whether you’re capturing footage in a busy city square, or the sound of the crashing waves and wind is distorting your audio, keeping your vlog footage professional and watchable is imperative. Many travel influencers make the mistake of neglecting the audio quality of their footage, which in turn can spoil their content and leave followers feeling disappointed.
By using a clip-on mic, travel influencers can maintain high levels of audio without compromise. And as these mics simply clip onto the top of your DSLR camera or your smartphone, they’re incredibly portable and space-saving!
Whether you’re trying to capture the party atmosphere at a famous bar, or you’re interviewing a local vendor at a busy market, having the right audio device can help.
Final Thoughts…
Travel influencers may require several tools and accessories to allow them to gain an income, as well as increase their levels of safety and employability, even when roaming around the world. Before you travel overseas, have all the necessary tools in place to ensure your travel adventures are documented professionally and always leave your followers wanting more!
Born in England, Sarah developed her wanderlust at a young age as she traveled around Europe with her parents. As a young adult she spent every penny she could on experiences as opposed to possessions. Eventually she found a way to earn a living doing what she loved: traveling, writing and capturing images of the wondrous world we live in. When not on the go Sarah enjoys time in her “sometimes home” of Vancouver.