I made millions being a full-time traveller – and you can too

With the pressure off, the highs and lows are less intense. “We had a video hit four million views. You feel you’re going to grow more and more and more, and then you plateau. And then you start to feel like no one cares. Then a TV show messages you,” she says. “It’s very much a roller coaster. We could be posting every single day and we’d have more money by now, but at the moment we just want to enjoy travel and sustain what we’re doing.” 

On the money: How to make your travels pay

Find your schtick

Estimates of the number of social media influencers in the world vary wildly, from a little over three million to more than 37 million. Either way, in a sea of bikinis and palm trees, it helps to stand out. As both round-the-world petsitting and sailing as a family have been done, find another USP and stick to it. 

Be prepared for hard graft

There are a surprising number of skills involved in content creation – filming and editing, ad strategy, community engagement and marketing to name a few. Master those and you’re half-way there, though, as Renee warns, you’ll also need to post like clockwork or you’re likely to lose followers.

Have a buffer

Unless you’re prepared to live on a few pounds a day, it’s a good idea to have savings before you sail off into the sunset. Don’t quit your day job until you have some capital in the bank, or you might be heading home sooner than you bargained for.

Believe in your advertisers

Amid all the samey, downbeat shout-outs for protein shakes, a sincere acknowledgement of the role your indigestion tablets have played in your round-the-world trip will be music to an advertiser’s ears. Genuine-seeming product placement gets all the click throughs (as well as getting you paid). That’s why Sailing Zatara only works with products they actually use. “I’m the kind of guy people really love to hate,” says Keith. “But whether they love me or hate me, they all value what I have to say when it comes to what we’re selling.”

Engage in the comments section

There are a lot of c-words in the influencer world, but the biggest is Community. Followers love likes and replies to their comments – as well as being asked questions which they cannot possibly accurately answer (do you love Burkina Faso? Would you try grubs if you hadn’t eaten for four days?). All this conversation is more than background noise because, the more you engage with these willing fans, the more you will grow your channel and attract advertisers.


Are you tempted by a life as a travel influencer? We’d love to hear your thoughts below

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