How to Monetize a Travel Blog: Proven Ways We Earn from Ours
- Jenn & Leon
- Sep 10, 2025
- 8 min read
Updated: Jan 24
Through our blog, we earn in a variety of ways. We have been asked many times to share how, so here it is!
Over the past four years, we’ve tested different monetization strategies, partnered with networks both big and small, and found what works best for us as full-time travel bloggers.
If you’ve been wondering how to monetize a travel blog, what the best affiliate programs for travel bloggers are, or even how to make money blogging as a beginner, this breakdown will help (we hope!).
In this post, we share exactly how we earn on our blog, with our honest thoughts on each method, their standing in the blogging world, and the key benefits.
Traffic and Niche Matter
Before diving into monetization, it’s important to acknowledge the obvious: you need traffic to earn money.
Even the best affiliate programs won’t convert without a consistent flow of readers.
The key is to focus on a specific niche (like travel, lifestyle, or food) and create valuable evergreen content that ranks in search engines.
SEO, Pinterest, and social media promotion all feed into this.
💡 Our Take: When we began, traffic was low and earnings trickled in. As we focused on SEO-rich country guides and blog hubs, our income grew steadily.
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Stay22—Our Most Valuable Partner
Stay22 has by far been our most valuable partner to date.
This Canadian-based company provides interactive hotel maps that we’ve implemented across our blog, allowing readers to easily find accommodation near the destinations we write about.
What makes Stay22 stand out is its Allez Script—a unique tool that automatically highlights keywords (such as “hotel” or “tour”) on your site and links them to major platforms like Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, GetYourGuide, Vrbo, TripAdvisor, Kayak, and Hotels.com.
● Ease of use: Implementation is as simple as pasting a short code into your site.
● Dashboard: Clean and intuitive, unlike many clunky affiliate platforms.
● Commission rates: On par with or higher than working directly with OTAs (Booking.com, Expedia, etc.), without needing separate partnerships.
● Customer service: Excellent live chat support built directly into the dashboard.
● Flexibility: You don’t need to change your current affiliate links. Stay22’s system automatically converts them in the backend.
The Allez Generator is another hidden gem. It lets you instantly turn any travel site link into an affiliate link without applying separately to each program.
For us, this has been the most seamless and profitable way to monetize a travel blog.
💡 Our Take: If you’re only going to choose one affiliate partner, make it Stay22. It’s a real game-changer in the industry.
Monetag—Smarter Ads than AdSense
Display advertising is one of the easiest ways to start earning from a blog, and while Google AdSense is the default for most beginners, it isn’t always the best choice.
That’s where Monetag comes in.
We use Monetag specifically for vignette ads (full-screen ads between page views).
They’ve consistently outperformed AdSense for us in terms of payout rates and customization.
● Payout rates: Generally higher than AdSense, especially in tier-one countries.
● Ad formats: Options like popunders, interstitials, and native banners.
● Setup: Quick and easy; with code you can drop into Wix or WordPress.
● Customer service: Responsive support team that helps with custom integration.
💡 Our Take: Monetag is a great choice if you want better control and earnings than AdSense.
AdSense—Entry Level but Reliable
Google AdSense remains the starting point for most bloggers.
It’s easy to set up, it works automatically, and it integrates seamlessly with YouTube.
But the trade-off is low payout rates and virtually no customer service.
● Ease of use: The easiest ad network to start with.
● Consistency: Google’s auto-ads mean you’ll always have ads running without much management.
● Downsides: Low RPMs (earnings per 1,000 views), limited customization, and zero human support.
💡 Our Take: AdSense is fine to get started with, but move to a higher-paying network like Monetag or Mediavine as soon as your traffic allows.
Other Ad Networks to Consider
As your traffic grows, you can graduate to higher-paying networks. That is certainly our aim anyway! Here are a couple we want to work with:
● Mediavine: Highly regarded, but requires 50,000 sessions/month. Excellent RPMs and strong community support.
● Ezoic: Mid-level option with lower traffic requirements, known for AI-driven ad placements.
These give you a progression pathway beyond AdSense, with a much higher earning potential.
Affiliate Links—Our Top Earners Beyond Hotels
Beyond Stay22 and display ads, affiliate links remain a core way we earn.
The key is to partner with programs that fit naturally into your content and provide value to your readers.
Over time, we’ve curated a set of affiliate partners that align perfectly with travel blogging and our own lifestyle as digital nomads:
● eSIMs: GigSky (10% off with code CLOSERLIVES10), Saily (5% off with code SPECIAL5), and Holafly (5% off with code CLOSERLIVES5)
● VPN: NordVPN
● Travel Insurance: SafetyWing
● Money transfers: Wise
● Car rental: Turo
💡 Our Take: Sourcing affiliates should be strategic. Don’t just sign up for everything. Focus on what you already use and what your readers need.
Other Affiliate Networks to Explore
An affiliate network is a platform that connects merchants (advertisers) with affiliates (publishers) who promote the merchants' products or services.
It acts as an intermediary, facilitating the relationship between the two parties and managing various aspects of the affiliate marketing process.
⪢ Key Functions of Affiliate Networks
● Tracking and Reporting: Affiliate networks provide tracking tools that monitor clicks, conversions, and sales generated by affiliates. This data is crucial for both merchants and affiliates to evaluate performance.
● Payment Processing: They handle the payment process, ensuring that affiliates receive their commissions on time and in a secure manner.
● Access to Multiple Programs: Affiliates can access a wide range of affiliate programs through a single network, simplifying the process of finding and joining programs that align with their niche.
● Support and Resources: Many affiliate networks offer support, training, and resources to help affiliates optimize their marketing strategies and improve their performance.
⪢ Benefits of Using an Affiliate Network
● Streamlined Processes: Affiliate networks simplify the management of affiliate relationships, making it easier for both merchants and affiliates.
● Increased Reach: Merchants can benefit from the extensive reach of affiliates who promote their products across various channels.
● Risk Mitigation: By using a network, merchants can reduce the risk of fraud and ensure that they are working with reputable affiliates.
⪢ Examples of Popular Affiliate Networks
● TravelPayouts: Focused on flights, hotels, and tours.
● CJ (Commission Junction) & Awin: Huge networks with thousands of brands, including travel.
● Amazon Associates: Good for gear recommendations, though commissions are low.
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Sponsored Content & Partnerships
Once your blog builds authority, you’ll start attracting sponsored post opportunities, brand collaborations, and product reviews.
These can pay well but require more active work.
● Rates depend on your traffic, domain authority, and niche.
● Always disclose sponsored content for transparency.
● Great for diversifying income but not truly passive.
A good tip is to create a 'work with us' or 'write for us' page on your site, where you can share collaborations and detail what your terms and expectations are.
You are likely to get many offers as you grow, so we would also suggest creating a submission form, which helps tackle bots and deter those who might not be legitimate.
💡 Our Take: We see this as complementary to affiliates and ads, not the core of our blog income. Always be sure to fully vet partnerships and offers, and be careful of scammers.
Building Digital Products or Services
Another long-term way to monetize is by creating your own products or services:
● Ebooks, downloadable travel guides, or templates.
● Online courses or workshops.
● Personalized travel planning or coaching.
● Monetizable blog posts
● Subscription services
💡 Our Take: We haven’t fully explored all yet, but it’s on the horizon. Watch this space!
Common Mistakes New Bloggers Make
The old adage, "We make mistakes so that you don't have to!" That applies here for sure. Here are a few things that we recommend you avoid:
● Signing up for too many programs at once.
● Promoting products you don’t actually use.
● Expecting overnight income.
● Ignoring SEO and site speed.
● Failing to diversify (relying only on one income stream).
💡 Our Take: Focus on one or two monetization methods first. We began with Stay22 and AdSense, then scaled. Also, don't be afraid to go back and re-optimize old posts. It can yield great results.
How to Earn Passive Income from a Blog
The real magic of monetization is when it becomes passive income.
Instead of trading hours for dollars, you’re building assets that keep paying over time.
For travel bloggers, this means:
● Stay22 maps and Allez links that keep earning long after a post is published.
● Monetag vignette ads generate daily revenue from page views.
● Affiliate links to services like eSIMs, VPNs, and insurance that convert naturally.
● Evergreen posts that keep ranking in Google months or years later.
● Use effective anchor text to embed links within text. Try to keep them natural and less 'salesy'—this can put people off.
● Go back and re-optimize old posts with new links where possible.
💡 Our Take: Passive income doesn’t mean no work. It means smart upfront effort that continues paying back.
FAQ
How much traffic do I need to make money blogging?
You can start with any traffic, but realistically, income starts to build once you’re getting 5,000+ visits per month.
What’s the fastest way to monetize a blog?
Stay22’s Allez Script is one of the fastest because it instantly converts your existing links.
How long until I see passive income?
Most bloggers see consistent earnings after 6–12 months of building traffic and publishing evergreen content.
Do I need to register as a business?
Not at the start. But once you’re earning consistently, set up proper tax and business structures.
Our Earnings Breakdown
To give you a sense of how this all fits together, here’s a rough breakdown of our blog income:
● Stay22: 40%
● Affiliate partners (eSIMs, VPNs, etc.): 25%
● Ads (Monetag/AdSense): 20%
● Sponsored content: 15%
This will evolve over time, but it shows the value of diversifying income streams.
Final Thoughts
If you’re starting out and want to make money blogging as a beginner, we recommend starting with AdSense and Stay22.
As your traffic grows, add Monetag for higher ad rates and expand your affiliate partnerships to services you actually use.
For us, the combination of Stay22, Monetag, and affiliate links has been the backbone of monetizing our travel blog. It’s simple to manage, highly effective, and scalable as we grow.
Related & Useful Links
Explore more of our best resources, tools, and partner pages to help you plan smarter and travel better.
For insurance, banking, VPNs, car rentals, and trusted tools, we have tried and tested.
When will you start earning???