We were lucky to catch up with Sylwia Oles recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sylwia, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

My travel blog is made possible by a combination of skills I’ve acquired over time. I have always been interested in learning, so I find ways to pursue my goals. When I was interested in photography, I bought a DSLR camera and signed up for a beginner’s photography class to learn how to use it. Then, I just practiced until I got better. It was the same with web development. In terms of my writing skills, I developed those in college.

Having this skillset made it easier for me to start my travel blog because I had a solid foundation. Certainly, just taking a writing class in college did not mean I knew how to write a travel blog, but I had a general idea of where to start. I had to adapt my skill to fit the industry.

Most of these abilities were sufficient to get the blog started, but I became aware of other skills required to maintain a successful blog, such as search engine optimization (SEO), the characteristics of various social media channels, and marketing in general. You might produce the most amazing content, but it doesn’t matter if you’re not found on the web.

One thing that I found particularly helpful when I first started travel blogging was finding a community of likeminded individuals to connect with and learn from. I purchased a travel blogging course that helped me get set up and gave me a lot of great informative resources. Now I mainly connect with other bloggers on social media channels. Everything else, I just learn through experience over time.

The longer I have the blog, the more there is to learn. If you’re not a full-time blogger, you’re juggling the responsibility of a full-time job and a private life, as well as traveling and producing content in your free time. There are only so many hours in a day. I find time to be the biggest obstacle to my learning process. I have to be organized and know how to prioritize my work.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I have a travel blog where I share my adventures with others. I blog in two languages, Polish, my first language, and English, my second. I started my blog not only as a place to store my travel memories but also as a showcase for my skills. For instance, I use my blog as a work sample for my web development clients, while my travel collaborations mainly come from social media.

The type of articles you find on my blog are travel guides and itineraries, which cover things to do, logistics for planning your own trips, and frequently asked questions. I include a lot of practical information to give my readers everything they need to plan their own dream trips as well as pretty pictures to inspire them to visit new places.

As far as my niche, I don’t like to put myself in a box because I feel like my content is always evolving. Even though I tend to focus my travels around outdoor adventures, I also like to visit cities. I’m interested in history. Old buildings often have their own stories to tell. Last year, I got a puppy that is slowly becoming my little adventure buddy. I want to bring him everywhere. That makes me more cognizant of finding dog-friendly destinations. Moving forward, I want to produce more dog-friendly travel content.

On the blog, I cover places that have inspired me personally and share attractions that would be of interest to my readers. I sponsor my own travel, so there is no reason for me not be genuine. You also won’t find any ads and pop-ups on my website to distract you from my content. I am receptive to feedback and always happy to hear from my readers. For instance, I was recently asked to share more about my home country, Poland, so I currently have some content in the works that I plan on publishing this winter.

When it comes to travel blogging, there are a lot of talented individuals producing amazing content. I have a few favorite bloggers I follow for different reasons. Some are amazing photographers who inspire me to produce visually striking work, while others specialize in certain areas, making them subject-matter experts. The key is to find someone whose content suits your needs. Travel bloggers do not compete with one another. They all have different styles and different stories to tell.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

There are things that I wish I invested more time into learning from Day 1. Chief among them would be search engine optimization and marketing. It doesn’t matter how interesting your articles are or how visually appealing your website is, if you’re hard to find on the web, you won’t build readership. SEO and marketing are key.

When I first started my blog, I did not spend too much time considering key words. I just focused on sharing my adventures. While I’m not an advocate of writing content with the sole purpose of being found on the web, tailoring your articles to follow SEO guidelines will help your readers find you.

SEO is only part of the work. Social media channels are also highly important. There are many platforms to choose from, and each platform is constantly evolving. Promoting your work on social media actually takes more time than blogging. These platforms are not only good places to share your work; they are also great for connecting with your readers and networking with other bloggers.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I enjoy what I do, even if I’m not getting paid. The most rewarding part of my journey is knowing that my work inspires and benefits my readers. When they reach out to tell me they had a great trip because of advice they got from me, it puts a smile on my face.

I never thought of myself as a role model or inspiration to others, so hearing that from my readers means a lot to me. In 2004, I moved to the U.S. by myself with nothing but a suitcase and worked my way up. I did not inherit a fortune, nor did I find a rich husband. Being independent, following my dreams, and inspiring others to do the same adds purpose to my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://curiouswanderess.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curious_wanderess/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/curiouswanderess/

Image Credits
All pictures are mine.