If content is king and engagement is queen, then Facebook groups are the private parties with exclusive handshakes and the ‘jobs for the boys’ opportunities. Access to these groups have accelerated the success of Two Scots Abroad and guess what? You don’t have to be on the guest list to join. Each of these Facebook groups for travel bloggers differ in the type of support and possibilities they offer, from social shares threads to financial opportunities, technical help, and topic advice. Every niche will have hundreds of groups, some will be more active than others. Let’s take a look at joining Facebook groups, how to behave and what each offers.
How to join Facebook groups
Each Facebook group has its own rules. Always read them before posting to avoid being kicked out. Facebook now has a nifty function for admins so when you as to a join a group a pop-up request information set by the group. In the olden days, groups asked bloggers to display their websites in their private profiles, if you can I would recommend still doing this.
Etiquette in Facebook groups for travel bloggers
Unless stated (see the list below), the majority of these groups do not like ‘link dumps’. This means you should avoid posting your content unless it is asked for. The majority of admins are voluntary, most run their own online companies and host groups to be helpful. Avoid backchat and be nice to others, you never know who you’ll be working with or for in the future!
Warning: two very useful groups have just stopped taking in new members because the admin was tired of members not reading the rules. Remember, admins are business owners who volunteer their time to control Facebook groups. Be nice, respect the rules.
General blog advice Facebook groups
The following examples are travel related however there are groups for each niche. Take a look at the groups that other bloggers you work with/look up to are a part of and join.
Make Traffic Happen
Laura and I run a group for travel content creators who are looking to increase traffic to their websites. We also provide tips on how to increase your organic search engine traffic (e.g Google) through weekly tips. If you want to break through and drive real traffic to your blog, you must join our group. We also give away a LOT of really useful content and advice.
→ Make Traffic Happen – Support | SEO | Social Media
We Travel We Blog
A great group full of friendly, supportive bloggers. Admins, Mapping Megan and Talon from 1 Dad 1 Kid run a tight ship. Members ask for advice on everything from Pinterest to Plugins. There is also an application for website critique and other specific threads detailed below.
→ We Travel We Blog (no closed to new members)
Female Travel Bloggers
Sorry lads, no entry for you this time. This bird only zone is a network of newbs to those in their prime. FTB also runs social media shares, blog post Saturday (self-promotion with reciprocation) and market day Sundays (sell your services).
Social Media Share Threads
If content is king then engagement is the queen and there’s no point shouting into the Twitter/Faces/Insta abys if nobody is listening. Use force and exposure to break that barrier by liking, tweeting, pinning, flipping and commenting on other’s posts and they’ll do the same for you via organised social media share threads.
The following groups post specific social media share threads each day. Read the rules for each thread before joining. Remember, if you participate you need to reciprocate so don’t dump and duck or risk being thrown out and dissed by others for not playing fair.
Travel Bloggers Social Media Sharing Group
I part admin this very active share group set up by the lovely Emily Luxton. Daily threads include Twitter, Instagram, Stumble Upon, Pinterest, Facebook and a generic post share Saturday. We also have a weekly sponsored support, guest post callout, and questions threads.
→ Travel Bloggers Social Media Sharing Group
We Travel We Blog {currently closed to new members}
Although this excellent group falls under the ‘catch all’ group, it also hosts a weekly Twitter threads where you can expect 30+ shares on your Tweet. I’ve been less active in this share but joined recently to assess its worth, during the share week my new article received 300 clicks from Twitter.
Pinterest Facebook Groups
If you are not using Pinterest to drive traffic back to your website yet I urge you to put everything down and start now. You need only need the following:
- Pinterest account linked to your site
- The free pin making template on Canva
- Some kickass images
- A callout (10 cheap things to do in X)
- An article from your site
→ High-quality pins win: read my Pinterest guide to start driving crazily good traffic today
Once you have the five above, pop the pin in these group daily shares and 49+ others will pin your pin. Yes, that means you pin 49+ pins too. Do not pin all at once! You’ll be put in Pin prison.
Pinterest for Travel Bloggers
This is a daily share group. Each day there is a light thread and heavy (50 pins). The heavy thread is usually maxed out by 1pm GMT so get in early. Home to mega Monday – this no limit thread will give you carpal tunnel
→ Pinterest for Travel Bloggers
Mappin Monday
A week-long thread, no limit to the number of pins, expect close to 200. I participated once and but it gave me anxiety! For those with the fear, check out their light thread.
→ Link: Mapping Monday
Travel Bloggers Guide to Pinterest
I’m less familiar with this Pinterest group but does the same as above
→ Travel Bloggers Guide to Pinterest
Travel Bloggers – Boost Your High Performing Pins
Vicki from Make Time to See the World is a bit of a Pinterest pro and part of her strategy is to re-distribute her older top-performing pins. This group celebrates pins with more than 350+ re-pins and at the weekends the big hitters, the 1000+ re-pins. Vicki is not afraid to call you out if your pin does not meet the quality threshold. This makes me happy.
→ Boost Your High Performing Pins
Instagram advice
These are the original IG pod girls. Their Facebook groups and strategies have helped thousands of IGers gain a strong following in every niche. Their Facebook groups and pods are free but their lessons have a fee.
Another share, another medium. Flipboard is similar to Pinterest, it drives traffic to your website. The friendly admin is Stevie from Travel to Blank.
Google Plus for Travel Bloggers
Noel from Travel Photo Discovery highly recommends G+ as a tool for building your domain authority through Google’s eyes which can help you get to page 1 of Google for target keywords. This group offers tips on how to use Google plus to your advantage.
»»» Read more: do you want to rank on page 1 of Google? Here is how I do it
YouTube/video groups
There are heaps of groups to support video creation and provide YouTube advice, here are a few:
→ Youtube for Travel Bloggers: Link
→ Travel Blogger Video Growth and Strategy: Link
→ Travel Video Youtube Group: Link
Building Backlinks (join these now)
Travel Blogger SEO Support Group
→ Travel Bloggers Link Swap Group
Guest posting
This is when you write an article on another blogger’s site to help fill a gap in their knowledge which in return you receive advertisement and do follow backlinks to your articles. This is part of a solid strategy that has worked for me.
Guest Post Request Group
Collaborations
Collabs are quick. A blogger asks for a group of other writers to write a paragraph on a topic (e.g tips for travelling with children), your tip/paragraph is then combined with other responses to create a post. What do you get in return? Exposure and backlinks. Aim for a backlink to a specific post you are marketing over homepage, ask politely. You will need to know your DA if you are requesting collabs info, they are a great way to get to know other bloggers.
→ Travel Collab Post Opportunities
Blog article comment
Travel Blogged is a bi-weekly comment thread. You read fellow bloggers articles and leave insightful comments.
Want to get more eyes on the prize? Let us show you how to find keywords, where to put them, how to tell Google they are there and make your old posts bring more traffic —> I want success
Mixed niche badass business groups
At some point, you may want to progress from hobbyist to hello money. You spend long enough slaving away at the keys, you might as well make it pay.
The Business of Blogging
I like the Business of Blogging as there are many experienced bloggers in this group, many that can help out with technical issues (my weakest skill!)
Digital Nomad Wannabe
A go-to for affiliate based questions for me. Affiliates are when you recommend a product or service and receive a small amount of commission on that click-through or purchase. Lots of bloggers I respect are in this group.
→ DNW
Press Trips
Members share contacts for businesses who offer comped stays and tours etc. Great opportunity group.
Self-promotion groups
These groups allow you to share your own content, some on specific days under callouts though.
Travellers
We Travel We Blog – Free for all Friday
Does what it says on the tin.
Local groups
You will also find blogging groups local to you. For example, I admin the Scotland Travel Bloggers group for influencers in Scotland. There is also Edinburgh and UK Bloggers groups. Find a blogger who is from the same area as you and check out which groups they belong to or use the search function in Facebook to investigate.
Non-blog groups
There are hundreds of travel-related FB groups where bloggers circle like sharks waiting on content related questions so they can self-promote on. Tip, chill – use the search bar to see if any topics you can help with. Here are a few:
→ Girls LOVE Travel: Link
→ Women who love travel: Link
→ Girl Vs Globe: Link
→ South America Backpacking: Link
→ Europe Backpacking: Link
Today’s task
- Add your website to your personal Facebook page
- Create a spreadsheet of which groups you have joined
- Await acceptance
- Join one social media share
- Tell me how you got on in the comments below
Just when you thought Facebook was only for food pics and public grief you bounced into the world of blogging. Believe me, after a year of Facebook groups clogging up your newsfeed you’ll be pining for pictures of your pal’s kids on their first day at school. Jokes, no one really cares about those shots. I hope that joining Facebook groups is as fruitful for you as it has been for me. Although these are travel related examples there is an e-world of gangs for every niche.
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Thanks for the list – very useful!
You’re welcome, Megan!
This is priceless. Thank you.
A few month ago I didn’t know groups existed, now I’m in (or hopefully am about to be in) roughly 20. I’m going to need an assistant soon. Thanks for the great listing
Oh we hear you on that! We always say Facebook is very good at sucking away time.
This made me laugh big time!
Thanks for sharing this list…
No problem! Hope you find it useful.
This was such a helpful article! Thank you! I have a lot of work to do now… , but excited to get started!
Thanks for visiting, Lauren. Come back for more resources whenever you need it!
Awesome post! Thanks for sharing all those facebook groups!
I own a blog for travelers to Vermont (launched in 2008). It is not my priority anymore, so I am trying to see if someone could be interested in taking over. Google loves websites which have several years behind their belt. Reply if you’re interested or if you know where I could post that offer. Thanks!
Christine, you can list your blog for sale on sites like Flippa or Website Broker.
Oh, thanks so much!
Hello! Thanks so much for this. I have a question – is it best to join these groups using my personal Facebook (I have quite a big network on that already and it’s where I post my blog article links) or should I create a new Facebook profile for my blog? I hesitate to do that because I’d be starting from ground zero for my followers on that … thanks again!
Great questions! Groups will only let you in using your personal account and you should have your website clearly indicated on your profile. Hope this helps! Don’t forget to check our Facebook group on Fridays for weekly traffic tips!
Hi there!
Wow this is such a helpful page! I have now basically requested to join all of the groups in your list for Facebook! I don’t have a Pinterest or twitter account – is this very necessary as a blogger? Thank you so much for all the advice, it’s been so great!
Olivia
Cheers Olivia! Pinterest is my second biggest referrer for traffic. It’s not a social media channel like Facebook, more of a search engine. Personally I would recommend it unless you are happy just to focus on traffic from Google. Twitter is great for chatting with businesses but you could get away without it for a blog audience. Hope this helps!
thanks for the list Gemma
so helpful