3 travel vloggers giving us a glimpse into the frontiers of travel trends
+the power of slow and steady growth and the cultural moments | news that caught our attention this week
quick summary ⚡️
3 travel vloggers who are captivating audiences
It’s time to stop chasing “viral” moments
The ‘Beastification’ of YouTube is ending, Snapchat is ranking your friendships, and more in the cultural moments and news that caught our attention this week
The importance of a balanced social media diet
Our Digital Strategy Essentials on the Kajabi platform is for anyone who wants to level up about leveling up their digital presence
ones to watch: travel vloggers
Curated by Megan Collins, Cultural Anthropologist, Generational Expert and contributor to the MTD blog
The winter chills have thawed, sunshine is filling the air, and wanderlust stirs within many of us as Spring and Summer, the quintessential travel seasons, beckon. Whether you crave the freedom and self-discovery of venturing off on your own, or the camaraderie and shared experiences of a carefully curated trip, a travel vlogger is capturing the essence of your ideal adventure.
This month, we wanted to spotlight travel vloggers who are captivating audiences with not just breathtaking destinations, but also a glimpse into the frontiers of travel trends including solo travel, influencer-led group trips, and empowering young people (especially women) to travel the world.
Ella Marie Travels
IG @ellamarietravels (80k followers)| TT @ellamarietravels (112.9k followers)
“If you don’t know me, hi I’m Ella and I travel full time,” starts Ella Marie’s first pinned TikTok video. What sets Ella apart is that she is prone to solo travel but also offers group trips that she bills as “once in a lifetime yet affordable.” Not only is she building followings through SFV content on both TikTok (112k subs) and Instagram (79.6k subs) she’s leaning into an interesting new trend of influencer-led travel and retreats that deliver on a growing desire for IRL community.
Emma Top
IG @emmaatop (60.4k) | TT @emmaatop (102K) | YT @EmmaTop (326k)
Emma is a Boston based creator who has been making content on YouTube since 2014. Her YouTube channel really hit its stride when she went to college and catapulted to it’s heights with her Semester At Sea move in vlog 4 years ago. Since then, Emma has continued to explore her passion for adventures and leaned into being a travel creator going to many places including Paris, Thailand, and Egypt. What’s more, Emma is an ambassador with EF Ultimate Break, a modern online Travel Agency that caters to young people (18-35).
Lexie Alford
IG @lexielimitless (1.1 M subs) | YouTube 496k subs
In 2019, at just 21 years (and 177 days) old Lexie Alford became a Guinness World Record holder for being the youngest person to travel to every country in the world. Since then, Lexie has continued to travel and share it all via her blog and across her social media channels. She is currently working on writing a book and–very smartly–has made a preview available to anyone who subscribes to her newsletter. Now that’s some good digital strategy!
more on the MTD blog
leaning into slow and steady growth
If you’re still in the “viral” mindset for your social media strategy, it’s time to slow down.
“Just start laying brick by brick. Don’t focus as much on ‘this needs to be a home run and blow it out of the park’ ... and lets actually focus on how we can build something sustainable and long lasting.”
-JT Barnett, founder, content creator, and social media expert
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If you want to build a brand that lasts beyond a given platform [i.e. TikTok], a slow and steady strategy is the most effective in the long run.
h/t @jtbarnett for breaking this down
💎cultural gems💎
The cultural moments and news that caught our attention this week:
Snapchat’s friend-ranking feature adds to teen anxiety (WSJ). “A Snapchat feature lets paying users see their position in their friends’ digital orbits. For some teens, whose friends are everything, it’s adding to their anxiety.”
The end of the english major (The New Yorker). From 2012 to the start of the pandemic, Arizona State University saw a 38% decrease in english majors.
The ‘Beastification of YouTube’ may be coming to an end (Washington Post). In March Mr. Beast tweeted out a message to his fellow YouTubers: “This past year i’ve slowed down our videos, focused on story telling, let scenes breathe, yelled less, more personality, longer videos, etc. And our views have skyrocketed!”
inspo
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