Ten Questions with Karen of Europe A La Carte

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
The Europe a la Carte blog is part of my UK based travel business, focusing on authentic travel in Europe on a modest budget. I feature travel deals, accommodation, less well known destinations, guest interviews, travel tips, site reviews etc. My blog aims to inform, inspire and entertain readers who love travel in Europe.

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
No place for good advice on the web

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
I’m an independent blogger who wants to write posts about travel in Europe that readers will find useful rather than writing for search engine optimisation and trying to attract attention in social media sites. My blog has perform a balancing act of attracting and retaining readers through content which also increases traffic and revenue for my site, through clicks on adverts or affiliate links. I have to see a return on the investment of time spend on the blog but if I write constant sales pitches no one will read the blog.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
I received an email from a business studies student asking for help with research for her dissertation about travel business blogs in Autumn 2006. Until then I thought that blogs were the online diaries of teenage geeks. I read up about business blogs and it was all so positive that I launched my blog in October 2006.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
The fact the blog which are part of a network ie B5 media or Boots n All immediately have a head start in rankings over an independent blogger such as myself. I started as editor of the Wandalust UK travel blog in March 2008, which is part of the Creative Weblogging network of 130 blog.

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
Wordpress blogging platform which I use for Europe a la Carte, Wandalust uses Movable Type and it’s awful. Wordpress is much more stable and easier to use. My son recommended and installed a self hosted Wordpress blog when I started blogging.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
Jan Morris the travel writer. I totally agree with her sentiment, “The best way to find out about a place is wander around. Wander around, alone, with all your antennae out thinking about what’s happening and what you see and what you feel.”

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
Not sure if it’s made me a better person, just different. Well I reckon I’ve become a confirmed blogaholic as I write 3 blogs now, Europe a la Carte, Wandalust and Business Blog Boost about the benefits of blogging for your business. That takes up a lot of my time. I feel that I live part of my life in a virtual world and I’ve made lots of virtual friends and contacts in the blogosphere. Unfortunately it means I’ve less time for “real” contact with family and friends. I’m not a very techie person. Our son a computing student looks after my IT. He’s tried to set it up to be as simple as possible for me to do things myself. However it has been really hard for me to do things like get to grips with basic html. To be a successful independent blogger it would be great to be more IT literate.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
Dedication and perseverance. Blogging for your business can really boost your business without spending a lot of money but you will require to invest a lot of time and effort. You have to participate in the blogoshpere, read and comment at other blogs. network and promote your blog.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
Travel Rants is an independent blog written for the UK travel consumer and it’s a great forum for consumers to air their concerns over travel related issues. Travel Rants was recently voted best consumer travel blog in the Travolution awards. The founder and editor Darren Cronian adheres to the ideals of the blogosphere by intervening on consumers behalf with travel companies and promoting other travel blogs, while holding down a full time job.

Categories: Ten Questions, Travel & Culture