Many people start a blog before they embark on a trip, intending to frequently update it to share their experiences with friends and family. But more often than not, updating the blog takes a backseat to everything the vacation has to offer. On top of this, there is the inconvenience and liability of carrying a laptop when you’re backpacking through rough terrain or staying in a dorm-style hostel.
The latest smartphones have built-in cameras with megapixels and capabilities that challenge many point and shoot cameras, allowing you to take high quality photos on the same device as blogging and accessing the internet. For a minimalist traveler in particular, this means your phone is all you need to share your adventures in real time. Snap a photo, give it a caption, and publish it to the web. With Zapd, you’ll have more time in your trip to enjoy the sights, and more room in your suitcase for souvenirs.
Not sure whether to write about your experiences or just upload photos? Finding the right balance between text and photos depends on your personal blogging style.
Here are a few examples of different travel Zap styles for inspiration:
Among the most popular travel Zaps are those that follow a photo essay style. Some are composed of only images, while others use captions to give the information that the picture alone might not reveal to those at home.
Example from http://tomtom.zapd.net/
Captions allow viewers to identify the what and where of your trip and are also a good way to include a fact or share a personal experience alongside an image.
Another nice way to lay out your travel Zap is to group posts by dayor location, with a brief summary followed by subsequent images. The following screen-cap is an example from http://timmermansinvietnam.zapd.net/
The third style functions most like a traditional Blog. Descriptive posts summarize each day of the trip or sight visited, and photos are interspersed throughout to serve as illustrations. Zapd is a great choice if you write lengthy posts and would like to update on the go!
Example from http://46hk.zapd.co
Do you have a completely different blogging style you’d like to share? Post your zap’s url as a comment below!
Love,
The Zapd Team