The advent of online travel journals and online travel journals has made it possible for travelers to record their journeys from anywhere and at any time. All it takes is internet access, a platform on which to record your information, and a desire to keep up with your travels in the form of a journal. In this article, I briefly discuss the criteria you should use to choose the online travelogue provider that best suits your needs.
I have reviewed over a dozen magazines and online journals comparing the pros and cons of each and specifically how they relate to what I needed to chronicle my travels. I have my preferences, but this article is about you, so I am giving you criteria that allow you to evaluate the available travelogues.
There is a lot of overlap in what each provides. Each usually has a “free” version, and the more comprehensive sites also have an upgraded “fee” version with more features or more storage space. Most people can get by with the “free” version. If you find you need more space or more features, you can always upgrade to the “fee” version at a later time.
I’ve divided my list of features into two categories: (1) “must have” and (2) “additional features”. I consider the first group to be indispensable. If a provider doesn’t have all of these features available, I move on. to the next provider.
What are some of the “IMPORTANTS”?
1. FREE is always good.
2. The service must be ACCESSIBLE online from anywhere.
3. The journal should be EASY TO USE. NO CODING SKILLS NEEDED.
4. PHOTO UPLOADS must be available. For compressed.
5. There should be an option to keep your journal PRIVATE.
Other bonus features to look for. These are features that some providers have and others don’t. You may find that the added feature will be the deciding factor as to which online magazine provider you choose.
1. ROUTE MAPPING of your trip.
2. UNLIMITED photo uploads.
3. UNLIMITED blog posts
4. MAP of countries visited
5. VIDEO UPLOADS available, preferably unlimited.
6. Availability and support in SEVERAL LANGUAGES.
7. YOU RETAIN THE COPYRIGHT in all your materials.
8. MOBILE PHONE Updates.
9. CONNECT to social sites like Facebook.
10. EMAIL updates to family and friends
11. RSS FEEDS
12. DIFFERENT TEMPLATES
There may be other features as well, but these should give you a good basis for deciding which online magazine is best for you. No endless email repeats! No notebooks to bring! You do it once, give everyone the URL of your diary, and they can follow you to “the ends of the earth.” And, with most services that provide these resources, you can upload endless amounts of photos, too. What a way to record your travels for posterity!