Claire Andrew’s blog Saltwater Tales has been going in one form or another since 2007, which is a long time considering that bloggers were not getting the airtime then that they do today. And it makes Claire, who is also a full-time public relations and communications specialists, one of the most experienced bloggers in travel and hospitality.
Claire explains that she began Saltwater after her first trip to South America in a journal-style approach to document her travels and share her discoveries with friends.
“It covered a range of destinations in Europe and South America to begin with,” she says, “But on another trip to South America in 2015 I decided to make South America the main focus. Saltwater is where I share my South American stories, helping people discover the vibrant culture, dynamic cities and amazing nature of South America.”
This being said, the blog does still cover other destinations including recent trips to China, Croatia and Italy.
INSPIRATION
The site is inspired by Claire’s travels and the belief that while not everyone can take a year off to travel the world, there’s a lot that a person can fit into two or three weeks. South America was her first love and was a travel dream of hers for many years. So, if you’re looking for travel inspiration for your South American trip, practical tips and lesser visited spots, Saltwater is a great place to start!
BLOG STYLE
Claire has a very friendly and coordinated manner of writing which reflects her profession perfectly. Her work is well researched and thorough leaving the reader fully engaged and interested. For many of the unique places that she has found and located she also includes useful information on how to get there and what to expect.
This personable approach with the strong use of uncomplicated yet emotive language crosses many language barriers and would be a great use for destinations and tour operators alike.
WORKING TOGETHER
Even while working full time, Saltwater still keeps Claire busy with attending network events with tourist boards in London, mostly the ones organised by Traverse. She is also open to copywriting requests and thanks to her background in PR and communications she has a demonstrative skill set and a good idea of what clients are looking for.
With a DA score of 17 and a PA score of 23 (as of the writing of this feature) Saltwater receives a respectable amount of traffic and Claire is also present on the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where her audience is highly engaged. She admits she does have a Pinterest page but doesn’t have the time to pin every day. While some bloggers do very well on Pinterest everyone has to find their niche.
“I usually post several times a week when the inspiration strikes,” she says, “But as copywriting is part of my day job sometimes the last thing you want to do when you get home is writing. But there is a lot more that goes into a successful website than just your posts.”
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Claire sponsors a child in Brazil through Plan International, who do excellent work with local communities around the world. Genuinely improving the lives of those in need.
BRAGGING POINTS
“My blog featured in the print and online editions of National Geographic Traveller UK magazine, back in 2016,” she says, “I’m a bit of a Nat Geo fangirl and when I got the email alert one morning on my commute into work, I was very happy!”
Contact Details: saltwatertales@gmail.com
Website www.saltwatertales.com
Rates: speak to Claire
