Insider Secrets: How Kensho Quest became a top travel creator

Section 2: Building trust through transparency

One of Kensho Quest’s most refreshing approaches is their openness about monetization. “Do not be afraid of monetizing near the beginning,” they advise.

“Being transparent about it works. Let people know. Don’t be shy about it to succeed in the game.”

This honesty pays off. By clearly explaining how affiliate links work and why they use them, Kensho Quest has found that their audience is more likely to support their efforts. They have discovered that most viewers appreciate the convenience of direct links to recommended hotels and are happy to use them when the relationship is clearly explained. This leads to more earnings for George and Heidi.

How to talk about monetization in your content

Click through the examples below:

Section 3: Mastering the content mix

Section 4: Maximizing content efficiency

One of Kensho Quest’s key strategies is to maximize the efficiency of their content creation. They film content for multiple channels simultaneously, capturing both horizontal footage for YouTube and vertical content for platforms like Instagram and their Travel Shop.

"We always have a shot list ahead of time, so we know what we need to capture. We try and remember to always film horizontally and vertically."

This approach not only saves time but also ensures they have suitable content for every platform without additional filming sessions.

Reusable shot list - Film Once, Publish Everywhere

Examples:

1. Rooms (standard + family) and storage
2. Bathroom and amentities
3. Breakfast/food options
4. Nearby attractions

5. Airport transfer options

    

Section 5: Leveraging analytics for growth

Kensho Quest attributes much of their success to a data-driven approach. They closely monitor YouTube analytics, particularly when testing different thumbnails or video concepts. “YouTube’s analytics is superior. The fine detail is amazing in showing you your analytics,” they note.

For their Travel Shop, they track overall trends and would like even more granular data on individual hotel clicks and conversions. This focus on data allows them to continually refine their content and strategies for maximum impact. 

Track your performance!

Section 6: Long-term strategies for success

Rather than chasing short-term trends, Kensho Quest focuses on long-term strategies. They advise creators to be patient, noting that it took them about three years before they started to see significant income from their content.

To stay informed about trends and audience interests, they regularly read Japanese travel news, conduct competitor analysis and draw insights from the comment section on other creators’ videos for content ideas. This forward-thinking approach helps them stay ahead and create content that their audience is actively seeking. 

Section 7: Optimizing Travel Shop performance

Kensho Quest has had great success with Expedia’s Travel Shop feature. As mentioned, they organize their shop meticulously, creating collections based on specific neighborhoods and attractions. They also create highlight videos for individual hotels, focusing on properties with great locations or views of popular attractions.

To drive conversions, they create two types of videos: “where to stay” videos with hotel recommendations and itinerary (step-by-step travel guides) videos that include relevant hotels. They always include direct links to specific Travel Shop collections and/or specific hotels in video descriptions and pinned comments, making it easy for viewers to book.

Section 8: Balancing passion and business

Perhaps most importantly, Kensho Quest emphasizes the need to balance passion with business acumen. They advise new creators to choose a niche that aligns with both their interests and profit potential. “You need to do what you are passionate about, people will believe you if you actually enjoy wanting to share content and talking about the topic you are focused on – money will then follow through the right actions,” they explain.

However, Kensho Quest stresses that while passion is important, content should always be audience focused. “When making content, no one cares about you. It is always about the audience…thinking about the viewer, what are their problems and how can I solve them,” they assert. This audience-first approach guides their content creation process.

"Be straight to the point. Don’t ever make it about you. Answer audiences’ questions in the shortest amount of time."

This strategy ensures that their content remains valuable and engaging, even as they pursue monetization. By focusing on solving their audiences’ problems and providing clear and detailed information, Kensho Quest has built a loyal following that trusts their recommendations and is more likely to use their affiliate links. 

Final takeaways & next steps

Creator success is not down to luck. It comes from a mix of strategic focus, transparency, efficient content creation, data-driven choices and a genuine passion for travel. By leaning into these principles and staying tuned to their audience’s needs, creators like Kensho Quest have built a thriving travel business. For anyone looking to grow in this space, their journey is packed with lessons and inspiration for shaping your own path in a competitive field. 

Action checklist

• Focus your niche and audience: choose a clear destination/segment and organize resources for your Travel Shop (e.g., neighborhoods, attractions).
• Be transparent about monetization: explain affiliate links early to build trust and conversions.
• Film efficiently: plan a shot list and capture both horizontal and vertical formats.
• Use analytics and patience: iterate with data and expect growth to compound over years.

• Action checklist: define your audience, create a reusable shot list, add clear affiliate disclosures to 3 recent videos/content and set one analytics test (YouTube’s thumbnail test & compare feature) for the next month.