Checklist: Creating a Viral Destination Roundup — Lessons from The Points Guy’s 17 Best Places

Hook: Your travel roundup should convert, not confuse

You're a busy blogger: ideas are everywhere but traffic is not. You want a travel roundup that goes viral, ranks, and actually helps readers book trips — without reinventing the wheel. Learn from The Points Guy’s recent “17 Best Places” piece (Jan 2026) and use this checklist to source images, structure destination lists, and add practical tips that make readers click, save, and share.

Why this checklist matters in 2026

Long gone are the days when a listicle and one pretty hero image carried the job. Search and social platforms in 2026 reward:

• E-E-A-T: Experience shown via on-the-ground tips and data-backed recommendations.
• Performance: Fast-loading, responsive pages and modern image formats.
• Authenticity: Real UGC, verified experiences, and transparent disclosures (affiliate + sponsorship).
• Multiformat content: Short videos, carousels, and Pinterest-ready graphics.

TPG’s 17-place roundup succeeds because it pairs editorial authority with practical booking tips (including points & miles), clear structure, and strong visuals. This checklist helps you recreate those winning elements for your travel roundup while keeping your brand voice front and center.

Quick reference: The 10-step checklist (printable)

1. Choose the right hook and angle (trend-led, seasonal, niche). Use 2026 insights: sustainability, remote-work stays, micro-destinations, and AI-assisted planning.
2. Map reader intent: map-based explorers, points-savvy travelers, budget searchers, or family planners.
3. Gather high-quality images (licenses, formats, alt text). Prioritise UGC + licensed stock + custom shots — supplement your kit recommendations with a field test for portable lighting and phone kits.
4. Write an optimized intro that uses target keywords within 100 words.
5. Use a repeatable per-destination template (title, 1-line why, best time, how to get there, one practical tip, points/money tip, CTA).
6. Add structured data (ItemList, Article, FAQ schema) and in-page jump links for UX & SEO.
7. Optimize images for Core Web Vitals: WebP/AVIF, srcset, lazy loading, and preconnect to CDNs.
8. Create social-first assets: 9:16 short video script, 1080x1080 carousel images, and Pinterest verticals.
9. Include an editorial disclosure and link to relevant resources (booking APIs, fare calendars, sustainability guides).
10. Plan distribution: email, community posts, Reddit/Twitter threads, and outreach to micro-influencers.

Section A — Images: sourcing, licensing, and optimization

1. Where to source images

• User-generated content (UGC): Ask followers for photos or source from Instagram/TikTok with permission. UGC beats stock for authenticity — but verify date, location, and author.
• Free stock: Unsplash, Pexels (watch for model/property releases and use restrictions; read license updates in 2026).
• Paid stock: Shutterstock, Getty for high editorial distribution rights and exclusivity if needed.
• Own photography and partnerships: Collabs with local photographers or press offices. The Points Guy often uses a travel team + partners; you can mirror this on a smaller scale.
• AI-generated images: Use carefully. Label AI assets, don’t pass them off as on-site photos, and check licensing—2025–2026 policy changes tightened commercial use rules. Consider verification and ethical workflows from ethical data pipeline guidance.

2. Licensing and attribution

Always keep a record: license type, creator, date, and usage limits. If using Creative Commons, note whether attribution is required. When accepting UGC, get written permission with a simple opt-in form that grants you the right to publish globally and in social promos.

3. Optimization checklist

• Export hero images at multiple widths and formats: AVIF/WebP fallbacks to JPEG.
• Use srcset and sizes attributes for responsive images.
• Provide descriptive alt text with keywords where natural (e.g., “Lisbon tram in Alfama at sunset — best time to visit November”).
• Include short captions and photo credits under images; search engines and users value context.
• Lazy-load offscreen images; preconnect to your image CDN for LCP improvements.

Section B — Structure: a repeatable template that ranks

Structure is the backbone of shareable destination lists. Here’s a per-destination template inspired by the editorial clarity of The Points Guy:

Per-destination template (use for each list item)

<article class="destination" id="destination-slug">
  <h3>#. Destination name — One-line hook</h3>
  <img srcset="..." alt="..."/>
  <p><strong>Why go:</strong> Short, emotional reason (15–25 words).</p>
  <ul>
    <li><strong>Best time:</strong> Month(s)</li>
    <li><strong>How to get there:</strong> Nearest airport, suggested airline/route</li>
    <li><strong>Quick itinerary idea:</strong> 2–4 day highlight list</li>
    <li><strong>Budget & points tip:</strong> Ballpark cost, and one points/miles trick (if relevant)</li>
    <li><strong>Practical tip:</strong> Local custom, safety, or packing note</li>
  </ul>
  <a href="..." class="cta">Book ></a>
</article>

This repeatable format makes the page skimmable and helps search engines parse your content for list-based schema (ItemList).

Section C — SEO & semantic markup (practical)

1. Title & meta strategy

• Primary keyword within the first 60 characters: e.g., “Where to Go in 2026: 17 Best Places — Travel Roundup”.
• Write unique meta descriptions using target keywords: include year (2026) and an action verb (discover, plan, save).

2. Structured data

Use ItemList schema for listicles and Article schema for the page. Add FAQ schema for a quick Q&A about visas, best times, and points usage. Search engines increasingly surface list results with rich enhancements. For on-site retrieval and better matching of user intent, study advances in on-site search and contextual retrieval.

3. In-page SEO

• Use H2 for major sections; H3 for each destination to create a strong hierarchy.
• Include jump links (table of contents) and anchor tags so readers can skip to specific places.
• Internal-link to related guides (itineraries, packing lists, local transit) to keep users on-site.
• Optimize for featured snippets: short “Why go” lines and clear facts (best time, airport) increase the chance of being pulled into search SERPs.

Section D — Practical travel tips that increase trust

Readers trust content that helps them act. Add these practical elements per destination:

• One booking trick: e.g., “Fly into Porto and take a regional rail pass to split costs.” — or integrate a live widget from modern fare tools like the AI fare-finders to show real-time price context.
• One packing note: e.g., “Carry a lightweight rain jacket from Oct–Mar.”
• One budget range: provide a per-day low/medium/high estimate (2026 prices).
• Points & miles tip: If you cover reward travel, give a concrete sweet spot (e.g., “60k points on Airline X off-peak for economy” — check for current program changes in 2026).
• Local sustainability action: e.g., “Book with certified eco-tours; support community-run homestays.”

Section E — Visual and social distribution plan

Repurpose assets (high ROI)

• Create a 9:16 vertical short for each destination — add text overlays with the “Why go” hook. See advice on AI vertical video production and formats in AI vertical video guides.
• Build a 6-card Instagram carousel using your per-destination template snippets.
• Generate 2–3 Pinterest verticals with clear CTAs and destination keywords.

Pitching & community seeding

• Share the roundup link with local tourism boards and ask for fact-checks or quotes — follow a clear outreach workflow described in the digital PR playbook.
• Post value-first in Reddit travel subs and niche Facebook groups — include a TL;DR and one free tip.
• Send segmented email teasers: points-hunters, couple travelers, family travelers — each with a tailored CTA. Run subject-line tests first (see our checklist on tests to run before you send at email subject testing).

Section F — Analytics, testing, and iteration

Publish is step one. Track and refine:

• Core metrics: CTR from SERPs, time on page, scroll depth to the 3rd or 5th destination, and social shares.
• Run A/B tests on hero images, CTAs (Book vs Save), and intro hooks.
• Use search console to spot queries you can expand with subheadings or mini-guides.

Ethics, disclosures, and trust — do it like an editor

TPG includes clear affiliate and compensation disclosures. Your roundup should too. This increases trust and helps with compliance as policies tightened going into 2026.

Editorial transparency builds long-term traffic. Be upfront about paid placements, partner cards, and sponsored content.

Advanced strategies & 2026 trends to beat the noise

1. Personalization at scale

Use simple personalization: show nearest airport tips based on IP, or swap the “budget” section based on a small on-site quiz (family vs solo traveler). Personalization increases conversions and time-on-page — pair with improved retrieval from modern on-site search.

2. Live data and APIs

Integrate live fare search widgets, availability badges, or event calendars. Late 2025–early 2026 saw more travel platforms exposing lightweight APIs for fare trends — use them for real-time price context (see the AI fare-finders playbook and fare-scanner integrations).

3. Verified UGC and micro-video

Micro-videos (10–30s) from travelers perform strongly on Reels and Shorts. Add a UGC consent flow and a simple credit line that doubles as native promotion for contributors — and make sure your capture kit is camera-ready (see portable streaming and rig reviews at Micro-Rig Reviews and lighting field tests like Field Test 2026).

4. Sustainability, climate risk, and responsible travel

Readers increasingly choose destinations with lower climate risk and community benefits. Embed a short sustainability score or “ethical tip” for each destination — this is a differentiator in 2026.

Checklist recap — download-ready

1. Pick a timely angle (2026 trends)
2. Use the per-destination template for consistency
3. Collect and verify image rights (UGC, stock, or own)
4. Optimize images for speed and accessibility
5. Implement ItemList and FAQ schema
6. Add at least one practical, actionable tip per destination
7. Create social assets and a distribution calendar
8. Track engagement and iterate monthly
9. Be transparent about affiliates and partnerships

Actionable mini-case: Turning one TPG-like idea into traffic

Scenario: You see a trend (e.g., “remote work visas boom” in late 2025). Want to turn it into a viral roundup?

1. Create a 10-place list focusing on remote-work-friendly cities with visa links. Use microcation design approaches from the microcation playbook.
2. For each city, add a 2-line workspace recommendation + one coworking discount code (ask partners) and surface nearest-airport tips using Bookers-style booking assistants (Bookers App Launch).
3. Use UGC photos from digital nomad meetups and tag contributors for social push; follow outreach best-practices from the digital PR workflow.
4. Pitch the piece to nomad communities and a remote-work newsletter — include a concise data point (Visa policy changes in 2025) to hook editors.
5. Monitor the first 72 hours: amplify winners on social with paid promotion and update the page based on which items get clicks — run email and subject-line experiments as recommended in subject-line testing guides.

Final takeaways

High-performing destination roundups in 2026 combine clear structure, proven SEO, honest photography, and practical takeaways that let readers act immediately. Emulate successful elements from The Points Guy — expert voice, points advice, and clear booking tips — but make each list item your own by adding unique practical advice and verified visuals.

Call to action

Ready to build your own viral destination list? Download our free printable checklist and per-destination HTML template, or subscribe for a short email course that walks you through turning one roundup into a revenue-driving evergreen asset. Click to get the toolkit and start your next roundup today.

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