I quit my job and became a travel 'micro influencer.' Now I make money leading tours and see the world for free.

Rhiannon Wood is a 26-year-old travel micro influencer who monetizes her social media presence and leads group tours. She fell in love with traveling during her university study abroad program in 2021 and has since built a following of about 60,000 Instagram followers. Wood took various odd jobs around the world after graduating from the University of Birmingham in the UK in 2022 to fund her travels, but her passion for monetizing her social media presence led her to pursue this career path.

Within four months of starting to post her travels on Instagram, she secured her first brand deal with Mapo Tapo, an online group-trip provider, which paid her £330 ($446). Wood now has worked with various travel and athletic-related companies, including Skyscanner, Siroko, and Roamless. She has earned up to $3,000 per trip, depending on the size and arrangements with the agencies.

Wood is working to launch her own travel agency, which would allow her to continue traveling the world while earning more. Despite the challenges of balancing her work and personal life, she enjoys the freedom of using budget accommodations and free travel while building her brand.