15 Classes from 15 Years of Running a blog

Posted: 4/2/23 | April 2nd, 2023

At the moment is a giant day. It marks fifteen years operating this web site. I posted my first weblog entry in early April 2008, after spending over a month bugging mates I met in Vietnam for assist with coding. Again then, within the days earlier than WordPress, you needed to hand-code the whole lot, and I spent loads of time determining tips on how to transfer photos round, design graphics, create hyperlinks, and format the positioning.

I began this weblog as a technique to get freelance writing gigs so I may afford to maintain touring. I simply needed to place off going company for so long as potential. I by no means thought I’d have a profession in journey, however I suppose after fifteen years doing so, this counts as a profession. I’ve created books, courses, and tours, spoken at conferences, and am quoted within the media. So, I suppose I’m sort of an professional in journey? That feels bizarre to say.

Being a public determine is surreal to me, as a result of, in so some ways, I’m nonetheless only a man who desires to maintain touring. There’s a lot of the world I need to see. Certain, I really like the enterprise of operating an internet site. It’s a psychological problem I discover fascinating. However, to me, it’s nonetheless only a technique to fulfill my travel addiction and keep away from having to work in an workplace (although, now that I have a team, it’s a extra sophisticated technique to keep away from the workplace!).

Within the final fifteen years, I’ve seen the web and journey content material creation change dramatically. Digital nomads are now not bizarre, and earning money on-line isn’t odd.

“You give up your job? Are you loopy?” isn’t one thing lots of people say as of late. There’s loads of constructive encouragement for this factor that was as soon as thought of so loopy that there should have been one thing improper with you when you needed to do it.

As individuals are liable to do throughout milestones like this, I needed to share some classes I’ve discovered as a grizzled outdated web particular person (as a result of individuals confer with me as “an OG digital creator” as if I’m 90!).

1. Most individuals succeed due to luck

Somebody’s video goes viral, and all of the sudden their bakery in Australia has extra orders than they know what to do with.

Some individuals get that fortunate interview that opens the door to fame.

Some individuals simply meet that one proper particular person at a convention.

After all, talent is required to keep up that success, however loads of occasions, luck and timing play an even bigger position than individuals wish to admit. That’s not one thing you’ll be able to management. Would I be the place I’m if I hadn’t began early with a concentrate on search engine optimisation? In all probability not. I simply occurred to start out on the proper time. That’s not one thing I managed. I bought fortunate.

2. Throw loads of spaghetti towards the wall

I’ve had loads of failed concepts — from apps to T-shirts to a convention to a hostel. A few of these ventures caught for some time; others had been quick failures. Some got here again years later (we do tours again!). I’m consistently making an attempt new issues after which discarding what doesn’t work. However all these issues that didn’t work helped us do different issues that did work.

3. Nobody reads blogs for private updates anymore

Again within the day, blogs had been the place you advised tales and gave life updates. Individuals had RSS feeds and left feedback. Now, that occurs principally by way of e-mail and social media. Yeah, some individuals will click on over to your tales, and blogs are nonetheless helpful for sharing service-based content material, however the best way individuals used to eat private updates is lifeless. It most likely received’t come again both. The sort of engagement weblog feedback used to generate is now discovered on social media.

4. Subsequently, it’s a must to be on social media

You may’t be towards social media. It’s a must to be on it. I don’t consider you’ll be able to run a personality-based web site with out utilizing social media these days. You don’t should be on each platform — be a part of people who make you most comfy — however it’s a must to be on some. As I stated, all social engagement occurs there now. It’s the place you join and preserve a relationship together with your readers. Your weblog is simply the place you ship them once they have questions.

5. It’s a must to study to make some video content material

I hate video. I really like phrases. However video is the wave of the long run, and it’s a must to study to supply it. I’ve already began doing extra video and plan to do much more. In case your weblog has a face (you), that face needs to be making video. It’s how younger individuals eat media, and, if you need your message heard by them, it’s a must to do it.

6. It’s necessary to all the time reinvent your self

Change is the one fixed in life — and the web adjustments at lightning velocity. When you don’t consistently reinvent your self, you’re going to get left behind actually quick. I do know tons of on-line creators who by no means moved off their dying social media platform or modified their enterprise mannequin and is puttering alongside, grinding it out however by no means actually rising. They didn’t undertake new methods or get on new platforms. They didn’t observe their viewers. And, consequently, whereas they make a dwelling, it’s only a tense grind of diminishing returns.

It’s a must to be prepared to alter path usually if you wish to succeed on-line.

7. Some methods are timeless

Although the whole lot adjustments, some issues stay the identical. It’s best to all the time have your personal web site, e-mail continues to be king, and high quality content material versus gimmicky traits and memes (on any platform) continues to be one of the best ways to develop. The tried-and-true advertising and marketing methods to get individuals to observe you, purchase your stuff, or join one thing haven’t modified (as a result of individuals don’t change), so following the recommendation of a bunch of “boring” entrepreneurs continues to be one of the best ways to succeed.

8. Don’t go all in on one platform

Bear in mind Vine? What occurred to all these creators who went all in there? All the time unfold your self round, as a result of platforms change — they usually don’t care about you. Algorithms change, development slows, and platforms alter path. So don’t put all of your effort into only one platform. Be in a number of locations, but in addition: all the time direct individuals again to your web site and e-mail listing, as a result of, it doesn’t matter what occurs to social media, these are all the time going to be the 2 belongings you personal and management.

9. Rent a group

You’ll by no means develop when you don’t have a group. There are solely so many hours in a day. You simply can’t do all of it. And your time needs to be spent on development and creation, not formatting photos. Hiring workers to assist with admin work, content material updates, e-mail, and something in between will skyrocket your development. It’s unimaginable in any other case.

10. Consider your self as a pizza store

If you wish to be a profitable enterprise, it’s a must to behave like, for instance, the brick-and-mortar pizza store down the road. It’s a must to take into consideration bills, P&L experiences, taxes, advertising and marketing, gross sales, and so on. It’s a must to provide you with boring advertising and marketing plans. You want workers. In any other case, you’re simply enjoying enterprise, not really operating one.

I do know tons of creators who say they “run a enterprise” however when requested for specifics they don’t even know the fundamentals.

11. By no means cease studying

Go to conferences, learn books, and hearken to podcasts. The highest individuals in any area learn — consistently.

They usually go to occasions the place they study from their friends.

They usually go to area of interest occasions, the place they study from consultants in different fields.

The best disappointment within the journey business for me is that few creators are actually specializing in bettering their expertise (I say this as somebody who ran an expert improvement convention). However the ones that do? They crush it — they usually keep on prime! The remaining putter alongside.

12. Study to let go

We used to gross $500,000 a 12 months simply from our running a blog programs. Then gross sales dropped. I spent some huge cash making an attempt to get them again up, however the market had modified. All of the sudden, everybody on-line had a course on running a blog and was throwing large sums into advertisements. Clients needed extra movies and weekly calls. We tried to adapt, however in the long run, what the course market grew to become wasn’t what actually me. Now, we make about $50,000 a 12 months as a substitute. It’s a must to be prepared to let issues go if one thing isn’t working.

13. Don’t attempt to work and journey on the identical time

It’s unimaginable to work and journey on the identical time. You simply can’t do it. Your work suffers, your travels endure, and your psychological well being suffers. If you wish to be a digital nomad, don’t transfer quick. Transfer sluggish, keep in locations longer, have devoted work days, and discover good coworking areas. Don’t run from café to café and vacation spot to vacation spot or else you’ll all the time really feel like you’re solely treading water, by no means like you’re shifting ahead.

14. You MUST community exterior your business

You should community exterior your business if you wish to succeed. In your personal business, individuals know you and there are overlapping audiences. You may solely develop a lot. However going to occasions exterior your business? These are extra impactful since you may be that different business’s professional. I’m going to finance, enterprise, and social media conferences so I can meet individuals and be their journey man. Do they want quotes or an interview? I’m there. Going to non-travel occasions has performed extra for my web site’s development than any journey occasion I’ve ever been to.

15. It’s OK to give up

It’s onerous to confess failure. I do know loads of journey creators — and creators typically — that hold working on-line as a result of they really feel they’ll by no means return to an workplace job, regardless of the very fact they’re barely surviving. Generally issues don’t work out — it’s OK to give up and let go. Use the abilities it’s a must to work for another person and get an everyday paycheck. We idolize working for ourselves within the on-line house a lot that we neglect that it’s OK to only receives a commission to do a job and clock out and in. Don’t let pleasure get in the best way of admitting that one thing didn’t work. Life is just too quick to be consistently confused and anxious for years. Let go.

Final 12 months, I quit blogging on a regular basis. I simply felt like I’d stated all I may say about journey. This 12 months, I’m going to proceed that development and semi-retire. I need to write extra books, journey for enjoyable (not for work), and proceed to concentrate on my well being and health. Final 12 months, I gave up loads of private time when journey restarted post-COVID — occasions, excursions, and conferences. It took up most of my free time. In truth, final 12 months was the primary 12 months since I began touring and I didn’t go to 1 new place.

However no extra.

After this month, I received’t be occurring any extra full TNN tours (although I’ll nonetheless pop in sometimes). I plan to proceed at hand off the day-to-day operations of this web site to my group. (Letting go is the toughest a part of all of this!) I plan to attend my final journey convention this 12 months.

I’ll proceed to weblog after I really feel the urge, however I need to replace my e-book How to Travel the World on $50 a Day, write a brand new e-book, concentrate on bringing journey to individuals by way of video, and perhaps do one thing fully new. I’m undecided actually.

The final fifteen years have been a wild journey. However it’s time to do different issues. I’m undecided what, however it’s time to broaden and see what’s on the market!