15 Lessons from 15 Years of Blogging

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

Today is an enormous day. It marks fifteen years working this web site. I posted my first weblog entry in early April 2008, after spending over a month bugging associates I met in Vietnam for assist with coding. Back then, within the days earlier than WordPress, you needed to hand-code all the things, and I spent a whole lot of time determining find out 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 might afford to maintain touring. I simply wished to place off going company for so long as potential. I by no means thought I’d have a profession in journey, however I assume after fifteen years doing so, this counts as a profession. I’ve created books, programs, and excursions, spoken at conferences, and am quoted within the media. So, I assume I’m sort of an skilled 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 needs to maintain touring. There’s a lot of the world I need to see. Sure, I like the enterprise of working a web site. It’s a psychological problem I discover fascinating. But, to me, it’s nonetheless only a technique to fulfill my journey habit and keep away from having to work in an workplace (although, now that I’ve a group, it’s a extra sophisticated technique to keep away from the workplace!).

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

“You quit your job? Are you crazy?” isn’t one thing lots of people say as of late. There’s a whole lot of constructive encouragement for this factor that was as soon as thought of so loopy that there should have been one thing flawed with you should you wished to do it.

As persons are susceptible to do throughout milestones like this, I wished to share some classes I’ve discovered as a grizzled previous web individual (as a result of folks check with me as “an OG digital creator” as if I’m 90!).

1. Most folks succeed due to luck

Someone’s video goes viral, and abruptly their bakery in Australia has extra orders than they know what to do with.

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

Some folks simply meet that one proper individual at a convention.

Of course, ability is required to keep up that success, however a whole lot of occasions, luck and timing play an even bigger position than folks want to admit. That’s not one thing you possibly can management. Would I be the place I’m if I hadn’t began early with a deal with search engine optimization? Probably not. I simply occurred to begin on the proper time. That’s not one thing I managed. I obtained fortunate.

2. Throw a whole lot of spaghetti towards the wall

I’ve had a whole lot of failed concepts — from apps to T-shirts to a convention to a hostel. Some of these ventures caught for some time; others have been rapid failures. Some got here again years later (we do excursions once more!). I’m continuously attempting new issues after which discarding what doesn’t work. But all these issues that didn’t work helped us do different issues that did work.

3. No one reads blogs for private updates anymore

Back within the day, blogs have been the place you instructed tales and gave life updates. People had RSS feeds and left feedback. Now, that occurs principally by way of electronic mail and social media. Yeah, some folks will click on over to your tales, and blogs are nonetheless helpful for sharing service-based content material, however the way in which folks used to devour private updates is useless. It in all probability gained’t come again both. The sort of engagement weblog feedback used to generate is now discovered on social media.

4. Therefore, it’s important to be on social media

You can’t be towards social media. You must be on it. I don’t consider you possibly can 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 those who make you most snug — however it’s important to be on some. As I stated, all social engagement occurs there now. It’s the place you join and preserve a relationship along with your readers. Your weblog is simply the place you ship them after they have questions.

5. You must study to make some video content material

I hate video. I like phrases. But video is the wave of the longer term, and it’s important to study to supply it. I’ve already began doing extra video and plan to do much more. If your weblog has a face (you), that face must be making video. It’s how younger folks devour media, and, in order for you your message heard by them, it’s important to do it.

6. It’s essential to at all times reinvent your self

Change is the one fixed in life — and the web adjustments at lightning velocity. If you don’t continuously reinvent your self, you’ll 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 comply with their viewers. And, consequently, whereas they make a dwelling, it’s only a tense grind of diminishing returns.

You must be keen to vary path usually if you wish to succeed on-line.

7. Some methods are timeless

Even although all the things adjustments, some issues stay the identical. You ought to at all times have your individual web site, electronic mail continues to be king, and high quality content material versus gimmicky traits and memes (on any platform) continues to be the easiest way to develop. The tried-and-true advertising methods to get folks to comply with you, purchase your stuff, or join one thing haven’t modified (as a result of folks don’t change), so following the recommendation of a bunch of “boring” entrepreneurs continues to be the easiest way to succeed.

8. Don’t go all in on one platform

Remember Vine? What occurred to all these creators who went all in there? Always 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: at all times direct folks again to your web site and electronic mail checklist, as a result of, it doesn’t matter what occurs to social media, these are at all times going to be the 2 belongings you personal and management.

9. Hire a group

You won’t ever develop should 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, electronic mail, and something in between will skyrocket your development. It’s unimaginable in any other case.

10. Think of your self as a pizza store

If you need to be a profitable enterprise, it’s important to behave like, for instance, the brick-and-mortar pizza store down the road. You have to consider bills, P&L reviews, taxes, advertising, gross sales, and so on. You must give you boring advertising plans. You want staff. Otherwise, you’re simply taking part in enterprise, not truly working one.

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

11. Never cease studying

Go to conferences, learn books, and take heed to podcasts. The prime folks in any discipline learn — continuously.

And they go to occasions the place they study from their friends.

And they 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 growth convention). But those that do? They crush it — they usually keep on prime! The relaxation putter alongside.

12. Learn 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 attempting to get them again up, however the market had modified. Suddenly, everybody on-line had a course on running a blog and was throwing huge sums into advertisements. Customers wished 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 an alternative. You must be keen to let issues go if one thing isn’t working.

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

It’s unimaginable to work and journey on the similar time. You simply can’t do it. Your work suffers, your travels undergo, and your psychological well being suffers. If you need to be a digital nomad, don’t transfer quick. Move gradual, 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 at all times really feel like you’re solely treading water, by no means like you’re transferring ahead.

14. You MUST community exterior your business

You should community exterior your business if you wish to succeed. In your individual business, folks know you and there are overlapping audiences. You can solely develop a lot. But going to occasions exterior your business? Those are extra impactful since you may be that different business’s skilled. I am going to finance, enterprise, and social media conferences so I can meet folks 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 a whole lot of journey creators — and creators on the whole — that maintain working on-line as a result of they really feel they will by no means return to an workplace job, regardless of the very fact they’re barely surviving. Sometimes issues don’t work out — it’s OK to give up and let go. Use the abilities it’s important to work for another person and get an everyday paycheck. We idolize working for ourselves within the on-line area a lot that we overlook that it’s OK to only receives a commission to do a job and clock out and in. Don’t let satisfaction get in the way in which of admitting that one thing didn’t work. Life is just too brief to be continuously careworn and anxious for years. Let go.

Last 12 months, I give up running a blog frequently. I simply felt like I’d stated all I might say about journey. This 12 months, I’m going to proceed that pattern and semi-retire. I need to write extra books, journey for enjoyable (not for work), and proceed to deal with my well being and health. Last 12 months, I gave up a whole lot 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 at least one new place.

But no extra.

After this month, I gained’t be happening any extra full TNN excursions (although I’ll nonetheless pop in on occasion). 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 once 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, deal with bringing journey to folks by way of video, and possibly do one thing fully new. I’m unsure actually.

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