Becky Timbers knew from an early age that she needed to journey and see the world. She took benefit of journey alternatives in faculty, and as soon as she graduated, she continued to seek out methods to guide a nomadic life-style.
After mountain biking together with her household as a teen, she reconnected together with her passion as an grownup and realized she may mix each passions: biking and journey.
She began her weblog, Two Wheeled Wanderer, in 2019 to share biking routes and ideas and doc her rides across the nation. Though the HCU damage her visitors, Becky has been working to construct out totally different earnings streams to extend diversification.
Immediately, she’s incomes $5k per 30 days.
Hold studying to seek out out:
- How journey change into such an essential a part of her life
- How she obtained into biking
- Why she created her website
- What occurred through the pandemic
- How the HCU impacted her
- How she’s diversifying her earnings
- The place her earnings comes from
- Her primary advertising methods
- Her ideas on search engine optimization
- Her strategy to key phrase analysis
- Her favourite assets and instruments
- The primary problem she’s confronted
- Her best accomplishment
- Her greatest mistake
- Her recommendation for different entrepreneurs
Meet Becky Timbers
I grew up in Vermont with a household that beloved journey and journey. My mother and father took my brother and I on two-week holidays yearly throughout spring break.
We went to locations like Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Switzerland, and Banff, to call just a few. I beloved these journeys and knew from an early age that I needed to spend my life touring and seeing the world.
Once I was in highschool, I did a 6-month examine overseas in New Zealand. I had fantastic host mother and father who took me throughout the North Island and I obtained to do a two-week journey right down to the South Island as effectively.
It was such an incredible expertise and even additional resolved my want to construct a life round journey.
In faculty, I did one other examine overseas, this time to Africa.
I spent a full yr in Kenya and Tanzania. It’s laborious to place into phrases how unbelievable that yr was! Spending time with the Maasai and happening safari for sophistication was magical.
After faculty, I didn’t actually know what I needed to do, so I purchased a one-way ticket to Hawaii (as one does…)
On the island of Kauai, I noticed an advert in a Nationwide Geographic Journey journal for a cruise ship firm referred to as Lindblad Expeditions. I utilized to be a steward, and a couple of weeks later I used to be flying right down to Baja to begin a life at sea.
I labored on the Nationwide Geographic ships for about 10 years. I spent summers up in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest and winters in Baja, Costa Rica, and Panama.
In between contracts on the ships, I’d journey for weeks and months at a time. I didn’t have a house base and lived out of a backpack for a few years.
I’ll ceaselessly be pleased about my time on the ships, the individuals I labored with, and the liberty to see the world in that manner.
Feeling like I wanted to “calm down” and get a “actual job,” I moved to Seattle and obtained my grasp’s in diet.
My settled and career-oriented life lasted for about 4 years till I made a decision that wasn’t what I needed. I used to be 33 on the time.
I bought every thing, packed my backpack (once more), and went again to my nomadic methods, briefly engaged on the ships once more.
It was round this time that I began to get again into mountain biking, which I had achieved in highschool with my dad and brother.
I landed in California and met a gaggle of mates who invited me to go on some mountain biking journeys with them. That’s when Two Wheeled Wanderer obtained began!
Why She Created Her Website
I began Two Wheeled Wanderer in 2019 after my dad and I took a visit collectively to Squamish, BC.
I knew there was nice mountain biking there, however it was laborious to seek out info and recommendation on what trails to journey, the way to hyperlink them up, what to anticipate, and many others.
So, after my journey, I wrote up a information primarily based on my expertise and that was the primary publish I printed to Two Wheeled Wanderer!
Two Wheeled Wanderer began after my dad and I took a mountain bike journey to Squamish, BC
I did have some earlier expertise with running a blog.
Throughout my ship years, I’d saved a travelog-style blog to maintain family and friends up-to-date on the place I used to be. I knew that travel blogging may very well be a profession and that’s what I needed for Two Wheeled Wanderer from the get-go.
Everyone knows what occurred in 2020.
When the pandemic hit, I believe lots of people have been in search of methods to get exterior and get train. Mountain biking and biking usually actually exploded.
I noticed a ton of progress for my weblog throughout that yr, which was thrilling because it was nonetheless fairly new. I additionally began stepping into bikepacking and writing about that.
I additionally began working for a longtime blogger, Kristen Bor of Bearfoot Idea, who I nonetheless work part-time for. She taught me a lot and I wouldn’t be the place I’m with my weblog in the present day with out her mentorship.
I used to be seeing fairly regular visitors progress till… the Useful Content material Replace in September 2023.
It’s fairly irritating as a result of I do know my content material is actually useful and there actually aren’t some other bloggers writing what I’m writing about—detailed guides about biking locations and journeys.
I’ve misplaced about half my visitors, sadly. However I’m hopeful that I’ll get well as a result of I do know what I’m doing is benefiting individuals. I obtain emails and messages from readers telling me how a lot they respect my guides, in order that retains me going.
I did add a trip-planning service to my weblog the place individuals can e book a name with me to assist plan their bike journeys. It’s nonetheless very new, however I’m hoping this may add one other source of income.
Previous to the HCU, I additionally obtained employed because the Content material Creator for a TDA World Biking journey down in Central America. The journey was 8 weeks and went from Costa Rica to Mexico.
My job was to take images of the riders, write weblog posts, journey sweep on some days, and do no matter else I wanted to do to assist the journey.
I completely beloved it and will likely be doing two extra journeys this yr (Paris to Istanbul and Cusco to Ushuaia). With all of the uncertainty with Google and AI, I’m glad to have these journeys as yet one more supply of earnings.
How A lot She’s Incomes
Final yr was my finest yr. I made about $70k from all my sources of earnings.
I’ve all the time appreciated doing numerous various things and having a number of earnings streams is an enormous upside of that. I do know $70k isn’t quite a bit in comparison with some bloggers, however work-life stability is actually essential to me.
I knew I needed to make TWW a enterprise once I first began it and it took me three years to construct as much as this earnings. I believe I used to be accepted into Mediavine after my second yr of running a blog.
I did use Ezoic briefly however didn’t have a superb expertise with them. I like to recommend ready till you may be part of a premium advert community.
Right here’s the breakdown of my earnings from 2023:
- Mediavine advertisements & affiliate earnings from my weblog: 75%
- Digital Merchandise: 2% (I performed round with this in 2023 and plan to do extra this yr)
- Working as an assistant for Bearfoot Idea: 10%
- TDA World Biking: 5%
- Mountain bike teaching: 3%
- Miscellaneous: 5%
For 2024, I’ll be doing two extra TDA World Biking journeys, persevering with to work for Bearfoot Idea, and including trip-planning calls as a service. I additionally wish to mess around extra with digital merchandise.
I nonetheless rely fairly closely on advertisements and affiliate earnings, although, which I’m attempting to reduce as my primary supply of earnings.
As for visitors, in 2023, I used to be averaging about 34,000 classes/77,000 pageviews a month.
At the moment, I’m at about 15,000 classes/30,000 pageviews a month, so I misplaced about 50% of my visitors with the HCU.
How a lot I work on the enterprise actually will depend on what I’m doing. I nonetheless work for Bearfoot Idea about 10 hours per week. I’d say I put about 20-30 hours into my weblog as effectively. However then I take days or even weeks off to do bike journeys!
Becky’s Predominant Advertising and marketing Methods
My primary advertising technique is search engine optimization. I’m regretting this a bit due to all of the adjustments Google is making, however I do assume having a superb search engine optimization technique is essential.
I discovered search engine optimization by listening to podcasts, doing my very own analysis, and Fb teams (Running a blog on WordPress with Grayson Bell), and studying from Kristen of Bearfoot Idea. I’ve discovered a lot from her and am tremendous grateful to have began working for her early on.
After the HCU hit my website, I’ve been going again and actually constructing out my matter clusters.
For instance, I used to simply have one weblog publish on mountain biking in Phoenix. However now I’ve a blog post for every of the person path networks in Phoenix in addition to a publish on one of the best mountain bike trails in Phoenix, and many others.
I believe this may assist Google see me as extra reliable and authoritative on the subject of mountain biking in Phoenix.
I even have a small electronic mail listing that I’m engaged on constructing. I ship out a publication each week and I’ve a reasonably loyal following there.
I get emails again about how my weekly publication is the one electronic mail they stay up for every week, which makes me really feel nice!
As for social media, I hate it. I actually don’t wish to put effort into TikTok or Instagram as a result of they’re not platforms I take pleasure in being on.
I do know that my content material would do effectively on YouTube, however once more, I actually don’t have any curiosity in making movies and there are such a lot of individuals on the market making nice movies already that I wish to concentrate on doing one thing that nobody else is doing: writing guides to assist individuals plan their bike journeys.
Key phrase Analysis
I take advantage of Semrush for my search engine optimization analysis. I’m actually getting away from doing in-depth search engine optimization analysis as a result of my niche is so small anyway.
If I’m writing about mountain biking in Bentonville, Arkansas, I already know what I would like to write down about to assist individuals plan their journey.
Hyperlink Constructing
I do assume hyperlink constructing is essential, however I haven’t spent a lot time on it, primarily as a result of I’m shy and I don’t like selling myself! I’d relatively have it occur organically, which is what Google says they need, too.
I’m engaged on rising internal linking, although. I simply signed up for Link Whisper to assist increase inner linking. That is one thing I haven’t targeted on up to now and I believe it’ll assist with search engine optimization.
Her Content material Creation Course of
I lately began utilizing Asana to maintain my weblog posts organized and assist me keep some kind of technique in the case of updating and writing new weblog posts.
I’ve organized every thing into matters and every month I select a subject to replace and develop on.
For instance, April is “Arkansas mountain biking month.”
I’ve a bunch of posts that I’ve already written that want updating after which there are posts I would like to write down to finish the cluster/matter.
I’ve organized all of my blog posts into topics or clusters. Each month I select 1-2 matters and replace these weblog posts and write new ones to essentially spherical out the subject.
Her E-mail Checklist
I’ve about 2250 individuals on my listing. I take advantage of FloDesk, which I actually like. Proper now signups are fairly passive with varieties on my weblog and within the weblog posts.
One other aim for 2024 is to be extra intentional with lead magnets and create an intro sequence to assist increase my listing.
Becky’s Favourite Assets
I like the Area of interest Pursuits podcast for positive! I hearken to the brand new episodes each week.
On the enterprise aspect of issues, I extremely advocate Ramit Sethi. He has the podcast “I Will Train You To Be Wealthy” and a e book of the identical title.
He’s taught me a lot about managing my cash and I’d be in a a lot worse place proper now with my visitors/earnings dip from the HCU with out having taken his recommendation.
The instruments I take advantage of constantly are:
- You Want a Price range, for managing my cash
- Asana, for preserving my weblog posts organized and sticking to a content material technique
- TrustedHousesitters, as one of many causes I’m capable of journey a lot to totally different biking locations is as a result of I take advantage of this service as a housesitter.
I get a free place to remain in trade for taking good care of pets and houses. I do stay in a van and might journey that manner, however it’s laborious to remain productive while you’re dwelling van life full time.
I’ve been utilizing TrustedHousesitters for over a decade now and adore it.
Her Largest Problem
The largest problem I’ve confronted by far is attempting to determine Google and keep visibility within the SERPs. As a result of most of my visitors comes from search engine optimization, it’s been a little bit of a rollercoaster with all of the Google adjustments.
At this level, I’m actually specializing in creating good content that’s user-focused, which is what Google retains saying is essential.
Due to the uncertainty, one other problem I’m dealing with is constructing new income streams. This isn’t a foul problem, however it’s actually tougher than getting passive income from Google!
Her Biggest Accomplishment
I believe my greatest accomplishment is having the arrogance to observe my curiosity and instinct. I’m 38 and I’ve managed to not have a “actual job.”
I really feel like I’m actually good at figuring issues out, discovering cool alternatives, pivoting once I must, and constructing a life that I discover fascinating.
Additionally, to accommodate my distinctive life-style, I stay in a van. I purchased it in November 2023 and obtained it constructed out—my structure was designed round becoming bikes beneath my mattress.
I at present journey with three: two mountain bikes and a gravel bike. My van was completed in February 2024 and I moved in!
Residing and touring out of a van has allowed me to discover biking locations much more freely and cheaply than having an precise residence.
Final summer time I spent 3 months in North Carolina. This previous winter I used to be in Arizona for six weeks. And I’m in Arkansas for 2 months proper now!
What She Needs She Knew When She Began
Paradoxically, I want I had not tried so laborious at search engine optimization. I believe numerous the blogs (together with mine) that have been hit with the HCU are over-optimized and written for search engine optimization as a substitute of for readers.
I want I’d used my voice as a substitute of “Google’s voice” and included extra private experiences in my weblog posts as a substitute of constructing them merely informational.
Her Predominant Mistake
There are such a lot of! However actually, I don’t assume I’d change something as a result of they have been all nice studying experiences.
Early on, I paid some huge cash for a weblog redesign on Squarespace solely to modify to WordPress just a few months later.
I believe a present mistake I’m making isn’t paying for assist, however I wish to get my weblog to the place the place I be ok with my content material and design earlier than I hand duties over to another person.
Her Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs
It’s important to adore it. Like actually adore it.
It’s not straightforward work and it may be lonely and demoralizing at instances. However the one method to succeed is to get by way of these powerful instances.
Might I’ve extra stability and perhaps even earn more money with a “actual job?” Certain. Completely.
However I like what I do, I like serving to individuals plan their biking holidays, and I like the liberty that this life affords me. It’s laborious work, however for me, it’s price it.
