Jenny Brocious wasn’t initially all in favour of journey and didn’t get her passport till she was 25. However an opportunity journey to Greece with some girlfriends fully modified her view. She was hooked.
She began touring right here and there, however then a newspaper article she noticed modified her life and he or she determined she needed to journey the entire world.
She launched her weblog, Round the World in 30 Days, in 2006. The trail to success has not been linear for Jenny, and he or she’s confronted many studying curves and obstacles alongside the way in which.
Right this moment she solely works on her weblog about 6 months of the 12 months and is incomes $4k/month. And she or he continues to develop.
Hold studying to search out out:
- How she juggles her day job and running a blog
- What occurred on her journey to Greece
- How she approached journey initially
- What newspaper article modified her life
- How her strategy to journey advanced
- What guide she wrote
- The place her earnings comes from
- How a lot site visitors she’s getting
- Her predominant advertising methods
- Her strategy to key phrase analysis
- Her favourite sources and instruments
- Her biggest problem
- Her predominant accomplishment
- Her greatest mistake
- The recommendation she presents different entrepreneurs
Meet Jenny Brocious
I’m Jenny Brocious and I at present stay between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Punta Gorda, Florida with my husband, Dave.
I’m initially from southwest Florida however lived in Atlanta for many of my life till shifting again in 2021. My husband is an Military veteran and lately took a military-related civilian place in Hawaii (therefore the present twin dwelling state of affairs).
After school, I went into the occasion administration subject and labored for 2 giant occasion amenities earlier than beginning my very own enterprise in 2000. I’d been in enterprise for precisely a 12 months when 9/11 occurred and the occasion business dried up in a single day.
Due to a buddy who labored in TV on the time, I transitioned my ability set into tv manufacturing and started working seasonally as a manufacturing supervisor for a serious sports activities community.
Fortunately, the occasion enterprise shortly recovered and I’ve now been efficiently juggling each careers for greater than 20 years. I added running a blog to the combo in 2006.
I’m proud to say that I haven’t labored in an workplace or for anybody else (full-time) since 2000 and I wouldn’t commerce that freedom for something. Each careers are pretty seasonal, so I’ve a whole lot of break day between initiatives for my true ardour: world journey.
Whereas I work remotely (principally from dwelling), I do journey extensively for enterprise. Over time I’ve racked up thousands and thousands of miles and resort factors that I’ve used to fund a whole lot of galavanting across the globe.
My motto is, “For those who can earn a living from home, you possibly can work from Rome.”
Or Thailand, or Tahiti, or just about wherever with stable wifi.
If there was a tiny silver lining to the Covid pandemic, it’s that so many extra persons are in a position to work remotely now and fulfill their journey desires on the similar time.
Why She Created Her Web site
I didn’t get my first passport till I used to be 25 years outdated. I used to be fully centered on my profession at that age and had neither the holiday time nor the extra money for journey.
In the future, two buddies at my workplace invited me to tag alongside on a women’ journey to Greece. The journey was an inexpensive bundle deal and I used to be due some trip days, so I took them up on it.
That journey sparked a wanderlust that’s nonetheless going sturdy right now. All I needed to do was journey.
And after I began my enterprise just a few years later, I lastly had the time to do it. For the following few years, I took just a few journeys to Europe and South America however nothing too extraordinary. I did most of these journeys solo. I used to be used to touring solo for enterprise and most of my buddies nonetheless had restricted trip time.
Then, on New 12 months’s Day of 2005, a random newspaper article modified my life.
I used to be in Miami on enterprise after I stumbled throughout a neighborhood function a couple of man who had offered all of his belongings, purchased a round-the-world (RTW) airline ticket, and traveled the world for a 12 months.
Now, I do know that form of factor is extra widespread lately, however on the time I’d by no means heard of anybody doing something like that. And I used to be immediately obsessive about the concept.
A fast Google search revealed that, sure, you might buy a RTW ticket with miles. And I had a LOT of miles. However I additionally had a profession. And I knew that touring world wide for a 12 months was out of the query if I needed a enterprise to come back dwelling to.
Fortunately, the seasonal facet of my profession allowed me a pleasant chunk of time each January/February so I settled on the concept of a 30-day journey world wide.
I spent the whole remainder of the 12 months planning it. I purchased a large fold-out map of the world and plotted out the itinerary – the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, the Nice Wall, and as many locations as I may realistically squeeze in between them.
In January of 2006, I set off solo. To keep up a correspondence with my household and buddies alongside the way in which I used a website known as My Journey Journal (which nonetheless exists!) to journal my journey. That was the start of “Around the World in 30 Days.”
That RTW journey was supposed to be a “as soon as in a lifetime” journey, however even earlier than it was over I knew I’d do it once more. It wasn’t that onerous to plan, it wasn’t costly (thanks partially to miles and factors), and most significantly, it was essentially the most unbelievable factor I’d ever finished.
For the following 8 years, RTW #2 – #9 adopted each January with new locations and new adventures. Earlier than departing on RTW #2 in 2007, I transitioned the MyTripJournal website to a WordPress weblog and RTWin30days.com was formally born.
I did these first 9 RTW journeys as a solo traveler. However in 2014, I met my husband and RTW #10 naturally advanced into an epic 3-month honeymoon world wide.
So far, I’ve visited and written about greater than 175 nations on all 7 continents.
For these first 10 years, the location was actually only a journey journal. By means of social media, I developed a partnership with Starwood Motels (now Marriott) and did various fabulous sponsored locations (the Maldives, Tibet, Bali, and extra) with them beginning with RTW #7 in 2012. I used to be even featured on their in-room TV channel world wide for a number of years.
On the time, I believed the definition of success for a travel blog was sponsored journeys and free journey. I had no concept you might really monetize a journey weblog and I by no means tried to.
In 2012, I signed with a New York literary company after one way or the other efficiently pitching them a guide concept. However after 6 months of making an attempt, my agent wasn’t in a position to promote the guide. She believed in it, although, and recommended I self-publish by way of Amazon, so I did, and I couldn’t imagine how straightforward it was.)
I wrote The Grown-Up’s Information to Globetrotting as a useful resource to assist aspiring nomads plan RTW journeys of their very own. It’s not a serious income, however it’s a terrific place to refer readers with in-depth questions (for instance, about reserving round-the-world tickets).
I up to date it each different 12 months however I gave up throughout the pandemic. Journey guidelines have been simply altering too shortly! I’m again at it now although and dealing on a fifth version replace for January 2024.
How A lot She’s Incomes
Like everybody else, throughout the pandemic I used to be dwelling for months with nothing to do and nowhere to go for the primary time in my grownup life.
By this time, because of my brother-in-law (who runs a massively profitable area of interest website known as SantoriniDave.com), I had discovered that I used to be lacking an enormous alternative by not monetizing my website with resort associates.
I knew if I used to be going to make RTWin30days a worthwhile enterprise, it was now or by no means.
So I dove into search engine optimization programs and started churning out new content material and updating outdated posts utilizing what I’d discovered. With a 14-year-old, established website, it didn’t take lengthy to see progress.
By the summer season of 2021, my site visitors was as much as about 25k classes per 30 days and resort commissions alone have been paying the mortgage.
But it surely nonetheless wasn’t “stop your job” form of cash and I loved my profession so I stored juggling each. I continued making an attempt to develop site visitors and monetize with extra associates like excursions and rental automobiles.
And by now I additionally understood that Mediavine was the final word objective if I needed to switch my “actual job” earnings with running a blog.
By the summer season of 2022, I received there.
I utilized to Mediavine in June of 2022 and in my first full month with them (July), I used to be thrilled to make $2,500.
For the remainder of the summer season, my month-to-month earnings streams have been roughly:
Reserving.com – $2,000
Mediavine – $2,500
GetYourGuide/Viator (excursions) – $700
Different associates (ferries, automobiles, and so on) – $250
Amazon (merchandise & guide gross sales) – $150
My website has all the time been seasonal and my hottest posts are primarily summer season locations. So my site visitors and earnings decreased by about 20% going into the autumn and I totally anticipated it to rebound and are available again even stronger within the spring/summer season of 2023.
But it surely didn’t. And I do know why.
As a substitute of spending January-April of 2023 writing new content material and updating outdated posts as I’d finished the earlier two winters, I took a too-good-to-pass-up TV manufacturing job on a brand new docu-series. It consumed all of my time from January to June and I wrote simply 3 new posts on the location the whole 12 months.
After which in June, we moved to Hawaii and I received shiny object syndrome and launched a model new area of interest website, Next Stop Hawaii.
Amazingly, although site visitors didn’t see the anticipated summer season rebound, my earnings didn’t tank (thanks principally to a wholesome RPM with Mediavine).
For the previous 5 months, RTWin30days has earned round $3,000/month, primarily a break up between Mediavine and Reserving.com.
I’m satisfied now that the location has wonderful earnings potential. However the hardest half for me is reducing the wire from a sure-thing earnings and making the leap to running a blog full-time.
If this 12 months has taught me something, it’s that attending to the following stage will in all probability imply leaping in with each ft. I positively wrestle with that call and I feel a whole lot of part-time bloggers do, too.
As for the way a lot time I spend on my website, it will depend on the time of 12 months.
The season for my “actual” job is August-December. Throughout these months I hardly ever create any new content material for the location.
However beginning in January yearly, I flip my consideration to writing new posts, updating current content material, and increasing my normal running a blog data by taking any new programs that curiosity me.
Jenny’s Visitors
Once I utilized to Mediavine in June 2022, I had 75k customers and 90k+ classes per 30 days. That was the location’s finest month ever.
Proper now (thanks principally to a ridiculous lack of effort), I’m solely averaging 30k classes per 30 days. However I’m assured I can get again to these 2022 numbers and exceed them with sufficient effort and time.
I’m additionally nonetheless making an attempt to type out Google’s recent Helpful Content Update.
I skilled roughly a 40% site visitors drop throughout that point however it additionally coincided with my typical end-of-summer drop of 20-25%. I must do a deep dive into my analytics to unravel that.
Fortunately, as my site visitors has decreased, my Mediavine RPMs have elevated (go determine) so my earnings has remained comparatively regular regardless of the gradual site visitors loss.
Her Important Advertising Technique
search engine optimization is #1 for me. Pinterest is #2, however it’s inconsistent as a site visitors driver. I’ve a good social media following however truthfully, aside from the occasional Fb spike, it doesn’t drive a lot site visitors both.
So, my restricted time is best spent writing new content material and updating current content material that already performs nicely.
Now that I lastly perceive how search engine optimization works (in spite of everything these years), I notice how important it’s. I’m diving into my key phrase rankings in Google Search Console and creating extra content material across the subjects that I already rank for.
I’m additionally centered on updating content material that when ranked nicely and dropped for one purpose or one other. If Google discovered it related as soon as, likelihood is I can get it to rank once more with a high quality replace.
Key phrase Analysis
Keyword research used to all the time be an afterthought for me. I’d make a journey, write a put up, after which possibly take into consideration key phrase analysis after I did an replace a 12 months later.
Now, after I plan a visit, I do key phrase analysis earlier than I’m going so I don’t miss any motels, locations, or issues to try this individuals seek for in that vacation spot.
I additionally do that so I can get my very own photos of all the things I need to embody within the put up. I don’t use inventory photos, so each picture on my website is my very own.
Key phrase analysis is essential to making sure I cowl the most typical questions on a spot to make my put up as useful as attainable.
Ideally, a reader ought to be capable to plan a go to to that vacation spot from begin to end—why to go, tips on how to get there, the place to remain, what to eat, see, and so on.—simply by studying my put up.
Hyperlink Constructing
That is in all probability going to be an unpopular opinion, however I don’t do hyperlink constructing.
It’s a type of issues that fall by way of the cracks once you stretch your self too skinny. I really feel like my time is best spent creating good content that helps my readers.
I’ve by no means written a visitor put up and I ended doing HARO some time in the past as a result of I simply didn’t have time to learn and reply to the day by day emails.
That stated, my website has over 14k backlinks (one thing I solely lately found after I began utilizing Ahrefs). I didn’t work to construct a single a type of.
In fact, most of them are in all probability junk, however there are fairly just a few excessive DA backlinks amongst them. And I received these organically.
Nevertheless, for my new Hawaii website, I’m positively contemplating hyperlink constructing. But it surely’s too quickly for that; content material creation is the main focus proper now.
Jenny’s Content material Creation Course of
RTWin30days has 300+ revealed posts.
Of these, 145 are de-indexed as a result of they’re extra journal entry-type posts from older RTW journeys. They don’t present any worth to vacationers visiting these locations right now and I don’t need them popping up in Google search outcomes.
If readers are all in favour of these, they’re all nonetheless out there on my website below “Around the World Journeys.”
Subsequent Cease Hawaii has simply 10 posts proper now however increase that website is one among my prime priorities going into 2024.
Her E-mail Listing
I don’t have an email list.
Like hyperlink constructing, I simply don’t have the bandwidth for it in the meanwhile. Plus, I don’t personally like receiving a bunch of emails and I don’t need to be within the enterprise of asking readers for his or her electronic mail addresses.
There are some bloggers who’re execs with their electronic mail lists.
NicheSiteLady is a good instance. I look ahead to her emails and have discovered lots from them.
If I ever felt like I may supply that form of worth with a weekly or month-to-month electronic mail to subscribers, I’d begin an inventory. Till then, I choose to concentrate on my strengths.
Her Favourite Assets
There are two programs that actually moved the needle for me after I buckled down and received severe throughout Covid.
Kelly Holmes’ Sticky Running a blog & Sticky search engine optimization programs and Mike Futia’s Stupid Simple SEO course.
Kelly’s course drastically improved my weblog writing expertise (which is a distinct factor from different sorts of writing) and taught me tips on how to maintain readers coming again.
Her search engine optimization course was actually an introduction to search engine optimization for me, however gave me some fast wins for a few of my extra standard posts.
However Mike’s Silly Easy search engine optimization course was the catalyst that actually remodeled my website. It was the primary time I spotted that my website’s longevity was an enormous asset.
I took his course in 2021 and on the time my website was 15 years outdated with a DA within the low 40s and about 10k web page views per 30 days.
Now that I’ve began a model new Hawaii website (howdy, DA = 1!), I notice simply how beneficial that longevity was. Now my website is a DA 50 and I’m in a position to leverage that to rank quicker on new subjects.
Her Go-To Instruments
Google Search Console is my #1 software.
Earlier than taking search engine optimization programs, I by no means understood what a terrific useful resource it’s. It actually tells you what Google thinks of your website.
For instance, I’ve written about 100+ locations however (primarily based on the keywords I rank for) Google solely thinks I’m an professional on about 20 of these. So I’m making an attempt to capitalize on that by writing extra content material for these locations.
I’ve solely lately began utilizing RankIQ, however I find it irresistible and I’m trying ahead to utilizing it to jot down a whole lot of new posts within the coming months.
For key phrase analysis, I exploit Mangools and KeySearch. And I lately grabbed the LowFruits Black Friday deal so I’m trying ahead to making an attempt that as nicely.
I additionally use Canva to create Pinterest pins and different graphics for my websites.
I like ChatGPT, and I exploit it for analysis, outlining posts, and combating author’s block. However I’d by no means use it to jot down a whole put up.
Principally as a result of it’s normally improper in terms of particular, present vacation spot info.
Her Biggest Problem
Arms down, it’s time administration between the weblog and my profession.
The second greatest problem is my unwillingness to outsource something as a result of I’m a little bit of a management freak. I write each single put up on my website.
I do know a whole lot of blogs with a group of writers, however that’s simply not me. And in consequence, I’ve to accept slower development (like, painfully gradual). My websites replicate me as a author and a traveler, and that’s simply not one thing I can outsource.
Her Important Accomplishment
Qualifying for Mediavine final 12 months was an enormous accomplishment for me.
For the primary time, my website is making a gentle month-to-month earnings with out me doing a single factor. It’s fully hands-off and it’s wonderful.
As I discussed, I wrote solely 3 posts the whole 12 months but Mediavine has paid my mortgage each single month, after which some.
Additionally, I really like incorporating marathons into my travels. I’ve run 17 marathons (together with 2 throughout 30-day RTW journeys) on 4 continents.
My first race and all-time favourite to run is the Honolulu Marathon. I’ve run that one 11 instances and can be doing it once more subsequent month. There’s no higher method to get to know a spot than to run 26.2 miles round it!
I like to consider running a blog as a marathon, not a dash. And for me, it’s been the longest marathon course ever!
What She Needs She Knew When She Began
Oh boy, so many issues!
However the significance of topical authority is a giant one.
For thus a few years I’d journey someplace, write one massive put up about it, after which transfer on to the following vacation spot. Now that I perceive search engine optimization, I notice that I should have confused the heck out of Google.
Now I concentrate on digging into Search Console and reverse engineering new posts to cowl completely different angles on topics Google already thinks I find out about. Once I write new posts utilizing that technique, they have a tendency to rank way more shortly.
Her Greatest Mistake
Overlooking internet affiliate marketing completely till only a few years in the past can be my predominant mistake. I’ve been writing about motels and excursions for a decade however by no means realized I may monetize that.
Her Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs
Take ALL the programs and study from the specialists.
You don’t should reinvent the wheel. There are lots of people on the market killing it with websites throughout each area of interest you possibly can dream up.
If they’ll do it, you are able to do it.
Be affected person and belief the method. Write high quality content material on subjects that folks seek for and the site visitors will come.
I’ve to maintain reminding myself to be affected person in terms of my new website. It’s 5 months outdated and has simply 10 posts. However they’re good posts. In-depth, useful posts.
Final month the location broke 1000 visits for the primary time. And that was thrilling for me! Principally as a result of it in all probability took me 5 years to get there on RTWin30days.
Think about the potential after I get it to 100 posts!
Additionally, you should definitely select a niche you’re passionate about or blogging will shortly change into a job like every other job. Fortunately, I don’t suppose I’ll ever get bored with writing about journey.
For those who’re contemplating going into the journey area, niching down is vital. I doubt anybody may begin a normal journey weblog lately and get any traction, it’s simply too saturated.
However area of interest journey websites? That’s the place the cash is. And that’s precisely why I began a brand new website after I moved to Hawaii as a substitute of simply including one other silo to RTWin30days.
I’ve challenged myself to get Subsequent Cease Hawaii into Mediavine in lower than a 12 months, we’ll see how I do!
