Jeremy has been around the travel blogging scene for a number of years now and runs a couple of really successful travel blogs. I caught up with him to talk about how he’s turned blogging into a lifestyle that gives him the freedom to live and travel wherever he wants in the world. I caught up with him in between planning his next adventure and celebrating his brothers wedding.
The first question is in two parts: What first interested you about blogging and did you have a few false starts before you got it right?
I first started travel blogging in 2009 to document a month long trip I did to central Mexico. It was more so just a way for me to keep track of my adventures and keep close friends and family back at home updated on what I was doing (and that I was still alive!).
I basically just blogged for a couple months the first time around, as I wasn’t even considering it something that would one day support me and lead to a career focused on traveling. The 2nd go around was in 2011 when I started The World or Bust.com, my main travel blog that is still going strong!
At what point did you make the decision to take blogging from a part time interest that created passive income into a full time job that gave you an income that you could survive upon?
I have a friend who actually showed me the ropes, Jason from Locationless Living.com. He shared some advertising contacts with me, taught me a bit about SEO, and how I could monetize my site to go from just a few bucks to thousands monthly. I really started to grow things about a year and a half ago.
A lot of the travel bloggers I am speaking to have several income streams to support them. Is this something that you are doing yourself and if so what are they?
When it comes to blogging, you’d be dumb not to have multiple sites or other income sources. So many things can change, notably algorithms with Google, relationships with your core advertisers etc. I have multiple travel sites, (my main ones areTopSpotTravel.com and HomeTownTravelGuides.com.
If you had to identify one key to being successful at blogging what would it be?
Consistently writing posts.
Have you got a big project that you’re working on at the moment and if so what is it?
Besides building up my current sites, I’m planning on starting a web-based translation service shortly.
Refocusing the interview a bit. What are your travel plans over the next six months?
Perfect timing for this question! I actually just rented out my condo in Miami Beach where I live the majority of the time for 6 months. I’m up in Philadelphia right now for a few weeks helping with my brother’s wedding, and then I’m going to set out on a 5 monther. I plan to start in the Azores and work my way over Europe back to South East Asia.
Where do you want to go to?
Azores, southern Portugal, Romania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines.
What are you most looking forward to?
Azerbaijan
Funniest moment while travelling?
I saw an elephant in Thailand spray its on poop at the guy riding it after he was yelling and hitting it with a stick!
Top three travel memories?
Surfing in Siargao, Philippines
The first time in Barcelona when I read an article in the newspaper in Spanish and actually understood it.
Partying in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
