David Leiter doesn’t reside a boring life. As a full-time traveler, it comes as no shock that he paperwork his adventures on his weblog, The World Travel Guy.
Though his adventures started in 2016, he did not create his website till a number of years later. He labored on it for five years earlier than he began to see any actual success, and at this time he is incomes $10k/month.
Run-ins with venomous snakes and shut calls on sinking ships have achieved little to discourage him; the truth is, his objective is to go to each nation on this planet and proceed to develop his weblog.
Hold studying to search out out:
- How he began touring
- Why he finally began his website
- What he did when Covid hit
- Why the pandemic was one in all his favourite life intervals
- The place his revenue comes from
- How a lot site visitors his website will get
- His foremost advertising technique
- His ideas on search engine optimization
- His strategy to key phrase analysis and hyperlink constructing
- His content material creation course of
- His misadventures
- Her favourite sources and instruments
- His greatest problem
- His best accomplishment
- His foremost mistake
- His recommendation for different entrepreneurs
Meet David Leiter
I’m an American who’s been touring the world full-time for 8 years now. I’m presently based mostly in Bali, Indonesia, the place I met my spouse Intan (who’s a Bali native), and we’ve been touring the world collectively for the final 5 years or so.
My first actual worldwide journey was a go to to Iceland in 2016, the place I solo traveled the entire nation and drove 7,000 kilometers across the Ring Highway whereas sleeping in a rental automobile alongside the way in which.
I used to be on a really tight price range on the time, so this was the one approach I might see a notoriously costly nation like Iceland.
I used this journey to movie a drone video of Iceland, which admittedly appears to be like fairly dated by at this time’s requirements, however again in 2016 it was pretty leading edge and it bought greater than one million views on Vimeo.
In the identical 12 months, I additionally made a drone video of Colorado that went viral and bought featured on worldwide TV by BBC Journey.
The Colorado video was finally pulled from Vimeo for utilizing an excessive amount of bandwidth after it handed 3 million views, however you may nonetheless see it on YouTube the place I reuploaded it later.
It’s trying fairly dated now, however again when it was filmed 8 years in the past it was the primary time individuals had seen aerial views of Colorado like this from a drone, so it was pretty groundbreaking in that respect.
This was good drone coaching for me, and although I’m not likely centered on making movies anymore, I nonetheless use drones commonly for my weblog these days to seize distinctive pictures for the articles I write.
I used to be additionally in a position to monetize these journeys considerably, and although it wasn’t a giant supply of revenue simply but, it made me notice how a lot I beloved touring, climbing, and seeing the world. I knew I needed to maintain pursuing it.
Why He Created His Web site
I created my journey weblog in 2019 after I had already been touring the world full-time for 3 years. I believed it might be a great way to share my tales and pictures, make some extra revenue, and hopefully encourage individuals to journey and see the world.
At that time, I already had a number of content material and expertise as a traveler, however I didn’t know something about rising a weblog or monetizing it. I had no concept what to name it both, so I simply used a reputation {that a} buddy advised, The World Travel Guy.
My objective with the weblog is to doc among the most scenic locations I go to all over the world by creating articles, pictures, movies, and guides for different vacationers.
A 12 months after I began the weblog, Covid hit, and the journey trade was crippled for greater than 2 years. Throughout that point, it was unimaginable to successfully monetize my weblog, however I stored pushing forward within the hopes that issues would return to regular finally after which hopefully my work would repay.
I used to be form of working on blind religion for some time there, as a result of I spent greater than 3 years engaged on the weblog and not using a single greenback of revenue.
Me and Intan had been additionally very restricted on the place we might journey throughout that point, as a result of many of the close by nations had been fully closed for tourism.
Fortunately I used to be in a position to get a particular visa to remain in Indonesia, and we spent these 2 years touring in Bali and plenty of different islands in Indonesia. We needed to get examined for Covid dozens of instances because it was a requirement earlier than each single home flight in Indonesia.
Because it seems, although we weren’t making any cash but, this time that we had been caught in Indonesia was one in all my favourite life intervals as a result of we actually bought off the overwhelmed path and noticed locations which can be not often visited by Westerners.
Indonesia is stuffed with wonderful issues to see and do. We did jungle treks to see orangutans, and stayed on remote paradise islands with no different individuals.
These are nonetheless a few of our most particular journey recollections, and I feel it’s additionally among the most original content material I’ve on my weblog.
How A lot He’s Making
In 2023, I made a full-time revenue from the weblog—as much as $10,000 monthly. My website has normal adverts from Mediavine, and I exploit affiliate hyperlinks to get income from motels, excursions, and different issues that I like to recommend to readers on my website.
My affiliate applications embrace issues like Reserving.com, GetYourGuide, Klook, and Amazon, plus some small firms which have reached out to me for partnership, similar to a ship tour firm in Coron Palawan, within the Philippines.
I even have some facet work doing net design and search engine advertising, which I’ve continued doing within the background whereas I journey.
My boss has been very gracious and versatile over time, which actually helped me get began as a blogger, particularly within the early days when all of my journey was self-funded.
On the running a blog facet of issues, it took me 5 years of labor (largely with out pay) to achieve my present income degree, though with out Covid, I most definitely would have reached this level sooner.
My journey weblog averaged about 300,000 to 350,000 readers monthly in 2023.
Like most area of interest bloggers, I had a site visitors dip on the finish of 2023 due to the Google algorithm updates, however my website continues to be making a full-time revenue in 2024, and I anticipate it to completely recuperate and hold bettering over time as I write extra content material and the SERPs hopefully get much less risky.
David’s Important Advertising Technique
My foremost advertising technique is search engine optimization. Like most journey bloggers, I don’t have sufficient of a price range to pay for promoting on Fb or Google, so virtually all of my website site visitors is natural.
I had already realized some issues about search engine optimization by way of my prior work background, however a number of it has been hands-on expertise with my journey weblog.
Once I first began my weblog I didn’t know a lot about search engine optimization, so it’s been a gradual course of, and I’m nonetheless studying new issues every single day.
Google’s personal documentation is mostly an excellent useful resource for search engine optimization newbies eager to make optimized content material that’ll present up and carry out decently on search engines like google and yahoo. Semrush additionally has some good data about search engine optimization greatest practices to observe.
His Ideas on search engine optimization
search engine optimization is essential and a number of journey bloggers neglect it or don’t perceive find out how to do it.
There are a bunch of issues concerned in search engine optimization, however my primary technique is to jot down a number of weblog posts and get a number of backlinks. It’s easy, but it surely works. Most journey bloggers appear to do solely one in all these items, or neither.
Not all your weblog posts will carry out nicely on search engines like google and yahoo, even when they’re good, however in the event you throw a number of stuff on the wall one thing will stick. Multiply that by tons of of weblog posts, and also you’re beginning to have a recipe for fulfillment.
The tough factor is to maintain writing content material that’s recent, authentic, and doesn’t sound prefer it was written by a robotic. After you’ve already written 400 weblog posts, it begins to get fairly tedious.
I’ve discovered that I write lots higher after a break, so I attempt to journey for some time if I really feel like I’m nearing burnout.
Key phrase Analysis
I attempt to goal a wide range of high- and low-competition key phrases.
The high-competition key phrases are often extra useful, in fact, which is why everybody’s attempting to get them, however which means they’re additionally tougher to rank for.
The benefit of low-competition key phrases is that they’re simpler to rank for, and so they’re additionally extra prone to appeal to backlinks.
For instance, I visited the Banggai Islands in Indonesia just lately and wrote a information for it.
Regardless that these are distant islands that don’t have a number of high-value site visitors, they’re rising in reputation recently, and I already bought a backlink organically (from a backpacker website) since my information is presently one of many solely English guides for visiting these islands.
I do key phrase analysis with a mix of Ahrefs and Semrush. Usually, you need to search for key phrases which can be prone to mesh nicely with a journey weblog, and in addition longer key phrases which can be much less prone to have a number of competitors from different web sites in your area of interest.
Hyperlink Constructing
Hyperlink constructing is all the time an excellent factor. I’ve a number of methods to do outreach. One time I entered a photograph contest with the Indonesia Tourism Bureau and bought a backlink from their official website. That was massive for me.
Typically if I see a website stealing my pictures and utilizing them with out credit score, relatively than file a DMCA or ask them to take down my picture, I’ll ask for a credit score hyperlink as an alternative.
Consider it or not, I’ve gotten a bunch of high-quality dofollow hyperlinks over time from this sort of outreach.
Typically I by chance stumble onto websites utilizing my pictures, or different instances a reader of my website will let me find out about it.
There are additionally providers you should use to search out and establish websites which can be doubtlessly stealing your pictures. One among these I’ve used up to now is CopyTrack.
After all, there’s all the time the potential of getting hyperlinks organically. In different phrases, in case your journey content material is nice and useful and has wonderful pictures which can be superior to the competitors, persons are extra prone to hyperlink to it.
A few of my greatest hyperlinks really occurred naturally with no outreach on my half. Somebody simply determined they favored my content material, so that they linked to it.
Clearly, I wouldn’t suggest simply sitting again and ready for hyperlinks to return in on their very own like this, but it surely’s nonetheless one supply of hyperlinks that may be very useful.
His Content material Creation Course of
I do a number of writing and my website has virtually 400 weblog posts now. I do all the content material creation myself. I by no means use AI for any of it, and I plan to maintain it that approach.
For all of the discuss AI recently, it’s nonetheless principally ineffective for creating journey guides which can be nuanced and useful for readers.
I attempt to write a minimum of one or two new weblog posts each week, though I don’t wish to sacrifice high quality for amount, so I typically fall behind on this goal, particularly if I’m touring lots.
The Yoast search engine optimization plugin will be useful for optimizing new weblog posts. Typically I spend days going again and updating outdated weblog posts so that they’re nonetheless correct, which takes a number of time as nicely, but it surely’s price it if you wish to hold your website related.
His Electronic mail Checklist
I do have an electronic mail listing, however I’m nonetheless on the lookout for methods to develop it with out being annoying. I’m not a fan of pop-ups asking individuals to affix a mailing listing.
I attempted that early on, but it surely simply didn’t appear well worth the problem it causes for individuals.
Sooner or later, I’d wish to experiment with providing a free obtain (similar to a Lightroom preset or e-book) to individuals for becoming a member of my mailing listing. That approach there’s a minimum of an incentive.
Presently, I solely have a couple of thousand individuals on my mailing listing since I haven’t prioritized it, however I’m hoping to develop that quantity.
I exploit MailChimp for managing the e-mail listing, and that has labored nicely, however I’m nonetheless on the lookout for methods to enhance my mailing technique.
David’s Work Schedule and Adventures
The variety of hours I work varies, and I don’t all the time hold observe, however on a typical day I in all probability spend 2 to 4 hours engaged on the weblog.
Some days I spend 8 to 12 hours engaged on the weblog, whereas different days I don’t work on it in any respect.
Within the early days of the weblog, it ate up much more of my time. Now that I’ve already designed my website and written tons of of posts, I don’t should spend as a lot time on it as earlier than, in order that helps.
Nevertheless, sustaining the web site is just one a part of journey running a blog. I additionally should journey, take pictures, and write new content material. I principally spend 6 to eight months a 12 months touring, with a little bit of relaxation between every journey.
Clearly, touring is a number of enjoyable and I’ll by no means cease having fun with it, however typically it may be onerous work, too.
I don’t get pleasure from in a single day flights or sleeping on airport flooring. I don’t get pleasure from being sick or jetlagged. I’ve had a number of shut calls and brushes with demise whereas touring over time, so it’s not all the time enjoyable and video games.
For instance, one time I virtually stepped on a venomous pit viper whereas climbing in Indonesia. My foot landed inside centimeters of the snake, which was coiled up within the heart of the trail, however fortunately its head was turned away from me and the snake didn’t see how shut my foot landed.
This was on a distant island with no antivenom and virtually no hospital, so a chew from one in all these snakes might imply amputation or demise.
One other time, our boat virtually sank throughout a storm on the ocean close to Sumatra. We had been making preparations for what we’d do if we needed to go overboard and swim. We had noticed a floating wood fish entice about one kilometer away and deliberate to attempt to swim there and hold onto it if the boat went underneath.
This occurred at evening in a really dangerous storm with heavy rain and massive waves. There was no land anyplace in sight, so we’d have needed to float and swim on the market for days till a fishing boat or another person hopefully noticed us and rescued us.
Fortunately, the storm handed and we had been in a position to flip our motor on and get again to land. We had been fully soaked and chilly, however secure.
Within the newest incident, a driver we employed in Sulawesi fell asleep on the wheel and drove throughout the opposite lane on a busy freeway. We frantically woke him up earlier than he drove off the sting of the street, the place there was a steep jungle ravine under.
Fortunately, there wasn’t any oncoming site visitors within the different lane when this occurred, however we had been on a busy street that’s often utilized by truckers, so issues might’ve turned out a lot worse.
Later we discovered our driver had stayed up all evening driving 10 hours, so he was working on no sleep. We canceled the journey proper then and stopped on the town to relaxation.
We’ve had numerous experiences like this whereas touring over time, however these are just some examples of how rapidly issues can go dangerous.
I nonetheless haven’t been threatened or robbed at gunpoint although I’ve traveled most of Central and South America, but it surely wouldn’t shock me if that occurs sooner or later, and I attempt to be further cautious in these locations.
Typically I downgrade my digital camera gear if I’m touring someplace there’s a better probability of being robbed.
His Favourite Sources
On the images facet of issues, I’m a fan of YouTube channels like Simon d’Entremont for clear and concise digital camera ideas.
My running a blog model, net design, and search engine optimization methods had been largely self-taught, though I wish to learn different journey blogs sometimes for brand spanking new concepts.
A great useful resource for search engine optimization information is Search Engine Roundtable.
His Go-To Instruments
For key phrase analysis and search engine optimization, essentially the most useful gizmo I exploit is Ahrefs, however Moz and Semrush additionally work nicely for this.
You should use these instruments to examine your backlinks, discover new key phrases to jot down about, and lots of different issues. You too can use them to examine your website site visitors development, though Google Analytics is best in the event you really need correct site visitors knowledge.
After all, my digital camera is one in all my most helpful instruments, too. I upgraded to a Fujifilm X-T5 digital camera just lately and I largely use a wide-angle lens.
I’m positive there are higher cameras on the market, however in my price range (round $2,000) it really works completely and takes nice footage.
For picture and video enhancing, I exploit the Adobe instruments, Lightroom and Premiere. These work nice and you may as well use Lightroom to again up your pictures within the cloud as you go.
His Greatest Problem
The largest problem for me is writing in bulk. You aren’t going to have a really profitable and entertaining weblog until you do a number of writing, and this bought tedious for me after in regards to the a centesimal weblog put up.
I might save time on this by utilizing AI, in fact, however the high quality would in all probability be dangerous. Hiring writers is an alternative choice, however that prices cash and it makes the weblog much less private.
So irrespective of the way you slice it, journey running a blog is a number of work and there’s no escaping it.
His Biggest Accomplishment
On the running a blog facet of issues, I really like with the ability to assist individuals journey to new locations. I’ve particularly loved running a blog about Indonesia as a result of it’s filled with hidden gems that haven’t actually been seen by Westerners.
Lots of that is because of my spouse, who’s been a giant assist as my interpreter throughout our travels in Indonesia.
As for private achievements, I’d love to go to each nation on this planet.
By some sources, there are as many as 200 nations on this planet. I’m nonetheless engaged on that objective. Proper now I’m averaging about 10 to fifteen new nations per 12 months, however my report up to now is 24 nations in a single 12 months.
What He Needs He Knew When He Began
I’ve completely uncared for social media, and I want I had stayed lively on there from the start, although it’s a number of work.
I began a Pinterest account just lately and I’ve been pinning posts from my weblog on there every single day. I’m already getting some extra noticeable site visitors from it.
I don’t anticipate Pinterest to ever change Google as my foremost site visitors supply, however each little bit helps.
Google has been an actual mess recently, so any critical blogger ought to be on the lookout for methods to get their eggs out of that basket and construct new site visitors sources.
His Important Mistake
The largest mistake I made was beginning my weblog as late as I did. I want I began 5 or 10 years sooner.
In that case, I’d have much more expertise and possibly much more revenue. The journey running a blog area may be very saturated these days.
You may nonetheless achieve success at it, but it surely takes extra work than it used to, and I feel that’ll solely grow to be much more true sooner or later as the quantity of competitors grows.
His Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs
Most likely the perfect recommendation I can provide is that there are not any shortcuts in running a blog.
Even in the event you work good, you’ll nonetheless should work onerous.
I’ve put a number of time into my weblog over time, and it wouldn’t achieve success if I didn’t.
Issues like search engine optimization, picture enhancing, writing, and net design are all issues which can be very time-consuming if you wish to do them nicely.
