Last month, I told you guys to send me all of your burning questions, whether about travel, blogging, or anything else you could dream up. I also promised you a candid video response, something I’ve NEVER done before!
Well, after much hemming, hawing, and procrastinating, I finally pulled the trigger pushed the shutter release. It’s never been easy for me to see myself on film, so for me, this was as much about stretching my own comfort zone as it was giving you guys new and exciting types of content.
If you submitted a question, THANK YOU! This wouldn’t be happening without you. I hope you learn something useful today, or at the very least, have a good laugh at my expense.
A few notes about this video:
- It’s long! If you are only interested in the question you asked or want to pick and choose, please see the index below, indicating where in the video you can find each response. If you want to watch the whole thing, I suggest pouring yourself a glass of wine first.
- I’ve expanded on some of my answers and included written responses for a few others down below. I’ve also included links to any products I’ve mentioned or additional resources I think you’d enjoy/benefit from.
- This was my first video shot with my Canon rather than my GoPro. I’m aware that the quality isn’t awesome–the lighting is all wrong, there’s background noise, there’s camera shake–but dammit if this wasn’t the hardest thing I’ve done yet, and I’m still pretty proud of myself. They’ll get better, I promise.
Without further ado…ENJOY!
Travel and Personal Questions
Do you have any luggage tips? What do you use? — 1:04
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B014EBR0DK” locale=”US” tag=”themochdiar-20″]Osprey Viva 65 Liter Backpack[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B00HYOC2BU” locale=”US” tag=”themochdiar-20″]Eagle Creek Wheeled Backpack[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B00AVXMEPU” locale=”US” tag=”themochdiar-20″]Swiss Gear 4-Wheeled Spinner[/easyazon_link]
Why should I hire a travel agent instead of using the internet and booking stuff myself? — 2:15
What is one thing you cannot travel without? — 3:08
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B00KAJOLH4″ locale=”US” tag=”themochdiar-20″]This is my must-have[/easyazon_link] for every trip.
How do you make sure you’re getting the best deals on your travel experiences? — 3:47
In all of your travels, describe where you experienced your BEST cup of coffee. Not necessarily the best tasting cup, but try to think about the other aspects of the experience that made it special. — 4:25
What are three items that you have to have while traveling? — 5:32
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B00BW6LY2Y” locale=”US” tag=”themochdiar-20″]Camera[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B00VJ1P7TS” locale=”US” tag=”themochdiar-20″]laptop[/easyazon_link], shoes
What’s the worst part of being a travel blogger? — 6:25
Do you see yourself moving abroad again? — 7:19
Have you considered settling down in any Asian countries? — 7:35
When are you going to introduce your Swedish love interest? — 8:17
What do you think made you a Swedophile? — 9:07
Work and Blogging Questions
Do you have any tips for creating an engaged readership on your blog? Also, what are some of the things you tried when you were first starting your life as a digital nomad? — 9:50
How do you go about finding creative work while you’re abroad? Do you tend to work with clients you find while traveling or with people from home? — 11:21
Would you recommend outsourcing Pinterest work to a pro? How much time per day do you spend working on your own Pinterest account? — 12:01
- Additionally, automation is a real time saver. I use Tailwind for all my Pinterest scheduling.
How many hours a week do you work? How do you separate out blog/real life? Have you figured out the elusive work/balance thing everyone talks about? — 12:55
What tips do you have for someone new to Instagram? — 13:48
- Use hashtags correctly, i.e. choose ones that help people find your post, like the city name, country, etc, and tag bigger accounts that feature other users’ photos. Also, don’t forget to include a geotag.
I want to become a digital nomad, but I’m not sure how to go about it. What is your advice? — 14:37
Can you shed some light for a newbie travel blogger on how to enter the world of affiliate advertising? It’s something that I’ve longed to dive into, but I’m not sure what the first steps are. — 16:02
- I just discovered this website and am devouring every word. So many amazing tips for earning money through affiliate marketing. Maybe start with this post; I’ve just purchased one of her ebooks, too, and can’t wait to dive in.
- Affiliate programs mentioned: ShareASale, Amazon Associates, Affiliate Window. These are just a few. Many brands have their own affiliate program you can join as well.
How do you stay in the present moment during your travel adventures, while still capturing them via Snapchat and taking photos for your blog/social media? — 17:04
How did you get started with freelance writing, and what were the first things you did to start earning money from your blog? — 18:12
Additional Questions
Who are your favorite bloggers and Instagrammers? -Joella
- Favorite bloggers: Joanna Goddard (A Cup of Jo), Alex Baackes (Alex in Wanderland), Leandra Medine (Man Repeller), Julie Engel (Gal Meets Glam), Rosie Thomas (The Londoner)
- Favorite Instagrammers: veerabianca, bontraveler, winederlust, candyminimal, bridgesandballoons, gypsea_lust, lubodomo, bearfoottheory, and SO MANY MORE!
When did you feel like you had a good number of readers, to the point where you felt like it started to give you motivation to keep going? -Perla
- I’ve never really had number goals in mind when it comes to traffic, but each new milestone along the way definitely imparted new motivation. I remember 100 page views per day being really exciting, then 300 per day, then 500; after that it was 10,000 unique monthly visitors, then 20,000 uniques, etc. I always knew building an audience would take time, and I still feel I have a long way to go. I guess with every new milestone comes a new one you hope to reach. Luckily, I’ve always enjoyed blogging, so I think even if my growth had been slower I’d have kept plugging along anyway. It’s a labor of love!
Thanks for being the best readers there ever were! I appreciate each and every one of you more than you know. If you liked this video and would like to see more content like it, please let me know in the comments! Still have questions? Leave those below, too. 🙂
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