January 14, 2007 – Three years ago, and four days, I installed WordPress on www.gobackpacking.com and began to figure out how to develop a travel blog for my trip around the world. Looking back, I didn’t have a clue as to how to attract visitors (though I knew my trip was going to be exciting), let alone make money.
As evidence, here’s my first post, presented in its entirety:
Eureka! Installing this blog software by WordPress on my own website was a snap. I had already done the message boards a few months ago, so I’m sure that experience helped. Still, with this up and running so quickly and easily, I’m now psyched to host my Round the World travel blog on home turf! The biggest benefit will be a somewhat unlimited sense of photo storage. Life is good.
http://www.gobackpacking.com/Blog/2007/01/14/new-day-rising/
I’m a big BootsnAll fan, but when I signed up for a travel blog with them, and saw they were using WordPress, I figured I could just create my own. Almost immediately, my life was turned upside down, as I quickly became addicted to WordPress, and the act of writing/blogging.
Now, three years later, I wanted to take a moment to recognize this anniversary, with post #1,000.
While I’ve written over 900 of them, this milestone would’ve taken several months longer to reach if it weren’t for Go Backpacking’s growing list of regular and guest contributors.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed over the years, whether in terms of reading, sharing comments, donating money, submitting stories and photos, or sponsoring this travel blog. It’s helped to keep me motivated, whether traveling halfway around the world or sitting on a couch in my parent’s house, pondering what happens next.
I know one thing for sure – 2010 is going to be an exciting year here at Go Backpacking!
About the Author:
Dave is the author of 1527 posts on Go Backpacking.
Dave (Editor-in-Chief) blogged his way around the world from 2007-2009, and then started Travel Blog Success to teach others how to do the same. When not writing, he can be found salsa dancing in Medellin. Follow him on Twitter @rtwdave or look for him on Google+
The Travel Blog Success community offers practical resources and personal support to help you build a better travel blog.
Whether you treat blogging as a hobby, or dream of building a location independent business, you'll learn what's required to create a name for yourself in the online travel world.
Benefits of Joining:
- Personal support from Dave, including site critiques and tips on negotiating advertising deals.
- Ability to learn from others' mistakes, and save yourself time, energy and money.
- Chance to network with other travel bloggers of all levels, from around the world.
22 Comments
Congrats Dave! Your site has been both a practical and inspirational tool for me that I'm very grateful for. Three years seems like such a long time (I'm hitting my 6 month anniversary next week and it feels like an eternity). Here's to many more!
Congratulations Dave! I'm glad I could be a small part of GoBackpacking's success, looking forward to another 1000 posts.
Congrats Dave for the hard work you put into making this website. It's one reason why I wanted to make my own blog and it's even better now that I'm writing for you now. Hope to learn a lot from you and already have at that.
Three years and still keeping at it. Congrats!
Well done, sir, well done. It's a hell of a site, and I have a feeling it's got many more great years ahead. Good on ya!
Congrats! Keep up the good work and living the dream
Huge congrats Dave – that is an enormous accomplishment and you have really developed a great site here over the past year! Cheers to an even more awesome 2010 :-)
Wow, what a great milestone for Go Backpacking, congratulations for the success, a great 3 years of travel adventure and experience. We in the transfer smart are looking forward for the best you can share with us for 2010 and for the coming years.
Staying consistent enough for 1000 posts and 3 years worth of info is an accomplishment when folks are quick to drop something if results aren't immediate.
You should be extremely proud. Congratulations and best wishes for another 1000 posts!
Hey Brian, thanks so much.
I never would've lasted this long if I didn't enjoy 1) writing about travel, 2) the interaction with readers, 3) learning the mechanics of blogging & WordPress, and 4) making some extra travel cash along the way!
Thanks Shannon, Go Backpacking has been a real labor of love. I just hope to love that labor while living in Brazil next year. :)
Hi Brian, thanks for stopping by, and I'll definitely keep livin the dream!
Thanks Troy –
It's not always easy to stay motivated, but it does get easier to become a producer/publisher of content.
I look forward to answering many, MANY more questions from you in 2010. :)
Hey Matt, it has been great to have you on board as you prepare for your trip to Asia.
What does one get a fellow blogger for their 6-month anniversary? These questions need answers!
Nice! Somehow I missed that, I didn't know that you were headed to Brazil
next year to live. Rock on and safe travels, I look forward to reading about
that journey :-)
Digg'd, Ping'd, Stumbl'd&Tweet'd : Big Congrats, Dave. Keep it up !
Hi Shannon – you didn't miss anything, I was kidding about living in Brazil, at least for now. :)
Ahh.. Glad I wasn't just out of the loop! Tone of voice is hard to
convey through text :-)
Dave, Your are awesome. Congratulations on reaching two milestones. I'm sure you have seen the statistics that show that something like 85 to 90 percent of blogs started come to a screeching halt within ten posts. That kind of puts things in perspective and puts you in the highest echelon. Write (and travel) on!
Thanks Vera! It's kinda amazing/scary to think of how much writing I've done the last 3 years as a result of blogging.
Thanks Vera! It's kinda amazing/scary to think of how much writing I've done the last 3 years as a result of blogging.