Becky Timbers knew from an early age that she needed to journey and see the world. She took benefit of journey alternatives in faculty, and as soon as she graduated, she continued to seek out methods to guide a nomadic way of life.
After mountain biking along with her household as a teen, she reconnected along with her interest as an grownup and realized she might mix each passions: biking and journey.
She began her weblog, Two Wheeled Wanderer, in 2019 to share biking routes and suggestions and doc her rides across the nation. Though the HCU damage her visitors, Becky has been working to construct out totally different revenue streams to extend diversification.
In the present day, she’s incomes $5k per thirty days.
Maintain studying to seek out out:
- How journey grow to be such an necessary a part of her life
- How she bought into biking
- Why she created her web site
- What occurred in the course of the pandemic
- How the HCU impacted her
- How she’s diversifying her revenue
- The place her revenue comes from
- Her essential advertising and marketing methods
- Her ideas on search engine optimization
- Her method to key phrase analysis
- Her favourite sources and instruments
- The principle problem she’s confronted
- Her biggest accomplishment
- Her greatest mistake
- Her recommendation for different entrepreneurs
Meet Becky Timbers
I grew up in Vermont with a household that cherished journey and journey. My dad and mom took my brother and I on two-week holidays yearly throughout spring break.
We went to locations like Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Switzerland, and Banff, to call a couple of. I cherished these journeys and knew from an early age that I needed to spend my life touring and seeing the world.
After I was in highschool, I did a 6-month research overseas in New Zealand. I had great host dad and mom who took me throughout the North Island and I bought to do a two-week journey right down to the South Island as effectively.
It was such an excellent expertise and even additional resolved my need to construct a life round journey.
In faculty, I did one other research overseas, this time to Africa.
I spent a full 12 months in Kenya and Tanzania. It’s onerous to place into phrases how unimaginable that 12 months was! Spending time with the Maasai and happening safari for sophistication was magical.
After faculty, I didn’t actually know what I needed to do, so I purchased a one-way ticket to Hawaii (as one does…)
On the island of Kauai, I noticed an advert in a Nationwide Geographic Journey journal for a cruise ship firm referred to as Lindblad Expeditions. I utilized to be a steward, and a pair of weeks later I used to be flying right down to Baja to start out a life at sea.
I labored on the Nationwide Geographic ships for about 10 years. I spent summers up in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest and winters in Baja, Costa Rica, and Panama.
In between contracts on the ships, I’d journey for weeks and months at a time. I didn’t have a house base and lived out of a backpack for a few years.
I’ll without end be pleased about my time on the ships, the folks I labored with, and the liberty to see the world in that means.
Feeling like I wanted to “calm down” and get a “actual job,” I moved to Seattle and bought my grasp’s in diet.
My settled and career-oriented life lasted for about 4 years till I made a decision that wasn’t what I needed. I used to be 33 on the time.
I offered every little thing, packed my backpack (once more), and went again to my nomadic methods, briefly engaged on the ships once more.
It was round this time that I began to get again into mountain biking, which I had achieved in highschool with my dad and brother.
I landed in California and met a bunch of mates who invited me to go on some mountain biking journeys with them. That’s when Two Wheeled Wanderer bought began!
Why She Created Her Website
I began Two Wheeled Wanderer in 2019 after my dad and I took a visit collectively to Squamish, BC.
I knew there was nice mountain biking there, however it was onerous to seek out data and recommendation on what trails to trip, how one can hyperlink them up, what to anticipate, and so on.
So, after my journey, I wrote up a information based mostly on my expertise and that was the primary publish I printed to Two Wheeled Wanderer!
Two Wheeled Wanderer began after my dad and I took a mountain bike journey to Squamish, BC
I did have some earlier expertise with running a blog.
Throughout my ship years, I’d stored a travelog-style weblog to maintain family and friends up-to-date on the place I used to be. I knew that journey running a blog might be a profession and that’s what I needed for Two Wheeled Wanderer from the get-go.
Everyone knows what occurred in 2020.
When the pandemic hit, I believe lots of people have been searching for methods to get exterior and get train. Mountain biking and biking normally actually exploded.
I noticed a ton of development for my weblog throughout that 12 months, which was thrilling because it was nonetheless fairly new. I additionally began entering into bikepacking and writing about that.
I additionally began working for a longtime blogger, Kristen Bor of Bearfoot Concept, who I nonetheless work part-time for. She taught me a lot and I wouldn’t be the place I’m with my weblog at the moment with out her mentorship.
I used to be seeing fairly regular visitors development till… the Useful Content material Replace in September 2023.
It’s fairly irritating as a result of I do know my content material is actually useful and there actually aren’t another bloggers writing what I’m writing about—detailed guides about biking locations and journeys.
I’ve misplaced about half my visitors, sadly. However I’m hopeful that I’ll get better as a result of I do know what I’m doing is benefiting folks. I obtain emails and messages from readers telling me how a lot they recognize my guides, in order that retains me going.
I did add a trip-planning service to my weblog the place folks can e-book a name with me to assist plan their bike journeys. It’s nonetheless very new, however I’m hoping this may add one other supply of revenue.
Previous to the HCU, I additionally bought employed because the Content material Creator for a TDA World Biking journey down in Central America. The journey was 8 weeks and went from Costa Rica to Mexico.
My job was to take images of the riders, write weblog posts, trip sweep on some days, and do no matter else I wanted to do to assist the journey.
I completely cherished it and will likely be doing two extra journeys this 12 months (Paris to Istanbul and Cusco to Ushuaia). With all of the uncertainty with Google and AI, I’m glad to have these journeys as one more supply of revenue.
How A lot She’s Incomes
Final 12 months was my greatest 12 months. I made about $70k from all my sources of revenue.
I’ve at all times favored doing a whole lot of various things and having a number of revenue streams is an enormous upside of that. I do know $70k isn’t loads in comparison with some bloggers, however work-life steadiness is actually necessary to me.
I knew I needed to make TWW a enterprise once I first began it and it took me three years to construct as much as this revenue. I believe I used to be accepted into Mediavine after my second 12 months of running a blog.
I did use Ezoic briefly however didn’t have expertise with them. I like to recommend ready till you’ll be able to be a part of a premium advert community.
Right here’s the breakdown of my revenue from 2023:
- Mediavine adverts & affiliate revenue from my weblog: 75%
- Digital Merchandise: 2% (I performed round with this in 2023 and plan to do extra this 12 months)
- Working as an assistant for Bearfoot Concept: 10%
- TDA World Biking: 5%
- Mountain bike teaching: 3%
- Miscellaneous: 5%
For 2024, I’ll be doing two extra TDA World Biking journeys, persevering with to work for Bearfoot Concept, and including trip-planning calls as a service. I additionally need to mess around extra with digital merchandise.
I nonetheless rely fairly closely on adverts and affiliate revenue, although, which I’m attempting to reduce as my essential supply of revenue.
As for visitors, in 2023, I used to be averaging about 34,000 periods/77,000 pageviews a month.
At present, I’m at about 15,000 periods/30,000 pageviews a month, so I misplaced about 50% of my visitors with the HCU.
How a lot I work on the enterprise actually depends upon what I’m doing. I nonetheless work for Bearfoot Concept about 10 hours per week. I’d say I put about 20-30 hours into my weblog as effectively. However then I take days or even weeks off to do bike journeys!
Becky’s Important Advertising Methods
My essential advertising and marketing technique is search engine optimization. I’m regretting this a bit due to all of the adjustments Google is making, however I do suppose having search engine optimization technique is necessary.
I discovered search engine optimization by listening to podcasts, doing my very own analysis, and Fb teams (Running a blog on WordPress with Grayson Bell), and studying from Kristen of Bearfoot Concept. I’ve discovered a lot from her and am tremendous grateful to have began working for her early on.
After the HCU hit my web site, I’ve been going again and actually constructing out my subject clusters.
For instance, I used to simply have one weblog publish on mountain biking in Phoenix. However now I’ve a weblog publish for every of the person path networks in Phoenix in addition to a publish on the very best mountain bike trails in Phoenix, and so on.
I believe this may assist Google see me as extra reliable and authoritative on the subject of mountain biking in Phoenix.
I even have a small electronic mail checklist that I’m engaged on constructing. I ship out a e-newsletter each week and I’ve a reasonably loyal following there.
I get emails again about how my weekly e-newsletter is the one electronic mail they look ahead to every week, which makes me really feel nice!
As for social media, I hate it. I actually don’t need to put effort into TikTok or Instagram as a result of they’re not platforms I get pleasure from being on.
I do know that my content material would do effectively on YouTube, however once more, I actually don’t have any curiosity in making movies and there are such a lot of folks on the market making nice movies already that I need to deal with doing one thing that nobody else is doing: writing guides to assist folks plan their bike journeys.
Key phrase Analysis
I take advantage of Semrush for my search engine optimization analysis. I’m truthfully getting away from doing in-depth search engine optimization analysis as a result of my area of interest is so small anyway.
If I’m writing about mountain biking in Bentonville, Arkansas, I already know what I would like to jot down about to assist folks plan their journey.
Hyperlink Constructing
I do suppose hyperlink constructing is necessary, however I haven’t spent a lot time on it, primarily as a result of I’m shy and I don’t like selling myself! I’d somewhat have it occur organically, which is what Google says they need, too.
I’m engaged on rising inside linking, although. I simply signed up for Hyperlink Whisper to assist increase inside linking. That is one thing I haven’t targeted on up to now and I believe it’ll assist with search engine optimization.
Her Content material Creation Course of
I just lately began utilizing Asana to maintain my weblog posts organized and assist me keep some form of technique on the subject of updating and writing new weblog posts.
I’ve organized every little thing into matters and every month I select a subject to replace and increase on.
For instance, April is “Arkansas mountain biking month.”
I’ve a bunch of posts that I’ve already written that want updating after which there are posts I would like to jot down to finish the cluster/subject.
I’ve organized all of my weblog posts into matters or clusters. Each month I select 1-2 matters and replace these weblog posts and write new ones to essentially spherical out the subject.
Her Electronic mail Record
I’ve about 2250 folks on my checklist. I take advantage of FloDesk, which I actually like. Proper now signups are fairly passive with types on my weblog and within the weblog posts.
One other aim for 2024 is to be extra intentional with lead magnets and create an intro sequence to assist increase my checklist.
Becky’s Favourite Assets
I really like the Area of interest Pursuits podcast for positive! I hearken to the brand new episodes each week.
On the enterprise facet of issues, I extremely advocate Ramit Sethi. He has the podcast “I Will Educate You To Be Wealthy” and a e-book of the identical title.
He’s taught me a lot about managing my cash and I’d be in a a lot worse place proper now with my visitors/revenue dip from the HCU with out having taken his recommendation.
The instruments I take advantage of constantly are:
- You Want a Price range, for managing my cash
- Asana, for protecting my weblog posts organized and sticking to a content material technique
- TrustedHousesitters, as one of many causes I’m capable of journey a lot to totally different biking locations is as a result of I take advantage of this service as a housesitter.
I get a free place to remain in trade for caring for pets and houses. I do stay in a van and might journey that means, however it’s onerous to remain productive while you’re residing van life full time.
I’ve been utilizing TrustedHousesitters for over a decade now and like it.
Her Largest Problem
The most important problem I’ve confronted by far is attempting to determine Google and keep visibility within the SERPs. As a result of most of my visitors comes from search engine optimization, it’s been a little bit of a rollercoaster with all of the Google adjustments.
At this level, I’m actually specializing in creating good content material that’s user-focused, which is what Google retains saying is necessary.
Due to the uncertainty, one other problem I’m dealing with is constructing new income streams. This isn’t a foul problem, however it’s actually tougher than getting passive revenue from Google!
Her Biggest Accomplishment
I believe my greatest accomplishment is having the boldness to observe my curiosity and instinct. I’m 38 and I’ve managed to not have a “actual job.”
I really feel like I’m actually good at figuring issues out, discovering cool alternatives, pivoting once I have to, and constructing a life that I discover fascinating.
Additionally, to accommodate my distinctive way of life, I stay in a van. I purchased it in November 2023 and bought it constructed out—my format was designed round becoming bikes beneath my mattress.
I at the moment journey with three: two mountain bikes and a gravel bike. My van was completed in February 2024 and I moved in!
Residing and touring out of a van has allowed me to discover biking locations much more freely and cheaply than having an precise house.
Final summer time I spent 3 months in North Carolina. This previous winter I used to be in Arizona for six weeks. And I’m in Arkansas for 2 months proper now!
What She Needs She Knew When She Began
Mockingly, I want I had not tried so onerous at search engine optimization. I believe a whole lot of the blogs (together with mine) that have been hit with the HCU are over-optimized and written for search engine optimization as a substitute of for readers.
I want I’d used my voice as a substitute of “Google’s voice” and included extra private experiences in my weblog posts as a substitute of creating them merely informational.
Her Important Mistake
There are such a lot of! However truthfully, I don’t suppose I’d change something as a result of they have been all nice studying experiences.
Early on, I paid some huge cash for a weblog redesign on Squarespace solely to modify to WordPress a couple of months later.
I believe a present mistake I’m making shouldn’t be paying for assist, however I need to get my weblog to the place the place I be ok with my content material and design earlier than I hand duties over to another person.
Her Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs
It’s a must to like it. Like actually like it.
It’s not simple work and it may be lonely and demoralizing at instances. However the one option to succeed is to get by these robust instances.
May I’ve extra stability and possibly even make more cash with a “actual job?” Positive. Completely.
However I really like what I do, I really like serving to folks plan their biking holidays, and I really like the liberty that this life affords me. It’s onerous work, however for me, it’s value it.
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