This article tells the story of Jenny Brocious, a passionate traveler who turned her love for exploring the world into a profitable blog. After a life-changing trip to Greece, Jenny decided she wanted to see the whole world and launched her blog, Round the World in 30 Days, in 2006. Although her journey to success has had its share of obstacles and learning curves, Jenny now only works on her blog for about six months each year and earns an impressive $4,000 per month. Through this article, readers will discover how Jenny manages her day job and blogging, the newspaper article that sparked her wanderlust, and the strategies she has used to grow her blog and monetize her travel experiences.
Meet Jenny Brocious
Jenny Brocious is a travel blogger and entrepreneur who currently divides her time between living in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Punta Gorda, Florida. Originally from southwest Florida, Jenny spent most of her life in Atlanta before moving back to her home state in 2021 due to her husband’s military-related civilian position in Hawaii. She has a diverse background, having worked in event management and television production before starting her own business in 2000. Jenny has successfully juggled both her event management business and her travel blogging career for over 20 years.
Jenny’s Background and Current Situation
Jenny’s passion for travel was ignited during a trip to Greece with her friends when she was 25 years old. The experience opened her eyes to the wonders of the world, and she became determined to explore as much of it as possible. She started taking solo trips to Europe and South America, but it was a newspaper article she read in 2005 that changed her life. The article featured a man who sold all his belongings, bought a round-the-world ticket, and traveled for a year. Inspired by this story, Jenny decided to embark on her own round-the-world trip, which she completed in 30 days. This trip became the catalyst for her travel blogging career.
Currently, Jenny spends about six months of the year working on her blog, Round the World in 30 Days, and the rest of her time is dedicated to her event management business and personal travels. She believes in the freedom of working remotely and takes advantage of her ability to work from anywhere with a solid internet connection. Jenny has visited over 175 countries on all seven continents and continues to explore new destinations.
Juggling Careers and Travel
One of the unique aspects of Jenny’s life is her ability to successfully juggle her event management business, blogging, and travel. She initially transitioned from the event management field to television production, which allowed her to work seasonally as a production manager for a major sports network. This seasonal nature of her career provided her with the flexibility to pursue her passion for travel. Jenny recognized the opportunity to combine travel with her career in event management and blogging, allowing her to explore the world while still maintaining her business commitments.
Living Between Honolulu and Punta Gorda
Jenny’s current living situation involves splitting her time between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Punta Gorda, Florida. This unique arrangement is a result of her husband’s military-related civilian position in Hawaii. Originally from southwest Florida, Jenny moved to Atlanta for most of her life before returning to her home state in 2021. This dual-home setup allows her and her husband to enjoy both the beauty of Hawaii and the comforts of Florida. Jenny embraces the flexibility that her remote work provides, enabling her to work from either location and fulfill her passion for travel.
Why She Created Her Website
Jenny’s travel blog, Round the World in 30 Days, was born out of her desire to share her adventures and inspire others to explore the world. Initially, she started her blog as a way to document her 30-day around-the-world trip and keep friends and family updated on her travels. However, Jenny soon realized that her experiences and insights could be valuable to a wider audience.
Inspiration from a Newspaper Article
The pivotal moment that led to the creation of Round the World in 30 Days was a newspaper article Jenny stumbled upon. The article featured a man who had sold all his belongings and embarked on a year-long trip around the world. Intrigued by this unconventional journey, Jenny realized the incredible potential of long-term travel and felt compelled to undertake her own version of it. She saw an opportunity to share her journey through a blog and provide inspiration to others who had similar aspirations.
Starting Round the World in 30 Days
Motivated by the newspaper article, Jenny embarked on her first round-the-world trip, intending it to be a “once in a lifetime” experience. She carefully planned her itinerary, which included iconic destinations such as the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, and the Great Wall. During the trip, she documented her experiences on a site called My Trip Journal, which she later transitioned to a WordPress blog. This marked the official beginning of Round the World in 30 Days.
Transitioning to a WordPress Blog
Recognizing the potential of her blog to reach a wider audience, Jenny transitioned from using My Trip Journal to a self-hosted WordPress blog. This allowed her to have more control over the design and functionality of her site. By having her own blog, Jenny was able to establish Round the World in 30 Days as a distinct brand and platform for sharing her travel stories and insights.
Sponsorships and My Trip Journal
As her blog gained traction, Jenny attracted the attention of Starwood Hotels (now Marriott) through her social media presence. This partnership led to sponsored trips to destinations such as the Maldives, Tibet, and Bali. She also had the opportunity to be featured on Starwood Hotels’ in-room TV channel during her travels. These sponsorships provided valuable experiences and content for her blog, enhancing its appeal to readers and establishing Jenny as an influential travel blogger.
Writing and Self-Publishing a Book
Jenny’s entrepreneurial spirit led her to explore other avenues of monetizing her travel blog. In 2012, she signed with a New York literary agency and pitched a book idea that eventually led to the self-publishing of her book, The Grown-Up’s Guide to Globetrotting. The book serves as a resource for aspiring nomads and provides practical advice on planning round-the-world trips. While not a significant source of revenue, the book serves as an additional asset for Jenny to refer readers to for in-depth travel planning inquiries.
How Much She’s Earning
Like many entrepreneurs, Jenny faced the challenge of monetizing her blog, especially during the pandemic. However, she recognized the potential to generate income through hotel affiliates and committed to making her blog a profitable business. Jenny devoted time to learning about search engine optimization (SEO) and affiliate marketing, which drove significant progress in her blog’s traffic and monetization.
Prioritizing Monetization during the Pandemic
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Jenny found herself with an unusually extended period of downtime. She saw this as an opportunity to focus on monetizing her blog and generating income. Inspired by her brother-in-law’s successful niche site, she realized the untapped potential of hotel affiliates in her travel blog. Jenny made a conscious effort to capitalize on this opportunity and began honing her SEO skills to increase her blog’s visibility.
Diving into SEO and Affiliate Marketing
Jenny delved into SEO courses to enhance her understanding of optimizing her website for search engines. Armed with this knowledge, she started implementing SEO strategies to improve her blog’s rankings and attract more organic traffic. In addition, she partnered with hotel affiliates, such as Booking.com, to earn commissions from bookings made through her blog. By combining effective SEO practices with affiliate marketing, Jenny’s blog began to generate significant revenue.
Progress and Growing Traffic
The implementation of SEO techniques and hotel affiliate partnerships yielded promising results for Jenny’s blog. By the summer of 2021, her blog’s traffic reached approximately 25,000 sessions per month. This increase in traffic translated into tangible income, with hotel commissions alone covering her mortgage expenses. Buoyed by this success, Jenny continued to pursue growth opportunities and expand her monetization strategies.
Achieving Success with Mediavine
Jenny identified Mediavine as the ultimate goal for her blog if she wanted to replace her “real job” income with blogging. Mediavine is an advertising network that connects bloggers with premium ad placements. In June 2022, Jenny applied to join Mediavine, and within her first full month with the network (July), she earned an impressive $2,500.
Jenny’s monthly income streams at that time were as follows:
- Booking.com: $2,000
- Mediavine: $2,500
- GetYourGuide/Viator (tours): $700
- Other affiliates (ferries, cars, etc.): $250
- Amazon (product sales and book sales): $150
Jenny’s dedication to improving SEO, expanding her affiliate partnerships, and joining Mediavine paid off. It solidified her position as a successful travel blogger and demonstrated the potential of her blog as a viable source of income.
While Jenny’s site experiences seasonal fluctuations due to the popularity of summer destinations, she remains optimistic about rebounding and growing her income further in the future.
Conclusion
Jenny Brocious’s journey from being a casual traveler to becoming a successful travel blogger showcases the power of passion and perseverance. Her blog, Round the World in 30 Days, offers readers a glimpse into her adventures and serves as a resource for aspiring nomads. Jenny’s ability to balance her event management career, blogging, and personal travels is truly impressive. Her commitment to honing her SEO skills and monetizing her blog has led to substantial monthly earnings, and she continues to seek growth opportunities.
As Jenny’s journey demonstrates, it is possible to turn a passion for travel into a thriving online business. Her entrepreneurial mindset, combined with her dedication to providing valuable content, has propelled her travel blog to success. Through Round the World in 30 Days, Jenny inspires others to explore the world, embrace the freedom of remote work, and discover the endless possibilities that lie beyond their doorstep.
Source: https://www.nichepursuits.com/jenny-brocious-rtw-in-30-days/
