Travel Dork: 10 Questions with Nomadic Matt
Travel Dork: Matt Kepnes
Back in May 2010, Off Track Planet was looking to feature the ultimate travel dork for our first, upcoming magazine release. We choose none other than the feisty Matt Kepnes better known as Nomadic Matt. Matt obliged, but unfortunately the article never made it to print. You see, we wanted to pick up some dirt on the guy and get him to reveal inside secrets to his blogging mayhem. But, he just wouldn’t budge. Matt kept it straightforward and squeaky clean. But now, nearly 6 months later (equivalent to about a hundred years in the online world) we’ve decided to go into our un-published archive and dust off these 10 Questions with Matt Kepnes of NomadicMatt.com:
(NOTE: This interview was conducted in May 2010)
OTP: Why did you start Nomadic Matt and did you expect it to get this big?
NM: I wanted to become a guidebook writer and had hoped having a website and some online work would allow me to get my foot into the door at places. I didn’t ever expect it to become as big as it has or what it has become. It become the job I wanted when I didn’t even know I wanted it!
OTP: Do you realize you’re not only the most popular, single travel blogger but also the sexiest? Do you get recognized out on the backpackers scene and does it help you get laid?
NM: I don’t think of myself as the most popular travel blogger on the web. There are other big names out there too. I’ve had a few instances where people have heard of the website and thought that was pretty cool.
OTP: How much are you earning with the site today?
NM: A lot of money. I won’t give an exact figure. It’s more than $50,000 though.
OTP: How many visitors do you reach a day/month?
NM: 3,000 per day, about 90,000 per month
OTP: How long did it take before you could make a living doing this?
NM: One year.
OTP: How much time do you spend working on the website day to day as you travel and what are some of the difficulties of working while you travel?
NM: I could go on forever about finding the right work/play balance but I’ll simply say I haven’t found it yet. Sometimes I work too much, sometimes I play too much. I often have to take a few days off from traveling to catch up on work. I’d say I spend about 20-25 hours a week on the website.
OTP: Do you think it’s possible for someone to start a travel blog today and make it a sustainable lifestyle?
NM: The travel blog field is very crowded and it will take a lot of work for someone to become a popular and highly trafficked website. That being said there are a lot of people on the internet and if you are good at marketing you can grab a lot of people and then do what I do. You just need to differentiate yourself from everyone else.
OTP: What tips, advice, tools or gadgets can you recommend travel bloggers?
NM: A good laptop, a great camera, and a video camera. Also, try to schedule work into your day so you get used to doing work at a certain time and can sit and focus so you can go out and see the sights you came without having to worry about what you need to do.
OTP: Where do you see Nomadicmatt.com 5 years from now?
NM: Bigger than Rick Steves
OTP: What’s your craziest story from abroad? (don’t hold back!)
NM: what kind of story do you want?
…Ahhh come on Matt, after so many nights in all those hostels, party towns and risky destinations, us backpackers have enough stories to make the hair on a dirty sailors ass stand up. Well, since the interview, Matt has gone on to write for AOL Travel and continues to be a nomadic, ass-kicking travel blogger. We thank Matt for his time and congratulate him on all his endeavors.
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matt was the one who inspired me to get blogging and market myself! it’s not just about the travel, it’s about getting your name out there and he’s certainly done that
congrats matt!
He has definitely done an amazing job of that