Yesterday was my birthday! I celebrated here in Mexico, which I don’t think I could have guessed if you’d asked me last year where I’d be. A happy surprise.
I turned 29, and I’m feeling pretty good about it. I’m in a good place in my life now, an exciting one! The world is still full of interesting possibilities, but it’s not as scary as it was when I was 26 or 23 (the real world is horrifying when you are 23).
However, there is one big problem with turning 29, and if you are reading this blog you can probably figure it out…
In exactly one year my twenty-something travels will be over. Which is not to say I plan to stop traveling, just that time keeps marching on and I haven’t yet figured out how to stop it.
Call it poor planning, but honestly, when I started this blog as a 24 year old, desperate to see the world, I never once imagined I would still be doing this five years later. I just wanted to motivate myself, and others to get out and see the world while they are young.
This website has taken me places beyond my wildest dreams, literally and figuratively. I’m happy to keep going, having adventures and writing about travel and life. The NAME though, the name is the problem.
Of course, it’s not just the name. I don’t travel exactly the same as I did when I started this blog. I’m slower now, I’m less interested in backpacking and more interested in long term travel and food and culture. I’ve still got plenty to say, but it’s not necessarily the same stuff as when I started out. At the same time, traffic has never been higher, so at least someone out there must be enjoying what I’m putting out there.
For years people have been asking me “what happens when you turn 30?” like it’s the most clever question in the world. I usually shrug and say I’ll figure it out later. But ugh, later has come and I need to come up with a solution that’s smarter than Thirty-Something Travel (because, really, how stupid would I be if I just set myself up for the same issue ten years down the road? Not that I know I’ll be blogging in 2024 but I sure as heck didn’t expect to be blogging in 2014 either.)
So, because the whole thing kind of gives me a headache, I’ll ask you guys. What should I do?
I think the easiest answer probably is to rename the website. Mike did it earlier this year, going from Art of Backpacking to Art of Adventuring and it looked relatively painless. Would you guys still read this blog by some other name? And what should that name be?
The other option I can see is to turn Twenty-Something Travel into a resource site for younger travelers and start an entirely new blog for my own writings. To be honest that doesn’t sound super appealing to me, but I have poured a lot of time and effort into this site in it’s current incarnation.
I’m open to any other suggestions if you’ve got them. What’s important to me is maintaining my platform for writing about travel and connecting with readers. I don’t want to alienate people but I do want to stay true to my ever-evolving self. The question is how do I balance the stuff I want to talk about with the stuff you guys like to read about?
I’ve still got time to figure this out, and you can rest assured that any decision I make will be well agonized over. There will be big changes on the site over the next year I’m sure. For now though I’m going to kick back with a Bohemia (the superior Mexican beer), and relax. It was just my birthday you know.
I also like the decades idea… or you could just “maintain” at age 29 forever 🙂
Happy birthday! I actually think that you should consider re-configuring your site in the way that Christine has done hers for Almost Fearless. You could call it “travels by decade” or whatever and when people type “whywaittoseetheworld.com” it redirects to “twenty-somethingtravel.travelbydecade.com.” Yes, it makes for a super long hyperlink but you could think about a better name. And, then all of your sites would be under your umbrella. It’s what I’m considering vaguely about doing for The Road Forks and creating an umbrella site called “theroadtravels” and including The Road Forks (on travel and food), The Road Unleashed (on travel and pets), and a new site called The Road Bump (on travel and pregnancy) under it. Of course, I barely have enough time to keep up with my current sites so the re-configuring isn’t happening any time soon!
I totally agree! I love this idea of making it into a “Travels of the Decade” type website, and keeping the 20 something section. This site is too good to let go!
Honestly, I don’t think the name matters. I’ll still read it whatever it’s called! I can completely understand why you’re not so keen to start a whole new blog for your own writings; I wouldn’t want to either. I think whatever you decide, as long as you keep generating well-written, useful, content, people will still read, regardless of the name.
Oh, happy birthday by the way!
I really doubt people would stop reading because of a name change. I think the coolest thing would be to create a whole empire from a home page where people can click ‘twenty-something’, ‘thirty-something’ and so on as time goes on. Only problem is that would take a ridiculous amount of time to keep up and it’s not like certain issues stop being relevant after 29. So, I don’t know. A simple name change would likely be the best and easiest option.
Happy Birthday! I think your readers will stick with you no matter what you do. I personally think a name change would be better than using this site as a resource
I don’t think you will alienate people with whatever you decide to do… your readers obviously love you and your content. I think it is fair that your traveling style changed and is changing. Audrey of “That Backpacker” recently rebranded her blog as well for a similar reason – shifting from a prior form of travel. Her focus is mostly on her name, and sometimes a name can be just as strong of a brand as anything else, especially when you have such a strong following.
I will keep reading, anyway. x
Happy birthday!!!
I love the blog, and would still read it under any other name. I think the question is more about what you feel comfortable with.
Happy Birthday Steph!
Happy Birthday!
How about using part of your subtitle: “Why wait to see the world?” Or a modification of it? The site has always had a strong voice from you so I think that is the more important theme than a focus on travel appealing/accessible to twenty somethings.
Happy birthday! I think your readership has grown along with you, but a harmless name change sounds like the best way to tackle it!
Happy birthday Steph! I personally don’t think changing the blog is necessary, in fact I think it would be a bit strange if you overhauled the blog. Perhaps the title needs a slight tweaking but I think what your readership are interested in is your take on things which will have naturally changed over time!