Who reads blogs? Why do people read blogs and what is the point of blogging? A look at the blogging industry, which is still very lucrative today, and why people need and read blogs still.
I am a blogger, I have been a blogger for over a decade and I doubt I will ever quit blogging. For me blogging started as a creative outlet and a way for me to help people. Over the years this blog became huge, it is our business, our income and it’s still fun. A blog is not (or should not be) some sort of online journal.
Blogs are there to provide both information and entertainment, a blog post can be purely factual or concern the writer’s personal opinions about just about anything. A blog can be on any topic and in any niche.
Some people “follow” a blog, they sign up for email notifications and expect updates from the blogger every week. When we were travelling full-time this model, of writing a blog for followers, was just one way in which we got people to read whatever we were writing.
Likewise, some blog readers choose to “follow” on social media, be it Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest. If the blogger is creating content regularly that the readers want to consume, this model works.
Some bloggers mix niches and have a very generalised lifestyle typs of blog, other bloggers stay ultra niche. Different types of blogs obviously attract different types of readers, or all ages and nationalities.
Some bloggers creat content purely for Google, our readers come from Google search, and that’s the model we use today to attract most readers. We can get 10,000 readers per day on this blog from Google Search. If I send out the perfect email to my subscribers I’ll be lucky if 1000 or our 5000 email subscribers opens the post and reads it.
It is my job to get people to read posts on this blog. It’s how I make a living blogging. If you want to know how we make money blogging, click through on the link I just gave you.
The following paragraph is written in what many people would consider a typical blog style, it’s in the first person and uses very casual, informal language. But not every blog post is written this way.
I know how they teach blogging as a genre in school English lessons (I’ve sat in on my kids English classes online) and the teachers are wrong. They and the curriculum are very wrong about blogging. This is the problem with schools and courses, they sometimes try to teach what they know nothing about.
We have a *slight* problem with the car.
“We’re back. Our few week in Greece were wonderful and we (I) learned so much, but now we’re back to being relatively ordinary in our tiny village up a mountain in Romania. We used to have a site purely dedicated to life in the village, but now you’ll find all of our Breb content on this website. You can click here for all things Breb. So we’re back, taking a travel breather and thinking about our travel and blogs as a business, but what’s next?”
Do Bloggers Know Who Reads Their Blogs?
I know from Google that my readers are mostly female, mostly well educated and mostly from the US. Australia, you’re in third position after the UK. I also have a lot of readers in Malaysia, Singapore, India, and Canada.
Google gives bloggers a lot of data, all annonymous, on who is visiting our website, when, where and we can see at any moment which pages are being looked at and from a person in which area.
We cannot identify individual blog readers.
Bloggers can see the email addresses of our subscribers and obviously we see names of anyone who follows, comments, or likes on social media, so we have a good idea on who, what sort of person and their location, is reading our blog.
“We still want to hang out in Romania as much as possible but while we were in Greece it became obvious that I really needed some medical intervention so that’s next on the list. To do that we need to go home to London for a while. Unfortunately, with two rabbits and a guinea pig, that didn’t seem too easy but then I Googled. “
You can drive across Europe and into the UK with pet bunnies. Who knew? If you have a cat , dog or ferret you need a pet passport but our fluffy bunnies are exempt, so they’re going on a road trip.
We have the perfect vehicle for bunny transportation in Sexy (after the TARDIS) but unfortunately, as we were driving home from Bucharest to Maramures (via the Bear Sanctuary) , she blew a gasket or a valve or whatever. Now she won’t start.
A week later we’re still waiting to find out if she’s fixable. She’s in the garage today. If she’s good, it’s road trip time, if she ain’t, well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. We have no idea what we’ll do in that situation.
Our village is remote, to get to the nearest small supermarket takes us around 40 minutes by car, without her we’re stuck.
But as always, we’ll figure something out.
Whatever happens, there is always a work-around.
Travel Plans For the Rest of This Year
London will happen at some point. Mexico is sounding very attractive and the boys are begging for Florida . I have a big birthday in the autumn, I’m 50 ( see my birthday treat here). A special trip for mum is on the cards. That could mean my return to Everest Base Camp with D ( he’s agreed to that, with bribes), Africa or maybe just Disney again, but something special will happen.
How’s School Going?
At Delphi in Greece. All educational objectives still being fully met, and more.
Absolutely fine. Both the boys are doing Minecraft Homeschool at the moment and D is doing amazing things with video. He’s started his own You Tube Channel, and he would love some followers. He’s trying to find somebody to create a great logo and header or him at the moment. That’s all part of learning how it’s done!
He edited this in a tenth of the time it would have taken me. OK so we kinds suck at YouTube, but maybe we’ll improve if we practice.
Video is something we plan to do more of, it’s just the way blogging is going. People don’t want to read blog posts any more and followers don’t want factual posts on destinations, tips or methods, they want to peek into our lives more.
I asked on our Facebook page, and that was what our almost 5 thousand followers said. Now I have to find a balance between the factual posts ( that bring search traffic and income) and the chatty posts for the followers (like this one) and learn how to create good videos!
Video is something we’ve done very little of.
Who Are Blog Readers?
Sometimes you just have to ask your blog readers for help in figuring out what they want from us, the blogger.
The trouble is, I don’t know how many of the email followers, that’s you, don’t also follow the Facebook page. If you follow us on Facebook all of this will be old news to you, we share everything on there along with loads of photos so could you do me a favour?
If you’re an email only subscriber, who never looks at Facebook, could you say so in the comments? That would give me a better idea as to who I’m actually writing for and, as I said above, who reads blogs.
A post like this one takes maybe an hour to write. A factual post like the most recent on Jaffna and Greece, can take 3 days each.
They will eventually bring good search traffic from Googe and Pinterest traffic but got zero response from followers or Facebook. The post that has brought the most visits this week from Social Media was this one, on how it all began, an old post I improved and updated.
This post is the most popular this week, bringing masses of visitors.
Our websites are a labour of love as well as a business. We created them 4 years ago to help and inspire others who want to travel and take responsibility for their children’s education, but they also put food on our table. Without the sites, we would have had to go home a long time ago.
So today I’m asking for your help. As well as the above question, could you tell me what sort of content you want to see delivered into your inbox? What are you most likely to read? Are you more interested in writing and photos or video?
Who am I writing this blog for?
Do you travel? Do you plan to travel in the future? Are you just curious?
I love photograhy and I enjoy writing, video, not so much and I’d need to invest in new equipment to do it right. But if that’s what you want, we’ll make it happen. Just let us know.
Alyson Long is a British medical scientist who jumped ship to chase dreams. A former Chief Biomedical Scientist at London's West Middlesex Hospital she started in website creation and travel writing in 2011.
Alyson is a full-time blogger and travel writer, a published author, and owns several websites. World Travel Family is the biggest.
A lifetime of wanderlust and over 6 years of full-time travel, plus a separate 12 month gap year, has given Alyson and the family some travel expert smarts to share with you on this world travel site.
Today Alyson still travels extensively to update this site and continue her mission to visit every country, but she's often at home on her farm in Australia.
I’m a few weeks late which shows how frequently I get the chance to catch up on your blog! I’m a blog only reader, not on Facebook, and very rarely watch videos. I love both the story and factual style posts.. as I love to read your journey but also use the factual info for holiday planning and dreaming. We’re a family of 5 who spend most of our time at home but travel abroad for longer holidays. I appreciate and value all the time you take to keep us all updated, so thank you! I’m interesting in hearing how things are in London right now? We seem so removed from it all, thus far, here in Aus!
Hi Jackie, London seems fine. Chef’s European co workers aren’t too bothered, their options are still fully open. Our Romanian knowledge tells us that most seem to go to Spain or Germany to work anyway. The only 2 British people in the kitchen ( this is a very big, very famous city 5 star hotel) are gutted. Their parents voted against them, their migrant wives and children. They feel betrayed. My own parents have 3 mixed nationality grandkids, many older people do. It’s pretty sickening. There was a protest march against Brexit here yesterday which went off peacefully, the exit camp jeering at it being an anti-democracy march. London has little racism compared to the rest of the country, we voted in, I think the dramatic increase in racist and xenophobic attacks have been elsewhere. Business as usual here.
Hi Alyson
I don’t do facebook. Not a fan of videos, only because I am usually reading your blogs when I am trying to get kids to bed or in a waiting room ect. So need my ears to listen and no noise to distract. I first found your blog whilst looking for ideas of where and how to take children on holidays or trips around the world. Still find it daunting and have not been able to do much travel yet only trips within Australia. But every blog I read is like another step towards getting out there. I really enjoy reading your blogs. I find them refreshingly honest. I love that you tell us your bad days as well as your good days. Thanks again Renay
Hi there, Alyson!
I have followed you at different times on all forms of social media. 🙂
I’m now getting back to your blog, after reading about your prep & 1st two years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your stories about what is happening with your family in any given location more than the tips……but I absolutely, ALWAYS make note of them for when I can wedge us out into long-term travel.
I also love your real-life feedback on how HS is working while traveling. I’ve learned so much from those asides you include in your posts. I also have an 8.5 yr old minecrafter. She’s taking programming this year. And she’s ready to start making videos…which I know nothing about. We’re going to follow D’s site.
Now, I primarily follow you on IG, as I don’t spend much time on FB but will be adding Chef to my snapchat. I LOVE YOUR CANDID PICTURES. Your pictures and stories are a winning combo. I will click on a vid to watch but I tend to skim through the longer ones on other sites (what is wrong with me?). I’ve started getting into vlogs…
I basically enjoy all that you publish…in all forms. Can’t wait to see where you guys land next….and best wishes to you on whatever medical issue you’re dealing with. Hope that is quickly resolved.
I almost always skip video & prefer to read. Guess what, people around me don’t necessarily want to listen to my videos! I can read most anywhere without disturbing others, like the guy sitting near me in an airport.
I didn’t even know you had a FB page until this blog. I do use FB so will go find you there as well.
I subscribe to your email so I can get inspiration & ideal for traveling while educating my 12 year old. I enjoy your blogs very much!
I mostly read your blog via Hotmail. Occasionally through Facebook. I’d love more videos but would not want to lose all the write up and photos.
You are all amazing with your different interests and how you make it all work as a family. Great when the kids do more too, then our kids can follow their blogs simultaneously to yours. I hardly ever see Chefs blog though. More food, gardening, cooking is always complimentary to the travel side of things.
Chef has quit blogging Kym, he’s left Facebook too. Right now he’s training for an Iron Man, that takes most of his time. But he does do all our snapchat. You can watch him there if you sign up to follow World Travel Fam. He was out snapchatting the bunnies last night, yesterday pigs. He likes things that don’t take too much effort!
HI Alyson,
I have just discovered you on the good old internet! I am facebook but i much prefer reading and becoming invested in things that interest me. You have definitely inspired me. Once i had kids i thought my traveling days were over, but it’s not true! so thank you!
I will definately be planning something. Just have to save those pennies 😉
Love the blog.
I read your email but as crazy as this sounds I don’t follow much on Facebook. I think as a page / blog owner myself I spend so much screen time there I don’t. I like emails. I love your blog and I think I would be the rare one who doesn’t like a video I don’t have the time or desire to watch it. Anyway love the blog – combining the two a great idea. happy travels Deb
Hi there,
Another blog only reader (non video watcher) here. Also in 40’s, but the family (me, dad & 3 kids age 7 & under) are now peripatetic so you can probably figure out why i read you! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Hi again! I follow your blogs as well as Facebook and I love both, although I avoid email subscriptions. I just don’t really pay attention to email notifications. I have to say I love posts like this one with more personal insights and updates. I enjoy seeing D’s videos, but I’m not usually a fan of videos or vlogs, especially for sharing info. I just find I could usually read the same info in a tenth of the time. I think the blending of the Romania blog with the world travel family blog is a great move. I love learning about Romania, but a lot of the content overlaps with more general travel and lifestyle content. I also wanted to keep up with all your posts but I was finding it hard to keep track over all the different sites and I always wondered if I was missing things.
For the record, my personal favourites of the past year have been the trekking in Nepal posts and the night with the shepherds one. Not sure why, they just inspired me.
Oh, and “just Disney” for a birthday trip???? Disney’s awesome!
So enjoyed the video of your surrounds and to see the boys in action. Funny bow and arrow with the bread board target! Loved your sniffing!!!lol Hope the car gets better but it doesn’t look all that promising. Think the transformations are amazing.That’s clever of them to be doing that.
Hi, I love reading your blogs and am not on Facebook so haven’t seen that content. I always read the whole post when it pops up in my inbox. I’ve not really watched any videos on a blog but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t. I find your lifestyle inspirational and also like the facts as well as your thoughts. I used your Sri Lanka posts to help plan our trip with our 1 and 3 year old. Thanks for it all.
Hi Naomi, thanks, that’s very good to hear. I put so much on Facebook, the day to day stuff, that then doesn’t end up in posts. I’ll have to put more of that on the website.
Hi Alyson,
I used to be a faithful blog-reader, but I finally got used to follow you on FB too. Personally, it’s not your travel-advise that interests me most (I’m quite independent when I prepare our trips), it’s how you get along on a daily basis that sort of got me addicted to your posts. Very much like some people watch soap-series I’m afraid … (gosh that sounds awful, though I fear it’s true!).
When I come to think of it, I must admit I re-read all your posts on Sri Lanka and even booked us in in Templeberg Villa for a week and booked a stay in Ella. So I actually do have an interest in your travel advise. It just depends on our plans …
Not sure this is very helpful for you ?!
Talitha
Hi Alyson, I’ve been following your blog since mid 2015. It came on the back of a whimsical thought that maybe there was more to life. I stumbled upon your blog, and many others, but your situation resonated with me.
We currently live in rural QLD, but after two years, my feet are itching, so we decided that as of January this year we would be doing a 12 month world trip. But a diagnosis of a chronic bowel condition in my 11yr old caused a bit of a set back. Although we are currently still in limbo, you had set us off on the path of ‘homeschooling’.
Now, six months in, I am completely out of my comfort zone, and somewhere between homeschooling and unschooling (Quite surprising to my controlling self, more on the unschool side. I’m still deciding whether to thank you or curse you by the way.haha. Probably the former, I don’t think I could revert to the way things were or ‘suppose’ to be), but we still have travel on our radar. We can’t let the travelling go just yet, so we have now planned for the end of 2016, fingers crossed, with a four week trip mid-year. But with a child with a bowel condition and another with egg anaphylaxis, we might have to cut back on the ‘off the beaten track’ options (unless we literally take a suitcase of meds!).
After all that, to answer your question/s, my motivation for following your blog is world travel and ‘homeschool’, so my searches/interests mainly revolve around these topics. As we are new to the homeschool/unschool concept, I lean towards learning more about, and somewhat comfort searching, with this in mind. I like a bit of personal opinion, at the same time factual, and the odd photo doesn’t go astray. As for videos, I skip past these on any site most of the time, usually most of the time. I don’t follow your Facebook page as I have only linked to my husband’s account so that I can sell items on local pages (to get us out of here quicker!).
I hope that helps somewhat. Can’t wait to see your next adventure.
Hi Belinda, thanks so much for connecting, it’s good to know who’s here. So sorry to hear of your health problems, it must be horrible having a child sick, poor thing. But good luck, hope you pull it off. I have a friend with 4 kids with allergies, I believe one is or was anaphylactic, she’s just stated blogging at Blowing Where The Wind Blows, an unschooler and former high school teacher, go check her out, tell her I sent you 😉
Hi Alison.
I love reading what you’ve been up to. Mostly about your time traveling, destinations, schooling etc. My husband and I are taking our three kids away for 13 months at the end of next year to mainly South East Asia and Central America so I pour over your posts getting whatever info I can. Videos are OK but I’d rather read your blogs and look at photos. Thanks for all your great info. For me, yours is the best travel with kids blog on the web. So thank you and keep it up! Good luck on your future travels.
Cherryl
Thanks Cherryl, that’s so nice of you! It’s unny, all the blog commenters like posts, all the Facebook commenters want video. Looks like I’ll have to do both.
I follow your Facebook page, but mostly click on your posts through my feedly subscription. I prefer personal posts with info on where you have traveled, what you liked and didn’t like, accommodation recommendations. I rarely click on videos. I don’t like to broadcast the sound when others are in the room, so if I don’t have headphones handy, I don’t bother. Also, while traveling in Southeast Asia and India, etc. the wifi often isn’t good enough for video. It’s funny to see the difference in preferences between subscribers and Facebook followers.
i read your blog, but don’t interact much on your Facebook page .. I’m personally not a video watcher (probably because I’m on Facebook while i am at work or when i am putting my kids to bed), i like WORDS (and photos), but i guess i am one of those people who like to read. i get your RSS feed into my inbox, and i think your newsletter too! i love seeing what you and your family are doing, because i envy your lifestyle while i sit at a desk and travel on weekends. we do travel more than the average family, but have not hopped on to the nomadic lifestyle, which i think is more now-or-never while the kids are young. so hit me with destination pieces, and what you guys are up to … i take it all in!
I don’t use Facebook at all and typically don’t enjoy other forms of social media. A few months ago, I started using YouTube to get recipe ideas and watch vegan families. I had no idea YouTube was such a huge thing. It is the direction social media is heading.
I love traveling with my kids. Next year they will be homeschooled, and we have a trip planned in September.
Hi Alyson
I’m also a lover of the written blog, I don’t like the videos. I’m not sure if it’s just because despite living in Worcestershire our internet connection still can’t play video without buffering or if I just do prefer to read than view. Being in my 40’s I suspect it’s the later. As someone above said just watching feels like a waste of time. I found your blog almost 3 years ago and felt totally inspired to change my life. Full time travel was not for me but a change of job certainly was. I love your travel posts and the day to day stuff of life and how you manage. Hope all goes well when you are back in London and that you keep writing. Vickie
Hi Alyson.
I’m an email visitor, I try to avoid facebook.
My family and I are embarking on a year long journey starting in August. I discovered your site while searching home schooling while traveling, I’ve found your posts to be very helpful and I love your pictures. I don’t mind video, I know its what’s next, but nothing can replace the written word.
Thanks for sharing.
I first found this website when looking for a Harry Potter tour round London for my children, and found the writing lively, informative and interesting. I lived with my family abroad for a few years, and learning about family life in different locations has always interested me. I think it is very brave to get out of the rat race, and just enjoy living, and though my husband’s career is incompatible with the peripatetic lifestyle, I think it is a great broadening educational experience for children, and allows them to spend much more time with their parents than most. My children, though , like having a circle of friends they met through school. Perhaps that might be an issue for your sons in future, as they seek more independence. Anyway, I admire your spirit!
Hi! I am an email only visitor who is not a fan of videos. I always skip them if they pop up on a favorite blog– even when the topic is of interest to me. I feel like they waste too much time. I am in my 40’s, though, so maybe I am just not the audience for most blogs. Hopefully you will not switch over entirely!
Great post, I agree that video is becoming more important in blogging and online content and Andrew and I are planning to invest more time in creating videos for our site too. I still think there’s a big demand for authentic, honest written content too though and I really like posts like this one where you share personal stories/thoughts. I totally get what you mean about producing the SEO-style posts, I often find them tedious to write but they’re necessary for search. It’s an ever-evolving thing this blogging world! On another note, I hope you’re doing ok and get back to London soon to sort your health concerns out.
I’m probably one of your rare email subscribers that doesn’t see your Facebook posts. I love email and hate video but feel like I’m the only one! I’ve liked your page on Facebook but I almost never read it. I do scan all of your emails and see the blog as a resource to look back on for planning my own future travel.
Thank you! Posts like this always get far more interraction. Obviously, not everyone has an interest in a specific destination, which I’m aware of, so I’ve been trying to tell the story AND put the facts in the posts, but I guess people see the title and think there’s no story there to read.
I’m a few weeks late which shows how frequently I get the chance to catch up on your blog! I’m a blog only reader, not on Facebook, and very rarely watch videos. I love both the story and factual style posts.. as I love to read your journey but also use the factual info for holiday planning and dreaming. We’re a family of 5 who spend most of our time at home but travel abroad for longer holidays. I appreciate and value all the time you take to keep us all updated, so thank you! I’m interesting in hearing how things are in London right now? We seem so removed from it all, thus far, here in Aus!
Hi Jackie, London seems fine. Chef’s European co workers aren’t too bothered, their options are still fully open. Our Romanian knowledge tells us that most seem to go to Spain or Germany to work anyway. The only 2 British people in the kitchen ( this is a very big, very famous city 5 star hotel) are gutted. Their parents voted against them, their migrant wives and children. They feel betrayed. My own parents have 3 mixed nationality grandkids, many older people do. It’s pretty sickening. There was a protest march against Brexit here yesterday which went off peacefully, the exit camp jeering at it being an anti-democracy march. London has little racism compared to the rest of the country, we voted in, I think the dramatic increase in racist and xenophobic attacks have been elsewhere. Business as usual here.
Hi Alyson
I don’t do facebook. Not a fan of videos, only because I am usually reading your blogs when I am trying to get kids to bed or in a waiting room ect. So need my ears to listen and no noise to distract. I first found your blog whilst looking for ideas of where and how to take children on holidays or trips around the world. Still find it daunting and have not been able to do much travel yet only trips within Australia. But every blog I read is like another step towards getting out there. I really enjoy reading your blogs. I find them refreshingly honest. I love that you tell us your bad days as well as your good days. Thanks again Renay
Hi there, Alyson!
I have followed you at different times on all forms of social media. 🙂
I’m now getting back to your blog, after reading about your prep & 1st two years. I’ve always enjoyed reading your stories about what is happening with your family in any given location more than the tips……but I absolutely, ALWAYS make note of them for when I can wedge us out into long-term travel.
I also love your real-life feedback on how HS is working while traveling. I’ve learned so much from those asides you include in your posts. I also have an 8.5 yr old minecrafter. She’s taking programming this year. And she’s ready to start making videos…which I know nothing about. We’re going to follow D’s site.
Now, I primarily follow you on IG, as I don’t spend much time on FB but will be adding Chef to my snapchat. I LOVE YOUR CANDID PICTURES. Your pictures and stories are a winning combo. I will click on a vid to watch but I tend to skim through the longer ones on other sites (what is wrong with me?). I’ve started getting into vlogs…
I basically enjoy all that you publish…in all forms. Can’t wait to see where you guys land next….and best wishes to you on whatever medical issue you’re dealing with. Hope that is quickly resolved.
I almost always skip video & prefer to read. Guess what, people around me don’t necessarily want to listen to my videos! I can read most anywhere without disturbing others, like the guy sitting near me in an airport.
I didn’t even know you had a FB page until this blog. I do use FB so will go find you there as well.
I subscribe to your email so I can get inspiration & ideal for traveling while educating my 12 year old. I enjoy your blogs very much!
Thanks Catherine, same here.
I mostly read your blog via Hotmail. Occasionally through Facebook. I’d love more videos but would not want to lose all the write up and photos.
You are all amazing with your different interests and how you make it all work as a family. Great when the kids do more too, then our kids can follow their blogs simultaneously to yours. I hardly ever see Chefs blog though. More food, gardening, cooking is always complimentary to the travel side of things.
Chef has quit blogging Kym, he’s left Facebook too. Right now he’s training for an Iron Man, that takes most of his time. But he does do all our snapchat. You can watch him there if you sign up to follow World Travel Fam. He was out snapchatting the bunnies last night, yesterday pigs. He likes things that don’t take too much effort!
HI Alyson,
I have just discovered you on the good old internet! I am facebook but i much prefer reading and becoming invested in things that interest me. You have definitely inspired me. Once i had kids i thought my traveling days were over, but it’s not true! so thank you!
I will definately be planning something. Just have to save those pennies 😉
Love the blog.
Thank you Bec and nice to meet you. By the way, if it was you who just signed up, you may have to do it again, I have technical strife this morning.
I read your email but as crazy as this sounds I don’t follow much on Facebook. I think as a page / blog owner myself I spend so much screen time there I don’t. I like emails. I love your blog and I think I would be the rare one who doesn’t like a video I don’t have the time or desire to watch it. Anyway love the blog – combining the two a great idea. happy travels Deb
Hi there,
Another blog only reader (non video watcher) here. Also in 40’s, but the family (me, dad & 3 kids age 7 & under) are now peripatetic so you can probably figure out why i read you! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Hi again! I follow your blogs as well as Facebook and I love both, although I avoid email subscriptions. I just don’t really pay attention to email notifications. I have to say I love posts like this one with more personal insights and updates. I enjoy seeing D’s videos, but I’m not usually a fan of videos or vlogs, especially for sharing info. I just find I could usually read the same info in a tenth of the time. I think the blending of the Romania blog with the world travel family blog is a great move. I love learning about Romania, but a lot of the content overlaps with more general travel and lifestyle content. I also wanted to keep up with all your posts but I was finding it hard to keep track over all the different sites and I always wondered if I was missing things.
For the record, my personal favourites of the past year have been the trekking in Nepal posts and the night with the shepherds one. Not sure why, they just inspired me.
Oh, and “just Disney” for a birthday trip???? Disney’s awesome!
So enjoyed the video of your surrounds and to see the boys in action. Funny bow and arrow with the bread board target! Loved your sniffing!!!lol Hope the car gets better but it doesn’t look all that promising. Think the transformations are amazing.That’s clever of them to be doing that.
He’s a genius! Sexy update…she’s good to go! We’ll be heading across Europe in the next few days.
Hi, I love reading your blogs and am not on Facebook so haven’t seen that content. I always read the whole post when it pops up in my inbox. I’ve not really watched any videos on a blog but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t. I find your lifestyle inspirational and also like the facts as well as your thoughts. I used your Sri Lanka posts to help plan our trip with our 1 and 3 year old. Thanks for it all.
Hi Naomi, thanks, that’s very good to hear. I put so much on Facebook, the day to day stuff, that then doesn’t end up in posts. I’ll have to put more of that on the website.
Hi Alyson,
I used to be a faithful blog-reader, but I finally got used to follow you on FB too. Personally, it’s not your travel-advise that interests me most (I’m quite independent when I prepare our trips), it’s how you get along on a daily basis that sort of got me addicted to your posts. Very much like some people watch soap-series I’m afraid … (gosh that sounds awful, though I fear it’s true!).
When I come to think of it, I must admit I re-read all your posts on Sri Lanka and even booked us in in Templeberg Villa for a week and booked a stay in Ella. So I actually do have an interest in your travel advise. It just depends on our plans …
Not sure this is very helpful for you ?!
Talitha
Talitha, I think you’re the one person I know, for sure, reads both! Thanks as always.
Hi Alyson, I’ve been following your blog since mid 2015. It came on the back of a whimsical thought that maybe there was more to life. I stumbled upon your blog, and many others, but your situation resonated with me.
We currently live in rural QLD, but after two years, my feet are itching, so we decided that as of January this year we would be doing a 12 month world trip. But a diagnosis of a chronic bowel condition in my 11yr old caused a bit of a set back. Although we are currently still in limbo, you had set us off on the path of ‘homeschooling’.
Now, six months in, I am completely out of my comfort zone, and somewhere between homeschooling and unschooling (Quite surprising to my controlling self, more on the unschool side. I’m still deciding whether to thank you or curse you by the way.haha. Probably the former, I don’t think I could revert to the way things were or ‘suppose’ to be), but we still have travel on our radar. We can’t let the travelling go just yet, so we have now planned for the end of 2016, fingers crossed, with a four week trip mid-year. But with a child with a bowel condition and another with egg anaphylaxis, we might have to cut back on the ‘off the beaten track’ options (unless we literally take a suitcase of meds!).
After all that, to answer your question/s, my motivation for following your blog is world travel and ‘homeschool’, so my searches/interests mainly revolve around these topics. As we are new to the homeschool/unschool concept, I lean towards learning more about, and somewhat comfort searching, with this in mind. I like a bit of personal opinion, at the same time factual, and the odd photo doesn’t go astray. As for videos, I skip past these on any site most of the time, usually most of the time. I don’t follow your Facebook page as I have only linked to my husband’s account so that I can sell items on local pages (to get us out of here quicker!).
I hope that helps somewhat. Can’t wait to see your next adventure.
Hi Belinda, thanks so much for connecting, it’s good to know who’s here. So sorry to hear of your health problems, it must be horrible having a child sick, poor thing. But good luck, hope you pull it off. I have a friend with 4 kids with allergies, I believe one is or was anaphylactic, she’s just stated blogging at Blowing Where The Wind Blows, an unschooler and former high school teacher, go check her out, tell her I sent you 😉
Sorry I forgot to say I don’t go on Facebook:)
Hi Alison.
I love reading what you’ve been up to. Mostly about your time traveling, destinations, schooling etc. My husband and I are taking our three kids away for 13 months at the end of next year to mainly South East Asia and Central America so I pour over your posts getting whatever info I can. Videos are OK but I’d rather read your blogs and look at photos. Thanks for all your great info. For me, yours is the best travel with kids blog on the web. So thank you and keep it up! Good luck on your future travels.
Cherryl
Thanks Cherryl, that’s so nice of you! It’s unny, all the blog commenters like posts, all the Facebook commenters want video. Looks like I’ll have to do both.
I follow your Facebook page, but mostly click on your posts through my feedly subscription. I prefer personal posts with info on where you have traveled, what you liked and didn’t like, accommodation recommendations. I rarely click on videos. I don’t like to broadcast the sound when others are in the room, so if I don’t have headphones handy, I don’t bother. Also, while traveling in Southeast Asia and India, etc. the wifi often isn’t good enough for video. It’s funny to see the difference in preferences between subscribers and Facebook followers.
Isn’t it! Thanks Michelle, another useful bit of feedback.
i read your blog, but don’t interact much on your Facebook page .. I’m personally not a video watcher (probably because I’m on Facebook while i am at work or when i am putting my kids to bed), i like WORDS (and photos), but i guess i am one of those people who like to read. i get your RSS feed into my inbox, and i think your newsletter too! i love seeing what you and your family are doing, because i envy your lifestyle while i sit at a desk and travel on weekends. we do travel more than the average family, but have not hopped on to the nomadic lifestyle, which i think is more now-or-never while the kids are young. so hit me with destination pieces, and what you guys are up to … i take it all in!
Thanks so much Lindsay. Everything I do, I do it or youuuuu
I love the personal posts but do skim through the others to see what you are up to. I’m not a big video person but I know many are. 🙂
That’s kind of what I thought, people would skim through to see the photos. It’s really interesting to see how different readers interact.
I don’t use Facebook at all and typically don’t enjoy other forms of social media. A few months ago, I started using YouTube to get recipe ideas and watch vegan families. I had no idea YouTube was such a huge thing. It is the direction social media is heading.
I love traveling with my kids. Next year they will be homeschooled, and we have a trip planned in September.
Hi Crystal, I started watching lots of vegan stuff too. It seems all vegans have tattoos. So do I, so that’s good!
Hi Alyson
I’m also a lover of the written blog, I don’t like the videos. I’m not sure if it’s just because despite living in Worcestershire our internet connection still can’t play video without buffering or if I just do prefer to read than view. Being in my 40’s I suspect it’s the later. As someone above said just watching feels like a waste of time. I found your blog almost 3 years ago and felt totally inspired to change my life. Full time travel was not for me but a change of job certainly was. I love your travel posts and the day to day stuff of life and how you manage. Hope all goes well when you are back in London and that you keep writing. Vickie
Hi Alyson.
I’m an email visitor, I try to avoid facebook.
My family and I are embarking on a year long journey starting in August. I discovered your site while searching home schooling while traveling, I’ve found your posts to be very helpful and I love your pictures. I don’t mind video, I know its what’s next, but nothing can replace the written word.
Thanks for sharing.
Good, you and I are in agreement Debra !
I first found this website when looking for a Harry Potter tour round London for my children, and found the writing lively, informative and interesting. I lived with my family abroad for a few years, and learning about family life in different locations has always interested me. I think it is very brave to get out of the rat race, and just enjoy living, and though my husband’s career is incompatible with the peripatetic lifestyle, I think it is a great broadening educational experience for children, and allows them to spend much more time with their parents than most. My children, though , like having a circle of friends they met through school. Perhaps that might be an issue for your sons in future, as they seek more independence. Anyway, I admire your spirit!
Thanks Alice, good to know who’s out there,I thought for a while my comments section was broken!
Hi! I am an email only visitor who is not a fan of videos. I always skip them if they pop up on a favorite blog– even when the topic is of interest to me. I feel like they waste too much time. I am in my 40’s, though, so maybe I am just not the audience for most blogs. Hopefully you will not switch over entirely!
You sound like me Carrie, I never watch them either! But with the kids we’re watching YouTube more and more. Thanks for connecting.
Great post, I agree that video is becoming more important in blogging and online content and Andrew and I are planning to invest more time in creating videos for our site too. I still think there’s a big demand for authentic, honest written content too though and I really like posts like this one where you share personal stories/thoughts. I totally get what you mean about producing the SEO-style posts, I often find them tedious to write but they’re necessary for search. It’s an ever-evolving thing this blogging world! On another note, I hope you’re doing ok and get back to London soon to sort your health concerns out.
H Amy, I just heard from Chef, Sexy is fixable, to the tune of about 1000 Euros. EEEK! So we can be on the move soon-ish.
I’m probably one of your rare email subscribers that doesn’t see your Facebook posts. I love email and hate video but feel like I’m the only one! I’ve liked your page on Facebook but I almost never read it. I do scan all of your emails and see the blog as a resource to look back on for planning my own future travel.
Thank you! Posts like this always get far more interraction. Obviously, not everyone has an interest in a specific destination, which I’m aware of, so I’ve been trying to tell the story AND put the facts in the posts, but I guess people see the title and think there’s no story there to read.