Interview

Publisher Interview: Gary Arndt of Everything Everywhere

Jenny Guy

•

December 5, 2018

Part of the fun of creating your own sustainable business is getting to spend any spare time however you want. Whether that’s raising a family, a horse, a pygmy goat, five chickens and a couple dogs like our publisher Kyle James of Rather Be Shopping or acting in musical theatre like Latasha Peterson of Arts & Budgets, the sky is the limit. We seriously love hearing what Mediavine income enables our publishers to do, and today we’re excited for you to meet Gary Arndt of Everything Everywhere. Gary visits about 20 countries a year. We are so pumped to hear about a much longer journey — his blogging journey — on our blog today! Welcome, Gary.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your family, and your everyday life.

In 2007 I sold my home to travel around the world. I sort of just never stopped. Today I run a popular travel website and travel to about 20 countries per year.

How did you get started blogging?

I started my first blog before they were called blogs back in 1997. When I decided to travel around the world, it was natural for me to start a website, so I launched my travel blog in October 2006. The Taj Mahal seen through an archway entrance.

The Taj Mahal seen through an archway entrance.

How long have you been a Mediavine publisher?

I started with Mediavine in July 2017.

What was it that drew you to us as a partner for your display advertising?

Pretty much every travel blogger I knew who was doing display advertising was on Mediavine or was in the process of moving to Mediavine. The display advertising market is very competitive and Mediavine offers the best rates and service for anyone running a travel website.

How has that evolved over time?

There hasn’t been much in the way of evolution since I joined. Outside of occasional changes like GDPR and such, once it is set up it isn’t something you really need to worry about. A polar bear leaves a paw print in the snow.

A polar bear leaves a paw print in the snow.

How do you think blogging has changed since you started?

It has changed so much, it is hard to recognize it. RSS used to be the big metric back in 2007 and 2008. Now no one cares about it. There were fewer sites, SEO was easier (in a way).

What’s the best part of the blog world for you?

Being able to share my travels with people around the world.

What’s the worst part of blogging for you?

The time commitment. It isn’t easy.

Who are your FAVORITE bloggers. Who inspires you? Why do you like them?

Shannon O’Donnell from A Little Adrift, Jodi Ettenberg from Legal Nomads, and Abagail King from Inside the Travel Lab. Men gather outside a church in Axum, Ethiopia for a religious ceremony.