Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Watts
Hi Paige, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started my travel blog, PaigeMindsTheGap.com, when I studied abroad in 2013, and back then it was just a travel diary for my family to keep up with me while I was abroad. I never considered it could be a full-time job!
When I came back home, I kept writing blog posts when I visited new places because it was fun, even if my family didn’t really need it to keep up with me anymore. By 2016, I had moved to Atlanta and realized that other people were actually making money from travel blogging. So that’s when I decided to turn my blog from a hobby to a business. I worked at it as a side hustle for a few years and then finally became a full-time blogger in 2019.
On Paige Minds The Gap, I cover a lot of destinations, but I do focus heavily on Atlanta and the South. I really started to become an expert in Atlanta and had all of these fun tidbits and trivia that never made it into a blog post, so I decided to write a book!
What’s With Atlanta?: The Quirks, Personality, and Charm of the ATL was published in 2023. I like to think of it as a trivia guide to Atlanta. The book covers topics like one-of-a-kind Atlanta treasures, transportation, festivals and events, the weather, Atlanta’s architecture, acceptable nicknames, sports, famous people, and famous foods and restaurants.
I think this book’s format is really unique because, unlike other history-focused books, What’s With Atlanta? doesn’t get too fact-heavy, and unlike other travel guides, you get some obscure things as well as the highlights. It’s the perfect guide for newcomers to the city, people who are just visiting, and those who have lived here for a while; there’s always something new to learn about Atlanta!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been easy. When switching my blog from a hobby to a full-time business, I had to completely change my mindset from writing whatever I felt like to writing something that’s helpful to others.
The state of travel blogging has changed a lot in the last few years, as well. I became a full-time travel blogger in 2019 and had a lot of great growth. And then the pandemic hit in 2020 and no one was traveling for a long time. Social media algorithms are changing all the time, so just when you think you’ve figured out Instagram, everything changes. Recently, Google has changed their search algorithm and it has decimated the reach of small personal websites. And now they’ve implemented AI in search results that essentially steal content from bloggers and don’t site the original content as the source.
I’ve had to pivot a lot in my business, but I continue to keep at it because I love sharing travel advice that can help people plan the perfect vacation.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
On PaigeMindsTheGap.com, I give practical travel tips that you can use to plan an amazing getaway. I have destination guides, round-ups of the best things to do and the best restaurants, trip itineraries that are actually feasible (because I’ve done them myself!), and general vacation planning tips.
My book, What’s With Atlanta?: The Quirks, Personality, and Charm of the ATL, is a trivia-based guide to all the things that make Atlanta tick. It aims to answer all those questions you’ve always, like why are there so many Peachtree Streets, what is The Big Chicken, and how did Atlanta get to be the home of the Braves?
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I attribute my success to being adaptable. Even with all the changes in the travel industry, from a pandemic to algorithm changes, I’m always trying to find new ways to reach the right audience and share my love of travel.
Pricing:
- What’s With Atlanta?: The Quirks, Personality, and Charm of the ATL – $22.50
- PaigeMindsTheGap.com – Free!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://paigemindsthegap.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paigemindsthegap/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paigemindsthegap
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/paige_travels
- Other: https://www.reedypress.com/shop/whats-with-atlanta/
