In this episode, Alana shares her 5 tips to creating the right contract while working with brands. She shares what to look for in a contract, her do’s and don’ts and so much more!
In this episode, Peggy shares her personal hacks on establishing an effective online presence that will surely get you high-paying clients.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will make a commission if you click through and make a purchase. This post is also sponsored by Caravelle Hotel and Casino, although they sponsored the post, all opinions and reviews are mine.
One of the best perks of being a digital nomad is having the flexibility to live and work from anywhere. If given the choice, most of us would choose a tropical location where we can enjoy the sun all year round!
The Caribbean can be a wonderful place to live if you are craving the island lifestyle. That is why when I was given the opportunity to visit St. Croix, I could not resist the opportunity to find out what it is like to become a digital nomad in the Caribbean.
Although many Caribbean islands are well-known destinations, St. Croix – located in the U.S Virgin Islands is still undiscovered by many. I wanted to find out first-hand what it is like living in St. Croix through the eyes of remote workers and how they are able to make their lifestyle in this beautiful island sustainable.
I was lucky enough to be taken around by a Caribbean transplant, Sara Zuckerman founder of uncommonmama.com who has become a permanent resident of the area along with her son and husband who is a local to the island.
Sara was able to show me all the local spots that are essential to the island life and how to make moving to St. Croix sustainable by finding the right online jobs in the Caribbean.
There are plenty of jobs online that you can take with you on the road, which can make living in St. Croix possible. Visiting online job boards like Fiveer can be a great place to start to post your skills and find the best clients.
Once you have found the right Caribbean online jobs, then it is time to figure out how to live in St. Croix as a digital nomad. Below are the best resources you will need in order to become a remote worker in St. Croix.
Before deciding if Caribbean living is right for you, go for a nice visit and stay at these beautiful hotels.
Located in Christiansted, Caravelle Hotel and Casino is one of the best choices for accommodations in St. Croix. This lovely hotel has been recently renovated and only steps away from the Christiansted boardwalk with breathtaking ocean views. The hotel is close to the center of town and you will be walking distance to all the shops and incredible local restaurants. If you want to enjoy the ocean view with a great cocktail, try Rum Runners, a dining room and bar that is attached to the hotel.
The Hotel is also attached to a casino where you can play while you stay. So, whether you want to relax, play, enjoy the local vibe or all of the above, Caravelle Hotel and Casino is the right place to be at the center of everything!
Another great option is the Company House Hotel which is a boutique hotel with modern amenities that sits beside historic Caribbean buildings. The hotel is at the heart of Christiansted and is great accommodation for working nomads who are ready to explore while having business travel amenities.
If you have visited the island and now feel a strong pull to stay, getting long-term accommodation is a must. Walking around the island and familiarizing yourself with the specific areas is the best way to figure out which part of the island you can live in. Walking around and introducing yourself to the locals and transplants will also be a great way to find digital nomad communities that could help you find long-term accommodations in St. Croix.
There are two main towns, Frederiksted on the western end and Christiansted on the northeast part of the island.
Christiansted is the bigger of the island’s two cities. It is famous for its colorful homes that have been transformed into shops, restaurants and hotels. You will also find the beautifully preserved Fort Christiansvaern built by the Danish in 1749. Christiansted also has the charming boardwalk in the downtown harbor that will give you easy access to the landmark Caravelle Hotel and Casino.
Frederiksted is a quieter town but does liven up when the occasional cruise ship lands making the port packed with vendors and tourists. Frederiksted is also a popular destination for locals and vacationers looking for aquatic adventures such as scuba diving and snorkeling. You can also find the popular Rainbow Beach which is a great place to do water sports or to chill at the Rhythms Rainbow Beach Bar.
Once you have figured out which town you want to live in, try contacting AirBNB or Vrbo hosts to see if they would be willing to let you stay for a longer period of time and even negotiate the price so you can cut down the cost of living St. Croix.
Living in St. Croix does not always mean it is all play, work has to get done, and what better way to do it than by finding the best Café’s that will also give you reliable WIFI.
The top cafe’s for digital nomads:
Grounded Café: this newly renovated café on Strand Street is centrally located and has a working table at the back where you can have uninterrupted work time.
Twin City Coffee House and Gallery: Twin City has a great selection of breakfast and other goodies that will keep your belly happy while working remotely.
Rhythms at Rainbow Beach: we often see the typical digital nomad images of people working at the beach, but I can tell you first hand that this is often false and just for the “gram”. However, working at Rhythms at Rainbow Beach is the closest thing you can get to working at the beach.
With the water just a few feet away, and the ocean breeze giving you the most relaxing vibes, it will feel like a real dream coming true and will remind you why you live/stayed in this beautiful island as a digital nomad in the first place.
Rise Caribbean: is a true digital nomad’s paradise where you can not only work and eat great food but also meet and be a part of a digital nomad community.
I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of fresh food and variety that was available on the island. My all-time favorite local dish that I’ve tried was the conch with butter sauce at the well-known restaurant Harvey’s which has been family-owned for over 33 years.
Do not forget to try their homemade fresh juices, especially the ginger beer. You will keep coming back for more! Also, make sure to speak with Rich, who is one of the owners, and ask him about the story behind the pictures on the walls.
Too Chez: a local favorite that serves delicious and fresh food.
Un Amore: this Italian restaurant gets rave reviews from visitors and locals alike. They specialize in handmade pasta, Napolean style pizza and other classic Italian dishes.
Since St Croix is part of the United States territories, you do not need a passport when traveling to the island or a working visa to gain employment. St. Croix does have the same immigration laws as the mainland so if you are not a United States citizen, make sure to bring your passport, and working visa if you decide to stay and find Caribbean jobs online.
The currency is the US dollar.
Although there is public transportation, having a car will still be the most convenient and cost-efficient if you are planning to do long term stay. Take note that people drive on the left-hand side of the road, so be careful if you are not used to driving on the other side.
For a small island, St. Croix has an incredible variety of activities and an active community that will allow you to fully enjoy Caribbean living. It also has a unique vibe that allows you to feel like home from the moment you step foot on the island. So go visit and see if it is the right place for you!
Would you visit or live in St. Croix? Let me know your thoughts about island living or if you have suggestions for destinations that would be perfect for digital nomads.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will make a commission if you click through and make a purchase.This post is also sponsored by Hover.com, although they sponsored the post, all opinion and reviews are mine.
If you’re here, it means that you have decided to start your podcast and you’re ready to take the next step to your journey. Congrats, because the fun is just beginning!
One of the biggest decisions you will have to make after deciding to start a podcast is what to name your show. It’s like naming your child. It’s a big responsibility.
The name should describe what your podcast is about, match the tone, and can grow with you.
Your name is the first thing that your audience sees, so that first impression is crucial to drawing in new listeners. You have to make that name count.
Here we walk you through the steps to generating podcast name ideas and how to register your domain name.
Though naming your podcast may not be the easiest part of creating your show, it certainly can be fun to devise a list of possible name ideas.
Before you can even begin to think of podcast names, you need to know what your podcast will be about. What is your niche? What are you going to be putting out there into the world?
Taking the time to define your niche will be a great asset. So, it is important to understand that if you want a successful podcast, you will need to find a subject that will not only interest you but also attract an audience that will enjoy your topic.
So, make sure you have that clear message or topic for your podcast.
In order to find the right niche for your show, here are a few things to remember:
How do you find and generate the perfect name for your show? First, think about the topics you are discussing.
Is it more fun and laid back or is it more factual and to the point? If it’s fun, maybe your podcast name should be more playful.
Try finding a word or phrase in your niche that you can toy with, a play on words. Something tongue-in-cheek. If your topic is fondue, how about The Big Dipper for a podcast title?
Creating a clever podcast name could help attract the right type of audience who will appreciate the attitude and tone in your podcast.
If your podcast is more factual, then naming your podcast should follow suit. There is nothing wrong with a podcast title that straight up says what the podcast is about.
There’s zero question from the listener on what they are getting into. If your podcast name is The Daily Stock Report, no one will be expecting movie reviews or sports news.
If you are still confused and cannot decide what name to choose, here are a few helpful tips that you can follow to choose the right podcast name.
First, don’t have a rambling title. Though you may have over 200 characters to use for naming your podcast, the title will be clipped when displayed on iTunes or Spotify.
In fact, a majority of podcast names hover around 20 characters. So, try to stick to 18 – 25 characters. And avoid using any odd characters like underscores. It’s messy looking, and it will be a pain to say on every podcast.
Secondly, don’t feel like you need to use “podcast” in your name. Save the character space for something more insightful for your podcast.
Now, if you are planning to create an accompanying podcast site, then feel free to include podcast in the website’s name. But refrain from adding it to the podcast titles itself.
Next is to not be too overly specific with your title. If you name your show, Life at 29, you’ve pigeon-holed yourself in only talking about life when you are 29 years old.
Do you want to be 40 and still talking about life at 29? Doubtful. So, make sure there is some wiggle room in your name that will allow you to expand on your podcast topics.
You want to be able to diversify while keeping your great podcast name as you develop.
A unique way to market your podcast organically is by choosing a title with high ranking keywords. Keywords are phrases that people use to search for information online.
By using highly searched words on your podcast name, you will have higher chances of getting found by new and potential listeners.
Though you may feel inclined to include a lot of keywords when creating your podcast name ideas, don’t go overboard.
It’s understandable that you want to rank in searches on Google, but don’t create your podcast name solely on ranking words, especially if the words do not make sense.
If you can find long-form keywords that works well for your podcast name, then, by all means, use it.
But how do you even find out what words rank well on Google? Well, many podcasters and bloggers use Keysearch.
This ultra-helpful tool allows you to search for keywords to see what is easy to rank for on Google and what words are hard. The more competition for a word, the higher the score appears.
If you use Keysearch to help you with podcast name ideas, stay clear of any word with a score in red.
Ideally, you want words that appear light blue to green. Less competition means it will be easier for people to find you by just Googling the keywords.
When thinking of possible podcase names, don’t limit yourself to just one name. As brilliant as that one name may be, you may not be able to use it.
What you need is a list of at least five to ten podcast names or more! Why? Well, there are several reasons.
First, you need to check if any existing podcast already has that name. Even if it is an old podcast that hasn’t had a new episode in several years, don’t use that name!
Strike it off the list! You do not want to confuse your listeners. So, if someone already has your name (or even something extremely close to it), move on to the next name on your list.
If no one has your podcast name idea, don’t breathe a sigh of relief just yet. You also want to check that the domain name is available. More on that in the next section.
But if the domain isn’t available, you won’t want to use that name either, especially if you are hoping to develop more content related to your podcast down the road.
And now that your initial list of podcast name ideas has dwindled, test out the remaining names.
Ask your friends or family about the names. Which do they like better? Or even give them the names and then ask what they think the podcast will be about using only the name as a reference?
You could even do a survey on Facebook and see which gets the most votes. The more opinions you have, the easier your final choice will be for your podcast name.
Now that you have finalized the name of your podcast, you should secure that name by registering your domain.
Registering the name of your podcast means that nobody else can use your title as their domain name. It is yours. And that is important for any online platform.
Registering your domain name is crucial to protecting your brand, even if you are starting your show as a hobby it can turn into a profitable business and owning that name will be important to brand your business properly.
So, to protect your podcast name for the future, you need to register your podcast domain name.
Even if you are not looking to create an accompanying podcast blog, still register.
You have no idea what the future will hold for you and your podcast.
Protect your future now in case you want to create more content or start selling products.
If you don’t grab it now while the domain is available, you may be kicking yourself later when you want it and it is no longer available.
Aside from registering your domain name, you should also set up accounts on social media platforms (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) with your podcast name.
It is important to secure these names so that you can market your show properly and make it easy for your listeners to find you.
When looking to register your podcast domain name, a great resource to use is Hover.com, a site where you can find and purchase your domain name.
Why is Hover so special? Well, it is a user-friendly and intuitive name registrar, where you land on the site, search for your domain, add it to your cart, and you’re done.
No messy upsells, no mess, no fuss. Hover has over 300 domain name extensions to choose from when building your brand online.
No matter what you want to build, there’s a domain name waiting for it. You’ll find excellent technical support available to answer any questions you may have.
When you’re ready to register your name, head over to Hover.com (where you will also receive 10% off your order using the promo code OFFBEAT).
On Hover’s home page, enter your podcast name into the search box and click enter.
The next screen shows you all available variations of your podcast name and the yearly cost for each. Try to avoid selecting a domain name that has already been purchased by a third party and is reselling it. Those names tend to cost more.
Once you have found a domain name that you like, add it to your cart by just clicking on the + to the right of the name and proceed to cart.
Then proceed to secure checkout. Here you can double-check that the domain name you chose is still the one that you want. In the secure checkout, you will also see an option for WHOIS Privacy?
Where allowed, WHOIS Privacy protects your information from spammers and hackers. When registering a domain, you must provide your contact information which then becomes public property on the web.
By allowing WHOIS Privacy, your email address is blocked from being seen and then protects you from malicious intent.
As this privacy feature is free with Hover, you should make sure that the toggle switch for WHOIS Privacy is green.
And on the secure checkout page, don’t forget to get your 10% off your order with promo code OFFBEAT.
With that done, you are ready to checkout. Once on the checkout page, if you are not already a registered user with Hover.com, you need to create an account to proceed.
Now that you have an account, you will have to create registration information for your domain name.
Though you can register as either an individual or an organization, you should register as an individual. After filling in all the fields, click continue on the bottom.
Now you are ready to submit your order. All that remains is for you to enter your payment information (Hover accepts credit card or PayPal). And as soon as your order is confirmed, your domain name is officially yours.
The important take away for creating podcast name ideas is to not rush naming your show. Though sometimes the first podcast name that comes to mind may work out, don’t think that you have a name and you are done.
That is only the start! You need to then cross-check your name against existing podcasts and available domain names.
And it never hurts to sample your podcast name with friends and family for their opinion. This is why having a list of several podcast names is extremely helpful.
Before anyone hears even one second of your podcast, they see your podcast name. Is it a cool podcast name that will pique their curiosity to tune in for a listen? Is your podcast name catchy for people to easily remember? Does your podcast name speak to your niche and topic?
With a well-defined topic base and staying true to your point-of-view, you will definitely land on the perfect name for your podcast.
Are you ready to start your podcasting journey? Let us know if you have found the right name for your show or maybe need help brainstorming, we’re here to help!
In this episode, Ayn shares insights on how you can monetize your YouTube channel just finding your unique niche.
Our mobile devices are already a major part of our daily life. Most people are constantly on them, while commuting to work, waiting for an appointment, or just killing time. Since you are already on your phone, why not make that time work for you and earn some money.
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My name is Debbie and I'm here to help you navigate your way into a location independent lifestyle. Confused where to start? Listen to The Offbeat Life podcast and read our blog! Still got questions you need answered? Feel free to connect with me anytime. xoxo
