Internet celebrity interview: TravBuddy

Posted on February 22, 2007
Filed Under Interviews, web 2.0 news |

Today we have another interview with an internet celebrity. This time our guest is Eric Bjorndahl, who represents www.travbuddy.com. We have discussed this website some time ago. Now it’s time to talk with the founder.

What is the key to success when running a website?

Persistence and attention to detail. I don’t think that there are any shortcuts or secrets to running a website. Maintaining and developing an active community is a lot of hard work, and I believe that it is important to always stay focused on the long term vision for the site, because there will always be day to day fluctuations. Apologies in advance for this trite phrase, but I also really believe that the harder you work, the luckier you get.

Could you please briefly describe what makes your website unique?

The idea of social networking is not new, and the sector is incredibly crowded, but I believe that TravBuddy is unique in the fact that it was designed specifically for the travel niche. We leverage the tools of social networking to create a unique community with features geared specifically for travelers. For instance, TravBuddy makes it easy to create travel blogs that are automatically mapped out and find other members visiting the same locations and places that you are planning to visit.

What should a newbie do in order to become competitive on the net?

Get a team of dedicated and enthusiastic people to help out, because it is impossible to do it alone. Work on something that you love and I believe that your passion will show through the site and differentiate yourself in important ways from your competitors. Listen to your users and make it easy for them to give you feedback.

How to you spend your spare time?

Surfing, relaxing in cafes, and traveling.

What is the future of the web after web 2.0?

The future of the web after web 2.0 is the same as the history of the web before web 2.0. Web 2.0 is just a new term to describe the very things the web has been enabling since its inception: social interaction and sharing of information.

Is there anything you would like to tell to our readers?

Check out www.travbuddy.com and let us know what you think! And travel as much as you can!