3 Weeks In: Amazon Progress, Travel Reviews Live, and Why I'm Heading to South Dakota
Starting to See Movement
It’s been about three weeks since I got approved for Amazon’s on-site commissions. I've uploaded 12 product videos so far and have earned $50.32 in total. Not a huge number, but it feels like progress from the my previous post ($0.40).
I intentionally held off on uploading more right away to see if the original videos would gain any traction. Turns out, they are, slowly, but steadily. That was the goal. No spammy promotion. Just trying to build something that compounds over time.
Travel Reviews Are Up and Running
The new Travel Reviews section on the site is officially live. Right now, there are reviews from about a dozen places I’ve stayed recently across the South and Southwest.
Each post includes:
My personal score
Google’s public rating
A quick breakdown of location, privacy, dog-friendliness, value, trails, and a few other things that I think people might want to know.
There’s also an interactive Google Map at the top of the page showing all the locations. It works... but it’s a little clunky on mobile. I’m looking into cleaner solutions, but it’s tough to find something that’s simple.
More reviews are coming soon. I still have a handful from the Northeast to add.
Why This Blog Exists
The goal of this blog is pretty simple: document my experience and maybe have a few people find it helpful. Long-term, I’d love to drive some traffic to my Amazon storefront.
So far, that part hasn’t clicked but I’m working on it. Playing with layout ideas, tightening up SEO, and slowly uploading more videos. If this site starts getting even 5 consistent visitors a day, I’d honestly be pumped. That would mean it's reaching actual people.
Heading West, and Why South Dakota
In the next few weeks, I’ll be heading west again. South Dakota is my first real stop, and not just for sightseeing — I’m going to set up a mailing address and residency there.
There are companies in South Dakota that specialize in this for full-time travelers. It’s popular because the state is flexible about residency — no income tax, no vehicle inspections, and some other benefits. For people like me without a permanent home base, it just makes sense.
After that, I might keep moving west. Maybe beyond South Dakota, maybe not. Depends on how the travel feels — I’m not trying to over-plan it.
EEAT and the Long Game
I’ve been reading more about how Google ranks blog content — especially the idea of EEAT: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
Weird acronym, but the idea makes sense. And I think this blog aligns with it:
Experience – I live this lifestyle full time
Expertise – I’ve made the mistakes, figured out the workarounds
Authoritativeness – Still building that through content and consistency
Trust – No hype, no fake numbers — just actual results and experiences
This blog isn’t trying to go viral. I don’t think it will and I really don’t want it to. I’m just building something I own, that reflects what I’m doing, and maybe helps someone else along the way.
Wrapping Up
Amazon earnings are still small, but they’re growing. Travel reviews are flowing. The site’s slowly taking shape.
Appreciate anyone following along.
— Ryan
SEO Keywords (for context):
amazon influencer earnings 2025
affiliate marketing blog
travel gear reviews
rv product videos
full-time travel blog
south dakota domicile
google maps blog issues
building a blog from scratch
eeat blog example
