Who's in the space, what they're missing, and where the opportunity is
| Site | Type | Content | Strengths | Weaknesses | Threat Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| wander-lush.org | Personal travel blog | 250+ Georgia articles | Deep, honest, lived-in content. Best individual blog on Georgia. Strong SEO. | Blog format (hard to navigate), one person (can't scale), affiliate-heavy, no interactive features | Medium |
| georgiantravelguide.com | Georgian-made guide | 90 guides | Local perspective, decent coverage of regions/hikes | Dated design, thin content per article, clunky UX, limited English quality | Low |
| lonelyplanet.com/georgia | Major publisher | ~20 articles | Brand authority, professional photography, trusted name | Generic, shallow, not Georgia-focused, behind paywall for some content | Low |
| nomadicmatt.com | Major travel blog | 1 guide page | High domain authority, good SEO | Single generic page, budget-focused only, not a Georgia specialist | Low |
| adventuroustastes.com | Food travel blog | Several Georgia articles | Food-focused, offers custom trip planning | Small Georgia section within larger blog, service-based (not scalable content) | Low |
| caucasus-trekking.com | Hiking-focused | Trail guides | Excellent detailed hiking trail info with GPX tracks | Niche (hiking only), dated design, no broader Georgia coverage | Low (niche) |
| georgia.travel | Government tourism site | Official guides | Official source, good photography, multilingual | Bureaucratic tone, not candid/honest, surface-level, slow site | Low |
Only wander-lush.org is a real competitor — and even she is a one-person blog that can't scale. Everyone else is either too generic (Lonely Planet, Nomadic Matt), too niche (hiking sites), too dated (Georgian-made sites), or too official (government). There is NO modern, comprehensive, well-structured portal dedicated to Georgia. The gap is enormous.
After reviewing all major competitors, these content areas are underserved or missing entirely:
Every competitor uses reverse-chronological blog format. Content gets buried. We use portal architecture — structured sections, category pages, internal linking. Think Wikipedia meets Lonely Planet. Users can find what they need in 2 clicks, not 20 scrolls.
Wander-lush publishes maybe 2-3 Georgia articles/month. We can produce 10/week at equal or higher quality, with proper research and local knowledge baked in. Within 6 months we can have 200+ articles vs her 250 built over 8 years.
No travel site integrates Georgian language naturally into content. We include phrases, pronunciation, cultural context around language in every article — and EasyGeorgian is the natural next step. This is UNIQUE.
Budget calculators, "Which region?" quizzes, interactive maps, seasonal event calendars, itinerary builders. No Georgia site offers any interactive tools. These drive engagement, return visits, and SEO.
Astro static site = instant page loads. No WordPress bloat. Free Cloudflare hosting. While competitors run slow WordPress themes, we serve pages in <100ms. Google rewards speed.
Sites that naturally cross-promote with HelloGeorgia AND EasyGeorgian, creating a content network effect:
The case: "khachapuri recipe" = 50K+ monthly searches. "khinkali recipe" = 30K+. Georgian food content has MASSIVE search volume and almost no dedicated English-language competition. A recipe site with video, cultural context, and ingredient guides is wide open.
Synergy: Every recipe includes Georgian vocabulary (dish name, ingredients) → EG. Every food article links to HelloGeorgia food tourism guides. Three sites, one ecosystem.
Monetization: Food content has the HIGHEST ad CPMs ($20-40 RPM on Mediavine). Plus cookware affiliate, Georgian ingredient sourcing, premium video courses.
Effort: Low — same Astro stack, recipes are straightforward content. Tamar (Lasse's wife) could contribute authentic Georgian recipes.
The case: Thousands of expats move to Georgia yearly (digital nomads, crypto people, remote workers, retirees). No single trusted resource covers the full picture: banking, taxes, healthcare, neighborhoods, visas, daily life.
Synergy: Expats are the HIGHEST-converting EG audience (they actually need to learn Georgian). Also links to HelloGeorgia for travel/culture content.
Monetization: Premium community ($15-20/mo), affiliate (banks, insurance, coworking), sponsored content from service providers targeting expats.
Note: Overlaps with HelloGeorgia /living/ section. Could start as a section and spin off if audience grows.
The case: Georgian wine is booming globally. Natural wine trend + 8,000-year history = massive interest. No definitive English-language wine guide exists. Winery directory, tasting notes, grape varieties, wine route itineraries.
Synergy: Links to HelloGeorgia for travel planning, includes Georgian wine vocabulary → EG.
Monetization: Wine club affiliate, winery partnerships, sponsored features, wine tour bookings.
Note: More niche. Could start as HelloGeorgia /food/wine/ section and spin off later.
The case: Georgia has one of the most fascinating and underknown histories (3,000+ year continuous civilization, unique alphabet, crossroads of empires). History content ranks well and has long shelf life. Educational publishers and documentary producers look for source material.
Synergy: Cultural depth feeds into HelloGeorgia and EG. History enthusiasts are a natural language learning audience.
Monetization: Ad revenue, book affiliate, educational licensing, documentary consultation.
Note: Lower priority — niche audience, slower monetization. Best as HelloGeorgia /culture/ section long-term.
The case: Georgia's Caucasus hiking is world-class but poorly documented in English. caucasus-trekking.com has GPS tracks but no practical guides. Detailed trail guides with photos, difficulty ratings, gear lists, guesthouse info, transport logistics.
Synergy: Links to HelloGeorgia for trip planning, includes mountain Georgian phrases → EG.
Monetization: Outdoor gear affiliate (high commission), guided tour bookings, hiking insurance.
Note: Strong standalone potential. Outdoor content has engaged, high-spending audience.
Phase 1 (Now): HelloGeorgia.com — the hub. Comprehensive travel portal with sections for food, culture, living, activities. Establishes the brand and SEO foundation.
Phase 2 (Month 3-4): Spin off GeorgianRecipes.com — highest SEO volume, highest ad CPMs, easiest content to produce. Natural cross-links with HelloGeorgia.
Phase 3 (Month 6+): Evaluate which HelloGeorgia sections have enough traffic/demand to warrant standalone sites. Likely candidates: expat guide, wine guide, hiking guide.
The flywheel: Each site strengthens the others through cross-linking, shared audience, and EG funnel. One Astro template, one developer (Pixel), near-zero hosting cost. Content is the only variable — and it's our strongest suit.