Blogging Full-time Now

Yep. I suppose you can call me a professional blogger now. And I couldn't be happier.

I've started blogging a little bit over a year ago. Though I may have already learned quite a bit about blogs and blogging since then, I still feel like I have much more to soak up on.

This one particular blog of mine- "Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!"- started it all for me. At first, it was a catch-all kind of blog that had a little bit of everything. Then it wasn't too long until I've decided to position them towards a certain niche. So now I got at least eight different blogs right now, each about a specific topic.

I was really just having fun sharing whatever I knew- at first it was just among friends, then friends of friends. Then I was being sent CDs and DVDs to check out, just so I could write about them.

I never considered it seriously at first, but then the money started trickling in. Not even through Adsense just yet, since I haven't even made a serious effort promoting any of my blogs. It was usually more of companies asking me to help them set up their blogs, or to write for them.
And it wasn't much- first a couple bucks here, a few more there. Then just within a few weeks, I've noticed that the rates were going up, and I was actually getting more writing jobs through my blogs.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd let go of my day job to take on a couple of contracts which were, needless to say, very much worth my while. How often does it happen that you do get a job offer that pays a lot more than your current job, for you to do exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life?

It doesn't happen that often to me.

So here I am, happily blogging from the comfort of my own home. Plus I have all the time to do whatever the hell I want- go to the gym, do more business, read a book, travel, blog some more or just laze around at home.

It's all very exciting, really.

Again, I know I'm not the best blogger there is out there, or one with the bb-ranking blog, or even someone with the best content, but I think I'm in a better position now to help other people do more with their blogs. Heck, it's the wave of the future.

To all my fellow bloggers and friends who have been blogging, and to everyone who's read any of my blogs- thanks for inspiring me to blog better. This bold new step forward could never be possible without you.

We keep blogging, and we'll help others keep blogging as well.

Cheers, everyone!

Read more...

Blogs and Blogging: New Media for SME's

One of the biggest challenges I've noticed, is getting a traditionally set-up Small- or Medium-sized Enterprise to get into New Media. A lot of SME's (particularly here in the Philippines, for example) are family-owned, and therefore is run by the family, with the patriarch/matriarch right on top of things.

For a variety of reasons, these SME's haven't quite picked up on the idea of using New Media to market their business- they might feel that whatever little resources on hand might be better allocated on more lucrative activities. Or maybe there's just a pervading atmosphere of technophobia, or maybe management just doesn't care at all.

Unless of course, you have a say on using New Media for your company's marketing communications efforts- then hey, good for you.

At a time when businesses are struggling with the rising costs of traditional media (TV, radio, print), and the proliferation of other avenues for promotion (events, outdoor media, etc.), at a time when there is just so much ad clutter, and at a time your audience is more averse to being advertised to, what's a Small Business to do?

This is where New Media comes in. It is way, way cheaper than traditional media, and if you use it right, it can be the most effective online tool for you and your growing business.

YouTube is such a massive online hit- so why not make a series of viral videos instead of an expensive TV commercial? Podcasts are the new radio- and you can talk about whatever you like, and even have your own show. Blogs take the place of magazines and newspapers- with loads of informative, entertaining or even scandalous posts that can launch full-blown discussion threads when written well.

Blogging for Small- to Medium-sized Enterprises.

I've picked up quite a bit of information on the subject matter- through my own experiences as a marketing exec, through my interaction with other blogs and bloggers, and attending these highly informative workshops on blogging.

Jayvee Fernandez, general manager of The Blog Bank and channel editor for b5Media, has given a particularly thought-provoking talk in one such workshop not too long ago.

He's pointed out a number of reasons why growing businesses should get into blogging:

1. Blogging is way more cost-effective than traditional media.
2. A well-executed blogging campaign can easily quantify word-of-mouth marketing.
3. Blogs give us access to honest consumer feedback.
4. Here's a good one- bloggers are more passionate than your entire marketing team.
5. Bloggers are self-aware and are concerned with their own development.
6. A new wave of SME's are already doing it- so isn't it about time your company should too?

Definitely worth a closer look, don't you think? I'll use the rest of the weekend to dig deeper into the subject matter.

So what do you think? Don't you think it's time to hop on the blogging bandwagon?

Cheers, everyone!

Read more...

Blogs Make For Great Business!

More than ever, companies are looking for more cost-effective ways to promote themselves. Traditional means of advertising are alright- but modern-day marketing practices say that there are so much more non-traditional ways to get that brand message across, and cut through all the ad clutter.

As somebody who does IMC for a living- what Jay Conrad Levinson preaches in his book, "Guerilla Marketing", is pretty much spot on: no single advertising medium works on its own, but marketing combinations work.

And here's something that can synergize very well with just about any promotional campaign you have on hand: blogs.

Blogs are the new magazines, newspapers and books; thanks to more easily accessible (read: free!) user-friendly publishing tools such as Blogspot (which hosts this particular blog), Wordpress, LiveJournal, and so many others, anyone with a PC, and internet connection, and a desire to share anything can now be author, publisher and editor.

Just like FM radio, it easily synergizes with just about anything- of course, one huge advantage is that New Media (blogs included) costs so much less than traditional media. Plus, blogs are paperless. And I'm for anything that uses less paper. Much less paper! Save the environment, everyone!

Which is why blog networks are all the rage these days- we've seen a number of them come up over the past couple years: b5Media, Weblogs, Inc., The DailyPixel Network, Know More Media, Creative Weblogging, Content Quake, and locally, here in the Philippines, The Bayanihan Blog Network.

In fact, now's a great time to start blogging- just check out all the job listings here on Problogger jobs, or you can go ahead and just Google it. You'll find lots of jobs out there if you're considering a career as a pro-blogger. Go ahead and pick some, why dont'cha?

The BlogBank is the Philippines' first blog advertising network- it's so new, they've just launched this week. If you check out their webpage, they have this to say:

The largest circulating newspaper in the Philippines produces 250,000 copies a day. Assuming a pass–on rate of 3 per copy, a newspaper ad gives you 750,000 impressions.

BlogBank gives you one million ad impressions.

This is great news for Advertisers- particularly those targeting the internet-friendly Philippine market. Also great news for publishers- those who blog- because it means that there's actually a market out there for quality content and quality blogs.

So keep on blogging! If you're someone who just started getting into the blogging lifestyle- it pays off (at least it can, eventually), as long as you're passionate about sharing your thoughts and your experiences, even more so if you write well, and write regularly.

If you're running a business, you now have something new to consider when developing your promotional campaigns for the next several months- now is also the time to maybe get into blogging yourself; start putting up your own corporate blog and attach it to your website, and see how much it can do for your business.

See you around in the blogosphere! Cheers, everyone!

Read more...

Blogs, Bloggers and Blogging.

Blogs (short for Web-Logs), are essentially online showcases of a person, usually posted for all the world to see.

Blogging is just like writing something on your journal, except that this journal is now online, and that (depending on how much you want to share) it is available for people to interact with.

When you do maintain a blog, you are in effect, a blogger. And there are thousands of bloggers out there all over the world, blogging on so many different things.

Read the rest of this article on my other blog, "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Read more...

Build Your Portfolio.

I was with a friend the other day, and just like me, she's just started blogging recently.

So we've been talking about how blogging can open so many doors for anyone: not only is it a great way to practice writing, and general English use, it's also a springboard for learning other cool stuff like internet marketing, SEO, programming, digital photography and graphics.

So after a while we started talking about what our plans were for blogging- basically, exactly how do we see ourselves as bloggers.

Right off the bat, she said she wanted to write for other companies- which really wasn't a bad idea. After all, one of the companies I worked with recently paid their copywriters quite the hefty sum as long as they churned out quality material. I'm down with that; writing for a company helps give you discipline and structure, and helps you build a body of work.

Read the rest of this article here on my other blog- a blog on blogs and blogging- "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Read more...

Rockstars of the Local Blogosphere!

Here's something interesting: www.basapa.com has released the 2007 Top Pinoy ProBloggers.

Can't get any heavier than that- what we have here are the most successful local bloggers around. They have their legions of adoring fans and readers, they got influence, they know how to market and monetize their blogs- truly inspirational for beginner bloggers like myself and many others.

Me, I just feel fortunate to have met some of these stellar individuals in person and even had had the chance to pick their brains some.

And yeah, I look forward to meeting the rest of them someday through some other blogging social of some sort. Or work with them. Or something. I'll work out the details some other time :)

In any case, you can read more about the selection process here, and how it was able to come up with this list.

Here's a summary of the chicks and dudes who made the list. Much deserved, ladies and gentlemen. Check them out here, if you wanna see their mugs too.


The 2007 Top Pinoy Pro-bloggers
------------------------------------

1. Abe Olandres. Yugatech.com, Pinoytechblog.com, Pinoytravelblog.com, Motorcyclephilippines.com, Pinoyblog.com, Pinoyurbanblog.com, Smartwifi.org.ph.
-personal note: we've had the pleasure of having Abe as our speaker for our "Blogging For Money" workshop series. Indeed, he da man!

2. Bryan Boy. Bryanboy.com

3. Carl Ocab. Carlocab.com

4. Rhiza Sanchez. Guitarchic.net, PinkSEO.info -personal note: caught her at this year's SEMCON, where she gave a very informative talk on advanced link-baiting techniques (I think...).

5. Eugene "Seav" Villar. Vaes9.codedgraphic.com, vistapinas.com, blogenyo.codedgraphic.com
- personal note: met this dude at the b5media Bloggers' mix-up. Nice guy.

6. Eloisa "Bratyfly" Sergio & Jojo "Dyu". Pinoyblogosphere.com.

7. J. Angelo Racoma. Racoma.com.ph

8. Rickey Yaneza. Rickey.org, Pinoy.rickey.org

9. Connie "Sassy" Veneracion. Pinoycook.net, Houseonahill.net, Sassylawyer.com, Pinoymomsnetwork.com, Pinoyfoodtalk.net, Pearloftheorientseas.com

10. Kevin "Kiven" Codamon. Codamon.com, thatdamnpc.com, gamesindustrywire.com, problogger.com.ph

11. Shai Coggins. Justmakemoneyonline.com, Shaicoggins.com, Aboutweblogs.com, Selfhelpdiva.com, Ewritelife.com, Chrysaliscreativity.com, Freshwave.tv
- personal note: met her at the b5media Bloggers' mix-up- in fact, she organized it!

12. Eric Salas. Salaswildthoughts.blogspot.com, lakaw.com

13. Sustines Laplana. selaplana.com, songlyrics.selaplana.com, narutoshippuuden.selaplana.com, cellphones-for-sale.blogspot.com, philexamresults.com, motoristangpinoy.com

14. Andrew dela Serna. alleba.com/blog

15. Karlo Licudine. Pinoyblogero.com

16. James Ryan Jonas. pinoymoneytalk.com.

17. Shari Cruz. Misteryosa.com.

18. John "Jaypee" Habaradas. Jaypeeonline.net.

19. Jayvee Fernandez. abuggedlife.com, cellphone9.com, blogandsoul.net.
- personal note: this dude gave a very entertaining talk on dealing with copywriters at the last SEMCON. plus he was at the eCommerista nights, as well as that last Bloggers' Mix-up night.

20. Noemi Lardizabal-Dado. Aboutmyrecovery.com, nimrodel.net, pinoyfood.nimrodel.net, blogged.the-protagonist.net, filipinaimages.com, thevoipresources.com
- personal note: met her at the b5media Bloggers' mix-up- plus, she was nice enough to let me use some of her photos on this blog!

21. Marghil Macuha. macuha.com, textmates.blogspot.com, blogtimizer.blogspot.com

22. Tess Termulo. tesstermulo.com, health.tesstermulo.com

23. Melissa "ANP" Atienza-Petri. parenting-weblog.com, flyaway-weblog.com, wandalust.com, europestring.com, roadgladiator.com, pinayexpat.net, escapeblog.com.

24. Markku Seguerra. rebelpixel.com, lyrics.rebelpixel.com, photo.blogger.ph, pro.blogger.ph, builder2.blogger.ph, pinoyidol.blogger.ph, bb.rebelpixel.com.

25. Anton Diaz. Anton.blogs.com.

26. Julius Rocas. Jrocas.com.ph.

27. Rico Mossesgeld. thesmartpda.com, bayanihanblogs.com, fool45.com

28. Ruth Schaffer. biotech-weblog.com, allergizer.com, eatingfabulous.com, nextninemonths.com, letsvisitasia.com, about-ruth.com

29. Noel Bautista. searchengine-weblog.com, unpluggedliving.com, onlineadswami.com, noelbautista.com/blog.

30. Paolo Mendoza. paolomendoza.com.

31. Richmond "Retz" Ruiz. retzwerx.com, talentado.com.

32. Dexie Wharton. sheknowsbest.com, styleitless.com, styletots.com, forks.ca, hell.ca, superwoman.ca, soapsonabc.com, feistymomma.com.

33. Mike Abundo. insideonlinevideo.com, mikeabundo.com, emergingearth.com
- personal note: met this dude at the b5media Bloggers' mix-up. Nice guy.

34. Gloria Gamat. daily-diabetic.com, straightfromthedoc.com, cancercommentary.com, daragang-magayon.com.

35. Sasha Manuel. tops2bottoms.com, the-parody.com, stylemanila.com, lightthetorch.net, datinggames.com, truthandtravesty.blogspot.com, hanging-out.blogspot.com.
- personal note: met her at the b5media Bloggers' mix-up- in fact, she organized it along with Shai and the good people of b5media!

Also:

Grace Ibay, Elymar Apao (met this guy a few times: at the tsikot.com party, then again at the Bloggers' Mix-Up), Manuel Viloria (this dude I met at one of our talks on "Blogging For Money"), Ria Jose, Phillip Kimpo, Jr.

Read more...

Quelling the Self-Doubt Inside You.

When you're just starting out your very own blogging career- just like me- you can easily get overwhelmed jumping from one blog/site to another.

As blogs and blogging have steadily gained popularity, you'll find a wide variety of material out there- stuff you'd like to read, stuff you'd like to comment on, stuff you'd like to link to and share to your friends.

Take for example this great read on this year's most successful Pinoy probloggers. It was a brilliant post. The fact that I have actually been able to meet some of these guys was just, for me, awesome.

Then you realize- damn, my blog is nowhere near these other guys' blogs! So you suddenly get hit by a wave of self-doubt and get rattled by the realization of how puny you look next to a whole bunch of other blogs.

At least, that's how I feel.

Read the rest of this article here, on my other blog, "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Read more...

How Much Cash Do Bloggers Make From Blogging?

Remember just a few months ago how we had a couple of workshops on Blogging For Money? The idea really was to show our participants how to make extra cash by putting in a few hours a day churning out a few posts on a blog worthy of attention.

Yes, you can blog for money. Some locals actually have gone completely professional, and have foregone a regular job to do just that: blogging.

The real question is, how? How can you make money from your blog?

The answer to this seemingly very important question can easily elude the amateur blogger. And while most blogs are really a labor of love more than anything else, it doesn't really matter to a lot of people if they make cash or not.

Read the rest of this article here on my other blog, "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Read more...

My First Bloggers' Mix-up.

One thing I noticed back at that Bloggers' Mix-up was that, apart from blogging, everyone was trying to capture the moment somehow.

You had at least 5 or 6 cameras on at any given time, taking pictures not only of everyone who was there, but pretty much taking pictures of things that caught their attention- like Juned's Asus Eee PC at the time.

At another table across the room was Azrael capturing the whole occasion on video through his laptop, and even interviewing guests for his internet show.

Being the newbie blogger that I was, I was watching everything unfold before me, soaking up on the experience. What I did realize was that, being a blogger means you would eventually get yourself into:

1. Digital Photography (so yeah, this is my first assignment for myself. So I have to bring a camera with me wherever I go. That's a pic of my cat- Chloe.)
2. Digital Audio-video: viral videos and podcasts (I think I can already do podcasts- being a radio dude. Still learning how to do viral vids.)
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) (This I'm already learning actively now. Thus the blogs.)
4. Programming. (I admit, this will probably be the hardest for me, since I'm not exactly the IT-oriented type.)
5. Photoshop. (I admit, I'm not exactly the most artistic dude in the neighborhood. But I suppose learning the basics will still be well worth it.)

And probably any other marketable skills you can imagine overlapping into your blogging lifestyle.

The event was a melding pot of talent and creativity. I like it that ideas were continuously sloshing around- everyone contributing and sharing and discussing with everyone else.

So for all of you who'd want to get into blogging, there you have it- get ready to get into a whole new bunch of crafts, and not just blogging.

As for me, well it seems that I may have to get myself a decent SLR soon enough. Give me a few weeks to save up for one. :)

Read more...

Make Money Blogging!

If you've been spending a great deal of time online, you've already probably checked out a couple of sites that suggest that you can make money just by blogging.

Or answering surveys, or clicking ads, or signing up for some service, etc. Those don't quite appeal to me as much as blogging (sorry guys)- and face it, once you get into the groove, you can easily spend a good number of hours blogging, lurking, emailing and jumping from one site to another.

In any case, if you're the type who spends so much time online, you might as well make some money out of it. Like I mentioned, there are lots of sites out there that can help you out (like this one that I just stumbled onto- www.johnchow.com), or -on the flipside- confound you even more.

It would be great if you unlocked the secrets to making money online on the get-go. But the truth of the matter is, it will take a great deal of trial-and-error to get things right.

I suggest you take time to get your friends together and learn it all at the same time. Join some online forums, look for other groups who are as into it as you are. The point is, you'd want to share your experiences and what you know with them, so you too can learn from what they've been up to as well.

One of the reasons why some friends of mine have decided to put up a small events group- for the purpose of helping other online entrepreneurs hook up with other like-minded individuals, so we can all learn from each other, support each other and have a great time while we're at it.

I'll be looking into these things more, and once I got something useful, you can expect it to be posted here in the near future.

Later, everyone!

Read more...