YugaTech | Philippines, Tech Reviews Blog

Got a couple of text messages and emails when I was out of the country about this short feature on the Entrepreneur Magazine. I didn’t know that interview I had a couple months ago would be published in the December issue so I grabbed a copy when I got home.

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For a couple of days now, I’ve been chatting with Rickey and helping him optimize his Adsense ads on his main blog. With over 100,000 page views on a hot day, he reckons he could have lost thousands of problogging dollars last year for an under-optimized ad layout.

My approach is simple. Set a target based on your existing stats and plug in your ideal figures to see how much you ought to be earning from your blog.

Total Monthly Revenue = total daily page views x CTR x CPC x 30 days

* CTR – click through rate
* CPC – cost per click

So, in his case, our target is a CTR of 1% and a CPC of $0.10 (all figures here are hypothetical and does not reflect any of Rickey’s actual Adsense stats). That gives us 100,000 x 1% x $0.10 or $100/day which gives us $3,000 a month. (Note to Rickey: Sorry my original computation was wrong when I said it was $900/day. My math failed me there.)

How to increase CTR?

1) Ad-blending
2) Increase ad relevance by using section targeting
3) Changing ad layouts or positioning
4) Using ad channels for tracking

These are very basic methods but if you use them very well and by tracking your ad performance, you could hit that good mix which will yield you the highest possible CTR. After just a day of tweaking (if you have 100k page views, a 24-hour experiment is enough), we increased his eCPM by 50% and his CTR by close to 90%.

How to increase CPC?

1) Reducing total number of ads
2) Positioning the first ad to get the highest CTR
3) Targeting higher paying but relevant keywords

This is a bit tricky and more risky to experiment with but once you hit the sweet spot, the returns could be two or three-folds.

So, when Rickey mentioned that we probloggers don’t share the secret sauce like them SEO guys (put name here), I’d like to prove him wrong by inviting bloggers to send in their blog for an AdSense Makeover. Of course, I will not guarantee that I could increase your earnings but I will try my best. Again, I think it’s easier to do this if you have a sizable traffic already (say 1,000 pageviews or higher). And yes, we will also discuss here how we did it and what changes we’ve made and how much we gained from the make-over. Anybody up for it?

Our next Filipino problogger is Paulo Ordoveza, more commonly known online as browpau. I’ve known him way back in college though we didn’t really got to know each other personally until he interviewed me back in 2000 as his replacement for a start-up company affiliated with PEx. He may not know this but he practically got me into blogging. He now lives in Washington, DC, where he works as a graphic designer and website developer.

• How would you define problogging?

  Weblog as work: regular production of written online content, directed at a specific audience, with the purpose of profitably filling a specific topic-focused niche.

• When did you start blogging? When did you get into problogging and how did you realize that there’s some money to be had from it?

  I started writing my personal weblog, “How Now Brownpau,” in September 2000, and added Google banners to it sometime in 2004. I didn’t really think of it as being “professional” while the ads were on HNBP; it was just a way to offset some of my web hosting costs, and also provide context-based external content to some of my entries for people arriving by way of nonrelated search terms.

  Later on, realizing that I had bought several little low-end electronic devices, I decided to try starting a site on these same electronics to see if it would attract any interest — and profit. I had originally intended to make Cheap And Tiny a static clump of affiliate product pages with a few ads, but I then decided to see if the Gizmodo/Engadget way might not be a better route.

• Which blogs are you writing for and which blog networks are you affiliated with?

  On a professional basis, just Cheap And Tiny, though there are a few other projects in the pipeline. I’m not affiliated with any particular weblog network, and I like my independence.

• Are you problogging part time or full time? Do you see this career as a part time gig or you are looking into going fulltime problogging?

  Part time — very, very part time. I don’t think I’ll ever take it beyond that, because I’ve discovered that I find much more happiness and fulfillment in my day job as a graphic designer.

• How do you monetize your blog? Which ones bring in the most revenues?

  Google Adsense, Chitika ads, Amazon affiliate links, and Thinkgeek and Macmall affiliate links via Commission Junction. Adsense and Amazon bring in the most money.

• What are the requirements to go into problogging for a network? Flat fee or profit sharing? How much is the salary range?

  Definitely a flat fee to start. I’ve found out the hard way that profit sharing means there’s not much to share for the first couple of years, and that in turn means less motivation for your writers, who produce less content, which means less profit. Hence, a flat fee to provide incentive; you really need to spend some money at the start to gain more later.

• How much time do you spend on problogging?

  Not much, and I haven’t been counting. The original aim, however, was to make one post a day to Cheap And Tiny, with not more than an hour per day devoted to each post.

• What other benefits do you get from problogging?

  Aside from the [still-meager] income, you get a nice cross-pollination of interest. People who wouldn’t normally find your less popular sites or projects can discover them via links in your more interesting ones. Keep at least a few links in your sidebar for that purpose.

  And if you’re not just duplicating links from the big pro weblogs, you find a lot of interesting content all on your own.

• What’s the most significant event/moment you had in your entire problogging career?

  Probably the time I got a link from Matt Haughey, of Metafilter fame. Sadly I haven’t really capitalized on the popularity I got from back then, so the flood of inbound clicks from that day have sunk back to a trickle.

• What personal tips can you share with bloggers who want to try out problogging?

  Keep at it. It takes a long time to become a popular, widely read, much-linked online cultural flashpoint — I’m talking years. You can’t be “ningas-kugon” about it; if it’s pro, you have to act pro, and actually work at it consistently for a long time, investing the same time and effort over the months and years as you did in the heat of excitement on the first few days.

  Don’t attack other weblogs, don’t plagiarize, and for crying out loud, DO NOT SPAM. I know you’re impatient to get the word out about your wonderful site and become famous, but DO NOT SPAM the link all over email, weblog comments, and message boards. Spam will only establish you as an annoyance to be avoided, shunned, and blacklisted.

  Also, be ready to adapt, and don’t be too enamored of the latest buzzwords. We say “blog” and “problog” and “Web 2.0″ and “AJAX” now, but remember that five years ago, “push” and channels” were all the rage. Things change fast in these modern times, and your medium — and revenue sources — may transform to something else entirely before you know it. Be ready to react.

Markku is a twenty–something Filipino geek who grew up around (Metro) Manila, but proudly labels himself as a true–blue Cebuano. After attending the Philippine Science High School, he studied at the University of the Philippines and graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering. After passing the boards in 2002 and more than a year of soul–searching, he is currently working for one of the pioneers in the Philippine IT industry. (OK, I just got this from his About page.)

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Our next on the list of Filipina Probloggers is Ruth Schaffer. She is a Microbiologist by training, and used to work on experimental research for an international agricultural research institute before being relocated to Europe.

The rest of her personal details are still unknown to me but I’m very glad to also have her on board our Philippine group travel blog.

• How would you define problogging?

  Professional blogging is getting paid to blog, writing a blog with a purpose of generating revenues.

• When did you start blogging? When did you get into problogging and how did you realize that there’s some money to be had from it?

  I started my personal blog in Feb 2004. I started dabbling in problogging in July 2005, but it was more of a hobby, rather than an income generating move.

  It wasn’t until late in 2005 til I started to realize my blogs’potential to be monetized. I received my first significant paycheck in January this year.

• Which blogs are you writing for and which blog networks are you affiliated with?

  I am the sole author of
  The Biotech Weblog , of Creative Weblogging (CW)
  Let’s Visit Asia, of b5media

  I have also just launched the Allergizer, also of CW, this week.

• Are you problogging part time or full time? Do you see this career as a part time gig or you are looking into going fulltime problogging?

  Part-time. As of the moment, I see it as a part-time gig. While the potential revenues can be lucrative, there’s just no saying how long the opportunity will last.

  I am hoping to earn not only from my blogs but also BECAUSE of them: other writing gigs, other jobs.

• How do you monetize your blog? Which ones bring in the most revenues?

  Since my professional blogs are part of a network, I myself don’t deal with the revenue schemes. What ads goes into my blogs are decided and chosen by the network administrators. I know both uses adsense and text link, as well as direct sponsors.
  CW also offers other forms of ads.

• What are the requirements to go into problogging for a network? Flat fee or profit sharing? How much is the salary range?

  Since my professional blogs are part of a network, I myself don’t deal with the revenue schemes. What ads goes into my blogs are decided and chosen by the network administrators. I know both uses Adsense and Text Link, as well as direct sponsors. CW also offers other forms of ads.

• What are the requirements to go into problogging for a network? Flat fee or profit sharing? How much is the salary range?

  Main requirements, I guess are passion and expertise on a topic, as well as the ability to blog regularly, possibly more than once a day.

  CW has both payment models (fixed payment or revenue sharing). CW also invites creative reporters who are paid on a per post basis upon publication.

  With b5media, blogger gets the first $100 (?) and then splits the rest.
  Other networks pay on a per-post basis.

  Salary range can be from a few cents to more than $1,000 a month, especially with those models that pay per post.

• How much time do you spend on problogging?

  About 4 hours a day, 20 hrs/week.

• What other benefits do you get from problogging?

  I have personally benefitted from my blogs, because they are all educational. I blog about the topics that personally interest me so I personally profit intellectually from my blogs.

  My time online becomes productive, instead of simply randomly surfing the net. Problogging keeps my day structured.

  Because I am a part of a network, I have also gotten to know several great probloggers, some of them even A-listers, in the process, and have learned a lot from them. I have also developed stronger relationships with blogging “colleagues”, some of them I already ever regard as friends.

• What’s the most significant event/moment you had in your entire problogging career?

  It’s a toss between the launch dates, the first comments, the first link back, but I guess nothing can compare to the adrenaline rush as I cashed in my first considerable paycheck.

• What personal tips can you share with bloggers who want to try out problogging?

  Before even contemplating problogging, think how much time and effort you are willing to dedicate into problogging. This is not a fly-by-night get-rich-quick scheme.

  Next, pick a topic you really know a lot about and can CREDIBLY blog about on a regular basis.
  Make sure your blog is different from the hundreds, or thousands of others that may already be tackling your topic.

  Problogging is a job, treat it as one. Learn the ropes and tricks from the pro’s. Problogging takes more than just writing and producing posts. It needs a lot of time and therefore, patience, to acquire recognition and to establish readership. One has to be ready to learn to build and sustain a successful blog.

The first Filipina problogger in my series of inteviews is Melissa Atienza-Petri, more commonly known as AnP in the blogging world. AnP current works for the mother company of one of the world’s top 5 providers of servers and PCs. Since her expatriation in Germany, she has been on the look-out for the best (and cheapest) VoIP provider hoping that one day the “beam me up, Scottie!” technology would go beyond the drawing board of George Lucas.

Her other online involvement reflects her passion in life. She is the founder of PINOYexpats, an ezine for Filipino Expatriates. She is also a professional blogger for Creative Weblogging’s Travel and Parenting sites. When everyone else is asleep and her eyes are still wide awake, she blogs over at Aboutweblogs’ Budget Travel Europe & SnowboardingMOM and at her personal site, Pinayexpat in Deutschland.

• How would you define problogging?

  One is a professional if one engages in an activity as a source of livelihood or as a career; One is a professional if one gets paid for what one does; One can also be called a professional if one shows great skill or if one is an expert.

  Pprofessional Blogging is just about the same. If you earn from it, well and good; if you are good at it, even better.

  I cannot understand people who try to make it sound as if it’s something to be put in a pedestal. It should be treated the same way other professions are treated.

• When did you start blogging? When did you get into problogging and how did you realize that there’s some money to be had from it?

  I’ve had Confessions of a Coke-Addict since 1997. I used it as a repository of my travel pictures and to keep my friends and family updated of my life abroad.

  Back in 2003, Julie Moos (Managing Editor of Poynter) invited me to join one of her personal online blogging projects, DotMOMS. That was where it all started. I saw the potential and started looking around. After which I applied and got accepted over at CW. It was in April 2005 when I started to really earn from blogging. After that, sunod sunod na.

• Which blogs are you writing for and which blog networks are you affiliated with?

  Escape Blog (Travel/Culture) – 9rules

  Europe String (Budget Europe Travel) – b5media

  Flyaway-Weblog (US/Europe Travel) – Creative-Weblogging
  
  Road Gladiator (Business Travel) – KnowMoreMedia
  
  Parenting-Weblog – Creative-Weblogging

  I am currently undergoing PREP and Training over at About.com for another travel site. It’s pretty tedious but I am crossing my fingers (and toes) that I “graduate” and become an official About Guide.

• Are you problogging part time or full time? Do you see this career as a part time gig or you are looking into going fulltime problogging?

  I am a part-time problogger. And I do not think that I will ever give up my career to become a full-time blogger.

  However, my present condition is going to allow me to get a taste of pseudo-full-time blogging. Since we are allowed to take 3 years of maternity leave, I will now have the chance to stay home (temporarily), spend more time with my kids AND earn on the side. Thanks to ProBlogging.

• How do you monetize your blog? Which ones bring in the most revenues?

  My contract for 2 of my blogs is on a fixed-payment scheme. I get a fixed amount per blog per month and they get their money through Direct Ad Sponsors and Adsense.

  Network #2 contract is set on a per-blog entry. They have a big VC behind the blog so they can afford to pay a lot. Basically, I can decide how much I would like to earn per month. We do have a minimum & maximum number of entries per month.

  Network #3 is based on Adsense, BlogAds and Text Link Ads.

  Network #4 is based on Adbrite, Adsense and Text Link Ads.

• What are the requirements to go into problogging for a network? Flat fee or profit sharing? How much is the salary range?

  It all depends. Some networks (like CW and KMM) prefer those with the right background. CW needs a sample blog entry, in addition. Others, on the other hand, only need bloggers with passion.

  Segurista ako so I prefer flat fee. I only work on revenue-share IF I believe in the project.

  Note: Though I can’t publish AnP’s specific earnings, she is basically earning in the four figures per month (i.e. $USD x,xxxx).

• How much time do you spend on problogging?

  Including reading my rss feeds and looking for photos, I spend around 3 hours per day and produce 8-12 entries per day.

• What other benefits do you get from problogging?

  I am learning from the other pros.

• What’s the most significant event/moment you had in your entire problogging career?

  Making the B-list of Blogebrity. I know that a lot of people say that it is BS but, hey, it does help get me more problogging gigs.

  When I was invited (last week) to cover a Travel Event/Conference in New York, with an all expenses paid plane ticket, hotel and stipend. Unfortunately, I am heavily pregnant and flying from Frankfurt to NY is not possible.

  This May, I have been given 2 different Press IDs to cover another travel event. This time, it is possible because IMEX will only be held 5 minutes away from my home.

• What personal tips can you share with bloggers who want to try out problogging?

  Unless it is for your personal blog, do not blog about everything under the sun. Blog about what you know and like. It will be obvious if you are bored or pilit with the topics you have chosen.

  Develop a niche. It is easier to get problogging gigs if you can show archives from other blogs that belong to the same niche instead of having lots of blogs but with different topics.

  IMHO, more pinas-based bloggers should try and get a problogging gig. It will be more financially “meaningful” if you earn $1500 in Manila. For us who are based abroad, it does not really amount to much kasi ang mahal dito!

The first time I personally met her was during the 2004 PinoyBlog Christmas Party. She practically introduced me to most of the expat bloggers I know nowand am very glad she was part of the PTB group blog we started July last year.

From the blogs she handles, we can see that she has found a strong foundation and identity as the ultimate travel blogger. AnP is surely one pinay power blogger!