BLOG and SOUL: earning from your blog, the realities

Blog and Soul Movement was founded in 2007 by a group of volunteers. The name itself would give go a clear idea of its target which is the blogging community.In its facebook page, the movements mission is "to do better through talking, learning, teaching, volunteering, working, helping and in the process make things better online and offline".

This year, Blog and Soul Movement has in place a series of forums, the 2nd of which I attended last Saturday, April 30 at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati City. What particularly lured me to participate was the topic which I really find interesting--- BLOG and SOUL: earning from your blog, the realities.

Last Saturday forum was spearheaded by Winston Almendras of http://www.pataygutom.com/ and Nina Fuentes of http://justwandering.org/ and was hosted by Juned Sonido of http://baratillo.net/ . They came up with a very interesting line up of panelist,  Trixie Esguerra, a blog advertising representative, Fitz Villafuerte, an expert blogger and Joy Reynaldo, a successful digital marketer.

Juned throwing questions at the panel, from left Trixie of Nuffnang, Fitz, a blogger 

and Joy of Bo's Coffee

We were very attentive at the discussion. The Lopez hall of AIM served as an intimate venue for a group of bloggers thirsty for ideas about the topic. Some of the points raised during the forum were not new to me but there were still many tips that I picked from it.

Yanah and Axl--serious?:D

Rico and Bino seemingly attentive with John who is very busy with his camera.

THINGS I LEARNED:

from Fitz: 

• It's easier to earn from blogging if you are aware of your readers and the income streams you should use in that effect.
• It's easier to learn if you put up several blogs with specific niches than just one.
• It's okay to approach the advertisers and tell them about what you have to offer them, but in a nice way.

Crisjonver with U-Bloggers

From Trixie:

• More and more advertisers are now tapping bloggers and social media as an important marketing tool for their products and services.
• The Philippine blogging community is still in its early stage and growth in terms of number of internet users, bloggers and advertising market volume hasn't reached its maximum potential yet.

From Joy:

• Some companies are still not aware of the bloggers and the potential marketing advantage they could provide.
• It's okay to knock on the door of these companies and offer what you can do to them. It will actually do them a favor because it will save them time, effort and manpower to seek people or ways to promote their products/services. 

I was with members of U-Blog, L-R: Bino, Rico, Yanah, Axl , and John--(not shown) 

who snapped this photo.

For a blogger who has been around for 3 years, I still have a lot to learn especially when it comes to monetizing my blogs. I still have reservations until now in making full advantage of this tool so as to earn out of blogging. My stand is that money is not all when it comes to blogging, but I am now more open to the idea, unlike before when I used to be a purist blogger and felt that it is a betrayal to my original motivations if I monetize my blog.

As I learn more and more that some people blog professionally and blogging is their main source of income. I used to think bad of them, now, all I have is admiration.Simply put, there's nothing wrong with enjoying blogging and earning at the same time.Wag lang obvious siguro na pera lang talaga ang habol.:D.This is something that I will do slowly over a period of time. I still believe that the financial aspect of blogging is still secondary to the happiness you get out of it.
_______________________

BLOG and SOUL website:

http://blogandsoul.org/

learn more tips from video coverage here:

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/14373799