Fixing and Re-positioning This Blog.

To be completely honest, I may have neglected this blog a bit- it’s been weeks since I last posted anything here. Mainly because I’ve been working on a few other projects these past couple of months.

The good thing is that is has given me a sort of clarity- an understanding of what this blog is supposed to be in the grand order of things.

I was just reading Aaron Wall’s SEO Book the other day (which is a highly recommended read, if you haven’t checked it out yet), and it sorta gave me an idea of how to go about fixing up my site.

Simply put, I have to consider three very basic things:

1. Who’s my target audience? Or more like, who would I want my blog to appeal to?

2. What do I plan to offer? Exactly what kind of content do I plan to put in “The Life and Times of The Renzie Man?”

3. What makes this blog different from all the millions of other blogs out there?

Those things considered, lemme go ahead and figure out what this blog really is all about. Here we go…

My Intended Target Market.

Who do I want to talk to? I want to reach out to an online audience who’d like to know how it is to live in the Philippines, from the point of a 30-something dude. That means reaching out to all kinds of travellers, locals interested in the bachelor lifestyle, my fellow Filipinos abroad who’d like to have a glimpse of home, and pretty much anyone genuinely interested in me- though I can’t imagine who, and exactly what kind of people those would be .

What Kind of Content Would Be in this Blog?

This blog is a personal blog masquerading as a lifestyle-oriented piece of work. So while it is definitely something for shameless self-promotion, it aims to share useful tips, articles and opinions along the lines of…

• Bachelor Living in Metro Manila.
• Living Life Easier – Work-life Balance Tips and other useful bits of info to get the most out of our 24 hours a day.
• Workplace Woes and Worries- Don’t quit your day job- but don’t let your life revolve around work either.
• A Healthier Lifestyle- my attempt at losing the extra weight at least.
• Fun in Metro Manila- where to dine out, great spas to visit, local destinations, etc.
• My current projects
• Making money online- a little extra cash is always good, wouldn’t you agree?
• What I’m into- again, it’s all about me.

My Unique Selling Proposition.

The truth is, the blog is all about me, and therefore, I am selling me. This blog represents one of my first efforts in blogging. It is a true online journal of me and my little misadventures, not some blog meant positioned towards a particular niche. Of course I will come up with a concept blog from time to time, or pursue some online project- yeah, I’ll be linking it up here, so anyone who’s also interested can also check it out.

Now that I’ve pretty much figured it out, let’s get back to blogging now, shall we?

YouTube Spotlight: HappySlip, 3 of 3.

Welcome to Part 3 of my continuing coverage on the HappySlip phenomenon. Christine Gambito is now a full-fledged internet celebrity thanks to her labor of love- the HappySlip videolog series on YouTube. If you missed the first couple parts, you can check out Part 1 here, and Part 2 here.

So we’ve told you what we could about HappySlip- and the brains behind the popular YouTube channel, Christine Gambito. In an earlier chat we had with Elaine Uy, we’ve been told that Yehey.com is setting up a Meet-N-Greet with Christine herself- so all you HappySlip fans can get to hang out with Ms. Gambito and other HappySlip fans. It’s all goin’ down Thursday next week, 07 Feb 2008, at the Mag:net Cafe in Bonifacio High Street. The fun starts at 11 AM, so make sure you register with Yehey right here! (Only a few slots left, Elaine says- we only have room for a hundred HappySlip fans!)

Check out the Official Website at www.HappySlip.com!

While Christine is much known for her YouTube series of vids, she also has great stuff on the official HappySlip website. In addition to all 42 (well, 42 so far…) videos, you also have lots of behind-the-scenes stuff, outtakes and additional vlogs for more HappySlip viewing- yeah, kinda like an online DVD of sorts.

Oh, BTW, a HappySlip DVD IS out after all. You can order it here, you diehard fan, you!

Moving On.

In Part 1 of The YouTube Spotlight on HappySlip, we introduced Christine and the first fourteen vids she put together and posted on YouTube.

We see the next fourteen videos on Part 2. Here we’ve lined up the last fourteen videos on the YouTube channel, in sequential order for a greater appreciation of the HappySlip experience.

Here we go…

29. “Soap Opera #6- Shadowtrader”. More cheese-tastic drama from twins Audrey and Claire. Introducing a new character- the mysterious Shadowtrader!

30. “Brown Beauty”. You can probably sense the disaster a mile away when Auntie (her name is Baby, we find out here) hosts a make-up party to suck in hapless family-folk into her cosmetic pyramid scheme. Outtakes!

31. “Forever In My Heart (Original Song)”. HappySlip takes a break with this one- another original song by Christine on guitar.

32. “Vlog#5 – I’m Going To LA!”. Christine has been on YouTube for a year now! With lots more HappySlip goodness on the way. Plus updates, stories and some interesting information on the runaway internet sensation! Christine busts a move in between stories.

33. “Speechless”. Aww, Minnie is so cute. Almost Disney-ish, complete with an evil stepmother-figure *thunder and lightning*. Nah, we love Auntie Baby too. Welcome back Kevjumba!

34. “Mac Daddy”. Hey, this promo is exactly 2 minutes long! Unfortunately Apple didn’t pay her for this promotional spot.

35. “Band Aid?” Christine reprises her role as Teenie, talkin’ about medicated plastic strips and joker-hatin’. Love the song “Beautiful/Wonderful” by The One.

36. “I Dare You To (Soap Opera #7)”. *Gasp* Is this the end for Audrey and Claire?!

37. “French Fries”. A video response to Timbaland & OneRepublic’s “Apologize”. Apparently Christine and her Crispy Porkies-munching Dad has a disagreement over snack food. Christine plays the piano!

38. “Tanks”. A Thanksgiving message from the entire family- Christine, Mom, Dad, Auntie Baby, Minnie, and introducing Christine’s grandmother- Lola!

39. “Plop and Shop!” Introducing two new characters- Sally and Shiela Smoot- hosts of the latest home shopping channel- Plop and Shop TV! Incidentally, I remember having a teacher back in college who ACTUALLY bought stuff on these channels. That’s stuff, plural.

40. “HappySlip Jingle”. You’d think singing “Jingle Bells” would be a simple matter, right? Featuring everyone from the HappySlip household! Teenie lays down a mean beat don’t be cup-hatin’.

41. “Contagious”. More Minnie! Minnie finds herself in an awkward situash. With a very familiar piece of jewelry, on a hyperactive admirer, and the mad mixing skillz of Mike Rizzy in tha hizzie! Don’t miss the outtakes. Show us a move, Fred!

42. “Five HappySlip Facts”. Christine gets ‘tagged’ on YouTube- and shares five facts about herself, among them- her grandmaster talent!

So there ya have it, ladies and gentlemen- my public service to all of you who’d like to catch up on the HappySlip craze, and my fanboy tribute to the HappySlip universe. Hey, I never saw those videos in order until writing this thing! So it’s cool- besides, it’s great watching those vids all over again.

So pass this post around, and spread some HappySlip love! Don’t forget to subscribe to HappySlip on YouTube. Also, for more HappySlip goodness- blogs, insider info, updates on her trip to the Philippines, check out the official website here. Visit Yehey.com’s HappySlip page to meet her next week and most importantly- “Kristeen- bi shur tu wer your hapislip!”

Cheers, everyone!

A Chat with Elaine of Yehey.com

The following post originally came out in one of my other blogs, “Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!”. Check out the rest of that blog for more insights on the world of blogs and blogging. Particularly useful for you who are just starting to blog, and those wanting to build better blogs. Enjoy!

Interaction outside the usual blog channels should always be a part of your development as a blogger. It is through interaction that you learn not only how your blog fares along with other bloggers’, but also far more importantly, gives you a chance to develop friendly, working relationships with other bloggers like yourself.

I see it as this blog’s mission to somehow paint a picture of the blogosphere- both local and global. And as a naturally chummy person, I like tossing ideas around with fellow bloggers, clients and industry partners.

The guys of Yehey.com have been rather active in the New Media scene lately- and they have to! After all, the bulk of their business is pretty much online.

They’ve just wrapped up a very successful Bloggers’ Food Tour (the one at TriNoma, some three weeks ago), and now they’re inviting another one hundred bloggers to come hang with the brains and talent behind the HappySlip vlog series on YouTube- Christine Gambito herself.

(Which, incidentally is Thursday next week, 07 Feb 2008, at the Mag:net Cafe in Bonifacio High Street. The fun starts at 11 AM, so make sure you register with Yehey here so you don’t miss out on all the HappySlip Gambito goodness!)

Anyway, I was able to catch up with Elaine Uy, Marketing Manager of Yehey (who was nice enough to invite me to the HappySlip event! Yay!), and I asked her how the Bloggers’ Food Tour worked out for Yehey.com.

First off, I asked her whose idea it was to make use of blogs and bloggers to promote the TriNoma restaurants. Here’s what Elaine said:

Yehey! has been in contact with TriNoma even before they opened their mall, trying to cook up a partnership on how to create a buzz online. Then the Taste Asia in MOA (The SM Mall of Asia) happened. Since Yehey! has been supporting the blogger community and because of the obvious success of the Taste Asia event, we thought of organizing our own for TriNoma.

I also wondered if Yehey! would be tapping blogs and bloggers for their upcoming promotional activities. Elaine gives us a rather interesting tip:

We will try to incorporate the blogging medium in most of our campaigns. Just like in our second event of the year, the Happy Slip Meet-and-Greet (done) in coordination with the Department of Tourism.
We’ve been also receiving inquiries from other companies such as Chowing, P&G, among others in organizing a blogger event for them. I guess most major companies now see the benefits of blogs and how it could greatly influence other people in patronizing their products or service.

Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? But who’s to say an event is an actual success? Take for example the last Bloggers’ Found Tour at TriNoma, what would be Yehey’s tangible measures to say, “Yeah, that event was a success”? Elaine says Yehey! keeps tabs on the results in the search engines and other community-based sites and the whole viral marketing effect.

So just how successful was it?

The result of the food tour is phenomenal that in just one week, there are 19 results for “Trinoma food tour” at Technorati, and a thousand plus results for Trinoma at Technorati. In Google, first page alone (of keyword “Trinoma food tour”) is all about the event – first result is the Trinoma co-branded site. There are over 10,000 search results. And in Multiply, there are more than 400 blog results for “Trinoma Food Tour” and 750+ photo album results for the same keyword.

And so was TriNoma and Ayala Malls happy with the outcome of the event?

Yup, very much and better expect more events hosted by Trinoma. Given the results, TriNoma is planning on making succeeding events for their mall and possibly extend it to the rest of the Ayala malls.

What about the various participating food merchants of TriNoma? What sort of feedback has Yehey! received from them? Elaine shares this:

The best example would be the La Maison (hope you were able to meet the most accommodating manger, Mr. Robi Caguiat) that hosted an appreciation dinner for teamyehey the following week, thanking us for the exposure and raves they got from the tour. Even the band – Sound got in touch with us to see what bloggers got to say about their music.Of course, who can forget Cabalen? I heard they offered AJ (of Bakla ako blog) for a free dinner for 5 or something like that. As you can see, these establishments- whether aware or unaware of what blogs are and what the internet is all about- have identified the promotional effect it could do to their brands.

Now there are a lot of other bloggers that have heard about the last Food Tour, and want to join the next event for bloggers. If Yehey! plans to mount more promotional activities with blogs and bloggers thrown in the media mix, and if there are other bloggers out there who would want to get in on the action, I asked Elaine what her advice would be for those who missed out on the last Bloggers’ Food Tour.

Be more proactive and join the fast growing blogging community. More and more companies are sponsoring events for the bloggers. And who wouldn’t want free food, entertainment or what-have-you in exchange of your opinion and influence which you freely give out anyway?

Who wouldn’t indeed? As for me, well, as long as there’s free food, I’m there. I even have pictures to prove it

Cheers, everyone!

Blog About Stuff You Care About!

The following post originally came out in one of my other blogs, “Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!”. Check out the rest of that blog for more insights on the world of blogs and blogging. Particularly useful for you who are just starting to blog, and those wanting to build better blogs. Enjoy!

I just read this article on the New York Times about “Blogging Your Way Into a Business”. I find it interesting that regular folks like you and me can find their way into a lucrative enterprise by way of their blogs.

If its one thing I’ve learned- no matter how hard you try to get into it- you can’t write about stuff you don’t care about for long. I have this blog- “Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!”- mainly because I care about learning how to blog better, and helping other casual bloggers to build better blogs.

Over the past few months, I’ve positioned myself as a writer-for-hire. So I end up writing for anything from pet care products to industrial packaging and memory foam. I can tell you right now that it didn’t quite work out very well. I can only care so much about how memory foam is made, right?

So I started working on a couple of other blogs- I now have one on radio and the music industry, another on gaming, and then another on food reviews. Kind of shows exactly what kind of guy I am, right? They’re all in the content development stage right now, and not meant to be marketed yet until a few more posts. I also plan to write up one on TV, another on movies, another on business, and the project list can go on and on.

I know it’s not going to happen just yet, or at least not anytime soon. I mean, it’s great if I managed to stumble onto something lucrative doing this, but it really doesn’t matter. For as long as you’re doing something you absolutely like, something you feel really passionate about, you can just focus on developing good content.

Okay, maybe the money matters a little. Got bills to pay too, you know. But that’s what the day job is for

Bottom Line: Blog about something you care about. Keep at it. You’ll never know when opportunity comes knocking at your door. And when it does, you’ll be more than ready to take on new challenges, and reap the rewards of what you’ve sown.

Cheers, everyone!

Cutting Back on the Coke Light…

Damn. And I have a fridge full of this stuff.

Alright everyone. See, I’m at an age now (34 y/o) when I am rather concerned about my general health. I don’t feel as invincible as I used to be- so I’ve sorta mellowed down, lifestyle-wise, in an effort to stay healthy, keep stress to a bare minimum, and generally remain as pain-free as possible.

I generally adhere to a low-carb diet. Which means, my drink of choice for the past few (several?) years has been diet sodas. Yeah- Coke Light, Diet Pepsi/Pepsi Max, Sprite Light, Royal Light, even that Summit Water thing that came out- as long as there’s no sugar, it’s all good for me.

So while it’s a good thing I’ve cut down on sugar, on the flipside, it seems that I’ve been endangering my kidneys somewhat. How? Read on.

Check this: According to the New York Times, a recent study published the effects of cola drinks on your kidneys.

So we all know that too much soda (including cola drinks) can cause obesity and diabetes- it’s all about the sugar content, and thus the move for sugar-free drinks. But colas also contain phosphoric acid, and this stuff is linked to kidney stones and other renal disorders.

So a bunch of scientists from the National Institutes of Health decided to look into it. Here’s the excerpt from the New York Times article.

“…the team compared the dietary habits of 465 people with chronic kidney disease and 467 healthy people. After controlling for various factors, the team found that drinking two or more colas a day — whether artificially sweetened or regular — was linked to a twofold risk of chronic kidney disease.

But drinking two or more noncola carbonated drinks a day, they found, did not increase the risk.

The authors of the study say more research is needed, but their findings support the long-held notion that something about cola — the phosphoric acid, for example, or the ability of cola to pull calcium from bones — seems to increase the risk of kidney stones, renal failure and other conditions affecting the kidneys.”

There you have it. It means I now have to check the labels on my softdrinks to avoid not just sugar this time, but also phosphoric acid. So I suppose Sprite Light be OK? Or Diet 7-up?

I could scale back on the Pepsi Max and Coke Light- instead of guzzling down a couple of liters a day, I could just chug down one.

All of a sudden, I’m thirsting for a bottle of water.

Much thanks to Jim Ayson for bringing this up to my attention. Cheers everyone!