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October 20th, 2008

5ThirtyOne – Philippines Top 100 Blogs for 2008

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One of the blogs that got included in this year’s Philippines Top 100 Blogs for 2008 is 5ThirtyOne. Derek Punsalan shares his blog secret.

Janette: What have you done this year for your blog that contributed to its growth?

Derek: This year has been extremely busy for me [professionally]. As a result, the blog has suffered a bit of a dry spell concerning new original content. Surprisingly, search engine traffic has continued to maintain and or increase my daily readership. The key has been ensuring that I manage and maintain any dead-links, ensure that markup and content is easily indexed by search engines, and continuing to offer related content for readers (concerning the currently visited page).

Janette: What marketing strategy works best for your blog?

Derek: Organic search engine traffic coupled with my membership in the 9rules network has ensured a regular stream of new eyes. The marketing strategy is simple: a) maintain visibility, b) exercise transparency with readers concerning content whenever possible, and c) leveraging the value of external social network services like Twitter or Friendfeed to keep content circulated.

Janette: How much % of your annual income do you attribute to your blog as the source?

Derek: Prior to the current month, total profit contributions from 5thirtyone.com to my annual income was < 2%. Google Adsense and some contextual links provided enough to cover any hosting needed emergency fixes.

Janette: What tips can you give to bloggers who would like to achieve blog growth?

Derek: Continue reaching out to fellow bloggers, contribute to discussions (with some links back to your own site), and find a niche to focus on.