Interview with Cebu Tech Blogger

I’ve had a pleasure of knowing a Cebuano blogger who has the passion to blog. Although he always considers blogging as a part-time career, he is what I consider among the few that is worthy to be recognized as a professional blogger from Cebu.

We had a bit of an argument labeling him as a professional blogger but thanks to my tenacious effort and  persuasive rundown on attributes a professional blogger possesses, he has eventually acquiesced to the recognition.

I don’t know if it is fitting to include here but I’ve gained an information from him that he is going to make a big transition on his blog. I would like to stay this as a teaser before any big revelation will come from his blog, Cebu Tech Blogger. But I am excited about this and I can’t wait for the prospective change to be bigger. It is not that there is gonna be any ribbon-cutting or something; it is cyberspace, for blogger’s sake and sometimes the excitement of the revelation will just wane once things get cleared up (and if you visit the site where big things happen).  However, I still long for that blog from Cebu that is gonna be big and will make it way to the top of Philippine blogosphere ( or perhaps to the world) and I hope Bert Padilla’s would be it.

But now, I have made so much fuss and I have to turn where this post should be intended to head on– the interview results.

And so, here are the questions… and Cebu Tech blogger’s answers….

How can you describe yourself in five-word clause?

As far as Cebu Tech Blogger is concerned, I’m a simple technically-inclined rational person.

How do you define blogging?

Bloggers define blogging in different ways. They have a common perspective though, and that’s how I define blogging myself. For me, blogging is a modern way of expressing your thoughts and opinions based on your insights of a particular topic, which is accessible in the internet. It allows you to enjoy freedom of speech not just to communicate, but also to provide information to reflect on life.

What is in blogging that you are drawn to it?

My interest of learning the latest development in technology has drawn me to blogging. I’m fond of sharing to others what is “something new” not just in the WWW, but also the technology in general. So, I realized putting up a website or blog is the best approach to publish everything I believe other people should know.

Have you made income from your blog? If you’d like to share, it would be an honor to reveal the amount.

To make it straight and to be honest, Yes. I’m making a decent income from blogging; however, I can’t reveal the exact amount as of now. But for the sake of inspiring others, I’m making a 3-digit income a month, in dollars.

Do you see blogging to be a full-time career?

With dedication and commitment, definitely! There are lots of people doing this and had proven themselves that blogging could be a long-term, full-time career. In fact, there are popular and influential bloggers out there who are making a living from blogging.

What makes one a professional blogger?

This is quite a harder question. You know, even myself believe that calling a blogger as professional remains debatable. There are some proclaimed professional bloggers like Brian Clark (copyblogger.com), Chris Garrett (chrisg.com), Darren Rowse (Problogger.net), Seth Godin (sethgodin.typepad.com), John Chow (johnchow.com), Daniel Scocco (dailyblogtips.com), and etc. They have something in common which I think makes them professional; that includes a large number of followers and readers, popularity and huge amount of traffic to their blog, and the most important is they all show professionalism on their respective works.

How can you differentiate this two: I like blogging vs. I love blogging? Which of the two that best describes your preference in blogging?

“Liking something” is different from “loving of something”. Literally, when you say you like blogging – that doesn’t mean you are already committed to blogging. IMHO, you only like blogging because you have the feeling that it will bring positive outcome in the long run, as you continue to see upbeat results from other persons. Loving is the opposite. You can’t say you “love blogging” unless you had proven it to yourself that blogging is such an opportunity and really irresistible. And that is what my preference is.

How do you see yourself as a blogger three to five years from now?

I’m optimistic that I will still be doing this stuff in the future, even if I quit my current job or not. I always hope for the best… and you know, to anticipate of becoming an influential Cebu tech blogger is possible. Who knows?

Being a Cebuano blogger, do you think there is a need for further improvements in Cebu blogosphere and what would they be?

The Cebu Bloggers Society has contributed a lot how blogging become popular here in Cebu. The Cebu blogosphere is growing, yet it’s sad to see there are bloggers outside CBS who are not doing the job ethically – just think of others how they do their SEO tasks for example. The other thing I think that needs further improvement of every blogger is readability and building a community on their respective blogs.

What tips/advices can you give to newbie bloggers particularly to Cebuanos who have just created a blog/blogs or those who are willing to put one?

I believe patience is really a virtue. Let’s be honest here. If you’ve just started blogging for money because you are inspired by those who are making decent income out from it, don’t put it as your primary goal. Instead, write to be helpful and start it as a passion. In the long run, you will benefit from your works.

Thanks Bert Padilla for giving me the time to answer my interview questions despite the hectic schedule. I’ve had the honor to have my first interview with an influential blogger for Cebu and really, a big THANKS to you!