Bloggers as Digital Influencers : How Blogging Changed My Life

I've always mention this to my friends that taking this CBSME course from Ateneo-DigitalFilipino  is really life changing. A lot of opportunities knocking at my door lately and right now I am considering and taking a leap of faith on each one of them. My appearance at Kris TV was one of them, a  job offer related to Marketing  from a former boss and the chance to be a resource speaker at the recently concluded Digital Influencers Marketing Summit 2014 last September 13 at the SMX Mall of Asia.

I attended the Summit because of 3 reasons : 1) as a CBSME graduate helping out in the event; 2) as a participant and 3) as a speaker. It was my first time, and I think I still have a lot of things to work on to, perhaps a Public Speaking Workshop will do the trick. Honestly, it was easier for me to sing/perform on that stage because I've performed at that same stage several times already.

I had a hard time expressing my thoughts during the event, so I am redeeming myself by writing what I should  have said.

Photo Credit : Mark Gana

I was asked to share my experiences on how I used my blog to share my mom-hood, my online party planning/supplies business   and my I <heart> being a Mom advocacy project. So here it is, my "My Life Story as a Blogger".

 

Mommy JLo

I started being a mommy blogger as early as 2004, just a few months after my eldest Janelle was born. I had a hard time conceiving that's why I started sharing about my PCOS and TTC Journey. I used my blog to inspire and give hope to women who also had difficulty getting pregnant or TTC (trying to conceive). I started to gain a handful of followers/readers and most of them started asking questions already about my OB/Gyne, medicines to take, strategies, tips and some even asked for "sex positions"  to use. :-)

Like most of first time mom out there in the blogosphere, I usually talk about my daughter and her developments, from learning how to walk, how to talk, eating habits, first hair cut and all those "first" and milestones.

Being able to give hope to those couple that they too can bear a child  means so much to me. Most of them became good friends and some became "kumares" to their first born.

JLo the Mompreneur

In the year 2007, I started to blog about my kids parties. I share with my readers my "suppliers rating" and started to give fearless reviews on each suppliers I hired for my events.  I started to realize the power of blogging and how it will influence the consumers  buying decisions, a simple review will make or break a supplier.

Now that I am already a so called "party supplier", I used blogging to share with my readers all successful events we had. I even asked blogger friends and clients who eventually became friends also  to do a product review. Blogging about a product or services will make a business credible enough to be trusted. 

The I <heart> being a Mom Advocacy Project

The projects' main objective is to show that Social Media can be a platform for social change and anyone has the power to motivate others to give back to society.  And yes, objectives attained. 80% of the people who worked with me on this project I met only on the day of the event. I am really amazed  with the power of blogging and social media in generating the buzz about this project, call for bloggers, donors and sponsors were all done on-line.

My desire to come up with this kind of project started 20 years ago but never had the chance to. Through blogging, one can have that great power to change the world one step at a time. Use it to help and be of service to others in need, and use that power to influence others to do the same.

L-R Grace Bondad, JLofied, Ben France, Janette Torral

The Top 10 Emerging Influential Blog of 2014 Writing Project

8 month old JLofied.com was nominated on this project. I did not make it 'tho, but Ms. Lani Lyutz of www.mommybloggersphilippines.com asked to me to claim the certificate in her behalf. Oh and wait there's more!  I won a $100 in the raffle draw. It seems that all the stars in the universe are all watching over me! :-)

 

Receiving the award for Ms. Lani Lyutz of Mommy Bloggers Philippines

 

The #DIMSummit is organized by DigitalFilipino and co-sponsored by the ff :

• Digital Influencers Marketing Summit
• Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur Program
• Philippine Internet History #phnet20 Project
• Digital Creators Boot Camp
• Infinity Hub Web Development Services

JLofied and Wooden Goes to Kris TV

Year 2014 has really been very good to me in terms of my career and business. Even though there were times that God has been testing my patience, discipline, faith and determination to go on with the things I planned for. I guess it was meant to  be and I am so blessed that He gave me a "Darna!" attitude towards life.

One of the many blessings I received recently was when Darla of Kris TV messaged me and asked if I want to be featured in Kris TV and I said YES right away. Do you think I made the right decision? Of  course I do!  Seconds later, one of the staff called me and informed me of the call time and the  requirements needed, and I only have 3 days to prepare before the taping day. Whew!

September 8, Monday (Taping Day 1)

We arrived at Sampaguita Gardens at exactly 7am and started with the Ingress right away. Team KidiKraft was so excited to be featured and be interviewed by one of the most influential person here in the Philippines, no other than Kris Aquino herself.

As expected, the taping started really late at one in the afternoon.

September 9, Tuesday (Taping Day 2)

The production team visited my showroom in Quezon City for another interview and this time I get to explain further about the business and my future plans for KidiKraft. 

September 12, Friday (Airing Day)

The segment with KidiKraft was aired  last September 12 (Friday) at ABS-CBNs Kris TV. I didn't expect that I will personally experience the following :

1,500 FB Likes in 2 hours

300 FB messages in 24 hours

15 calls in 30 minutes plus 11 missed calls

150 SMS within 24 hours

I even hired a Virtual Assistant from www.professionalvas.com to help me engage with my customers. If you will  ask me if appearing in the show makes a difference in my business, just look at the figures above. :-)

If you missed the show, please click the clip below : 

On Staycations, Vacations and Celebrations : 5 Great Reasons to Take a Staycation

One of the reasons why I love  August is that aside from the fact that it is my husband's birthday month, the Philippines is also celebrating Ninoy Aquino's Day and the National Heroes Day which usually takes place every 3rd weekend of August. Now talking about long weekends huh!   I really look forward to these long weekend holidays!

It has been a family tradition for 5 years already to celebrate these holidays and hubby's birthday at the same time. We usually go on an out of town vacation, travel domestic or international, but for this year, we decided to go on a staycation instead.

What is a Staycation?

A staycation is a period in which an individual or family stays home or in their local area instead of travelling domestically or internationally and participates in leisure activities within driving distance. It usually includes day trips to local tourist sites, swimming venues, or engage in fun activities such as horseback riding, hiking or visiting museums, but most of the times involves dining out more frequently than usual.

My husband celebrated his 40th Birthday with a family staycation at a nearby hotel, here are the reasons why we chose staycation over vacation :

Act like a tourist in your own city
Even if  you've been in the same city/town your whole life, chances are you are not updated of the newest restaurants, spas or "gimmick-an" in the area. By acting like a tourist in your own city, it will help you discover new places and be able to try to experience things you never knew about.

Save Money
Don't get me wrong, of course you will still spend for your hotel and food, but taking staycation will eliminate the need for air tickets and reduce gasoline expenses. You can even save by bringing some "baon", now that's truly Pinoy :-).

Another "tipid tip", once that you're decided to book a hotel of your choice, get a hotel membership card first before booking, trust me it's "super sulit!".

Fun for the Whole Family
Plan exciting activities for the whole family. This can be a visit to the zoo, swimming or just simply enjoy the bath tub with the kids.

Less Stress than a Vacation and Stay Comfy
You don't have to wake up early so that you will not miss a flight, or think about lost luggage or  excess baggage. "Relax Relax din pag may time!"

No pre-vacation planning and to-do-list
Packing for four is sometimes stressful and  planning a vacation sometimes is not fun at all especially if you don't have the time.

What are you waiting for? Get a calendar and set your next staycation.

Special Thanks to :
Marco Polo Manila  for the superb service, upgrades and freebies.

How to Prepare for a Boudoir Photo Shoot

Are you ready for one on your birthday?

More and more women are getting into this genre of photography. Their reasons varies from wanting a liberating experience or just simply wanting to feel good about themselves or wanting their sexiness be captured on camera.

A celebration is always a good reason to have a boudoir photo shoot, whether you are getting married or having a milestone birthday is a great way to celebrate, but a lot of women are actually doing this for themselves. Two months from now, I will be celebrating my 40th birthday and I would like to have something to look back years from now. 

What is a Boudoir Photography?

The term "boudoir" may also be ascribed to a genre of photography.Typically shot in a photographer's studio or luxury hotel suites, it has become fashionable to create a set of sensual or sexually suggestive images of women (and occasionally men and couples) in "boudoir style". The most common manifestation of contemporary boudoir photography is to take variations of candid and posed photographs of the subject partly clothed or in lingerie. Nudity is more often implied than explicit.  - Wikipedia

Photography by : Kathy Cuadrante of KSnaps Productions

I can already see your eyebrows raising right now and I can hear some of you saying "but I'm fat, or too big, or shy, or can't do it. Yes, I am not that big, but I don't have that model figure also. But you see, being sexy is not all about nudity, being sexy is just a state of mind.

Thinking of having one? Here are some tips and tricks that will help you prepare for your boudoir session.


1. Conceptualize
What concept do you have in mind? Do you want it to be cute, sweet, or classy? Try to research on the web on what particular style that suits your personality. You don't need to bare it all if you can't. Some times, just the right amount of sexiness is all it takes to achieve that "classy look".

Discuss the concept with your photographer and brainstorm on  how to achieve that "look". You may also prepare a story board to guide you during the session.

Photography by : Kathy Cuadrante of KSnaps Productions

2. Hire a Professional Photographer
Let me ask you again on why are you doing this? If you are young and sexy and a "model-wanna-be", chances are you will be invited to  an ex-deal open photo shoot. An "open shoot" means you have other photographers around you that will be taking photos of you. You don't have to pay for the photographers and you will not be paid as a model also. That kind of agreement will benefit both the model and photographers because that leads to the expansion of your portfolios.

I have nothing against an ex-deal open photo shoot, but I want you all to be careful, be very careful in joining one. Bear in mind that the photos are owned by the photographers and that they have the authority over it, they can use and release the photos in any manner or for what ever purpose they intend to. I am not generalizing, but  a lot of "newbie photographers" out there joining open shoots have other intentions (read as gusto lang mang bastos or maka-isa!). Remember  there is a thin line between "porn" and "art" and not all people with a high powered DSLR can be called a photographer.

If you really want to do this for yourself, I strongly suggest to hire a female photographer whom you can trust (read as, delikado na ngayon uso ang rape!). Again, I have nothing against male photographers, but I think you can express better  with a female one.

Photo Credit : Mark Gana
See! I'm wearing a mini dress :-)

3. Hire a  Professional Hair and Make Up Artist
Although "skin smoothing" can be done digitally (read as photoshopped), I still suggest to work with a HMUA to help you complete the look based on your concept.The shoot can take as long as 3 hours and you will surely need assistance with your outfit and accessories. Oh and don't forget to use fake eyelashes to achieve that "sexy look". 

Photo Credit : Mark Gana

4.  Select the outfit and accessories that you will need
Look good by wearing something that makes you feel good. Even if you have something really super nice but you don't feel comfortable, you will have a hard time when the camera is pointed at you. 

Don't wear lingerie if you are not used to, you can wear a corset, white shirt /  polo , mini dress, bandeau or a boy leg instead of usual under wears.

Photography by : Kathy Cuadrante of KSnaps Productions

5.  Choose a perfect venue
Historically, the boudoir formed part of the private suite of rooms of a "lady" or upper-class woman, for bathing and dressing, adjacent to her bedchamber, being the female equivalent of the male cabinet. 

The session is usually done on a studio or a hotel room. In choosing the venue, I suggest you do it in the comfort of a private hotel room.

Photo Credit : Mark Gana

6.  Prepare physically.
For this type of photography, you will be in many different poses that you may not be used to. You might experience some bone-craking and muscle tensions during the session. Drink lots of water and take a light breakfast only to avoid being bloated. Avoid also wearing tight fitting clothes if possible and avoid wearing a tight bra on your way session as it leaves elastic pressure line on your skin.

Photography by : Kathy Cuadrante of KSnaps Productions

Photographer : Kathy Cuadrante of KSnaps Production

Behind the Scene Photographer : Mark Gana (my husband)
Venue : Marco Polo Hotel Manila
Outfit : from JLo's closet

What are your thoughts? Are you ready for one?

Blogging with a Purpose : My Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs 2014

2014 marks the 8th year of the Top 10 Emerging Influencial Blogs 2014 Writing Project that seeks in identifying new and emerging blogs who are making an impact to its readers in 2014. These are blogs that started anytime from August 2013 to the present.

So what makes a blog influential? 

Influence can not be attributed only to traffic and readership level. For me, influence can only be measured on the effect on the character and behavior of someone, it cannot be dictated or imposed.

The next question is, what are my personal criteria in choosing my Top 10?

Here are my parameters :

1. Credibility
2. Informative
3. Inspirational
4. Consistency
5. Uniqueness
6. Personal 

Here it goes (drum rolls) : My Top 10 List of Emerging Influential Blog of 2014

1. Dizkarteng Noypi (www.jhojovillas.blogspot.com)

Jhojo Villa's mission is  to spread financial literacy to help every Filipinos in achieveing their dreams and gain financial independence. Dizkarteng Noypi is informative, motivational and straight to point. I am happy that a lot of Filipinos nowadays are starting to realize the need for financial literacy.

2. Raket Hub (www.rakethub.com)
Raket or Side Business, this is what a lot of  Filipinos need nowadays. A self-proclaimed "raketera", Sherlane Fortunado shares with her readers business ideas that can help Filipinos augment their income.

3. JLofied (www.jlofied.com) 

Work hard. Give More. Play harder! Jennifer Lopez - Gana talks about celebrations and living life to the fullest. Aside from sharing tips and tricks on all things pertaining to parties and events organizing, JLofied is also  about inspiring  and empowering people to be the best that they want to be. The blog also advocates for creating a second source of income by being an events organizer to help her readers increase cash flow.

4. Pinions and Plumage of Love (http://pinionsandplumageoflove.blogspot.com)

Mommy Joy Lojo is  a full time wife and mom with a 2-year old daughter. She shares with her readers her stories on being a SAHM (Stay-at-Home) mom. What I admired about her is that you can really feel the sincerity in her posts, no rants, just pure bliss. She talks about blessings, greatness and beauty with God as the center of the family.

5. Sole Searching Sole (www.solesearchingsoul.com)

Apple Allison, "Ang Lakwatserang Mansanas" blogs about her travel while working or what calls "Workcation". Her Date in Daet 2014 campaign which encourages Bloggers and Businesses and other stakeholders be closer to Daet aligns with her purpose of making a difference in a community one trip at a time.

6. Matakaw Na Bata (www.matakawnabata.com)

Just from the domain name alone, you will easily get an idea of what is it all about. Christian Melanie Lee is a certified foodie. She will blog about anything about her foodie adventures
whether it's a simple instant pancit cantom or or  a famous restaurant.

7. Mommy Bloggers Philippines (www.mommybloggersphilippines.com)
I was surprised that Mommy Bloggers Philippines blog site is only less than a year old. I've been part of this  community and I've met a lot of mom bloggers whom I've networked with already. Mommy Lani Lyutz built this community to bridge for everyone who wants their services, products, a cause to be examined in true life by mother who have their own passions in unique fields. 

8.  The Daily Pedia (www.thedailypedia.com)

Are you on a look out for trending topics? Mc Richard Pagcalinawan's blog should be your       go-to-site for interesting topics / articles on news here in the Philippines and  around the world.

9. Dok Tour (www.doktour.blogspot.com)

Dok Tour  is all about food, travel and adventure. I always look forward to Brian Macasa's  post about his  adventure whether its about food, family vacation, events or places to hangout within the Metro.

10. Astig.Ph (www.astig.ph)
Know the hottest news in technology, entertainment and lifestyle. Great layout and visuals.

This writing project is sponsored by :

• Digital Influencers Marketing Summit
• Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur Program
• Philippine Internet History #phnet20 Project
• Digital Creators Boot Camp
• Infinity Hub Web Development Services

To know more about this writing project, visit this link : 

http://www.influentialblogger.net/2014/05/join-top-10-emerging-influential-blogs.html