Which Philippine blogs are making it big?

MANILA – We’ve seen a number of blogs that have been received well and even catapulted to fame. But which ones are slowly climbing up the list of most-visited sites in the Philippines?

According to Janette Toral of DigitalFilipino.com, several bloggers have found a sweet spot with their audience, attracting more readers to their respective blogs and websites.

During the Digital Summit held for ABS-CBN employees, Toral noted that readers have accepted blogs as sources of information.

“From 2011 to 2013, 2013 is the year that there are so many blogs that entered the top 500 sites in the Philippines...what does this mean?” she asked. “This means our readers have a high acceptance of blogs already and accepting them as valuable sources of information.”

According to Toral, among those that are making it big with web hits are blogs focused on beauty, travel, gossip/entertainment, and food.

Citing data from Alexa.com, a metrics website that regularly updates views and statistics of websites, Toral cited three blogs that have garnered positive responses from readers.

The following sites’ rankings were filtered to visitors from the Philippines and taken as of April 9. 2014.

1. Party Doll Manila  (No. 338)

Behind Party Doll Manila is Jo-Anne Wong, a mother to 3, who started the blog as a hobby until it grew as a 24/7 party concierge.  Party Doll Manila is a go-to site for every mom looking for ideas for kiddie parties and celebrations.  Aside from blogging about themes for parties, she also posts do-it-yourself tutorials for decors and treats.

2. Franc Ramon (No. 338)

Franc Ramon has found his niche online, with having the perfect mix of running and travel stories. Aside from sharing different stories about running and joining events, he also writes about the different places he has visited.

Toral lauded Ramon for staying grounded despite gaining popularity over the years. “Kahit medyo sikat na siyang blogger, he still conducts himself like an ordinary blogger. Sumasali pa rin sya sa mga tweet exchange. Nagri-reach out din siya offline,” she said.

3. The Peach Kitchen (No. 306)

The Peach Kitchen, which was founded by mom Peachy Adarne, is still a growing blog but has already gained attention for the recipes and food reviews she has shared.  This lawyer by profession has found heart in blogging since 2005, sharing self-taught recipes and thoughts on food and cooking.

Toral  advised aspiring bloggers not to focus too much on how searchable their content will be on Google.

“You should not write for Google, you should write for yourself. Make a stand, stand up for something, may advocacy ka,” she said. “Once you have good content, kahit ano pa 'yang blog mo, pupuntahan ng tao yan.” -- with a report from Patrick Quintos