2.3 Million Active Filipino Internet Users Have Started a Blog

This according to the Universal McCann Report Wave 3 report (March 2008) that tracks social media growth. The following are the snapshots it gave in so far as blogging, social networking, and social media growth in the Philippines is concern:

• There are 3.7 million active Internet users
  
  
• 90.3% or 3.3 million read blogs
• 64% in 2007 (June)
  
• 33% in 2006 (September)
  
  
• 45.2% or 1.6 million subscribed to an RSS feed.
  
  
• 64.9% or 2.3 million have started their own blogs
• 41% in 2007 (June)
• 14.1% in 2006 (September)
  
  
• 83.1% or 3 million created a profile on a new social network.
  
  
• 86.4% or 3.14 million uploaded photos in a photo sharing website.
  
  
• 60.5% or 2.2 million have uploaded videos on a video sharing website.
  
  
• 98.7% or 3.6 million watch video clips online.
• 60.7% in 2007 (June)
• 39.% in 2006 (September)
  
  
• 61.8% or 2.3 million have downloaded a podcast
• 26.4 in 2007 (June)
• 8.3% in 2006 (September)

Pinoy Blogging Culture

It can be noted that there are now more Filipinos actively blogging from all over the world. In fact, it has created a new breed of online personalities and celebrities. With so much content online generated through blogs, it created the need to track a lot of them to have a gist on what the blogging community is thinking at the moment.

Topics ranges from personal insights, lifestyle, to political. It even allowed the exchange of opinion on emotionally-charged issues affecting the country. As issues are discussed, more individuals and organizations find themselves exposed where their undertakings can be questioned or attacked. This is where bloggers gradually are realizing that there are also copyright and ethical concerns that they had to deal with.

One of the biggest accomplishment that Filipino bloggers have achieved is the staging blogging summits, iBlog and BlogCon, annually and be seen as a event to look forward to. This is the point where bloggers take time out to come together and exchange insights on various blogging developments.

Based on our Metro Manila Blogger Report, more than half of bloggers are very young. However, Angelo agreed with Maoi that the higher age segment with disposable income should seriously be considered for targeted marketing.

Internet Celebrity

My column today at Sun.Star is all about becoming an Internet celebrity. I believe that as blogging became more popular, there are now more people becoming recognizable online. It is like those mailing list and discussion group days. Times are really changing. On the other hand, I think I rather see people post their thoughts in blogs rather than forums so that they'll be able to feel a sense of accountability to whatever they will say.

Celebrating Bloggers

On the 12th anniversary of the Internet in the Philippines, I think the main highlight is the growing strength of the blogging community as it is now becoming the voice of the Philippine Internet community. Mabuhay to Filipino bloggers and hope you can join iBlog2: The 2nd Philippine Blogging Summit this April 18!