Hello Guys, I'm back with another Blogger Interview and This time its the founder of DonCaprio.com, Yes I'm talking about Don Caprio. DonCaprio.com is a popular tech blog managed by Don Caprio. It is one of my favorite blogs and from the day I started Blogger Interviews section, Don Caprio was on the top of my list.
Recently I asked Don for sharing some tips in a form of an Interview at The-Area51.com and he readily agreed. So today I'll be publishing that interview here.
Don: I'm Don Caprio, a tech blogger and a web designer by profession. I run a technology blog (doncaprio.com) which is the only blog I run at the moment.
Recently I asked Don for sharing some tips in a form of an Interview at The-Area51.com and he readily agreed. So today I'll be publishing that interview here.
Interview with Don Caprio of DonCaprio.com
Jim: Hello Don and Welcome to Area 51 Blog, Can you Please Introduce yourself and your Blog?Don: I'm Don Caprio, a tech blogger and a web designer by profession. I run a technology blog (doncaprio.com) which is the only blog I run at the moment.
Jim: When and How you Started Blogging? What inspired you?
Don: I actually started blogging in 2009 and to be honest, what attracted me was the fact that I read it somewhere online that it's possible to make some cool cash just sitting at the corner of your room and publishing articles. That's what got me started.
Don: I actually started blogging in 2009 and to be honest, what attracted me was the fact that I read it somewhere online that it's possible to make some cool cash just sitting at the corner of your room and publishing articles. That's what got me started.
Jim: What are the current statistics of your blog? (Pageviews / Unique visitors)
Don: For some reasons, I choose not to disclose trafic details and estimated earnings. Maybe I'll start doing that when I start hitting a million monthly pageviews monthly. :)
Jim: What according to you played an important role in DonCaprio.com's Success?
Don: Perhaps it's hardwork, persistence and sleepless nights. Professional blogging can be quite competitive and succeeding requires taking it very seriously. You also need a bit of luck.
Also Read: 10 Must Do Things After Starting a New Blog.
Jim: Apart from Blogging, What are your Interests?
Don: I love art. I used to be a drawing artist before blogging took it and I love music too, still do and will always do.
Jim: Your Favorite Bloggers? What Blogs you visit regularly? Don: I love art. I used to be a drawing artist before blogging took it and I love music too, still do and will always do.
Don: I respect Darren Rowse a great deal because lots of articles on his problogger,ent shaped my blogging career. I also like Amit Agrawal a great deal. He's one hell of a guy.
Jim: How is your life Offline? What you do when not blogging?
Don: When not blogging, I'm definitely hanging out with my loved ones. These days, I normally take weekends off just to hang out and catch some fun. It eases the stress.
Don: When not blogging, I'm definitely hanging out with my loved ones. These days, I normally take weekends off just to hang out and catch some fun. It eases the stress.
Jim: How many Blogs / Sites do you have? How many hours a day you spend on blogging?
Don: Right now, I have just a blog and a web forum that's under maintenance at the moment. I do spend like 8 hours a day blogging, responding to emails, designing websites and stuffs like that... sometimes even up to ten hours. I take it like a 9-5 job these days.
Don: Right now, I have just a blog and a web forum that's under maintenance at the moment. I do spend like 8 hours a day blogging, responding to emails, designing websites and stuffs like that... sometimes even up to ten hours. I take it like a 9-5 job these days.
Jim: What are your future Plans?
Don: If you're referring to my future plans pertaining to blogging, my only aim is to take doncaprio.com higher that where it it presently. I have no plans of starting new blogs at the moment.
Don: If you're referring to my future plans pertaining to blogging, my only aim is to take doncaprio.com higher that where it it presently. I have no plans of starting new blogs at the moment.
Jim: What are the major sources of your online income? How much was your first online income?
Don: My income comes mainly from blogging and desiging websites and blogs. The first income was around late 2010, a year after I started blogging and the check was like $80.
Don: My income comes mainly from blogging and desiging websites and blogs. The first income was around late 2010, a year after I started blogging and the check was like $80.
Jim: Blogger or WordPress? What you prefer and Why?
Don: I definitely prefer Wordpress. It's very easy to use as you can get complex things done by just installing and activating plugins plus it offers more features than Blogger ever will. Also, most of the sites I build for clients are built on Genesis Framework, this makes my job easier.
Also Read: WordPress VS Blogger - The Heating Up Conflict.
Don: I definitely prefer Wordpress. It's very easy to use as you can get complex things done by just installing and activating plugins plus it offers more features than Blogger ever will. Also, most of the sites I build for clients are built on Genesis Framework, this makes my job easier.
Also Read: WordPress VS Blogger - The Heating Up Conflict.
Jim: Is there anything you
would like to share, Which you think if you would have known earlier
then you might have been somewhere else?
Don: Right from the start, I never took search engine optimization and link building serious. There's a way you write to attract and keep readers and there are things to do to make search engines fall in love with your content. I didn't know those things.
Don: Right from the start, I never took search engine optimization and link building serious. There's a way you write to attract and keep readers and there are things to do to make search engines fall in love with your content. I didn't know those things.
Jim: What are your views on Google Panda / Penguin Algorithms? Any Tips?
Don: Those updates may look "evil" but they seem to keep the SEO playground in check. I was a penguin victim and I learned my lesson, going down from a prestigious PR5 to PR3. I learned to build links safely and buying huge links can be a risky endeavor.
Don: Those updates may look "evil" but they seem to keep the SEO playground in check. I was a penguin victim and I learned my lesson, going down from a prestigious PR5 to PR3. I learned to build links safely and buying huge links can be a risky endeavor.
Jim: Your Top Favorite Bloggers & WordPress Plugins?
Don: At the moment, I use less than 15 plugins on this blog and tried to add things manually. My favorite is CommentLuv premium.
Ileane Smith, Harsh Agrawal, Darren Rowse, Amit Agrawal and many more that I can't mention are people I look up to.
Don: At the moment, I use less than 15 plugins on this blog and tried to add things manually. My favorite is CommentLuv premium.
Ileane Smith, Harsh Agrawal, Darren Rowse, Amit Agrawal and many more that I can't mention are people I look up to.
Jim: What Gadget you like the most?
Don: Oh... I love mobile phones. They're the best thing that happened to technology over the last 100 years. :)
Don: Oh... I love mobile phones. They're the best thing that happened to technology over the last 100 years. :)
Jim: Your Favorite Movies / Music / Sports / Location?
Don: I like watching movies and I prefer Gangster movies, particularly The Godfather. I watch a bit of horror too, Vampire Diaries being on the best I've watched so far. Music? It's basically rap, classic old ones. Half of my music library is filled with Tupac, Dr Dre, Ice Cube and the rest of them.
I do watch football occasionally and I follow the English Premiership. I'm an Arsenal fan.
I haven't traveled outside Nigeria so, it's my favorite location. :)
Don: I like watching movies and I prefer Gangster movies, particularly The Godfather. I watch a bit of horror too, Vampire Diaries being on the best I've watched so far. Music? It's basically rap, classic old ones. Half of my music library is filled with Tupac, Dr Dre, Ice Cube and the rest of them.
I do watch football occasionally and I follow the English Premiership. I'm an Arsenal fan.
I haven't traveled outside Nigeria so, it's my favorite location. :)
Jim: What Tips you would like to give to New Bloggers?
Don: It's the same thing I keep saying but lots of new bloggers are doing it wrong. You need to stop seeing yourself as just another blogger trying to make a living off the internet, you need to start seeing yourself as a professional web publisher. Making a career out of blogging is quite possible but it begins within you.
Publishing original, high quality content can get you where you want to get to but plagiarism is what's seen everywhere. Say no to plagiarism, build a high quality blog, set yourself apart, develop your own writing style, turn your blog to a brand and the money will surely flow in. It's all hard work though and you must be ready to do it.
Don: It's the same thing I keep saying but lots of new bloggers are doing it wrong. You need to stop seeing yourself as just another blogger trying to make a living off the internet, you need to start seeing yourself as a professional web publisher. Making a career out of blogging is quite possible but it begins within you.
Publishing original, high quality content can get you where you want to get to but plagiarism is what's seen everywhere. Say no to plagiarism, build a high quality blog, set yourself apart, develop your own writing style, turn your blog to a brand and the money will surely flow in. It's all hard work though and you must be ready to do it.
Jim: What Do you think about The-Area51.com? Any Suggestions you would like to give so that we can improve our site?
Don: One thing I love most about this blog is the design. I was arguing about WordPress being the better platform but you proved me wrong with your design. Some WP blogs don't even look half as good and professional designed as The-Area51.
I'm also a subscriber here because I make it a point of duty to read high quality blogs daily.
Don: One thing I love most about this blog is the design. I was arguing about WordPress being the better platform but you proved me wrong with your design. Some WP blogs don't even look half as good and professional designed as The-Area51.
I'm also a subscriber here because I make it a point of duty to read high quality blogs daily.
Jim: Thank you very much Don for being with us, We were happy to have you. Good Luck for the Future!!!
Don: Thanks for the honor, Jimmie. All the best.
So this was my interview with Don, I hope you guys enjoyed reading it and learned from it. I will be back soon with another Interview with your favorite blogger so don't forget to subscribe to our mailing list for updates. That's all for now! Best of Luck.
Also Read Other Blogger Interviews.
Don: Thanks for the honor, Jimmie. All the best.
So this was my interview with Don, I hope you guys enjoyed reading it and learned from it. I will be back soon with another Interview with your favorite blogger so don't forget to subscribe to our mailing list for updates. That's all for now! Best of Luck.
Also Read Other Blogger Interviews.
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