WHAT does it take to be visionary? Is it having the grit to start something without the assurance of success? The fearlessness to put ideas into actions? Or the determination to change the world? For WheninManila founder Vince Golangco, it is all these–and so much more.
There are many ways you can describe Golangco, and yet few words can really encapsulate the man that he is and the milestones he has achieved. As the creative mind and force behind WheninManila.com, he has revolutionized the digital landscape with the way he packaged and distributed content to the masses. In his journey, he was able to change the way Filipinos consume stories, and in the process, the way brands connect to their consumers.
There is not one school or college major that trains CEOs like Golangco. When asked about where and how he honed his understanding of the digital world, he explained, “It’s a combination of my experience as an entrepreneur and a creative. Before I started WheninManila.com, I’ve worked as a radio DJ and a voice talent. This gave me a perspective on how to connect with people. In terms of gaining fresh insights into lifestyle angles that appeal to consumers, I get that from my experience as a restaurateur.”
To call Golangco a Jack of All Trades would be undermining his achievements in the digital scene. From being a humble website that created lifestyle stories, WheninManila is now recognized as a top blog and online magazine in the country. The website, which focuses on anything and everything under the sun–from food and fashion to travel and tech–rakes in over 10 million impressions with over two million following in their social media channels. Golangco manages his own creatives which include over a thousand writers, video editors, and photographers.
The website is also a go-to platform for advertisers who want to widen the reach of their products. According to Golangco, they owe this success to the way they approach their stories. He shares, “We don’t focus on hard selling brands, we focus on encouraging ideas. If you want to succeed in the digital world, you have to appeal to the tastes of your readers. We do that by crafting stories that our consumers would want to talk about, and in the process, try out themselves.”
WheninManila.com isn’t your ordinary online magazine either. In a world where the digital landscape gets saturated by content, it remains afloat by sticking to its multi-pronged approach in bringing stories closer to the readers. “For example, we don’t just focus on articles. We also make sure to utilize every social media post that we create. We also use digital contests, too, to make the experience more interactive and personal to our audience,” Golangco explains.
When asked about the secrets behind his success, the man of the hour did not hold back in sharing his tricks of the trade. “When you’re working the digital landscape, you have to look at your readers as the boss. The best websites label themselves as the trendsetters, but you also have to learn how to understand the pulse of your audience and translate that into content that will resonate with them. It’s a two-way process.”
At present, WheninManila.com has been named a top Emerging Influential Blog as well as a leading Lifestyle and Hobbies blog in the Philippines. The website also continues to create viral stories that leave their lasting mark on readers. For this level of success, Golangco has only humble words to offer. “It takes a visionary to create a spark, but the support of your audience is just as important to succeed in a world as ever-changing as the digital landscape.”
