Who is Jasmin Casumpang?
Jasmin is a special needs teacher turned SEO manager from the Philippines. She works for Longship Marketing, a Germany-based digital marketing agency.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s switch to first-person, shall we?
The top 3 things I love are the internet, animals, and video games.
Love for internet
I’ve always been fascinated by the internet – mainly figuring out how it works. I learned that it’s made up of websites like the human body is made up of atoms. So when I was a university student, I bought an HTML and CSS textbook from Booksale for only a dollar. The one that comes with CD-ROM. Remember those books?
I learned to code my first website using Notepad in-between classes. I earned my first dollar from the internet after lurking (and getting dickrolled… a lot!) in an affiliate marketing forum called “WickedFire.”
My interest in web development and online marketing fizzled as I prioritized my career as a teacher.
After a couple of school years, I discovered that teaching wasn’t for me, and I became a WordPress developer for small businesses. I got frustrated when most business owners I worked with were so hung up on how their websites look like and less on strategies on how to get people to their sites. I applied to be SEO Manager for a media company, got accepted, received training, and have been obsessed with SEO ever since.
Love for animals
I’ve always wanted a pet for as long as I can remember. When I was in high school, my big brother’s ex-girlfriend offered us a puppy. I was ecstatic when my mother agreed.
During my first year at uni, we got another puppy from the same person. Fast forward to 2013, that then-puppy had a puppy. My family planned to give the puppy away, but my now-husband and I decided to take her in. She’s been with us ever since.
When COVID-19 hit, we rescued four kittens from our parking area. Somehow the number of rescued cats in our household grew from four to seven.
I quickly learned that there’s no feline care resource website for the Philippines; the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) resources I found were for North America and Europe, so I had to adapt them. I’m now on a mission to create the biggest educational site for cat lovers in the Philippines.
Love for video games
Video games have been a big part of my life. I played it with my big brother, cousins, and best friends. Our family’s first console was a Famicom. Then my brother and I shared a Gameboy Color, Nintendo 64, and my favorite – a PlayStation.
Fast forward to my adult life, I met my husband through a Facebook game by Square Enix called “Knights of the Crystal.” I installed a MonkeyGrease script that automatically added people playing the same game as my friends. He asked me if I had an item he was missing to progress – a rope. I had one, gifted it to him, and we continued chatting.
I also used to stream video game playthroughs on Twitch. Although I’m not streaming anymore, I still hang out on Twitch. My husband and I have made so many friends on the platform.
I play video games almost every weekend.
What is this website’s purpose?
To practice writing
What could be a better way to practice writing than to blog? Content marketing – particularly blogging – is a massive part of SEO after all.
To keep me accountable
Apart from writing, I have more habits that I’d love to develop. Sharing my intention and progress publicly would help keep me accountable.
I will be running experiments too. Making them public would hopefully help me see them through until the end.
To share lessons
Experiments – success or failure – are littered with lessons. I’d love to share them with you so you can learn from them too.
What can you expect?
Stick around if you’re interested in any or all of the following:
1. SEO case studies
To start, I will be building Urban Cats Philippines publicly. Its main traffic is obviously from the Philippines. It’s also a social cause. Can the site still be profitable?
2. Habit-building experiments
I’d love to develop healthy habits such as meditating, writing, and learning how to play my favorite songs on the ukulele. I also want to break unhealthy habits such as ordering food too much, not drinking enough water, and more.
3. Living in the Philippines
This will be from a perspective of a Filipino living with a foreigner in Metro Manila, Philippines. Another area I want to explore is early retirement in the country. Is it doable? If yes, how easy (or difficult) is it? I’d also want to explore pet-friendly and/or remote work-friendly destinations.
4. Reviews
I’d love to review books, video games, online courses, and tech.
You’ve reached the end of the page. Thank you for your time.
See you in the comments section of the blog.