Sharon Daniel

Comm 4523

Communications Week/ Wednesday, April 9th, 2014

Extra Credit: Q&A with a Professional Blogger

Jon Valdez worked as a radio show personality on his college radio show, KTSW, while attending Texas

State University. He decided that he could make the radio show his own and claimed his spot by landing

celebrity interviews and utilizing outlets to talk with bigger radio stations such as Fox News Radio.

In 2009, Valdez created orangejuiceandbiscuits.com where he used social media to self-nominate, by

asking people to vote for him on his own social media campaign. At first, he received votes from people

he personally knew, but then his campaign amounted to getting votes from strangers. Social media

became a tool for branding his blog. Valdez was asked if he utilizes his Communication degree in his

blogging profession; He said that having a Communication degree is under valued and he uses all of his

skillsets. He adds, it’s funny how the things you learn in school eventually come back around to you

later, and a lot of social media jobs are under each study, Public Relations (P.R) and Communications.

Valdez advises to put “networking” in your vocabulary now, put your name out there, practice it with

other people, with the purpose of getting to know them (ex. at events, talking to brands).

As a professional blogger, it took Valdez 2 years until he made profits from brands noticing him and

sponsoring his posts. He worked with the company Love Gold doing free-lance work, where it landed

him a permanent job, pitching brands, branding sponsors, and doing P.R. marketing and campaigns. He

also did free-lance work for Elton John’s Aids Foundation and he hosted a party for Julian Moore, which

turned into him managing their social media accounts. Some other of Valdez’s proud moments was

when he did a press tour in Las Vegas (Nevada), attending the Red Carpet, The Real House Wives party,

and an after party with A-Listers such as, Ben Affleck and Kanye West.

Valdez has several projects in the works such as fashion P.R. for fashion week, hosting a web series and

growing his blog. Valdez gives advice in becoming a successful blogger:

Be true to your voice, don’t be someone you’re not

Don’t hide and do what you think other people want you to do

Be proud of where you’re from

Find people to help you achieve your goals

Don’t slander

Make sure you credit your sources

And finally, remember everything you put out there stays out there. If you use social media, don’t be

rude, being nice goes a long way, you never know who you will inspire.