Q1: TSL? Tell me more about your company.
TSL or TheSmartLocal.com is the leading online Travel & Lifestyle publication in Singapore. We get close to 1 mil unique visitors monthly and have also attracted government investment.
Q2: What do you do Bryan?
I’m currently editor at TSL. We focus on gaining as much traffic as possible through out site through engaging and quality content, memorable media and clever SEO.
Q3: Who are some of your advertisers?
We were really to recently work with big travel and hospitality brands like Changi Airport, Caltex, Far East Hospitality, AirAsia, Korean Air and Tourism.
Q4: What is your speciality?
I specalise in growing digital media properties. This means creating portals from scratch and taking them from 0 to 10 million views a year. There’s a secret sauce to it I’ll like to think I’ve mastered.
Q5: What did you do before this?
Before TSL, I also used to run an events company in the gaming industry. I have run events as head organiser for big gaming companies such as Alienware, Electronic Arts and Blizzard.
Q6. What got you interested in starting an online travel magazine? Share your story.
TSL started as a travel blog (link to www.thesmartlocal.com) but gradually over time, we got so big and kinda became an online travel magazine.
It started from doing something we love, sharing our travel stories and guides with people. We’re lucky to be making a living out of it.
Q7. What are some key tips you can share about building your audience with social media?
Don’t just post your content to your audience. Post relevant and interesting content that your audience will enjoy.
No one likes being spammed over and over again but your site.
Another tip is to put a lot of effort into it. People aren’t dumb – they know the times when you make a half-baked post and engagement levels will be low.
Q8. What’s your favorite social media platform and why?
I like instagram the most. It’s very visual and it’s not cluttered. To me, it’s an upgraded version of Twitter.
I also like how there is no edgerank algorithm imposed onto you like in Facebook. You see everything you want to see.
