For the love of blogging
Founder: Linda Ikeji
Age of founder at start: 26
Background: Modelling
Year of foundation: 2006
Business Type: Blogging
Start-Up Capital: None
Present net worth: $1.4million
Present Staff Strength: 2 full time, several agents
State of origin: Nkwere – Imo state
Countries present: Over 180 different countries.
Linda Ikeji runs arguable the hottest blog in Nigeria today which attracts close to one million visits from over 180 countries daily, making an average daily revenue of $3000. She said she only realised she could make money from her blog in 2010 after four years of blogging when she got a mail from someone requesting her advert rate.
At a tender of 10, Linda started writing as a hobby. The fictions she penned down were praised by her friends and family and overtime she cultivated a passion for news.
Linda only wanted to be a journalist – meet people, interview them and write about them. Due to the malfunctioning capacity of our tertiary institutions she was offered admission to study English Language as against her desired choice of Mass communication, she nevertheless decided to make the best out of it.
Linda didn’t come from the middle-class background, to support herself and family through school she began working at the age of 17 doing everything from ushering, modelling to waiting tables.
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In 2006 Linda casually discovered there is something called blogging. How did it happen? A friend told her an article had been written about her on Bella naija’s blog: (one of the most popular blogs).
She saw the story and read the comments from people and she liked it. For the first time Linda began to see the possibility of taking her writing to the world. It was the closest substitute to Journalism and did have all the charm. She took her time to study very well how blogs work.
Linda started blogging fully in 2007, sharing things that she was interested in with her readers. Her excitement grew when she noticed how people always dropped comments on her posts.
Prior to 2010, Linda never made a dime from her blog, she never knew it could be a business, she never set any goals for herself.
“I didn’t say to myself ‘let me blog now and maybe in five years time I will make money from it.” She affirms.
But in 2010 she got a strange mail; someone wanted to know her advert rates and at that time she had no idea what range to consider.
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When Linda started she was certain she wanted her blog to have a gossip theme. The blog has however grown massively into a source of news, entertainment and many more, still yet, one thing you are sure to get when you visit LIB is the latest gossip in town. Interestingly the real controversy is generated from the comments of over-excited readers who are usually from all works of life. A reader once confessed that she visits LIB just to entertain herself with comments from readers.
As much as LIB has brought Linda good fortunes, she has as well had her fair share of challenges most notable from celebrities who believe her blog pries into their private lives. She maintains she would never use her blog to slander anyone.
Her blog has grown exponentially to attracting about a million visits today. The huge traffic has also brought her unexpected fortunes as she makes an average of $3000 a day. Linda has earned herself the title ‘Queen of Blogging’ and Forbes Africa describes her as a success and a case study for the business of blogging in Africa.
With her heart Linda encourages Nigerians
“Do not think this happened overnight. I’ve been blogging since 2006 but made nothing for the first four years. God, consistency and hard work brought me here today. In this Lagos, I have sat in many offices waiting to see people who could support my business but most times I never passed the reception. I refused to give up and I never stopped believing and here I am today.
No dream is too big, no dream is too small, and no mountain is too high…. it’s all in your mind.
Start thinking big, believe in yourself, be creative and start working at it
*******///// nobody will make your dreams come true except you.
Be consistent, be patient. Success takes time, hard work********///// anything else It takes the grace of God.
When you get your first breakthrough, don’t stop working. Personally, I make enough money to hire so many people while I go and enjoy myself but I don’t do that.
I am up while some of you are sleeping and already blogging before some of you wake up” (Last post averages 11:30pm; first post averages 4:15am)
”I don’t take this for granted, to stay on top*******///// I am constantly here!
Sincerely, nothing is an excuse…” – Linda Ikeji.
“How They Started – Innovative Nigerian Brands”
Written by Kachi Ogbonna
Reviewed by JOHN O.E For Hexavia.
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