“How Linda Ikeji makes millions blogging” – [YES Magazine Interview]

YES International Magazine recently interviewed popular Nigerian blogger, Linda Ikeji on her blog, lindaikeji.blogspot.com. In the interview titled “How I Make Millions from Blogging” Linda Ikeji talks about her passion for blogging, what she thinks has enabled her blog become popular and much more. Check out excerpts below. When you started your blogging business, what goal did you set for yourself? I didn’t set any goal. I just started the blog out of my passion for it. I made it my hobby. You know, while growing up, I wanted to be a journalist, but I wasn’t successful. I see blogging as a close substitute for journalism, which was my dream job. I just love meeting people, reading their stories, interviews and the rest. I never knew that four years later people will begging to pay for what I enjoy doing. I never thought that I will be making millions from blogging, but I thank God that what I enjoy doing is now making millions for me. What should someone do to be a successful blogger? You have to love blogging. You can’t say I want to blog because I want to make money. It takes a stepping stone to get there. There are over a thousand blogs like I said, but what will make people enjoy visiting your blog depends on the efforts you put into it. So, be passionate about it, be consistent, don’t blog once or twice in a week, blog everyday if you can, enjoy it, and love it. Don’t be anonymous when it comes to blogging. People find it easy to relate more to people they know. For example, if you are Amebo.com, people do not know who is behind it, so their response will not be felt. If you use your name, it commands credibility and acceptance. Like I use my name, I use my pictures, I talk about my intimate secrets at times and it has really helped me to a very large extent. People wish to have my numbers, BB pin and everyone wants to be my friend. So, find what you can do easily and you enjoy doing. That was what I did for the first four years that I started the blog before I began to make money. Tell us your success secret… It’s God. You see, when God is ready for you, it is your turn. I have hustled for many years now, I don’t hustle any more. I have worked very, very hard and remain persistent in what I do. From being a model until I found my way into blogging. It has been the combination of God’s favour and hard work. What is your current hit per day? I am number 26 in Nigeria as a whole. Others are The Sun, Vanguard, The Punch, GTBank, UBA and so on. I’m actually the first in entertainment in Nigeria. I’m like number 8,000 in the world and that is a very big achievement. I used to have about 50,000 hits per day! Just because I do it all alone. So, when I get people who are ready to work with me, I’m sure it’s going to get to 100,000. For many youths who wish to be like Linda Ikeji, what do you think they should do? First and foremost, they have to find what they are good at, their talent; work hard on your talent, be patient, because for you to succeed in life, you need patience which a lot of people don’t have. They want quick money and success, but lasting success does take time. They also have to be very prayerful.