Linda Ikeji owns the African blogging scene, the 35 year old blogger is one of the most successful female entrepreneurs in African media.
Upon close inspection, some of the techniques the African fashionista and superblogger has employed to become one of the biggest blogs in the world are quite similar to those demonstrated by Oprah Winfrey over her illustrious career.
Here are 3 techniques of note:
- Giveaways – You get a car, she gets a car, everybody gets a car: Oprah Winfrey is the queen of freebies. Way before Ellen or any other daytime talk show ever caught on to the immense benefits of giving, Oprah was already the queen. From cars to trips, Oprah has been there and done that. In 1996, she gave away a free trip to Disney World to 217 audience members. “You get a car! You get a car! Everybody gets a car!” Oprah made TV history—and coined a new catchphrase—when she gave a brand new car to every member of her audience during the 19th season premiere of The Oprah Show. Watch what happened!
Read more about Oprah’s giveaways here.Linda Ikeji also loves to do giveaways. In any given year she gives away an estimated N3 million to N 5 million to her readers. She also gets involved with causes and that is another N2 to N3 million in giveaways that we know of to keep track of. Nigerians love awoof so much that there is even a blog that teaches you how to win the money Linda is giving away. See that here.The similarity between Oprah and Linda’s giveaways is the psychology behind the giving. They never expected to be as materially successful as they grew to be, considering their backgrounds, and they both love to help other people a great deal or at least genuinely put smiles on faces for a time.
- Oprah is Relate-able: Everyone remembers when Linda Ikeji had issues with Google and one Mr. Aye Dee, or her drama with Wizkid.
Black women in America are considered a double minority, so minorities can easily relate with Oprah Winfrey. For Linda Ikeji, to come from Mushin, a slum in Lagos, and blow up to Banana Island, well that is a feat few people will ever testify about. Linda wears her heart on her sleeve and keeps her readers updated (for the most part) of developments in her day to day life and most of her readers can either relate or aspire to be where she is and so that helps to keep her huge audience tuned in and loyal because they feel like they are a part of something. Oprah’s life story is public record, from her dark period battling with sexual abuse and her on and off relationship with Stedman Graham, many women and even men can relate, empathize and sympathize.
- Dedication: In a Fast Company interview, Oprah says, “I have learned that your full-on attention for any activity you choose to experience comes with a level of intensity and truth.
It’s about living a present life, moment to moment—not worrying about what’s going to happen at 3 o’clock and what’s going to happen at 7 o’clock.” In other words: focus. “That whole thing about multitasking? That’s a joke for me. When I try to do that, I don’t do anything well.”Linda Ikeji doesn’t have two jobs, everything in her universe is centered around her blog, and that’s why she is so successful as a blogger. She blogs in the kitchen, bathroom and before the plane takes off. She blogs at hotels on vacation, in traffic. She is a blogging machine. Her singular focus and dedication to her brand has come full circle, that seems now her brand is dedicated to her.