Epileptic power, Internet connectivity frustrating us – Upcoming bloggers
APRIL 29, 2013
Epileptic power, Internet connectivity frustrating us – Upcoming bloggers
Some upcoming bloggers in Nigeria have said that erratic power supply and the poor quality of services provided by Internet service providers are dealing a great blow to their entrepreneurial drive.
The bloggers spoke in separate interviews with our correspondent during the maiden edition of the Nigerian Bloggers Fair, sponsored by Fidelity Bank Plc in Lagos on Friday and Saturday.
The bloggers, who said they ventured into the business as a means of becoming self-reliant rather than relying on government to provide them with jobs that are not forthcoming, said the cost of providing alternative power supply was adding to their running costs.
Adetola Adekoya, who owns a fashion blog, omobaswagz.blogspot.com, said the cost of running generators to power his gadgets updating the blog on-the-go was frustrating.
The graduate of Public Administration of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, noted that since the FG had been unable to provide employment for the teeming unemployed Nigerian youths, it should, at least, create an enabling environment for entrepreneurial skills to thrive.
He added, “The problem of electricity has long been an issue in this country and by now the situation ought to have been better. Content is a key thing in blogging and for a blogger to keep his blog alive with the latest trends, power supply is quite inevitable.
“When you have a blog and you fail to update it regularly, visitors to the blog won’t take you serious. This affects your traffic and on the long run will have a toll on earnings through adverts and ultimately profitability. As a result of this, the cost of fuelling a generator has added significantly to my operating cost as I have to keep my gadgets and laptops charged.”
Another blogger, Segun Adekoya, a Microbiology graduate who runs naijapose.com, a fashion, photography and style blog, says the Internet connection that has been largely unreliable in recent times has forced him to make use of four different Internet modems.
Adekoya, whose blog ranks 448 on Alexa’s web ranking in Nigeria, explained, “Bandwith issues is a big problem for me in the business of blogging. You go for a red carpet and afterwards you will have to battle with the Internet connection while trying to upload the video on your blog. And it takes years for you to get it up there for your visitors to have a feel of the event.
“This is frustrating because once your frequent visitors get logged on to your blog and fail to see what they yearn for you might lose them to close competitors. I think our Internet service providers and telecoms companies need to do better in terms of the Internet services they provide for their customers.”
Another blogger, Paul Adepoju, a Master’s degree holder, urged Internet service providers to lower the cost of Internet connectivity.
“The cost of Internet connectivity is on the high side and this, coupled with the erratic power supply in this country, has contributed immensely to the reason why many budding bloggers have yet to start making profits, needless to talk of breaking even,” he noted.
At the two-day bloggers fair, participants were exposed to various blogging technologies, challenges of blog hosting technologies, and simple ways of maximising profits in the world of blogging.
Speaking on blog hosting opportunities and challenges, Co-founder, Whogohost, a web hosting company, Opeyemi Awoyemi, urged bloggers using free blogging platforms and move towards getting a self-hosted blog such that they own a domain name.
He said, “This world is competitive and the terms and conditions of the free blogging platforms you use today might change making them charge a fee.
“But if you have your own domain name which is not expensive, you have unlimited control over the design and even functionality of your blog, including better search engine optimisation options and multi-user capabilities.”
Ace blogger, Uche Pedro, popularly called Bella Naija, and political blogger cum Nigerian Twitter personality, Japheth Omojuwa, urged participants to work towards having a share of voice in the blogosphere.
The Managing Director, Fidelity Bank, Reginald Ihejiahi, said the bank decided to host the bloggers’ fair because the new media has grown to the extent to which brands cannot ignore its impact on the society.
Ihejiahi, who was represented by the Executive Director, Shared Services of the bank, Mrs. Chijioke Ugochukwu, said the rationale behind the workshop was geared towards giving back to the society and urged the bloggers to be objective while they go about their businesses.
He said, “Clearly, the new media have not only become a part of our daily lives but are indeed defining our lived, such that we can either love it or hate it. But you cannot definitely ignore it.
“It is a very powerful platform that you possess and you have to exercise these powers with utmost responsibility. Avoid sensationalism, cross check facts before uploading, knowing the fact that wrong information could have. Don’t allow an innocent man to be lynched on account of a story carried by you.”
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