An Exclusive Interview with Iftekhar Ahmed: Successful Blogger

1. First of all, please share a bit about you, your online portals and how you get into blogging?

First off!! I would like to thank Ravi for giving me a great opportunity. So, I’m Iftekhar Ahmed from Bhopal, India. Currently I’m pursuing Computer Science Engineering. Apart from studies I’m also a part time blogger who loves to write on various niches.

Right from my school days I was very much into computers and spent many hours online trying to find various ways to make money. I tried many sites but never earned anything from them. At that point one day I ran over this saying "Blogging", I scanned about it for a long time, considered how it functions, and afterward discovered some top websites like Mashable, Shoutmeloud, Labnol and so on which enlivened me a considerable measure. Also this was the time I made a stride into blogging.

2. When you started Blogging? Currently How many blogs you own?

I started with iftiSEO.com in Nov 2013. Here iftiSEO I share many tips, tutorials and secrets of blogging, SEO and online earning. Right now I’m working on some 6-7 blogs. But most of them are in the initial stages only. 

3. As a Blogger are you inspired by someone? If yes then who are they? Who is Your Role Model as Blogger? And Why?

Yes, everyone have an inspiration. Amit Agrawal from Labnol, Harsh from ShoutMeLoud, Jon Morrow from BoostBlogTraffic are my top inspirations along with many others. 

A role Model!! Well I can’t pick anyone as I find many different qualities in every blogger.

4. Which strategies are you using to attract new visitors as well as regular visitors? 

Writing new and unknown tips have helped a lot to gain new visitors. I try to share every new trick I find useful, and due to this very reason I have a lot of regular visitors as well. I don’t have any other specific strategies 

5. Do you have some favorite blogs that you use to browse on regular basis? If yes, please share.

Yes I do visit some blogs regularly. Alltechbuzz, Labnol, Boostblogtraffic, ShoutMeLoud, SearchEngineLand etc are some of my favorite blogs as I always find something new on these blogs. There are many other blogs that post quality content, so in all I usually visit many different blogs related to my niche.

6. How much Earning/month of your blog? And which are your earning sources?

Well, to be frank I don’t earn much with iftiSEO. But yes niche as well as other micro blogs helps me earn good. My Last niche blog helped me make 3000$+ and I think it’s a very good amount. 

I never depend on a single source for earning and that’s the reason I always try to find out new ways to earn money via blogging. I believe that if you have traffic you can surely earn money. So my sources would be different ad networks like Google AdSense, Media.net, Infolinks etc along with Sponsored posts as well. CPA, affiliate marketing and PPD networks works well for micro niche blogs.

7. Please share moments that you feel are the best and worst moment you had so far in your blogging journey? And was there a time when feel you should give up blogging?

The best moment I had so far was when I worked on my FIFA Event Blog with my partner Karan Wyas, we both learned a lot during this event. We got around 300k+ visits a day which was the highest I've ever got on any blog. SO with this much traffic, we both did made some $$. This is my biggest earning so far from a single blog though it was an event blog. 

Talking about worst moments, nope I didn't had any and also I never thought of Giving up on blogging rather I always think of making new blogs on various niches. 

8. What’s next for you, are you working on any projects or products we should be looking forward to? Give us the behind the scenes exclusive – something you haven’t announced yet anywhere else!

Yes for now I’m working on some micro niche blogs as well as some other blogs. I am planning to start education related blog and a multi niche blog “NoDumbTalks” with my friend Vaibhav which will be really huge. 

9. What kind of changes you are expecting in the blogging and SEO industry in the next 5 years?

The basics of all will remain the same as it has been since the beginning of this. But yes I am expecting some more animals added to the zoo of Google Algorithms which I believe will be good for quality bloggers. 

10. Tell us few apps/services that you are using these days

Nothing special, I am still with 0 investments. I do use some mobile apps and browser extensions for my ease. 

Google Analytics and Adsense mobile apps are must for me while talking about the extensions I use Alexa, SEOquake, PR checker, NoFollow extension.

11. So what can we all learn from Iftekhar Ahmed?

Set this motto and I believe it will help you a lot “Don’t blog for money, blog for passion”

Well I’m always ready to help everyone who have some passion in blogging. Coming to your question, hmm I don’t think I know something extra or I am an expert, Google is where I get all my questions cleared and I believe you can get everything out there too.