How To Install a Wordpress Theme from Themeforest

Themeforest, a part of Envato marketplace, is a popular website where you can buy premium wordpress themes with prices ranging from just $5 up to $40. Right there, you can also buy Joomla templates, Blogger templates and themes for other popular CMS products. Purchases are available through credit/debit card (Buy Now only), PayPal, or Moneybookers.


After you might have purchased a theme at Themeforest, a zip package will be available for you to download via the "downloads" page. At the "downloads" page you should see a list of all the items you’ve bought.  You can acces the page by hovering over your username at the top of the Marketplace page, when you sign in to your account.

The actual theme zip you will upload to your Wordpress site is inside the full zip package that you will download from Themeforest. Hence, you will first have to unzip the full zip package for you to see the actual theme zip. The full zip package downloaded from themforest will likely contain other files like documentation, licensing file, quickstart or demo file, help file etc

Upload Themeforest theme to Wordpress

To install the actual theme zip extracted from the zip package downloaded from themeforest, sign in to your wordpress site with your admin credentials and go to Appearance > Theme.

Click "Upload", browse to choose the zip file and click "Install".

If you upload the correct zip file, the theme will install susccessfully.

Below is a visual guide provided by Themeforest support team to guide you in the installation process.

Also, don’t forget to read the documentation in the zip package you download from ThemeForest. It usually explains how to make use of the theme. It may also contain some video tutorials.

Go to Themeforest Wordpress section here to sign up and download beautiful themes.

7 Reasons Why Most Nigerian Bloggers Don't Make Money Online

It is no more news that for you to make real money online, the best advice you can get is to first get a blog or website. As a result of this, thousands of blogs keep been published everyday, yet over 80% of these blogs owned by Nigerians are not fetching them money as been expected.

Why I can boast to have make alot of money online with the little experience I have, I can still briefly explain some reasons why most Nigerian Bloggers are not making money online.


1. Blogging Only For Money
 
This might come as a big surprise to you but the fact is that, if you just blog to make money, you will likely not make money. If you check most Nigerian blogs, over 70% are sales pages, just advertising this or that with no useful content. When a blog just have 5 pages,with 4 of the pages advertising a product or service, how do you expect to make money with it?


Yes, you can make good money with a blog, but it takes a lot more than "no effort". If you really want to make money with your blog, just keep blogging with passion and money will come naturally after you might have put some things in place e.g good traffic, rich content, SEO etc. To be honest to you, if the only reason you are blogging is to get rich, you will fail.


2. Not Updating
 
Nothing kills a blog faster than lack of updates. A non-updated blog is a dead blog. Many Nigerian bloggers fail to make money because most of their blogs are dead. Most of them blog in niches that they have no passion for and eventually get bored fast, hence, living their blog un-updated for a long time.


Even, if you just want to be making money on your blog via Google Adsense, if you fail to keep updating your blog, it might take you 2 years before you make $100. Yes, I mean it.


So, for you to be making money with your blog,pick a niche you will love to be writing about and also make sure you make a commitment to keep your blog updated, even if it is just one post per week or ten posts per day.


3. Not Willing To Learn First
 
Most Nigeria bloggers are not willing to learn before they earn. For example, if you do not know how to create channels for Adsense ads, don't know how to use the Competitive Ad Filter, don't know how to use the Adsense Preview tool, then how do you want to make good money from Google Adsense?


If you don't know how Paypal or clickbank works, then how do you want to make money through Affiliate marketing? If you don't know how to get free articles you can use to write an ebook or don't know how to resell other people ebooks, then how do you want to make money though information marketing?


To make good money online as a blogger, there are many things you must learn before you earn and unfortunately, there is no end to learning. You must also learn to write well, learn how to drive good traffic to your blog, how to really monetize your blog, how to tweak your blog so that your blog posts can be showing in the top results of search engine queries and many more.


I keep learning everyday and the more I learn, the more I get to know new tricks which I keep using to fetch me more money online. Basically, you will and must continue to learn if you want to earn big.


4. Being a Copycat

Many Nigerian bloggers fail to make money online because their blogs have no difference whatsoever as long as other blogs are concerned. They do what  others are doing, say exactly what others are saying, infact, they are just COPYCAT BLOGGERS.


I am certainly not the first Nigerian to write about making money online or about blogging tricks, so what makes me not a copycat?


Well, the simple truth is that you can write about the same thing as the next blog, but you need to add your own views to make it unique. Don't just copy and paste what another blog posted. Give your opinion because that's what blogging is all about. The most unique thing about your blog is YOU.


If your blog is not different from others by content, design, ideas, opinion etc, then you might not make huge impact. There is not other way;BE DIFFERENT OR DIE TRYING.


5. No Commitment And Seriousness
 
This is another reason why most Nigerian Bloggers fail. Most of them are not committed and are not really serious about blogging especially when they have made no financial commitment for the blogs.


Blogging requires your time, money and energy. If you are not willing to make that commitment, then you will likely fail as a blogger.


6. Not Connecting With Other Bloggers
 
Many Nigerian Bloggers don't really make money online because they fail to realize the fact that they need to interact with other bloggers in the blogosphere for them to really make it online.


With facebook, Twitter, Mybloglog and other social communities online, you can easily connect with other bloggers. If you are active in these communities, before you know it, more traffic will be flowing to your blog, which obviously will help you in making more money with your blog.

You can join BloggersLab if you want to connect with me and other bloggers on Facebook. 


7. Not reading Ogbongeblog

Though my blog might not be the biggest in Nigeria, but I am sure you will agree with me that this is the biggest mistake any Nigerian blogger can make. Smiles******
 
As you can see, you might be frustrated blogging online if you fail to consider the points that I have explained in this report.


If you wish to make good money from blogging,I encourage you to take blogging as a business because if you do not take it as a business,you will not give it what a business needs, which simply means you might fail. I pray, you don't. Amen.


In my future articles, I will be writing about different direct and indirect ways you can be making money with your blogs and also the different tweaks you can apply to your blog, to make it a better blog.

Please, feel free to contribute via the comment form.

Cheers!

How To Make Money Posting Ads Online in Nigeria

Many Nigerians want to make quick money on the Internet but don't know what exactly to do or which websites they can use to earn real money online. If you've found yourself in this kind of situation, then you need to sit back and relax, as I explain to you, one of the ways I make money online.


In this blog post, you are about to discover the secret process of making real money by posting ads online. I highly recommended this to you, if you would like to make money from the comfort of your own home with little or zero investment.

To get started, you will have to sign up at a site where you can post ads for free. Thereafter, you will have to be posting ads on the site and wait for people interested in the ads to call or mail you. Once they contact you, you can seal the deal and you make money.

Which Ads?


Well, it can be an ad for anything. It can be an ad for :

• unwanted items you would like to sell eg your used phone, electronics, furniture, shoes, old books etc
• services you can render eg writing for blogs, website design, painting, phone/PC/ car repair, fashion design, bridal make up, cake baking, email blasting, online hype/bbm broadcasts, private tutor etc
• products of other people.  eg ad of a land for sale or an house for rent in your neighborhood. It can also be ads for phones, electronics, furniture that people are selling in your locality. You simply identify people or business owners with products in your locality and place ads of their products online. When a buyer contacts you, you get the product from the owner, sell it, pay the owner and keep your profit.

The list of types of ads you can post is endless. You just have to think...

Now that you have ideas of which ads to post, what next?

==> Go to the sites that allow users to post ads and start posting.

Such sites will have a form where you can write the title of your ad, description, price and also allow you to upload photos of what you are advertising.

If you really want to make money posting ads online, here are some tips you should stick to: 

1. Sign up with a nice name, upload a real photo as profile picture and write about yourself in a way that will give people the confidence to do business with you.
2. Use a valid email address when signing up. That email address that you are using on your smartphone is recommended so you can reply to mails without delay.  Respond as quickly as you can to all emails. People hate waiting especially if it is an item they want badly and can get it from someone else.
3. Use titles that you know people are more likely to search for and include keywords. eg Cheap London Used Blackberry Q10 With Battery Charger.
4. If the ad is for a product you are selling, then in the product description, you can also list your location, when you’d be available for pickup, types of payment you’ll accept (typically only cash), if delivery is an option, etc. Never include your phone number inside the ad itself.
5. Include good photographs as this is an easy way of making your ad stand out among the competitors.
6. Re-post your ads twice a week. (once on a weekday and once on a weekend)
7. If you're posting an ad for on online service which you can render from anywhere, you can consider posting such ads in popular towns on the classified site. 

Now that you know the type of ads you can post as well tips to ensure the ads convert, you have to start posting your ads on sites that allow users to post ads.

There are alot of such sites out there but I highly recommend olx.com.ng.

It's one of the top classified ads sites in Nigeria. The site has an app you can use for posting ads with your mobile phone. So, go to the site now, sign up and start posting.  You can start with 10 ads of services you can render, be it offline or online services.

Don't delay this till tomorrow. Act Now! 

Happy Posting!

Kindly use the comment form if you've got contributions or questions to ask.

Please, share this with your friends.

How To Reset GTBank GAPS Password Via GTB Website

While trying to sign in to GTBank Automated Payment System (GAPS) this morning via the Guaranty Trust Bank Internet banking platform, I was alerted that my password has expired. I followed the instruction to reset it and within few minutes, I was able to sign in to complete my online transactions at the site.


If you want to reset your GAPS Password, follow me through the steps below:

==> Go to GTBank Internet banking login page
==> Click on the GAPS tab beside the "Internet Banking" tab
==> Click on Live Login button

==> Enter your GAPS access code and username.
==> Click "Forgot Password". You will see a new page similar to the screenshot below:

==> Enter the answer to the reminder question you entered during your first login to the GAPS platform.

If you've forgotten the answer, click on the link provided and the reminder question will be sent to the email address on your GTBank profile. So,once you get the question in your mail, use it to answer the question on the GAPS webpage.

Once you enter the correct answer to the reminder question, GTBank will send your new password to your email. Once you receive it in your email inbox, use it to log in to the GAPS platform.

Immediately you sign in, you should be prompted automatically to change the password. If not prompted, please change the password before carrying out any transaction.

How To Change GTBank GAPS Password

==> If you are signed in to the GAPS platform, go to "My Profile" > "Change Password".

Your username will be displayed by default. Enter the current password in the space provided. Also enter the new password (twice) and click "Update". You

will see a notification if password change is successful.

That's all.

Take care NOT to disclose your password to a 3rd party to avoid unauthorized access to your account.

Tecno Phantom Z Unveiled by Tecno Mobile in Nigeria. Photos, Video Included!

Tecno Phantom Z

TECNO Mobile a brand under TRANSSION Holdings, has made a bold step of market dominance in Smartphone technology within Africa with the unveiling of Tecno Android  phone tipped for the Smartphone of the year - Tecno Phantom Z.

Unveiling of Tecno Phantom Z

The event which took centre stage yesterday, 6th of August, 2014  at the prestigious Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria;  elicited excitement from consumers as 10 lucky winners won a Phantom Z each.

Speaking at the event, Deputy General Manager, TECNO Mobile, Mr. Chidi Okonkwo, remarked that the entrant of Phantom Z is a great milestone for the company because it offers superior features for Smartphone users.

“Phantom Z is about to revolutionalize how Smartphone is being used in Nigeria. It also comes with a data bundle from MTN, Etisalat, Glo and Airtel. Our products have won several prestigious awards in the last two years. We will continue to put effort in research and innovation because the brand is highly favored among consumers due to its quality. Hence, Phantom Z is here to raise the bar within the Smartphone market".

The Phantom Z is in clear competition with Samsung’s newest revelation, Samsung S5. This powerful device is powered by Android 4.4 Kitkat OS and set to deliver cutting edge features at retail-friendly price.

The features captured in Phantom Z includes:

==> a 7.9mm unibody design;
==> a 2GB RAM that can store memory of up to 32GB;
==> an 3030mAH battery that delivers 24 hours of talk time with up to 960 hours of standby time on a 3G network.

Similarly, the Managing Director, Marketing, Jumia Nigeria, Jonathan Doerr was delighted at the strategic partnership with Phantom Z.

‘‘Tecno has revolutionalized the Smartphone market in Nigeria. They have shown that they can bring Smartphone to Nigerians at an affordable price. Tecno and Jumia are visionary brands and we hope that consumers can enjoy phantom Z”.

The Phantom Z in addition flaunts :

==> a stylish high-end back cover,
==> a dual camera complete with the first dual flash camera that allows the user to create stunning selfies at daytime or nighttime.
==> 5.2 inch, 1920x1080p Full HD screen makes use of the latest AMOLED screen technology to ensure high pixel density and high contrast ratio and with anti-scratch and anti-fingerprint surface.

Head of Public Relations, TRANSSION Holdings, Mounir Boukali, also stated that:

“What we have seen in Nigeria is an increased adoption of TECNO Mobile’s Smartphone products, the Phantom A+ was a huge success in Nigeria and we believe Nigerians are ready for a high-end Smartphone experience.”

“The Phantom Z will revolutionize how Nigerians interact with mobile technology due to the speed provided by the world’s first true Octa-core processor, Mediatek’s MT6592 developed by our technology partners MediaTek,” said Arnaud Lefebvre Head of Design of TRANSSION Holdings. “Phantom Z is truly an efficient device; that is its core offering and why we are excited about it,” he added.

Arjun Bhatt, Director of Partner Marketing, Opera Software added:

“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Tecno in bringing Nigerian mobile users a faster and smoother browsing experience. Opera Mini, which will be pre-installed on the Tecno Phantom Z device, has advanced data-compression technology that allows web pages to be compressed by up to 90%, allowing users to browse without worrying about data costs and network speeds. Nigeria is an exciting and important market for Opera and we look forward to continuing to expand here.”

Mr. Lefebvre added: “TECNO Phantom Z fuses high performance with low power consumption. We have adopted features that are second to none in the current market which makes the device a must have.”

Mr. Efosa Idehen, Head of Enforcement Unit, National Communications Commissions (NCC) said:

“I am happy to say that the Phantom Z has the capabilities that will drive maximization of our national Broadband deployment on mobile. The Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2018 objective is to promote pervasive broadband deployment; increase adoption and usage to ensure optimum service at affordable prices.”

“The extended hours of talk time makes the Phantom Z very reliable, especially for individuals with hectic schedules who need to stay in touch on a regular basis” said Mr. Boukali.

Below are some photos from the unveiling of Tecno Phantom Z:

Guests at the event

A guest experiencing the Tecno Phantom Z

Selection of lucky winners of the Tecno phantom Z

Omobaba at the event

From L-R - The Managing Director, Marketing, Jumia Nigeria, Jonathan Doerr; Head of Public Relations, TRANSSION Holdings, Mounir Boukali; Head of Enforcement Unit, National Communications Commissions, Mr. Efosa Idehen and Deputy General Manager, TECNO Mobile, Mr. Chidi Okonkwo holding the TECNO Phantom Z during the unveiling at Sheraton Hotel

How Much is Tecno Phantom Z in Nigeria?

I will update this post with the price of this new Tecno Z once it's available at Nigeria online shopping shops. 

How To Claim Your Site for Free on Alexa

Claiming your site on Alexa.com will let you take control of your site listing; a process that involves you proving ownership of the site. For you to prove that you are the owner, you will be required to upload some content or add a meta tag to your site html.

Once Alexa verifies your site, the site will appear on your Alexa Dashboard, and you'll be able to edit the site listing information. As at the time of publishing this post, you can still claim your site for FREE at Alexa.com without subscribing to any of the Alexa plans.

How?

Follow me through the steps below:

==> Sign up for free Alexa account or sign in with your Facebook account

==> Click on "add site"

==> Click on "check pricing"

==> Scroll down the page and click on the "claim a site" link. This should take you to http://www.alexa.com/siteowners/claim

==> Select Method 2

==> Copy the meta tag and add it to the <head> section of your homepage HTML i.e above <head>

•  If Blogger blog, you will see <head> by going to "Template" > "Edit HTML"
•  If Wordpress Blog, go to "Appearance" > "Editor" > Header.php

==> Once you have added the meta tag to your site html, Click "Verify my ID"

If verified, you will see "your site is successfully claimed" and "claimed" will also appear next to your blog name in your Alexa dashboard.

That's all.

NB: You don't have to enter any credit card info to claim your site for free.

Opening a PayPal Account in Nigeria with FirstBank Ltd : The Basics

Last month, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd; a leading Nigerian commercial bank with over 750 branches across Nigeria, announced their exclusive partnership with PayPal in a deal that promises to make it easier for FirstBank customers to pay and get paid globally; in a manner that is seamless, secure and convenient.

Bisi Onasanya (FirstBank Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer) & Efi Dahal (PayPal Regional Director, Sub-Saharan Africa & Israel) signing the partnership agreement.

If you don't know what PayPal means, it is a global payment service that enables you to make payments securely on the Internet, accept payments, and send or receive money without revealing your financial information. PayPal users can send and receive money, and make payments for goods and services with merchants who accept PayPal as a means of payment.

The PayPal-FirstBank Nigeria partnership syncs with FirstBank’s enhanced service solutions. Enrolment on FirstBank’s Internet Banking (FirstOnline) gives you instant access to all of PayPal’s service offerings.

Hence, FirstBank Internet-banking customers can now open a PayPal account from their FirstOnline account and use their FirstBank debit or credit card to shop and pay online on millions of websites around the world from their PCs or smartphones without having to share their card details with merchants and the reassurance of a PayPal Buyer Protection.

Opening a PayPal account in Nigeria via FirstOnline is absolutely free!

According to the FAQs page on First Bank website, a PayPal account created on FirstBank’s Internet Banking (FirstOnline) is activated and verified instantly. You do not need to go through any other form of activation or verification. As you are operating from FirstBank secure online banking environment, PayPal will trust your account and lift restrictions usually applied on new PayPal accounts.

When logged in to the FirstOnline platform, you can also select different Cards to attach with PayPal and choose the Card you wish to use when making payment. FirstBank MasterCard and Visa cards (which are enabled for online international transactions) can easily be linked to your PayPal account (Verve Acceptance is currently being explored).

How Do I Create A PayPal Account through FirstOnline?

To get started, walk in to a nearby First Bank branch to apply for First Bank Internet banking. Once activated, you can log in to FirstOnline at https://ibank.firstbanknigeria.com/ to create your PayPal account.

I've applied for FirstOnline and waiting for it to be activated. Once activated and I successfully create a verified PayPal account via the platform, I will shed more light on the Paypal account opening process.

Please SHARE this info with your friends. 

Have fun!

How To Change The Default Program For Opening pdf Files on Windows 7

After working on an invoice earlier today using Microsoft excel, I decided to convert it to pdf using primopdf software. After the conversion, the file appeared as if it is a Firefox html document on the desktop of my Samsung solar netbook (NC215).


I was surprised because Adobe Reader is installed on the PC and expect it to be the default program for opening .pdf files on the PC. I guess the association with Firefox happened because I installed it just yesterday and probably didn't notice the file associations option during the installation of the internet browser.

In this tutorial, I've decided to share with you how I changed the default program for opening pdf files on the windows 7 netbook from Firefox to Adobe Reader. Just follow me through the steps below:

==> Go to Start > Default Programs > Associate a file type or protocol with a specific program

==> Select .pdf, then click Change.

==> Select your preferred program for opening .pdf files, eg Adobe Reader

==> Click OK.

That's all.