Today, we invited for the interview blogger Karol, who create blog Život podle Karol. We found out how she approaches affiliate marketing, how she got into blogging, or what was her highest commission payout. Karol is the mother, as she states, of a three-year-old who is interested in healthy eating, Montessori pedagogy, the law of attraction, barefoot, breastfeeding, clothing, or even contact parenting. She likes nature, hiking and camping. He creates content on his blog mainly for other mothers, he often shares tips on books, DYI, or games for children.
Karol, we are interested in what was your path to blogging and when did the first impulse to start a blog come?
I must say that my path to blogging was in the sense of „either or or”. I sat in the chair and said to myself, „I’m going to start a blog now,” and I started it. The impulse came some time before, when I was active on the modrykonik.cz portal and I got involved in various testers there. I really enjoyed it and I wanted to recommend more beyond what I test. But it was not allowed there and I was told to start a blog. But I didn’t want to. I had a blog before and wrote articles once a week. I forced myself into it, I had no inspiration and I knew how long it would take. But now I felt it was the right time and I wanted to build the blog directly on reviews, creation and production for children. Maternity education would be just such a supplement. So I started a blog.
Was there something that surprised you during the blogging, or that you didn’t expect?
I was surprised at how fast the number grew. During the first week I had a thousand followers and after 4 months of blogging I stood at the Hilton Hotel in Prague and participated in the Czech blog awards, where I was nominated as Cosmo Discovery. I placed 5th. At that time, Kristýna, who has the project Za normální holky, won, and model Jitka Nováčková was also in my category. So that was a big wow! It’s a lot slower now, but a lot of followers are with me from the beginning and I’m still blown away.
How time consuming is creating a blog together with raising three girls?
It’s full time and I can’t pull the brake. The train started in such a way that I can’t slow down, even though I’ve been trying for a year. It’s not like you come home from work and have fallen, turn your head and spend time at home, cooking and family. I have a blog in my head all the time. When I have time off, I plan articles, I sit down to process emails and reviews every day, and I even have dreams of other articles or what I’m planning. But the husband gets involved and helps a lot. It certainly wouldn’t be possible without him. In addition, at the end of September, I opened a babyclub here with us, which has been for children since one year. So eventually I will be forced to slow down when the covid allows.
How do you approach the now frequently discussed sharing of children on social networks? How do you approach it? Is there a type of photo that you would never share on social networks or a blog?
One needs to wake up in this. I’ve been burned several times, unfortunately. I add girls practically only to the blog page and here and there on Instagram. In stories again, there are not that many I think. And on the blog, if you notice, they are not in the articles (from trips) or they are back, but they are on youtube in videos from trips, because it somehow belongs to it. Even before I had an illustrated introductory photo, I had a photo of the girls with my back there. But I have it more emotionally, as I feel in that particular photo. I try to guard such nudity either outside in the garden or in the pools, in the bathtub. Otherwise, I can’t say, because I change and shift my opinions in various ways in the sense of tightening the bridle.
When did you first think of having your blog monetized?
I don’t even know, it’s still a word to me like a millionaire. Even when I started the blog, there was an offer of ads on the blogger that jump to the blog, but I only have a small one there and I really have literally a few crowns a month. So I couldn’t talk about any monetization as such, but I still say to myself that even if it’s a few crowns (now I mean the ads in the blogger), I won’t find it on earth.
When did you get the first offer for cooperation and how did you feel about it?
The first offer of cooperation came to me after a month, and then the second and then another, and I also received offers that, with my focus, literally shattered in the sense that they were the opposites of what I support. The first collaboration is a big deal. Such that someone really likes what you are doing and that he wants to send you something or that he has an offer for you and wants you to join the team that he likes you. This is something indescribable and I still try to take those collaborations as something that is not self-evident, as something I have to deserve. Then the second and third came right away and suddenly it went and I didn’t understand at all. Unfortunately, today’s time is already distorted and the magic is disappearing. Many profiles are created only because of collaborations and not because of the profile of a new creator, new inspiration and a new influencer, when I write it that way. But sharp eyes certainly notice and it’s a pity.
How do you approach affiliate or Contentiamo? How often do you use an affiliate and why? How does it help you?
Well, I use it much less than I could, but that’s because my theme and focus is a little different from regular commercial brands, which narrows my choice of options. If something happens, such as an interesting event for books and there is a brand with an affiliate, I will get involved. I take it that this is a great opportunity to monetize at least a little of the time you devote to it all. People can often think God knows how much money I have, but the reality is that I’ve only had Contentiamo payout twice in two years. In any case, I am happy for the opportunity, because the money will not be found on earth and every crown is in addition to the good at the maternity leave.
What programs do you most often participate in (what brands do you use through the affiliate)?
I mainly use book brands, because there is nothing else from my work and my focus in affiliate, but maybe in time there will be something else.
How do you approach the evaluation of online creators, it’s important, isn’t it? And why?
Well, that’s the question. I focus on beginning small family businesses or small creators, and I know that the expense for them is that they send me something, let alone tell them about the money. On the other hand, I know that I should already be able to evaluate my time, because that’s how many times it is really normal to work from home at work and often with overtime. I still come as a beginner and such a small beer, which has 8,000 followers and I’m quite sorry that there is a limit in marketing for paid collaborations of up to 10,000 followers, because I dare say that I have quality, detailed and honest outputs. But it also depends on the price of the reviewed product and the setting of the cooperation – how much they send and in what value and how many outputs they want. It’s a difficult topic and I admit to myself that I’m swimming in it and I’ve read many articles and the book How to network.
If it’s not a secret, what was your highest commission payout?
Well, I managed an unexpectedly great event in September, when I had a commission of over 6,000 CZK thanks to Contentiamo and I didn’t believe it until I had the money in my account. It just met a great event on books with a lot of sharing and even pre-Christmas shopping. It was unbelievable and I always thought that it was a mistake somewhere that it was not possible. I’m afraid I won’t just get over it. That was really lucky.
A secret tip to end, which would you give to some other blogger in a similar segment who is at the very beginning of blogging?
Mainly to be original, because originality has disappeared in recent years. Do not copy, imitate, but be inspired to label resources. Be yours, unique, authentic.
You can find blogger Karol on the blog Život podle Karol, Instagramu a Facebooku. Thanks for the interview.