Interview With Darko

“I think my biggest success is the fact I’ve been in the affiliate marketing business for a full 7 years”

What’s your name and how long have you been a part of HN?

My name is Darko and I have been an affiliate with HN since 2009.

What was your goal when you first started out in affiliate marketing and how does that compare to your goals now?

Actually I didn’t have any particular goal when I started out.  I was working as a dentist in my private office and since it was freshly opened I didn’t have much work. So, I decided to do something to make extra money and to make time pass faster. Today, my target is a steady business, meaning making sales on daily basis, the more the better.

How do you prioritise your time to fit affiliate marketing in around everyday life?

I see affiliate marketing as my job today, so it’s definitely one of my top priorities on regular days. Usually I start to work on my sites around 9 am and I work 3-5 hours every day. With such a schedule I really have plenty of time for my family and friends or any other activity. Of course, when I’m building a new site I know to work much more, like 12 hours or so, but it’s not often, so no complaints.

If you could start your affiliate marketing career all over again, what would you do differently and why?

I would do almost everything differently! At the beginning I knew absolutely nothing. I was never some ‘computer type’ of person, so I had to learn everything from buying a domain and hosting to installing WordPress. Obviously I knew nothing about SEO optimization or back-links and my first site was, gently said, ridiculous – it was through pure luck I made a sale at all. But, I was willing to learn and after a lot of reading, trying and failing I started to make better sites and more sales.

What has been your biggest challenge as an affiliate marketer and how did you overcome it?

I guess many had tears in their eyes after Google Penguin. My sites were completely wiped out of Google’s search results. Back then, I was using a lot of various tools for back-links and the Big G didn’t like it. So, I started everything all over again, but now with manual, quality back-linking. After several months I was back on track.

Online marketers use lots of tools, websites and resources to help build, maintain and develop their sites. What’s your go to tool or website that you cannot live without and why would you recommend others to use it too?

My favorite site is definitely smallseotools.com. There are a lot of useful tools for any affiliate marketer.

Who has been your biggest inspiration or motivator when it comes to making a success of yourself online?

My biggest motivator is my family; especially my kids. Their financial security is important, but what is more important for me is having enough time to spend with them. You know that is almost impossible when you are doing some regular job. They need us most while they are still very young – as they grow they will need us less. When will I have fun with them if not today.

What piece of advice would you give someone looking to start out as an affiliate marketer?

First, you have to be ready to learn. Second, you must be patient and even prepared to fail sometimes, but you should never surrender.

Finally, you should always speak with affiliate managers. They are the ‘glue’ that will bond everything you have learned into one meaningful whole. Don’t be afraid to ask them anything. Consult them on your sites and reviews and follow their advice. They have experience that any newbie lacks, so take advantage of their knowledge.

What’s been your biggest achievement as a HN affiliate and how did you achieve this?

I think my biggest success is the fact I’ve been in the affiliate marketing business for a full 7 years. There’s no magic formula, but if I can sublimate everything in just one word it would be persistence.

What are your goals for the next 12 months and what will you do to reach them?

I would like to last in this business for many more years and to achieve that goal I will always give 100% of myself. I don’t plan to become a millionaire, although I won’t complain if I become one someday. I’m excited about what the future will bring and I think the best is yet to come.

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