Eat Blog Talk

The Food Blogger Summit is being put together by the talented Madison Wetherill from Grace and Vine Studios and The Vine Podcast. On February 24-27, twenty different industry experts will deliver information that'll help you think smarter about the way you operate your blogging business.. all FOR FREE! Here's just a sampling of the people you will hear from in the summit.. - Eric Hochberger, CEO of Mediavine - Kami Kilgore, founder of Everything Food Conference - Matt Molen, CEO of Personalized Paths - Danielle Liss, founder of Businessese And so much more! You do not want to miss out on this incredible event! Get more info and stay in the loop by clicking here!

Diet trends and food blogging are intertwined, whether you are a diet-specific food blogger or not. Dr. Karen Lee sheds light on this subject! - How diet trends play a role in food blogging, both from a blogger and user perspective. - How to utilize recipes that adhere to specific diet plans such as Whole30, keto and paleo to diversify your blog content. - How to cater to each type of "dieter" on your blog! There is so much more packed into this episode. Join us inside!

Hina brings an incredible story to this episode as someone who followed her passion for creating delicious recipes which turned into a love for food blogging. When your gut tells you to take the road less traveled, listen up! - Patience and faith are necessary when exploring a new passion. - There's ample opportunity to make money in the food blogging space. Keep your eyes peeled for ways to support blogging as you get started. - Reconnect with your WHY as you travel through your food blogging journey. Join us inside the episode for tons of inspiration and encouragement to follow your dreams!

Learn how to incorporate the HEART framework into your blog, which will drastically improve the User Experience (UX). It's about more than just making Google happy. - Bethany walks us through each step of the HEART acronym: Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention and Task Success. - Food bloggers typically need the most help with RETENTION. How do you retain users? Bethany gives us advice about how to do a better job with this. Join us inside the episode for incredibly insightful tidbits that'll help you to focus on the user!

Join Megan as she reviews her biggest takeaways from 2019 as a food blogger and entrepreneur: 10-Email lists are important. 9-Mindset is everything! 8-Connecting with like-minded entrepreneurs is worth a million dollars. 7-Having the right people supporting you is KEY. 6-Taking the path of least resistance is not always a bad thing. 5-Sweating the small stuff is pointless. 4-Some seeds have a long germination period. 3-That very next step is the most important one. 2-EAT with HEART. 1-Time is MINE! Finally!

In this episode we explore common food blogging mistakes and how to avoid them in the first place! - Gather advice and data from trusted friends and peers. - Be consistent with posting content and place a focus on SEO. - Take online courses, but find just a few trusted teachers. - Food blogging conferences are a great resource. - Anushree talks you through ways to identify what your specific problem is if you aren't seeing a lot of traffic, and also how to fix it! - Avoid multitasking!

This episode explores the ups and downs entrepreneurs experience and the loneliness that often comes along with the territory: - The focused work and the quantity of it that entrepreneurs do can affect relationships. - Understanding whether you are an introvert or extrovert can help you navigate through your entrepreneurial journey. - Create unique sources of creativity to stay sane. - Work alongside other creators and take the focus off yourself for stretches of time. - There are cycles for everything, so use "off" seasons to reconnect with loved ones who might be missing you! - Don't ever read the comments on posts and on social media!

Levan Wee is an Instagram expert and he is passionate about this social platform. He helps bloggers find success on Instagram and shares some incredible tips that'll change your game! - Don't be afraid to showcase your personality. - Community is key. IG is taking note of every single interaction within the platform. - Go live! - There is MAGIC in the hour after posting. Take advantage of this! - Levan shares hashtag secrets inside the episode and so much more. This episode is pure gold!

You deserve ALL of the success and joy and goodness and richness that is waiting for you on the other side of your fears! Listen in for encouragement to jump in to your fears instead of running away from them. - EVERYONE experiences fear, even (ESPECIALLY!) successful goal crushers! - Entrepreneurs have to be brave enough to find a way through fear and not be stopped by it in order to propel their businesses forward. - Pinpoint something that is holding you back in your business and make a commitment to destroy all fears that surround it. - Accept fear at face value: it is a big fat liar! - Launch yourself straight into those fears in order to find success, joy, goodness and richness that is waiting for you in your business and life!

Staying on top of food trends is an important part of being a food blogger. Billy Parisi is immersed in the foodie world on many different levels. His wisdom on this topic is helpful and inspiring! - Health foods and diets are trending in 2020 and that will not be going away. - Those handy little appliances (think Instant Pot) won't be going away, either. - Consider starting your own trend. You never know, it might just take off! - Leave space for emerging trends on your editorial calendar. - Billy talks us through how to scope out trends on our own and he also shares valuable videography tips and tricks with us!

Madison talks to us about why brand messaging is so important when aiming to maintain your unique voice on your blog: - This is YOUR niche, voice and story! - It's so much more than your recipes. Your photography, writing and website colors play into it, too. - Figure out what your core message is! - Be strategic about how you present your content. - Review analytics to plan future content. Join us inside the episode for SO much more!

Josi dives into reasons why bloggers should all be tapping into their inner artist. When we take the time for this, our creativity will IGNITE! - Consider using art to inspire creativity and/or incorporate art right into your blog! - There are SO many options to explore. Hand lettering, knitting, marker art, painting, handmade gifts and poetry are just a few options to get your wheels turning. - Find that thing that sparks creativity and let things evolve. - Plan out time for creative outlets.

The most powerful secret weapon for finding success in your business is TIME! Stop working against time and learn how to work WITH it in order to open up valuable space in your life. - Stop those negative scripts about time that you recite to yourself daily. - If something is a priority for you, you can make time for it. - Time management combined with efficient systems and productivity strategies is a SUPER powerful recipe for success. - Fiercely protecting your time is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle and is sadly often dismissed. Let's find the time together in this new year so we can find success and space for all of those good things!

Creating systems in your business and life is a GAME CHANGER. It opens up space and time for so many other things. Kate Erickson of Entrepreneurs on Fire shares her systems secrets: - Plan each day the night before. - Understand the concept of decision fatigue and consider batching work to avoid reaching this point. - Take inventory, write out the steps, determine efficiencies and document--CREATE SYSTEMS that'll completely change your life.

If you are a first- or second-time food blogging conference attendee, you won't want to miss out on the valuable tips packed into this episode: - Deciding which conference is a good fit - Logistics - What to bring - What to wear - What to expect during and after the conference There's so much more waiting inside! Join us!

Do you take the time to really get to know Facebook as a business owner? Lorena shares tips for finding success inside the popular social media platform: - Real engagement is key. - Get to know your niche really well and deliver accordingly. - Analytics are your friend! - Getting to know this platform requires time and patience. - FB favors video! There is so much more waiting inside. This episode is packed with value!

Pinterest is HUGE for food bloggers! Kate takes us through some key points to keep in mind when we prepare to send our content through the world of Pinterest: - Know your audience! This holds true on Pinterest, as well! - Pin guidelines are important to keep in mind: image size, what text to include and which photos to use. - It is worthwhile to do testing to find out which styles your audience likes most from you. - Create the perfect description and now we can include post titles! - Video tips included!

If you have a huge bank of blog content, updating SEO might seem like a daunting task. Liz walks us through smart strategies that will help us wrap our heads around getting started: - Know your content and find a way to keep track of it. - Target posts that fall between positions 11 and 20 on Google. - Liz provides a helpful checklist to use a guide as you comb through old posts (think: adding alt tags, interlinking and keywords). - Remember not to compare your journey to anyone else's!

As someone who has had an inside view of the entrepreneurial world her entire life, Susie imparts her empowering and encouraging insights! - One tiny part of your job can become an important building block when you step back and view the big picture. - Susie talks us through her husband's move into her business. - There isn't always 100% bliss. Don't make big decisions in dark moments. - Diversify your income streams for long-term success!

Rachel dives into the topic of having an abundance mindset vs. having a scarcity mindset. She gives us some good tips about how to see the world (and our jobs!) through a more abundant lens: - Being aware is a good first step. - There are little things we can do in the blogging world to focus less on negativity and lack (e.g., unfollow people on social media). - Create space in your life and business for new good things. - Respond to everything with love.

Amy was able to fund her entire maternity leave as a blogger and she shares some of her strategies and tricks with us! - Make a plan and have a budget. - Outsource what you can. - Schedule ahead. - See a leave of absence as an opportunity to cut out unnecessary tasks. - Transitioning back into work can be tricky, but Amy has some pointers. - Tips for balancing work-life after taking a leave.

Get ALL the details about the four biggest and best food blogging conferences in 2020! Learn when each of the following conferences are taking place, what they cost, how they stand apart from the rest and WHY you should attend! Representatives from each conference joins us inside the episode. - Inspired Home Influencer Conference - Everything Food Conference - International Food Bloggers Conference - Tastemaker Conference

There have been SO MANY changes recently that have sent food bloggers into near panic. Traffic loss, snippet loss, revenue loss.. it's no fun to experience, especially in Q4! Try not to panic, though, food bloggers. Cycles are a part of life and despite the devastating losses we can sometimes experience as bloggers, there is always hope. There are always lessons to learn and action steps to take away from each struggle. Meet me inside for more encouragement!

Learn food blogging lessons the EASY way from a long-hauler who has learned them the hard way: - Take your business seriously: mindset is everything. - Breaks are ok (the blogging won't explode while you're away). - Learn from the experts, but be selective. - Ingrain this into your brain: this is a MARATHON, not a sprint. - Trends are important, but so are the things that make your heart sing. - Avoid being too micro-minded. SO much more is waiting inside the recipe!

Stay current with food videography as a food blogger! - Basic equipment needed to get started. - Create viral videos (and understanding that not all videos are meant to go viral). - There are different types of food videos. Learn what your focus should be! - Recommendations for length of video on different platforms. - Experimentation is key! - Repurposing footage is a great way to get the most out of the time and energy we spend on creating videos. There is so much more packed inside, so meet us inside the episode!

Imposter Syndrome is a prevalent part of our lives as food bloggers. Learn how to recognize it and work toward overcoming it! - Imposter Syndrome can become more intense the more successful you become, which seems counter-intuitive. - Allow it to help you, as strange as that may seem. Reflect on what you have to offer and use it to help shape your business plan. - There are strategies to employ that can help combat IS: community, seek help and outsource! Don gives great advice about first steps to take to get past IS. Join us in the episode to hear more!

Hiring a thriving team is an essential part of every food blogger's business. Emily shares a bit of her magic with us when it comes to knowing how and when and who to hire. - Develop a strategy. Decide which roles are needed. This involves process mapping. - Write an attractive and specific job posting. - Rate EVERYTHING. - Conduct effective interviews. Ask evidence-based questions. - Create a positive on-boarding experience. Hire slow and fire fast. Emily has a ton of helpful tips to share on the topic, so join us inside!

Launch a physical product for your business with the help of Kickstarter. - Ask yourself, "Is there something I would like to make if I had the money?" - Kate gives some ideas about which kinds of products to create to diversify your blogging income. - Kickstarter is a rewards based platform, which is part of its allure. - Those who help fund your project do not get charged until the project is complete. - Bring your audience with you AND take advantage of the Kickstarter community.

This episode is for loved ones who may need insight about how to support you as a food blogger. Dan Porta has been a husband of a food blogger for a decade and has insight to share: - Understanding that this is a JOB and respecting the time needed to get work done is key! - Be cautious about what you grab out of the fridge! - Become a time protector and help to control the chaos in order to open up space for food bloggers to get work done and be creative. - Be encouraging, share ideas, be an honest test-taster and read/comment on posts. And you HAVE to hear Dan's parting words of advice, so join us inside the episode!

Taking creative risk can seem so unsafe and scary, but food bloggers need it in their lives in order to move forward. - Say YES to things that serve you and NO to things that don't. - Push those risky boundaries! - The way to differentiate ourselves in the food blogging world is to paying attention to US. This is where you'll find the magic! - Focus on the feeling and not the numbers. - Get tangible advice from Tiffany about how to avoid burnout and how vulnerability can benefit you.

The relationship between WOMEN and MONEY is changing, thanks to this huge wave of amazing entrepreneurial women that YOU are a part of! - Being a woman entrepreneur has never been more exciting! There is so much opportunity. - We reap the benefits of having money in our lives, but there is a bigger purpose for the hustle: we can play a role in overcoming the collective powerlessness women have historically felt because of a lack of money. - WOMEN! It is ok to talk about money, it is ok to earn money and we need to think more positively about this topic.

Natalya from Momsdish gives us her best advice about how to make the transition from hobby blogging to becoming a true business woman (or man!). - Put a huge focus on SEO to start. Find tools that can help build a good foundation. - Network with other food bloggers for inspiration, encouragement and education. - Fill your mind with encouraging words and always be open to learning and growing. - Listen to advice, but follow your vision. - OUTSOURCE! - Plan and set goals.

Gear up for 2020 by developing a killer SEO strategy! Emma from Simply Recipes takes us through some great ways to strategize effectively. - Really understand Google's acronym EAT and what it means to deliver each of these components to your users. - View Google as a bridge between you and your user. - Consistency and persistence are key! - Figure out how to express your voice. It is possible! - Utilize SEO tools. They are there to help!

Creating custom products can only benefit your business! Products can immensely help to create brand awareness and identity. Barbara gives us some great ideas to get started! - Consider putting your logo on favorite items to use as giveaways (print on demand). - Consider having your own unique product ideas manufactured and sold. There is a ton of inspiration and encouragement packed inside this episode, so join us inside!

Learn how to create a welcome sequence (also referred to as a nurture sequence) that will turn into an audience of raving fans. - Start with a great lead magnet (freebie!) that will provide readers with value. - Show audience that they are appreciated right from the start by delivering quality emails they'll be excited to find in their inboxes. - Sell your favorite products and services within the first few emails. - Create a connection by personalizing communication. - There's SO much more in the episode. Meet us inside!

Delivering the best possible user experience to your audience is the MOST important thing to focus on as a food blogger wanting traction and retention. - UX design is a long-term strategy that will help you weather the algorithm changes. - There are many things to consider when keeping the user in mind, such as font size/color, sidebar and recipe card background color. - Keep HEART at the forefront (happiness, engagement, adoption, retention and task completion). - Write and create for your READER, not for Google or SEO or anyone else.

Learn how to utilize Google Search Console to create content that your users (and Google!) want and also to create an effective editorial calendar. Morgan talks us through efficient ways to navigate Google Search Console. She recommends focusing on QUERIES and honing in on what users are searching for. Build cornerstone posts/recipes based around those popular queries. Also use those queries to build a solid editorial calendar. Morgan shares so many valuable tips regarding how to navigate Console and how it will help you create quality recipes that are appropriate for your audience.

If you are a busy mom (or busy human in general) and you want insight about what you should and should not be focusing on (because time is precious!), this episode is for YOU! - SEO is important! - Keep creating that amazing content. - Compete with yourself and avoid the vortex of comparing yourself with other bloggers. - Improve your writing skills. - Find your voice. - Find and focus on your audience!

Happy 3-month birthday to EAT BLOG TALK! September 2019 brought so much value from food bloggers and other inspiring entrepreneurs. This month was jam-packed with value and wisdom on many different food blogging topics! Let us know what your biggest struggle is as a food blogger so we can help to add value to your blogs, businesses and lives!

As food bloggers we want an audience who CRAVES our content. Having followers is not the same thing as having an engaged audience. - Once you get serious about your business, creating an audience is important. - It is never too early to create a raving audience! - Define your area of expertise and tap into it. - Put a focus on your email list! - Diversify sources of revenue. - FAIL FORWARD!

Focusing on two aspects of working with brands - how to price your work and building long-term relationships: - Find a price range that speaks your worth as a blogger. - Consider your time, expenses and reach. - Don't work for free! - Always be kind when working with brands. Place value on those relationships. - Under promise and over deliver! - Know your audience and don't be afraid to dig into your stats.

Revitalize old content for a nice blog boost! - See your old content with new eyes and give photos/copy a facelift. - Get organized - determine which posts to delete, redo and no index. - Make sure all recipe cards have schema markup. - Utilize online tools to analyze content and make improvements. - Consider getting a site audit. - Set up a schedule for incorporating older content into your editorial calendar.

Learn strategies for growing your Instagram following, no matter what your following is now! - Be consistent! - Find your voice and brand. - Ways to connect with your audience. - Consider ditching scheduling tools for Instagram. - Make the most of your IG stories. And so much more!

Sarah takes us through some mistakes she made early in her blogging journey in hopes of keeping other bloggers from making the same mistakes. - Get professional help if you want to change the permalink structure of your urls. - Keep old content fresh by revising and revisiting it periodically. - Have a schema recipe card in place for every recipe post. - Keep your audience in mind when producing content. - Focus on SEO. - Build a good foundation and BE YODA. :)

Jessica shares about her incredible journey from having a very part-time food blog into a full-time, focused and cherished job. - Have patience in your journey! - Attend conferences to know which aspects of food blogging you should be focusing on and also to connect with others in the field. - Invest in yourself - treat yourself like the boss of your business! - Be consistent and take your job seriously. - Consult a financial advisor before taking the leap.

Learn how Karli gained MEGA traction on her food blog in a very short period of time. There are so many great nuggets in this episode. You are not going to want to miss this one. - Utilize Facebook groups that are connected to your niche. - Connecting with other food bloggers is hugely important. Find a trusted accountability partner! - Lifting other bloggers up is a big part of this game. - Focusing on SEO is critical. - Use Instagram to your advantage. - If you really want to do something, you are going to find the time for it.

Taking photos for your food blog does not have to be expensive! Learn how to be budget-minded while capturing pretty pictures. - Affordable options for cameras and lenses. - Cheap artificial lighting, diffusers and reflectors. - Make your own backdrops in a variety of ways to save a ton of money. - Where to find affordable dishes and props and tips for what to look for (and what to avoid). - Streamline your photography processes in order to be more efficient.

Learn WHY you should be growing your email list and how to do it effectively: - The importance of an email list. - How to nurture your list. - How you can make money with it. - Selecting an email service provider. - Optimize your site and social media to ensure you are getting as many sign-ups as possible.

Eat Blog Talk is nearing its 2-month birthday! This episode briefly recaps each of the 21 episodes that have been published and main take-aways from each. Going forward, EBT will publish episodes twice weekly - every Monday and Thursday. Let us know what your biggest struggle is as a food blogger so we can help to improve your blogs, businesses and lives!

Great discussion about the importance of connecting with other food bloggers and also a lesson in real-life, imperfect distractions (listen on to hear for yourself!): - Networking both on and offline is critical. - Attend conferences, be sincere and be supportive. - Make friends with food bloggers. - Reach out when you need help because we all need help at one point or another!