Eat Blog Talk

In episode 454, Brooke Burks teaches us tangible strategies to manage a full-time job while growing a successful blog. Brooke Burks is the owner and head dishwasher at TheButteredHome.com. She started her blog in 2018 at the urging of a friend. In the last 5 years, she has juggled this HUGE learning curve all while working full time, being a mother to two girls and now a grandmother to a new grandson. She is an expert in consistency and planning for steady growth all while managing another career. In this episode, you'll learn the most important strategies for growing a blog while managing a full-time job, including how to stay consistent, plan content effectively and schedule time off. - When you just start blogging, Google looks for consistency. - Commit to a posting schedule that fits in with your full-time job. - Content planning can help you publish consistently. - A plan only works if you stick to it. - Take time off to avoid burn out. - Be ALL IN. If you decide to commit to this, be patient and ask for help to find the best schedule for you. - What is the best planning strategy for someone who blogs and have a full-time job? - Have an honest conversation with yourself about what you can commit to. - Be realistic in your goal of monetization. - Don't compare yourself to others who monetize their blogs quickly. Connect with Brooke Burks Website | Instagram

In episode 453, Megan chats to Danielle Wolter about how to recognize and deal with burnout by learning how to manage your time and priorities. Danielle has been a food blogger for almost 7 years at Went Here 8 This. She spent the first 2.5 years struggling not knowing anything about blogging. Then Danielle dove into learning about keyword research and grew her blog to about 175K visitors/month (currently) while starting and growing 2 other businesses and working full-time. The blog focuses on creating internationally inspired recipes as well as a strong focus on sous vide cooking as a niche. In this episode, Danielle shares how she manages her priorities and time, including the importance of quality business coaching and hiring out, so that she can take care of herself and avoid burnout. - Stop scrambling to try and do everything yourself to "save" money. - Working non-stop with no freedom can lead to burnout. - Learn to prioritize what is working and cut out unnecessary tasks. - Hire out some areas so you can better focus on what you love. - Niche down to see more additional growth. - Time block and batch tasks to improve your productivity. - What other streams of income can you invest time in? - Self care can make you a better business owner. - The benefits of keeping a journal, meditating and gratitude lists. - If you do feel burnout, talk to someone about it. Connect with Danielle Wolter Website | Instagram

In episode 452, Megan Johnson teaches us about the importance of mindset in the growth and success of our blogs and businesses. Megan took a big leap in 2021 and quit her job to become a full-time food blogger. Megan was super optimistic and excited, but then, in her first year, she failed... hard. Megan realized she had the wrong strategy. On top of that, when she didn't see success, she took that very personally. Megan has made it a priority in 2023 to fix her mindset and start pushing the limits for success with her food blog. In this episode, you'll learn why business success is not only dependent on your SEO strategy, how you drive traffic to your website or your email marketing campaigns, but also on your outlook on life and business mindset. - Make a list of everything you want to change and how you can make it happen. - Books and podcasts can teach you how to think positively. - When things don't go according to plan, give yourself grace. - Be grateful for what you have. - Acknowledge your accomplishments frequently. - Set goals, not deadlines. - Look at how far you've come, not where you're not. - Look after yourself through exercise and healthy eating - it can have a big impact on your work life. - What can you do to have a better outlook on your blogging journey? Connect with Megan Johnson Website | Instagram

In episode 451, Megan chats to Wan Na Chun about how we can develop more nutrient dense recipes, giving our readers healthier options without specific diet talk. Wan Na Chun is a registered dietitian and personal trainer. Her blog, One Pot Wellness, is focused on prioritizing self-care through nutrition, physical health, and mental health for the busy working professional. In this episode, you'll learn more about adding nutrient dense ingredients to your recipes as well as other important aspects to consider when developing healthier meals for your blog. - Why is it important to create more nutrient forward recipes? - What to consider when using words such as 'healthy' and 'unhealthy'. - Make recipes more nutrient-dense by using easy swaps, for example coconut sugar or dried fruits for a natural sweetener or oat flour instead of refined flour. - Add cultural recipes (e.g. Mediterranean, Indian, Japanese) that focus on nutrient density such as fiber, olive oil, omega 3s. - Should you claim cultural recipes are 'authentic' and how can you rephrase it? - Add valuable nutrient information in your blog posts by cross-referencing scientific articles. - Fact-check with a qualified health professional, such as a registered dietitian, if you make any qualified claims (e.g. low-carb, vegan, gluten-free). - Do it scared - if you're comfortable in what you're doing, you're not growing. Connect with Wan Na Chun Website | Instagram

In episode 450, Rebecca Eisenberg teaches us practical and unique ways to repurpose our content on social media and on our blogs, including what to do if our content goes viral. Rebecca is a journalist turned food blogger who built a career at media and tech companies like Buzzfeed, Upworthy, Medium, and Headspace, before launching The Practical Kitchen in 2019. In 2020 she got her pastry certification at Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, graduating as valedictorian of her class. The Practical Kitchen is a food blog geared toward ambitious beginner cooks and bakers, providing lots of in-depth tutorials and tips to give readers the confidence to try new things in the kitchen. The Practical Kitchen is known for unfussy, straightforward recipes, and is particularly well known for the viral mini focaccia recipe as well as other mini bread recipes that use just one cup of flour. In this episode, you'll learn exactly what Rebecca does to repurpose her content, including how she films her recipes in order to use it multiple times on social media, making it more likely to go viral. Megan and Rebecca cover the following information: - How can you get a good ROI for time spent on social media? - If you repurpose content you make less work for yourself. - Repurposing content gives more people the chance to discover you. - Unique ways to make your content reach more people and go viral. - It is beneficial to cut different versions of the same recipe. - Use and reuse existing content - don't be precious with edits! - Work smarter not harder by using the same process shots for blog posts. - How can you rework segments of videos so that they can serve multiple blog posts? - What should you do if your posts go viral? Connect with Rebecca Eisenberg Website | Instagram

In episode 449, Megan chats to Kayla Burton about the hurdles she had to overcome in order to become a full-time blogger, quitting her corporate 9-5 job, and ways in which we can make our own blogging journeys easier. Kayla founded the baking blog, Broken Oven Baking Company, in May 2020 after a few months of sharing baked treats on Instagram. She didn't know much about blogging when she started, but she got eager to dive in and learn as much and as fast as she could. At the end of April 2021, Kayla left a corporate job to pursue blogging full-time. A year later, Kayla was excited to be accepted into Mediavine. Today, you'll find Kayla coaching other food bloggers to help them achieve their business goals. In this episode, Kayla shares the details of how she transitioned seamlessly from her 9-5 job into a full-time blogging career, including learning how to shift her mindset to overcome fear, what she did before she quit her 9-5, how she dealt with her finances and picking the right website theme and host from the start. - Save up money before you decide to quit your 9-5 job. - Find one person to believe in you, even if it's yourself. - Create systems and proof that you know you can make it work before taking the leap. - The entrepreneurial route is not easy but with the right mindset you can make it a success. - Ask yourself, what is the worst case scenario and would you be able to deal with that? - Create a business entity and bank account, separate to your personal one. - Choose the right host and theme for your blog from the start. - Hire help to soften the workload and build long-lasting work relationships. - Use free food blogging resources to set you off in the right direction. Connect with Kayla Burton Website | Instagram

In episode 448, Michelle Morey teaches us how to avoid getting discouraged while blogging, especially when we experience challenges like slow traffic or seeing other bloggers succeed faster. Born and raised as a Mainer, Michelle is a stay-at-home mom who started blogging right before the pandemic. She's been working with food since graduating high school in 2004 and has successfully turned her love of food into a passionate business. Today, Michelle and her husband whom she met at the bakers they both worked at share a love of all baked goods and a love to entertain and explore beautiful Maine outdoors. In this episode, you'll learn how to avoid becoming discouraged when you experience obstacles in your blogging journey, covering topics from finding an inspirational keyword research tool to the importance of time off and not comparing yourself to others. - Find a keyword research tool that takes the load off when it comes to SEO. - Rank IQ is great for planning content - use their keyword library when you just can't be creative. - Invest in an SEO course that could help you take a more logical and analytical approach to keyword research and writing posts that would rank. - Connect with fellow food bloggers for a monthly chat provides encouragement and helps to refresh your ideas. - Take breaks when you have to. - Stop comparing yourself to others - remember "Comparison is the thief of joy". - Other bloggers probably went through what you are going through right now. Connect with Michelle Morey Website | Instagram

In episode 447, Dalia Escobar teaches us the Keyword Golden Ratio (KGR) method to find low-competition keywords that will increase our traffic by helping posts rank quickly. After bidding farewell to an engineering career, Dalia wholeheartedly embraced her blogging dreams and embarked on a new path. Cooking has always been a lifelong passion, which motivated her to open several restaurants, despite not achieving the financial success she had hoped for. However, this setback served as a catalyst for her transition into the world of blogging. Initially, Dalia began with a personal finance blog, dedicating three years to learning and refining her skills until finally, she felt confident enough to pursue her true passion and establish a food blog. In this episode, you'll learn how you can increase your traffic using the Keyword Golden Ratio (KGR) method and how to use it in combination with other keyword research tools. - How does the Keyword Golden Ratio (KGR) work? - Why does it increase traffic to your blog? - The research process that involves KGR, RankIQ, Google autocomplete, and Google directives. - What is a good ratio to look for when using the KGR? - Should you still target higher competition keywords? - Can more experienced bloggers use the Keyword Golden Ratio strategy? Connect with Dalia Escobar Website

In episode 446, Megan chats to Karin Collins about dealing with a chronic condition while building a food blog and how we can do the same by overcoming our own challenges. Karin started her blog with a severe disability. Even though she has MS, she turned her blog into a success so she knows anyone can do it. Karin is a blogger as well as a social media manager for bloggers with over 2 million followers. She is proud to also run a video business as well that shoots food videos. Karin added the title blog coach to her list of skills and offerings. She does it all from a wheelchair. In this episode, she shares how she was able to overcome her health challenges while growing a successful blog and still being able to spend time with her family and lead a balanced life. - Can you keep up with the food blogging industry while dealing with severe life challenges? - Should you be truthful to your audience about serious health issues? - How do you deal with negative comments? - Make the workload more manageable by outsourcing tasks. - How do you hire the right people for your team? - Separate food blogging from the rest of your life to keep balance. - Should you push through a bad day when you run your own business? Connect with Karin Collins Website | Instagram

In episode 445, Megan talks about how you can experience a transformation in your business in 2024 by joining the Eat Blog Talk mastermind experience. Inside the episode you will learn about: The definition of a successful mastermind group. How the EBT mastermind differs from other groups. Information about investment and discounts, including a value analysis. How to determine if you are a good fit for the group. Information about how to get started. Audio testimonials from previous and current members of the Eat Blog Talk mastermind groups. Head to the EBT mastermind page for more information and to read in-depth case studies and to apply to be in the group in 2024!

In episode 444, Jessie-Sierra Ross teaches us how to book TV food segments and why this will help us grow our audience and expand our brand. Jessie-Sierra Ross is a former professional ballerina turned food blogger and home entertaining specialist. A self-taught cook and food stylist from Boston, Jessie is the personality behind her blog, Straight to the Hips, Baby. Known for her step-by-step recipes, easy elegance, and light and bright photography style. Working alongside her photographer husband, Jessie creates food and drink recipes for her blog, and features in magazines, as well as on TV, via cooking segments on NBC, PBS, and BloomTV Network. Jessie-Sierra is currently working on her latest creative project, a floral-inspired cookbook with Schiffer Publishing. In this episode, you'll learn everything about appearing on TV to share your recipes as a food blogger, including how to find a producer and how to best prepare for your appearance on live TV. - Why is getting on TV important for food bloggers? - TV provides exposure to more diverse audiences. - Which stations should you aim to feature on? - What should you ask the producer before stepping into the studio? - What makes a great TV recipe? - Tips to prepare for your appearance. - How to chat on camera. - How to leverage your appearances for more work. Connect with Jessie-Sierra Ross Website | Instagram

In episode 443, Megan chats to Michelle Hauck about copywriting for food bloggers, including how to become a copywriter and hiring tips if you're looking to outsource your copywriting. Michelle is a copywriter for food bloggers so they can focus on their favorite part - creating, testing, and sharing their recipes. Michelle loves what she does because it helps overwhelmed foodies find joy in their business again. Many bloggers aren't aware that they can have someone write SEO packed and engaging blogs for them. That's where Michelle comes in. In this episode, you'll learn how to start a career in copywriting and if you're a food blogger looking to outsource, you'll find out how the process works. - Should I become a copywriter? - What is the difference between copywriting and content writing? - What steps should you take to become a copywriter? - Is SEO important for copywriting? - What do copywriters charge? - If you're looking to outsource, what should you look for in a copywriter? - Effective copywriting includes knowing your ideal client and CTA. - What is the process of working with a copywriter? Connect with Michelle Hauck Website | Instagram

In episode 442, Megan chats to Geo Banks-Weston about using social media, specifically Instagram, to springboard the development of a blog and/or podcast. Geo Banks-Weston is a food and culture blogger, influencer, and recipe developer based in Philadelphia. In 2014, he launched his blog, Geo's Table, where he shares recipes rooted in the African diaspora, as well as highlights black-owned businesses, and explores food's connection to Black culture. In 2019, he started his podcast, Table 86 to showcase underrepresented creators transforming the food and beverage industry. His work has been featured in Food52, The Washington Post, The Spruce Eats, and Philadelphia Magazine and he currently serves on the boards of PA Eats and Eat the Culture, combating food insecurity and supporting Black culinary entrepreneurs, respectively. In this episode, you'll learn how you can transfer the skills you gain by building a social media profile to grow your blog/podcast. - Instagram (and other social media platforms) can inspire other creative outlets. - What are the main transferable skills from social media that can help you with blogging / podcasting? - Where should you focus your energy/effort first? - Does it matter how many followers you have? - Pay attention to the types of content you're constantly engaging with and liking. - Embrace continuous learning to see more rapid growth. - What are the core 3-5 values of your brand? Connect with Geo Banks-Weston Website | Instagram

In episode 441, Rob Finkelstein teaches us about supplier diversity and its importance in the recipe development/food photography marketplace. Rob is a lawyer, practicing for over 20 years in NYC. In 2017, Rob decided to pursue his passion of baking and went to culinary school for pastry arts. After graduating, not wanting to leave the law, Rob started blogging and found Cinnamon Schtick, which was also his entry into food photography. He worked with a number of brands and came to represent lots of food photographers in connection with their contracts and business set ups. Rob also spent more than 10 years as a volunteer with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) where he was Chair of Supplier Diversity for New York and also a Co-Chair of the National Legal Industry Council, facilitating opportunities for LGBT owned businesses with majority owned companies. In this episode, you'll learn what is meant by supplier diversity and why it may be beneficial to your blog and business. - Does supplier diversity apply to you? - Big companies are looking to fill their diverse supplier quota. - How can you get certified as a diverse supplier? - Understand the importance of making brands aware of supplier diversity. - Once you get certified, what should you do? - How does supplier diversity benefit you as a food blogger? Connect with Rob Finkelstein Website | Instagram

In episode 440, Megan chats to Tara Smithson about why going viral is often bad for your business and 6 tips that will help you stay motivated as you set healthy, long-term goals. Tara enjoys creating quick and easy recipes for busy people, who love the flavor, but lack time. Tara's intention is to make cooking less intimidating by sharing easy recipes that will begin to help people get inspired to cook delicious food. In this episode, you'll find out why setting long-term goals instead of focusing on immediate income and short-term success hacks, like going viral, is important for a fulfilling food blogging career. - Focus on a few activities instead of being all over the place. - Take pleasure in watching your growth over time. - Should you expect to make money from blogging at the start? - Are you passionate enough about food content creation? - Find your own path to success and enjoy the process. - Learn how to deal with people who struggle to understand what you do. - Should you get involved in the food community? Connect with Tara Smithson Website | Instagram

In episode 439, Tammy Spencer teaches us about being open to learn about all different aspects that go into successful food blogging. Tammy started Scotch & Scones in 2017 as a way to keep track of her whisky-tasting notes and share her experiences of having fun baking. In 2019, she devoted herself full-time to developing her site for commercial success, learning about the business of growing a blog from the ground up. Since then, she's applied her culinary school training by sharing recipes and tips for desserts, bread, and other goodies that home cooks will feel confident creating. In this episode, Tammy shares common blogging mistakes she made when she started and what she would've done differently. - Choose your blog theme wisely. - Play with recipes and think outside the box. - Take food photographs that attract readers. - SEO is essential and why you should get your site audited. - Why it's worth getting help with the tech side of your blog. - Accept that you'll always be learning. Connect with Tammy Spencer Website | Instagram

In episode 438, Megan chats to Breanna about how to land paid brand deals as a small creator. Breanna started on Instagram in January 2023 and then followed with a food blog in February 2023. She always had a passion for writing and cooking but never thought that she would be able to do something like this. Breanna loves sharing easy meals that are family-friendly and perfect for those with busy schedules. She has been doing this full-time as of last month and wants to share how she was able to land a brand deal with less than 2k followers on Instagram. In this episode, you'll learn Breanna's strategy for landing attractive brand deals that align with your expertise and values. - You don't need 10k followers to land brand deals. - What are the essentials of a successful pitch? - What is the difference between email and DM pitches? - Make sure you are an expert in your proposed service(s). - How many brands should you pitch per day? - Stand firm on your rates. - Does the proposed deal align with your brand values? Connect with Breanna Website | Instagram

In episode 437, Megan chats to Jessica Scully about dealing with the uphill battles in blogging, especially when you see a dramatic, instant drop in traffic. Jessica began her journey into food blogging after her family had a house fire and had to move out for 11 months. Blogging became a hobby to distract her mind that then grew into a business. A former gym owner, personal trainer, and homeschool mom to her 5-year-old, Jessica has been running the food blog since 2015 and has seen her fair share of ups and downs. In this episode, you'll learn about potential reasons why your website traffic suddenly drops and what steps you can take to get your traffic back. - What to do when your blog traffic plummets. - How not to get discouraged. - How to diversify your site traffic. - Consider getting help from the outside. - How to re-motivate yourself when you feel defeated. - Where to focus your efforts for the most impact. Connect with Jessica Scully Website | Instagram

In episode 436, Megan chats to Candice Ward about how to convert 75% of cold pitches to closed opportunities using a tried and tested sales process. Candice is the Founder of Eat More Cake Dessert Blog, Food Photographer, Educator and Sales Expert. Candice spent over a decade in corporate sales and translated that experience to help other food content creators monetize and scale their business. She has coached hundreds of food content creators inside her business course, The Confident Pitch Program. She is passionate about helping other food bloggers reach their full potential. In this episode, you'll learn how to find the right brands at the right time and how to pitch confidently to close most of your sales opportunities. - What is the sales process and how will it help our businesses? - Streamline your workflow and take away the guesswork when it comes to pitching. - What is prospecting and how can you find the right brands? - Research brands that you are interested in to assess their budget and needs. - Spark a brand's interest and tactfully suggest improvements. - To make a sale you have to approach a brand at the right time. - What should you do when brands ghost you? Connect with Candice Ward Website | Instagram

In episode 435, Carmen Spillette teaches us the latest strategies to grow our blogs and gain success in the food blogging industry, especially if we're just starting out. Carmen is a food blogger and stay-at-home mom from Canada. Carmen started her food blog in the spring of 2022. It has always been her dream to share her recipes and once she started she has never looked back. Last year, Carmen gained 106,000 followers on Instagram in 5 months and she's excited to have recently qualified for Mediavine. In this episode, you'll learn the latest strategies to grow your blog if you're a new blogger. - What does it mean to treat your blog like a business? - Why should you treat your website like you built a store? - Is videography really important for food blogging these days? - The importance of posting EVERY DAY. - Use project-management software and AI to your advantage. - Expect to put in long hours at the start to make your business work. - Learn time-management strategies like batching, from successful people. Connect with Carmen Spillette Website | Instagram

In episode 434, Megan chats to Amy Reid about imposter syndrome, what causes it, how it affects our businesses and how to overcome it. Amy started her blog, Baking with Granny in 2015, as a way to document her mother's (her kids Granny) recipes. Within a couple of years, Amy gave up full-time employment to make money blogging. She then became a single mum and the pressure was on to make it work. 8 years later and Baking with Granny has excelled past any expectations she could have ever had for it. In this episode, Amy shares her journey of dealing with imposter syndrome while trying to make a success out of her blog, including why we may feel like we don't deserve success and tips to overcome imposter syndrome and embrace our full potential. - What is imposter syndrome? - Why do we feel like we don't deserve success? - It may feel like our achievements mean nothing. - How do we overcome feeling like a fraud? - Community is essential in overcoming imposter syndrome. - Recognize the work that goes into blogging. - Fake it until you make it. - Explore deeper than just your work - what other reasons contribute to imposter syndrome? Connect with Amy Reid Website | Instagram

In episode 433, Megan chats to Alexis Leonhardt about different ways to use RankIQ to grow your blog. Alexis is founder of the blog, Fancy Apron, which shares upscale recipes that everyone can make. She cooks lots of Traeger recipes, weeknight dinners, and shares tips for shopping at Costco. She started the blog 3 years ago and has had a slow start, but 2023 is bringing big growth. In this episode, Alexis explains how she uses RankIQ for keyword research to help her write blog posts that rank quickly. - Make keyword research faster. - What to do for new posts and how to optimize old content. - Why it's important to find your niche. - Write blog posts faster. - How to incorporate round-ups and non-recipe posts into your blog. - RankIQ is a guide for finding non-recipe posts. - Use as a guide for scheduling content and batch working. Connect with Alexis Leonhardt Website | Instagram

In episode 432, Adam Sobel teaches us how to monetize and market online cooking classes as well as the technical details of running such classes. Adam Sobel is the chef and owner of The Cinnamon Snail, an award-winning vegan food truck, restaurant, and catering company serving New York and New Jersey. Adam has cooked at the James Beard House, represented the USA at the World Street Food Congress in the Philippines, and teaches cooking at the Institute for Culinary Education, De Gustibus Cooking School, and independently online. Adam has appeared on the food network, Cooking Channel, PBS, and several networks, and is the author of the popular cookbook Street Vegan. He has had a lot of success with The Cinnamon Snail, which has rose to become one of the country's most sought-after food trucks. In 2014 The Cinnamon Snail was the #1 highest-rated place of any kind to eat in NYC and the #4 highest place of any kind to eat in the entire USA on yelp.com. In this episode, you'll learn 3 ways in which you can monetize your online cooking classes, how to set them up, make them look professional and market them effectively. - How to sell live class sales using Eventbrite. - Which platform should I use for my cooking classes? - Manage a class subscription and class recording sale. - How to make classes look professional and edited, even if it's just you. - Equipment breakdown: OBS, switchers, audio, lighting and camera management. - How to market cooking classes through a blog, email marketing and retargeting on social media. Connect with Adam Sobel Website | Instagram

In episode 431, Megan chats to Shanika Graham-White about how to incorporate videography into our businesses and why it is essential in today's video-focused social media world. Content creator and recipe developer, Shanika, is part kitchen 'ninja' and connoisseur of interior decorating (hence her passion for beautifully staged food photos and videos). She is a self-taught cook and baker, who has partnered with top brands like Ripple Foods, So Delicious Dairy-Free, Vitamix and California Olive Ranch, to be the source for comfort food and sweets, with a healthy twist. She desires to help others turn the 'little' that they have into something magical - great food. On her blog, Orchids + Sweet Tea, you will find traditional dishes using organic ingredients as well as dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan versions of your old and new favorites. In this episode, Shanika talks through her videography workflow, equipment and tips for creating captivating videos. - How to best transition to videography in a video focused social media world. - Translate food styling/photography into the space of videography. - The new age of food blogging and the need for social media AND SEO. - The best equipment to get started in food videography (for the novice and expert). - How to manage content creation, using techniques like batching. - Avoid trends and "burnout" in the new video age. Connect with Shanika Graham-White Website | Instagram

In episode 430, Jaimee Campanella teaches us how to take back control of our time to meet our goals and lead balanced lives. Jaimee Campanella is a time strategist and productivity consultant who mentors and guides parents, professionals, and entrepreneurs to take control of their time. She is the creator and principal facilitator of the Time Power program which gives people the essential tools and strategies to avoid overwhelm and tame chaos to regain control of their time for good. In this episode, you'll learn more about how our mindset about time is crucial to make sure we set the right priorities, focus on what we love and block time off. - How do you overcome limiting beliefs around time? - Free yourself of the time scarcity mindset by changing the way you speak about it. - How can you feel in control of your time? - Why do bloggers struggle with time management? - What are common time management mistakes and how can we solve them? Connect with Jaimee Campanella Website | Instagram

In episode 429, Megan chats to Samantha Erb about how she grew her Instagram account to more than 82K followers mainly using reels. Samantha is the busy woman behind Everyday Family Cooking for the last 4 years. She began the blog in the summer of 2019 and worked her way through COVID growing the blog while being mom to two small kids at home. Since then, Sam has grown the site tremendously along with her Instagram account to 82.5K mainly using reels. In this episode, Sam shares her Instagram growth strategy in detail, including how she edits her videos, if and how she chooses trending sounds and how she uses captions to her advantage. - What do you gain from building a community on Instagram? - What kind of videos do well? - Repurpose your existing videos to create a bank of reels. - How to pick sounds that will give you more views. - How to select hashtags (including volume). - What determines if a reel will do well once it's posted. - What videos/recipes will work best (niched, curiosity, ooey gooey, over the top etc). Connect with Samantha Erb Website | Instagram

In episode 428, Ty Kilgore teaches us the 5 biggest mistakes food bloggers make in their SEO journey. Ty Kilgore has been geeking out on SEO and Digital Marketing for over 14 years. He loves getting results and has successfully increased rankings for over 150 major sites in over 40 industries. He founded Everything Digital Marketing in order to share his passion and to clearly instruct, guide, and help influencers overcome the frustrations related to SEO and Digital Marketing. In this episode, you'll explore SEO tips for food bloggers, especially how to avoid the biggest SEO mistakes food bloggers make and how to optimize your page for the right keywords. - Bloggers tend to copy and model the wrong examples for their blog. - Why is domain authority crucial for your SEO strategy? - Write for your end user in mind. - What is your unique point of view? - How do you avoid optimizing your page in the wrong way (putting the wrong keyword everywhere)? - How to leverage internal and external links. - What is the number 1 tip for SEO success? Connect with Ty Kilgore Website | Instagram

In episode 427, Megan chats to Joanne Stekler about lessons she learned as an academic and how she has applied those to grow her blog. Joanne is a lifelong baker, but it wasn't until 2020 when she was stuck at home with her elementary school child, that she started baking and cooking with a purpose. You'll find recipes on the Ugly Duckling Bakery blog that she makes for her family, ranging from 30-minute weeknight meals to more complicated weekend cooking, baking projects made from scratch, and classic cocktail variations. Joanne hopes to share some of the science and history, tips and tricks to understand how and why recipes work, and enough foundation so that readers can start to create their own recipes. In this episode, Joanne explains how she balances life as a doctor with food blogging, the lessons she learned from academic medicine and why they are relevant to food bloggers. - Your path is your path - avoid comparing yourself to others - Accept that nothing is ever going to be perfect. - Persistence pays off, but you can't just rely on hard work. - Why is self-promotion critical to success? - Be open to learn, even from someone who has less experience than you. - How do you deal with having too much to do? - Understand the importance of saying 'no'. Connect with Joanne Stekler Website | Instagram

In episode 426, Alexandria Drzazgowski teaches us how to keep track of our blog content and it repurpose easily using AirTable. Alexandria Drzazgowski is the food blogger behind The Foreign Fork, a project where she is cooking a meal from every country in the world. After backpacking to 15 countries in Europe and taking cooking classes in each one, Alexandria decided to take her project of cooking-around-the-world home with her. She started her blog in 2018, and to date has cooked over 400 recipes from over 85 countries. The Foreign Fork has been featured in Buzzfeed, The Detroit News, and Elite Daily and is the recipient of the Saveur Blog Award for Most Groundbreaking Voice. Most importantly, Alexandria is proud to have helped over 5 millions readers across the world Put Some Culture in their Kitchen. In this episode, you'll learn about repurposing content and efficient ways of organizing and keeping track of your blog content using AirTable. - Why should you repurpose content? - How to develop a system to repurpose content. - Why does AirTable make repurposing content easy? - Different ways to use AirTable to organize and repurpose blog content. - How to start getting your AirTable setup. - How long should you wait before you repurpose content on the same platform? - Tips for sharing content across social media platforms. Connect with Alexandria Drzazgowski Website | Instagram

In episode 425, Megan chats to Ally Kepley about how to maintain a healthy relationship with Instagram and our mobiles devices. Ally is a home baker who grew up baking with both of her grandmothers since she was little. Ally started creating her own recipes at age 11 or 12 and was on a roll through becoming a stay at home mom. She decided to create a recipe website a little over a year ago out of a desire to bake full time and have more freedom and time with her son. Ally's blog is catered towards those who want to make elevated recipes that are approachable to anyone. In this episode, Ally reveals how she improved her relationship with Instagram while growing her blog, including setting boundaries regarding how much time she spends on the app, when and how she posts and responds to comments. She also shares personal growth techniques to help keep you on track with your goals. - Why is Instagram like a "toxic boyfriend"? - It is hard to keep up with Instagram's algorithm changes in a sustainable way. - How to make a real plan to deal with the challenge of delayed gratification? - Personal growth tips to help set healthy boundaries. - Keep the big picture in mind while taking steps to reach your goals with your blog. - Why do we become addicted to our phones? - Use your time wisely and practice gratitude. Connect with Ally Kepley Website | Instagram

In episode 424, Matt Briel teaches us several ways to use a book as a growth tool for our business and how to go from idea to published author. Commonly described as equal parts loud music, Disney culture, tattoos, and book nerd, Matt Briel is an entrepreneur and the Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Lulu.com. After more than 15 years leading Sales and Marketing teams in the Media & Publishing spaces, he's developed a unique passion for helping creators become more successful by leveraging books as a catalyst for opportunities and sustainable revenue. In this episode, you'll learn more about the benefits of publishing a book or cookbook, including how it can help build your brand and provide you with more business opportunities. - Publishing a book is the best way to build credibility and increase visibility. - What are the advantages of being a published author? - A book is an alternative way of monetizing your content. - Create a physical touch point for your digital community. - Is self-publishing or traditional publishing better? - Having a published book helps you land speaking gigs. - What is Lulu and how can it benefit food bloggers who want to publish a book? Connect with Matt Briel Website | Instagram

In episode 423, Megan chats to Nicole Liloia about being burned out as an entrepreneur, how we can avoid it, including tips for building multiple income streams efficiently. New Jersey-based Nicole Liloia is a small business coach and strategist. Over the course of her 9 years in this business, she has helped over 500 service providers build their businesses and diversify their income streams through her signature Bigger Business Bootcamp and Grow Your Income Mastermind. Her Facebook group supports over 10,000 entrepreneurs by giving them real, unmatched support and resources to get to that next level in their business. In this episode, you'll find out what causes burn out, how to be more productive without exhaustion and why multiple income streams can help us avoid burnout. Nicole further shares tips for how to decide which income streams are right for you. - We thrive on being busy. - Even if you love your work, working all the time leads to burn out. - How can entrepreneurs alleviate burnout? - Why do entrepreneurs need multiple income streams? - How do you decide what income streams are suitable for you? - What does your audience struggle with that you can provide a solution for? - If you outsource tasks, you can get time back. - Are you scheduling your day effectively? - Spend time on what is going to bring in money in your business. Connect with Nicole Liloia Website | Instagram

In episode 422, Lauren Sawant teaches us how to think like an editor and incorporate editing techniques into our blog and cookbook writing. Lauren Sawant is a freelance editor specializing in cookbooks, recipes, and food writing. She has worked in and adjacent to the food and beverage industry for over 15 years, including three years as a pastry cook. She has been a freelance editor since 2021. In this episode, you'll learn more about different editing techniques, when you should hire an editor, in depth guidelines for editing content yourself and what writing mistakes to look out for. - What does a cookbook and recipe editor do? - Benefits of incorporating editing techniques into your brand. - Tips for editing social media and website copy. - Become familiar with common missteps in recipe writing. - How to "work like an editor". - What is a style sheet and what are the benefits of creating one? - What should you know about hiring an editor? - Red flags to look out for when you're looking for an editor to work with. Connect with Lauren Sawant Website | Instagram

In episode 421, Megan chats to Caitlin Ritchie about how to establish a blog's identity through strong branding and photography. Caitlin is a brand strategist/professional photographer turned blogger. While continuing to work as a branding and photography consultant, she is growing her blog The Rooted Farmhouse, a gardening, food and slow living blog. In this episode, you'll learn how to stay true to your voice and niche as you establish your brand identity. Caitlin also shares tips on how to strengthen your brand through using photography. - A strong brand is essential to help you grow a bigger audience. - What is branding? - Can you have a strong brand with a limited budget? - Why should you stay cohesive with your branding on social media? - Tools to help you stay on brand and consistent - How templates increase your productivity and help you stay on brand. - Create an identity in your photography. - What are presets and how can you use them to save time with your editing workflow? Connect with Caitlin Ritchie Website | Instagram

In episode 420, Megan chats to Marley Braunlich about how to stand out to brands and establish long-term partnerships with the brands you love. Marley has been food blogging for a little over 1 year. She started working full-time for an SEO agency one month later. During this time, she grew her Instagram audience to 13k followers and started working with brands to earn a side income while the blog matured and she continued to pour into the blog. Marley has learned how to successfully land brand deals and form long-term partnerships and shares her tips in this episode. You'll learn how to land your first brand partnership, what to include in your pitch email and ways in which you can set yourself apart so that brands want to continue working with you. - DM brands on Instagram, show genuine interest and knowledge of the brand. - Create your pitch email early on and revise as you gain experience. - Have a portfolio you feel proud of (doesn't have to be perfect right away). - Should you include examples of past client work or successful social posts/metrics in your pitch? - How can you add a human touch and stand out even more in your pitch? - Why does it help to ask a question or have a CTA in your email? - Stay consistent and keep trying, sooner or later you will land your first brand deal. - What are the best practices when you work with a brand? - What should you do if you don't hit target metrics with content for brands? Connect with Marley Braunlich Website | Instagram

In episode 419, Rob Finkelstein teaches us how to protect our business and brand name by forming a business entity. Rob is a lawyer, practicing for over 20 years in NYC. In 2017, Rob decided to pursue his passion of baking and went to culinary school for pastry arts. After graduating, not wanting to leave the law, Rob got started blogging at, http://www.cinnamonshtick.com, which was also his entry into food photography. He worked with a number of brands and came to represent lots of food photographers in connection with their contracts and business set ups. They all inspired Rob to create an online course about contracts specifically for food photographers. In this episode, you'll learn more about the details of forming a business entity, including liability protection, finances and the differences between various entities. - Why form a business entity? - The importance of having a separate business bank account. - How to choose a name for your business/brand. - Why searching your brand name on the USPTO website is critically important, even if you have been using your brand name for years. - Types of business entities and which is best suited for food bloggers. - How to form an LLC and useful resources to do so. Connect with Rob Finkelstein Website | Instagram

In episode 418, Megan chats to Allie Petersen about strategies to grow our domain authority as bloggers. Allie is a plant-based food blogger who creates small batch vegan recipes for the busy individual. She has followed a plant-based lifestyle for 6 years and loves sharing her passion for easy, healthy cooking. Allie is dedicated to teaching others about the plant-based diet and showing them simple ways to cook vegan meals. In this episode, you'll find out how to increase your domain authority by using backlinks, keywords and other strategies. - What is DA and how to use it? - Do's and don'ts for backlinks. - Use HARO or Quora to reply to expert questions. - How to build posts to top ranking positions for natural backlinks. - Which keywords to go for to increase your DA? - Why Facebook roundup posts are effective. Connect with Allie Petersen Website | Instagram

In episode 417, Vinessa Knabbe teaches us how to be confident food bloggers, talking about our jobs without hesitation, regardless of where we're at in our blogging journey. Vinessa and her family live in Long Beach, New York, a barrier Island on Long Island. Vinessa loves the beach and everything that goes along with it, heat, tan skin, sand on her feet and being outside as much as possible. She loves the heat in the kitchen also as she comes from an Italian family full of cooks. Inspired by her love of cooking, she shares family recipes on her blog, Vinessa Rae. Her skills come mainly from her grandmother, Annette, who is no longer with us but she feels close to her every time she's in the kitchen, and her mom who still amazes her with things she makes and comes up with. In this episode, she shares how she went from feeling uncomfortable talking about her job as a food blogger to being able to promote her blog without fear. Learn more about being a confident blogger and treating your blog as a business from the start. - When and why you should treat your blog as a business from the start. - Don't downplay your blog because otherwise others will do the same. - Businesses take time to grow and become profitable. - Why you shouldn't be afraid to talk about and promote your blog. - The positive feedback you'll receive from sharing "what you do for work". - What opportunities will you find once you overcome this? - Understand the value that you provide to your community. Connect with Vinessa Knabbe Website | Instagram

In episode 416, Megan chats to Amanda Polick about how to write a cookbook and intentionally build your platform without getting overwhelmed. Amanda Polick is a cookbook and food memoir coach. Through their work together, clients have landed Big 5 publishing deals and secured media clips for publications including Food 52 and The Los Angeles Times. Her work has been featured by Cooking Light, Time, Southern Living, and Food & Wine, and she's a proud member of the Cherry Bombe community. In this episode, you'll find out more about the process of writing a cookbook, including how to write a book proposal, identifying why people would love your cookbook more than others and what happens once your book proposal gets accepted? - Tell stories beyond the recipes you include. - The book proposal is your cookbook's business plan. - Why will people pick up your book rather than others? - How to get a publishing deal? - How can you stand out in a saturated market by owning your voice? - You can truly show your personality in your email marketing. - Write through your resistance when you feel blocked during the process. - What's the first thing you should do to start your cookbook writing process? Connect with Amanda Polick Website | Instagram

In episode 415, Ryan Allen teaches us how to monetize our sites and get 100k page views in 30 days. Ryan has been a food blogger for just under a year. Ryan knew when he started blogging, he wanted to be able to monetize as quickly as possible. So he planned to leverage Facebook and Facebook groups to reach 100K page views in his first 30 days. In this episode, Ryan shares in detail how he used Facebook to gain traction for his blog. Find out how you can implement his Facebook marketing strategy to increase traffic and monetize your own blog. - Be able to look at your content objectively. - What is the quickest way to grow as a new blogger? - Use Facebook groups socially. - The more you help and interact with others, the more they'll do the same for you. - The more consistent you are, the more success you'll find. - What are the advantages of Facebook groups compared to your own pages? - How to get quality traffic from Facebook that won't affect your RPM? - What types of recipe content performs best? Connect with Ryan Allen Website | Instagram

In episode 414, Megan chats to Eric Samuelson about common mental health issues food bloggers struggle with and how they can keep on top of their blogs regardless of what they experience in their day to day life. Eric runs the blog, Eat Like No One Else - the place to learn how to enhance the way you eat through learning of specialty foods and ingredients and how to make the most amazing food at home. At Eat Like No One Else, they solidly believe in the philosophy "if you teach a man to fish..." . In 2022, Eric introduced a podcast, Eat Shop Waste Not, that teaches people how to source the most delicious groceries without wasting food or a single penny. In this episode, you'll learn about common mental health issues bloggers experience, including feelings of isolation, anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. - Why is food blogging so mentally tasking? - Evaluate your work-life balance. - How does income affect your mental health? - Tips to deal with the anxiety of blog analytics. - Perfectionism increases your stress-levels. - Everyone's life situation is different - identify what you struggle with mentally. - Understand your "why", it will keep you on track. - Don't try to do more than you are realistically able to do. Connect with Eric Samuelson Website | Instagram

In episode 413, Aleka Shunk teaches us effective keyword research strategies, sharing tips about which search volumes to target, how to analyze competition and which mistakes to avoid. Aleka is the founder of Aleka's Get-Together, a food and entertaining blog, and Keywords With Aleka, a keyword research school for bloggers. She has a Master's Degree in Teaching, Learning and Curriculum and was a teacher for ten years. Aleka took her expertise as both a teacher and blogger to create courses to help others learn how to navigate and excel at a small, but important, piece of SEO: keyword research. In this episode, you'll learn how to do keyword research to maximize traffic coming to your website no matter where you are in your blogging journey. - You can naturally rank for more than one variation of a keyword. - What do you do if the search volume is low for your particular keyword? - What should we do with keywords with high competition? - Track your higher ranking posts. - It's really important to keep readers on your site. - How should you analyze your competition? - Why you should invest in keyword research tools. - What are common keywords research mistakes? Connect with Aleka Shunk Website | Instagram

In episode 412, Megan chats to Kristin Weeks about how to set healthy habits that help us push through hard times and grow our businesses in the long-run. Kristin started her blog 3 years ago with the passion to teach others how to cook more homemade meals, bake with sourdough, and how to start a backyard garden to grow fresh produce. Since then, Kristin's journey has had a lot of ups and downs. A year ago she decided to take her blog and business seriously and that had a lot to do with habits, routines, and mindset. By working on herself first, she found she was able to focus. The hard work turned her hobby into a viable business, going from a few thousand sessions a month to qualifying for Mediavine within a year. In this episode, you'll learn how to identify areas in your life you'd like to improve, setting positive, lasting habits that will help you achieve your goals. - Do you feel ready to put everything you have into your blog? - Which areas of your life would you like to improve? - Your strengths are just as important as your weaknesses. - How important is your morning routine? - Have you incorporated fitness into your routine? - Tailor each morning to what you need in the day. - Habits that you enjoy are easier to keep. - Focus on the result in order to love the process. - Why is it important to remember the milestones we achieve along the way? Connect with Kristin Weeks Website | Instagram

In episode 411, Sabrina Currie teaches us how to up our writing game by focusing on clear, concise blog writing that shows our personalities while providing accurate information about our recipes. Sabrina started her career in food right after high school by attending cooking school. After doing a few different jobs in the food industry, she went into the healthcare field. She eventually found herself needing a creative outlet so she picked up a DSLR and started photographing food and nature. After taking a Wordpress blogging course, Sabrina decided to start a food blog and after a while wanted to make it more than a hobby. She has steadily increased her web traffic by scheduling an audit by Casey Markee and using tools like RankIQ and Keysearch. Her days are spent working half time in a hospital and half time blogging and writing while enjoying being a wife and mom. In this episode, you'll learn about small tweaks you can make to your writing to make it more accessible and appealing to your readers. - Answer simple questions about your recipe to create a clear context. - Who will your recipe be great for? - Where will you enjoy eating a given recipe - use vivid visuals. - Why should they make a recipe? - Along with your step-by-step photos, answer: How do you make this? - Be descriptive but concise. - Show EAT (expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness) through your writing. - Should we use AI to help us write blog posts? Connect with Sabrina Currie Website|Instagram

In episode 410, Megan chats to Jenna Urben about what we need to do now in our businesses to be able to take a significant amount of time off later on. Jenna is the content creator of The Urben Life, a food and lifestyle blog where she shares allergy-friendly recipes and travel guides. Jenna started blogging about 5 years ago and was immediately drawn to the community aspect. Over the years, she realized there was a need for more transparency in the creator space. So she went on to create Bloggerbytes to provide bloggers and influencers with resources and tools they can use to thrive. In this episode, you'll learn how to prepare blog posts, social media and email marketing in advance so that you can take time off when you want. - Have checklists ready to check what you can do ahead of time. - Post your content now so that it works for you when you're taking time off. - Do's and don'ts for scheduling out social media. - Why is a Canva subscription life-changing? - Save money by curtailing subscriptions you don't use. - Tips for scheduling out emails ahead of time. - Use automation tools like Zapier. - Should you let people know that you're taking time for yourself? - Turn off all notifications on your phone. - Should you reply to DMs? Connect with Jenna Urben Website |Instagram

In episode 409, Laura Tobin teaches us how to treat our blogs like actual businesses, getting into the right mindset and talking about our business with confidence. In 2018, Laura's husband suddenly passed away, and she became a single mom with two teenage sons and no income. In 2019, Laura decided to focus on a food blog that she'd started previously as a hobby and turn it into a viable business. Applying her technical and business skills, Laura was successful in joining Mediavine one year later. The last 4 years, Laura has worked as a single mom of two sons, while growing a business with limited time and resources. In this episode, you'll learn how to think about your blog to develop it into a business, including being able to confidently discuss your work with other people and break down food blogger stereotypes. - How do you answer when someone asks you what you do? - Why are food bloggers underrated? - Develop an entrepreneurial mindset. - What are the 5 stages of developing a startup? - Stay true to your blog mission statement and vision (i.e. values). - It takes more or less 5 years to become profitable. - Track your time to understand how to improve your efficiency. Connect with Laura Tobin Website

In episode 408, Megan chats to Miriam Schulman about why embracing our inner uniqueness can take us from being a starving artist to a well-paid and well-known one. Miriam Schulman is an artist and founder of The Inspiration Place podcast, where she helps other artists learn how to profit from their passion or become better artists. She's helped thousands of artists around the world develop their skill sets and create more time and freedom to do what they love. Her art and story have been featured in major publications including Forbes, The New York Times and the Art of Man. The Inspiration Place podcast is in the top 1% of all podcasts and is listened to in over 100 countries. In this episode, you'll learn why you should embrace your weirdness and how it can help you become a successful artist. Miriam shares various tips from her new book with HarperCollins Leadership Arpreneur. - How can we stand out? - Let go of people-pleasing tendencies to make yourself more marketable. - Idiosyncrasies make you more relatable. - Your authenticity will make you memorable. - Don't worry about repeating yourself. - Should you share your values? - Be authentic in order to build a following. - Why is email marketing more effective than social media? Connect with Miriam Schulman Website | Instagram

In episode 407, Jazzmine Woodard teaches us about DEI (diversity, equality and inclusion) and how to create inclusive content in our niche to make as many people as possible feel included and valued. Jazzmine has balanced growing her food and travel blog, Dash of Jazz, with a corporate career in DEI for the last 8 years. In this time, Jazzmine has learned how to be inclusive in her content approach without alienating her niche audience. She has also cultivated an audience that engages with both food and travel content. In this episode, learn about DEI and how to avoid alienating your readers. Jazzmine discusses how we can position ourselves as teachers while respecting our readers' different tastes and making our content as accessible as possible. - Respect your readers' differences (i.e. in opinion and taste). - Using captions on social media videos and alt text. - Does each person have equal opportunity to enjoy your content? - People who do feel included, really feel included by the extra measures we take. - How can you make your links more inclusive? - Be aware of the language you use to describe your recipes. - How to be culturally aware on your blog. - Provide as much information as possible for recipes. Connect with Jazzmine Woodard Website | Instagram

In episode 406, Megan chats to Liam Smith about how food bloggers can launch their own memberships to create a new revenue stream from existing recipe content. Liam has 10+ years experience in tech, working Fortune 500 companies and growing start ups. Through a series of fortunate events, Liam was able to combine his passion for tech and desire to help people eat better to create MealPro App - a platform helping food bloggers to launch their own memberships with their existing recipe content. In this episode, you'll find out why Liam started the app, how you can set it up, why this kind of membership is beneficial for your readers and how it can earn you additional income. - Use the app to develop a new stream of income. - Repurpose the existing recipe catalog on your blog. - How easy is the app to use? - Integrate it into your existing blog domain. - Who is the end-user of the meal-prep plan? - Take back control of your content. - It's important to decide how you want to package your membership. - What is the earning potential of the app? Connect with Liam Smith Website | Instagram

In episode 405, Natasha Levai teaches us how to stay motivated as we wait for our food blogs to grow. Natasha is a half-Russian, half-Ukrainian living in Eastern Hungary with her family. Her food blog, Natasha's Home, focuses on gluten-free cooking and baking, including gluten-free sourdough recipes. Natasha is up front about being a beginner, with her blog live for a little over a year. She is in the process of learning and growing toward making this business into a full-time job. Natasha's first job was at McDonald's and, more importantly, doing much-needed work at orphanages around the world for most of her adult life. In this episode, you'll find out how to accept that you'll make mistakes, effectively explore new platforms and how to plan for blog growth when you're just starting out. - Narrow down your niche to get off to a good start. - Don't forget SEO and keyword research - are there any topics no one's written on? - Develop a system that will allow you to post ahead of schedule. - Make the most of free resources online. - Find other food bloggers who inspire you. - You learn when you do something yourself - Make an action plan to implement what you learn. - How do you deal with burn out and how do you set realistic goals? Connect with Natasha Levai Website | Instagram