The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

The thing she did when starting her blog, where her first year income came from, and what she would do differently now. ----- Welcome to episode 92 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork talks with Chelsea Lords from Chelsea's Messy Apron about making $40,000 in her first year of blogging. Most bloggers start out with the long-term plan in mind: they probably won't make much money in the first year or two, but it'll pay off in the end. And while this path works for a lot of people (Bjork and Lindsay included!), other bloggers decide to do it a bit differently. Chelsea Lords from Chelsea's Messy Apron hit the ground running with her blog and ended up making $40,000 in just the first year. Today, she talks about the first steps she took on her path to success, how today is different from that first year, and what she would have done differently looking back. In this episode, Chelsea shares: What her first step was to stating her blog as a business Why she underestimated the amount of money she would make in her first year Where her first year income came from The equation she used to calculate how much to charge for her first sponsored post How she balances family & work Why it takes her 15 hours to make a blog post How she decides what posts to make videos for What her Facebook strategy looks like What she would have done differently looking back Get the resources for this episode at foodbloggerpro.com/92 If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Should you delete old content, SEO in other languages, structured data for recipes, and repurposing old content with Joost de Valk from Yoast SEO. ----- Welcome to episode 91 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Joost de Valk, the founder of Yoast SEO, about optimizing SEO for your food blog. SEO is something we bloggers hear a LOT about. It's so important! But it can also be really confusing, even with the abundance of information out there. Fortunately, there are tools such as the Yoast SEO plugin to help us navigate this often confusing landscape. Yoast SEO was founded by Joost de Valk and is one of the most popular WordPress plugins in use today. That's… kind of a big deal. Joost met with Bjork for this interview to discuss a wide range of SEO topics, including why SEO matters for your recipes and how you can optimize it. In this episode, Joost shares: How you actually pronounce his name How SEO changes with languages other than English How to structure your site for usability Whether or not you should delete older content How to repurpose old content If your recipes should show dates in search results Why you need structured data for your recipes Why your blog might not show up in search engines right away Resources: Yoast.com Yoast SEO plugin Yoast SEO course on Food Blogger Pro Google Search Console Screaming Frog scraping tool SEO for WordPress Tasty Recipes If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Making money outside of your blog, quitting your job, and finding a service in demand with Brita Britnell. ----- Welcome to episode 90 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Brita Britnell about how she stepped off the beaten blogging path and found a new way to work for herself. Most bloggers start on their blogging journey hoping to eventually work full-time for themselves on their blog. While this is definitely an admirable and achievable goal, some bloggers have found that this is not the only way. Brita started making videos for her blog about a year ago and unexpectedly found that she absolutely loved it. She knew there was demand for bloggers to create video, but she also knew that most bloggers just didn't have the time to learn a new skill. So, she started making videos for other bloggers and found the demand so great that she had to start a waitlist for clients. In just a few months she was able to leave her job and work for herself doing something that she loved. Today, she's here to share her story. In this episode, Brita shares: What motivated her to turn her blog into a business Why she recommends bloggers go to conferences What the different stages of her blog were Why videos were addicting to create How she managed a full-time job and her growing blog What made her feel comfortable with quitting her job How she found her first clients to work with What it looks like to work with clients What advice she would give to herself when she was starting out Resources: Canon 6D Canon 50mm f/1.8 Lens Canon 60D Canon 85mm f/1.8 Lens Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro Lens Adobe Premiere Premiere course on FBP Adobe After Effects Tasty Recipes bbritnell.com Video & Photography resources on B. Britnell If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Our best advice for new (or experienced) bloggers, how to manage an affiliate program, and where you can find what to blog about in the coming month. ----- Welcome to episode 89 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews FBP team members Alexa, Jasmine, and Raquel about what goes on behind the scenes, and what they've learned about blogging during their time as FBP employees. ----- Alright, alright. This episode is not really about building a plane. Not a real one, at least! But "building a plane" is an analogy we use nearing the end of the episode when we talk about the most important advice we would give to new (or experienced) bloggers. This advice is so important, in my humble opinion, that I'm wiling to give you a free pass and tell you to skip right to the end if you only have 5 minutes to listen. If you've got more than 5 minutes, settle on in for a listen about how we run Food Blogger Pro behind the scenes, and how you can use the same tools, processes, and techniques as we do to take your blog to the next level. In this episode, Alexa, Jasmine, and Raquel share: Why you need to be using a recipe plugin on your website What the Happening Now videos are and why you should be watching them How Jasmine manages the affiliate programs What deals you can find as a member of Food Blogger Pro What purpose the Trending Now articles serve for food bloggers How we communicate with our customers What tool Raquel uses to optimize email Why coupon sites aren't allowed in our affiliate programs How Raquel felt giving up her career in microbiology What makes working at Food Blogger Pro really smooth for Jasmine How to build a plane! Resources: Asana Asana course on Food Blogger Pro Food Blogger Pro Blog Google Trends Ahalogy FBP Podcast Episode 019: How to Master Pinterest for your Food Blog with Susan Wenner Jackson from Ahalogy Intercom KickoffLabs Inbox by Gmail Mixmax ShareASale foodbloggerpro.com/design If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

How Pinch of Yum employs full-time workers, communicating on a remote team, finding what works with video, and tips for working remotely. ----- Welcome to episode 88 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews two key Pinch of Yum employees, Alana Woolley and Jenna Arend, about what goes on behind the scenes of Pinch of Yum. If you're not a food blogger, it might seem like it's a job that would be easy to do in your free time. If you are a food blogger, you know that there's way more time that goes into it than that! Many people are surprised to hear that Pinch of Yum employs a team of people, 3 of whom work full-time, to keep the blog up and running. Alana and Jenna are two of those people - Alana is the Pinch of Yum Video Specialist, and Jenna is the Pinch of Yum Office Manager. Today, they're here to break it down for us and talk about how it all works. In this episode, Alana and Jenna share: What they do on a day-to-day basis How they communicate on a remote team What Jenna's "lifeline" is for her job What Alana's video editing procedure looks like How she manages backing up giant video files to the cloud What tool they've been using to manage sponsored content contacts How they experiment with video to find what works How Jenna got more engaged with Pinterest scheduling Their tips for working remotely Resources: Slack Asana Asana course on Food Blogger Pro Process.St Crashplan Highrise CRM foodbloggerpro.com/design If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

What it means to take permission, the ugly truth about online marketing, and how to genuinely connect with influencers with Andy Traub. ----- Welcome to episode 87 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Andy Traub, a business coach who specializes in helping you take permission in your career. The phrase "take permission" might settle a bit weird in your brain. Don't you ask for permission? That's exactly what Andy's all about. He feels that for your business to really thrive, you have to be comfortable with simply taking permission. Take permission to start. Take permission to invest. Take permission to learn. This mindset is crucial to not only finding success as an entrepreneur, but also finding out what your best, most useful skills and roles are in your business. With this mindset, you can really see your business grow. In this episode, Andy shares: What inspired him to work for himself How he got started with his business What it means to take permission The hard, ugly truth about internet marketing How to genuinely connect with influencers Why he makes short, simple courses What is more important than simply following the footsteps of successful people Resources: Take Permission 48 Days by Dan Miller Episode 064: Finding work you love with Dan Miller from 48 Days Making Money On-line; It's Not As Easy Or As Difficult As You Think Zoom Wirecast Andy's Short Courses Reach by Andy Molinsky Strengths Finder Read to Lead podcast Tribe Writers course by Jeff Goins Startups.co If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Reinvent your Mondays, transition to a new career, and start Do Overs in all areas of life with Jon Acuff. ----- Welcome to episode 86 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Jon Acuff, a New York Times bestselling author who helps you work a job you love. While many entrepreneur-motivators will promote the strategy of quitting your job first, then figuring your new career out later, Jon Acuff takes a different stance. In his most recent book, Do Over, Jon talks about preparing yourself for a new career well before you ever need to actually start one. Jon's books have helped thousands of people reinvent their Mondays, transition to a new career, and start Do Overs in all areas of life. In this episode, Jon shares: What a Do Over is and how you can track their effects Why you shouldn't quit your day job How to utilize your time without sacrificing your family What you need to have in place to be prepared for a Do Over Why hustle is a key component, even if you have everything else What a Career Savings Account is and why you need one The best way to build relationships and be remembered Resources: Jon's books including Do Over and Quitter Powerhouse by James Andrew Miller Jon on Twitter and LinkedIn Acuff.me If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Working with contributors, monetizing from day 1, and finding your support person with Leslie Means from Her View From Home ----- Welcome to episode 85 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Leslie Means, cofounder of Her View From Home, about scaling her website to over 450 contributors and 9 million visitors per month. Leslie Means started her website just like many of us did - with a passion and a dream. However, instead of the typical create-publish-promote-repeat agenda, she took a bit of a different path: she wanted to publish articles from contributors and pay those authors based on article performance. Today, Her View From Home has over 9 million monthly visitors and pulls from a pool of 450 contributors. The business is thriving, and Leslie is here to tell us all about it. In this episode, Leslie shares: How Her View from Home started, and where it is today How she monetized her website from the beginning Why writing a business plan was instrumental for her success Why her husband was so helpful in the early days When she started working with contributors and why How they afforded to pay contributors When she started taking an income from the site What she would have done differently at the start What social media platform has worked best for HVFH Resources: AdThrive The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson Her View from Home Become a contributor for Her View From Home If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Gratitude, constant growth, and keeping overwhelm at bay. ----- Welcome to episode 84 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork talks about gratitude, constant growth, and keeping blog overwhelm at bay. In this episode, Bjork discusses: How your past is relevant to your future Examples of using past skills to grow your business How you can contrast negative thoughts with grateful thoughts to stay balanced How you can simultaneously be content, yet still aiming to learn and grow What the difference is between blogs that thrive and those that get stuck Why just creating consistent content is not enough How you can apply 1%∞ today How 1%∞ can keep things from becoming overwhelming Resources: foodbloggerpro.com/afton Pinch of Yum Workshops Lynda.com If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

How Lindsay organizes her day, how to apply 1% infinity to your daily life, and where Bjork got his name. ----- Welcome to episode 83 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, we're playing an episode from the Chopped Podcast with Marly McMillen. In this episode, Marly covers a lot of ground with Bjork and Lindsay. They talk about how Lindsay organizes her days, what it means to practice 1% infinity every day, and, my personal favorite, she asks them some random questions that were really fun to hear their answers to, like where Bjork's name came from. In this episode, Bjork and Lindsay share: How they came up with the name Pinch of Yum Why Lindsay incorporates teaching into her blog How they organize their days What 1% infinity is and how they apply it every day How Bjork got his name What Lindsay's favorite phone app is Resources: Day Designer Passion Planner Chopped Conference Namely Marly If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Why they pushed forward after initial non-success, how she rose above negative comments, and why being vulnerable draws people in. ----- Welcome to episode 82 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, we're playing an episode from the Mixergy podcast with Andrew Warner. In this episode, Andrew chats with Lindsay about Pinch of Yum's history and where they are today. Andrew takes the time to dig deep and ask some really interesting questions that wouldn't normally get asked, and Lindsay's answers might just help you understand what's going on with your blog a bit better. In this episode, Lindsay shares: What her big motivating factor was in the early days Whether they thought about money when starting How many photos she will take for a single post Why they kept going with the monetization after not making much money initially How living in the Philippines changed the blog How she found out that she was "expert enough" to write Tasty Food Photography Why she got negative comments and why they got her down What helped her keep going despite negative people online How she gets featured on Buzzfeed so often Why being vulerable draws people in Resources: Gary Vaynerchuck Pinch of Yum Income Reports Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon Tasty Food Photography Resources for Food Bloggers page on POY Tribes by Seth Godin

The thing that can hinder you from blogging success, what keeps Pinch of Yum running, and why they create digital products instead of physical ones. ----- Welcome to episode 81 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, we're playing an episode from the Cleverism podcast with Martin Luenendonk. In this episode, Martin goes over the beginning story of Pinch of Yum with Bjork, and then they dive into some quick but targeted questions about what keeps Pinch of Yum running. My personal favorite: Bjork divulges the #1 mistake he sees bloggers make that can hinder their success. In this episode, Bjork discusses: How Pinch of Yum got started When they realized that it could be a business How they monetized POY in the early days How they monetize POY today Why they chose to create digital products instead of selling physical ones What software and services they use on POY How A/B testing has been valuable for them What mistakes many bloggers make that hinder success What they do to attract traffic from Pinterest Resources: Get the resources and transcript for this episode here: https://www.cleverism.com/cp15-podcast-bjork-ostrom-pinch-of-yum-food-blogging/

Welcome to episode 80 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast. This week, Kirsten Oliphant interview Bjork about practicing 1%∞ through the different phases of business. As you may have heard, Bjork and Lindsay recently suffered a loss, which you can read a bit more about on Pinch of Yum. While Bjork takes some time off to grieve their loss and to celebrate Afton's short life, we're bringing in a couple interviews that Bjork did with other podcasters. This week's podcaster is Kirsten Oliphant, author and podcaster at Create If Writing. She interviewed Bjork about a year and a half ago and they talked a lot about what it takes to run a business for the long haul. Bjork chalked a lot of this up to practicing 1%∞, a concept that he put a name to a long time ago and tries to practice every day. In this episode, Bjork discusses: How 1%infinity came about and what it means What the different "phases" of Pinch of Yum were How he and Lindsay applied 1% infinity to the different phases of Pinch of Yum and Food Blogger Pro Why perfecting small things can hinder progress How to determine which things deserve your 1% Why outsourcing everything isn't always the best option What the reality is for running a membership site How priorities for business investment change over time Resources: Get the resources for this podcast at createifwriting.com/061

Achieving career dreams, moving to YouTube, finding a niche, and working with multichannel networks with Lauren Toyota from Hot for Food. ----- Welcome to episode 79 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Lauren Toyota from Hot for Food about how she grew her YouTube following. When starting (or running) a business, it can be tempting to look at what other successful people have done and try to do the same thing. If they were successful doing this, then you should be, too, right? While that scenario sometimes plays out, oftentimes you just become another fish in a sea of fish that are all doing the same thing. Lauren Toyota from Hot for Food found her success by diving into a newer niche and producing content in a way that no one else had done before. And it worked - she amassed just about 200k followers in just one year on YouTube. Today she's here to talk about how it all went down. In this episode, Lauren shares: How she was able to achieve her teenage career dream What goals she had when starting her blog What her typical day looks like How she started doing YouTube videos What inspired her popular Recipe? segment How they set up their lighting & audio How their social following helped grow their YouTube channel How an MCN helped her monetize her channel How brand partnerships work with Hot for Food Resources: Adobe Premiere Episode 010: Working with Brands on YouTube with Beth Le Manach from Entertaining with Beth Kin Community Network Hot for Food on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter Lauren in Real Life on YouTube Hot for Food on YouTube Hot for Food Blog If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

What marketing automation is, why funnels will help you sell, and what email and automation platforms you should be using for your business. ----- Welcome to episode 78 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Chris Davis from Automation Bridge and ActiveCampaign about using marketing funnels to drive sales for your business. When most people have a new product for their business, the first thing they want to do is go tell the world how amazing it is and try to get people to buy. That's the point of creating a product, right? Not so fast, says Chris Davis from Automation Bridge. The sale starts way before you every publish your product or need people to start buying. The sale starts with your first interaction with your potential customer - and that interaction should be friendly, helpful, and interesting to the customer. This is the start of your sales funnel, and in this episode Chris talks about what to do next. In this episode, Chris shares: What marketing automation is and what it does for your business If "marketing automation" means no work What a sales funnel is and why it's important Why funnels are more natural than cold sales How the stages of a sales funnel work Why you need a product to sell How your existing processes can show you what to automate How email marketing differs from marketing automation What email platform you should be using for your business Resources: ActiveCampaign LeadPages Clay Collins AWeber MailChimp ConstantContact Campaign Monitor VerticalResponse GetResponse ConvertKit Ontraport AutopilotHQ Infusionsoft Episode 041: Ninja Email Marketing for Bloggers with Barry Moore from The Active Marketer activecampaign.com/learn Chris on Twitter @autobizchris Automation Bridge If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Which social platforms serve what purpose, why live video is so important, the next big thing, and sticking with your business. ----- Welcome to episode 77 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Joel Comm about how embracing trending technologies has kept his business fresh. Last week Bjork interviewed Jeff Sauer from Jeffalytics about how correctly utilizing Google Analytics can superpower your blog. To go back and listen to that episode, click here. Staying Inspired with New Tech In the internet world, things move at a very fast pace and new technology - think social platforms, media, and gadgets - come out all the time. So do you jump on the bandwagon and try these new technologies, or wait until they're vetted by others? Joel Comm has found that trying new technologies not only increases your chance of success (just think about his iPhone app that went to the top!), but that it can also help you stay inspired with your business. In this episode, Joel shares: What his first iPhone app was that gained tons of traction How he decides what social platforms to use What platforms serve what purpose for his business Why he thinks live video is worth the investment right now What the next thing beyond live video is What types of live videos he does His advice for sticking with your business over tough times Resources: iFart App adsense-secrets.com joel20.live - 20% off any regular domain name iMovie Windows Movie Maker JoelComm.com If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Using analytics to help you generate ideas for content, show you what's really working, and help you guide your business overall with Jeff Sauer from Jeffalytics. ----- Welcome to episode 76 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Jeff Saur from Jeffalytics.com about how you can use Analytics to increase your chances for blog success. Oftentimes, when new bloggers start blogging, the only stat they really care about is whether or not their content is being seen by someone.It's satisfying to see the first day we get 50 pageviews, or 100, or even 1,000. We check our analytics to make sure our content is getting seen. However, Analytics can be much more powerful than this. Used correctly, they can help you generate ideas for content, show you what's really working, and help you guide your business overall. In short, proper use of Analytics can really help you accelerate your blog and business. Jeff Sauer has made his career out of helping people use Google Analytics. Today, he's here to give us some of his best tips. In this episode, Jeff shares: Why Google Analytics was so revolutionary and powerful What the phases of Analytics use are What universal analytics is and why it's important How you can use GA for more than just pageviews What your bounce rate means to your business What reports you should be looking at in Google Analytics How to leverage the existing traffic you have Why ranking for more specific keywords is better How you can use goals to improve your website Resources: Jeffalytics Jeff's Google Analytics Course (use coupon code foodbloggerpro) Jeff's Google Adwords Course Viral Posts & Hit Songs blog post by Bjork Google Analytics Google Webmaster Tools If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

How many times to share each piece of content, planning ahead, and their long road to overnight success. ----- Welcome to episode 75 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Garrett Moon, cofounder of the popular social media and editorial planning tool CoSchedule. When it comes to blogging, there is a lot more to do than it would initially appear. Not only do you have to create content, you have to plan it out (preferably well in advance) and promote it after it's done (preferably for a long time after). Keeping tabs on everything you need to do - including promoting it now, in a couple weeks, and around those holidays when it would make good shareable content - can be really tough. So, Garrett and his cofounder Justin created CoSchedule to make this process easier. Along the way, they discovered some unique insights into the world of social sharing. In this episode, Garrett shares: How they started CoSchedule Their long road to overnight success How they figured out if people wold actually buy their product How planning ahead helps you promote your content How many times they share each piece of content they produce Why it's okay to share a single piece of content so many times How they track the effectiveness of their social campaigning Resources: Moz CoSchedule CoSchedule Blog CoSchedule on Twitter Garrett on Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

What kinds of file backups you should have, why DSLRs make good video cameras, and what camera settings to use. ----- Welcome to episode 74 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Caleb Pike from DSLR Video Shooter about how you can use your DSLR camera to make great food videos. By now, it's pretty apparent how powerful food videos can be for a brand. They're awesome! However, there are a lot of technical things to know when it comes to using your DSLR camera as a video camera. Caleb Pike has made his name by helping people learn how to use their DSLR cameras for shooting video. In this episode, he not only talks about important settings you need to pay attention to, but he also talks about how to make sure none of your video ever gets accidentally deleted. In this episode, Caleb shares: Why DSLRs were such an important invention for video How he monetized his website in the early days Why he thinks creating digital product are the best way to make money How he knew people would want to buy his products Whether you should use a DSLR or mirrorless camera for video How he manages storing video files so he doesn't lose anything What camera settings he recommends using Why he stopped writing blog posts and started to focus only on video Resources: ProBlogger Essentialism by Greg McKeown Making it Podcast Transcend 64gb Class 10 Memory Card Final Cut Pro Carbon Copy Cloner Course: Equipment & Settings Course: Video Pre-Production If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 73 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Jessica Merchant from the blog How Sweet It Is about consistently creating great content. In blogging, content is huge. It's not the only important thing, but it's the foundation of your business. Creating great content is really important. Just as important is creating content often. A blog needs fresh, exciting ideas to thrive. New content is what your existing readers want to see. However, doing both those things - creating really great content on a consistent basis - can be really tough. It definitely involves dedication and skill to do right. Jessica Merchant from How Sweet It Is definitely has that dedication and skill, and today she's here to tell us just how she manages to make consistent and quality content every single week. In this episode, Jessica shares: How she discovered blogging and decided to leave her job What it took to build her blog before leaving her job How she networked with other bloggers Where she finds inspiration for her blog How she manages raising her son and working full time on her blog Why she does "batch cooking" days Why she doesn't do much sponsored content What it takes to publish content all the time How doing exactly what she wants has helped her find success Resources: How Sweet It Is How Sweet It Is on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Our first ever member spotlight interview! In this interview we chat with FBP member Sam Turnbull from It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken. Sam talks about her decision to make take the leap into blogging full-time and what it was like to land a cookbook deal.

Welcome to episode 71 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Amanda Rettke from I Am Baker about her success with Facebook Live and how it has helped connect her with her audience. They say you only need 1,000 raving fans to create a successful business. Just 1,000! However, raving fans can be hard to come by. Where do you get them? How do you know they love you and the work you are doing? Amanda struggled with this a bit for the first few years she was in business. She knew she had great fans, but she didn't feel like she really connected with them. And then she decided to try Facebook Live. Her raving fans loved being able to see and interact with her live, and she loved being able to connect with them. Facebook Live has been the experience Amanda needed to feel connected with her readers, and today she is here to tell us how she did it. In this episode, Amanda shares: What it was about I am Baker that people loved Why it's important to appreciate the work that you've done How her live videos created raving fans How to keep your viewers interested in your videos Why consistency is key What her viewers love most about her videos Whether you can do live videos by yourself How she records on her phone but still keeps tabs on what's going on Resources: Decorating from the Inside Out - Amanda's Craftsy Class Mevo Cameras I Am Baker I Am Baker on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 70 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Steve Chou from MyWifeQuitHerJob.com about building two eCommerce businesses - one that sells physical products, and the other that sells digital products. -- Steve's wife Jennifer decided to quit her job in 2007, and within one year replaced her six-figure income with an eCommerce business selling physical products. Steve started blogging about how she did it and later quit his job - fully replacing his salary - with an eCommerce business selling digital products. These two businesses had one thing in common: they were eCommerce businesses. Everything else, from the customer acquisition to the time it took to generate a decent income, varied widely. However, Steve and his wife have learned a lot over the last few years running their two eCommerce businesses, and today Steve is here to share some of his knowledge with us. In this episode, Steve shares: What two businesses he and his wife run Why one business wasn't as profitable as the other in the beginning How to find what products to sell What it's like working with vendors in foreign countries Whether he would recommend selling physical or digital products What the best way is to sell your first physical product What FBA is and why you might use it Why they stopped selling on eBay How he markets their digital and physical products Resources: osCommerce Shopify Squarespace TeraPeak Jungle Scout Alibaba Shoe Dog by Phil Knight s2Member Fulfillment by Amazon Ecwid Klaviyo ConvertKit How to add a Facebook pixel to your website Bumblebee Linens MyWifeQuitHerJob.com If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 69 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Jocelyn Delk Adams from Grandbaby Cakes about growing her audience and building her brand by way of National TV. If you've ever dreamed of being a TV star, starting a food blog probably wasn't your first idea for how to get there. However, for Jocelyn Delk Adams of the popular blog Grandbaby Cakes, her food blog was just the ticket she needed. Jocelyn started her TV career with her local TV channels, then slowly moved up to the big networks. She's now been seen on National shows such as Rachel Ray and the Today Show. She loves where her experiences have taken her and attributes much of her blog's success to her effort to get her blog in front of new faces via TV appearances. In this episode, Jocelyn shares: How she transitioned from running her blog as a side-gig to a full-time thing How she secured a contract with Pillsbury after just 5 months of blogging Why she thinks of her business as a brand, not a blog Whether people are natural-born TV stars or not What kind of equipment to expect to have on hand on TV Why TV appearances can help you attract brands Why she decided to create a Craftsy class How she got to be on national TV Whether she enjoys the hustle, or if she does it because it's necessary Resources: Grandbaby Cakes Make Mine Mini Craftsy class I am Baker Grandbaby Cakes on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 68 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Nick Loper, founder of Side Hustle Nation, about making money with your projects on the side. The majority of bloggers aren't doing it full time. In fact, many bloggers fit blogging in between their hectic schedules that includes a full-time job, kids, and hobbies. However, the dream of earning an income from blogging still persists, but many wonder if it's possible to do when it's just a side gig. Nick Loper, founder of Side Hustle Nation, says it's totally possible. He has successfully run a number of side hustles that contributed to his monthly income, all while having a full-time job. He's been so successful at it, in fact, that he created his own full time job just showing people how to create an income from their own side hustles, and today he's here to give us some tips. In this episode, Nick shares: What a side hustle really is What his first side hustle taught him Where Nick makes money from his website How you can make more money with your food website Why working for free is sometimes a good idea How people in all different industries have made successful side hustles Resources: Side Hustle Nation The Side Hustle Show The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy Udemy EatWith Feastly BonAppetour MiumMium Zozi Rover Dogvacay Wyzant Neil Patel, QuickSprout Bryan Harris, Videofruit Fiverr buybuttonsbook.com If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 67 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks with Amy Roskelley from Super Healthy Kids about scaling her small business into a thriving brand by building a team. So many bloggers dream of building a team to help them run their blog. However, it often gets put off in the name of waiting to find success. Unfortunately, putting off on growing a team can hamper your ability to find "success," while choosing to grow your team can really propel your forward. Amy from Super Healthy Kids plodded along quite well with her blog for many years before starting to build a team. However, after she joined a partnership with her now-co-owner Natalie, she found herself free to pursue more of the things that she was really good at. Each subsequent hire has allowed Amy to fine-tune her skillset in certain areas while letting others do the work she wasn't as passionate about, but they were. Since building a team, Super Healthy Kids has grown in amazing ways, and today Amy is here to tell us all about it. In this episode, Amy shares: How her blog supported her larger vision for her business Why it took her so long to turn a profit How she secured a consistent revenue stream with a membership aspect of SHK How she found and hired her business partner How hiring someone else to do a specific task liberated her What the turning point was that took her from "getting by" to "wildly successful" Why she needed to separate work and the other parts of her life How her revenues have increased though traffic has gone down Resources: Super Healthy Kids SHK on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 66 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks with Alana Woolley and Lindsay Ostrom about creating awesome recipe videos for Pinch of Yum. We've all heard it: video is the new thing. If you want to grow an audience quickly, if you want to be extremely helpful to your readers, if you want to take advantage of sponsored content opportunities galore… get into video. But.. how?? It can seem so daunting to get started with. There's all the equipment you (think you) need, the amount of time it takes, the pressure to make perfect videos… So many things! Fortunately, our guests today have a lot of experience creating recipe videos, and they're here to make it a bit easier for you. Please welcome: Alana Woolley & Lindsay Ostrom from Pinch of Yum! In this episode, Alana & Lindsay share: How much engagement their videos get as compared to photos What Alana's goals are for each video What the video creation process involves What gear they use to create the videos If solo bloggers (those without a team) can do video well The most important thing you need when making video Why they keep their videos short What settings you need to change when uploading to Instagram Where they put links for the videos on Facebook Resources: Promaster Tripod Manfrotto arm smallHD 701 Lite Monitor (here's a cheaper alternative) Tortus Copenhagen Canon 7D Mark II, 28mm lens Final Cut Pro Adobe Premiere Pro [email protected] See a photo of the POY video setup at foodbloggerpro.com/66 If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 65 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks with Michelle Tam from Nom Nom Paleo about building a brand across many channels. If you've been blogging for a while, or even a short time, you might have found that it's really difficult to establish your blog on a variety of different channels and mediums. There's only so much you can do! Some bloggers excel at it, though, despite the constraints of work, family, and life. Michelle Tam from Nom Nom Paleo is one such blogger. She's managed to secure a brand presence not only on all the big social networks, but also in the form of her own iPhone app and her own cookbook. She's a branding queen, and today she's here to tell us all about it. In this episode, Michelle shares: How she got started with Nom Nom Paleo Why they started with Tumblr instead of WordPress What her partner's role in the business is Why she decided to publish a cookbook in print How she kept creative control while still working with a publisher How she deals with people who accuse her of not being paleo Resources: Nom Nom Paleo Musicl.ly Gary Vaynerchuck The Tim Ferris Show The Sporkful Gastropod Pat Flynn's Smart Passive Income This American Life 99% Invisible Serial Startup Podcast Gimlet Media Humans of New York Dave Ramsey Charles Ives Nom Nom Paleo on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Snapchat (michitam) If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 64 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork interviews Dan Miller from 48 Days about finding work that you love through understanding yourself. Most of us have been there before: working a job that just isn't right for us. Maybe it doesn't pay enough, or the passion isn't there, or it doesn't work with your lifestyle. Whatever the reason, being in this position is just lame. At some point, you might have realized that you want to do something else - you saw a friend or a coworker or an internet role model find success, and you want to do what they did. You would love job! The problem is that it can be really difficult to know if you actually will love that job. Dan Miller, author of 48 Days to the Work You Love, has seen this scenario play out many times. Through his books, speaking, and personal coaching, he's mentored thousands of people to help them find the work they'll love, and today he talks with Bjork about this common conundrum. In this episode, Dan shares: How to know if you are doing meaningful work How you can find your passion How to know when your hobby should stay just a hobby What business you shouldn't go into in the food industry How to know if you'll enjoy a certain type of work Resources: StrengthsFinder DISC Profiles on 48 Days Entrepreneur on Fire 48 Days to the Work You Love 48 Days 48 Days Podcast 48Days.net Community If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 63 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks with Jeff Rose from Good Financial Cents about making sound decisions about your finances for your business and your personal life. If you're serious about this blogging stuff, you've may have already created a business for your blog - or at minimum, you've thought about it. However, registering as a business isn't the only decision you need to make. Running a business means dealing with your money properly to secure for both your business and your personal financial future. Jeff Rose is both a certified financial planner and a blogger, and he does both in support of his business. He's made his living by helping others manage theirs, and his wealth of information will help you plan for a secure financial future. In this episode, Jeff talks about: How to financially transition into working for yourself How to organize your time for business success The first thing you need to do to prepare for working for yourself What your savings are actually good for Where you should be investing your money as a small business owner What types of insurance you should have Resources: Good Financial Cents The Strategic Coach YouNeedABudget.com Mint.com YNAB Subscriptions Scottrade TD Ameritrade Betterment Vanguard Life Insurance by Jeff Marriage More If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 62 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork interviews Mike Morrison about launching and running a successful membership site. While most food bloggers set their monetization sights on generating income through ads or sponsored content, there might be another good avenue to look toward. Mike Morrison cofounded The Membership Guys, a website and podcast dedicated to helping people learn how to run successful membership sites. He has found that, when done properly, having a membership site can be a lucrative and reliable business. When membership sites are the last thing on the minds of most bloggers, it may very well be a fantastic way for you and your website to stand out in the crowd. In this episode, Mike talks about: What a membership site exactly is What the important metrics are for a membership site Whether you should launch without a following How large your audience needs to be to be successful Where to find your audience How to validate your idea What WordPress plugins your should use to build your site What makes people successful in the membership arena Resources: The Membership Guys Member Site Academy talkmemberships.com Will It Fly by Pat Flynn Membership plugin info If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 61 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! We have a special episode today - our first ever community podcast! In this episode, we hear from members of the Food Blogger Pro community talk about what's working for them right now. The only bummer about the FBP Podcast is that we just can't interview everyone. There are so many bloggers out there who we would love to hear from, though! So, the idea for a community podcast episode was born. Listeners from all over the globe called in to share their tips, tricks, and techniques that are working for them to grow their blog. Ranging from tips to help manage social media to techniques for staying on top of things, this episode has a little bit of everything. Enjoy! In this episode, FBP listeners share tips on: Finding your own voice Being useful Creating a business directory Increasing engagement by being engaged Running group giveaways Being part of an accountability group Building an editorial calendar Using your blog to find clients and so much more! Resources: Back to Her Roots Let's Taco Bout It Food Truck Empire Modern Honey Food Fashion & Fun Wok & Skillet Teaspoon of Spice Homemade Italian Cooking CoSchedule (members get a deal on the FBP D&D page!) Adobe Lightroom Wanderlust & Wellness Workweek Foodie Veggie Primer Fooduzzi How to follow pages on Facebook Almond to Zest Paleo Scaleo Life is Better with Tea Food Fit Fabulous Breaking Down Nutrition Froment Free Dish by Dish Bet on Dinner Over app Kitchen of Debjani Dishes Delish Carrie on Living Lakeside Table Culinary Hill Eat Within Your Means Jessica Gavin If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 60 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork finishes off the solo trio with some fantastic advice on SEO for food bloggers. SEO can seem mysterious and scary for bloggers. There's so much information on it out there, but it can be confusing and difficult to read. Moz, an popular and well-regarded SEO site, published once upon a time a blog post called the Beginner's Guide to SEO. Bjork read through this whole post (it's so long it has chapters!) and pulled out a bunch of things he learned from the post. In today's podcast, Bjork talks about these things and relates them specifically to food blogging. He talks about what the purpose of SEO is and how people use it, as well as how you can improve the SEO of your website. In this episode, Bjork discusses: What it is that SEO is meant to influence Why people use search engines - and why it matters to you What keywords you should be trying to rank for Whether or not your site design matters for SEO How search engines can track whether or not your website is engaging your visitors What the (not provided) keyword in Google Analytics means Resources: Moz.com The Beginner's Guide to SEO January 2015 Income Report on POY 10 Food Blog SEO tips from Moz's Beginner's Guide to SEO [original post] How to combat the (not provided) results (here's another good one) If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 59 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork and Lindsay talk about 9 ways to avoid blogger burnout. It's August and summer is in full swing. As happy as that generally makes us, summer can often be a difficult time for bloggers - it even has its own moniker, the summer slump. During the summer slump, traffic goes down, ad income falls, and worst of all, bloggers can get totally burned out. Bjork and Lindsay are no strangers to burnout. They've both experienced it many times with their businesses. However, they've also been intentional about learning how to deal with burnout when it happens and what steps they can take in the future to keep it at bay. In this episode, Bjork and Lindsay share 9 tips (plus 1 bonus tip!) that you can use to avoid blogger burnout. In this episode, Bjork & Lindsay talk about: The importance of taking time fully off Why you should pass up good opportunities Getting an office for your work How to separate yourself from negative comments Why it's okay to not produce 10/10 content all the time How unplugging helps you feel refreshed Finding other people to talk to about your business How to redefine your definition of success BONUS: How to be a trickster, not a marauder Resources: foodbloggerpro.com/call Lindsay's "At the Cabin" post from 2015 CoSchedule (Food Blogger Pro members get a deal on CoSchedule on the Deals page!) Asana Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 58 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork goes solo and talks about overcoming "the resistance." One of the hardest things about doing a creative endeavor is simply doing it. Not getting distracted. Not doing other less important things. Not putting it off endlessly because the idea of actually doing it is scary. This is called the Resistance. The Resistance is what keeps us from moving forward, from trying new things, and from making progress. And we all have it somewhere inside, and it usually shows up much more often then you would like to imagine. But once you are aware of the resistance and what it looks like, you'll see it everywhere. In this episode, Bjork gives 5 tips that help you overcome the Resistance when it rears it's ugly head. In this episode, Bjork talks about: What the resistance is and how is presents itself How "building your castle" can help you find motivation to create content How rewarding yourself for the Work can help you move forward Why taking the very first small steps can help you start a seemingly huge project Why fixing small things can hinder progress Why being too committed can keep you from being outstanding Resources: 5 ways to make money for your blog Essentialism by Greg McKeown If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 57 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork interviews Kickoff Labs founder Josh Ledgard about finding the right idea and growing your audience. Josh Ledgard started his entrepreneurial journey while still working at Microsoft - he would start projects, bring them in, and then gain support for the project from his superiors. He then slowly and methodically planned to start his own business, saving up money for a year and dreaming up big ideas. The business he and his cofounder eventually started was not one of their original ideas. Instead, they "happened upon" a product that people really wanted to use, and they ran with it. Learn more about Josh, his awesome story, and their amazing marketing product, Kickoff Labs, in this enlightening interview. In this episode, Josh shares: How he was an "internal entrepreneur" at Microsoft before he started his own business How he transitioned from a corporate employee to self-employed When he hires work out instead of doing it himself How Kickoff Labs started What Kickoff Labs does to help you launch a product How Kickoff Labs has helped launch PlateView How you can build a following for your blog A critique of the PlateView landing page Resources: Kickoff Labs 4 hour workweek PlateView Nutrifox If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 56 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks with Megan Telpner about creating a business, staying small, and finding the work you should be doing. Meghan Telpner is the CEO of the Academy of Culinary Nutrition, an online school where students learn to create healthy lives through cooking. The school has certified over 700 people to practice as culinary nutritionists and Meghan is a sought-after speaker about entrepreneurship. She didn't start there, though. Meghan's career online began back in the early 2000s, and she's fine-tuned (and rough-tuned) her business to grow it into what it is today. Meghan has found that just "doing the work" isn't good enough, and that to really excel you need to be working in your area of brilliance. In this episode, Meghan shares: How she got started in the nutrition space Why she folded her blog into her personal business Why she deleted a large part of her content to get more traffic in the long run Why she keeps such a small team despite the revenue to expand How she keeps from getting bored with her business The advice she would give herself a few years ago Resources: The Marilyn Denis Show Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (the trickster book Bjork mentions) MeganTelpner.com culinarynutrition.com Meghan on Twitter Academy of Culinary Nutrition on Twitter and Instagram Nutrifox If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 55 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks with Jason Logsdon from Amazing Food Made Easy about self-publishing a cookbook. For many bloggers, getting a cookbook deal sounds like a dream come true. That's when they know they've "made it." As it turns out, though, getting a cookbook deal with a major publisher isn't all puppies and roses. When it comes down to it, publishing a cookbook is more about brand awareness than it is about income, and much of the legwork done for creating and marketing the book is still up to the author. Jason Logsdon published his first cookbook when his blog was still rather small - and he quickly discovered how self-publishing can actually be a simple, rewarding process that allows you to generate income even with a relatively small audience. In this episode, Jason shares: Why he chose such a specific niche to blog in The 4 simple steps to self-publishing When it's better to self publish vs. traditional publish What an average blogger can expect to make from a traditionally published cookbook How much money a self-published book can bring in How much traffic he had when he published his first book Who does the editing when you self-publish Why it's a good idea to publish a print book What tools he uses to layout his books Resources: CreateSpace Under Pressure by Thomas Keller Goats in Trees Calendar Amazon Whispernet 052: How to Sell 4,000 Cookbooks Before You Even Publish with Megan Gilmore from Detoxinista Amazing Food Made Easy Selfpublishacookbook.com Self Publishing Made Easy by Jason Logsdon If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 54 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks with Jeni Elliot from The Blog Maven. Jeni Elliott knows that just doing the work isn't going to turn your business dreams into a reality. Instead, she's a proponent of doing the right kind of work, using both tactics and strategies to achieve your overarching goals, and maintaining a work-life balance. She got her start not in the blogging world, but in the business world, where she helped small business owners meet their goals. As an avid blog reader, though, she found that she could apply her strategies to blog businesses and see profound impact. So, she made The Blog Maven her career's work, and along the way has learned what it takes to turn a blogger into an entrepreneur. In this episode, Jeni shares: How you can have a business and still have a life Why a good website isn't the only thing you need Whether or not "making money" is an acceptable blogging goal What the difference is between a blogging tactic and a blogging strategy What tactics entrepreneurs can use to build their business If food bloggers should think of themselves as a source of recipes How you can find a niche that your audience is interested in Why finding solutions is different from providing recipes Resources: ConvertKit The Blog Maven If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 53 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks with someone most of us are probably familiar with, Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income. Do I even need to introduce Pat? I mean, he's kind of an online business celebrity. In the world of passive income, Pat has come to embody what it means to run a passive income business. If you haven't heard of passive income before, definitey check out Pat's website where he talks a lot about it. This episode doesn't go too deep into the intricacies of what passive income is. Instead, Pat talks about what he's done to determine whether a passive income business idea will really take off - whether or not it will fly. He talks about his two passive income business and how they continue to bring in money today after creating them years ago. He talks about how he can manage with so many things on his plate while still adhering to The One Thing that Jay Papasan talked about in this episode. In all, it's a really incredible episode, so let's just jump right in! In this episode, Pat shares: What he would do if he had to start over again How reading a dating book helped him learn how to meet people Why getting laid off was the best thing that ever happened to him How you can do many things while only focusing on one at a time How he makes passive income with two niche websites Why people don't find success How he gets real feedback from his audience What you can do to see if your business idea is viable Resources: The Game by Niel Strauss Videofruit Internet Business Mastery IBM 68 | Cubicle Escape Story with Cornelius Fitchner Green Exam Academy Smart Passive Income Evernote The One Thing 047: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results with Jay Papasan Secutiry Guard Training HQ FoodTruckr.com Will it Fly by Pat Flynn foodbloggerpro.com/survey If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 52 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks with Megan Gilmore from Detoxinista. We all know that writing a cookbook is a LOT of work. From the recipe development to the photography, a cookbook author is a busy bee. One thing you might not know, though, is that the author is also expected to presell copies of their book to their audience before it even publishes. As you might imagine, this can be quite the task! When Megan Gilmore, the author behind Detoxinista, set out to presell copies of her first cookbook, they expected the average number of sales - somewhere around 500 cookbooks. Instead, she blew everyone at 10 Speed Press out of the water with a whopping 4,000 cookbook presales - the largest presale in the history of 10 Speed Press. Today, she's here to tell us how she did it. In this episode, Megan shares: How she got her first book deal What the difference is between an advance and royalties Why a cookbook deal isn't necessarily a good way to make money, but is a good business decision Why cookbook authors run presale campaigns What she gave away as part of the preorder campaign How she raised awareness about her book before it was released How she promoted her book once it was officially released What the writing process is like What you need to do before you create a cookbook Resources: 015: How to Find Your Voice and be Heard in a Noisy World with Dianne Jacob Lutefisk Just Say No mug Physique57 Detoxinista Every Day Detox by Megan Gilmore Detoxinista on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 51 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork dives into the intricacies of branding with Aaron Scott from Your Brand Week. For some new businesses, branding can be an afterthought, or even something that isn't thought about much at all. In reality, though, your branding can be the first and last impression that a visitor can have about your business. A logo can convey meaning, type can encourage continued reading, and colors can invoke emotion. When it all comes together, your branding can be a powerful tool for your business. Aaron Scott and his wife, Amanda, recently launched Your Brand Week, a boutique branding agency geared toward helping small businesses create meaningful brands in an affordable and efficient manner. Today, Aaron chats with Bjork about what a cohesive brand is and how it can impact your business. In this episode, Aaron reveals: How they found clarity about what direction their business should take How they turned a service into a product What branding is When rebranding is necessary What you should be thinking about when designing a logo How to know if your branding conveys the correct meaning for your business Why typography is so important How to use different fonts on your website Why complimentary colors aren't the best choice when choosing colors What your brand guidelines should include Resources: Built to Sell by John Warrillow SPI 158: How to Productize your Service-Based Business Google Fonts Adobe TypeKit Adobe Color Moo.com - FBP members get a discount! yourbrandweek.com/foodbloggerpro for $1000 off blog branding Your Brand Week on Twitter & Facebook Pickles & Honey If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 51 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks all things video with Tim Schmoyer from VideoCreators.com. We've all heard it recently: video is the new thing. Get into video. Video is key. Okay, okay. We get it. We need to get into video. But once we make that commitment and dive right in, how do we get people to watch it? And beyond that, how do we get them to keep watching it? Keeping viewers engaged with your video is extrememly important. The longer they watch your video, the more interested they are in your content, and the more positive signals they send to YouTube (or whereever you upload). Tim Schmoyer, founder of VideoCreators.com and long-time successful YouTube Vlogger, is here today to share his secrets to creating engaging videos that your viewers just can't peel their eyes away from. In this episode, Tim shares: What his very first video was like How he comes up with new content every week The most important thing video needs to have How to keep a person's eyes glued to the screen The best kind of video cuts for YouTube How long your videos should be How to satisfy viewers' expectations within the first 15 seconds How to prepare before recording a video Whether or not you need a team to be successful Resources: Frame.io Find Your Voice Upwork Video Creators on YouTube Videocreators.com Schmovies on YouTube If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 49 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork chats with Allison Schaaf from the meal planning service PrepDish. Allison Schaaf started her entrepreneurial adventure with two key components: a focused goal and great branding. But what has kept her going in creating a business that brings in hundreds of thousands of dollars every year was something else entirely. In a word: Accountability. Allison found a while back that working with business coaches has helped her business skyrocket. And while the coaches helped her get to where she is today, she also discovered that accountability of any sort, from a coach to a friend to a dedicated group, is what helps her set and achieve her goals. In this episode, Allison shares: The very first step she took when starting her new online business What set her apart from other similar businesses How she worked through struggles at the beginning How she gets the word out about her business What she learned from her business coach and how it's helped How an accountability group helps her reach her goals The process she uses to set strong, realistic goals Resources: Entrepreneur on Fire episode 1310 with Allison SPI episode 201 with Allison 047: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results with Jay Papasan InfusionSoft CrateJoy MailChimp WooCommerce Leadpages prepdish.com/pro If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 48 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Dustin & Lacey Baier from A Sweet Pea Chef. A few years ago, A Sweet Pea Chef was floundering. Dustin & Lacey had grown it to the point where it was getting expensive to maintain, but they hadn't unlocked the secrets to turning it into a successful business. They bounced from great idea to great idea, but just weren't able to get anything to stick. Until, one day, an internet passer-by pounced and described how inferior they were to the competition. Little did they know, this angry email would lead them down a path that would help them properly monetize their website and start turning things around. Since then, Dustin & Lacey learned how to say no to good opportunities to focus on what's most important, cracked the code for viral vide, and took A Sweet Pea Chef to new heights. In this episode, Dustin & Lacey share: Why they almost gave up their blog How they narrowed their focus and eliminated most of what they had worked on How an angry email inspired them to do better Why they decreased the amount of content they were putting out Why they decided to focus on video How they work together as a team and balance each other out How they approach sponsored posts when many opportunities are for processed foods Lacey's advice for getting over perfectionism with video Resources: foodbloggerpro.com/sweetpea Stripe Baremetrics ClickFunnels A Sweet Pea Chef Take Back your Health Academy Married to your Business A Sweet Pea Chef on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest & YouTube Episode 47.5 If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 47 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork interviews Jay Papasan, coauthor of the New York Times Bestseller The ONE Thing. If you're anything like me, there are always more things to do than we have time for, and prioritizing what to work on every day can be really tough. As a result, we're pulled in so many different directions working on different projects that we find it really difficult to make any measurable progress on any one thing. If this describes you, you are not alone. Jay Papasan and Gary Keller discovered that this was a problem that faced so many of their employees and coworkers at the Keller Williams Realty group. After Gary worked for years with his employees to help them discover the things they should be focusing on, he and Jay, a NYT bestselling book editor, came together to write a book about it, called The ONE Thing. Today, Jay joins Bjork in an interview that is sure to change the way you are thinking about your projects and priorities. In this episode, Jay shares: How he went from Real Estate professional to book author Why defining a single priority can help move you forward How saying no to opportunities can be relaxing How to make sure you get your priority done Whether you can make yourself a morning person How to know what to focus on when there are so many different areas of life that need attention How to take huge goals and make them manageable for today What the #1 thing is that makes people succeed Resources: TheOneThing.com JayPapasan.org If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 46 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks with Kate Kordsmeier from the blog Root & Revel about her successful freelance writing career. While many of us dream about the days when we could find enough success with our blogs that we could write for magazines like Cooking Light and Conde Nast Traveler, Kate's already been-there-done-that. With a little experience in copywriting and a lot of drive, Kate was able to quit her full-time job and double her income with freelance writing - before she ever had a food blog. In this interview, Kate shares a lot of tips and tricks she's learned along the way so that you, too, can try your hand at freelance writing. In this episode, Kate shares: What the hardest part of freelancing is when you're first getting started (hint - it's not just writing excellent pieces) An example pitch she recently gave a magazine (and got the job for) How to find editors to contact Whether or not you should follow up after pitching When in the process you talk about payment Whether or not you should work for free What the dynamic is between web and print media Why she's building a blog instead of just freelancing Resources: Texture app ed2010.com Ed2010 Human Resources Contact Info Media Bistro Boomerang for Gmail Six Figure Freelancing by Kelly James-Enger Will Write for Food by Diane Jacob The Anti 9–5 Guide and My So-Called Freelance Life by Michelle Goodman Kateparhamkordsmeier.com Root & Revel Kate on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 45 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! Thisweek,Bjork interviews Tony Rulli from Intentional Spark aboutadvertisingon Facebook. In today's day and age, the internet can bereallynoisy. There are ads all over the place for productsyoumay or may not be interested in, all sorts of conpanies askingyouto buy their products, and more and more things to look ateveryday.So what makes you pay attention to the few things that catchyoureye? A lot of the time, what makes you pay attention isrelevancy -the thing that caught your eye has something to do withyou andsolves a problem you already have.So, if you're selling a product, promoting your company, orjustwanting to get the word out, the best way to get people topayattention is to target the right people in the first place.While this sounds complicated, Facebook actually makes itprettyeasy! Listen in to today's podcast with Tony Rulli to learnhow toleverage Facebook's powerful remarketing tools to help youcreatean income from your blog.In this episode, Tonyshares:His first foray into selling products onlineWhy Facebook ads have huge potential for food bloggersThe difference between boosting posts and runninganadvertisementHow Facebook retargeting works and who should be using itHow you can use Facebook retargeting to make money even whenyoudon't have a product to sellWhat a sales funnel is in laymen's termsHow to attract the right people as potential customersHis top 3 action items for getting started withFacebookmarketing Resources:IntentionalSpark.comIntentionalSpark.com/foodbloggerprofoodbloggerpro.com/45JimGaffigan -DisneyHowtoinstall a Facebook Pixel on your website041: Ninja Email Marketing for Bloggers with Barry Moore fromTheActive MarketerBuzzsumoIf you have any comments, questions, or suggestionsforinterviews, be sure to email them to [email protected] sure to review usoniTunes!

Welcome to episode 44 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork talks with Justine Grey about how low-traffic bloggers can make an income through affiliate marketing. Last week, Bjork interviewed Tieghan Gerard from the popular blog Half Baked Harvest about her inspiring photography, inventive recipes, and the drive that keeps her moving forward. To go listen to that episode, click here. Getting Started with Affiliate Marketing Many bloggers wonder how they can make an income from their blog when they don't have a lot of traffic. As we all know, ads pay per impression (or click), and sometimes it takes a lot of impressions to get the dollars to add up. However, bloggers with lower traffic numbers still can make money with their blogs. How? With affiliate marketing! By sharing the products they love with their readers, smaller bloggers are able to earn commissions on those products and start earning an income sooner. Justine Grey is an affiliate marketing guru, and she is here today to tell us all about the world of affiliate marketing. In this episode, Justine shares: How she ended up making affiliate marketing her career What affiliate marketing is and how it can be used to monetize your blog What an affiliate cookie is and how long it's valid Why being an affiliate isn't about selling products How you can be a better, more successful affiliate How to get a better rate for your affiliate sales What you should pay affiliates for your own products Whether or not you should use a large network like ShareASale for your affiliate network Why you shouldn't automatically add all affiliates that apply Resources: Digital Product Deilvery (DPD) Gumroad Gumroad course on FBP Best affiliate programs for food bloggers JustineGrey.com Justine on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Welcome to episode 43 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork is bringing on an oft-requested guest, Tieghan Gerard from Half Baked Harvest! We occasionally ask in the podcast for guest requests - bloggers or other inspiring individuals that our listeners would like to hear from. One person who came up quite a few times was fellow FBP member, Tieghan Gerard. When I think of bloggers who inspire me for photography, Tieghan is definitely near the top of the list. I’ve often thought about what makes her photography so special, and in this podcast episode I finally learned what it is: mood. When Tieghan heads into a photo shoot, the first thing she thinks about is the mood that she wants to set in the photo. How will this dish make the viewer feel? And how can I protray that with a photograph? Tieghan talks about her photography process and how she sets a mood as well as a lot of other awesome info in this great podcast episode. In this episode, Tieghan shares: When she started her blog - and why What kept her going through the difficult first year What a “normal” day looks like for her How she is approaching recipe development & photography for her upcoming cookbook What she thinks about when heading into a photography shoot Where she finds inspiration for her creative recipes How many times she will make a recipe before posting it What she thinks is the most important social media platform Resources: How to shoot tethered to Lightroom Canon 5D Mark III Canon 5DS Canon 50mm f/1.4, 35mm f/2, and 24–70mm f/4 Viraltag Half Baked Harvest Half Baked Harvest on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and on Snapchat as hbharvest If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!