The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

Contributing recipes to NYT Cooking, avoiding the comparison trap, and working with the Barefoot Contessa with Lidey Heuck. ----- Welcome to episode 470 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Lidey Heuck. How Working as Ina Garten's Assistant Kicked Off Lidey Heuck's Career as a Food Creator and Cookbook Author Lidey's first job out of college was as Ina Garten's assistant — yes, you read that right! After 7 years working as part of the Barefoot Contessa team, Lidey has gone on to grow her own business as a food creator. She is a recipe contributor to New York Times Cooking, runs her own food blog, and recently published her first cookbook, Cooking in Real Life. In this interview, she shares more about her experience working at Barefoot Contessa, how she balances creating content for different platforms, what it's like to contribute to NYT Cooking, why she might want to open a brick-and-mortar shop, and so much more. This is an enjoyable listen that will get you thinking about the many different routes a career path as a food creator can take. Hope you enjoy this fun episode as much as we did! In this episode, you'll learn about: Building a Food Career Through Unconventional Paths: Lidey's story proves you don't need a perfect path to land your dream food gig. Working for Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa!) launched her career, showing there's magic in unexpected opportunities! Growth Through Diverse Food Experiences: You'll hear about how her time at Barefoot Contessa was just the beginning. She went on to conquer TV shows, big publications, and everything in between. Get ready for some serious food world inspiration! Lidey's Recipe for Success (and How She Balances Her Projects): Lidey's a total rockstar, churning out recipes for her blog, cookbooks, and even the New York Times! We'll uncover her secrets for creating killer content across different platforms and keeping her sanity while doing it. Plus, a peek into what a typical day looks like for this busy bee (and maybe some recipe development tips!). Resources: Lidey Likes Cooking in Real Life: Delicious & Doable Recipes for Every Day (a Cookbook) Barefoot Contessa Snackdive The Lost Kitchen NYTimes Cooking Substack Follow Lidey on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Outsourcing tasks, growing a social media following, and self-publishing a cookbook with Erin Collins from Meaningful Eats. ----- Welcome to episode 469 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Erin Collins from Meaningful Eats. How Erin Collins Went from 25,000 to 250,000 Instagram Followers While Self-Publishing a Cookbook Erin started her blog, Meaningful Eats, in 2012. Since then, she has self-published a cookbook (another one is coming out soon!), grown her site to 1 million monthly page views, and gained over 275,000 Instagram followers. In this interview, Erin talks about how she achieves a work-life balance by delegating tasks and how being aware of her "zone of genius" allows her to focus on what she's most passionate about. She also discusses how she committed to growing her Instagram following by honing in on her audience's needs. She self-published her cookbook "Gluten-Free Cookies, Brownies, and Bars" last fall and generated over $100,000 in revenue in the first nine months! It was great to hear about her process of self-publishing a cookbook. We can't wait for you to dive in to hear more about her story! In this episode, you'll learn: How she balances parenthood and blogging (hint: weekly family meetings are key!) How she uses timed constrictions to be more intentional with her time How she prioritizes her work during seasons of limited time How outsourcing tasks allows her to achieve a work-life balance How to leverage your zone of genius (and being aware of your zones of competence and incompetence) for your blog How she grew her Instagram following from 25,000 to 250,000 How she decided to make the shift to quality over quantity How incorporating various series (12 GF cookies for Christmas) into her Instagram strategy drove engagement How she uses chat marketing tools like ManyChat to deliver content Why she decided to self-publish her cookbook (which saw almost $100,000 in revenue in the first 9 months!) and how she went about it. The cost breakdown of self-publishing a cookbook: working with a printing company, shipping, etc. How she's looking to make the shift to connect with her audience and include more income streams Her number one tip for food bloggers who are just starting out (spoiler: it's to focus on one thing at a time) Resources: Meaningful Eats Erin's cookbook "Gluten-Free Cookies, Brownies, and Bars" Episode 365 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast: How to Find Your Zone of Genius and Hire the Right People with Emily Perron Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett Designing Your Work Life The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel ManyChat Mixam Sticker Mule Ecwid 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly Follow Erin on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started at foodbloggerpro.com/work-with-us. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Becoming a private chef, prioritizing projects, and sharing your aspirations with others with Kenneth Temple. ----- Welcome to episode 468 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews celebrity chef and food blogger Kenneth Temple. Breaking into the Private Chef Industry and Sharing What You're in Pursuit of with Celebrity Chef Kenneth Temple Kenneth Temple started his food blog in 2017 and has been a private chef since 2009 so he's got a lot of great insights to share with us in this interview. He now finds himself cooking for NFL, MLB, NBA players, and Grammy artists. On the blog side, he qualified for Mediavine in November of 2023—a huge milestone! In this interview, Kenneth and Bjork discuss how he broke into the private chef industry, landed his first celebrity client, and why he chose to go down this route over working in a restaurant. They also talk about the importance of putting yourself out there and sharing your aspirations with others and the power of word-of-mouth marketing. They also chat about what blogging as a chef looks like and how he had to adjust his strategy after learning about SEO and searchability. Even if your goal isn't to pursue a career as a private chef, we find Kenneth's advice on managing your time and promoting yourself extremely valuable and think you will too. We hope you enjoy the episode! In this episode, you'll learn: Kenneth's background as a private chef and why he chose this path over working in a restaurant. How he was able to land a private chef gig with an NBA player from the New Orleans Hornets. How he went about pricing his work. How he prioritizes his time due to the seasonality of his work and what his day-to-day looks like now. How he maintains a professional relationship with his clients. Tips for those looking to break into the private chef industry. How he grew his network by sharing what he was in pursuit of (and why you should do the same!). How he used his knowledge as a private chef to create a 21-day meal prep challenge to help his clients with weight loss. How he got into food blogging in 2017 and blogged as a chef (and what that means exactly!). How he learned about searchability and adjusted his blogging strategy. What his experience was like as he grew his site and got accepted to Mediavine. The pros and cons of working in realms that were 1:1 and 1:infinite. How he saves time and stays productive by batching recipes. How he chose to de-prioritize certain projects because he realized they weren't solving problems for his audience. How he's now looking for pursuits that will allow him to solve problems. Resources: Kenneth Temple Meiko and the Dish Mediavine Grandbaby Cakes Follow Kenneth on Instagram and Other platform - facebook, youtube, tiktok, whatever seems most important for them Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Strategizing for growth, pivoting to Pinterest as an alternative to SEO, and branding on Pinterest with Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media. ----- Welcome to episode 467 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media. Pinterest Strategy in 2024 This is a super special episode of the podcast, as it kicks off what we are calling our Summer Membership Spotlight. Over the next three months (June, July, and August) we will be sharing a piece of content that is normally exclusive to Food Blogger Pro members here on the podcast. We are starting with a replay of our Pinterest Live Q&A with Kate Ahl! This Q&A originally aired in April. Food Blogger Pro members submitted lots of great questions all about Pinterest strategy — branding, pinning strategy, types of pins, you name it. We're so excited to share this Q&A with you (it's a really informative one!) and hope you'll tune in for our other membership spotlight episodes throughout the summer. In this episode, you'll learn: What constitutes a "fresh pin." Whether hashtags still relevant on Pinterest. The differences in performance between video and static pins. How many pins you should create for each blog post. Kate's favorite scheduling tools and how to approach hidden pins. What outsourcing the management of your Pinterest account looks like. When you might start to see growth on Pinterest. The importance of branding when creating Pins. How to audit your Pinterest boards. Resources: Simple Pin Media Pinterest Predicts Tailwind Follow Kate on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Memberful. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Why SEO is about more than building traffic, how to think more holistically about your SEO strategy, and the importance of community with Ann Smarty. ----- Welcome to episode 466 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ann Smarty from Smarty Marketing. How to Respond to the Recent Google Updates Ann Smarty has been working in the SEO industry for over 20 years, and she has lots of expertise to share with us in this interview! Bjork and Ann chat about the current state of SEO, including a deep dive into the impact of the recent Google Helpful Content Updates. They also discuss the history of backlinks with SEO and how to approach link-building as a content creator (and why it's more about community than you might think). Ann has a really great perspective on the importance of developing a holistic SEO strategy and why diversifying your income and traffic sources matters now, more than ever. Don't miss this episode! In this episode, you'll learn: About the current state of SEO (is it as bad as it feels?!). Who was most impacted by the recent Helpful Content Updates. Why backlinks seem to have protected sites during these Google updates. More about the 'backlink controversy' in the SEO industry. How to approach link-building as a content creator. Why building a community and saying "yes" is so important in this SEO environment. What you should do to strategically take advantage of traffic when you have it (to prepare for when you lose it). The importance of diversifying your traffic and income sources. Resources: Smarty Marketing Moz SparkToro Google SearchLiaison Pinch of Yum Search Engine Journal Tax Smart Real Estate Investors Podcast Memberful Skool Follow Ann on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Welcome to Tiny Bites from the Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ben Holland from Clariti about the upcoming deletion of Universal Analytics data — and what you need to do about it. Get the resources for this episode a foodbloggerpro.com/podcast/tiny-bites-universal-analytics-data.

Monetizing through a membership as a food creator, choosing a subscription platform, and marketing a membership to your community with Jen Matichuk from Memberful. ----- Welcome to episode 465 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jen Matichuk. Creating a Subscription Platform for Your Food Blog Are you tired of brand partnerships or navigating the Google algorithm? Have you ever considered starting a membership for your community? Then you won't want to miss this podcast episode with Jen Matichuk from Memberful. And yes, Memberful is a podcast sponsor, but this episode isn't sponsored by them! We were just really excited to have an honest conversation about what it looks like to create a membership as a food creator, and how you might go about doing it, and Jen is the perfect person to cover this topic. In this episode, Bjork and Jen chat about how to determine if a membership is the right option for your business, how to choose a subscription platform, how to predict if a subscription model will be successful for you, how to market content behind a paywall, and more! In this episode, you'll learn: More about Jen's career and how she ended up in her current role at Memberful. The details behind the membership that Jen started with Rhett & Link. The importance of researching and communicating with your audience before creating any new format of digital content. How to choose a membership/subscription platform. The behind-the-scenes of how and why Molly Baz came to start her membership site with Memberful. How to play the numbers game to predict how successful a membership might be for you. How to determine the price point and pricing structure for your membership. How to shift your mindset around marketing a product that you made. How to approach transitioning some of your content behind a paywall. Resources: Memberful Rhett & Link Mythical Society Patreon Rooster Teeth Substack Molly Baz Wonderly Jo Club Discord Connect with Jen via email Connect with Jen on LinkedIn or Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Memberful. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Evolving your business to fit your audience's needs, assembling a team of recipe developers, and growing an email list from 1,000 to 75,000 subscribers with Jason Norris from Recipe Teacher. ----- Welcome to episode 464 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jason Norris from Recipe Teacher. How Email and High-Quality Content Helped Jason Norris Reach Millions of Monthly Pageviews with Recipe Teacher Jason Norris has gone on quite a journey with his site, Recipe Teacher. From trying to sell the site for $1000, to growing a site that reaches millions of monthly pageviews and is worth well over a million dollars. In this interview, Jason shares more about the growth of his site, how he has built a team of recipe developers, his approach to SEO, and more. He also explains how he grew his email list from 1,000 to over 75,000 subscribers by working with our friend Allea at Duett and, in the process, learned that many of his readers are seniors! Jason's journey to success is a really fun one to hear about, and one that we know will inspire many of you to keep plugging along. Enjoy! In this episode, you'll learn: How he went from trying to sell his site (Recipe Teacher) for $1000 (with no offers!) to building the same site to be worth over a million dollars. How he developed and sold his first website — WindyCityFishing (and his second website)! The origin story of Recipe Teacher (and how the Instant Pot changed his life). The importance of evolving your business and being adaptable. When he first felt like he had made Recipe Teacher successful, and what it felt like when he first qualified for Raptive and saw his earnings skyrocket. How he has grown his team of recipe developers. Why he has been focusing on updating old recipes. When he decided to take Recipe Teacher full-time. His approach to SEO and keyword research. Why he prioritizes outsourcing certain aspects of this business. How he grew his email list from 1,000 to 75,000 subscribers in 3 years. How focusing on email marketing helped Jason learn more about his site's demographics (spoiler alert: he has a huge audience of seniors!). Resources: Recipe Teacher WindyCityFishing Flippa Quiet Light 032: Buying & Selling Websites with Mark Daoust from Quiet Light 159: Different Ways to Create an Income Online with Mark Daoust Raptive Google AdSense Upwork Pinch of Yum Keysearch Semrush Google Search Console Google Trends Duett Allea on The Food Blogger Pro Podcast here, here, and here ConvertKit Constant Contact Email Jason Follow Jason on Facebook and Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Leaning into the science of SEO, committing to a niche, and dividing attention between three websites and businesses. ----- Welcome to episode 463 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Shaunda Necole from The Soul Food Pot. How a Love of SEO and Entrepreneurship Helped Shaunda Necole Grow Three Successful Websites and Hit 1 Million Monthly Pageviews Shaunda Necole has a true passion for being an entrepreneur — from her first business owning a cheerleading product company to today, running three websites, a food tour of Las Vegas, writing books, and more. In this interview, she shares more about her love of SEO and keyword research and how her SEO strategy has changed in light of Google's recent Helpful Content Updates. She also explains how she divides her time between her three websites (a food blog, a travel website, and her personal site), in addition to her SEO consulting, Las Vegas food tours, and upcoming travel book. In a time where SEO can feel really unpredictable, Shaunda's perspective and approach to SEO is one we all need to hear (and she clearly knows what she's doing — her food blog hits 1 million monthly pageviews during the holiday season)! We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did. In this episode, you'll learn: How Shaunda first got interested in SEO via Pinterest. How she first started out as an entrepreneur in the cheerleading product space. How she went from cheerleading products to MacKenzie-Childs to the food space. More about how she started with brand partnerships (and why she brought on a manager). Why (and how) she transitioned from brand partnerships to SEO. How she has committed to her niche (Southern soul food) over the years. Why she enjoys keyword research and SEO for her site. How she divides her attention between her three websites. Why she syndicates content from her travel website to MSN (hint: backlinks!). How content syndication with MSN works (plugin, canonical links, ad profit sharing, appeasing Google, and more). Her favorite keyword research tool and how that has changed since the recent Helpful Content Updates (HCUs). How she is updating and republishing content to recover from the HCU. The importance of being "well-rounded." Resources: The Soul Food Pot Shaunda Necole White & Sable Wix MacKenzie-Childs 406: Monetization Strategies in the Influencer Industry with Brittany Hennessy Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media Johanna Voss Las Vegas Right Now Tiny Bites: Understanding and Reacting to Google Algorithm Updates Consulting with Shaunda Superfrico Follow Shaunda on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Building three blogs in different niches, growing a team and building a community, and diversifying traffic sources with Julie Evink from Julie's Eats & Treats. ----- Welcome to episode 462 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Julie Evink from Julie's Eats & Treats. Monetizing Three Blogs, Outsourcing Tasks, and Self-Publishing a Cookbook Julie started her first blog, Julie's Eats & Treats, back in 2010. Since that time she has taken her site full-time, started two other blogs, grown a team, and is self-publishing a cookbook! In this interview, Julie shares more about growing her blog and how that experience changed her approach to her other two sites. She also chats about outsourcing tasks, how she hires team members, and what she thinks is working really well in her businesses currently. Her cookbook is being released on May 21, so we also get to hear about the process of self-publishing a cookbook. It's always fun to hear about the journey of someone who has been blogging for as long as Julie has (14+ years!) and we know you'll enjoy this interview as much as we did. In this episode, you'll learn: More about the origin story of Julie's three blogs. What she learned from her first blog (Julie's Eats & Treats) in 2010 and later applied to her second blog (Gimme Some Grilling) in 2018. How monetization differs between her niches. How she has built her team over the years (and why she likes having part-time employees). What her day-to-day workflow looks like. Her advice for making food blogging as a career less lonely. What she thinks is working well in her businesses these days (hint: passive income!). How she has diversified her traffic sources (and why that matters to her). The importance of growing an email list. The process of self-publishing a cookbook (including the workflow and initial investment). Resources: Julie's Eats & Treats Gimme Some Grilling Kids Activity Guide Asana Julie's Eats & Treats Cookbook: Easy, Family-Friendly Recipes from a Midwestern Mom Shopify Tastes Better from Scratch Inherit Co Follow Julie on Facebook and Instagram. Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Memberful. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Developing a photography portfolio, growing a career in photography, and the importance of telling a story through your photographs with Alanna O'Neil. ----- Welcome to episode 461 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Alanna O'Neil. Building a Career as a Photographer and Storytelling Through Visuals Alanna O'Neil has been a photographer for almost as long as she can remember. Despite starting her career in fashion, she took a risk and moved to Hawaii to start a career as a photographer, and hasn't looked back. In this interview, Alanna shares more about building a career as a freelance photographer, developing your skills as a photographer, building a portfolio, and the importance of storytelling through visuals. She has an incredibly calming and inspiring energy, and this interview will give you a lot to think about as an entrepreneur, creative, and photographer. Don't miss it! In this episode, you'll learn: How Alanna first got into photography (spoiler: it involves a horse barn and a dark room in her childhood home)! How she makes time and space to make big life decisions (like moving to Hawaii and changing careers). How she started her career in food photography. How she built her photography portfolio and why working for free is underrated. More about the program she is developing for new photographers. Her actionable tips within business, mindset, and photography for someone trying to build a photography business. Her recommendations for improving your photography. Why you should think about telling a story with your food photos. How she minimizes comparing herself to other creators. Resources: Alanna O'Neil Pinch of Yum Humans of New York Two Huge Chocolate Chip Cookies The Gap and the Gain Follow Alanna on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Memberful. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Getting removed from Mediavine, leaning into social media as a traffic driver, and rebuilding to 85,000 monthly sessions with Yasmin Henley from By the Forkful. ----- Welcome to episode 460 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Yasmin Henley from By the Forkful. How Yasmin Henley Recommitted to Her Blog and Grew to 85,000 Monthly Sessions Yasmin started By the Forkful (her second blog) in 2019 and quickly qualified for Mediavine. But, as often happens, life got in the way when she had her daughter and went back to work full-time. After taking a step back and being removed from Mediavine, Yasmin has worked hard to bring her site back to life. In the last year she has built the traffic on her site back up to 85,000 monthly sessions and is once again part of an ad network! In this interview she shares more about her process for growing site traffic, the role of social media in driving traffic to her site, and how she balances her full-time job, family, and blog. We loved this interview with Yasmin — she's an open book and her honesty is so refreshing and helpful for anyone building a business! In this episode, you'll learn: How she initially qualified for Mediavine after starting her blog in 2019. Why she neglected her site for 1–2 years (hint: sometimes life gets in the way) and was removed from Mediavine. How a viral TikTok video inspired her to reinvest in her blog. How she built the traffic back up on her site (to 85,000 sessions last month!). How she has grown her social media followings at the same time. How she balances her blog with her full-time job and family. Her current strategy on Facebook (which is a major traffic driver for her). Why updating older content is one of the most valuable things she does for her business. What advice she would give to her past self when she was removed from her ad network. Resources: By the Forkful Mediavine Y Combinator Follow Yasmin on Instagram and TikTok Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Balancing a business and home-schooling 8 children, building a team, and diversifying your business to different platforms with Lisa Bass. ----- Welcome to episode 459 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Lisa Bass from Farmhouse on Boone. How Lisa Bass from Farmhouse on Boone Diversified Her Business and Found Work-Life Balance Lisa Bass first started her site, Farmhouse on Boone, in 2016. Since then, she has diversified her brand to include a podcast, YouTube channel, courses, and more (all while raising 8 children)! In this podcast interview, Bjork and Lisa talk about balancing her business with her family life, and how she has built a team to support her business over the years. Lisa also chats about how each arm of her business ranks in terms of income, and why she continues to prioritize YouTube. Lisa has been one of our most-requested podcast guests and we're so happy to have her join us! Hope you enjoy the episode. In this episode, you'll learn: More about Lisa's journey from starting her site in 2016 (and growing her site to have multiple millions of monthly pageviews). What she attributes her success to. How she balances her business and home-schooling her 8 (!!!) children. How she has built her team over the years and what the workflow within her business looks like. How her different platforms (blog, social media, podcast, YouTube) fit into her income. Why she continues to prioritize creating content for YouTube. What her strategy around creating YouTube content is (and how she's improved it over the years). What she would do if she was just starting Farmhouse on Boone today. What tools she uses to run her business. Resources: Farmhouse on Boone Simple Farmhouse Life Raptive MrBeast Mark Rober True Native Media Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor) Trello Slack Final Cut Pro Epidemic Sound Teachable EasyWebinar ConvertKit Follow Lisa on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Memberful. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Balancing a full-time job in the SEO industry with running a food blog, managing burnout, and applying SEO best practices to your site with Marley Braunlich from Baked Abundance. ----- Welcome to episode 458 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Marley Braunlich from Baked Abundance. SEO Tips from a Food Blogger Who Works Full-time at an SEO Agency Marley Braunlich started working full-time at an SEO agency shortly after launching her food blog, Baked Abundance. In this interview, she shares more about balancing a full-time job and a side hustle (especially when they're both in the same industry!) and how she manages burnout. Marley also explains what tips and tricks she has learned from her full-time job and how she has worked to optimize her site for search engines and build domain authority. If you want to increase your site traffic (who isn't?!) without losing the aspects of food blogging that bring you joy, you won't want to miss this interview! In this episode, you'll learn: More about Marley's full-time job at an SEO agency and how it has impacted her food blog. The tools that Marley learned about through her job and now uses for her site. How she balances a full-time job and blog in the same industry. How she manages burnout and adjusts her content strategy with a full-time job and a side hustle. What she has learned from coaching calls with other food bloggers. The patterns she has noticed amongst blogs that have seen the greatest success at her SEO agency. How she has worked to build her domain authority and increased backlinks. Resources: Baked Abundance Semrush Detailed SEO Extension Detailed Q3: Analysing The SEO Playbook of Digital Goliaths In-Depth, Every Quarter Mediavine Feast Eat More Cake by Candice Broken Oven Baking 100 Days of Real Food Connectively Featuring HARO Follow Marley on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Acquiring an existing food blog, navigating traffic drops, and reimagining a site to make it your own with Parker Thornburg from Foodness Gracious. ----- Welcome to episode 457 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Parker Thornburg from Foodness Gracious. How to Acquire and Grow a Food Blog Starting a food blog or business is hard work. It can take months (years!) of determination, practice, and consistency before you start to see results. So what if you just… skipped ahead?! That's exactly what Parker Thornburg and his business partner did when they acquired the existing food blog, Foodness Gracious. But just because the site was up and running (with thousands of recipes!) doesn't mean the transition has been an easy or seamless one. In this interview, Parker shares more about the process of acquiring a site, what the transition has been like, how they've navigated hiring and traffic drops, and have started to come out the other side. Whether or not you're thinking about acquiring a site (or selling your own), there are lots of great lessons to be learned for anyone! In this episode, you'll learn: More about Parker's professional background (including time at Yahoo and a start-up). Why Parker decided to acquire an existing food blog. About the process of acquiring a site and using a brokerage site. What factors to consider when acquiring a site (including calculating potential profits). How they hired their team and what the early days of the site looked like after acquisition (including lots of lessons learned). How Parker and his business partner have navigated traffic drops since acquiring their site. The importance of consistency and habits when trying something new. How he balances his full-time job, family life, and growing Foodness Gracious. What he wants the legacy of this site to be. Resources: Foodness Gracious Buy Then Build: How Acquisition Entrepreneurs Outsmart the Startup Game QuietLight Empire Flippers 032: Buying & Selling Websites with Mark Daoust from Quiet Light 159: Different Ways to Create an Income Online with Mark Daoust Mediavine beehiiv Maray Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones Snackdive Follow Foodness Gracious on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by CultivateWP and Memberful. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Navigating the creator landscape, improving the value of your site, and the importance of diversifying with Chelsea Clarke. ----- Welcome to episode 456 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Chelsea Clarke from Her Paper Route. Monetizing, Diversifying, and Leaning Into Pinterest and Email We are thrilled to welcome back Chelsea Clarke to the podcast this week. Chelsea is an expert at all things monetizing, buying, selling, and optimizing sites and she shares lots of that expertise in this interview. Bjork and Chelsea chat about the current state of the industry for online creators, and how the slew of recent Google algorithm updates have impacted the industry. Chelsea also shares how she has reacted to these changes with her sites (hint: it includes Pinterest, video, and email marketing). Chelsea also explains more about how buying and selling websites works, and how you can make your own site more valuable for yourself (and for potential investors)! In this episode, you'll learn: Chelsea's view on the current "state of the industry" for creators. A recap of all of the recent Google algorithm updates. Her recommendations for diversifying traffic sources (remember Pinterest?). Why to prioritize building a community around your brand. Why Pinterest is such a valuable traffic source (and how to get started with Pinterest SEO). What the future of search might look like. How she has strategically grown her email list and approaches the marketing funnel on her site. How to make your site more valuable (both for yourself and/or if you ever planning on selling your site). How she approaches buying and selling sites. Resources: Her Paper Route 297: Blog Flipping – Developing, Monetizing, and Selling Websites with Chelsea Clarke Google on Helpful Content Raptive Google Seach Liason on Twitter Pinterest The Simple Pin Podcast Pinteresting Strategies 2.0 by Carly Campbell Blogging Like We Mean It TikTok Niche Investor Epic Gardening Follow Chelsea on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Developing your own product line, diversifying income streams, and increasing brand awareness with Barbara Hobart. ----- Welcome to episode 455 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Barbara Hobart. Creating Your Own Products and Adding a Revenue Stream Barbara Hobart is a television writer and producer who also happens to work with food bloggers and other entrepreneurs to identify, create, and manufacture custom products. In this interview, Bjork and Barbara chat about why food creators might consider selling their own products to generate new revenue streams and increase brand awareness. They walk through all of Barbara's recommendations for how to develop, manufacture, and distribute a product, and what kinds of products tend to perform well for food creators. We always love to chat about diversifying income streams on the podcast, and this is a great episode to get you thinking about how you might do that! Don't miss it. In this episode, you'll learn: More about her background as a television writer and producer in Hollywood and how she (accidentally!) got started creating products. The importance of diversifying income as a creator. How someone should know if they're ready to build a physical product and/or a brand that sells products as a digital creator. Her recommendations for how to easily create, manufacture, and ship a product. Products that food creators might consider selling (and how to get started). The difference between white-labeling something and creating a custom product. What to know about food safety, insurance, and the importance of due diligence when selling your own food products. Why selling your own products can help you control your bottom line. Resources: BarbaraHobart.com 430: Grow Your Email List with ConvertKit's Creator Network with Nathan Barry ConvertKit Primal Kitchen Shopify Pinch of Yum Nom Nom Paleo Spice Blends Best Ever Backdrops Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and CultivateWP. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Balancing two blogs, social media, and two dessert shops, using trends and viral videos to drive blog traffic, and winning a baking competition on Netflix with Catherine Zhang. ----- Welcome to episode 454 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Catherine Zhang. Catherine Zhang on Being a Netflix Star and the Power of Social Media Catherine Zhang has quite a resume: she was on (and won) NETFLIX's Zumbo's Just Desserts season 2, runs two food blogs, has over 1 million followers between Instagram and TikTok, and owns Kurepu Crepes — a dessert shop with locations in Perth and Sydney. She also happens to have a Bachelor of Science majoring in Food and Nutrition Science, and spent two years working in pastry kitchens. Safe to say, she has had tremendous success as a creator over the last few years. In this podcast interview, Bjork and Catherine chat about her professional journey, how she balances her businesses, and the power of social media. It is a really fun and inspiring interview — Catherine is so intentional about everything she does for her businesses and will definitely leave you with a lot to think about. In this episode, you'll learn: More about Catherine's professional journey (including opening two brick-and-mortar dessert shops, being on a Netflix show, and growing her Instagram following to 500,000+ followers). How she first started creating content online. How she applied for (and won!) the Netflix baking show, and how it impacted her online presence. How she balances her blog, social media accounts, and dessert shops (Kurepu Crepes). How she manages and maintains her blog (which gets 350,000+ monthly pageviews). Why she decided to start a second food blog (Dimsimlim) with her business partner (and how they qualified for Raptive within one week). How she uses social media, trends, and viral videos to drive blog traffic. What she's learned about the process of building a team and running a brick-and-mortar business. Resources: Catherine Zhang NETFLIX's Zumbo's Just Desserts Pinch of Yum Snackdive crumbl Dimsimlim Raptive Kurepu Crepes dimsimlim on Instagram Follow Catherine on Instagram and TikTok Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Transitioning careers, deciding not to take your blog full-time, and using your blog as a business card with Vincent DelGiudice from Always From Scratch. ----- Welcome to episode 453 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Vincent DelGiudice from Always From Scratch. Balancing a Full-time Job and Your Food Blog We first met Vinny when he joined Bjork for a Coaching Call in 2023. He is on the podcast this week to chat more about his career journey — including how he made the leap from working as a full-time speech-language pathologist to where he is now. Vinny started his blog, Always From Scratch, in 2019 and has had lots of success in that short amount of time — including qualifying for Mediavine and reaching over 100,000 followers on Instagram. While he contemplated taking his site full-time last year, he has since decided to hold off and shares more about his decision-making process in this interview. Vinny and Bjork chat about balancing a full-time job with your blog, how you can use your blog as a "business card" for other job opportunities, and how to create a work-life that fills your cup. In this episode, you'll learn: What's changed since Vinny's Coaching Call with Bjork in the last 6 months. Why Vinny decided not to take his blog full-time (yet!). How he used his blog and Instagram account to get himself a full-time job in this industry. How he balances his full-time job, his blog, and his family. How to mentally justify the early days of blogging, when you're spending lots of time on something without yet making an income. How qualifying for Mediavine and reaching 100,000+ followers on Instagram changed his mindset. What advice he has for someone looking to make the transition into running their blog full-time. How to approach your work tasks to make help you be "gas tank full." Resources: Always From Scratch Food Blogger Pro Coaching Calls Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One Designing Your New Work Life Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life The War of Art Follow Vinny on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and CultivateWP. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Creating content for YouTube, developing meal plans for your community, and strategizing for growing your brand with Nisha Vora from Rainbow Plant Life. Welcome to episode 452 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Nisha Vora from Rainbow Plant Life. YouTube, Meal Plans, and Business Growth Nisha Vora (who just so happens to be the YouTube Expert on Food Blogger Pro!) is back on the podcast this week to chat about all things YouTube, business growth, and meal plans! Bjork and Nisha kick off the conversation with a deep dive into YouTube — YouTube shorts, longer-form videos, monetization on the platform, and more. Nisha also recently launched Meal Plans by Rainbow Plant Life and shares more about the process of developing and marketing the meal plans, and what the future of Rainbow Plant Life might look like! In this episode, you'll learn: How she prioritizes creating content for her different platforms (blog, YouTube, newsletter, and social media). How her income varies between platforms. Her current strategy around YouTube Shorts vs. long-form videos (and how monetizing differs between the two). How she developed her meal plans product. Why surveying her audience played such an important role in the development of her meal plans. What meal plans version 2.0 might look like. How she tested and promoted her meal plans. How she continues to improve her skills as a content creator. How she balances creating content and managing the business side of Rainbow Plant Life. How she has grown the Rainbow Plant Life team. Resources: Rainbow Plant Life 302: Growth Strategies – Growing Your Brand on YouTube and Beyond with Nisha Vora Digiday Meal Plans by Rainbow Plant Life ConvertKit Eisenhower Matrix Follow Nisha on Instagram and YouTube Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Memberful and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Navigating the evolution of online content creation, balancing SEO with creating content you love, and defining success for you with Katie Higgins from Chocolate Covered Katie. ----- Welcome to episode 451 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Katie Higgins from Chocolate Covered Katie. Staying True to Yourself as a Content Creator Katie first started creating content online in 2006 and has been making a living from her food blog, Chocolate Covered Katie for a long time. In her first podcast interview (!!!) Katie shares openly about navigating the online content creation space for almost 20 years and how she has stayed true to herself throughout that time. Katie has been very intentional about running her business in a way that prioritizes doing the things she loves — creating recipes, SEO, photography, FOOD, and letting go of the things she doesn't — video, sponsored content, Instagram. She has a really refreshing perspective on what success looks like and how she navigates imposter syndrome in the industry. We've been longtime followers of Katie and enjoyed getting a peek behind the scenes of her brand! In this episode, you'll learn: How she first started creating content on the internet (on Xanga!). How she started monetizing her site. How she has persevered through all of the iterations of what it looks like to publish content online. Why she prioritizes the parts of food blogging she likes (i.e. SEO) and doesn't worry about the things that she doesn't (i.e. video). How she balances SEO with creating content she loves. What success looks like for her right now (and how she deals with imposter syndrome). Why she is working to make the user experience better on her site. Why she's chosen not to do sponsored content for her blog or social media accounts. Resources: Chocolate Covered Katie Pinterest Semrush Vivid Vision Follow Katie on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and CultivateWP. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started at foodbloggerpro.com/work-with-us. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Delegating tasks, batching content, and planning ahead with Jessica Hylton Leckie from Jessica in the Kitchen. ----- Welcome to episode 450 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jessica Hylton Leckie from Jessica in the Kitchen. Planning for Extended Time Away from Your Food Blog Jessica first started her blog 10 years ago when she was in school pursuing a law degree. Since that time, she has continued to scale her business and now receives 1–2 million pageviews each month. While pregnant with her first child, Jessica knew that she wanted to take some time away from her business to focus on being a mom. In the process, she developed a strategy for planning extended time away from your food blog and social media accounts, without losing any of the momentum she had worked so hard to build. Whether you're hoping to take a maternity/paternity leave, need time away to support a family member or loved one, or just need a break from being an entrepreneur, this is an incredibly valuable episode all about the importance of planning ahead, delegating, and learning to let go. In this episode, you'll learn: How she transitioned from her baking business to her food blog (all while in law school)! How she scaled her brand to 1–2 million monthly pageviews and over 1 million followers across her social media accounts. How (and why) she decided to leave her career in law to pursue her career as a food creator. How she planned ahead on her blog and social media for her year-long maternity leave. Why she found it valuable to outsource certain tasks and work "on" her business instead of working "in" her business. How she approaches delegating work. Resources: Jessica in the Kitchen Moz The Tipping Point The E Myth Revisited Follow Jessica on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti, Memberful, and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Diversifying income streams, working as a private celebrity chef, and scaling his food blog from 6,000 to 45,000 monthly page views in 5 months with Matthew Duffy. ----- Welcome to episode 449 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Matthew Duffy. Monetizing Through Bread, Courses, and a Food Blog We first got to know Matthew when he joined Bjork for a 2-hour-long marathon Coaching Call as a Food Blogger Pro member. He started his career in food as a professional chef in Michelin-starred restaurants before becoming a private chef to a slew of celebrities. Since that time, Matthew has become an online food creator with his courses, social media accounts, and food blog (while also baking lots of bread and panettone on the side). Since his Coaching Call last fall, Matthew has kept the FBP team updated on his progress with his site (spoiler alert: there has been a lot of progress!). One major win? His site traffic has grown from 6,000 monthly pageviews to over 45,000 in just 5 months! In this interview, Matthew shares more about his professional background, why he decided to start sharing content on social media and his blog, more about his different streams of income, and lots more. In this episode, you'll learn: More about Matthew's background as a professional, celebrity, and private chef. Why he started teaching about bread. How he transitioned his career into the online space and prioritized Instagram. How he has built his brand and business online while also growing his bakery business. Why he decided to work with a brand management agency. About his different streams of income (in-person and online classes, selling bread, AdSense, and affiliate marketing). How he scaled from 6,000 monthly pageviews to 45,000 in 5 months. Why he and his wife are focusing on the blog right now. Resources: MatthewJamesDuffy.com Food Blogger Pro Coaching Calls Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes by Jeffrey Hamelman Matty Matheson on Instagram Teachable Mijune Pak Follow Matthew on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and CultivateWP. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Using trending audio on TikTok, navigating the social media algorithms, and creating video content with Faith Christensen from Faith's Fresh. ----- Welcome to episode 448 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Faith Christensen. How Faith Christensen Grew Her TikTok and Instagram Platforms to 2.5 Million Followers Faith first started posting food content to Instagram and TikTok when she was in 2019 when she learned she was intolerant to gluten and dairy. Since that time, she has taken her career as a food creator full-time and grown her social media accounts to over 2.5 million followers (!!!). In this interview, Bjork and Faith talk about Faith's strategy for creating video content, how she uses trending audio, her tips for navigating the algorithms, and why she decided to work with a management agency to support her with brand partnerships. If you're looking to up your game on TikTok or Instagram this year, you won't want to skip this interview! In this episode, you'll learn: How Faith grew her social accounts to over 2.5 million followers. More about how she uses trending audio on TikTok. About her process for creating video content on Instagram and/or TikTok. How she approaches reposting content between platforms. Her thoughts on navigating the algorithms on social media. The importance of changing camera angles when filming videos for TikTok. Why she exclusively edits on her phone. How she uses analytics to shape her strategy on TikTok and Instagram. Why she decided to work with a management agency. Resources: Follow Faith on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Capcut Digital Brand Architects Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Memberful and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Approaching risk as an entrepreneur, diversifying your income, and learning more about the changes in the world of search with Ewen Finser. ----- Welcome to episode 447 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ewen Finser. How to Diversify Your Traffic and Income The last few years have brought big changes to the online content creation world — AI, Google algorithm changes, you name it! As an entrepreneur, these changes can feel overwhelming, discouraging, and even scary. So… what can you do about it? That's why we asked Ewen Finser back on the podcast! He knows a lot about the importance of diversifying your business — from traffic sources to income and everything in between. Bjork and Ewen chat about how to diversify your traffic income, how to approach risk, and different strategies and tools for managing your finances. Don't miss this interview! In this episode, you'll learn: About some of the changes happening in the world of search. More about search generative experience on Google. How to approach risk on search, email, and social media platforms to help create a stable foundation for your business. How to think about the income you're creating from your business as an investor. The importance of diversifying your income. How to approach scaling your business and managing risk. About Ewen's favorite tools and apps for money management. Resources: Venture 4th Media 243: Best-in-Class Content – Keyword Research, Creating Value, and Authority with Ewen Finser Tiny Bites: Understanding and Reacting to Google Algorithm Updates Niche Media Publishing Google September 2023 Helpful Content Update – Changes To The Algorithm Future PLC 443: Why David Lebovitz Switched from Blogging to Substack MarketBeat Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine Mercury LiveOakBank TreasuryDirect Wealthfront American Deposit Management Co. Max My Interest Monarch Money Follow Ewen on LinkedIn Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by CultivateWP and Memberful. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Promoting your work, creating multiple forms of content for different platforms, and positioning yourself as an expert with Erin Jeanne McDowell. ----- Welcome to episode 446 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Erin Jeanne McDowell. How to Position Yourself as an Expert Erin Jeanne McDowell is a cookbook author, food blogger, and video creator who brings lots of joy to everyone who follows along with her. In this interview, Bjork and Erin discuss her career journey so far, and how it all started with her love of writing. Erin discusses her approach to creating multiple forms of content for her many platforms, including how she balances creating video content for Food52 and her own YouTube channel. She has come to be one of the leading experts on baking in the online space and you'll learn lots of her secrets in this great interview! In this episode, you'll learn: How Erin's entrepreneurial journey as a food creator started. The importance of prompts in writing. How she has approached the promotion of her cookbooks. Her strategy for creating multiple forms of content (without getting too overwhelmed). What it is like creating content for Food52 vs. her brand. How she thinks about her schedule and productivity. How she has become the ultimate expert in baking as a content creator. Resources: Erin Jeanne McDowell Food52 Snackdive Bake It Up a Notch! on Food52 Real Baking with Rose The Book on Pie Pillars of Productivity Savory Baking The Fearless Baker Happy Baking Follow Erin on Instagram and TikTok Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti, Memberful, and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Pursuing zero-based dream building, being intentional about educating yourself, and focusing on yourself and the needs of your audience with Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 445 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we have a solo episode with Bjork! Zero-Based Dream Building for Content Creators In this solo episode, Bjork is chatting all about the concept of zero-based dream building. He discusses why you might want to try this strategy when thinking about growing your business and following your dreams, as well as how to go about zero-based dream building. Bjork goes through a step-by-step process of zero-based dream building, which should help you as you're thinking about setting goals for your business and for personal growth! It's a short but sweet, thought-provoking episode — the perfect listen as we head into 2024. In this episode, you'll learn: How to approach 'zero-based dream building.' The importance of staying in your own lane when building your dream (i.e. business). Why you should focus on yourself (how you like to communicate and what you'd like to be an expert in). Why you should focus on the needs of your audience during this process. How to pursue getting a tiny bit better every day at a medium and a topic. How to be intentional about how you educate yourself. Resources: Readwise Reader Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Cultivate WP. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Leveraging the power of your voice, overcoming mental barriers to trying new things, and tackling imposter syndrome with Sally Zimney. ----- Welcome to episode 444 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Sally Zimney. Overcoming Fear, Judgment, Imposter Syndrome, and Perfection as an Entrepreneur Have you ever felt a sense of fear, judgment, imposter syndrome, or a need for perfection as a food creator? Assuming this is a rhetorical question because… who hasn't?! That's why we asked Sally Zimney to join us on the podcast — she's a professional speaker with a Master's Degree in Persuasion (!!). In this interview, Bjork and Sally talk about the power of speaking and why it's so important as an entrepreneur. Sally explains how to overcome the mental barriers that might be holding you back from trying something new. It's a really inspiring and thought-provoking interview — we hope you enjoy it! In this episode, you'll learn: More about Sally's professional journey (and how it overlapped with Bjork's)! The importance of finding your professional 'playground.' How Sally empowers people to leverage the power of speaking. How she defines "speaking" (spoiler alert: you don't need to be an extrovert to be a speaker). How to overcome fear, judgment, imposter syndrome, and perfection when it comes to trying new things. How and why AI might impact our desire for human connection and imperfection. Resources: Sally Z. Youth Frontiers The War of Art Extreme Ownership Speaking Story Follow Sally on Instagram and LinkedIn Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors by going to foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Welcome to Tiny Bites from the Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Danielle Liss from LISS Legal all about the new Corporate Transparency Act. Get the resources for this episode at foodbloggerpro.com/tiny-bites-corporate-transparency-act. ----- If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, email us at [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Working as a food creator for 25+ years, transitioning from food blogging to Substack, and future-proofing your content against AI with David Lebovitz. ----- Welcome to episode 443 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews David Lebovitz. Why David Lebovitz Switched from Blogging to Substack (and How he Quadrupled his Income) David Lebovitz is a pastry chef, cookbook author, and OG food blogger (he first started his blog in 1999!). He has witnessed every new platform, algorithm update, and trend in the last 25 years and is still one of the most successful food creators in the business. In this interview, Bjork and David chat about David's recent pivot from food blogging to his Substack newsletter. David shares what he loves about Substack, what he misses about blogging, and how he has had so much success with his newsletter. We are big fans of David (and his sense of humor!) and know you'll love this episode. In this episode, you'll learn: The importance of adapting or adopting as a creator. All about David's journey through food blogging. Why David stopped blogging and switched to Substack (and what he misses about blogging). How and why he started doing Instagram Lives (and more about his success with them). How he approaches free vs. paid content on Substack. The meaning and importance of various metrics (like engagement) as a food creator. What it's like to be a food blogger in France. What he would do differently if he were starting out as a food creator now. His thoughts on AI in the food blogging space and future-proofing against AI. Resources: DavidLebovitz.com 129: Forging Your Own Path with David Lebovitz Baking Yesteryear Substack Simply Recipes David's Podcast Saveur Magazine's Blog Awards Drinking French 1000 True Fans L'Appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making My Paris Home Smitten Kitchen Dianne Jacob Follow David on Substack and Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by CultivateWP and Memberful. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Diversifying income streams, leaning into your voice, and navigating algorithms with Eric King from easygayoven. ----- Welcome to episode 442 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Eric King from easygayoven. How Eric King Took easygayoven Full-Time by Diversifying His Income Streams This podcast episode is chock-full of pearls of wisdom — there is really no other way to describe it! Eric has been running easygayoven full-time for just over two years, but you would think it had been much longer with all of the knowledge he has to share. Eric shares about the beginning of his career in journalism and social media and how it influenced his strategy for easygayoven. He also explains how he took his site full-time by diversifying his income streams (and what he'd do differently). Bjork and Eric also chat about brand partnerships, Substack, storytelling, and so much more in this wide-ranging interview. It's just a joy to listen to! In this episode, you'll learn: More about Eric's professional background at TED Conferences and how it impacted easygayoven. The importance of capturing someone's attention in the first 3 seconds of a video on social media (and how to do that!). How he combines the visual and written aspects of storytelling on social media and his blog. Why he wants to share more than just the recipes on his site (and why it prompted him to start a Substack newsletter). Why he focuses on both sentiment and analytics when measuring the success of this content. How he protects his mental health in this profession. How he balanced working full-time with starting easygayoven (and how he took his blog full-time). What his first few brand partnerships looked like (including one with Netflix Family!). Why he turned to Substack as a means to diversify his income. How he has navigated the ebbs and flows of brand partnerships. Resources: easygayoven Substack Serious Eats ConvertKit Mailchimp Patreon beehiiv Eric on Substack Follow Eric on Instagram and TikTok Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Focusing on SEO rather than social media, implementing keyword research, and sharing content authentically with Cree Carraway from Cooking With Bliss. ----- Welcome to episode 441 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we're rewinding back to our episode with Cree Carraway from Cooking With Bliss, which was part of our Blogging with a Full-Time Job series. How Focusing on SEO Led to $2,000 Monthly Earnings For today's FBP Rewind episode, we're bringing back our February 2022 interview with Cree Carraway. From sharing content on her blog to working her full-time job to raising her family, Cree has a lot on her plate (both literally and figuratively!) all the time. In this episode, you'll hear how she strategically focused on SEO to increase her traffic and join an ad network, how she started doing keyword research, and what the impact of earning an income from her blog has been on her life. It's an inspiring conversation that will encourage you to reflect and make progress on your own goals. Enjoy! In this episode, you'll learn: Why Cree decided to launch her blog When she decided to really focus on growing her blog's traffic What business lessons she has learned over the years Why she decided to focus on SEO rather than social media What it felt like to start earning money from her blog How she started doing keyword research How she balances her blog with her full-time job How she narrowed her blog's focus and started sharing content more authentically How she's been strategically growing her email list Resources: Cooking With Bliss Mediavine SEO for Food Blogs course – available for FBP members! FBP Podcast Episodes with Casey Markee Keysearch Semrush Cooking With Keywords The Defined Dish Follow Cree on Instagram and Pinterest Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and CultivateWP. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started at foodbloggerpro.com/work-with-us. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Connecting with your community, being strategic with your time when blogging, and hiring the right people with David Crowley from Cooking Chat. ----- Welcome to episode 440 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we're rewinding back to our episode with David Crowley from Cooking Chat, which was part of our Blogging with a Full-Time Job series. Blogging with a Full-Time Job For today's FBP Rewind episode, we're bringing back our February 2022 interview with David Crowley from Cooking Chat! In addition to sharing hundreds of recipes with wine pairings on his blog Cooking Chat, David also runs Social Capital Inc., a non-profit organization that strengthens communities by connecting diverse individuals through civic engagement initiatives. In this episode, you'll hear how David has found balance with his work over time, why he's been focusing so much on republishing old content recently, and what he's looking forward to next with his blog. In this episode, you'll learn: What David does for his full-time job How he got into food blogging How he's found balance with his work over time Why he's been focusing on republishing old content recently What specifically he updates when republishing content What he's currently struggling with when it comes to blogging Why it's so important to document your processes How to find the right people to hire Resources: Social Capital Inc. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community Cooking Chat 261: Managing Sponsored Content – How to Work With Brands with Bruno Bornsztein 159: Different Ways to Create an Income Online with Mark Daoust Gentleman's Gazette Wayback Machine Tasty Food Photography eBook Curbly Clariti NerdPress Foodie Pro Theme Mediavine Your World-Class Assistant Loom Google Drive Delegate and Elevate Exercise Updating Blog Posts and Other Food Blog Strategies Follow David on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started at foodbloggerpro.com/work-with-us. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

The importance of finding your niche, building an audience, and crafting a content marketing strategy with Joe Pulizzi. ----- Welcome to episode 439 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Joe Pulizzi. Developing a Content Strategy to Stand Out From The Crowd Joe Pulizzi knows a lot about content marketing and has been an entrepreneur in this space for over a decade. And this week on the podcast he joins us to share all of his tips and tricks for differentiating yourself in the crowd as a food creator! Bjork and Joe discuss the importance of finding your niche as a creator and how you should approach creating content as you grow your business. They also chat about building trust with your audience, and why it is such a critical aspect of content marketing. This episode is the perfect deep-dive into content strategy as you start brainstorming your content calendar for the new year — don't miss it! In this episode, you'll learn: What 'content marketing' means in 2023 and how it differs from advertising. The importance of differentiating yourself and delivering consistent content. Why you need to find your niche. Why you should build your audience before you consider selling a product or service (and how to figure out what to sell). What content tilt is and why you should apply it to your content strategy. Why exit planning is important for every entrepreneur. More about Joe's professional journey. Resources: Follow the podcast on Apple Joepulizzi.com Content Inc This Old Marketing Content Marketing Institute Red Bull Media House Simple Pin Media AG1 MrBeast The Billion Dollar Creator ConvertKit Content Inc. Orange Effect Foundation The Will to Die The Tilt CEX 415: How and Why To Self-Publish a Cookbook with Matt Briel from Lulu Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group This episode is sponsored by Clariti and CultivateWP. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Welcome to Tiny Bites from the Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jeff Coyle from MarketMuse about creating content and SEO in a world with AI. ----- It's hard to believe that technologies like ChatGPT and Bard have only been available for the last year. AI is constantly evolving and, with it, our understanding of how it will impact content creation. It's easy to feel helpless with the growth of AI technologies — is there a world in which food creators can succeed against AI? That's why we've asked Jeff Coyle to join us on the podcast. He's here to discuss the impact of AI on online content creation and what you can do to protect yourself and your business against the competition from AI. How to create AI-proof content If you're providing consistent value with your content, if you've built trust with your brand, and you've illustrated your expertise, you're at an advantage in a world with generative content. In other words, the tools you would use to stand out amongst all the other chocolate chip recipes in the world are very similar to those you'll need to stand out against AI. When you're creating content: Avoid being generic. Include your voice and personality. Include tips for ingredient substitutions. Highlight potential mistakes to avoid in the recipe. Include high-quality photographs and step-by-step videos. By including these features in your content, you're providing a unique value and sharing expertise that (at least right now) AI can't replicate. Part of this equation is ensuring that you're positioning yourself as an expert on your site (E-E-A-T, anyone?). Jeff predicts that with the growth of AI, we'll see a shift towards the true expertise of the individual creating the content and a shift away from mass-producing content. Lean into that! Learn more: MarketMuse Artisan Bread in Five by Jeff Hertzberg Silver Bluff Brewing Co. The Perfect Loaf Google Labs Google Search's Helpful Content System Follow Jeff on Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Creating a brand aesthetic, sharing lifestyle content, and prioritizing brand partnerships with Remy Park from Veggiekins. ----- Welcome to episode 438 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Remy Park. Balancing Lifestyle and Recipe Content Remy's journey to food blogging started as a means of overcoming her history of disordered eating and addiction by sharing a diary-like view into her favorite recipes and lifestyle. Many years later, her blog, Veggiekins, is now her full-time job. Remy is a pro at balancing sharing lifestyle and recipe content on her various social media platforms and blog, and she explains more about her strategy for repurposing content in this interview. She also shares how she filters what she shares with her followers and how she handles negativity online. Last but not least, Remy gives her advice for creating a uniform brand aesthetic in her photographs and on her site. It's a wide-reaching and inspiring interview — grab your headphones! In this episode, you'll learn: Remy's journey to veganism and how it changed her life and provided a purpose for her blog. What her day-to-day workflow looks like, and how she approaches outsourcing her work. How she thinks about documenting her life and sharing lifestyle content on social media. How she balances creating and repurposing content for multiple platforms. Why she prioritizes brand partnerships and how she maintains relationships with brands. How she creates an aesthetic and consistent visual look for her brand. How she deals with negativity on social media. More about the process of writing her cookbook. Resources: Veggiekins 384: How Toni Okamoto Runs Two Food Blogs and Grew Her Email List to Over 80,000 Subscribers Sesame, Soy, Spice Pre-order Follow Remy on Instagram and YouTube Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Finding your voice as a creator, understanding cultural appropriation, and cultivating gratitude with Marta Rivera Diaz from Sense and Edibility. ----- Welcome to episode 437 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Marta Rivera Diaz from Sense and Edibility. How Grief, a Diagnosis with MS, and Biracial Background Shaped Marta Rivera Diaz's Career as a Food Creator Every once in a while on the Food Blogger Pro Podcast, we have an episode that feels like "required listening" for food creators. This is one of them! Bjork and Marta have a really thoughtful and moving conversation about the importance of finding your voice as a food creator and presenting your authentic self to your followers and community. Marta grew up as a child of two active-duty airmen and as a biracial individual (she is half-Black and half-Puerto Rican). She was also diagnosed with MS in her early thirties. All of these experiences have shaped her as a person and as a creator. She speaks beautifully about the effects of her background on her personality and her work, and why it is so important to her to share recipes that reflect her heritage. It's a perfect episode for the week after Thanksgiving, as we all reflect on what we're grateful for in our personal and professional lives. Don't miss it! In this episode, you'll learn: How Marta's background impacted how she presents herself to the world (and why she's working to change that). How she found her voice and true self as a creator. More about her culinary background and how she came to create Sense and Edibility. How her diagnosis with MS in her early thirties changed the trajectory of her career. How her seasons of grief shaped her approach to cooking and creating. What D, E, I, A (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) is and how it relates to the food blogging community. The difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. What advice Marta would give to her younger self. Resources: Sense and Edibility The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts The Gap and the Gain Follow Marta on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and CultivateWP. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Understanding the Pinterest algorithm, focusing on user engagement, and hiring out the management of your Pinterest account with Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media. ----- Welcome to episode 436 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media. How to Find Success on Pinterest in 2024 This is Kate's sixth (!!!) episode on The Food Blogger Pro Podcast because she is our go-to resource when it comes to all things Pinterest. And there have been a lot of changes to Pinterest in recent years! Kate is here to explain those changes (sunsetting Idea Pins, evolving algorithms, and the rise of video) and more in this interview. She also shares more about how her team at Simple Pin Media manages Pinterest accounts for food creators (including Pinch of Yum) and what success looks like on Pinterest. If you're confused about Pinterest strategy (who isn't?!) and/or need some motivation to get back into posting on the platform, this is the interview for you! In this episode, you'll learn: How Pinterest has changed in recent years (hint: video! algorithm!). Why you need to focus on user engagement when planning your Pinterest content. How the Pinterest algorithm has evolved. How to think about brand partnerships on Pinterest. Why Idea Pins are no longer a thing (and what the new format looks like). How to repurpose Instagram or YouTube content for Pinterest. What success looks like for Simple Pin Media when managing a Pinterest account (like Pinch of Yum's). How to track Pinterest analytics in GA4. How to hire out the management of your Pinterest account. Resources: Simple Pin Media HerPaperRoute Rhodium Weekend The Simple Pin Podcast Pinterest Investor Overview Detailed Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Running a mission-driven food blog, balancing business with purpose, and creating a recipe-testing process with Michelle Cehn from World of Vegan. ----- Welcome to episode 435 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Michelle Cehn from World of Vegan. Prioritizing Recipe Testing and Purpose in Food Blogging Michelle has been blogging for a long time (she even has the @vegan handle on Instagram!) and has been passionate about animal rights and vegan cooking from the get-go. But her approach to sharing that mission with her readers has evolved over the years, and she explains more about why in this interview. Michelle also shares more about how she balances the aspects of her job that bring her joy and a sense of purpose with the business and financial side of running a food blog. Last but certainly not least, Michelle and Bjork chat about the recipe testing process that Michelle has used for her cookbook and for her blog, and how she recruits volunteers to help test each of her recipes. In this episode, you'll learn: How and why Michelle started a vegan blog and how her approach to sharing vegan recipes has changed over the years. How Michelle and Toni Okamato monetized their sites with meal plans. How she balances a mission-driven and profit-driven approach to her business. What the recipe testing process at World of Vegan looks like. About the recipe testing process (with over 75 volunteers!) for Michelle's cookbook. The exact questions Michelle asks her recipe testers for each recipe. Resources: World of Vegan 384: How Toni Okamoto Runs Two Food Blogs and Grew Her Email List to Over 80,000 Subscribers Plant Based on a Budget Plant Based on a Budget Meal Plans The Plant-Powered People Podcast The Friendly Vegan Cookbook Follow Michelle on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group This episode is sponsored by Cultivate WP and Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Welcome to Tiny Bites from the Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ewen Finser from Venture 4th Media about the recent Google algorithm updates. ----- Google has been… very busy in Q3 and Q4 of 2023. If the updates feel nonstop, it's because they have been: Core Update at the end of August/early September Helpful Content Update in September Spam Update in October Core Update in October Another Core Update in November Some of these updates may impact your site traffic positively, some may impact your site traffic negatively, and some may have no real impact. But every update tends to cause some unease for online creators. So what can you do about them? What exactly is the Google algorithm and why is it updated? The Google algorithm is essentially how Google indexes and categorizes all of the content that is published online. You can also think of it as Google's ever-changing thesis on what constitutes 'good' or 'valuable' content. Updates occur in response to new information Google has, tweaks to what they think is valuable, and/or how they measure or evaluate content. The algorithm is constantly changing and evolving. As Ewen mentions in the interview, Google released their most recent Helpful Content Update and used AI to determine if entire sites were helpful or not helpful (while previous updates tended to be on a post-by-post basis). If a certain percentage of your content is deemed unhelpful, your content will be deprioritized in the algorithm. This update did not include rewarding helpful sites, but rather penalizing unhelpful sites. How should you approach the Google algorithm updates? The #1 thing you can do to anticipate and respond to Google algorithm updates is to focus on creating high-quality, user-first content. There will be ebbs and flows with every Google update — know that if your traffic goes down with one update, it might go up with the next update. Because of this, it's important to avoid huge course corrections after updates. But what if your site was negatively impacted and you can't figure out why? Ewen has noticed a few takeaways from the recent Google algorithm updates that might explain why: Older sites tend to perform better. Market leaders tend to perform better. User experience with display ads may play a role. Topical relevance matters (i.e. does your content cover too broad of a subject matter? Do you have gaps in your content?) How should you respond to Google algorithm updates? The first thing to do after any update is to let the dust settle. It usually takes two weeks to roll out an update. Wait to change anything on your site so that you can determine that any traffic changes were, in fact, due to the update (and not just a natural ebb or flow). Ewen shared lots of great tips for reacting to Google updates and creating content that is more resilient when these algorithm updates do come. Here are a few of our favorites: Use data (like from Google Analytics) to inform decisions. Experiment and test hypotheses. Understand what your audience wants. Avoid chasing trends that are only working right now. Solve a problem for your audience. Follow SEO best-practices. If you're looking for more concrete suggestions for responding to an algorithm update traffic dip, consider: Turning down the ads on your site for a bit, or removing intrusive video ads for a time. See if that change has any effect on user experience and/or site traffic. Filter through your content and consider the posts that aren't getting any traffic at all. Update those posts if they are relevant to your overall content strategy and have the potential for traffic. Otherwise, delete/redirect. Look at your inventory to assess where you have big gaps in content. Consider diversifying your traffic sources (email, social, etc.). Last, but not least, check out this guide from Google with questions to ask yourself to help you uncover potential opportunities for improving your content. Thanks, again, to Ewen for joining us on the podcast. We hope this episode provided some additional context, guidance, and encouragement when it comes to Google algorithm updates. Learn more: Venture 4th Media Semrush Ahrefs Search Quality Rater Program Guidelines 243: Best-in-Class Content – Keyword Research, Creating Value, and Authority with Ewen Finser Google is slowly killing blogging by Spencer Haws Ewen on LinkedIn Niche Media Publishing Content Teams A Q&A on Google Search updates If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Growing three food blogs as a family, organizing retreats for food bloggers, and leveling up your email marketing strategy with Taryn Scarfone from Joy Filled Eats. ----- Welcome to episode 434 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Taryn Scarfone from Joy Filled Eats. Navigating Google Algorithm Updates, Leaning into Email Marketing, and Running Three Food Blogs Taryn started Joy Filled Eats eight years ago and has recently started two additional food blogs, one with her 14-year-old daughter and one with her husband. With each new blog, her approach has become more intentional and strategic — and has seen more rapid success as a result. In this interview, Taryn shares more about how she manages the responsibilities of three food blogs. She also speaks to the effects of recent Google Algorithm updates and why she has prioritized email marketing for Joy Filled Eats. Taryn has also hosted a mastermind group for food bloggers, as well as an in-person retreat with fellow food creators. She explains the process of organizing both, in case you feel inspired to do the same! In this episode, you'll learn: How she came to have three food blogs and why she enjoys running these sites with her family. What it's like to juggle the responsibilities for all three sites. How they grew A Grill for All Season to 150,000 monthly pageviews. How her sites have been affected by Google Algorithm updates and how they recover from updates in which the sites are negatively impacted. More about Google Discover and how it can affect site traffic. How she organized a retreat and a mastermind group for food bloggers. How she leveled up her email marketing strategy and grew her email list to 40,000+ subscribers. Resources: Joy Filled Eats A Grill for All Seasons Baking Me Hungry Google Discover 430: Grow Your Email List with ConvertKit's Creator Network with Nathan Barry Sidetracked Sarah Raptive Evolving Table It is a Keeper Email Crush by Matt Molen ConvertKit LiveIntent 201: Email Marketing for Bloggers with Matt Molen Follow Taryn on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Solving a problem for your readers, monetizing and scaling a food blog, and creating a community of creators with Zhen Zhou from Greedy Girl Gourmet. ----- Welcome to episode 433 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Zhen Zhou from Greedy Girl Gourmet. Transitioning from the Corporate World to Full-time Creator We first got to know Zhen when she joined Bjork for a Coaching Call on Food Blogger Pro back in July, and we loved that conversation so much we wanted to bring her on the podcast! In this interview, Zhen shares more about her journey from working in the corporate world to working full-time as a content creator. She shares her strategy for monetizing from the early days of blogging up until now, and how she has diversified her income. Zhen is also working to create a community of food bloggers through her Facebook group (Connecting Bloggers) and is very transparent with the steps she's taken to find success as a creator. In this episode, you'll learn: More about Zhen's Coaching Call with Bjork (lessons learned, takeaways, etc.). Why she started a Facebook group to connect food bloggers. The differences between her corporate job and her current role as a creator, and how she made the leap out of the corporate world. What the monetization of her site has looked like over recent years. The things that were most helpful for her to implement when trying to replace her corporate income with blogging. How she diversified her income. What her plans for scaling and diversifying her business look like (keeping in mind changes to third-party cookies and AI). Her best advice for beginning food bloggers. Resources: Greedy Girl Gourmet Food Blogger Pro Coaching Calls Mediavine Food Bloggers Central Connecting Bloggers Y Combinator Basecamp 18 Ways to Make Money From Your Food Blog in 2023 RhodiumWeekend Interbrand Chat GPT Bard Substack The Woks of Life Follow Zhen on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Evolving your content strategy as a creator, building a village of food creators, and managing outreach to brands with Morgan Peaceman from Nomaste Hungry. ----- Welcome to episode 432 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Morgan Peaceman from Nomaste Hungry. Creating a Community of Food Bloggers Food blogging (or any career as an online creator or entrepreneur) can sometimes feel like a lonely space. But Morgan Peaceman is working to change that! Morgan started her blog back in 2018 and has been cultivating a food blogging village ever since. She is extremely intentional about reaching out to fellow food bloggers and like-minded brands to build her community. She has seen increased success since growing her community, which she attributes to sharing resources, experiences, and contacts with other food creators. In this episode, Morgan talks more about how she has the confidence to reach out to other creators and brands, and why she thinks it's so important to do so. In this episode, you'll learn: How to create a community of like-minded food bloggers. About the early days of Nomaste Hungry and how her content stategy has changed over the years. Her advice for reaching out to connect with other food creators. How to be more confident when reaching out to brands for partnerships. How she tracks and manages her communications and follow-ups with brands. Resources: Nomaste Hungry A Couple Cooks Folk App Salesforce Superhuman Boomerang Follow Morgan on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Businessese and Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors by going to foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Starting a membership site, managing slow periods as an entrepreneur, and shifting your mindset around success with Lauren Toyota from hot for food. ----- Welcome to episode 431 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Lauren Toyota from Hot for Food. The Highs and Lows of Being a Food Creator for Over a Decade Lauren Toyota has been blogging for almost ten years and has had tremendous success during the past decade — two cookbooks, 450,000 subscribers on YouTube, and qualifying for Raptive. But all of these high points have been balanced by some professional lows, especially since the pandemic and becoming a mother. Lauren is incredibly honest in this interview about the current "slow" period of her business, and how her mindset has changed around her business goals recently. She openly shares her struggles, and how she views the future of hot for food. As part of the future of hot for food is Lauren's membership (EAT IT). Lauren walks listeners through the process of starting a membership and why she enjoys creating that type of content so much. This is a raw, transparent, brutally honest interview that we know will resonate with many of you! In this episode, you'll learn: What's changed (and what's stayed the same) since Bjork and Lauren last chatted on the podcast in 2016. The different experiences Lauren had writing and marketing her two cookbooks. How her business and mindset have changed over the last decade (especially due to the pandemic and becoming a mother). What the future of hot for food might look like. Why she decided to start a membership (EAT IT) on her website and what the process has looked like. How she's approaching creating content and growing her audience on YouTube. Resources: Hot for Food 079: How Finding a Unique Niche Led to YouTube Success with Lauren Toyota from Hot For Food Hot for Food Vegan Comfort Classics: 101 Recipes to Feed Your Face hot for food all day: easy recipes to level up your vegan meals The Iced Coffee Hour 1000 True Fans EAT IT by hot for food MemberPress The Getaway Co. Follow Lauren on Instagram and hot for food's YouTube page and her personal YouTube page Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Once Coupled and Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors by going to foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Getting started with ConvertKit's Creator Network, collaborating with other creators to accelerate growth, and monetizing your email list with Nathan Barry. ----- Welcome to episode 430 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Nathan Barry from ConvertKit. Grow Your Email List with ConvertKit's Creator Network Nathan Barry is back on the podcast this week to chat about all things email marketing and strategic business growth. ConvertKit recently started the Creator Network and Nathan is here to explain what it is, as well as how food creators can use it to grow their email lists. Nathan walks listeners through how to get started with the Creator Network and shares compelling case studies about how creators have strategically utilized the Creator Network as part of their business models. This is a great episode for anyone looking to diversify their income streams in a new way. We think you'll leave this episode feeling inspired to try something new and with a fresh perspective on sharing your content. In this episode, you'll learn: How ConvertKit has changed over the years and what it offers to creators. How email should fit into your marketing model. Why ConvertKit started the Creator Network (and more about how it works). How to get started with the Creator Network. Tips for optimizing your profile on the Creator Network. How to use the Creator Network strategically to optimize growth for your email list. How to collaborate with other creators within the Creator Network. More about ConvertKit's acquisition of SparkLoop and how to monetize through SparkLoop. About flywheels and how the concept applies to business. Resources: ConvertKit 140: From $300k in Product Sales to $9m in Software Sales with Nathan Barry Follow Nathan on Twitter James Clear: The 3–2–1 Newsletter Sahil Bloom: Curiosity Chronicle Ryan Holiday: Reading List Susan Cain: The Kindred Letters Lamberts Lately The Perfect Loaf 393: How Passion and Sourdough Feed a 9 Million Pageview Food Blog with Maurizio Leo SparkLoop Morning Brew The Skimm The Hustle ActiveCampaign MailChimp NathanBarry.com Mark's Daily Apple Primal Kitchen The Billion Dollar Creator essay Billion Dollar Creator Podcast Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Businessese and Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors by going to foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Shooting multiple recipes in one day, styling 'hard to style' foods, and reaching out to brands for partnerships with Rachel Korinek from Two Loves Studio. ----- Welcome to episode 429 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Rachel Korinek from Two Loves Studio. Tips for Styling, Editing, and Monetizing Food Photography Food photography can be overwhelming, no matter if you're a beginner or if you've been blogging for a decade! Luckily we have Rachel Korinek to help walk us through the tips and tricks that make food photography and editing just a little bit easier. In this podcast episode, Bjork and Rachel chat about Rachel's journey as an entrepreneur, and how her definition of success has changed over the years. She also shares her strategies for shooting multiple recipes in one day, and how she prepares in advance for her food photography days. She also has lots of valuable advice about styling foods that aren't photogenic (meatloaf, anyone?). The episode ends with a series of listener questions about phone photography, editing, and background props — it's a good one! In this episode, you'll learn: How Rachel got into a career in food photography and the different stages of her business. What the seasons of success and the seasons of reinvention have looked like for her business. How she tackles shooting multiple recipes in one day. How she sets herself up for success before big photography days. Her recommendations for growing your team to help with efficiency with photography. Some of the common mistakes she sees food photographers make with food styling. Her tips for styling 'hard to style' foods. Why she primarily shoots with artificial lighting these days and the tools she recommends. How she approaches reaching out to brands for partnerships. The three core edits she recommends for editing photographs. Her recommendations for background props. Tips for using your phone for food photography. Resources: Two Loves Studio 154: 5 Tips to Improve Your Food Photography with Rachel Korinek Backlinko The Pez Outlaw The Legend of Cocaine Island Rachel's Simple (Yet Beautiful) Artificial Light for Food Photography YouTube Tutorial Adobe Lightroom Capture One Follow Rachel on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Businessese and Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors by going to foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Welcome to Tiny Bites from the Food Blogger Pro Podcast! In this episode of Tiny Bites, Bjork interviews Alison Bechdol from Digital-ade about GA4 data models and how to change yours if your data isn't looking quite right. As of July 1, 2023 Google Analytics 4, or GA4, is the default property within Google Analytics. There is a steep (and, it seems, long) learning curve to using GA4, especially because GA4 uses and collects data completely differently than Universal Analytics (or UA) did. New metrics, new language, new data… it's a lot to familiarize yourself with! In this podcast interview (our first episode of Tiny Bites!), Bjork chats with Alison Bechdol (who is also the Google Analytics Expert here at Food Blogger Pro) about some tips and trips that will make this transition from UA to GA4 a little easier. Resources: Google Looker Studio 363: What Bloggers Need to Know About Google Analytics 4 with Alison Bechdol Digital-ade The Insite Co Head over to foodbloggerpro.com/podcast to find the full episode shownotes! If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Surveying your audience, Identifying pain points in your community, and starting a meal planning membership app as a food creator with Liam Smith from MealPro App. ----- Welcome to episode 428 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Liam Smith from the MealPro App. How to Diversify Your Income with a Meal Planning Membership App If you've been listening to The Food Blogger Pro Podcast for any length of time, you know how important it is to diversify your income as a food blogger. And one of the ways that you might consider doing that is by starting a meal planning membership app! Liam Smith founded the MealPro App as a white-label meal planning app to allow food creators to easily (and affordably) personalize an app for their community. Bjork and Liam chat about the process of developing the app, how food bloggers can monetize through the app, and the importance of surveying your community to better meet their needs. In this episode, you'll learn: About Liam's background in tech. What inspired him to develop his own meal planning app (the MealPro App). What no-code tools are and how we use them. All about his low-risk process for developing, testing, and marketing the app. How food creators might use the MealPro App to create a membership community. How to identify the problems or pain points your community needs help solving. The importance of surveying your audience to help refine your content strategy. What it looks like to start a membership through the MealPro App. How to monetize within the MealPro App (and how much money you might expect to make). Resources: MealPro App BBC Good Food The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss Upwork Webflow Bubble Y Combinator Mind the Product: How I Built an App Without Writing a Line of Code Fiverr MealPro App Masterclass ConvertKit ChatGPT WP Recipe Maker Teachable Kajabi Kevin Kelly: 1000 True Fans MealPro App Pricing Follow MealPro App on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Blogging with a global audience, diversifying website traffic sources, and tailoring content depending on the platform with Arman Liew from The Big Man's World. ----- Welcome to episode 427 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Arman Liew from The Big Man's World. Why Diversifying Your Website Traffic Matters Arman has been blogging for almost ten years now and has a really fresh perspective on everything from sponsored content to social media. He is really honest about some of the struggles he's faced with blogging over the years (fickle algorithms, anyone?) and how those have led to a very strategic and intentional approach to his site nowadays. Arman also shares more about what it's like to be a food blogger in Australia, and why he's chosen to prioritize an American audience with his content. It's a really entertaining and thought-provoking interview — don't miss it! In this episode, you'll learn: About the early days of The Big Man's World. How Arman was able to leave his full-time job to work on his blog. What strategies Arman found to be the most effective in growing his site. How he reached out to brands for sponsored content and decided what to charge. About how he put all his eggs in the Pinterest basket — and how he has recovered from that. How he transitioned from prioritizing Pinterest traffic to SEO. The importance of diversifying your traffic sources. How he tailors his content and voice depending on the platform. How he grew his team. Why he prioritizes an American audience despite blogging from Australia. What he's most excited about with his business right now. Resources: The Big Man's World Wayback Machine Pinterest Pinch of Yum NerdPress Raptive Atlassian Envato Follow Arman on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Developing a social media strategy, avoiding overwhelm, and navigating new tools and trends in the social media space with Andrea Balogun. ----- Welcome to episode 426 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Andrea Balogun from Balogun Strategy & Design. Social Media Deep Dive: Threads, X, and AI Social media is constantly changing — new algorithms, new platforms, new trends. It's hard to keep up and it's easy to get overwhelmed. But luckily we have Andrea Balogun to help walk us through it all! Andrea's back on the podcast to talk about the hot topics in social media right now. She explains more about the Threads app and why food creators might consider adding it to their social media strategy. Andrea also imparts her wisdom around crafting a social media strategy and being intentional about how you create content for social media to avoid burnout. Andrea and Bjork also chat about new tools and AI in the social media space and how to incorporate them into your workflow. If you're on social media as a content creator, this is a must-listen! In this episode, you'll learn: About the work Andrea does at Balogun Strategy & Design. What Threads is and how food creators can use it. Why you might want to activate your Threads account sooner rather than later. The kinds of topics that perform well on Threads and/or Twitter/X. How to develop a social media strategy to avoid getting overwhelmed. How to approach creating content for social media. About new tools in the social media space that can make your life easier. How to use AI tools in your social media content creation. Resources: Balogun Strategy & Design The Food Blogger Pro Podcast 329: Social Media Strategy – Creating a Content Plan, Growing Your Following, and Diversifying Your Platforms with Andrea Balogun Threads @StripMallGuy @ViperChill Full Focus LifeScore Assessment Buffer Klap Dumme OpusClip Notion ChatGPT Bard Follow Andrea on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership