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The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

Welcome to The Food Blogger Pro Podcast, hosted by Bjork Ostrom from Pinch of Yum! Our goal is to help you create a beautiful, functional, and profitable blog. We interview successful food bloggers and industry experts in an effort to surface strategies that can help you more efficiently grow and monetize your site. You'll learn about recipe SEO, food photography, plugins, monetization, traffic, and more. New episodes every Tuesday! Learn more at foodbloggerpro.com/podcast
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Now displaying: 2023
Dec 26, 2023

Focusing on SEO rather than social media, implementing keyword research, and sharing content authentically with Cree Carraway from Cooking With Bliss.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Dec 19, 2023

Connecting with your community, being strategic with your time when blogging, and hiring the right people with David Crowley from Cooking Chat.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Dec 12, 2023

The importance of finding your niche, building an audience, and crafting a content marketing strategy with Joe Pulizzi.

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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:

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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Dec 7, 2023

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.

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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:

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Dec 5, 2023

Creating a brand aesthetic, sharing lifestyle content, and prioritizing brand partnerships with Remy Park from Veggiekins.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Nov 28, 2023

Finding your voice as a creator, understanding cultural appropriation, and cultivating gratitude with Marta Rivera Diaz from Sense and Edibility.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Nov 21, 2023

Understanding the Pinterest algorithm, focusing on user engagement, and hiring out the management of your Pinterest account with Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media.

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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:

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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Nov 14, 2023

Running a mission-driven food blog, balancing business with purpose, and creating a recipe-testing process with Michelle Cehn from World of Vegan.

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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:

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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Nov 9, 2023

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.

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Google has been… very busy in Q3 and Q4 of 2023. If the updates feel nonstop, it’s because they have been:

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:

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Nov 7, 2023

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.

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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:

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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Oct 31, 2023

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.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Oct 24, 2023

Evolving your content strategy as a creator, building a village of food creators, and managing outreach to brands with Morgan Peaceman from Nomaste Hungry.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Oct 17, 2023

Starting a membership site, managing slow periods as an entrepreneur, and shifting your mindset around success with Lauren Toyota from hot for food.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Oct 10, 2023

Getting started with ConvertKit's Creator Network, collaborating with other creators to accelerate growth, and monetizing your email list with Nathan Barry.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Oct 3, 2023

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.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Sep 28, 2023

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:

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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Sep 26, 2023

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.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Sep 19, 2023

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.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Sep 12, 2023

Developing a social media strategy, avoiding overwhelm, and navigating new tools and trends in the social media space with Andrea Balogun.

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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:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Sep 5, 2023

Blogging within a narrow niche, diversifying your income streams, and growing your team with Amy Palanjian from Yummy Toddler Food.

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Welcome to episode 425 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Amy Palanjian.

Thriving within a Niche and Creating Your Dream Job

Amy Palanjian first started her blog, Yummy Toddler Food, in 2014. Since then, she has been incredibly intentional about every aspect of her business, from her content strategy and becoming an authority in her niche, to diversifying income streams and email marketing.

In this interview, Bjork and Amy chat about all of these aspects of her business, and how she has worked to create a role for herself at Yummy Toddler Food that looks as close as possible to her dream job.

It’s a must-listen episode for anyone thinking about picking a niche, and how to grow your business within that niche.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • About Amy’s career journey, from working in magazines to starting Yummy Toddler Food in 2014.
  • What skills and knowledge Amy uses towards food blogging from her decade in the magazine industry.
  • How she has built her affiliate marketing strategy.
  • What it’s like to blog within a narrow niche.
  • How she strategized to diversify her income streams.
  • Why she decided to transition from selling ebooks to selling a printed cookbook.
  • How and why she outsourced certain tasks in her business.
  • The process that she used to organize all of her business-related files.
  • How she built her job description to reflect what she actually enjoys doing.
  • Her approach to email marketing, and why she uses both Substack and ConvertKit.
  • Her strategy for growing her email list.
  • Why she chose to work with a manager for her sponsored content.

Resources:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Aug 29, 2023

Analyzing how AI could disrupt the world of digital content creation, strategizing for the future of food blogging, and understanding Raptive's initiatives to protect online content.

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Welcome to episode 424 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Paul Bannister from Raptive.

The Future of Content Creation (and Protection) in a World of AI

It’s hard to keep up with AI, as the technology, legislation, and our understanding of it, are rapidly evolving. As content creators, it’s imperative that we stay as informed as possible to understand how AI will alter the future of food blogging, and what we need to do now to stay ahead of these changes.

And that’s why Paul Bannister is back on the podcast this week! Bjork and Paul discuss how AI tools are currently using existing content, like recipes from food blogs, and how online search might change in the coming years.

They share actionable steps you can take to protect your content, and how you might want to change your content and business strategy in a world of AI. This episode is a must-listen for anyone in the content creation space.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • How AI has the power to disrupt the world of content creation and SEO.
  • What Generative AI is.
  • How AI tools use existing online content (like recipes).
  • How AI might change online search and search traffic patterns.
  • What the path forward for content creators looks like.
  • How to prevent the GPTBot from crawling your site.
  • What you can do to protect your content moving forward.
  • How to approach balancing SEO vs. creating content in your own unique voice that connects with your audience.
  • The importance of diversifying traffic sources.

Resources:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Aug 22, 2023

Educating their audience about data privacy, prioritizing annual goal setting, and building a team with Liz and Lauren Allen from Tastes Better from Scratch.

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Welcome to episode 423 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Lauren and Liz Allen from Tastes Better from Scratch.

Building a Food Blog with 11 Million Monthly Pageviews

Twin sisters Liz and Lauren Allen started Tastes Better from Scratch in 2009 and have been working together on the blog ever since. They are incredibly strategic about every aspect of their business, from hiring and content creation to data privacy and goal setting.

In this interview, Bjork chats with Liz and Lauren about how they’ve expanded their business over the years and worked to maintain the huge growth they saw in 2020 that skyrocketed their pageviews from 5 to 11 million per month.

They are also open and honest about their plans for the future of Tastes Better from Scratch in a world with AI and changing data privacy laws. If you’re looking for new ways to think about growing your business while leaning into your strengths, you won’t want to miss this episode!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • About the origin story of Tastes Better from Scratch.
  • How they went from 5 million monthly pageviews to 11 million monthly pageviews in 2020, and how they’ve maintained that growth since then.
  • Their approach to updating and republishing content.
  • What tools they use to analyze how their content is performing.
  • How they plan their content calendars.
  • What the Tastes Better from Scratch team looks like, and how they decide to outsource a task.
  • How they create processes for their business.
  • How they develop their annual plans and goals for the business.
  • What they think the future of food blogging looks like (AI, data privacy, digital advertising, etc.).
  • Why they’re prioritizing email marketing right now.
  • What they think the most important skills are in their current roles.

Resources:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Aug 15, 2023

Reinvesting in your business, working together as a couple, and prioritizing video with Liz and Paul Madsen from Zardyplants.

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Welcome to episode 422 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Liz and Paul Madsen from Zardyplants.

Why Success as a Food Blogger Isn’t Linear

Liz and Paul Madsen started Zardyplants in 2018 as a way to share their favorite plant-based comfort food recipes with readers. Over the last five years, they’ve worked together to grow the site (and Paul now works full-time for their business)!

Liz and Paul share about the early days of Zardyplants, and how their processes and business have changed over the years. They have really practical advice about the importance of reinvesting in your business, being strategic around the types of recipes you create, and what to prioritize as a beginner blogger.

This is a particularly valuable episode for beginner bloggers but is also a great listen for any content creator trying to define what success looks like for you and your brand.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • About the early stages of Zardyplants, and what it was like starting a blog as a couple.
  • How they’ve balanced working full-time with the blog over the years.
  • What the division of labor is like between Liz and Paul.
  • The benefits of having a side hustle.
  • How and why Liz and Paul have transitioned the type of recipes they’re creating over the years.
  • How they approach keyword research.
  • What growth on Instagram has looked like for Zardyplants.
  • About their photography and videography equipment set-up.
  • Why they chose to prioritize video as part of their growth strategy.
  • Their history with, and strategy around, sponsored content.
  • The importance of reinvesting in your business, and what they would recommend paying a premium for as a beginner.
  • What advice they’d give to beginner bloggers.

Resources:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Aug 8, 2023

Growing and diversifying your business, managing your time efficiently, and hiring team members.

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Welcome to episode 421 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Cheryl Malik from 40Aprons.

Scaling Three Food Blogs and Tips for Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Cheryl first started food blogging in 2009, and now runs three different food blogs, in addition to an agency that matches food bloggers with virtual assistants.

In this interview, Bjork and Cheryl chat about growing and diversifying her business over the years and how she manages her time efficiently while running all of her different businesses.

She also shares recommendations for hiring team members, and how to effectively onboard new team members. It’s a really practical episode that will give you lots of advice for thinking strategically about growing your team and your business.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • More about Cheryl’s food blogging journey from 2009 to the present.
  • Why she decided to start three different food blogs.
  • How she has grown her team, and why she started a business to help match food bloggers with virtual assistants.
  • What the revenue streams look like amongst her different businesses.
  • Her recommendations for successfully adding someone to your team and the onboarding process.
  • What it’s like to work with Cheryl’s 40A agency to hire a virtual assistant.
  • The difference between hiring a team member or contractor and working with an agency to find a virtual assistant.
  • How she manages her time (and is more efficient) by batching her days.

Resources:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Aug 1, 2023

Testing ChatGPT's recipe writing skills, transitioning from a blog to a Substack newsletter, and discussing the future of food writing with Dianne Jacob from Will Write for Food.

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Welcome to episode 420 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Dianne Jacob.

ChatGPT, Substack, and the Changing Landscape of Food Writing

Dianne Jacob has been an expert in the food writing space for twenty years (she literally wrote the book on it!). We were happy to welcome her back to the podcast to chat about the changing landscape of food writing.

In this interview, Bjork and Dianne discuss how AI might alter the food blogging space, and how food bloggers can best position themselves to adapt to these changes. Dianne also shares more about her Substack newsletter, and why she prefers writing for her Substack newsletter to blogging.

Both Bjork and Dianne have been in the food writing space for decades now, and it’s fascinating to hear them discuss what they think the future of food blogging might look like. Don’t miss this episode!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • About Dianne’s professional background in food writing.
  • How the food writing space has changed over the last 20 years.
  • How AI (or machine learning) is changing the food writing space.
  • What she learned from testing ChatGPT’s recipe writing skills.
  • What recipe attribution currently looks like for ChatGPT and Bard.
  • Why your voice matters more than ever in the food blogging space.
  • Why she transitioned from writing a blog to having a Substack newsletter.
  • What she likes about being a content creator on Substack (spoiler alert: no need for SEO!).
  • How Bjork and Dianne think the food blogging space will change in the coming years.

Resources:

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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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

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