The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

Investing in education, self-publishing a cookbook, and shaping a career in food photography following a diagnosis with a chronic illness with Helena Murphy. ----- Welcome to episode 408 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Helena Murphy from Helena Rose Photography. Food Photography, Self-Publishing, and Chronic Illness Advocacy One of the best parts of working as a food creator is that you have the ability to determine exactly what your career looks like. By prioritizing your interests and diversifying your income streams, you can shape what your day-to-day work consists of to meet your needs! And that's exactly what Bjork is chatting about with Helena Murphy in today's podcast episode. Helena shares her journey from corporate marketing to freelance product and food photography, and how her diagnosis with Crohn's disease influenced both her personal, and professional life. Helena is an incredible photographer and has self-published both a magazine and a cookbook. She has a really inspiring story, and we're excited to share this interview with you! In this episode, you'll learn: All about Helena's career journey, and how she left her corporate job to start a freelance career. How she invested in education to improve her photography and editing skills. What advice she has for people looking to take the leap into photography as a career. How she determined what she wanted her business to look like and diversified her income streams. More about the process of self-publishing her cookbook. Her diagnosis with Crohn's disease, and how it led her to create a cookbook to help others with the same diagnosis. How her chronic illness has impacted how she views and operates her business. Why she chose to use a print-on-demand service for her cookbook, and what the process looked like. How she uses photography and aesthetics to convey a message and mood to her readers. Resources: Helena Rose Photography Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Capture One This American Life Lightroom Magic Course Beth Kirby ChatGPT The Multi-Hyphen Life: Work Less, Create More, and Design a Life That Works for You by Emma Gannon Ctrl Alt Delete The Plant-Based Crohn's and Colitis Cookbook Cowspiracy Omnom Magazine So you want to publish a magazine? Kindle Direct Publishing Asana Trello Airtable Follow Helena 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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Optimizing your website for Core Web Vitals, following best practices for images, and learning more about Google's Ranking Factors with Andrew Wilder from NerdPress. ----- Welcome to episode 407 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Andrew Wilder from NerdPress. How Core Web Vitals and Image Size Impact Search Ranking Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the nitty gritty tech side of running a food blog? Well then, this week's podcast episode is for you. Bjork is chatting with Andrew Wilder, our WordPress Support Expert, and the Founder and CEO of NerdPress. In this episode, Andrew takes a deep dive into Core Web Vitals and explains how they're calculated, and why it's important to optimize your site with Core Web Vitals in mind. They also discuss the best practices for blog image sizes, including the best method for compressing your images, and frequently asked questions about Featured Images. Andrew is a frequent flyer guest on the podcast for a reason — he is super knowledgeable, and can teach us all about the tech side of blogging that many of us struggle with! If that sounds like you, you won't want to miss this episode. In this episode, you'll learn: All about Andrew's journey of starting and growing NerdPress as a business. Why it's important for creators to pay attention to Core Web Vitals. More about Google's Ranking Factors (and how they relate to Core Web Vitals). Everything you need to know about Core Web Vitals, including how they're calculated and how to optimize for Core Web Vitals. What Google Search Console is, and how to set it up. The process for optimizing and compressing the images on your site. The difference between .jpeg, .png, and .webp, and when to use them. Best practices for sizing and cropping your Featured Images. More about working with Andrew and the NerdPress team. Resources: Andrew's episodes on The Food Blogger Pro Podcast NerdPress International Food Bloggers Conference Google Search Console's Core Web Vitals report The Feast Plugin WP Rocket Perfmatters PageSpeed Insights 339: Tech Check-In – The Best Plugins and Tools for Food Bloggers in 2022 with Andrew Wilder Google Search Console Google Discover Adobe Lightroom Adobe Photoshop WP Recipe Maker ShortPixel Imagify Smush NerdPress Frequently Asked Questions Follow Andrew 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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Navigating the influencer industry as a food creator, working with brands, and building a more profitable business. ----- Welcome to episode 406 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Brittany Hennessy from Carbon August about influencer marketing. Monetization Strategies in the Influencer Industry Do you consider yourself to be an influencer? As a food creator, whether or not you have a large social media following, you are definitely influencing your audience. And today's guest is the expert when it comes to all things influencer. In this episode, Bjork is chatting with Brittany Hennessy, an author, and pioneer in the influencer industry. They discuss her career path, experiences working at a media company, and why creators are more important than ever in the marketing space. It's a thought-provoking episode that will help you think more critically about your strengths as a content creator, and how to build a stronger, more profitable business. In this episode, you'll learn: More about Brittany's career path and how she got started in the influencer industry. What it's like to work at a media company like Hearst. Why creators are more important than ever in the marketing space. Whether you're an endorser, entertainer, or educator as a creator, and what the metrics for success look like for each. Her advice for when you should build vs. monetize. Why she thinks that social media followers and email subscribers are the most important relationships to build. Why you should ask yourself "Is this good for my brand, is this good for my business, and/or does this make me happy?" when making decisions regarding what you share. How to approach affiliate marketing on a food blog. When and why you should consider working with an agency. More about Brittany's book (Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media). Resources: I Faked My Grandpa To The Top of Fashion Week Horizon Media Hearst Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media Collective Voice Magnolia Wirecutter Travis Scott Skims Striped Spatula The Casper Blog Getty Images DBA Follow Brittany 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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Focusing on keyword research, creating a workflow, and monetizing your blog. ----- Welcome to episode 405 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Casey Rooney from Get On My Plate. Keyword Research, Resilience, and Resourcefulness As food bloggers, it can be easy to feel like you need to be doing everything to succeed. If you're not writing blog posts every day, killing it on social media, partnering with brands, etc., you won't ever achieve your goals. But that is not true. And Casey Rooney is the perfect illustration of that! She started her food blog, Get On My Plate, in 2021, and has had incredible success growing her site over the last two years. She has leaned into her passion for SEO and content creation and made a six-figure income in 2022. In this episode, Casey shares more about her workflow, keyword research process, and why she doesn't focus on social media. It's a really refreshing and inspiring episode, and we're excited to share it with you! In this episode, you'll learn: More about Casey's background as a teacher and her journey to starting her food blog in 2021. How she was able to grow her blog and monetize to make a six-figure income within two years. Why she stopped focusing on social media, and instead emphasized content creation and SEO. How her passion for content creation, teaching, and business shaped her approach to her blog. What she thinks the necessary skills are for any food blogger. All about her workflow for content creation. Her strategy for publishing Google Web Stories and what benefits she sees from them. What her process for keyword research looks like. How she optimizes and updates older blog posts. What the future of Get On My Plate looks like, and how Casey is diversifying her income. Resources: Get On My Plate Xanga TopHatRank TED: Grit: the power of passion and perseverance - Angela Lee Duckworth Monday.com BiggerPockets A Better Life with Brandon Turner Canva KeySearch RankIQ 1:1 Blog Coaching with Casey Follow Casey 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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Incorporating gratitude into your routines, shielding yourself from the negative, and brainstorming what you're grateful for at work. ----- Welcome to episode 404 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork is wrapping up his mini-series on habits with a discussion on the habit of gratitude. A Gratitude Practice for Your Business In this solo mini-series, Bjork has covered four habits that he recommends creators incorporate into their routines. So far, Bjork has covered the importance of a monthly review, the habit of continual learning, and the habit of who. In today's episode, Bjork chats about the habit of gratitude in both your personal, and professional life. If you don't already have a gratitude practice in your life, this episode is just what you need to get started — practical tips, resources, and more. We hope you enjoy the last episode of our habits mini-series. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming next week! In this episode, you'll learn: How to build a habit of gratitude in your personal life. Why a gratitude practice can be beneficial for your business. Practical strategies for incorporating gratitude into your routines. How to focus on gratitude and shield yourself from the negative. Prompts for brainstorming what you're grateful for in your work. Resources: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear The Food Blogger Pro Podcast Episode 124: How to Level Up Your Life with UJ Ramdas The Five Minute Journal 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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Creating a personal board of directors, determining who your experts are, and asking "who can help me with this?" ----- Welcome to episode 403 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we have the third episode in our series on habits for creators, all about the habit of who. Building the Habit of Who Do you ever feel like you need to be an expert in everything you do, both in your personal and professional life? If so, you're not alone, and today's episode is for YOU. In the third episode of Bjork's mini-series on habits, he is chatting all about the importance of surrounding yourself with trusted experts who can help you with specific aspects of your life and business. You'll learn more about creating a personal board of directors, determining who your experts are, and why you need to be asking "who can help with this?". In this episode, you'll learn: Why you should ask yourself the question "who can help me with this?" How to introduce the filtering mechanism of "who" into your business. Why you should consider building out a personal board of directors. The kinds of experts to surround yourself with in the food blogging space. How to find a mix of advisors from the digital, personal, and paid consultant realms. How the 'habit of who' can help boost productivity. Why you should take time to reflect on the gains you've made in your business. Resources: Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork NerdPress Allea Grummert at Duett The Gap and the Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success 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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Balancing quick and slow knowledge, using time blocks for continual learning, and pairing habits with Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 402 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we have the second episode in our series on habits for creators, which is all about the habit of continual learning. How to Prioritize Continual Learning Do you currently set aside time in your schedule for continual learning? Or do you feel like you're just too busy to make time for it? Either way, we hope that today's episode will help you to rethink continual learning, and give you inspiration for incorporating it into your life as an entrepreneur. Bjork chats about the importance of continual learning as a business owner, time blocks, and habit pairing — you won't want to miss this episode! In this episode, you'll learn: The difference between quick knowledge and slow knowledge, and why you need a balance of both. How to use time blocks to implement the habit of continual learning. How to incorporate continual learning into your life on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. Why using time blocks can lead to better building blocks for your business. How to pair the habit of continual learning with the habit of a monthly review. Resources: Notion 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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

The importance of a monthly review of your business's revenue, expenses, and profit, and how it can help you be more intentional about growing your business. ----- Welcome to episode 401 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork is kicking off the Habits Series on the podcast with a discussion about monthly reviews. Why You Should Start a Monthly Review of Your Business This solo episode with Bjork is the first in our Habits Series, in which Bjork will dive into simple, but effective habits that you can (and should!) incorporate into your business. Bjork explains the concept of a monthly review of your business's finances and analytics, and how it can benefit your business and help you think more strategically about growth. It's a really informative listen, and we hope you'll take away some helpful tips and tricks that you can incorporate into your business moving forward! In this episode, you'll learn: The importance of a monthly review of your revenue, expenses, and profit. How to get started tracking your business numbers with a spreadsheet. Why you should separate your personal and business expenses. How to think strategically about losses and expenses in your business. How your bookkeeping and monthly review process might evolve as your business grows. Why a monthly review can help you be more intentional about growing your business. Resources: Atomic Habits Pinch of Yum Income and Traffic Reports Quickbooks Xero Pilot ----- 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

Prioritizing your time and talent, cultivating a bias toward action, and embracing the grind with Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 400 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork is chatting about four takeaways that he has observed during his interviews with experts, food creators, and friends over the last 400 podcast episodes. 4 Takeaways from 400 Episodes In this episode, Bjork reflects on conversations from the last few years and discusses four themes that came up time and time again in these interviews, and in some way contributed to the success of the guests. Over the course of the episode, Bjork unpacks each of these themes and provides examples and takeaways to help listeners apply these themes to their own businesses. As we celebrate 400 episodes, we wanted to thank YOU for listening to The Food Blogger Pro Podcast - we couldn't do it without you! In this episode, you'll learn: The four themes that Bjork has noticed over the course of the 400 podcast episodes he has recorded The importance of leaning into time, talent, and learning in your business (and hoping for some luck, too!) Why you should cultivate a bias toward action How to prioritize the skills you're naturally good at Why you might want to embrace your "grind" More details about our upcoming habits mini-series on the podcast And more! Resources: User Controlled Analytics: The 3 Most Important Types of Analytics in Your First Year of Blogging Atomic Habits Connect with Bjork via email 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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Five food blog SEO takeaways from our member Q&A with Casey Markee. ----- Welcome to episode 399 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we're sharing a few recipe SEO takeaways from a Q&A we had for our members with Casey Markee. Internal Linking, Keywords, AI, and SEO for Food Bloggers We host Live Q&As every month for our Food Blogger Pro members, and one of our most recent Q&As was with our SEO Expert, Casey Markee. In today's episode, we're re-sharing five major takeaways from that conversation and giving you a bit more information about how you can implement his advice, where you can go to see examples, and where you can go to learn more. It's a new "style" of episode for us, and we hope you enjoy it! And if you're interested in getting access to the full SEO Q&A with Casey and you're not already a Food Blogger Pro member, listen to the end for a discount code to join! In this episode, you'll learn: What E-E-A-T means for food bloggers How AI may impact organic site traffic If there's an ideal recipe post "template" What to include on a static food blog homepage A few things that we can do to set ourselves apart in 2023 Resources: Ologies Media Wyse The Ultimate Guide to Chocolate Chip Cookies from Handle the Heat 294: Bake Offs – Producing a Different Kind of Recipe Content for a Food Blog with Erika Kwee The Bake Offs on The Pancake Princess Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines Our latest update to the quality rater guidelines: E-A-T gets an extra E for Experience ChatGPT Learn more about food trends Broken Link Checker Find Casey on Food Blogger Pro Save $25 on a new annual Food Blogger Pro membership! ----- 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, email us at podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.