The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

Improving your food photography skills, getting a cookbook deal, and focusing on SEO with Emma Duckworth from Emma Duckworth Bakes. ----- Welcome to episode 388 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we're rewinding back to our episode with Emma Duckworth from Emma Duckworth Bakes where she talks about how she's grown her blog by focusing on SEO. Doubling Pageviews by Focusing on SEO It's another FBP Rewind episode today, and we're so excited to revisit our November 2021 interview with Emma Duckworth from Emma Duckworth Bakes! After growing her business for a few years, Emma decided to double down on her blog and hired a mentor to help her out with SEO. You'll hear how she used the avatar exercise to understand her audience, how she optimized her homepage and recipe categories, and what she's doing to focus on SEO moving forward. If SEO is a focus for you at the moment, you won't want to miss this episode! In this episode, you'll learn: How Emma got into food photography and food blogging How she grew her food photography skills What steps she took to strategically grow her Instagram account How she started getting her first sponsored work What she learned from the cookbook writing process Why she decided to double down on her blog How she hired a mentor to help her out with SEO How she used the avatar exercise to understand her audience How she optimized her blog's homepage and categories How she identified and optimized her top-performing posts How she has started doing keyword research Why she and her husband decided to launch a street coffee business What she's focusing her attention on moving forward Resources: Emma Duckworth Bakes Order Emma's cookbook, Simply Sweet Nostalgic Bakes Dear Coco Street Coffee Foodtography School This American Life Well Seasoned Studio Foolproof Living The Feast Plugin Google Analytics Google Search Console Keysearch Clariti Growth University Follow Emma on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest 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

Running a web design studio, conveying your brand's voice and messaging, and optimizing the user experience on your blog with Madison Wetherill from Grace + Vine Studios. ----- Welcome to episode 387 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Madison Wetherill from Grace + Vine Studios about optimizing your website design as a food blogger. Optimizing Your Website Design as a Food Blogger When it comes down to it, website design is so much more than just your website layout and logo; a large component of it is how you convey your brand's messaging and voice throughout all the pages on your site. Madison Wetherill is the web designer behind Grace + Vine Studios, and she's here on the podcast today to share all her best tips for optimizing your website design as a food blogger! In this episode, you'll hear how she works with food bloggers, how she helps her clients develop and showcase their brand's voice, and her best tips for enhancing the user experience on your site. We hope you enjoy this episode! In this episode, you'll learn: How Madison became a web designer How she works with food bloggers at her web design studio Why brand voice is so important How to stand out in the crowd as a food blogger How to convey your brand's messaging on your blog's homepage and blog posts How to optimize the user experience on your site Why she decided to expand her team What topics she covers on her podcast Resources: Grace + Vine Studios The Vine Podcast The Clean Eating Couple Follow Madison on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter 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

Getting started with email marketing, encouraging people to sign up for your list, and creating a strong email marketing strategy with Matt Ragland. ----- Welcome to episode 386 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Matt Ragland about getting the most out of your email marketing strategy. Getting the Most Out of Your Email Marketing Strategy If you're already creating content for your blog or social media, another great place to share that content is via email. And that's what we're chatting about today with Matt Ragland! Matt has years of experience in the world of email marketing, and in this interview, you'll hear what he learned working at ConvertKit, why email marketing is so powerful, his best tips for getting more people to sign up for your email list, and how he helps creators develop high-converting weekly email newsletters. Whether you're looking to get started with email marketing or take your current email marketing strategy to the next level, we know you'll have so many takeaways from this conversation! In this episode, you'll learn: What Matt learned working at ConvertKit Why he recommends leaning into a niche How he helps creators with email marketing Why email marketing is so powerful How to effectively share blog posts via email How to get more people to sign up for your email list Why he recommends creating a welcome series How broadcasts and newsletters differ from sequences His best tips for getting started with email marketing Resources: Matt's website Learn more about Matt's email marketing service, Automatic Evergreen Connect the Dots Podcast Story Signals Podcast Copyblogger ProBlogger Michael Hyatt's website Corbett Barr Chris Guillebeau ConvertKit Smart Passive Income Podia Teachable Kajabi Quora Medium Follow Matt on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter 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

Getting comfortable on camera, running online cooking classes, and maximizing your productivity with Ashley Covelli from Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen. ----- Welcome to episode 385 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ashley Covelli from Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen about teaching cooking classes as a food creator. Teaching Cooking Classes Have you ever wanted to teach your own cooking classes but are not sure how to get started? Then you won't want to miss this episode with Ashley! In addition to sharing recipes on her blog, Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen, Ashley also runs online cooking classes in partnership with local libraries. You'll hear how she started doing these classes, how she got comfortable being on camera, what equipment she uses to run the classes, and more. If you're looking to add a new revenue stream to your business, cooking classes might be a fun option to look into! In this episode, you'll learn: How Ashley started sharing food content online How she started teaching in-person cooking classes Why she switched to teaching virtual cooking classes How her cooking classes work What equipment she uses to run her classes How she got comfortable being on camera How she uses time blocking to maximize her productivity Why she recommends documenting your processes Resources: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen Ashley's Upcoming Cooking Classes LiveJournal Blogger Zoom Aputure Amaran P60X Panel Light Alvoxocon USB Lavalier Microphone Gumroad Food Blogger Pro Video Courses Duett CoSchedule Mailchimp MailerLite The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right GoodNotes Follow Ashley on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest 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

Running two food blogs, building a team, and rapidly growing an email list with Toni Okamoto from Plant-Based on a Budget. ----- Welcome to episode 384 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Toni Okamoto from Plant-Based on a Budget about how she runs her two food blogs and how she's grown her email list to over 80,000 subscribers. Running Two Food Blogs and Growing an Email List Today, we're really excited to share this conversation with Toni Okamoto! She's the creator behind not one, but two, successful food blogs: Plant-Based on a Budget and Food Sharing Vegan. In this episode, you'll hear what she's done to get both blogs accepted into Mediavine, why she decided to expand her team, how she's grown her email list to over 80,000 subscribers, and more. Toni's passion for her work shines through in this interview, and we know you'll have so many takeaways after learning her story and content creation strategy! In this episode, you'll learn: How Toni started sharing food content online How she has strategically grown her two food blogs Why she believes so strongly in investing in her business Why she decided to expand her team What tools she uses to stay in contact with her team What the primary revenue sources are for her business How she works with sponsors on her blog, social media, podcast, and email newsletter How she has grown her email list to over 80,000 subscribers Why she places so much emphasis on social media Resources: Plant-Based on a Budget Food Sharing Vegan The Plant-Powered People Podcast BigScoots Mediavine What the Health Kate Kordsmeier The E Myth Revisited Voxer World of Vegan Matt Molen Mediavine Spotlight 201: Email Marketing for Bloggers with Matt Molen Sign up for the FBP Cyber Monday Waitlist! Follow Toni on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest 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 viral food videos, sharing videos on TikTok, and editing your videos for different platforms with Julie Tran Deily. ----- Welcome to episode 383 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Julie Tran Deily about how food creators can use Whisk when sharing videos on TikTok. TikTok, Whisk, and the Importance of Leaning into Video Note: Since the recording of this interview, TikTok decided to sunset their Jump program, which Bjork and Julie mention during this interview. Therefore, Whisk Jump is no longer available as of December 1, 2022. As an alternative, creators can link directly to Whisk using their TikTok profile link. When sharing recipe videos on social media, it can be hard to direct your followers to the actual recipe on your blog. Social media platforms just really don't make it easy for us, do they? Enter: Whisk! You can use this handy app to add a recipe link directly to your TikTok videos, and it's what we're chatting about today with Julie Tran Deily. Julie used to work for Whisk, and she's also been running her food blog, The Little Kitchen, for over 12 years. Video is a huge part of her strategy, and in this episode, she's sharing her process for creating viral food videos, as well as a peek into how she uses tools like Whisk to grow her social media following and increase her blog's pageviews. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Julie decided to launch her food blog How she had a video go viral on several different social platforms Why she really likes sharing videos on TikTok What her role looked like at Whisk How Whisk lets you link to your recipes on TikTok How she edits her videos How she converts vertical videos to horizontal videos to share on her blog Why she recommends experimenting and sharing on different social platforms Resources: The Little Kitchen Julie's Crab Rangoon Facebook Reel Download a Free Content Strategy Guide from Julie Tran Deily Whisk Mediavine Final Cut Pro Info About the Whisk Creator Fund Adobe Premiere Rush Adobe Express InShot Follow Julie on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok 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

Reaching out to brands, negotiating sponsored content contracts, and determining your rates with Jenny Meassick from Chocolate & Lace. ----- Welcome to episode 382 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jenny Meassick from Chocolate & Lace about how she works with brands and negotiates sponsored content contracts. Tips for Negotiating Sponsored Content Contracts There are so many ways you can earn money as a food creator, one of which is by working with brands and creating sponsored content. And that's what we're talking about today with Jenny from Chocolate & Lace! Jenny's been blogging for over ten years, and she currently earns the majority of her blogging income by working with brands. She has a very strategic approach when it comes to sponsored content, and we're really excited to share her process with you in this episode. You'll hear her best tips for negotiating sponsored content contracts, how she sets her rates, how she nurtures strong relationships with the brands she works with, and more. We hope you enjoy this episode! In this episode, you'll learn: How Jenny started sharing content online Why she doesn't want to become a full-time blogger Why she decided to start sharing both food and lifestyle content How she approaches doing sponsored content Her best tips for negotiating sponsored content contracts How exclusivity works Her best tips for setting your rates for sponsored content What 'in perpetuity' means How she approaches pitching to brands Why she recommends following up with brands you're working with frequently Resources: Chocolate & Lace Exactly How I Set My Rates as a Content Creator Mediavine Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life Substack FBP Live – September 15, 2022 – Earning Money with a Side Hustle — available for FBP members only Paved Ford ALDI STAUB Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media LISS Legal Find Danielle Liss on FBP Follow Jenny on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest 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

Knowing a recipe is ready to publish, why recipe testing starts at the grocery store, and starting with a Hypothesis Draft with Katie Webster. ----- Welcome to episode 381 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Katie Webster from Healthy Seasonal Recipes about the process of developing rock-solid recipes for your readers. Developing Foolproof Recipes As food bloggers and business owners, the "product" we're creating for our readers or "customers" are our recipes, so it's important for them to be as comprehensive as possible. Katie Webster from Healthy Seasonal Recipes has a unique and reliable process for testing the recipes she publishes on her site, and she's here today to talk you through the whole thing! You'll hear about how she starts the process, why she develops a hypothesis draft, and how she ultimately decides that a recipe is at its final stage. This episode is a must-listen for any and all recipe developers! In this episode, you'll learn: What she did as a personal chef What her personal chef business taught her about freelancing How to know a recipe is done Her process for developing recipes The difference between prep time and active time At what point Katie finalized a recipe Why she doesn't shoot photos or video when she's testing recipes Why recipe testing starts at the grocery store How she keeps track of recipe ideas How she works with recipe testers Her advice for those in the early stages of recipe development Resources: Healthy Seasonal Recipes EatingWell Katie's cookbook 374: From Blogger to Cookbook Author – How Adrianna Adarme Sold 110,000 Copies of Her Cookbook 375: From Blogger to Cookbook Author (Part Two) – Preserving Family Recipes Through Cookbooks with Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack The Recipe Writer's Handbook Follow Katie on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest 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, email us at podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

How to understand high-ranking content on Google, how to tell when Google updates its algorithm, and the importance of user intent with Arsen Rabinovich. ----- Welcome to episode 380 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Arsen Rabinovich from TopHatRank about how content ranks with the Google Algorithm. What Google is Expecting from Food Creators Us, to Google Search: Why are you the way that you are? If you've ever had similar feelings towards the world's most popular search engine, you're not alone! And luckily, Arsen Rabinovich is here to talk all about content that performs well in Google search results. And while the way that the Google Algorithm works isn't 100% understood, we can learn from other pieces of content within search engine results to understand what Google looks for in "good content." Bjork and Arsen have a great, approachable conversation in this episode, and career bloggers and newbies alike will definitely learn a thing or two that they can apply to their own content creation endeavors! In this episode, you'll learn: How he helps recipe bloggers at TopHatRank What White Hat and Black Hat SEO are How Google understands user intent How to tell when Google updates its algorithm Who names the Google Algorithm changes and how you can know what's included If Google could make an update that only updates the food and recipe space Who John Mueller is How Google understands the content of a web page Whether or not schema is a ranking factor If should creators should create content in service of the algorithm How to understand what ranks well on Google What domain authority and authoritativeness are How plural search terms are understood by Google Resources: TopHatRank Casey Markee Media Wyse TopHatContent TopHatSocial SEO for Bloggers Webinars 367: Brainstorming Content Ideas with Ranking Potential and Writing Great Blog Posts with Ashley Segura Semrush Sensor MozCast What creators should know about Google's helpful content update Google's Medic Update List of Google Search ranking updates Yoast SEO TopHatRank for Bloggers How to Update Seasonal Content – SEO For Bloggers Episode #26 Pinterest Organic: Recap of SEO For Bloggers Episode #25 Follow TopHatRank on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube 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, email us at podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Managing your time as a blogger, investing in your business, and building connections with other food bloggers with Shweta Garg from Masala and Chai. ----- Welcome to episode 379 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Shweta Garg from Masala and Chai about how she's grown her blog while working a full-time job. Growing Your Blog with a Full-Time Job Are you growing your blog while also working a full-time job? Do you struggle to find enough hours in the day to get everything done? If so, you're not alone! Today, we're chatting with Shweta, the blogger behind the site Masala and Chai. Since launching her blog, she has been growing it while also working a full-time job, and she's been very strategic about maximizing her time and resources to grow and monetize her site. In this episode, you'll hear her five best tips for growing your blog while also working a full-time job, as well as what she's done to earn $9,000 in one month from her blog. We hope you enjoy hearing Shweta's story and advice in this episode! In this episode, you'll learn: How Shweta started sharing food content online What she does for her full-time job Why she moved away from doing restaurant reviews How she improved her food photography Why she recommends setting business hours for your blog Why content batching can help you maximize your time as a blogger Why it's so important to invest in yourself and your business What courses and masterminds she went through to grow her blog Why she recommends planning your quitting criteria Why it's so helpful to build connections within the food blogging community Resources: Masala and Chai The Feast Plugin Media Wyse TopHatRank Frosting and Fettuccine's Food Photography Classes and Workshops Style Me Creatively 021: How to Manage Your Schedule So You Can Live Free with Amy Lynn Andrews Mediavine Cooking with Keywords The Food Blogging Mastermind - Sweet Tea + Thyme MrBeast's YouTube channel Why Jim Carrey Wrote Himself a $10-Million Check Before He Had $10 Million Follow Shweta on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group 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