How website traffic and ad revenue are affected by the coronavirus, how to ask your audience what it needs, and how you can evolve your content calendar based on what's performing on Pinterest. ----- Welcome to episode 252 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Andrew Wilder, Danielle Liss, and Kate Ahl about traffic, sponsored content, and Pinterest strategies. What You Should Know About Traffic, Sponsored Content, and Pinterest in 2020  Today, Bjork is interviewing three of our Food Blogger Pro Experts. If you’re not a Food Blogger Pro member, or maybe you are a member and you’re not really sure what our experts do, they volunteer their time on the forum and during Live Q&As to help our members out with their trickiest questions. Our experts specialize in certain topics like SEO, affiliate marketing, social media, email marketing, and more, and that’s what they teach our members about on Food Blogger Pro. So in today’s episode, you’ll hear from Andrew Wilder, who specializes in WordPress tech and traffic, Danielle Liss, who’s a lawyer and focuses on sponsored content and all-things legal, and then Kate Ahl, who is our Pinterest Expert. All three are here on the podcast talking about what you need to know about traffic, sponsored content, and Pinterest in 2020. It’s safe to say that 2020 has gotten off to a unique start, so these areas of traffic, working with sponsors, and social media need to be approached in a different way. Traffic is up, sponsors are adjusting their strategies, and Pinterest has reported higher users than ever before. Today’s episode will equip you with some of the strategies and confidence you need to navigate this year as a business owner and blogger. In this episode, you’ll learn: How traffic and ad revenue has been impacted by the coronavirus Why you should be monitoring your uptime Why you might not want to use words like “quarantine” or “coronavirus” in your posts Why accessibility is going to be a big trend this year How alt text works How sponsored content can differ during this time How you can pivot your sponsored content to serve your audience Advice for pitching brands during the pandemic How to ask your audience what they need right now What CCPA means and how you can protect your site How you know that you’ve included everything you should in your privacy policy How Pinterest traffic has changed How the Today tab on the Pinterest app works How trends on Pinterest can influence your content calendar How to find out which of your existing posts are performing well right now What to do if your Pinterest account is marked as spam How you can evolve your content based on what’s performing on Pinterest Resources: Meet the Food Blogger Pro Experts NerdPress UptimeRobot Pingdom WebAIM What is Website Accessibility? Six Ways to Make Your Website More Accessible Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Connect with Andrew via email – support@nerdpress.net Businessese Liss Legal Sponsored Content Bootcamp– for members only Connect with Danielle on Instagram Simple Pin Media How people use Pinterest Pinterest Trends Pinterest Business blog Google Analytics course – for members only Email Pinterest support – creators-support@pinterest.com Pinterest Account Suspended? Here’s What to Do The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe on Pinch of Yum Simple Pin Podcast Follow Kate on Pinterest If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

How creators can navigate the pandemic, how you can evolve your content, and knowing who you're serving as a blogger with Laurie Buckle. ----- Welcome to episode 251 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Laurie Buckle from CookIt Media about knowing and serving your audience. Empathy  Let’s talk about understanding your audience. As content creators, we publish tons of recipes, blog posts, resources…but are they actually serving our audience? Who is our audience, anyway? They’re interesting questions, right? It’s easy to go through the motions of developing, shooting, and publishing a recipe without really thinking about who we’re writing to or why they need this content. Luckily, Laurie from CookIt Media, an influencer marketing agency, is here today to talk through these questions and help you deeply and personally understand the audience you’re serving. It’s especially important to understand where your content fits into what your audience needs these days, but the advice Laurie gives during this interview will make a lasting impression on you and your blog. In this episode, you’ll learn: How creators can navigate the pandemic How to strike a healthy balance on your blog How you can start to understand your audience How you can evolve your content and know who you’re serving What should happen after you understand your content and your audience How your content can act as a multiplier How you can treat your blog as a website How you can know if you’re creating value for your audience Resources: 132: Perfecting Your Story and Your Brand with Laurie Buckle CookIt Media 093: How Finding a Niche Transformed a Business with Meggan Hill from Culinary Hill Beyond the Blog Course - save 40% by using FOODBLOG40 at checkout Beyond the Blog Facebook Group If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

The costs associated with switchtasking, the difference between time management and focus management, and how to restore your missing minute with Dave Crenshaw. ----- Welcome to episode 250 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Dave Crenshaw about productivity, avoiding “switchtasking,” and managing your focus. Focus Management Do you actually notice how many times your focus drifts from the task you’re supposed to be working on each day? Or how often you multitask? Maybe you’re experiencing switchtasking even more often during these difficult, strange times we’re currently experiencing. If this sounds like you, this episode will surely help you out. Dave shares some actionable strategies that can help you combat your wavering focus and reliance on staying connected in this episode, and you’ll even learn how you can download his newest book, “The Result,” for free. In this episode, you’ll learn: What switchtasking is The costs that are unavoidable due to switchtasking Why conditioning is more helpful than discipline Why you should turn off phone notifications The difference between time management and focus management How to restore your missing minute How do you know if your motivations are the right kind of motivations Why systems are so important How to be mindful of accountability Resources: Dave Crenshaw Dave’s books The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book: 101 of Chuck’s Favorite Facts and Stories The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People How to Slow Down and Be More Productive 165: Getting Things Done with David Allen Forest Evernote OneNote Get a free copy of “The Result” LinkedIn Learning Dave’s Time Management: Working from Home course Connect with Dave on LinkedIn If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

What to consider when launching a redesign, how to get involved with Clariti, and step-by-step videos with the Tasty Recipes plugin. ----- Welcome to episode 249 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, the team talks about some of the new and exciting projects they’re working on. Team Check-In  Today’s episode is a little different from some of our more recent episodes. In fact, it’s kind of like a piece of content that we publish at the beginning of each month for our Food Blogger Pro members called a “Happening Now” video. In these videos, the team talks through some of the specific things they’re working on at the moment. We’ll talk about a new tool we’re using, a new process we’re implementing, new projects we’re working on, or just a new insight we’re excited to share. These videos are just a good reminder for us to check-in with the community and chat about what’s working and what’s not during that specific time, and it’s a great way for our members to be totally in-the-loop with what we’re up to. So today, we’re giving you a sneak peak of what a Happening Now video may sound like. We talk about the Food Blogger Pro redesign, a new tool we’re building, and an update to one of the plugins we built, so we hope you enjoy this little sneak peek behind-the-scenes! In this episode, you’ll learn: Our rationale behind the Food Blogger Pro redesign What you might want to consider if you’re thinking about a site redesign What Clariti is and how to get involved What’s new with the newest Tasty Recipes update Resources: Interested in Clariti? Email Bjork WP Tasty Tasty Recipes - testimonials here 232: Repurposing Video – Maximizing the Impact of Recipe Videos with Brita Britnell Example of step-by-step videos on Pinch of Yum How to Get Started with Step-by-Step Video Editing Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

How Pinch of Yum is approaching sponsored content, planning new content, and letting go of certain tasks during the COVID-19 pandemic. ----- Welcome to episode 248 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Lindsay Ostrom about how Pinch of Yum is coping with this season. Running at an Incline  What has your blog looked like these past few weeks? Are you posting more? Did you have to rearrange your entire editorial calendar? Are you sitting on recipes that you already have shot? Are you getting more done than usual? What have you had to let go? These are the types of questions Bjork asks Lindsay, bosswoman behind the food blog, Pinch of Yum, in today’s episode. It’s an incredibly honest and raw discussion on how Pinch of Yum is approaching the act of creating content during this uniquely challenging time, and Lindsay talks about how she’s planning on delivering value to her readers and finding her role in this season. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Lindsay is approaching content on Pinch of Yum What Pinch of Yum is doing with pre-created recipes What’s happening with sponsored posts during this time How Lindsay is proactively looking forward What Lindsay has had to let go of during this season Resources: Serious Eats Is Remote. Here’s How We’re Handling It. Just a Check In, Plus… Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Deep Dish Cookie Bowls for Two CoSchedule If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Remembering to care for the essentials, how to approach content creation during the COVID-19 outbreak, and the importance of avoiding disastertunity. ----- Welcome to episode 247 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks about how we’re approaching the COVID–19 outbreak personally and with our businesses. Covering the Basics  Oof. These past few weeks have been interesting to say the least. Not only is it confusing, stressful, and scary personally, it can add a whole level of uncertainty when you’re running a business. There isn’t a right or a wrong way to approach content during this time, but in this episode, Bjork talks about the ways we’re approaching business during the COVID–19 outbreak. One thing we really want you to remember during this strange time is that the content you’re creating is helpful, it is making a difference, and it is bringing people value. You can serve your audience during tough times – and this episode should give you some ideas on how to do that. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why it’s important to think first about the essentials What content can look like during tough times How to avoid disastertunity Resources: Pinch of Yum’s COVID–19 Coffee Date post 086: How to Make a Successful Career Change with Jon Acuff If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Hiring a contractor vs. an employee, how employee benefits work, and how you can start building your team with Moses Balian. ----- Welcome to episode 246 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Moses Balian about contractors, employees, and building a team. Hiring  As you’re growing your business, there may come a time when you’re ready to hire some help. But should you hire them as a contractor or as an employee? That’s what Moses is here to talk about today! He’ll talk you through those initial decisions, using a PEO (that’s a Professional Employer Organization), producing important tax and employee documents, and how employee benefits work. It’s a really interesting conversation, and if you’re at the point where you could use another set of hands to work on your business, we think this episode will help you navigate your next steps. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Justworks works and what a PEO is The difference between a contractor and an employee If you can start someone as a contractor and move them to an employee How you can start building a team How 1099s work If and when you should create an employee handbook How employee benefits work If you should have insurance when you’re building a team Resources: Justworks Understanding Employee vs. Contractor Designation If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

The importance of limiting comparison, how to be flexible, focusing on your craft, and why posting frequency isn't very important with Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 245 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork reads an email we recently received and offers advice on how to overcome the feelings of feeling stuck. Feeling Stuck  Today’s podcast episode is actually one of our new favorites because it actually came together in less than a week. We received an email from a fellow blogger last week, and in the email, she describes why she’s feeling a bit stuck. She’s optimizing her posts, she’s creating pictures for Pinterest, she’s focusing on email marketing, but her traffic isn’t where she wants it to be. She feels like there’s something that’s she’s missing – a key that will unlock her blog’s potential. And that sounds familiar, right? “I’m doing all of these things…why am I not seeing results?” So this episode is all about that – what to do when you feel like you’ve done everything. You’ll hear this blogger’s anonymous email in its entirety in this episode, and I’m sure the sentiments that are shared in the email will sound really familiar to you. Then Bjork will offer some high-level advice and specific strategies that you can implement if you’re feeling stuck in a similar way. It’s definitely a different kind of episode, but we hope you enjoy it! In this episode, you’ll learn: The importance of limiting comparison How to be flexible and understand what you’re trying to achieve What it means to focus on your craft Why posting frequency isn’t super important Why it might make sense to “niche down” How to serve your audience Resources: 003: Sally McKenney from Sally’s Baking Addiction on Creating Success 018: How to Build an Online Business Without Blogging with Jadah Sellner from Simple Green Smoothies If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

How SaaS businesses solve problems, tips for diversifying your portfolio, and the importance of delegating with Kevin McArdle. ----- Welcome to episode 244 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Kevin McArdle about running businesses, solving challenges, and building your portfolio. Diversification  This week’s episode is a good one because it’s all about diversifying your portfolio, and not in the ways we typically talk about in terms of food blogging. Bjork interviews Kevin McArdle from SureSwift Capital about investing in businesses, building solutions to your audience’s needs, and the lessons Kevin when starting his business. I had so many takeaways from this episode, and we hope you learn of some ways that you can grow (both personally and financially) through diversification in this episode. In this episode, you’ll learn: How he approaches investments What “software as a service” is How SaaS businesses solve problems Tips for diversifying your portfolio What the “no code” movement is all about How to work with website brokers How to pitch an idea The lessons Kevin had to learn when he started The importance of delegating The tools Kevin uses to run his business Resources: The tech.mn Podcast TECHdotMN SureSwift Capital 111: How to Build a Company of One with Paul Jarvis Makerpad MicroAcquire Slack Zoom Follow Kevin on Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Why keyword research is so important, what EAT means, and updating content with Ewen Finser. ----- Welcome to episode 243 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ewen Finser about creating awesome content that search engines and your readers will love. Best-in-Class Content  We hear from a lot of bloggers who are interested in increasing their traffic. And while there’s a ton of information out there about this very topic, today’s podcast episode focuses on a refreshing way to understand search engines and SEO: you want to give the best possible answer to your readers and to search engines. Simple as that. And that’s exactly what Ewen is here to discuss today. From organizing content in a logical way that maximizes SEO benefits to understanding the nitty gritty of keyword research, you’ll learn a lot about website structure and optimizing content in this interview. Enjoy! In this episode, you’ll learn: How he got into building and growing websites Why he thinks keyword research is so important Why it’s important to understand your readers’ journeys Why he doesn’t do link building What EAT stands for His process for keyword research What interlinking is and why it’s important Resources: Amazon Affiliate Program Owl Mountain Ahrefs SECockpit Connect with Ewen on Linkedin or email If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.