Why you're the most important part of your business, turning your side gig into your full-time job, and understanding your unfair advantage with Tommy Griffith. ----- Welcome to episode 222 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Tommy Griffith from ClickMinded about his decision to turn his side gig into his full-time job. All-In  Today’s guest is Tommy Griffith, the man behind ClickMinded, the site that helps businesses learn more about SEO. But that’s not the entire focus of today’s episode. In fact, it’s about leaving his stable full-time job to pursue his side-gig. He talks about the importance of finding your unfair advantage, why you’re the most important part of your business, and how to build a successful sales funnel. Tommy has such an interesting story, and we hope you enjoy this episode! In this episode, you’ll learn: How he started managing SEO at big companies How he left his full-time job to focus on his side business Why you’re the most important part of your business What ClickMinded does How you should be approaching content to optimize for search How ClickMinded started to become profitable How to build a successful sales funnel The tools he likes to use for marketing What it means to have an unfair advantage Resources: 4-Hour Workweek Skin in the Game ClickMinded Udemy KWFinder Teachable ThriveCart Zapier Drip IFTTT RightMessage Burning the Boats on ClickMinded If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Welcome to episode 221 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork goes live on Instagram to answer your questions about blogging. ----- Welcome to episode 221 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork goes live on Instagram to answer your questions about blogging. Live  One of our favorite things about working with a community for food bloggers is connecting with that community. When we were thinking about ways we could connect with our podcast community, we quickly figured out that it’s difficult to connect with your podcast listeners. Podcast episodes are typically made up of two distinct “sides” — a recording happening on one side, and then the listening happening on the other. Rarely do those sides meet in the middle. That is, of course, until today. 😉 Bjork went live on Instagram yesterday to connect with our community and answer their blogging questions, and we turned it into today’s podcast episode! He answers questions SEO, keywords, podcasting, monetization, and more, and all of the questions you’ll hear are sourced from our incredible community. Enjoy! In this episode, you’ll learn: What backlinks are and how to get them for your site When you’ll see results from your SEO work How many recipes you should have on your blog before you launch it How long it takes to monetize a blog If you try to optimize for long-tail or short-tail keywords How to monetize and grow a podcast Resources: 097: How to Create a Full-Time Income from Blogging Using The Egg Carton Method with Bjork Ostrom 108: From Struggling Podcast to Six-Figure Success with Natalie Eckdahl If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

How to find your super friends, how to optimize your growth on social media, and what tools you should use to track your blog's growth. ----- Welcome to episode 220 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we’re focusing on growth, and you’ll learn about tribes, growing your social following, and tracking your growth with different tools. Grow  If you have a blog, chances are you’re interested in extending your reach and growing your audience. Luckily for you, that’s exactly what this episode of the Food Blogger Pro Podcast is all about! First, Lindsay will talk about finding the Pinch of Yum “tribe” and publishing content specifically for that group of people. Finding your tribe is an important part of the growth puzzle because they’re the people who are your “super fans” of you and your content. Then, Abby, our Social Media Manager, talks about social media growth. She talks about how your growth strategies can differ from social media platform to social media platform, and she’ll walk you through some of the growth strategies that have worked for us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. And last, Bjork talks about tracking your growth and understanding how your content is performing. It’s important to understand where you’re starting and how far you’ve come, and these tools make tracking your progress super simple. Excited for you to dive into this episode and implement some of these growth strategies - enjoy! In this episode, you’ll learn: What a “tribe” is Why it’s important to have a tribe How to find your tribe or super-friends Strategies for growing your Instagram account How engagement works on Instagram How to optimize for repins on Pinterest How to grow your following on Facebook using Facebook Groups What annotations do in Google Analytics How Google Search Console can help you figure out how your posts are performing Resources: Pinch of Yum’s Facebook Group Ahrefs SEMrush Google Analytics Google Search Console Ask Bjork Anything! If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Starting a blog involves addressing common misconceptions, choosing a reliable web host, and utilizing WordPress and plugins. They discuss the importance of focusing on a niche, creating consistent content, and enjoying the work. Tips are given on choosing a host, the benefits of WordPress, and the differences between free and premium plugins.

When you should add display ads to your site, how to find your sponsored content rate, and how to be an effective affiliate. ----- Welcome to episode 218 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we’re focusing on monetization and chatting through display ads, sponsored content, and affiliate marketing. Monetization  It’s time to tackle one of the most popular topics we get asked about: monetization! We focus on three different ways that you can be monetizing your blog in this episode. First, you’ll hear from Bjork as he talks about display ads and how to evaluate their success. He also talks about why it’s important to consider your user experience when it comes to ad placement. Then, Danielle! She’s here to talk all about sponsored content. She focuses on how to find your rate, how to work with brands, and how to approach brands for future deals. Last, Alexa and Bjork talk about affiliate marketing. While we’re in the process of removing affiliate links from Food Blogger Pro, affiliate marketing can still be an effective way to generate income as a blogger. It’s a great episode, and we can’t wait for you to dive in. Enjoy! In this episode, you’ll learn: How ads work When you should consider adding ads to your site What RPM is Why it’s important to consider user experience when it comes to ads How to find your sponsored content rate How to understand what a brand wants Why a sponsored content report is important How to approach brands for the upcoming year Why we’re removing affiliate links from Food Blogger Pro How to be an effective affiliate How to think strategically about monetization Resources: AdThrive Mediavine Sortable InfluenceKit The Get Your Price Course Businessese 099: Sponsored Content and Getting Paid What Your Work is Worth with Danielle Liss 097: How to Create a Full-Time Income from Blogging Using The Egg Carton Method with Bjork Ostrom Join the Food Blogger Pro Affiliate Program If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

How to store your files in the cloud, the process we use to produce the podcast, and how Pinch of Yum manages their sponsored content. ----- Welcome to episode 217 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, you’ll learn how we store large video files, produce the podcast, and manage Pinch of Yum’s sponsored content. Processes  Today’s episode is focused around processes, and while that may not sound all that exciting, processes are essential for our work. We use processes every day at Food Blogger Pro and Pinch of Yum, and you’ll learn what we do and how we stick to these processes in this episode, First up is Emily, Pinch of Yum’s Video Specialist. Video files are huge, so the processes she follows to compress and store her video files helps keep her computer tidy and her content organized. Next, Alexa talks all about…the podcast! She walks you through the entire podcasting process - from scheduling interviews, to recording episode, to editing, to publishing, and beyond. And last, Pinch of Yum’s Communications Manager, Jenna, talks all about the way that Pinch of Yum manages their sponsored content work. From reviewing contracts to evaluating sponsors to getting paid, Jenna will teach you the ins and outs of making sure Pinch of Yum’s sponsored content work gets done. While you’re listening, we encourage you to think about some of the things you do every day or every week that could benefit from a formalized process. Enjoy! In this episode, you’ll learn: Why processes are helpful and important How Emily organizes Pinch of Yum video clips The tool we use for cloud storage Why it’s important to compress your files before uploading them to the cloud How we schedule interviews for The Food Blogger Pro Podcast What we use to record the podcast How we host the podcast and generate transcripts What Jenna’s role is when it comes to sponsored content on Pinch of Yum How brands reach out to Pinch of Yum How the Pinch of Yum Intake Form works How the Pinch of Yum team reviews contracts How Pinch of Yum issues campaign reports How Pinch of Yum follows up with brands Resources: Things The E Myth and The E Myth Revisited Process.st The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up G Suite Final Cut Pro X Calendly Zoom Screenflow Adobe Audition Convert songs from files in a folder or on a disk Libsyn Rev Pinch of Yum’s contact page Pinch of Yum’s sponsored content landing page CoSchedule FreshBooks InfluenceKit 168: How to Add More Value to Your Sponsored Content with Mandi Gubler If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

How recipe copyrighting works, important parts of a food photograph, how to find your photography style, and new content on Food Blogger Pro. ----- Welcome to episode 216 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we talk about whether or not recipes are copyrightable, how to incorporate layers into your food photography, and some of the new resources we have for food bloggers on Food Blogger Pro. Content  We’d go so far to say that content is the bread and butter of food blogs. If you look at all the techy stuff, the SEO, the plugins, the monetization…content is at the core of it all. And that’s our focus for today! First, you’ll hear from Danielle, our incredible Legal Expert here at Food Blogger Pro, and she talks all about recipe copyrighting and how to properly give credit to other content creators. We get asked questions about this all the time in the Food Blogger Pro forums, and Danielle makes it easy to understand and implement. Next up: Lindsay! And because we focus on food and we eat with our eyes, photography is a huge, important part of the content creation equation. She talks about styling, layering, and her approach to photography in this episode. And last: Alexa. You’ll hear a quick update about some of the new content we’ve recently published to Food Blogger Pro for our members. We talk about a recent Q&A, new tools we’re using, new courses we’re planning, and more. It’s a great episode, and our goal is that it helps you streamline your content creation process and helps eliminate some questions you might have around creating content for your food blog. Enjoy! In this episode, you’ll learn: What parts of your blog posts are copyrightable What you can do if you find a copy of one of your recipes online What a DMCA takedown notice is The right way to give credit to another recipe when you were “inspired by” it Important parts of a food photograph How layers work in food photography How to find your photography style Some of the new content we’ve published on Food Blogger Pro Resources: Foodimentary Thug Kitchen Pinch of Yum’s Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos Businessese Liss Legal Timeular Slack Google Search Console If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Pinning what's important on Pinterest, establishing an Instagram Story series, and tips for understanding engagement. ----- Welcome to episode 215 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, you’ll learn how to optimize the time you spend on Pinterest, how to establish an Instagram Story series, how to calculate engagement, and more. Share  Let’s talk sharing content! In this episode, we’re focusing on sharing content on social media. There are so many social media platforms and strategies, and this episode will help you create those processes to help you increase followers and engagement. First, you’ll hear from Kate Ahl, who is one of our Food Blogger Pro experts and who owns a Pinterest management company called Simple Pin Media. She’s here to share information about common traits of successful pinners, how to encourage readers to pin your content, and how to control what your readers share on Pinterest. Then Abby, the Social Media Manager for all of our brands, talks about how we’re using Instagram Stories for Food Blogger Pro. We use recurring series to engage our followers and constantly deliver value. And last, Bjork talks through what engagement actually is and how you measure it. We’re always talking about how important engagement is, and he’ll help you understand why that is. In this episode, you’ll learn: How pins go viral When you save vs. when you share on Pinterest Common traits of successful pinners How you communicate with pinners What Pinterest finds most important when you’re sharing content How to encourage readers to pin your content How to force-pin a specific image How much you should be pinning How Instagram Stories work How we structure Stories for Food Blogger Pro How engagement works How to calculate engagement Resources: Tailwind Tasty Pins Find pins from your site on Pinterest by using https://www.pinterest.com/source/foodbloggerpro.com/ where you replace foodbloggerpro.com with your URL NoPin: How to Tell Pinterest to Not Save an Image MiloTree Pinterest Developers Simple Pin Media The Simple Pin Collective Simple Pin Podcast Food Blogger Pro on Instagram If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

How to figure out which old posts you should optimize, what it means to "connect" your posts, and a simple way to track your optimization efforts. ----- Welcome to episode 214 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, you’ll learn how to optimize old posts, connect your posts to one another, understand the impact of your optimizations, and more. Optimize  It’s time to talk optimization! And this episode will help equip you with the strategies and processes you need to optimize your posts, build authority, and First, you’ll hear from our SEO Expert, Casey Markee, as he talks about optimizing and republishing old posts. He also talks about whether or not it’s okay to have a 404 page and when you should consider noindexing your posts. Then you’ll hear from Jeff Coyle from MarketMuse, a content planning and optimization software, about connecting your posts to one another and the tools you can use to optimize your posts. And then Bjork Ostrom, rounds out this episode by talking about how you can track and monitor your optimization efforts to make sure that they’re having the impact you hoped. It’s a simple way to keep tabs on whether or not you’re targeting the right posts with the right optimizations. It’s a really helpful episode, and we hope you’ll be able to apply these tips to your own blogging efforts. Enjoy! In this episode, you’ll learn: Who the Father of SEO was How to select old content to optimize and republish What it means to noindex a post If it’s okay to delete a post What technical SEO is and how to optimize for it How you can find posts to optimize Why it’s important to “connect” your posts Tools you can use to optimize your posts How to build authority How annotations in Google Analytics work Resources: Yoast SEO plugin SEMrush Moz Screaming Frog Broken Link Checker WP Rocket ShortPixel Cloudflare Contact Casey on his website, Media Wyse, and on Facebook Google Search Console MarketMuse Connect with Jeff Google Analytics If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Trends in site speed, how to publish trendy content on your blog, using hashtags on Pinterest, and creating a patterned Instagram grid. ----- Welcome to episode 213 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, you’ll learn about tips for optimizing your site speed, how Lindsay publishes trendy content, and how to share smarter on social media. Trends  This week on the podcast, we’re focusing on trends, and you’ll hear tips from three experts on site speed, blogging, and social media. First, Andrew from NerdPress will talk about trends in site speed, and he’ll share his photo size recommendations, his favorite plugins, information about caching, and more. Then Lindsay from Pinch of Yum talks about how she publishes relevant content for her readers and how she stays on top of food trends. And last, Abby, Food Blogger Pro and Pinch of Yum’s Social Media Manager will talk about some of the trends we’re seeing on social media, namely hashtags on Pinterest and then Instagram pattern grids. It’s a great episode, and we can’t wait for you to dive in. Enjoy! In this episode, you’ll learn: Why site speed matters for bloggers How caching works What lazy loading is What the latest image size recommendation is How Lindsay approaches creating “trendy” content How hashtags work on Pinterest What Pinch of Yum uses to share content to Pinterest How we’re customizing the Food Blogger Pro Instagram grid Resources: Google Trends WP Rocket a3 Lazy Load ShortPixel 188: Optimizing Your Website’s Images with Simon Duduica NerdPress Tailwind Food Blogger Pro Deals Tasty Pins Follow Food Blogger Pro on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.