The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

What GDPR is, why it’s important, and how to implement GDPR-compliant changes on your site with Danielle Liss. ----- Welcome to episode 147 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Danielle Liss from Hashtag Legal and Businessese about understanding GDPR. GDPR for Influencers Have you heard of GDPR? It’s a regulation in the EU about data protection, and it affects everyone with readers in the EU. These four letters are causing a lot of confusion and raising questions in our niche, so Danielle is here today to help us all understand its impact. It’s important to understand the rules and regulations of GDPR so that we can protect ourselves as bloggers and business owners, but it’s also important so that we can protect the privacy of our readers. You’ll learn how to audit your site for compliance, the difference between different types of data, and how you might be collecting data on your site visitors without knowing it. In this episode, Danielle shares: What GDPR is and why it’s important for influencers How you might be collecting data on your visitors The difference between personal and sensitive data is Why you should audit your site Why disclosing the information you collect might help your relationship with your readers How you can stay up-to-date on GDPR updates Resources: Google Security Checkup 099: Sponsored Content and Getting Paid What Your Work is Worth with Danielle Liss Hashtag Legal GDPR checklist on Businessese GDPR plugin If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Caroline! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

How to view your blog as a business from day 1, better serve your email subscribers, and hire help with Kate Kordsmeier. ----- Welcome to episode 146 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Kate Kordsmeier from Root & Revel about how she generated a full-time income from her blog in just two years. $75,000 in Year 2 One of the most common questions we get on Food Blogger Pro is when bloggers should start monetizing. What do you think? 6 months? A year? 1,000 followers on Instagram? 10,000 page views per month? Kate believes you should start monetizing as soon as possible (as in day one), and in this interview, you’ll learn all about the ways she has monetized and grown her blog over the past two years. In this episode, Kate shares: How she knew she needed a change from freelancing Why finding the Pinch of Yum Income Reports were helpful How she was intentional with her learning How she started viewing her blog as a business over a hobby Her approach to affiliate income and sponsored content What her weekly affiliate email is like How she uses tags to segment her email list How she found people to help her with her blog Resources: Root & Revel 046: How Kate Kordsmeier Doubled Her Income with Freelancing Pinch of Yum Income Reports Kate’s 2017 Income Report: “How I Made $75,000 Blogging in Year 2” Mediavine ButcherBox ConvertKit Simple Pin Media Mediawyse Kate’s business coaching Follow Kate on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Kitty from My Katie Blue! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

How to live with intention, say no, and seek silance with Shauna Niequist. ----- Welcome to episode 145 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Shauna Niequist about inspiration, knowing when to disconnect, and living with intention. Present Over Perfect Shauna understands how important it is to live a life full of meaningful choices and intentional seasons, but she didn’t always live this way. It took her coming to a breaking point to really evaluate her choices and understand what’s really important. As bloggers and entrepreneurs, we tend to feel the need to constantly be connected to social media, responding to comments, and answering emails. But while those things are important, it’s also important to recognize when you should disconnect, say no, and seek silence for a bit. You’ll learn how to live “Present Over Perfect” in this episode! In this episode, Shauna shares: What her interview with Oprah was like When she knew there needed to be a change in her life What inspired her to write Present Over Perfect How she applied the principles in Present Over Perfect to the promotion of her book What it means to have intentional seasons How she disconnected herself from metrics Why it’s important to understand when to say “no” Why it’s important to seek silence Resources: Shauna’s Super Soul Sunday episode Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes Shauna’s website Follow Shauna on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Jodie from Growing Book by Book! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

How to implement a "yes and..." mindset, the importance of trying new things, and traveling to eat with Phil Rosenthal. ----- Welcome to episode 144 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Phil Rosenthal about building his career and his new Netflix-original show, “Somebody Feed Phil.” Netflix, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Somebody Feel Phil This is a bit of an unconventional interview for the Food Blogger Pro Podcast, but if you’re a food fan, we think you’re really going to enjoy it. You may have heard of Phil Rosenthal. He’s the creator and executive producer of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” an actor, an author, and most recently, the star of the Netflix-original food and travel documentary, “Somebody Feed Phil.” Phil is a die-hard food lover, and he shares that love as he travels across the globe and makes connections with locals. Building his career wasn’t always easy, but his “yes and…” attitude, fearless personality, and “never give up” outlook are all principles that you can apply to running your own blog and business. In this episode, Phil shares: Why Skype is an important part of his show Why having a niche is important How to not be afraid of trying new things What an egg cream is (let us know if you’d try it in the comments!) How to implement a “yes and…” mindset Resources: The War of Art Somebody Feed Phil I’ll Have What Phil’s Having Exporting Raymond Follow Phil on Twitter and Facebook 129: Forging Your Own Path with David Lebovitz If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Katie from BlackFern Kitchen! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

How to build authority, why they choose to guest post, and why connection is so important with Jessica Beacom and Stacie Hassing. ----- Welcome to episode 143 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Jessica and Stacie from The Real Food Dietitians about growing their blog to have over 2 million page views per month. 2 Million Page Views in 2 Years Jessica and Stacie’s story is impressive; not only do they operate their business from two different states, they’ve grown their audience to over two million page views per month in just two years! They’re here today to share the story of how they started their business together and why they ended up shifting their focus. They also will chat about why connection has been such an important part of growing their business and how they’re using Facebook to cultivate that connection. You’ll love hearing about how they’ve learned to thrive as the bloggers behind The Real Food Dietitians. In this episode, Jessica and Stacie share: What they did before they started their blog The most critical pieces of their journey How they connected at a conference How they started to work together How they’ve built authority on their site Why guest blogging works as part of their strategy How they made connections with other bloggers The most profitable aspects of their business How they work together in different cities Why they run a private Facebook group Resources: The Real Food Dietitians B-School Follow Jessica and Stacie on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Madison from Sunny Thymes! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

How to choose a hosting plan, why SSL is important, and how to optimize your images with Andrew Wilder. ----- Welcome to episode 142 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Andrew Wilder about the top five tech mistakes he sees on food blogs. How to Fix 5 Common Blogging Tech Mistakes The first time our Site Speed Expert, Andrew, was on the podcast, he chatted all about best practices for securing your website. Now he’s back to talk about five of the most common tech mistakes he sees on blogs. Between choosing the right hosting to optimizing images, there are a lot of tech decisions to make about your blog. Andrew’s advice will make you a lot more confident to make those decisions. Enjoy! In this episode, Andrew shares: What he does at Blog Tutor Why good hosting is important for food blogger The difference between popular types of hosting plans How you can tell if you have good hosting How big your images should be and why you should be optimizing What a fully enhanced recipe rich card is What an SSL certificate is Resources: Google Recipe Structured Data Guidelines Blog Tutor 020: How to Secure Your Food Blog with Andrew Wilder from Blog Tutor 137: One Million App Downloads in One Year with Trey George Byte Check Cloudways Foodie Pro Short Pixel Imagify 136: Optimizing for Search Results on Google and Pinterest with Raquel Smith 133: Optimizing Your Food Blog’s SEO with Casey Markee Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool Google Search Console Is it time to switch your site to all-SSL? Blog Tutor Plans Connect with Andrew at support@blogtutor.com If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Jodie from Growing Book by Book! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

How to understand your customers, view your blog as a business, and adapt to where you are with Alexis Joseph. ----- Welcome to episode 141 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Alexis Joseph about building two thriving full-time businesses. Hustling to Build Two Full-Time Businesses Alexis is the definition of a #girlboss. She’s the co-founder of a thriving restaurant, the author of a successful blog, and a registered dietitian. How does she find time for it all? Good question. She’s here today to share all about it. You’ll learn about what she does in a typical day and how she balances it all. In this episode, Alexis shares: How she got interested in nutrition When and why she started her blog The things that made a difference in her blog How she started viewing her blog as a business Where her blog name came from How she decided to open a restaurant How she keeps up with her customers How she balances a full-time blog and restaurant What her typical day looks like Resources: Hummusapien Alchemy Juice Cafe Omnivore’s Dilemma Oh She Glows TRISM Follow Alexis on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Follow Alchemy on Instagram If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Regan Jones from Blog Brûlée, Healthy Aperture, This Unmillennial Life, and The Recipe Redux! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

How to tier your pricing structure, why you should save your side business income, and how to incentivize word of mouth with Nathan Barry. ----- Welcome to episode 140 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Nathan Barry from ConvertKit about how he started his career and pivoted to focus on selling software. From $300k in Product Sales to $9m in Software Sales Nathan started out as a designer and app developer, and he launched his first product to an email list of 800 people. Thus started his successful product sales career, writing three books, two courses, and building an email list. But then in October 2014, Nathan decided to pivot. He decided to focus on his email software, ConvertKit, which was making only $1,000/month in revenue at the time. Now ConvertKit has over 18,000 users, including Pat Flynn, Leo Babuta, and Chris Gillebeau. In this episode, Nathan shares: What he did before starting ConvertKit His suggestions about what you should do with your side business income Why he suggests to tier your pricing for a product How to price a product Why he wanted to make an email marketing platform How he decided to focus on software How to incentivize word of mouth Resources: A Brief Guide to World Domination 279 Days to Overnight Success 097: How to Create a Full-Time Income from Blogging Using The Egg Carton Method with Bjork Ostrom ConvertKit ConvertKit on Baremetrics Follow Nathan on his website, nathanbarry.com If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Tonia from Why Not Mom! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

Sharing videos on social media, filming tricky foods, and working with brands with the Pinch of Yum Team. ----- Welcome to episode 139 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, we’re sharing the Q&A from our recent Recipe Video Bootcamp. Answering MORE Questions about Recipe Videos Have you tried making recipe videos yet? They’re incredibly popular right now, and they’re a great way to grow your audience and social media following. We recently held a Recipe Video Bootcamp where we taught attendees how to shoot and edit their own food videos like a pro. Our last session of the day was a Q&A with Lindsay Ostrom and Alana Woolley from Pinch of Yum, and we’ve decided to share it as a podcast episode today! You’ll learn all about how the Pinch of Yum team handles producing and sharing high-quality video content every week. In this episode, Lindsay and Alana share: The best practices for sharing videos on social media How to work with tricky foods How to work with brands The gear they use How they handle shoots as a team How they come up with inspiration How to make your videos stand out How long your videos should be The settings they use to record videos Resources: 136: Optimizing for Search Results on Google and Pinterest with Raquel Smith 7 Essential Tools You Need to Shoot Your Own Recipe Videos Erickson Surfaces 093: How Finding a Niche Transformed a Business with Meggan Hill from Culinary Hill If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Kelly from A Side of Sweet! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

Understanding your stats, owning your niche, and optimizing your content with Ashley Ward. ----- Welcome to episode 138 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Ashley Ward from SEMrush about optimizing the content on your website. How to Get the Most Out of Your Content Content is the core of your blog, but how do you know you’re getting the most out of the recipes and posts you publish? That’s why Ashley is here. She explains that there’s a lot you can do with your content after you set it live. Between evaluating your stats and forming strategies, optimizing your content can happen in different forms. If you’ve wanted to learn how to own your niche or use your competitors when creating content, this episode is for you! In this episode, Ashley shares: How she got started as a corporate speaker What SEMrush is What PPC is How to be strategic with your stats How to use your competitors when creating content How you can own your niche How long you should wait before looking at metrics Resources: Register for the Recipe Video Bootcamp today! SEMrush Google Optimize Follow Ashley on Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Holly from A Baker’s House! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.