The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

Welcome to The Food Blogger Pro Podcast, hosted by Bjork Ostrom from Pinch of Yum! Our goal is to help you create a beautiful, functional, and profitable blog. We interview successful food bloggers and industry experts in an effort to surface strategies that can help you more efficiently grow and monetize your site. You'll learn about recipe SEO, food photography, plugins, monetization, traffic, and more. New episodes every Tuesday! Learn more at foodbloggerpro.com/podcast

Joanie Simon of The Bite Shot on Scaling, Burnout, and Finding Joy Again 06/03/2025

Joanie Simon of The Bite Shot on Scaling, Burnout, and Finding Joy Again Scaling a Brand, Navigating Burnout, and Finding Your Why with Joanie Simon of The Bite Shot. ----- Welcome to episode 521 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Joanie Simon from . Joanie Simon of The Bite Shot on Scaling, Burnout, and Finding Joy Again In this week’s episode, Joanie gets real about the not-so-glamorous side of turning a creative passion into a full-on business. She shares how her love for food photography grew into something much bigger (and messier!) than she expected, from hiring a team to navigating the financial and emotional rollercoaster that comes with scaling. Spoiler: it wasn’t always smooth sailing, but it was 100% worth the ride! We also explore the tricky balance between staying creative and keeping up with the structure a business demands. Joanie opens up about burnout, the pressure to please everyone, and how she lost touch with her audience along the way. Through mentoring, self-care, and redefining what success actually looks like, she’s found her way back to her “why” — and she’s sharing what that process really looked like. Three episode takeaways: Growth can be messy, but so worth the effort!: Joanie shares how her food photography side hustle grew into a full-blown business, including the ups and downs of hiring a team, dealing with new responsibilities, and learning from the messy parts of scaling. The tug of war between creativity and structure: From chasing inspiration to juggling deadlines, Joanie talks about how building a business can sometimes smother the creative spark and how she’s working to find a balance that actually fuels both. How Joanie reconnected with her why: Joanie opens up about people-pleasing, burnout, and losing touch with her audience — and how mentoring, self-care, and redefining success helped her get back to what really matters. Resources: Follow The Bite Shot on and Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by and . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/36764975

What It Really Takes to Publish a Cookbook with Erin Clarke from Well Plated by Erin 05/27/2025

What It Really Takes to Publish a Cookbook with Erin Clarke from Well Plated by Erin Pitching, writing, publishing, and marketing a cookbook with Erin Clarke from Well Plated by Erin. ----- Welcome to episode 520 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Erin Clarke from Well Plated by Erin. What It Really Takes to Publish a Cookbook with Erin Clarke from Well Plated by Erin In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome back Erin Clarke (after 9 years!!!) to dive into the behind-the-scenes journey of traditionally publishing a cookbook — from developing the recipes and managing timelines to copy-editing and more. Erin opens up about how she balanced her cookbook projects with her ongoing blog work, as well as the challenges and rewards of publishing a cookbook. Bjork and Erin also chat about the marketing side of cookbook creation — how Erin mapped out the social media strategy for her cookbook promotion, why she crafted all of her captions in advance, and how she documented the entire cookbook process on social media to create excitement and drive sales. Erin emphasizes that cookbook writing shouldn’t be motivated by money but by a passion for cookbooks and the long-term brand legitimacy and awareness that these books help build. Three episode takeaways: The cookbook proposal is your blueprint — Erin explains why a compelling cookbook proposal is essential — not only does it help you effectively pitch to publishers, but it also forces you to test your concept (and whether you’re up for the challenge!) and clarify your vision before writing begins. Cookbook writing is a long game — Success requires patience, consistency, and a commitment to detail. Erin shares about the challenges of adjusting to the timeline of print publishing and the shift in mindset required to develop a cookbook. How to develop recipes that work — Erin walks through her incredibly detailed approach to recipe development (have you ever counted the kale stalks in a bunch at the grocery store?) and how being methodical when developing and writing recipes from the get-go creates a strong foundation for your future self and sets your readers up for success. Resources: Follow Erin on and Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/36558200

How Christina Leopold of Addicted to Dates Turned Content into Community and Hit 550K Followers 05/20/2025

How Christina Leopold of Addicted to Dates Turned Content into Community and Hit 550K Followers The power of consistency, community, and time management with Christina Leopold from Addicted to Dates. ----- Welcome to episode 519 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Christina Leopold from . How Christina Leopold of Addicted to Dates Turned Content into Community and Hit 550K Followers This week’s episode dives deep into the journey of food blogger Christina Leopold, who built and scaled her brand, Addicted to Dates. Her story is packed with gold for anyone looking to grow their online gig. One of the biggest takeaways? Consistency is key, but working smarter with your content is essential for staying sane. Christina also spills the tea on turning her passion into a full-time hustle. She had to get down to business with things like SEO and figuring out how to make money. Plus, she emphasizes the power of knowing your worth and when to bring in some extra hands. Finally, we chat about the importance of connecting with your community and fellow creators. It’s all about building those authentic relationships and learning from each other! Three episode takeaways: Consistency and repurposing are your best friends: Christina’s journey highlights that showing up regularly (like her daily posts for years!) is huge. To maintain your sanity, you’ll have to get smart about your content – think repurposing and making the most out of what you create (like turning one recipe into a bunch of posts). Treat your blog like a business (because it is!): Making the leap to full-time meant learning about SEO, monetization, and how to manage her time like a boss. Hiring help, tracking analytics, and creating systems (like batching recipe posts) gave her more space to focus on the creative stuff she loves. How connections can fuel growth: From community support to brand partnerships, Christina emphasizes the power of real connections. Engaging with others has opened doors to brand collaborations, steady income, and long-term growth. Resources: Interested in having your own Coaching Call with Bjork? — use to redeem your 30 Day Trial + 40% off First 4 Months of Pro Plan! Follow Christina on , and Thank you to our sponsor! This episode is sponsored by . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/36552455

How Molly Thompson Grew Her Email List from 15K to 100K 05/13/2025

How Molly Thompson Grew Her Email List from 15K to 100K Surveying your audience, building effective lead magnets, and staying consistent with emails with Molly Thompson from What Molly Made. ----- Welcome to episode 518 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Molly Thompson from What Molly Made. How Molly Thompson Grew Her Email List from 15K to 100K Tired of the ever-changing Google algorithms, Molly Thompson decided to lean into email marketing a few years ago and has since developed a super effective four-part system for growing her email list. In this episode, Bjork and Molly delve into Molly’s strategies for growing her email list from 15,000 to 100,000 subscribers within a year (and how that has led to an increase of 300,000 pageviews every month!). Molly shares her insights on repurposing content across platforms, surveying her audience for pain points, using her website as a central hub, and her strategies for driving traffic back to her site. Three episode takeaways: The importance of consistency in email engagement — Molly sends out three emails per week, focusing on providing value to her audience. This consistent engagement has helped her build a loyal subscriber base and drive significant traffic back to her site. Why you need to understand your audience’s pain points — A key strategy Molly employs is surveying her audience to understand their challenges and needs. She explains how she uses ChatGPT to organize and analyze the data, and how these insights allow her to create content that addresses her audience’s pain points, making her opt-ins and emails more relevant and engaging. How to effectively use lead magnets — Molly shares her approach to creating opt-ins that convert. She discusses how to use platforms like Instagram to drive email opt-ins and the importance of structuring a welcome series to nurture new subscribers effectively. Resources: Follow Molly on Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/36489695

Preserving Tradition While Scaling a Modern Business with Shen Chen from Just One Cookbook 05/06/2025

Preserving Tradition While Scaling a Modern Business with Shen Chen from Just One Cookbook Crafting a brand with meaning and scaling a business with Shen Chen from Just One Cookbook. ----- Welcome to episode 517 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Shen Chen, who jointly runs the English-language Japanese food blog with his wife Nami. Preserving Tradition While Scaling a Modern Business with Shen Chen from Just One Cookbook This week on the podcast, Bjork sits down with Shen Chen — one-half of the powerhouse duo behind Just One Cookbook. Shen shares the behind-the-scenes story of how a humble food blog grew into a multifaceted business, spanning YouTube, e-commerce, and digital memberships. He talks about the impact of shifting traffic trends, how COVID–19 changed the game, and why sometimes a business pivot isn’t just smart—it’s necessary. Shen also opens up about his newest venture: a brand inspired by Japanese craftsmanship and cultural preservation. From navigating the complexities of physical products to using social media and SEO to fuel organic growth, this episode is packed with practical tips and thoughtful insights for anyone looking to build a meaningful, resilient business. You won’t want to miss this episode! Three episode takeaways: From Food Blog to Full-Fledged Business: Shen shares how Just One Cookbook evolved beyond recipes, expanding into YouTube, e-commerce, and community-building. You’ll also hear him talk about how external factors like COVID–19 forced a shift in strategy, leading to new ventures and unexpected growth. Crafting a Brand with Meaning: Discover how Shen’s passion for Japanese craftsmanship sparked a new business rooted in tradition. He unpacks the power of appreciating quality, preserving cultural heritage, and building a product line that tells a deeper story. What It Really Takes to Scale a Business: From social media strategy to SEO, from paid ads to packaging logistics — Shen gives us a peek behind the curtain at the not-so-glamorous, but essential, parts of running a physical goods business. Spoiler: it’s a lot, but totally worth it! Resources: Interested in learning more about setting up a donor-advised fund? Shoot Bjork an email ! Follow and on Instagram Thank you to our sponsor! This episode is sponsored by . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/36371300

Diversifying Income Series: Monetizing Your Email List with Matt Molen 04/29/2025

Diversifying Income Series: Monetizing Your Email List with Matt Molen Growing and nurturing your email list, understanding your subscribers' needs, and creating lead magnets with Matt Molen from Email Crush. ----- Welcome to episode 516 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Matt Molen, the CEO of . Diversifying Income Series: Monetizing Your Email List with Matt Molen In this episode, Matt shares email marketing principles and why it’s one of the most powerful tools bloggers often overlook. He breaks down how to grow your list, why your subscribers are more valuable than you think, and how email can become a key revenue stream if you do it right! Matt also offers practical tips on creating convert lead magnets, writing emails people want to read, and building trust through simple, effective sequences. Whether you’re starting from scratch or ready to level up, this interview is packed with email strategies you can start using today! Three episode takeaways: Email marketing that actually pays off: For food bloggers, email is more than a newsletter — it’s a key revenue stream. From sharing your story to promoting products or partnerships, it’s one of the most effective ways to grow your income and your brand. How to build (and nurture) your list with intention: Your current traffic is your best resource for growing your list. With the right lead magnets—think quick-start guides, mini recipe series, or kitchen cheat sheets—you can attract the right audience and keep them coming back for more. Consistency and value drive results: Whether it’s a weekly roundup or seasonal content, consistent, valuable emails lead to higher engagement. Understand what your readers need, simplify your messaging, and make every email worth opening. Resources: Thank you to our sponsor! This episode is sponsored by . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/36321975

Diversifying Income Series: Mastering Brand Partnerships with Candice Ward 04/22/2025

Diversifying Income Series: Mastering Brand Partnerships with Candice Ward Build relationships that last with brands, simplify brand outreach, and develop confidence in your offerings with Candice Ward from Eat More Cake ----- Welcome to episode 515 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! For part three of our Diversifying Income Series, Bjork interviews Candice Ward from Eat More Cake. Diversifying Income Series: Working with Brands In today’s crowded content landscape, with the rise of AI, increased competition, and more user-generated content, Candice shares how she built a stable business by diversifying her income and getting strategic with brand partnerships. This episode breaks down Candice’s three-pillar approach to building relationships with brands: crafting a strong offer, getting more eyeballs on that offer, and—most importantly—learning how to sell your offer. She shares practical tips for using analytics to evolve your offerings, developing an email sequence that gets responses, and how to pitch brands with purpose. This episode will make you excited to rethink your brand partnership strategy — don’t miss it! Three episode takeaways: Why you should be using the offer/market/sales framework for brand pitching — Candice explains the 3 main pillars of brand partnerships and how to optimize each phase of your outreach. Simple ways to use weekly workflows to make real connections with brands — Candice has incorporated brand outreach via email sequences, LinkedIn, and social media into her workflow and explains her process for communicating with brands and how to develop an email sequence so that you can easily begin the process yourself! How to build confidence in pitching — Very few content creators are confident pitching to brands right out of the gate. Candice explains her tips for becoming more confident (hint: repetition helps!) and how reframing pitching as building relationships with brands to help them solve a problem can help creators overcome their mental hurdles to communicating with brands. Resources: Follow Candice on Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/36226835

Diversifying Income Series: Cooking Classes with Jess Smith from Inquiring Chef 04/15/2025

Diversifying Income Series: Cooking Classes with Jess Smith from Inquiring Chef Making decisions about diversifying your business and launching and running a cooking camp for kids with Jess Smith from Inquiring Chef. ----- Welcome to episode 514 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! For part two of our Diversifying Income Series, Bjork interviews Jess Smith from Inquiring Chef. Diversifying Income Series: Cooking Classes Jess Smith launched her blog, Inquiring Chefs, in 2010 and has slowly but steadily transformed it into a thriving multi-six-figure business. In recent years, she’s expanded her income streams by publishing her debut cookbook, Start with a Vegetable, and launching Inquiring Chef Academy, which offers popular in-person cooking summer camps for kids in Kansas City. In this episode, Bjork and Jess dive into the origins of Inquiring Chef Academy, exploring why and how Jess decided to add an in-person experience to her brand. Jess’s summer camps are a massive hit (with the 2025 sessions selling out in just a few hours), and they’ve reignited her passion for food blogging. Even if in-person cooking classes aren’t your thing, this episode will provide fresh insights on diversifying your income and your creative outlets — you won’t want to miss it! Three episode takeaways: How to make decisions about diversifying your business — Jess’s current income distribution looks like this: 71% from ad revenue, 13% from cooking camps, 10% from her cookbook, and 6% from brand partnerships. However, when she first considered launching her cooking camps, it wasn’t driven by money but by creativity. In this discussion, Bjork and Jess talk about the importance of finding balance in your business to prevent burnout and ensure long-term success, and how to make decisions that reflect those values. The logistics of running your own cooking classes — Jess dives into the tools she uses to manage her cooking camps, including the software for registration, how she developed the curriculum, how she promotes the camps, how she built a team to support the operations, and why she isn’t interested in scaling her camps (yet). This episode has all the details you need if you’re considering launching something similar! How to launch cooking classes — Jess announced her summer camps in January 2024 and has sold out two consecutive summers of camps. She reveals how she pushed past her hesitations and shares the behind-the-scenes process of getting her cooking camps off the ground (spoiler: it was the toughest business challenge she’s faced yet)! Resources: Follow Jess on and Thank you to our sponsor! This episode is sponsored by . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/35874730

Diversifying Income Series: Membership Sites with Adam Sobel 04/08/2025

Diversifying Income Series: Membership Sites with Adam Sobel Generating recurring revenue through membership sites, the power of community, and how to scale your business with multiple income streams. ----- Welcome to episode 513 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Adam Sobel. Diversifying Income Series: Membership Sites with Adam Sobel In this week’s episode, Adam Sobel of Cinnamon Snail shares his journey from owning a restaurant to launching successful online cooking classes after the pandemic. He reveals how building a loyal community was key to his growth, along with using content marketing, lead magnets, and split testing to attract and convert customers. Adam also dives into how paid ads and staying adaptable in the digital world have been essential to his success. It doesn’t stop there! Adam will also talk about scaling his business with multiple income streams, including membership programs and free offers, while automating key processes to generate steady revenue. Tune in for actionable insights on growing your business in today’s digital age! Three episode takeaways: From Restaurant to Online Success: After the pandemic hit, Adam made a big shift from owning a restaurant to teaching cooking classes online. He quickly realized that building a strong community and customer loyalty was key to his growth. Smart Digital Strategies: Content marketing, lead magnets, and split testing became game-changers for Adam. He also dives into how paid ads and constantly adapting to the digital world have been crucial for attracting and converting customers. Scaling with Multiple Income Streams: By offering membership programs and leveraging free offers, Adam’s been able to create a steady stream of revenue. Automation has also helped simplify his business, making it easier to generate income while focusing on what matters most. Resources: Follow Adam on and Thank you to our sponsor! This episode is sponsored by and . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/35965090

How to Balance Creativity and Consistency in Blogging 04/01/2025

How to Balance Creativity and Consistency in Blogging Balancing creativity and consistency, maximizing productivity, and navigating food trends with RIz Asad from Chocolates and Chai. ----- Welcome to episode 512 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Rizwan Asad from Chocolates and Chai. How to Balance Creativity and Consistency in Blogging This week, we’re chatting with Riz from Chocolates and Chai, who shares some amazing insights on balancing creativity with monetization. It can feel like a compromise when you’re trying to make money from your blog, but Riz breaks down how ad revenue, affiliate marketing, and licensing can actually work together with your content without sacrificing quality! Riz also drops some valuable tips on staying efficient and consistent in your content creation. You’ll also hear him talk about how jumping on popular topics, like viral TikTok recipes, can really up your visibility and engagement. Lastly, we dive into the importance of finding your niche — understanding who your audience is and carving out a space that’s uniquely yours is the key to long-term success while staying true to your creative passion. You won’t want to miss this episode! Three episode takeaways: Balancing Creativity and Consistency: Finding the sweet spot between staying true to your creative vision and consistently putting out content is essential for long-term success. Building trust with your audience while keeping things fresh and true to your style is key here! Maximizing Productivity: If you’re juggling a full-time job or managing the pressures of blogging, Riz has been there and says that batching tasks and minimizing distractions can significantly boost your efficiency. Staying organized will help you keep the content flowing without burning out! Navigating Trends and Monetization: Keeping an eye on trends, like those on TikTok, can help boost your content’s visibility. And while monetizing a blog can feel tricky or like you’re compromising your creativity, finding a balance that allows you to make money while staying true to what you love doing is possible. Resources: Follow Riz on Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by and . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/35744355

The Cost of Content and Why Carla Lalli Music left YouTube 03/25/2025

The Cost of Content and Why Carla Lalli Music left YouTube Finding success as a personal brand, balancing creative work with financial sustainability, and leaving YouTube for Substack with Carla Lalli Music. ----- Welcome to episode 511 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Carla Lalli Music. The Cost of Content and Why Carla Lalli Music left YouTube Carla Lalli Music has been a fixture of food media for the last 15 years, including six years as the Food Director of Bon Appetit. You might also know Carla from her incredibly popular YouTube series, Carla’s Cooking Show, her two cookbooks (with a third one in the works!), or her Substack newsletter, Food Processing. In this interview, Carla dives into her recent viral Substack post about her decision to leave YouTube, including her transparent breakdown of the costs of creating content on YouTube (spoiler alert: she was losing money). Carla also explains more about why she doesn’t create recipes for SEO and how she uses connection with her audience as her north star when making business decisions. Three episode takeaways: How to find success as a personal brand — Carla has created a business rooted in her personal brand and exceptional and reliable recipes rather than focusing on SEO. She prioritizes authentic connection with her audience, entertainment value, and community over crafting content purely for algorithmic success, a strategy that she is hopeful will help her recipes and content stand out in the age of AI. The challenges of balancing creative work with financial sustainability — Despite the joy she (initially) found when making YouTube videos for her channel and a team she loved collaborating with, the financial reality of her video production costs ($3500 per video) and the declining and limited revenue from Google ads led Carla to reevaluate her place on the platform. In addition, the tight production schedule required to produce four high-quality recipe videos a month left Carla with little bandwidth to create content for Substack or her upcoming cookbook. How to recognize when something is no longer serving you or your business — After producing 177 full-length episodes for Carla’s Cooking Show, Carla’s decision to step away from YouTube was ultimately a choice based on finances, psychological toll, limited bandwidth, and diminishing returns. Carla and Bjork discuss the sustainability of content creation on platforms like YouTube and how creators have to analyze what is moving the needle in their business and, ultimately, what kind of creator they want to be. Resources: Follow Carla on and Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/35747985

Publishing a Fan Cookbook for A Court of Thorns and Roses with Chelsea Cole 03/18/2025

Publishing a Fan Cookbook for A Court of Thorns and Roses with Chelsea Cole Reinventing your brand, transitioning from self-publishing to traditional publishing, and developing a cookbook for a fan base with Chelsea Cole from A Duck's Oven. ----- Welcome to episode 510 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we are welcoming back Chelsea Cole from A Duck’s Oven. Publishing a Fan Cookbook for A Court of Thorns and Roses This is Chelsea’s third (!!!) appearance on the podcast and we’re thrilled to have her back. In her previous two interviews, she has shared her wisdom on self-publishing and creating content within her sous-vide niche. But today she is back on the podcast with a bit of a 180 — to discuss her first traditionally published cookbook in a totally different niche — a fan cookbook for the A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series. In this interview, Bjork and Chelsea discuss cookbook publishing and how it can be a part of your overall business strategy. Chelsea also shares how she chose the subject matter for her new cookbook and what it was like to write and develop a cookbook for a (very devoted) fan base, all while giving birth to and raising her first child! Chelsea also explains more about the royalty structure for cookbooks, how cookbooks can be a source of passive income for food creators, and how she is thinking about her current reinvention as a food creator. Three episode takeaways: How to negotiate your cookbook contract — Chelsea is no stranger to publishing cookbooks, but this was her first go-around in the traditional publishing space. She worked with a great agent and has lots of insights into how to negotiate your payments as an author (including negotiating the photography, the advance, the royalty structure, etc.). How to approach testing new ideas with your audience — Before the launch of A Feast of Thorns and Roses, Chelsea shared recipes in a specific, small niche (sous vide). In this interview, she shares how she approached this new venture with her audience, how it has reignited her love for recipe development, and how to use your audience when exploring new types of content. The pros and cons of self-publishing versus traditional publishing — Chelsea has literally written a course on self-publishing and knows the process backward and forward. She shares the advantages and disadvantages of each (speed, control, marketing, etc.) and provides insider knowledge to both sides of the publishing world for those looking to make a similar decision. Resources: Follow Chelsea on and Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by and . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/35381210

Creating Reader-First Content and Growing to 800,000 Monthly Page Views with Elena Davis 03/11/2025

Creating Reader-First Content and Growing to 800,000 Monthly Page Views with Elena Davis Prioritizing providing authentic value to your readers, updating old content, and choosing the right marketing channels for your content with Elena Davis from Cucina by Elena. ----- Welcome to episode 509 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Elena Davis from Cucina by Elena. Creating Reader-First Content and Growing to 800,000 Monthly Page Views with Elena Davis We are so excited to welcome back Elena Davis to the podcast this week. When we first chatted with Elena in 2022, she had just hit 100,000 page views and qualified for Mediavine. Three years later, Elena’s site, Cucina by Elena, gets over 800,000 monthly page views! But her journey to get there has not been without it’s challenges. In this interview, Elena catches us up on the last few years of her business — including a major traffic decline in 2023 (and how she recovered from it) and how her mindset around her business, and the value she provides to her community, has changed. Three episode takeaways: The importance of updating content — After hitting a traffic plateau in September 2023, Elena realized that some of her older content wasn’t serving her audience (or Google!) anymore. Instead of leaving it stagnant, she began steadily auditing her old blog posts. Elena speaks to the importance of continually evaluating the value of your content and knowing when to take action to improve your site. Her approach was key to her traffic growth and helped her bounce back better than before. How to choose the right marketing channels for your food blog — When it comes to marketing, knowing which channels work for your brand is everything. Elena relies on email marketing, Pinterest, and Instagram (especially Reels) to drive traffic, engage her audience, and build brand loyalty. Prioritizing providing value to your readers — Elena has a really wonderful perspective on creating content that serves your readers above all else. She shares more about how she guides readers through her blog, how she helps them achieve their goals, and how that mindset has changed her business. Resources: Follow Elena on Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/35485245

How Britney-Brown Chamberlain Grew Her Food Blog to a $20K/month Business 03/04/2025

How Britney-Brown Chamberlain Grew Her Food Blog to a $20K/month Business Understanding active passive income, creating authentic content, and navigating brand partnerships with Britney-Brown Chamberlain from Britney Breaks Bread. ----- Welcome to episode 508 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Britney Brown-Chamberlain from . How Britney-Brown Chamberlain Grew Her Food Blog to a $20K/month Business This week’s podcast features Britney Brown-Chamberlain of Britney Breaks Bread, who shares her inspiring journey from a $200/month blog to a $20,000/month business. Britney discusses the strategic approach to “active passive income,” offering practical advice on SEO, trend analysis, and maximizing online revenue. Britney also dives into the power of authenticity and how it plays a huge role in building a loyal following. She shares her social media strategies, how she balances creating content she loves with what her audience craves, and the importance of high-quality content that reflects her unique style. Plus, she goes beyond blogging and talk cookbooks (yep, she wrote one!), brand partnerships, and the difference between marketing content vs. a physical product. Be sure to tune in to learn more about how to take your blog to the next level! Three episode takeaways: How Britney Went From $200 to $20k: Britney shares her journey from a $200/month side project to a $20,000/month business, highlighting the importance of strategic planning and execution. She discusses the concept of “active passive income” and how it has fueled her success, along with practical tips for SEO, keyword research, and capitalizing on seasonal trends. The Power of Authenticity: Britney emphasizes the critical role of authentic content creation in building a loyal audience. She also explores the importance of social media marketing, email list building, and fostering genuine engagement to expand reach and cultivate a thriving community. Going Beyond the Blog: Beyond blogging, Britney discusses her experiences with writing a cookbook, navigating brand partnerships, and the nuances of product versus content marketing. She’ll also dive into the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Resources: Follow Britney on Thank you to our sponsor! This episode is sponsored by . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/35438510

Key Strategies for Taking Your Blog Full-Time with Alexandra Shytsman from The New Baguette 02/25/2025

Key Strategies for Taking Your Blog Full-Time with Alexandra Shytsman from The New Baguette Building a full-time business as a food creator over the course of eight years, understanding your 'why,' and meeting your goals with Alexandra Shytsman from The New Baguette. ----- Welcome to episode 507 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Alexandra Shytsman from The New Baguette. Key Strategies for Taking Your Blog Full-Time In this podcast episode, Alexandra shares the ins and outs of becoming a full-time food creator and her reflections on what she would have done differently to meet her goals more quickly if she had the chance to start over. Alexandra breaks down the strategies and decisions that have moved the needle over the years — from projecting expenses and investing in courses or audits to building a community of fellow food creators and batching your time. It’s a really practical and inspiring episode for beginner food bloggers looking to take your food blog to the next level! Three episode takeaways: Understanding your “why” — Alexandra speaks to the importance of defining your “why” as an entrepreneur to help provide clarity and direction for your business and to ensure that your time and efforts align with your core goals. Surround yourself with a supportive community — As a Ukrainian immigrant, Alexandra has had to navigate the challenge of pursuing a career path that breaks the mold of the more “traditional” jobs that her family might have chosen for her. She stresses the importance of having a supportive network of fellow food creators who understand the unique challenges of building a business in this space. How to overcome the fear of taking your food blog full-time — Alexandra reflects on the early years of her career as a food creator and what she would do differently now. She breaks down how she knew when she was ready to reduce her freelance work and commit to her site full-time and shares the advice she would give to beginner food bloggers waiting to make the leap. Resources: Follow Alexandra on and Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/35352780

How to Grow Your Audience as a Food Creator on Reddit 02/18/2025

How to Grow Your Audience as a Food Creator on Reddit Understanding Reddit's community dynamics, Reddit posting strategies, and how to maintain a work-life balance with Jacqueline Schell. ----- Welcome to episode 506 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jacqueline Schell from . How to Grow Your Audience as a Food Creator on Reddit In this episode, Jacqueline Schell from talks all about how to navigate the world of content creation on Reddit and how to connect with like-minded people by engaging with established communities. Jacqueline also shares why authenticity is essential (Redditors are all about genuine content!), but balancing that with strategic posting can help boost your visibility. And if you struggle with time management at all, we’ve got you covered — Jacqueline will talk about how conducting time audits, setting aside dedicated time for side projects, and using mobile tools can keep you productive without burning out. Whether you’re posting on Reddit or balancing a busy content creation schedule, Jacqueline’s advice will help you stay on track and organized! Don’t miss out on this episode for practical tips on growing your online presence and keeping your workflow efficient. ✨ Three episode takeaways: Reddit’s Unique Community Dynamics: Reddit offers a unique space for content creation, but understanding Subreddit rules, community norms, and moderator roles is key. Engaging with established communities can give you valuable feedback and help grow your presence. Authenticity & Strategy Matter: Redditors appreciate personal, authentic posts, so focus on being genuine with your content. At the same time, keep in mind that strategic posting can boost visibility, and securing a subreddit name can be a smart branding move. Maintaing a Work-Life Balance as a Content Creator: Time management is crucial for content creators. Conducting time audits, scheduling side projects, and utilizing mobile tools can help you stay productive and maintain a work-life balance. Resources: Follow Crafty Cookbook on Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/35270455

Maximizing Affiliate Revenue with Deep Linking 02/11/2025

Maximizing Affiliate Revenue with Deep Linking Using deep links, understanding your audience's behavior, and tracking links with Scott Allan from URLgenius. ----- Welcome to episode 505 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Scott Allan from . Maximizing Affiliate Revenue with Deep Linking Ever wondered how to squeeze every last drop of revenue from your affiliate links? In this week’s episode, Scott Allan from URLgenius reveals how deep linking can boost affiliate sales by preventing commission losses, especially on mobile and social platforms like TikTok. It’s a game-changer for driving conversions and preventing missed opportunities. Scott also discusses the importance of understanding your audience’s app behavior to tailor your affiliate strategy, plus the power of testing and tracking links to optimize revenue. Tools like URLgenius make it easy to track, test, and tweak your links for better results — small adjustments can lead to big boosts in income! Don’t miss this episode packed with actionable tips! Three episode takeaways: Deep Linking is a Game Changer for Affiliate Sales: Using deep links in your content (especially on mobile and social media) can boost conversions and prevent lost affiliate commissions. This is key for ensuring you’re not missing out on sales, especially when users are on apps like TikTok or mobile shopping platforms. Understanding Your Audience & Their App Behavior is Crucial: Knowing how your audience shops — whether they’re on mobile or desktop, and what apps they use — can help you tailor your affiliate strategy. Influencers and creators, especially, need to be aware of app usage to maximize sales and engagement. Testing and Tracking Links to Optimize Revenue: Regularly testing different link strategies and using tools like URLgenius to track and optimize your affiliate links can help you understand what works and adjust for better results. Small tweaks can lead to bigger revenue boosts! Resources: ! Email and let them know you’re coming from the Food Blogger Pro podcast for an extended free trial! Thank you to our sponsor! This episode is sponsored by . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/35061055

From 1K to 250K: The Instagram Growth Strategy That Transformed Joy to the Food 02/04/2025

From 1K to 250K: The Instagram Growth Strategy That Transformed Joy to the Food Using data to navigate helpful content updates and drive social media success and taking your blog full-time with Mika Kinney from Joy to the Food. ----- Welcome to episode 504 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Mika Kinney from Joy to the Food. From 1K to 250K: The Instagram Growth Strategy That Transformed Joy to the Food Mika and her husband Dan launched their food blog, Joy to the Food, in 2021 with the goal of building a successful brand and business. Just a few years later, Mika has left her full-time job as a civil engineer, they’ve qualified for Raptive, and their Instagram following has soared to over 250,000. In this interview, Mika reveals the exact strategies that fueled her rapid growth—from 1,000 to 250,000 followers on Instagram in just one year. She also shares how they’ve weathered the recent Helpful Content Updates and come out stronger, plus how she leverages analytics to drive key decisions. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone eager to supercharge their social media strategy in 2025 or seeking affirmation that they, too, can transform their food blog into a full-time career with the right approach. Three episode takeaways: The importance of diving into analytics — Mika’s engineering background is evident in her Instagram and SEO strategies. She explains her process for navigating Instagram analytics and how she uses the data to drive content decisions (including niching down to protein recipes with protein powder) and to predict which types of content will achieve certain business goals. How to go from 1,000 to 250,000 Instagram followers in one year — Mika walks listeners through her Instagram strategy, including the importance of consistent daily posts and her strategy for posting Reels that fall into four “buckets” — for reach, for growing an audience, for existing followers, and for outbound clicks/sales. Mika highlights key elements like trending audio, video duration, text overlays, and optimized captions with keywords. How to recover from Helpful Content Updates – After the September 2023 HCU caused a steep drop in page views for Joy to the Food (from 80,000 to 3,000!), Mika and Dan turned things around by doubling down on high-quality, niched-down content. They focused on site improvements, refined keyword research, and stayed adaptable, ultimately recovering and growing beyond their previous traffic levels. Resources: Follow Mika on Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/35130270

Finance Mini-Series: Smart Money Habits for Bloggers with Ansley Beutler 01/28/2025

Finance Mini-Series: Smart Money Habits for Bloggers with Ansley Beutler Treating your blog like a business, choosing a business structure, and growing your income with Ansley Beutler ----- Welcome to episode 503 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ansley Beutler from Peach Perfect Financials — this is the fourth and final episode of our finance mini-series! Finance Mini-Series: Smart Money Habits for Bloggers with Ansley Beutler In this episode, Ansley spills the tea on all things finances – from the nitty-gritty of bookkeeping and taxes to smart ways to grow your income. She’ll talk about why it’s crucial to treat your blog like a real business, how to keep track of all your expenses, and some common money mistakes bloggers make. She’ll also chat through some awesome tax deductions you might not know about (ahem, business meals), the pros and cons of different business structures, and how to invest your hard-earned cash. This episode is packed with financial wisdom that every blogger needs to hear, so you won’t want to miss this one! Three episode takeaways: Smart Financial Management is Key for Bloggers: From understanding expenses (like groceries for recipe testing) to separating personal and business finances, keeping your books in check is crucial. Regular bookkeeping helps prevent tax time stress and makes things easier down the road. Don’t Get Discouraged: Building a successful blog takes time. Don’t get discouraged if you’re not raking in the cash immediately. Focus on creating great content and building your audience and things will start to pick up! Diversify Your Income Streams: Affiliate marketing is booming! Consider exploring different ways to make money, like selling your own products or offering online courses. Diversifying your income streams will make your business more stable and less reliant on any one source. Resources: Follow Peach Perfect Financials on Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by and . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/34783680

Finance Mini-Series: How to Become a Sponsor Magnet with Justin Moore 01/23/2025

Finance Mini-Series: How to Become a Sponsor Magnet with Justin Moore Navigating brand partnerships, tips and tricks for negotiating collaborations, and understanding your worth with Justin Moore. ----- Welcome to episode 502 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Justin Moore from . How to Become a Sponsor Magnet with Justin Moore In this episode, Justin dives deep into the world of brand partnerships and shares his proven approach to securing long-term sponsorships. He walks us through his Sponsorship Wheel framework, which helps creators craft customized proposals that align with brand goals and foster genuine, lasting relationships. It’s not just about pitching for a quick deal — the name of the game here is creating a foundation for ongoing collaboration that benefits both parties. Justin also stresses that negotiation should feel like a conversation, not a one-sided transaction. Understanding what both you and the brand are looking for and being flexible with pricing can pave the way for new opportunities! He highlights the importance of knowing your worth, crafting a standout media kit, and getting creative with your pitch to secure better deals. By mastering these skills, creators can turn sponsorships into a steady revenue stream while building strong, meaningful brand connections. Three episode takeaways: Optimizing Brand Partnerships: Justin’s journey into sponsorships shows the importance of building genuine relationships with brands. His ‘Sponsorship Wheel’ framework helps creators customize proposals, align with brand goals, and ultimately drive long-term collaborations. Negotiation is a Conversation, Not a Transaction: Effective negotiations go beyond price — it’s about understanding each other’s goals. Tailoring your pitch based on a brand’s needs and being flexible with pricing can unlock new opportunities. Know Your Worth and Be Creative: Creators often undervalue themselves, but a strong media kit, clear communication, and creative packaging can help you stand out. With the right approach, you can secure better deals and leverage sponsorships for ongoing revenue. Resources: Follow Creator Wizard on Thank you to our sponsor! This episode is sponsored by . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/34945565

From Side Hustle to Full-Time Food Blogger with Amina Al-Saigh 01/21/2025

From Side Hustle to Full-Time Food Blogger with Amina Al-Saigh Monetizing a food blog, building a brand, and implementing systems and strategies with Amina Al-Saigh from Hungry Paprikas. ----- Welcome to episode 501 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Amina Al-Saigh from Hungry Paprikas, where she shares recipes from across the Middle East with an authentic Arab voice. From Side Hustle to Full-Time Food Blogger In this interview, Amina shares her journey from starting out as a food content creator on Instagram while working full-time as an engineer to today as a full-time food creator with a brand new cookbook (Souk To Table). Amina explains how she balanced her food blog with her full-time job in the early days, the importance of her niche in attracting brand partnerships, and the qualities that made her a desirable partner for brands, even when she had a small following. Bjork and Amina also chat about the strategy of incremental stacking when adding tasks and processes to your workload and how workflow changes when you take your food blog from side hustle to full-time. This is a really inspiring interview for anyone, but especially those currently balancing a food blog with a full-time job. Three episode takeaways: Growing and monetizing on Instagram versus a blog — Amina shares when and why she decided to start her website in addition to her Instagram (which now has almost 200,000 followers) and how she qualified for Mediavine within a year. She also explains what it was like to start monetizing her site with ads, and how it compared to when she first started making money from brand partenrships with her Instagram account. Incorporating systems and processes into your business — Before becoming a full-time food blogger, Amina worked as an engineer. And her background as an engineer is ever-present in the systems and processes she has incorporated into her business to make her life easier and work more efficient. Amina shares her processes and tips for organizing your workflow, from content scheduling to photography and editing to collaboration with her team. Making progress while letting go of perfection — Success looks different for every creator, but Amina believes that if you continue to show up every day, prioritize learning, trust your gut, and let go of perfection, every food blogger will be able to reach their goals. Resources: Follow Amina on Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Siftr and Memberful. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/34884260

Finance Mini-Series: The Smart Creator’s Guide to Taxes with Nate Coughran 01/16/2025

Finance Mini-Series: The Smart Creator’s Guide to Taxes with Nate Coughran Setting up an LLC, claiming unique deductions, and deciding on when to hire a tax professional with Nate Coughran from Cookie Finance. ----- Welcome to episode 500 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This is the second episode of our finance mini-series, and we’re excited for Bjork to sit down with Nate Coughran from . Finance Mini-Series: The Smart Creator’s Guide to Taxes with Nate Coughran In our latest episode, Nate Coughran from Cookie Finance shares key tips for getting your finances on track as a creator. First off, setting up an LLC can protect your personal assets and reduce audit risk. Nate also recommends keeping separate bank accounts for your business—this makes tracking your money way easier and less stressful. When it comes to taxes, creators can claim unique deductions, but it’s important to find the right balance. Nate emphasizes staying on top of your bookkeeping throughout the year to avoid end-of-year stress. And if you’re making over $75K, it’s worth hiring a pro to ensure your tax strategy is solid and you’re setting aside enough for taxes. It’s all about staying ahead and keeping things simple! Three episode takeaways: Financial Setup for Creators: Creators should consider forming an LLC to protect personal assets and reduce audit risk. Keeping separate bank accounts for business transactions and tracking finances regularly helps you stay on top of your money Tax Strategy & Deductions: Creators can often claim unique deductions that traditional businesses can’t. However, to avoid end-of-year stress, it’s important to balance aggressive and conservative deductions and be proactive with bookkeeping throughout the year. Know When to Get Professional Help: DIY bookkeeping works for smaller incomes, but if you’re making over $75K, it’s worth hiring a professional. Also, setting aside money for taxes is key to avoiding surprises and ensuring accurate tax reporting. Resources: Follow Cookie Finance on Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/34838725

Leveraging 3 Million TikTok Followers to Launch a Product with Dana Hasson 01/14/2025

Leveraging 3 Million TikTok Followers to Launch a Product with Dana Hasson Launching a cookie starter kit product, growing a TikTok following to 3 million followers, and networking with Dana Hasson. ----- Welcome to episode 499 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Dana Hasson, an entrepreneur, content creator, self-taught baker, and founder of Homemade Ish. Leveraging 3 Million TikTok Followers to Launch a Product Dana Hasson has spent the last decade building her business — reaching over 3 million followers on TikTok and launching her first physical product, Homemade Ish Cookie Starter Kits. In this interview, Dana explains how (and why) she transitioned from beauty and fashion content to food content and how she balanced networking and creating in the early days of building her brand. Bjork and Dana also discuss the process of launching a physical product, including how she is pairing the brand with her existing content and leveraging her huge social media following. Three episode takeaways: Why consistency is the secret to success on social media — Dana shares more about how she grew her TikTok following to over 3 million followers and explains why she thinks posting consistently (5x/day, every single day, for over a year!) was the key to her success. How to launch a physical product — Dana recently launched Homemade Ish, her line of Starter Cookie Kits. Learn how she built her team behind the product, developed a scalable recipe for her cookies (hint: it requires a food scientist!), and everything else you need to consider when developing a product. The importance of a season of quiet hustle — Dana shares more about the early days of building her brand, when she focused on learning, networking, and understanding the industry — as she first started posting on social media. Resources: Follow Dana on and Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by and . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/34776110

Finance Mini-Series: Investing in Your Business with Megan Porta 01/09/2025

Finance Mini-Series: Investing in Your Business with Megan Porta Investing in Yourself and your Business, managing seasons of burnout, and the importance of time tracking with Megan Porta. ----- Welcome to episode 498 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Megan Porta from Eat Blog Talk and Pip and Ebby. Investing in Your Business You might recognize Megan Porta from her podcast, Eat Blog Talk (chances are, if you listen to this podcast, you also listen to hers)! Megan has also been a food blogger herself for over 14 years at Pip and Ebby and knows a lot about balancing her time between her many areas of focus. In this podcast interview, Bjork and Megan chat about all things investing as an entrepreneur. Megan shares her strategies for making decisions about investments, how to invest in yourself, how to invest in your business in the early stages, and how investing in yourself and your business can help you overcome plateaus and avoid burnout. Three episode takeaways: How to invest in your business (when you don’t have any money to do so) —Bjork and Megan chat about how to approach investing in your business when you’re in the early stages and hesitant to spend the money and how to make decisions about investments. How to get started investing in your business — Megan suggests starting by time tracking and reflecting on the current pain points in your business. You can then begin your investment journey by investing in solutions to remove those pain points. How to get through seasons of burnout — Investing in your business (and yourself) is a critical component of avoiding and overcoming plateaus, burnout, or even quitting. Megan shares more about her personal journey with this and her strategies for managing seasons of burnout as an entrepreneur. Resources: Follow Eat Blog Talk on and Pip and Ebby on Thank you to our sponsor! This episode is sponsored by . Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/34758085

How to Reclaim Your Time and Find Your Focus 01/07/2025

How to Reclaim Your Time and Find Your Focus Mastering time management, outsourcing, and creating a vision for your life with Jaimee Campanella. ----- Welcome to episode 497 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews . How to Reclaim Your Time and Find Your Focus In this episode, Jaimee Campanella gets real about the time management struggles bloggers and entrepreneurs face. She shares her journey of finding the balance between work and family and how being intentional with your time is a game-changer. From doing a time audit to figuring out how to prioritize tasks, Jaimee explains how you can stay on track without burning out and make time for what really matters. Jaimee also talks about creating a joyful structure for your business, knowing when to outsource, and why documenting processes is key for sustainability. It’s all about blending creativity with structure so that you can stay productive without losing your passion. If you’re ready to break free from the time scarcity trap and create a work-life balance that actually works, this episode will be right up your alley! Three episode takeaways: Time Management Starts with Intentionality: A clear vision for your life can help you you structure your time around what truly matters. Jaimee’s advice: setting realistic expectations and prioritizing tasks based on interest and importance can help you prevent burnout and make your time feel more rewarding! Outsource Wisely, but Don’t Rush: Outsourcing tasks can free up valuable time, but timing is everything. Make sure it aligns with your goals and comes after you’ve figured out where your time is really going. A time audit is a great first step! Creativity and Structure Can Coexist: Building a structured approach to managing your time doesn’t come at the expense of your creative flow. With the right processes in place and a good team, you can have both productivity and passion without feeling overwhelmed. Resources: Follow Jaimee on and Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/34705510

FBP Rewind: Brainstorming Content Ideas with Ranking Potential and Writing Great Blog Posts with Ashley Segura 12/31/2024

FBP Rewind: Brainstorming Content Ideas with Ranking Potential and Writing Great Blog Posts with Ashley Segura Developing a content strategy and writing blog posts that will get traffic to your blog with Ashley Segura from TopHatRank. ----- Welcome to episode 496 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we're rewinding back to one of our favorite episodes with Ashley Segura from TopHatRank and TopHatContent! As bloggers, our goal is to create content that our readers find valuable. But even more, we want to create content that people are actually searching for. And that’s what we’re chatting about today with Ashley from TopHatRank and TopHatContent! She’s an expert when it comes to content marketing, and she’s sharing some of her best advice for creators in this episode — everything from how to come up with great content ideas to what an ideal blog post structure looks like. It was a really great interview, and we know you’ll have so many takeaways to apply to your own content strategy after listening. We hope you enjoy it! Three episode takeaways: Content Strategy & Audits: Ashley talks about how she got into content marketing and why content audits are essential for improving website performance. She shares tips on when to republish, delete, or noindex old posts to keep your content fresh and effective! Creating & Structuring Content: From brainstorming blog post ideas with ranking potential to structuring posts for maximum impact, Ashley shares her process for crafting content that resonates with both users and search engines. Understanding the User Journey: You'll learn about the importance of backlinks and how understanding the user journey can help drive engagement and improve SEO performance. Resources: Follow Ashley on Follow TopHatRank on , , and This episode is sponsored by . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/34533830

FBP Rewind: How to Increase Your Organic Traffic with Keyword Research with Aleka Shunk 12/24/2024

FBP Rewind: How to Increase Your Organic Traffic with Keyword Research with Aleka Shunk Getting started with keyword research, finding the right keyword research tool, and tracking your keywords with Aleka Shunk from Cooking With Keywords. ----- Welcome to episode 495 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we're rewinding back to one of our favorite episodes with Aleka Shunk from Cooking With Keywords! How to Increase Your Organic Traffic with Keyword Research Since launching her course, Cooking With Keywords, Aleka has taught countless students about the ins and outs of keyword research, and in this week's podcast episode, she’s sharing her best tips to develop a strong keyword research strategy. You’ll learn what keywords and modifiers are, how to get started with keyword research, what tools you should use, and more. Whether you’re just diving into keyword research for the first time or you’re a seasoned pro, we know you’ll have so many takeaways from this conversation. Enjoy! Three episode takeaways: How keyword research works: Aleka walks listeners through the keyword research process and explains what keywords and modifiers are, what the different phases of keyword research look like, how to get started with keyword research, and more. The keyword research tools Aleka recommends: There are so many different tools on the market for SEO and keyword research, it can feel impossible to choose. Aleka shares her go-to tools for keyword research and the pros/cons of various tools. Why it's important to analyze and track your keywords: The keyword research process doesn't end when you hit 'publish' — it's just beginning! Aleka explains why it is so important to continue analyzing, tracking, and optimizing your keywords in order to see the most benefits from keyword research. Resources: (available for FBP members only) Follow Aleka on , , and This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started at foodbloggerpro.com/work-with-us. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/34320175

The Secret to Building a Family Business and Reaching 2 Million Pageviews 12/17/2024

The Secret to Building a Family Business and Reaching 2 Million Pageviews Navigating business ownership with family members, establishing ownership of responsibilities, and creating genuine content with Echo and Erica Blickenstaff. ----- Welcome to episode 494 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Echo and Erica Blickenstaff from the food blog Favorite Family Recipes. The Secret to Building a Family Business and Reaching 2 Million Pageviews In this episode, Echo and Erica dive into the ups and downs of running a family business. The key to their success? Dividing responsibilities and playing to each other’s strengths. After struggling with everyone doing everything (hello, burnout!), they sat down to figure out who would take on what. Once that was sorted, it was like a weight was lifted, and they were able to dive deeper into their areas of expertise. They also talk about the challenges of growing a business while staying true to your roots. After taking a hit from Google’s algorithm updates, they realized the importance of diversifying their revenue streams and not relying too much on search traffic. With 2 million monthly page views (!!!) and a focus on authentic, family-driven content, they’ve learned to balance growth with staying genuine. Whether you’re running a family business or just trying to keep things organized, this episode is full of actionable tips and inspiring insights! Three episode takeaways: Dividing Responsibilities for Success: Working with family can make decision-making tricky, but once the three sisters divided up their responsibilities based on each person’s strengths and weaknesses, everything fell into place. It helped them work more efficiently and allowed everyone to dive deeper into their areas of expertise. Navigating the Business Roles: Inspired by the E Myth framework, they identified who best fit the roles of the entrepreneur, manager, and technician in their business. Understanding these roles helped them streamline operations and keep the business running smoothly. Adapting and Staying Authentic: After being impacted by Google’s Helpful Content Update, they’ve been focusing on diversifying their revenue streams and staying true to their roots by creating authentic, family-focused content that AI can’t replicate. Resources: Follow Favorite Family Recipes on Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by and . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/34301140

Creating Viral Food Content on Social Media with Kimberly Espinel 12/10/2024

Creating Viral Food Content on Social Media with Kimberly Espinel Balancing business strategy with your passion, storytelling on social media, and listening to your audience with Kimberly Espinel, author of How To Make Your Food Famous. ----- Welcome to episode 493 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Kimberly Espinel, food photographer and author of How To Make Your Food Famous. Creating Viral Food Content on Social Media We are excited to welcome Kimberly back to the podcast to discuss her new book, How To Make Your Food Famous, and her strategies for building a successful career as a food creator, especially in today’s ever-evolving social media landscape. Kimberly discusses how she made the leap from her job as a social worker specializing in adoption to working for herself as a freelance food photographer, starting with brand partnerships and scaling her business along the way. She emphasizes the importance of listening to your audience — paying attention to what resonates with them and shaping your offerings around their needs — and shares her formula for creating viral food content. Episode takeaways: How to balance business strategy while staying true to your passion —Kimberly reflects on how she navigates changes in Instagram’s algorithm and features, focusing on what makes her happiest—whether that’s photography or video — while still seeing growth on her account. Kimberly’s secret formula for creating viral food content — She explains why her strategies are more timeless than they may seem, stressing the power of consistency in content creation. Kimberly also shares the commonalities she has observed among creators who were able to grow their accounts on social media. The common traits among successful creators on social media — Authenticity, vulnerability, personality, and storytelling are all essential for those looking to grow their platforms in the next decade. If you can master one platform, nail your messaging, and build a community, the skills you build will carry you through to the next phase of your business. Resources: Follow Kimberly on Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Yoast. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/33909037

The Art of SEO with Stephan Spencer 12/03/2024

The Art of SEO with Stephan Spencer The staying power of SEO, experimenting with different SEO tactics, and how to create content that resonates with your audience. ----- Welcome to episode 492 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Stephan Spencer. The Art of SEO with Stephan Spencer In this episode, Stephan Spencer, author of The Art of SEO, breaks down why SEO is still as important as ever, even with AI changing the search landscape. While AI may shift how we search, SEO remains the backbone of the internet. Stephan encourages listeners to stay focused on their SEO goals, keep investing in strategies that work, and adapt to the evolving world of search. You’ll also hear Stephan talk about the power of experimentation. Don’t be afraid to tweak things like title tags and test different tactics—whether it’s a boost or a drop, tracking results is key and tools like Google Search Console, SEMRush, and Ahrefs can help you monitor performance and refine your strategy. Lastly, you’ll learn about the importance of creating content that resonates with your audience—Google rewards authentic, helpful content, so the more personal and valuable your content is, the better it’ll perform in search. Three episode takeaways: SEO Still Reigns Supreme: Despite the rise of AI, SEO isn’t going anywhere. AI may change how we search, but SEO has been the backbone of the internet for decades. Keep investing in it, stay focused on your goals, and create your own reality in the world of search. Experiment and Track Results: Don’t be afraid to experiment with SEO tactics (like changing title tags). You may see a boost—or a drop—but you can always course-correct. Stephan also talks about how you can use tools like Google Search Console, Analytics, Ahrefs, or SEMRush to track your results and optimize your strategy. Create Content That Connects: Focus on crafting comprehensive content that meets your audience’s needs and expectations. Personal stories and experiences matter, too! Google’s E-E-A-T metric rewards real, human experiences, so the more authentic and valuable your content, the better it’ll perform. Resources: Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by and . Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started . If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to . Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at . /episode/index/show/foodbloggerpro/id/34166675

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