Eat Blog Talk

In episode 469, Megan chats to Callan Wenner about how she planned and executed a schedule and content calendar so that she could take 4 months off for maternity leave. Callan started her food blog, The Cozy Plum, in spring 2020 with a focus on elevating classic baked goods and savory appetizers and small bites. After quickly honing in on her photography and videography skills, as well as thorough recipe development techniques, she was able to quit her corporate job after a year and a half to pursue The Cozy Plum full-time. In this episode, you'll learn how to stay efficient and organized, creating a month-to-month calendar for the year, outsourcing tasks and using project management software to stay on track. - Define the priorities and goals for the year, and for the months you are taking off. - Create a month-to-month calendar for the year with each week having a general focus. - Create weekly/daily tasks each week from there. - Build in buffers and scheduled time off, but keep to the schedule as closely as possible. - Outsource what you can and create a strong SOP to help keep your hands off. - Be as efficient as possible by combining process shots and video during shoots. - Use project management software to help keep you on track - review your daily to-do every evening/morning. - Have a go-getter attitude - it will be more work than usual up front, but will be worth it once the time comes. - Let go of the need to grind and enjoy that time off. Connect with Callan Wenner Website | Instagram

In episode 468, Emily Rhodes teaches us the value of a hyper-niche blog and how to make an income from it. Emily started Steam & Bake a little over 10 years ago. Emily is now a journalist and nutritionist, but at that time, she was a home economist and demonstrator for a global appliances manufacturer. Clients kept complaining about the lack of steam oven recipes and resources after they'd bought these fancy new ovens. After a couple of years in the job, Emily realized no one was coming to save these people! The manufacturers were not much help and no one else was writing recipes specifically for these appliances, so she figured she'd put a few posts up and see what happened. Fast forward a decade and Steam & Bake is the number one source of steam oven recipes on the internet, earning her an income from home while raising three boys. It absolutely blows her mind that a tiny little website in Australia has taken her to this point. Emily is grateful every day for what she gets to do. In this episode, you'll learn how to do keyword research for a narrow niche blog, how to diversify your income and how to deal with becoming the go-to person in your category. - Don't choose a niche you don't know anything about or have no interest in. - You have to be willing to go deep and wide into your topic. - What to do when you're the 'first one' or have no role models in your niche. - Your food blog role model does not have to be a blogger (for example who inspires you in the way they connect with their readers?) - Writing in a very small niche means you aren't competing with a million other blogs. - You don't have to follow the same rules about SEO, social platforms and posting. - Find keywords that cater for what your audience wants to know and tailor popular keywords to your niche. - Diversify your income by creating cookbooks, e-books and memberships in your niche. - If you become the go-to person in your niche, you can create more opportunities for monetization. Connect with Emily Rhodes Website | Instagram

In episode 467, Megan chats to Briana DeBolt and Chamere Orr about the importance of investing in our businesses instead of relying on free resources to make progress. Briana and Chamere of A Full Living are the husband and wife team behind the website! They have been blogging (a bit aimlessly at first) since 2016, and in the past 3 years, have really dug into strategizing to the next level by improving on their photography, SEO knowledge, and hiring contractors to help them manage the day to day of their growing business. Blogging has been their full-time job since mid-2020, and are always looking to improve. In this episode, you'll learn why investing in aspects like SEO expertise, mentorship, photography skills and outsourcing in general is important to accelerate your blog's growth. - Food bloggers tend to start blogging without understanding SEO and what their readers want. - "Diy-ing" your blog by using free resources might slow down your blog's growth. - Ask yourself, what do I want to improve first and invest in a course or get help from a mentor. - Invest in the right skills, for example learning food photography, to take your business to the next level. - If you outsource, you can free up your time to prioritize another task that will grow your blog. - Start with resources like a website audit, courses or webinars to learn about targeting keywords that you can rank for. - The longer you hold off, trying to find out information for free, the longer it will take to make money. - Never stop learning! You have to stay up to date on best practices all the time. - Never assume you know it all, there is always areas to improve and learn. Connect with Briana DeBolt & Chamere Orr Website | Instagram

In episode 466, Mary Ellen Valverde teaches us how to nourish our bodies and look after ourselves so that we can handle stress and avoid burnout. Mary Ellen Valverde MS, CNS, LDN is a Licensed Nutritionist & Holistic Nourishment Coach who guides women to feel clear and confident about what is uniquely nourishing to them. She works with busy women who are frustrated and confused about wellness and helps them reframe their beliefs around food and movement, their inner wisdom, and their full potential. By using a combination of scientific research, embodiment practices, and intuition, Mary Ellen helps equip her clients with the tools they need to deeply understand their own body's unique cues, needs, and desires so they can experience true self-care free from rules and restrictions. In this episode, you'll learn how to take care of yourself, including paying attention to your eating habits and stress levels, and how concepts like mindfulness and play can greatly benefit you while you're building a business. - If you're burnout, put everything aside and take time to work on yourself. - Don't underestimate the power of meditation. - No one's self-care can look exactly the same, but there are 5 similarities in how we can optimally nourish ourselves. - Focus on your nervous system first and make sure you get enough rest. - Aligned eating is less about what you eat but how you eat - are you taking time to sit down and have a meal? - How can you fit movement that you enjoy into your busy schedule? - Be conscious of what your body needs most and adjust your workouts and meals to your current needs. - Mindfulness is being fully present and aware of our surroundings. - Tune in to your senses when you're working in the kitchen. - Bring in creativity and play to feel happiness in your day and have fun. Connect with Mary Ellen Valverde Website | Instagram

In episode 465, Megan chats to Liz Capozzoli about how to easily incorporate filming recipes into our business strategy. Liz is the creator behind OwlbBaking ("I'll be baking") which is a recipe blog focused on classic homemade desserts and sweet treats. Liz has been blogging as a business since 2019 and she also did recipe development, photography and video for Mashed.com, Tastingtable.com, and has created videos for other food bloggers. Liz runs a cookie decorating online course and also has an Etsy store with baking/food related merch! In this episode, you'll learn how to overcome the overwhelm of creating video content for your blog, including what equipment you need, why you should write storyboards and other tips. - Video is a must for your blog and social media content. - You don't have to show yourself on camera - there are ways around it. - Research different kinds of video styles and formats. - DIY expensive equipment like c-stand/overhead camera mounts and lighting. - Plan and prepare your scenes by writing storyboards. - Envision how you want your video to look and create a checklist for yourself so you can keep track. - Don't rush through the process as it creates unnecessary stress. - Don't worry about making mistakes while the camera is recording. - Your video doesn't need to have fancy shots or transitions to be successful. - Keep people engaged by keeping things moving quickly. -Use one video for different platforms to save you time - for example film in 16:9 format with empty space so that you can crop it to vertical format for Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Connect with Liz Capozzoli Website | Instagram

In episode 464, Liz Thomson teaches us what to expect if we buy a second blog and how to get on to a premium ad network quickly. Liz Thomson is a full-time content creator who has been running the blog I Heart Vegetables since 2010. She loves chatting about influencer marketing, food photography, and why everyone needs an air fryer. In this episode, you'll learn if buying a second blog is right for you, what are the challenges and what does the process look like and to get on to an ad network quickly. - Buying another domain can be a seamless process. - Be prepared to update old content to make it SEO optimized. - Find very specific niche groups on Facebook to share recipes to. - Visual graphics like ingredient lists perform well in Facebook groups. - Use web stories to boost traffic to a new domain. - Don't reinvent the wheel, find a template that works and duplicate it. - For a quick boost, submit a recipe to Foodtalk - a site that will share your content. - Use Flipboard for a surprisingly quick and easy source of traffic. - Should you invest time in long-term social media strategies when you're trying to get into an ad network? - Be intentional about why you are starting a second site and what you intend to publish. Connect with Liz Thomson Website | Instagram

In episode 463, Megan chats to Sonila Zarate about how food bloggers can make extra revenue through the Amazon Influencer Program. Sonila is a mom, wife, engineer and food blogger. Sonila was born in Albania and came to the US to study engineering. She met her husband (who was born in Bolivia) while studying at University of Miami. Her everyday cooking is influenced by both Albanian and Bolivian cuisines as well as the fusion of Miami's food scene. In this episode, you'll learn how to apply to be an Amazon Influencer, how it works and what you can potentially earn through the program. - Amazon is looking for influencers to post review videos of products. - How is the Amazon Influencer program different to the Amazon affiliate program? - Follow the rules on the Amazon page to get accepted - the exact criteria is not disclosed. - For the review videos, pick items that are easy to demonstrate. - Horizontal videos tend to bring in more commission. - Keep videos simple and short. Shoot them as you use the products and add a voice-over. - You don't have to focus only on your niche or food blogging in general - you can review any items. - What is the potential for income with this program? - What is an optimal workflow to run a food blog and also keep adding videos to the Amazon Influencer program? - It helps if you enjoy making videos and have some experience to do it quickly. Connect with Sonila Zarate Website | Instagram

In episode 462, Christine McMichael teaches us how to balance being a blogger with taking care of our families without getting stuck in burnout. Christine is the recipe creator and food blogger at Jar of Lemons. Jar of Lemons is a healthy recipe website focused on easy-to-find ingredients that are flavorful and creative. From comforting dinners that can be made in 30 minutes or less, to healthier takes on classic favorites, Jar Of Lemons is here to help with inspired recipes and a refreshing, relatable community. In this episode, you'll learn productivity and time management strategies geared towards being a full-time parent while running your own business. - When you experience burnout as a parent and blogger, shift your focus back to what you love doing. - Should you remove SEO and other blogging tools to revive your passion for blogging? - Plan your content out in advance and hire help to make it easier. - Outsource where you can because it can be a game changer long-term. - Find the parenting approach that works for you - everyone is different. - Are you making space to still spend quality time with your family? - Mom guilt is normal and don't feel like you need to do everything when it comes to your work or home. - Set realistic content creation goals. - Done is better than none - not everything will be perfect. - Avoid comparing yourself to other bloggers and stick to your boundaries. Connect with Christine McMichael Website | Instagram

In episode 461, Megan chats to Brandon Gaille about why food bloggers should regularly update old content and how to do it so that you increase your Google traffic. Brandon Gaille is an entrepreneur who founded multiple 7 figure businesses in his 20s before becoming disabled by a rare disorder for nearly a decade. He eventually regained his health and started a blog. He grew his blog to over 1 million visitors in just 18 months after his first blog post. Today, he gets 5 million monthly visitors from over 100,000 first-page Google rankings. Brandon has taught his SEO growth hacks to over 20,000 bloggers through his podcast (The Blogging Millionaire). This past year he launched RankIQ, an AI-powered SEO toolset tailored for bloggers and small businesses that have a blog. This year RankIQ was ranked #1 out of all 333 SEO tools by G2 for customer satisfaction and ease of use. In this episode, you'll learn about the best strategy for updating old content, including identifying posts that need updating, how often should you do it and how to balance it with new content. - If you update old posts you can increase your traffic and income from ad revenue. - It takes less time to update an old post than to create a new one. - Ideally post 8 new blog posts and update 8 old blog posts per month. - Posts which are losing traffic year over year need to be updated first. - What is the best way to update the content on a single recipe post? - How do you update a roundup-style post? - Only change the front end and tail end of your title during an update. - How long after writing a new post should you consider updating? - Keep track of your posts and when you need to update them using a planner. - RankIQ is more than just a keyword research tool, it includes a content optimization tool, content planner and more. Connect with Brandon Gaille Website | Facebook

In episode 460, Laura Rike teaches us the latest Pinterest strategies for food bloggers to help us grow and monetize our blogs. Laura Rike is a Pinterest Strategist who helps high-performing business owners implement content growth plans, outsource their visibility and steadily grow their monthly revenue through her signature growth to greatness framework with done for you services and course packages. She has helped clients and students bring in over 50k+ in monthly revenue. Her clients have become industry leaders with 6-figure businesses and are growing sustainably by ranking on the first page of Google and getting targeted email leads daily. Laura has been featured on Social Media Examiner, Tailwind, MeetEdgar, and Ecamm Network. If you need a place to start, she offers a Pinterest foundation jumpstart here so that you can start getting more visible online & grow sustainably by ranking on the first page of Google and getting targeted email leads daily. In this episode, you'll learn new strategies for Idea Pins, keyword research on Pinterest and how the new concept of 'Design Relevancy Score' affects food bloggers. - Learn Pinterest strategies to bring in more traffic. - Don't restart your account if you feel like you're not getting traction. - Idea pins are going away - add links to your best performing pins. - Focus static pins on new content and don't post too many pins too quickly. - Concentrate your boards on the pillar keywords of your blog. - Should you get rid of boards that aren't doing well? - Insert 5-7 keywords into your descriptions and avoid hashtags. - The ideal pin size might change depending on what's in your pin. - Design relevancy score and what that means for pin designs. - Develop a Pinterest strategy that you can stay consistent with. Connect with Laura Like Website | Instagram