Podcast The Food Blogger Pro Podcast by Bjork Ostrom Episodes

Explore every episode of the podcast The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

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	Title	Pub. Date	Duration
	Inside Crowded Kitchen's Strategy for Growing to 2.4 Million Followers on Facebook	02 Dec 2025	01:00:32
Turning 5 million social media followers into real revenue, syndicating content strategically across platforms, and prioritizing Facebook with Lexi Harrison from Crowded Kitchen. ------ Welcome to episode 547 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Lexi Harrison from Crowded Kitchen. Inside Crowded Kitchen's Strategy for Growing to 2.4 Million Followers on Facebook Lexi Harrison and her mom first started sharing food content on Instagram back in 2015 — and what began as a fun creative outlet has now turned into a thriving, multi-platform business with over 5 million followers across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. In this episode, Lexi shares how they strategically grew their audience, refined their content approach, and learned to make social media work for their business. You'll hear how they navigated major shifts in priorities, why they overhauled their content strategy, and what happened when they decided to take Facebook seriously. If you've ever wondered how to build momentum on social media — or how to balance growth and monetization — you won't want to miss this one! Three episode takeaways: The benefits of prioritizing social media growth — For Crowded Kitchen, focusing on building their social media following has paid off significantly. Their social media traffic now surpasses their organic website traffic, and they're earning $4,000–$6,000 per week through the Facebook Monetization Program. On top of that, their larger audience has allowed them to secure higher-paying brand partnerships and even land a cookbook deal — clear proof that investing time and effort into social growth can yield major returns. How they use recipe series to drive engagement and new followers — Lexi shares more about their use of series like the "better than storebought" series they ran on social media in early 2024 that helped them grow from 30,000 followers in April of 2024 to over 2.4 million followers on Facebook now. Lexi explains the formula they use for the series, and tips for increasing new follower sign-ups. How they syndicate and recycle content strategically across platforms — With only 200 short-form videos to work with, Lexi explains their content posting schedule, their reposting strategy, and how they recycle content to reduce the workload and allow for time off (like for her maternity leave). Resources: Crowded Kitchen The Feed Feed Food Dolls Facebook Content Monetization Beta Grocers List ManyChat Crowded Kitchen Cookbook Follow Lexi on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Raptive and Yoast. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	Surviving (and Thriving) in an AI-First Search World with Casey Markee	25 Nov 2025	00:58:29
Adapting to the evolving search landscape, building an ecosystem around your food blog, and practical strategies for staying visible in an answer-engine-first world with Casey Markee from MediaWyse. ----- Welcome to episode 546 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Casey Markee from MediaWyse. Surviving (and Thriving) in an AI-First Search World In this episode, we're welcoming back Casey Markee from MediaWyse to talk about the evolving nature of search and traffic. Casey shares his latest insights on AI Overviews, their impact on food bloggers, how SERPs are changing, and why great content still wins. Bjork and Casey also chat about whether you should block AI bots, the growing importance of community, and practical strategies for staying visible in an answer-engine-first world. If you've been concerned about traffic drops, the future of food blogging, or how AI will reshape content discovery, this episode is a must-listen. Three episode takeaways: How AI Overviews are impacting traffic to food blogs — Casey explains the trends he is observing in his site audits and explains what it means for food creators. Why the need for trustworthy recipe creators has not diminished — Casey believes that the need for recipes created by trustworthy food bloggers is stronger than ever, and that the clarity, structure, and usefulness of your food blog will still drive success. How to adapt to the evolving search landscape — Casey shares his recommendations for food blogs to stay relevant — including AI buttons, building an ecosystem around your food blog, Google Discover, and how to get cited in AI overviews. Resources: MediaWyse Advanced SEO Q&A with Casey Markee 399: E-E-A-T, Static Homepages, AI, and More Food Blog SEO Advice with Casey Markee Cloudflare Raptive TopHatRank NerdPress RankIQ Lily Ray Semrush Ahrefs Profound Leite's Culinaria Blogging, AI, and the SEO road ahead: Why clarity now decides who survives Feast AI Buttons Healthful Blondie Cucina by Elena Fit As A Mama Bear Google Tests 'Preferred Sources' To Personalize Top Stories In Search Platter Talk — Air Fryer Cod Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Yoast. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	Food Blogging News Roundtable: AI-Generated Food Content, Optimizing Opt-ins, and Building A Personal Brand	23 Sep 2025	00:57:39
How to identify AI-generated food content, optimize email opt-ins, and build a personal brand with Emily Walker and Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 537 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we're bringing our very own Emily Walker (Associate General Manager, Food Blogger Pro) back to chat with Bjork about the articles we shared in our latest blogging newsletter! Food Blogging News Roundtable: AI-Generated Food Content, Optimizing Opt-ins, and Building A Personal Brand In our latest episode, we sat down with Bjork Ostrom and Emily Walker to talk about the future of food blogging. The main takeaway? Don't let AI steal your thunder! We dive into why your personal stories and unique perspective are more crucial than ever to standing out. We also cover why building an email list is your most valuable asset (stop us if you've heard this before!) — it's the one place you can directly connect with your audience. So if you're looking to create content that feels genuine and builds a real community, this episode is a must-listen. Bjork and Emily share tips for creating high-quality content that not only ranks with search engines but also earns the trust of your readers. Three episode takeaways: Think of AI as a tool, not a replacement: In a world where AI can write a recipe in seconds, the episode stresses that your unique voice and personal stories are what truly set you apart. Don't just create content; share your perspective and connect with your audience on a personal level! Email is your secret weapon: Social media algorithms can change at any time, but your email list is something you own. The conversation highlights why building a strong email list is a crucial and reliable way to communicate directly with your community and build long-term trust. SEO and authenticity can go hand in hand: From your photos to your SEO strategy, the show explains that authenticity is key. Instead of just chasing trends, focus on creating high-quality content that solves real problems for your readers. This approach builds trust with your audience and helps you stand out with search engines. Resources: Visit the Food Blogger Pro site to subscribe to our email list! The Truth Behind AI-Generated Food Content — From a Chef's Kitchen 9 opt-in form best practices + examples from top creators — Kit Episode 518 of The Food Blogger Pro podcast: How Molly Thompson Grew Her Email List from 15K to 100K SEO in the age of AI: Becoming the trusted answer — Search Engine Land The two parts of E-E-A-T Google hasn't told you about — Search Engine Land Why Keywords Alone Won't Build a High-Performing Blog — Clariti Google: We're Testing Changes To AI Mode To Encourage Clicks — Search Engine Roundtable Easy French Toast Recipe — Tastes Better from Scratch How to Build a Personal Brand as a Food Blogger — Food Blogger Pro Single Serve Cottage Cheese Pancake — Pinch of Yum Have you come across any interesting articles you'd like to share with the FBP team? Shoot Emily an email! Follow Food Blogger Pro on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Yoast and Raptive. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	448: How Faith Christensen Grew Her TikTok and Instagram Platforms to 2.5 Million Followers	13 Feb 2024	00:46:11
Using trending audio on TikTok, navigating the social media algorithms, and creating video content with Faith Christensen from Faith's Fresh. ----- Welcome to episode 448 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Faith Christensen. How Faith Christensen Grew Her TikTok and Instagram Platforms to 2.5 Million Followers Faith first started posting food content to Instagram and TikTok when she was in 2019 when she learned she was intolerant to gluten and dairy. Since that time, she has taken her career as a food creator full-time and grown her social media accounts to over 2.5 million followers (!!!). In this interview, Bjork and Faith talk about Faith's strategy for creating video content, how she uses trending audio, her tips for navigating the algorithms, and why she decided to work with a management agency to support her with brand partnerships. If you're looking to up your game on TikTok or Instagram this year, you won't want to skip this interview! In this episode, you'll learn: How Faith grew her social accounts to over 2.5 million followers. More about how she uses trending audio on TikTok. About her process for creating video content on Instagram and/or TikTok. How she approaches reposting content between platforms. Her thoughts on navigating the algorithms on social media. The importance of changing camera angles when filming videos for TikTok. Why she exclusively edits on her phone. How she uses analytics to shape her strategy on TikTok and Instagram. Why she decided to work with a management agency. Resources: Follow Faith on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Capcut Digital Brand Architects Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Memberful and Raptive. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	447: How to Diversify Your Traffic and Income with Ewen Finser	06 Feb 2024	00:55:21
Approaching risk as an entrepreneur, diversifying your income, and learning more about the changes in the world of search with Ewen Finser. ----- Welcome to episode 447 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ewen Finser. How to Diversify Your Traffic and Income The last few years have brought big changes to the online content creation world — AI, Google algorithm changes, you name it! As an entrepreneur, these changes can feel overwhelming, discouraging, and even scary. So… what can you do about it? That's why we asked Ewen Finser back on the podcast! He knows a lot about the importance of diversifying your business — from traffic sources to income and everything in between. Bjork and Ewen chat about how to diversify your traffic income, how to approach risk, and different strategies and tools for managing your finances. Don't miss this interview! In this episode, you'll learn: About some of the changes happening in the world of search. More about search generative experience on Google. How to approach risk on search, email, and social media platforms to help create a stable foundation for your business. How to think about the income you're creating from your business as an investor. The importance of diversifying your income. How to approach scaling your business and managing risk. About Ewen's favorite tools and apps for money management. Resources: Venture 4th Media 243: Best-in-Class Content – Keyword Research, Creating Value, and Authority with Ewen Finser Tiny Bites: Understanding and Reacting to Google Algorithm Updates Niche Media Publishing Google September 2023 Helpful Content Update – Changes To The Algorithm Future PLC 443: Why David Lebovitz Switched from Blogging to Substack MarketBeat Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine Mercury LiveOakBank TreasuryDirect Wealthfront American Deposit Management Co. Max My Interest Monarch Money Follow Ewen on LinkedIn Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by CultivateWP and Memberful. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	446: How to Position Yourself as an Expert with Erin Jeanne McDowell	30 Jan 2024	00:59:09
Promoting your work, creating multiple forms of content for different platforms, and positioning yourself as an expert with Erin Jeanne McDowell. ----- Welcome to episode 446 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Erin Jeanne McDowell. How to Position Yourself as an Expert Erin Jeanne McDowell is a cookbook author, food blogger, and video creator who brings lots of joy to everyone who follows along with her. In this interview, Bjork and Erin discuss her career journey so far, and how it all started with her love of writing. Erin discusses her approach to creating multiple forms of content for her many platforms, including how she balances creating video content for Food52 and her own YouTube channel. She has come to be one of the leading experts on baking in the online space and you'll learn lots of her secrets in this great interview! In this episode, you'll learn: How Erin's entrepreneurial journey as a food creator started. The importance of prompts in writing. How she has approached the promotion of her cookbooks. Her strategy for creating multiple forms of content (without getting too overwhelmed). What it is like creating content for Food52 vs. her brand. How she thinks about her schedule and productivity. How she has become the ultimate expert in baking as a content creator. Resources: Erin Jeanne McDowell Food52 Snackdive Bake It Up a Notch! on Food52 Real Baking with Rose The Book on Pie Pillars of Productivity Savory Baking The Fearless Baker Happy Baking Follow Erin on Instagram and TikTok Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti, Memberful, and Raptive. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	445: Zero-Based Dream Building for Content Creators with Bjork Ostrom	23 Jan 2024	00:24:13
Pursuing zero-based dream building, being intentional about educating yourself, and focusing on yourself and the needs of your audience with Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 445 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we have a solo episode with Bjork! Zero-Based Dream Building for Content Creators In this solo episode, Bjork is chatting all about the concept of zero-based dream building. He discusses why you might want to try this strategy when thinking about growing your business and following your dreams, as well as how to go about zero-based dream building. Bjork goes through a step-by-step process of zero-based dream building, which should help you as you're thinking about setting goals for your business and for personal growth! It's a short but sweet, thought-provoking episode — the perfect listen as we head into 2024. In this episode, you'll learn: How to approach 'zero-based dream building.' The importance of staying in your own lane when building your dream (i.e. business). Why you should focus on yourself (how you like to communicate and what you'd like to be an expert in). Why you should focus on the needs of your audience during this process. How to pursue getting a tiny bit better every day at a medium and a topic. How to be intentional about how you educate yourself. Resources: Readwise Reader Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Cultivate WP. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	444: Overcoming Fear, Judgment, Imposter Syndrome, and Perfection as an Entrepreneur with Sally Zimney	16 Jan 2024	00:52:03
Leveraging the power of your voice, overcoming mental barriers to trying new things, and tackling imposter syndrome with Sally Zimney. ----- Welcome to episode 444 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Sally Zimney. Overcoming Fear, Judgment, Imposter Syndrome, and Perfection as an Entrepreneur Have you ever felt a sense of fear, judgment, imposter syndrome, or a need for perfection as a food creator? Assuming this is a rhetorical question because… who hasn't?! That's why we asked Sally Zimney to join us on the podcast — she's a professional speaker with a Master's Degree in Persuasion (!!). In this interview, Bjork and Sally talk about the power of speaking and why it's so important as an entrepreneur. Sally explains how to overcome the mental barriers that might be holding you back from trying something new. It's a really inspiring and thought-provoking interview — we hope you enjoy it! In this episode, you'll learn: More about Sally's professional journey (and how it overlapped with Bjork's)! The importance of finding your professional 'playground.' How Sally empowers people to leverage the power of speaking. How she defines "speaking" (spoiler alert: you don't need to be an extrovert to be a speaker). How to overcome fear, judgment, imposter syndrome, and perfection when it comes to trying new things. How and why AI might impact our desire for human connection and imperfection. Resources: Sally Z. Youth Frontiers The War of Art Extreme Ownership Speaking Story Follow Sally on Instagram and LinkedIn Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors by going to foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	Tiny Bites: The Corporate Transparency Act and What You Need to Know	11 Jan 2024	00:26:27
Welcome to Tiny Bites from the Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Danielle Liss from LISS Legal all about the new Corporate Transparency Act. Get the resources for this episode at foodbloggerpro.com/tiny-bites-corporate-transparency-act. ----- If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, email us at podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	443: Why David Lebovitz Switched from Blogging to Substack	09 Jan 2024	01:08:49
Working as a food creator for 25+ years, transitioning from food blogging to Substack, and future-proofing your content against AI with David Lebovitz. ----- Welcome to episode 443 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews David Lebovitz. Why David Lebovitz Switched from Blogging to Substack (and How he Quadrupled his Income) David Lebovitz is a pastry chef, cookbook author, and OG food blogger (he first started his blog in 1999!). He has witnessed every new platform, algorithm update, and trend in the last 25 years and is still one of the most successful food creators in the business. In this interview, Bjork and David chat about David's recent pivot from food blogging to his Substack newsletter. David shares what he loves about Substack, what he misses about blogging, and how he has had so much success with his newsletter. We are big fans of David (and his sense of humor!) and know you'll love this episode. In this episode, you'll learn: The importance of adapting or adopting as a creator. All about David's journey through food blogging. Why David stopped blogging and switched to Substack (and what he misses about blogging). How and why he started doing Instagram Lives (and more about his success with them). How he approaches free vs. paid content on Substack. The meaning and importance of various metrics (like engagement) as a food creator. What it's like to be a food blogger in France. What he would do differently if he were starting out as a food creator now. His thoughts on AI in the food blogging space and future-proofing against AI. Resources: DavidLebovitz.com 129: Forging Your Own Path with David Lebovitz Baking Yesteryear Substack Simply Recipes David's Podcast Saveur Magazine's Blog Awards Drinking French 1000 True Fans L'Appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making My Paris Home Smitten Kitchen Dianne Jacob Follow David on Substack and Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by CultivateWP and Memberful. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	442: How Eric King Took easygayoven Full-Time by Diversifying His Income Streams	02 Jan 2024	01:01:25
Diversifying income streams, leaning into your voice, and navigating algorithms with Eric King from easygayoven. ----- Welcome to episode 442 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Eric King from easygayoven. How Eric King Took easygayoven Full-Time by Diversifying His Income Streams This podcast episode is chock-full of pearls of wisdom — there is really no other way to describe it! Eric has been running easygayoven full-time for just over two years, but you would think it had been much longer with all of the knowledge he has to share. Eric shares about the beginning of his career in journalism and social media and how it influenced his strategy for easygayoven. He also explains how he took his site full-time by diversifying his income streams (and what he'd do differently). Bjork and Eric also chat about brand partnerships, Substack, storytelling, and so much more in this wide-ranging interview. It's just a joy to listen to! In this episode, you'll learn: More about Eric's professional background at TED Conferences and how it impacted easygayoven. The importance of capturing someone's attention in the first 3 seconds of a video on social media (and how to do that!). How he combines the visual and written aspects of storytelling on social media and his blog. Why he wants to share more than just the recipes on his site (and why it prompted him to start a Substack newsletter). Why he focuses on both sentiment and analytics when measuring the success of this content. How he protects his mental health in this profession. How he balanced working full-time with starting easygayoven (and how he took his blog full-time). What his first few brand partnerships looked like (including one with Netflix Family!). Why he turned to Substack as a means to diversify his income. How he has navigated the ebbs and flows of brand partnerships. Resources: easygayoven Substack Serious Eats ConvertKit Mailchimp Patreon beehiiv Eric on Substack Follow Eric on Instagram and TikTok Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	441: FBP Rewind — Blogging with a Full-Time Job – How Focusing on SEO Led to $2,000 Monthly Earnings with Cree Carraway	26 Dec 2023	00:54:00
Focusing on SEO rather than social media, implementing keyword research, and sharing content authentically with Cree Carraway from Cooking With Bliss. ----- Welcome to episode 441 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we're rewinding back to our episode with Cree Carraway from Cooking With Bliss, which was part of our Blogging with a Full-Time Job series. How Focusing on SEO Led to $2,000 Monthly Earnings For today's FBP Rewind episode, we're bringing back our February 2022 interview with Cree Carraway. From sharing content on her blog to working her full-time job to raising her family, Cree has a lot on her plate (both literally and figuratively!) all the time. In this episode, you'll hear how she strategically focused on SEO to increase her traffic and join an ad network, how she started doing keyword research, and what the impact of earning an income from her blog has been on her life. It's an inspiring conversation that will encourage you to reflect and make progress on your own goals. Enjoy! In this episode, you'll learn: Why Cree decided to launch her blog When she decided to really focus on growing her blog's traffic What business lessons she has learned over the years Why she decided to focus on SEO rather than social media What it felt like to start earning money from her blog How she started doing keyword research How she balances her blog with her full-time job How she narrowed her blog's focus and started sharing content more authentically How she's been strategically growing her email list Resources: Cooking With Bliss Mediavine SEO for Food Blogs course – available for FBP members! FBP Podcast Episodes with Casey Markee Keysearch Semrush Cooking With Keywords The Defined Dish Follow Cree on Instagram and Pinterest Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and CultivateWP. 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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	440: FBP Rewind — Blogging with a Full-Time Job – Optimizing Your Time with David Crowley	19 Dec 2023	01:13:37
Connecting with your community, being strategic with your time when blogging, and hiring the right people with David Crowley from Cooking Chat. ----- Welcome to episode 440 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we're rewinding back to our episode with David Crowley from Cooking Chat, which was part of our Blogging with a Full-Time Job series. Blogging with a Full-Time Job For today's FBP Rewind episode, we're bringing back our February 2022 interview with David Crowley from Cooking Chat! In addition to sharing hundreds of recipes with wine pairings on his blog Cooking Chat, David also runs Social Capital Inc., a non-profit organization that strengthens communities by connecting diverse individuals through civic engagement initiatives. In this episode, you'll hear how David has found balance with his work over time, why he's been focusing so much on republishing old content recently, and what he's looking forward to next with his blog. In this episode, you'll learn: What David does for his full-time job How he got into food blogging How he's found balance with his work over time Why he's been focusing on republishing old content recently What specifically he updates when republishing content What he's currently struggling with when it comes to blogging Why it's so important to document your processes How to find the right people to hire Resources: Social Capital Inc. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community Cooking Chat 261: Managing Sponsored Content – How to Work With Brands with Bruno Bornsztein 159: Different Ways to Create an Income Online with Mark Daoust Gentleman's Gazette Wayback Machine Tasty Food Photography eBook Curbly Clariti NerdPress Foodie Pro Theme Mediavine Your World-Class Assistant Loom Google Drive Delegate and Elevate Exercise Updating Blog Posts and Other Food Blog Strategies Follow David on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. 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 podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	The Journey to Reaching 30 Million Views a Month with Jeanine Donofrio of Love & Lemons	16 Sep 2025	00:55:20
Navigating burnout, creating unique content, and running a blog with 30 million monthly pageviews with Jeanine Donofrio from Love & Lemons. ----- Welcome to episode 536 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jeanine Donofrio from Love & Lemons. The Journey to Reaching 30 Million Views a Month In this episode, Bjork chats with Jeanine Donofrio, the creator of the massively popular vegetarian food blog Love & Lemons, which now receives over 30 million monthly pageviews (!!!). Jeanine shares the story behind her blog's evolution — from a personal creative outlet that she started in 2011 to a thriving business with multiple employees. Bjork and Jeanine also talk about how Jeanine balances creativity with content strategy, manages the pressure of staying consistent, and how she navigates seasons of burnout. Three episode takeaways: How and why Jeanine started focusing on SEO — Love & Lemons was monetized solely with sponsored posts for the first 8 years, before fellow food blogggers and friends convinced Jeanine to focus on SEO and monetize with ads in 2019. Jeanine explains more about why she resisted ads and SEO for so many years, and how she navigated the transition to creating content with SEO in mind. How to anticipate and navigate burnout — Jeanine has experienced four intense periods of burnout in her time as a food creator, often related to the creation and promotion of her cookbooks. She shares how she plans for these seasons, why she views burnout as a necessary step to making creative space, and how she avoids rushing herself through burnout. How Jeanine has grown her team and batches content — Jeanine explains how she has hired teammates over the years and why she decided to prioritize outsourcing certain tasks, like photography, to free up her time for recipe development, writing, and spending time with her family. She also shares a peak behind-the-scenes into her content batching process (and why she batches 30 recipes at a time). Resources: Love & Lemons Love & Lemons Cookbooks Smitten Kitchen 101 Cookbooks A Couple Cooks Semrush Lemon Water on Substack Register for our webinar with Grocers List Follow Jeanine on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Member Kitchens and Raptive. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	439: Developing a Content Strategy to Stand Out From The Crowd with Joe Pulizzi	12 Dec 2023	00:53:24
The importance of finding your niche, building an audience, and crafting a content marketing strategy with Joe Pulizzi. ----- Welcome to episode 439 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Joe Pulizzi. Developing a Content Strategy to Stand Out From The Crowd Joe Pulizzi knows a lot about content marketing and has been an entrepreneur in this space for over a decade. And this week on the podcast he joins us to share all of his tips and tricks for differentiating yourself in the crowd as a food creator! Bjork and Joe discuss the importance of finding your niche as a creator and how you should approach creating content as you grow your business. They also chat about building trust with your audience, and why it is such a critical aspect of content marketing. This episode is the perfect deep-dive into content strategy as you start brainstorming your content calendar for the new year — don't miss it! In this episode, you'll learn: What 'content marketing' means in 2023 and how it differs from advertising. The importance of differentiating yourself and delivering consistent content. Why you need to find your niche. Why you should build your audience before you consider selling a product or service (and how to figure out what to sell). What content tilt is and why you should apply it to your content strategy. Why exit planning is important for every entrepreneur. More about Joe's professional journey. Resources: Follow the podcast on Apple Joepulizzi.com Content Inc This Old Marketing Content Marketing Institute Red Bull Media House Simple Pin Media AG1 MrBeast The Billion Dollar Creator ConvertKit Content Inc. Orange Effect Foundation The Will to Die The Tilt CEX 415: How and Why To Self-Publish a Cookbook with Matt Briel from Lulu Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group This episode is sponsored by Clariti and CultivateWP. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	Tiny Bites: How Can Food Creators Succeed in a World with AI?	07 Dec 2023	00:36:22
Welcome to Tiny Bites from the Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jeff Coyle from MarketMuse about creating content and SEO in a world with AI. ----- It's hard to believe that technologies like ChatGPT and Bard have only been available for the last year. AI is constantly evolving and, with it, our understanding of how it will impact content creation. It's easy to feel helpless with the growth of AI technologies — is there a world in which food creators can succeed against AI? That's why we've asked Jeff Coyle to join us on the podcast. He's here to discuss the impact of AI on online content creation and what you can do to protect yourself and your business against the competition from AI. How to create AI-proof content If you're providing consistent value with your content, if you've built trust with your brand, and you've illustrated your expertise, you're at an advantage in a world with generative content. In other words, the tools you would use to stand out amongst all the other chocolate chip recipes in the world are very similar to those you'll need to stand out against AI. When you're creating content: Avoid being generic. Include your voice and personality. Include tips for ingredient substitutions. Highlight potential mistakes to avoid in the recipe. Include high-quality photographs and step-by-step videos. By including these features in your content, you're providing a unique value and sharing expertise that (at least right now) AI can't replicate. Part of this equation is ensuring that you're positioning yourself as an expert on your site (E-E-A-T, anyone?). Jeff predicts that with the growth of AI, we'll see a shift towards the true expertise of the individual creating the content and a shift away from mass-producing content. Lean into that! Learn more: MarketMuse Artisan Bread in Five by Jeff Hertzberg Silver Bluff Brewing Co. The Perfect Loaf Google Labs Google Search's Helpful Content System Follow Jeff on Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	438: Balancing Lifestyle and Recipe Content with Remy Park from Veggiekins	05 Dec 2023	00:55:54
Creating a brand aesthetic, sharing lifestyle content, and prioritizing brand partnerships with Remy Park from Veggiekins. ----- Welcome to episode 438 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Remy Park. Balancing Lifestyle and Recipe Content Remy's journey to food blogging started as a means of overcoming her history of disordered eating and addiction by sharing a diary-like view into her favorite recipes and lifestyle. Many years later, her blog, Veggiekins, is now her full-time job. Remy is a pro at balancing sharing lifestyle and recipe content on her various social media platforms and blog, and she explains more about her strategy for repurposing content in this interview. She also shares how she filters what she shares with her followers and how she handles negativity online. Last but not least, Remy gives her advice for creating a uniform brand aesthetic in her photographs and on her site. It's a wide-reaching and inspiring interview — grab your headphones! In this episode, you'll learn: Remy's journey to veganism and how it changed her life and provided a purpose for her blog. What her day-to-day workflow looks like, and how she approaches outsourcing her work. How she thinks about documenting her life and sharing lifestyle content on social media. How she balances creating and repurposing content for multiple platforms. Why she prioritizes brand partnerships and how she maintains relationships with brands. How she creates an aesthetic and consistent visual look for her brand. How she deals with negativity on social media. More about the process of writing her cookbook. Resources: Veggiekins 384: How Toni Okamoto Runs Two Food Blogs and Grew Her Email List to Over 80,000 Subscribers Sesame, Soy, Spice Pre-order Follow Remy on Instagram and YouTube Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	437: How Grief, a Diagnosis with MS, and Biracial Background Shaped Marta Rivera Diaz's Career as a Food Creator	28 Nov 2023	00:55:14
Finding your voice as a creator, understanding cultural appropriation, and cultivating gratitude with Marta Rivera Diaz from Sense and Edibility. ----- Welcome to episode 437 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Marta Rivera Diaz from Sense and Edibility. How Grief, a Diagnosis with MS, and Biracial Background Shaped Marta Rivera Diaz's Career as a Food Creator Every once in a while on the Food Blogger Pro Podcast, we have an episode that feels like "required listening" for food creators. This is one of them! Bjork and Marta have a really thoughtful and moving conversation about the importance of finding your voice as a food creator and presenting your authentic self to your followers and community. Marta grew up as a child of two active-duty airmen and as a biracial individual (she is half-Black and half-Puerto Rican). She was also diagnosed with MS in her early thirties. All of these experiences have shaped her as a person and as a creator. She speaks beautifully about the effects of her background on her personality and her work, and why it is so important to her to share recipes that reflect her heritage. It's a perfect episode for the week after Thanksgiving, as we all reflect on what we're grateful for in our personal and professional lives. Don't miss it! In this episode, you'll learn: How Marta's background impacted how she presents herself to the world (and why she's working to change that). How she found her voice and true self as a creator. More about her culinary background and how she came to create Sense and Edibility. How her diagnosis with MS in her early thirties changed the trajectory of her career. How her seasons of grief shaped her approach to cooking and creating. What D, E, I, A (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) is and how it relates to the food blogging community. The difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. What advice Marta would give to her younger self. Resources: Sense and Edibility The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts The Gap and the Gain Follow Marta on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti and CultivateWP. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	436: How to Find Success on Pinterest in 2024 with Kate Ahl	21 Nov 2023	00:51:44
Understanding the Pinterest algorithm, focusing on user engagement, and hiring out the management of your Pinterest account with Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media. ----- Welcome to episode 436 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media. How to Find Success on Pinterest in 2024 This is Kate's sixth (!!!) episode on The Food Blogger Pro Podcast because she is our go-to resource when it comes to all things Pinterest. And there have been a lot of changes to Pinterest in recent years! Kate is here to explain those changes (sunsetting Idea Pins, evolving algorithms, and the rise of video) and more in this interview. She also shares more about how her team at Simple Pin Media manages Pinterest accounts for food creators (including Pinch of Yum) and what success looks like on Pinterest. If you're confused about Pinterest strategy (who isn't?!) and/or need some motivation to get back into posting on the platform, this is the interview for you! In this episode, you'll learn: How Pinterest has changed in recent years (hint: video! algorithm!). Why you need to focus on user engagement when planning your Pinterest content. How the Pinterest algorithm has evolved. How to think about brand partnerships on Pinterest. Why Idea Pins are no longer a thing (and what the new format looks like). How to repurpose Instagram or YouTube content for Pinterest. What success looks like for Simple Pin Media when managing a Pinterest account (like Pinch of Yum's). How to track Pinterest analytics in GA4. How to hire out the management of your Pinterest account. Resources: Simple Pin Media HerPaperRoute Rhodium Weekend The Simple Pin Podcast Pinterest Investor Overview Detailed Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	435: Prioritizing Recipe Testing and Purpose in Food Blogging with Michelle Cehn from World of Vegan	14 Nov 2023	00:50:56
Running a mission-driven food blog, balancing business with purpose, and creating a recipe-testing process with Michelle Cehn from World of Vegan. ----- Welcome to episode 435 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Michelle Cehn from World of Vegan. Prioritizing Recipe Testing and Purpose in Food Blogging Michelle has been blogging for a long time (she even has the @vegan handle on Instagram!) and has been passionate about animal rights and vegan cooking from the get-go. But her approach to sharing that mission with her readers has evolved over the years, and she explains more about why in this interview. Michelle also shares more about how she balances the aspects of her job that bring her joy and a sense of purpose with the business and financial side of running a food blog. Last but certainly not least, Michelle and Bjork chat about the recipe testing process that Michelle has used for her cookbook and for her blog, and how she recruits volunteers to help test each of her recipes. In this episode, you'll learn: How and why Michelle started a vegan blog and how her approach to sharing vegan recipes has changed over the years. How Michelle and Toni Okamato monetized their sites with meal plans. How she balances a mission-driven and profit-driven approach to her business. What the recipe testing process at World of Vegan looks like. About the recipe testing process (with over 75 volunteers!) for Michelle's cookbook. The exact questions Michelle asks her recipe testers for each recipe. Resources: World of Vegan 384: How Toni Okamoto Runs Two Food Blogs and Grew Her Email List to Over 80,000 Subscribers Plant Based on a Budget Plant Based on a Budget Meal Plans The Plant-Powered People Podcast The Friendly Vegan Cookbook Follow Michelle on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group This episode is sponsored by Cultivate WP and 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	Tiny Bites: Understanding and Reacting to Google Algorithm Updates	09 Nov 2023	00:42:57
Welcome to Tiny Bites from the Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ewen Finser from Venture 4th Media about the recent Google algorithm updates. ----- Google has been… very busy in Q3 and Q4 of 2023. If the updates feel nonstop, it's because they have been: Core Update at the end of August/early September Helpful Content Update in September Spam Update in October Core Update in October Another Core Update in November Some of these updates may impact your site traffic positively, some may impact your site traffic negatively, and some may have no real impact. But every update tends to cause some unease for online creators. So what can you do about them? What exactly is the Google algorithm and why is it updated? The Google algorithm is essentially how Google indexes and categorizes all of the content that is published online. You can also think of it as Google's ever-changing thesis on what constitutes 'good' or 'valuable' content. Updates occur in response to new information Google has, tweaks to what they think is valuable, and/or how they measure or evaluate content. The algorithm is constantly changing and evolving. As Ewen mentions in the interview, Google released their most recent Helpful Content Update and used AI to determine if entire sites were helpful or not helpful (while previous updates tended to be on a post-by-post basis). If a certain percentage of your content is deemed unhelpful, your content will be deprioritized in the algorithm. This update did not include rewarding helpful sites, but rather penalizing unhelpful sites. How should you approach the Google algorithm updates? The #1 thing you can do to anticipate and respond to Google algorithm updates is to focus on creating high-quality, user-first content. There will be ebbs and flows with every Google update — know that if your traffic goes down with one update, it might go up with the next update. Because of this, it's important to avoid huge course corrections after updates. But what if your site was negatively impacted and you can't figure out why? Ewen has noticed a few takeaways from the recent Google algorithm updates that might explain why: Older sites tend to perform better. Market leaders tend to perform better. User experience with display ads may play a role. Topical relevance matters (i.e. does your content cover too broad of a subject matter? Do you have gaps in your content?) How should you respond to Google algorithm updates? The first thing to do after any update is to let the dust settle. It usually takes two weeks to roll out an update. Wait to change anything on your site so that you can determine that any traffic changes were, in fact, due to the update (and not just a natural ebb or flow). Ewen shared lots of great tips for reacting to Google updates and creating content that is more resilient when these algorithm updates do come. Here are a few of our favorites: Use data (like from Google Analytics) to inform decisions. Experiment and test hypotheses. Understand what your audience wants. Avoid chasing trends that are only working right now. Solve a problem for your audience. Follow SEO best-practices. If you're looking for more concrete suggestions for responding to an algorithm update traffic dip, consider: Turning down the ads on your site for a bit, or removing intrusive video ads for a time. See if that change has any effect on user experience and/or site traffic. Filter through your content and consider the posts that aren't getting any traffic at all. Update those posts if they are relevant to your overall content strategy and have the potential for traffic. Otherwise, delete/redirect. Look at your inventory to assess where you have big gaps in content. Consider diversifying your traffic sources (email, social, etc.). Last, but not least, check out this guide from Google with questions to ask yourself to help you uncover potential opportunities for improving your content. Thanks, again, to Ewen for joining us on the podcast. We hope this episode provided some additional context, guidance, and encouragement when it comes to Google algorithm updates. Learn more: Venture 4th Media Semrush Ahrefs Search Quality Rater Program Guidelines 243: Best-in-Class Content – Keyword Research, Creating Value, and Authority with Ewen Finser Google is slowly killing blogging by Spencer Haws Ewen on LinkedIn Niche Media Publishing Content Teams A Q&A on Google Search updates If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	434: Navigating Google Algorithm Updates, Leaning into Email Marketing, and Running Three Food Blogs with Taryn Scarfone from Joy Filled Eats	07 Nov 2023	00:48:25
Growing three food blogs as a family, organizing retreats for food bloggers, and leveling up your email marketing strategy with Taryn Scarfone from Joy Filled Eats. ----- Welcome to episode 434 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Taryn Scarfone from Joy Filled Eats. Navigating Google Algorithm Updates, Leaning into Email Marketing, and Running Three Food Blogs Taryn started Joy Filled Eats eight years ago and has recently started two additional food blogs, one with her 14-year-old daughter and one with her husband. With each new blog, her approach has become more intentional and strategic — and has seen more rapid success as a result. In this interview, Taryn shares more about how she manages the responsibilities of three food blogs. She also speaks to the effects of recent Google Algorithm updates and why she has prioritized email marketing for Joy Filled Eats. Taryn has also hosted a mastermind group for food bloggers, as well as an in-person retreat with fellow food creators. She explains the process of organizing both, in case you feel inspired to do the same! In this episode, you'll learn: How she came to have three food blogs and why she enjoys running these sites with her family. What it's like to juggle the responsibilities for all three sites. How they grew A Grill for All Season to 150,000 monthly pageviews. How her sites have been affected by Google Algorithm updates and how they recover from updates in which the sites are negatively impacted. More about Google Discover and how it can affect site traffic. How she organized a retreat and a mastermind group for food bloggers. How she leveled up her email marketing strategy and grew her email list to 40,000+ subscribers. Resources: Joy Filled Eats A Grill for All Seasons Baking Me Hungry Google Discover 430: Grow Your Email List with ConvertKit's Creator Network with Nathan Barry Sidetracked Sarah Raptive Evolving Table It is a Keeper Email Crush by Matt Molen ConvertKit LiveIntent 201: Email Marketing for Bloggers with Matt Molen Follow Taryn on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Raptive. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	433: Transitioning from the Corporate World to Full-time Creator with Zhen Zhou from Greedy Girl Gourmet	31 Oct 2023	00:45:44
Solving a problem for your readers, monetizing and scaling a food blog, and creating a community of creators with Zhen Zhou from Greedy Girl Gourmet. ----- Welcome to episode 433 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Zhen Zhou from Greedy Girl Gourmet. Transitioning from the Corporate World to Full-time Creator We first got to know Zhen when she joined Bjork for a Coaching Call on Food Blogger Pro back in July, and we loved that conversation so much we wanted to bring her on the podcast! In this interview, Zhen shares more about her journey from working in the corporate world to working full-time as a content creator. She shares her strategy for monetizing from the early days of blogging up until now, and how she has diversified her income. Zhen is also working to create a community of food bloggers through her Facebook group (Connecting Bloggers) and is very transparent with the steps she's taken to find success as a creator. In this episode, you'll learn: More about Zhen's Coaching Call with Bjork (lessons learned, takeaways, etc.). Why she started a Facebook group to connect food bloggers. The differences between her corporate job and her current role as a creator, and how she made the leap out of the corporate world. What the monetization of her site has looked like over recent years. The things that were most helpful for her to implement when trying to replace her corporate income with blogging. How she diversified her income. What her plans for scaling and diversifying her business look like (keeping in mind changes to third-party cookies and AI). Her best advice for beginning food bloggers. Resources: Greedy Girl Gourmet Food Blogger Pro Coaching Calls Mediavine Food Bloggers Central Connecting Bloggers Y Combinator Basecamp 18 Ways to Make Money From Your Food Blog in 2023 RhodiumWeekend Interbrand Chat GPT Bard Substack The Woks of Life Follow Zhen on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	432: Creating a Community of Food Bloggers with Morgan Peaceman from Nomaste Hungry	24 Oct 2023	00:38:52
Evolving your content strategy as a creator, building a village of food creators, and managing outreach to brands with Morgan Peaceman from Nomaste Hungry. ----- Welcome to episode 432 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Morgan Peaceman from Nomaste Hungry. Creating a Community of Food Bloggers Food blogging (or any career as an online creator or entrepreneur) can sometimes feel like a lonely space. But Morgan Peaceman is working to change that! Morgan started her blog back in 2018 and has been cultivating a food blogging village ever since. She is extremely intentional about reaching out to fellow food bloggers and like-minded brands to build her community. She has seen increased success since growing her community, which she attributes to sharing resources, experiences, and contacts with other food creators. In this episode, Morgan talks more about how she has the confidence to reach out to other creators and brands, and why she thinks it's so important to do so. In this episode, you'll learn: How to create a community of like-minded food bloggers. About the early days of Nomaste Hungry and how her content stategy has changed over the years. Her advice for reaching out to connect with other food creators. How to be more confident when reaching out to brands for partnerships. How she tracks and manages her communications and follow-ups with brands. Resources: Nomaste Hungry A Couple Cooks Folk App Salesforce Superhuman Boomerang Follow Morgan on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Businessese and Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors by going to foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	Branding, Blogging, and Q4: How to Stand Out Online with Madison Wetherill	09 Sep 2025	00:57:54
Optimizing your website for Q4 success, making your personal brand stand out, and adapting to the changing landscape of content creation with Madison Wetherill from Grace and Vine Studios. ----- Welcome to episode 535 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Madison Wetherill from Grace and Vine Studios and Joyfully Mad. Branding, Blogging, and Q4: How to Stand Out Online In this conversation, Madison discusses the importance of personal branding and website optimization for food bloggers, especially as they prepare for the critical Q4 season. She emphasizes the need for food creators to carefully define their niche and audience, effectively communicate their brand message, and integrate your brand into your site. Madison also shares strategies for standing out in a saturated market and the significance of calls to action on websites. The discussion highlights the evolving landscape of content creation and the need for bloggers to adapt to stay relevant and connect with their audience. Three episode takeaways: How to audit your own content — Madison shares how to review your site for user experience and brand messaging. She explains how to optimize individual blog posts to convey your personal brand and voice, why you must always review your blog on mobile, and how to ensure that every page on your website reflects your brand. Madison describes this process as the foundational work that will make your brand sustainable in the years to come — sold. How to adapt to the changing landscape of content creation — Bjork and Madison discuss the importance of creating an online space and content style that is uniquely yours to stand out from AI (and in a saturated market). Engaging with your audience through personal stories can enhance connection, which is critical for building trust with your audience and moving beyond a transactional relationship for recipes. How can you be more helpful for your audience? What makes you different? How (and why) to prepare your site for Q4 — Q4 is a critical time for food creators thanks to increased site traffic and earning potential. But Madison explains that many creators forgot to get their websites ready and are missing an opportunity. She shares exactly how to do this and why website optimization is crucial for converting traffic into loyal followers. Resources: Grace + Vine Studios Joyfully Mad How to Optimize Your Website Design as a Food Blogger with Madison Wetherill The Vine Podcast MKBHD Pinch of Yum Ask From Food Blogger to CEO: How to Scale Your Blog Without Losing Yourself with Bjork Ostrom Follow Madison on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Member Kitchens and Raptive. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	431: The Highs and Lows of Being a Food Creator for Over a Decade with Lauren Toyota from Hot for Food	17 Oct 2023	00:59:57
Starting a membership site, managing slow periods as an entrepreneur, and shifting your mindset around success with Lauren Toyota from hot for food. ----- Welcome to episode 431 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Lauren Toyota from Hot for Food. The Highs and Lows of Being a Food Creator for Over a Decade Lauren Toyota has been blogging for almost ten years and has had tremendous success during the past decade — two cookbooks, 450,000 subscribers on YouTube, and qualifying for Raptive. But all of these high points have been balanced by some professional lows, especially since the pandemic and becoming a mother. Lauren is incredibly honest in this interview about the current "slow" period of her business, and how her mindset has changed around her business goals recently. She openly shares her struggles, and how she views the future of hot for food. As part of the future of hot for food is Lauren's membership (EAT IT). Lauren walks listeners through the process of starting a membership and why she enjoys creating that type of content so much. This is a raw, transparent, brutally honest interview that we know will resonate with many of you! In this episode, you'll learn: What's changed (and what's stayed the same) since Bjork and Lauren last chatted on the podcast in 2016. The different experiences Lauren had writing and marketing her two cookbooks. How her business and mindset have changed over the last decade (especially due to the pandemic and becoming a mother). What the future of hot for food might look like. Why she decided to start a membership (EAT IT) on her website and what the process has looked like. How she's approaching creating content and growing her audience on YouTube. Resources: Hot for Food 079: How Finding a Unique Niche Led to YouTube Success with Lauren Toyota from Hot For Food Hot for Food Vegan Comfort Classics: 101 Recipes to Feed Your Face hot for food all day: easy recipes to level up your vegan meals The Iced Coffee Hour 1000 True Fans EAT IT by hot for food MemberPress The Getaway Co. Follow Lauren on Instagram and hot for food's YouTube page and her personal YouTube page Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Once Coupled and Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors by going to foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	430: Grow Your Email List with ConvertKit's Creator Network with Nathan Barry	10 Oct 2023	00:59:02
Getting started with ConvertKit's Creator Network, collaborating with other creators to accelerate growth, and monetizing your email list with Nathan Barry. ----- Welcome to episode 430 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Nathan Barry from ConvertKit. Grow Your Email List with ConvertKit's Creator Network Nathan Barry is back on the podcast this week to chat about all things email marketing and strategic business growth. ConvertKit recently started the Creator Network and Nathan is here to explain what it is, as well as how food creators can use it to grow their email lists. Nathan walks listeners through how to get started with the Creator Network and shares compelling case studies about how creators have strategically utilized the Creator Network as part of their business models. This is a great episode for anyone looking to diversify their income streams in a new way. We think you'll leave this episode feeling inspired to try something new and with a fresh perspective on sharing your content. In this episode, you'll learn: How ConvertKit has changed over the years and what it offers to creators. How email should fit into your marketing model. Why ConvertKit started the Creator Network (and more about how it works). How to get started with the Creator Network. Tips for optimizing your profile on the Creator Network. How to use the Creator Network strategically to optimize growth for your email list. How to collaborate with other creators within the Creator Network. More about ConvertKit's acquisition of SparkLoop and how to monetize through SparkLoop. About flywheels and how the concept applies to business. Resources: ConvertKit 140: From $300k in Product Sales to $9m in Software Sales with Nathan Barry Follow Nathan on Twitter James Clear: The 3–2–1 Newsletter Sahil Bloom: Curiosity Chronicle Ryan Holiday: Reading List Susan Cain: The Kindred Letters Lamberts Lately The Perfect Loaf 393: How Passion and Sourdough Feed a 9 Million Pageview Food Blog with Maurizio Leo SparkLoop Morning Brew The Skimm The Hustle ActiveCampaign MailChimp NathanBarry.com Mark's Daily Apple Primal Kitchen The Billion Dollar Creator essay Billion Dollar Creator Podcast Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Businessese and Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors by going to foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	429: Tips for Styling, Editing, and Monetizing Food Photography with Rachel Korinek	03 Oct 2023	00:56:15
Shooting multiple recipes in one day, styling 'hard to style' foods, and reaching out to brands for partnerships with Rachel Korinek from Two Loves Studio. ----- Welcome to episode 429 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Rachel Korinek from Two Loves Studio. Tips for Styling, Editing, and Monetizing Food Photography Food photography can be overwhelming, no matter if you're a beginner or if you've been blogging for a decade! Luckily we have Rachel Korinek to help walk us through the tips and tricks that make food photography and editing just a little bit easier. In this podcast episode, Bjork and Rachel chat about Rachel's journey as an entrepreneur, and how her definition of success has changed over the years. She also shares her strategies for shooting multiple recipes in one day, and how she prepares in advance for her food photography days. She also has lots of valuable advice about styling foods that aren't photogenic (meatloaf, anyone?). The episode ends with a series of listener questions about phone photography, editing, and background props — it's a good one! In this episode, you'll learn: How Rachel got into a career in food photography and the different stages of her business. What the seasons of success and the seasons of reinvention have looked like for her business. How she tackles shooting multiple recipes in one day. How she sets herself up for success before big photography days. Her recommendations for growing your team to help with efficiency with photography. Some of the common mistakes she sees food photographers make with food styling. Her tips for styling 'hard to style' foods. Why she primarily shoots with artificial lighting these days and the tools she recommends. How she approaches reaching out to brands for partnerships. The three core edits she recommends for editing photographs. Her recommendations for background props. Tips for using your phone for food photography. Resources: Two Loves Studio 154: 5 Tips to Improve Your Food Photography with Rachel Korinek Backlinko The Pez Outlaw The Legend of Cocaine Island Rachel's Simple (Yet Beautiful) Artificial Light for Food Photography YouTube Tutorial Adobe Lightroom Capture One Follow Rachel on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Businessese and Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors by going to foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	Tiny Bites: How to Customize GA4 to be More Like UA	28 Sep 2023	00:33:27
Welcome to Tiny Bites from the Food Blogger Pro Podcast! In this episode of Tiny Bites, Bjork interviews Alison Bechdol from Digital-ade about GA4 data models and how to change yours if your data isn't looking quite right. As of July 1, 2023 Google Analytics 4, or GA4, is the default property within Google Analytics. There is a steep (and, it seems, long) learning curve to using GA4, especially because GA4 uses and collects data completely differently than Universal Analytics (or UA) did. New metrics, new language, new data… it's a lot to familiarize yourself with! In this podcast interview (our first episode of Tiny Bites!), Bjork chats with Alison Bechdol (who is also the Google Analytics Expert here at Food Blogger Pro) about some tips and trips that will make this transition from UA to GA4 a little easier. Resources: Google Looker Studio 363: What Bloggers Need to Know About Google Analytics 4 with Alison Bechdol Digital-ade The Insite Co Head over to foodbloggerpro.com/podcast to find the full episode shownotes! If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	428: How to Diversify Your Income with a Meal Planning Membership App with Liam Smith from MealPro App	26 Sep 2023	01:09:39
Surveying your audience, Identifying pain points in your community, and starting a meal planning membership app as a food creator with Liam Smith from MealPro App. ----- Welcome to episode 428 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Liam Smith from the MealPro App. How to Diversify Your Income with a Meal Planning Membership App If you've been listening to The Food Blogger Pro Podcast for any length of time, you know how important it is to diversify your income as a food blogger. And one of the ways that you might consider doing that is by starting a meal planning membership app! Liam Smith founded the MealPro App as a white-label meal planning app to allow food creators to easily (and affordably) personalize an app for their community. Bjork and Liam chat about the process of developing the app, how food bloggers can monetize through the app, and the importance of surveying your community to better meet their needs. In this episode, you'll learn: About Liam's background in tech. What inspired him to develop his own meal planning app (the MealPro App). What no-code tools are and how we use them. All about his low-risk process for developing, testing, and marketing the app. How food creators might use the MealPro App to create a membership community. How to identify the problems or pain points your community needs help solving. The importance of surveying your audience to help refine your content strategy. What it looks like to start a membership through the MealPro App. How to monetize within the MealPro App (and how much money you might expect to make). Resources: MealPro App BBC Good Food The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss Upwork Webflow Bubble Y Combinator Mind the Product: How I Built an App Without Writing a Line of Code Fiverr MealPro App Masterclass ConvertKit ChatGPT WP Recipe Maker Teachable Kajabi Kevin Kelly: 1000 True Fans MealPro App Pricing Follow MealPro App on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	427: Why Diversifying Your Website Traffic Matters with Arman Liew from The Big Man's World	19 Sep 2023	00:54:56
Blogging with a global audience, diversifying website traffic sources, and tailoring content depending on the platform with Arman Liew from The Big Man's World. ----- Welcome to episode 427 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Arman Liew from The Big Man's World. Why Diversifying Your Website Traffic Matters Arman has been blogging for almost ten years now and has a really fresh perspective on everything from sponsored content to social media. He is really honest about some of the struggles he's faced with blogging over the years (fickle algorithms, anyone?) and how those have led to a very strategic and intentional approach to his site nowadays. Arman also shares more about what it's like to be a food blogger in Australia, and why he's chosen to prioritize an American audience with his content. It's a really entertaining and thought-provoking interview — don't miss it! In this episode, you'll learn: About the early days of The Big Man's World. How Arman was able to leave his full-time job to work on his blog. What strategies Arman found to be the most effective in growing his site. How he reached out to brands for sponsored content and decided what to charge. About how he put all his eggs in the Pinterest basket — and how he has recovered from that. How he transitioned from prioritizing Pinterest traffic to SEO. The importance of diversifying your traffic sources. How he tailors his content and voice depending on the platform. How he grew his team. Why he prioritizes an American audience despite blogging from Australia. What he's most excited about with his business right now. Resources: The Big Man's World Wayback Machine Pinterest Pinch of Yum NerdPress Raptive Atlassian Envato Follow Arman on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	426: Social Media Deep Dive: Threads, X, and AI with Andrea Balogun	12 Sep 2023	00:49:48
Developing a social media strategy, avoiding overwhelm, and navigating new tools and trends in the social media space with Andrea Balogun. ----- Welcome to episode 426 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Andrea Balogun from Balogun Strategy & Design. Social Media Deep Dive: Threads, X, and AI Social media is constantly changing — new algorithms, new platforms, new trends. It's hard to keep up and it's easy to get overwhelmed. But luckily we have Andrea Balogun to help walk us through it all! Andrea's back on the podcast to talk about the hot topics in social media right now. She explains more about the Threads app and why food creators might consider adding it to their social media strategy. Andrea also imparts her wisdom around crafting a social media strategy and being intentional about how you create content for social media to avoid burnout. Andrea and Bjork also chat about new tools and AI in the social media space and how to incorporate them into your workflow. If you're on social media as a content creator, this is a must-listen! In this episode, you'll learn: About the work Andrea does at Balogun Strategy & Design. What Threads is and how food creators can use it. Why you might want to activate your Threads account sooner rather than later. The kinds of topics that perform well on Threads and/or Twitter/X. How to develop a social media strategy to avoid getting overwhelmed. How to approach creating content for social media. About new tools in the social media space that can make your life easier. How to use AI tools in your social media content creation. Resources: Balogun Strategy & Design The Food Blogger Pro Podcast 329: Social Media Strategy – Creating a Content Plan, Growing Your Following, and Diversifying Your Platforms with Andrea Balogun Threads @StripMallGuy @ViperChill Full Focus LifeScore Assessment Buffer Klap Dumme OpusClip Notion ChatGPT Bard Follow Andrea on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	425: Thriving within a Niche and Creating Your Dream Job with Amy Palanjian from Yummy Toddler Food.	05 Sep 2023	00:57:26
Blogging within a narrow niche, diversifying your income streams, and growing your team with Amy Palanjian from Yummy Toddler Food. ----- Welcome to episode 425 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Amy Palanjian. Thriving within a Niche and Creating Your Dream Job Amy Palanjian first started her blog, Yummy Toddler Food, in 2014. Since then, she has been incredibly intentional about every aspect of her business, from her content strategy and becoming an authority in her niche, to diversifying income streams and email marketing. In this interview, Bjork and Amy chat about all of these aspects of her business, and how she has worked to create a role for herself at Yummy Toddler Food that looks as close as possible to her dream job. It's a must-listen episode for anyone thinking about picking a niche, and how to grow your business within that niche. In this episode, you'll learn: About Amy's career journey, from working in magazines to starting Yummy Toddler Food in 2014. What skills and knowledge Amy uses towards food blogging from her decade in the magazine industry. How she has built her affiliate marketing strategy. What it's like to blog within a narrow niche. How she strategized to diversify her income streams. Why she decided to transition from selling ebooks to selling a printed cookbook. How and why she outsourced certain tasks in her business. The process that she used to organize all of her business-related files. How she built her job description to reflect what she actually enjoys doing. Her approach to email marketing, and why she uses both Substack and ConvertKit. Her strategy for growing her email list. Why she chose to work with a manager for her sponsored content. Resources: Yummy Toddler Food Squarespace WordPress Pinch of Yum Yummy Toddler Food eBooks and Cookbook Emily Perron The Food Blogger Pro Podcast #286: Build Your Team – How to Write an Eye-Catching Job Listing and Hire the Right People with Emily Perron The Food Blogger Pro Podcast #365: How to Find Your Zone of Genius and Hire the Right People with Emily Perron Google Workspace Substack ConvertKit Email Crush by Matt Molen Mailchimp The Food Blogger Pro Podcast #201: Email Marketing for Bloggers with Matt Molen Canva Cookit Media MealPro App Follow Amy on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	424: The Future of Content Creation (and Protection) in a World of AI with Paul Bannister from Raptive	29 Aug 2023	00:51:58
Analyzing how AI could disrupt the world of digital content creation, strategizing for the future of food blogging, and understanding Raptive's initiatives to protect online content. ----- Welcome to episode 424 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Paul Bannister from Raptive. The Future of Content Creation (and Protection) in a World of AI It's hard to keep up with AI, as the technology, legislation, and our understanding of it, are rapidly evolving. As content creators, it's imperative that we stay as informed as possible to understand how AI will alter the future of food blogging, and what we need to do now to stay ahead of these changes. And that's why Paul Bannister is back on the podcast this week! Bjork and Paul discuss how AI tools are currently using existing content, like recipes from food blogs, and how online search might change in the coming years. They share actionable steps you can take to protect your content, and how you might want to change your content and business strategy in a world of AI. This episode is a must-listen for anyone in the content creation space. In this episode, you'll learn: How AI has the power to disrupt the world of content creation and SEO. What Generative AI is. How AI tools use existing online content (like recipes). How AI might change online search and search traffic patterns. What the path forward for content creators looks like. How to prevent the GPTBot from crawling your site. What you can do to protect your content moving forward. How to approach balancing SEO vs. creating content in your own unique voice that connects with your audience. The importance of diversifying traffic sources. Resources: Raptive ChatGPT Bard Midjourney Runway Stable Diffusion Reddit will begin charging for access to its API OpenAI GPTBot Yoast How to prevent GPTBot from crawling your site 091: Optimizing Recipes for SEO with Joost De Valk from Yoast SEO Raptive's AI Open Letter The Washington Post: Inside the secret list of websites that make AI like ChatGPT sound smart How to sign the Consent to Advocate for Responsible AI agreement (CARA) Google's SGE Kevin Kelly: 1000 True Fans Search Engine Land Follow Paul on Twitter Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	423: How Liz and Lauren Allen Built a Food Blog with 11 Million Monthly Pageviews	22 Aug 2023	00:54:44
Educating their audience about data privacy, prioritizing annual goal setting, and building a team with Liz and Lauren Allen from Tastes Better from Scratch. ----- Welcome to episode 423 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Lauren and Liz Allen from Tastes Better from Scratch. Building a Food Blog with 11 Million Monthly Pageviews Twin sisters Liz and Lauren Allen started Tastes Better from Scratch in 2009 and have been working together on the blog ever since. They are incredibly strategic about every aspect of their business, from hiring and content creation to data privacy and goal setting. In this interview, Bjork chats with Liz and Lauren about how they've expanded their business over the years and worked to maintain the huge growth they saw in 2020 that skyrocketed their pageviews from 5 to 11 million per month. They are also open and honest about their plans for the future of Tastes Better from Scratch in a world with AI and changing data privacy laws. If you're looking for new ways to think about growing your business while leaning into your strengths, you won't want to miss this episode! In this episode, you'll learn: About the origin story of Tastes Better from Scratch. How they went from 5 million monthly pageviews to 11 million monthly pageviews in 2020, and how they've maintained that growth since then. Their approach to updating and republishing content. What tools they use to analyze how their content is performing. How they plan their content calendars. What the Tastes Better from Scratch team looks like, and how they decide to outsource a task. How they create processes for their business. How they develop their annual plans and goals for the business. What they think the future of food blogging looks like (AI, data privacy, digital advertising, etc.). Why they're prioritizing email marketing right now. What they think the most important skills are in their current roles. Resources: Tastes Better from Scratch Semrush Google Analytics Google Search Console Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert Loom Slack Monday.com Bard Tastes Better from Scratch Meal Plans Manychat Follow Liz and Lauren on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	From Pandemic Hobby to Full-Time Hustle with Danny Dobrzenski	02 Sep 2025	00:59:40
Leveraging social media to grow your audience and building a community through your website with Danny Dobrzenski from Cooking in the Yard. ----- Welcome to episode 534 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Danny Dobrzenski from Cooking in the Yard. From Pandemic Hobby to Full-Time Hustle with Danny Dobrzenski In this week's episode, Bjork interviews Danny Dobrzenski, a food creator who turned a pandemic hobby into a full-time content career. After getting laid off in April 2020, Danny took a leap of faith and leaned into sharing his cooking journey online. With some serious hustle and smart use of platforms like Instagram and Facebook (particularly Facebook!), he built an engaged audience and started landing brand deals that helped turn his passion into a paycheck. Danny also reveals what it really takes to grow as a creator, from staying consistent with content to learning how to navigate ever-changing social media algorithms. He discusses how delegating and "buying back time" helped him scale and why building a strong creator community is at the heart of everything he does. Now, he's launching a new project to help other creators do the same: monetize their content and grow with intention! Three episode takeaways: From hobby to full-time hustle: Danny started his food creation journey during the pandemic as a hobby and then grew it into a full-time job (the dream!). He shares how a mix of taking a leap of faith, landing brand deals, and leveraging social media helped him make the transition. The power of having "home base": While social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are great for reaching new people, Danny stresses the importance of having a central hub, like a website, to drive traffic and build a strong community. Helping others win: With his new project, Danny is now focused on helping other creators navigate the tricky world of monetization. He's passionate about sharing his knowledge and building a supportive community to help others succeed. Resources: Cooking in the Yard Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell Y Combinator Meta Business Suite Raptive Grocers List Pinterest YouTube The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel Check out Danny's latest venture — Trust Me, Try It Episode 89 of The Food Blogger Pro podcast: 9 million visitors & 450 contributors: the Story of Her View From Home with Leslie Means Follow Danny on Facebook and Instagram Be sure to join us for our Live Q&A with Ben Jabbawy from Grocers List happening on Thursday, September 25th! Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Yoast and Raptive. 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 here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	422: Why Success as a Food Blogger Isn't Linear with Liz and Paul Madsen from Zardyplants	15 Aug 2023	00:57:39
Reinvesting in your business, working together as a couple, and prioritizing video with Liz and Paul Madsen from Zardyplants. ----- Welcome to episode 422 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Liz and Paul Madsen from Zardyplants. Why Success as a Food Blogger Isn't Linear Liz and Paul Madsen started Zardyplants in 2018 as a way to share their favorite plant-based comfort food recipes with readers. Over the last five years, they've worked together to grow the site (and Paul now works full-time for their business)! Liz and Paul share about the early days of Zardyplants, and how their processes and business have changed over the years. They have really practical advice about the importance of reinvesting in your business, being strategic around the types of recipes you create, and what to prioritize as a beginner blogger. This is a particularly valuable episode for beginner bloggers but is also a great listen for any content creator trying to define what success looks like for you and your brand. In this episode, you'll learn: About the early stages of Zardyplants, and what it was like starting a blog as a couple. How they've balanced working full-time with the blog over the years. What the division of labor is like between Liz and Paul. The benefits of having a side hustle. How and why Liz and Paul have transitioned the type of recipes they're creating over the years. How they approach keyword research. What growth on Instagram has looked like for Zardyplants. About their photography and videography equipment set-up. Why they chose to prioritize video as part of their growth strategy. Their history with, and strategy around, sponsored content. The importance of reinvesting in your business, and what they would recommend paying a premium for as a beginner. What advice they'd give to beginner bloggers. Resources: Zardyplants What success looks like Intercom Raptive Google AdSense KeySearch Ahrefs Semrush Canon EOS 80D Aputure at B&H Photo Video Canon EOS R5 C Mirrorless Cinema Camera Adobe Premiere Pro BigScoots Bluehost WPEngine Filmic Pro InShot Jeremy Giffon Follow Zardyplants on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	421: Scaling Three Food Blogs and Tips for Hiring a Virtual Assistant with Cheryl Malik	08 Aug 2023	00:52:08
Growing and diversifying your business, managing your time efficiently, and hiring team members. ----- Welcome to episode 421 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Cheryl Malik from 40Aprons. Scaling Three Food Blogs and Tips for Hiring a Virtual Assistant Cheryl first started food blogging in 2009, and now runs three different food blogs, in addition to an agency that matches food bloggers with virtual assistants. In this interview, Bjork and Cheryl chat about growing and diversifying her business over the years and how she manages her time efficiently while running all of her different businesses. She also shares recommendations for hiring team members, and how to effectively onboard new team members. It's a really practical episode that will give you lots of advice for thinking strategically about growing your team and your business. In this episode, you'll learn: More about Cheryl's food blogging journey from 2009 to the present. Why she decided to start three different food blogs. How she has grown her team, and why she started a business to help match food bloggers with virtual assistants. What the revenue streams look like amongst her different businesses. Her recommendations for successfully adding someone to your team and the onboarding process. What it's like to work with Cheryl's 40A agency to hire a virtual assistant. The difference between hiring a team member or contractor and working with an agency to find a virtual assistant. How she manages her time (and is more efficient) by batching her days. Resources: 40Aprons Easy Healthy Recipes Cheap Cheap Eats 40A Pinch of Yum's Traffic and Income Reports Whole30 Upwork Asana ClickUp Follow Cheryl on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	420: ChatGPT, Substack, and the Changing Landscape of Food Writing with Dianne Jacob	01 Aug 2023	00:52:41
Testing ChatGPT's recipe writing skills, transitioning from a blog to a Substack newsletter, and discussing the future of food writing with Dianne Jacob from Will Write for Food. ----- Welcome to episode 420 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Dianne Jacob. ChatGPT, Substack, and the Changing Landscape of Food Writing Dianne Jacob has been an expert in the food writing space for twenty years (she literally wrote the book on it!). We were happy to welcome her back to the podcast to chat about the changing landscape of food writing. In this interview, Bjork and Dianne discuss how AI might alter the food blogging space, and how food bloggers can best position themselves to adapt to these changes. Dianne also shares more about her Substack newsletter, and why she prefers writing for her Substack newsletter to blogging. Both Bjork and Dianne have been in the food writing space for decades now, and it's fascinating to hear them discuss what they think the future of food blogging might look like. Don't miss this episode! In this episode, you'll learn: About Dianne's professional background in food writing. How the food writing space has changed over the last 20 years. How AI (or machine learning) is changing the food writing space. What she learned from testing ChatGPT's recipe writing skills. What recipe attribution currently looks like for ChatGPT and Bard. Why your voice matters more than ever in the food blogging space. Why she transitioned from writing a blog to having a Substack newsletter. What she likes about being a content creator on Substack (spoiler alert: no need for SEO!). How Bjork and Dianne think the food blogging space will change in the coming years. Resources: Dianne Jacob… will write for food Dianne on the Food Blogger Pro Podcast in 2015 and in 2021 Will Write for Food by Dianne Jacob ChatGPT Bard Sally's Baking Recipes The Kitchn Preppy Kitchen Substack David Lebovitz Jeremiah Tower's Out of the Oven Chez Panisse 129: Forging Your Own Path with David Lebovitz Alison Roman's Substack Pinch of Yum's Meal Plans Connect with Dianne via email Follow Dianne on Instagram and Substack Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	419: Balancing Life, SEO, and Income Streams Over 14 Years of Food Blogging with Anne Mauney	25 Jul 2023	00:58:52
Balancing lifestyle and SEO-friendly posts, outsourcing tasks that don't bring you joy, and diversifying income streams with Anne Mauney from fANNEtastic Food. ----- Welcome to episode 419 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Anne Mauney from fANNEtastic Food. Balancing Life, SEO, and Income Streams Over 14 Years of Food Blogging Anne Mauney has been running her blog for over 14 years now and, as you might imagine, her life has changed considerably during that time. Since starting her blog, Anne has become a Registered Dietitian with a Masters in Public Health, has gotten married, and had two children. In addition to all of those big life changes, she has witnessed the rise of social media and SEO, and weathered the huge changes in the food blogging landscape. In this candid conversation, Bjork and Anne chat about navigating life and blog changes and balancing parenthood with running a business. Anne shares more about her changing income streams over the years, and why outsourcing certain tasks that don't bring her joy has allowed her to continue blogging after all these years. It's a super valuable episode no matter where you are in your blogging journey! In this episode, you'll learn: About how food blogging has changed since Anne started her blog in 2009. How she has had to reinvent herself and her blog over the years to stay current. How she balances lifestyle posts and SEO-friendly posts in her blogging schedule. Why she prioritizes outsourcing the tasks that don't bring her joy, and how she has built her team. What her approach to keyword research is. How she has juggled childcare and blogging responsibilities over the years. What she would change, and what she would keep the same, from the last 14 years of blogging. How she incorporates her nutrition private practice into her business. More about the breakdown of her income sources at various points in her blogging journey, and how she diversifies her income streams. Resources: fANNEtastic Food Kath Eats Real Food Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life The E Myth Revisited Follow Anne on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	418: Navigating the Changing Landscape of Technology in Food Blogging with Lauren Gray	18 Jul 2023	00:55:50
Understanding plugins, the future of custom themes, and WordPress Site Editor with Lauren Gray from Once Coupled. ----- Welcome to episode 418 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Lauren Gray from Once Coupled. Navigating the Changing Landscape of Technology in Food Blogging Lauren is the Founder and Director of Development at Once Coupled, a small development agency that works with food bloggers and other online publishers. She also happens to be the Web Development Expert here at Food Blogger Pro and is truly an expert on all things themes, plugins, and WordPress. And that's exactly what Bjork and Lauren are chatting about in today's podcast episode! They cover a lot of ground, from Site Editor and Block Editor to custom themes and technical debt. If you're curious about making changes to your website, updating your theme, or looking to add specific functionalities to your site, this is an interview you won't want to miss! In this episode, you'll learn: What Lauren does at Once Coupled and how they support food bloggers. How Once Coupled's services and offerings have changed over the years to reflect the changing landscape of food blogging. What Site Editor in WordPress is, how it works, and how it changes things for publishers and developers. What WordPress Blocks (and the Block Editor) are. The pros and cons of using Site Editor vs. a custom theme right now. Lauren's recommendations for how beginner food bloggers should progress through their website journey. What technical debt is, and why you need to keep it in mind when building your website. The purpose of, and future plans for, Once Coupled's plugins company, Small Plugins. The functionality of the Dynamic Connector plugin from Small Plugins. Resources: Once Coupled The Food Blogger Pro Podcast Episode 122: Site Speed in a Mobile-First World with Lauren Gray Nerdpress Bill Erickson The Food Blogger Pro Podcast Episode 236: Themes – Performance-Focused Designs with Bill Erickson Squarespace Webflow Wix Genesis Theme iMark Interactive Upwork Media Wyse Feast Small Plugins Get 70% off of Small Plugins plugins! Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	417: Why Ann Baum Built a Recipe-Sharing App to Drive Traffic to Food Blogs	11 Jul 2023	00:47:45
Brainstorming, building, and marketing an app and WordPress plugin for saving online recipes and sharing them with friends. ----- Welcome to episode 417 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ann Baum from Spillt. Building a Recipe-Sharing App to Drive Traffic to Food Blogs Food creators are no strangers to recipe-sharing sites and social media apps; many of us have love-hate relationships with some of them! Sisters Ann and Maddie Baum knew that there was a better way to save and share online recipes — so they built it! Over the past several years, Ann and Maddie created Spillt, an app and WordPress plugin that allows users to save online recipes and share them with friends on the app, all while driving traffic and star ratings back to the food bloggers themselves! Bjork and Ann talk about Ann's career journey from working at Facebook to building the app, and take a peak behind-the-scenes at the creation of Spillt. Ann shares more about working with food bloggers to create the app, and why they wanted to prioritize food bloggers in the functionality of the app. It's a really informative episode and one you won't want to miss! In this episode, you'll learn: What Spillt is, and how food creators can use it to drive traffic and star ratings to their recipes. More about Ann's career path from working at Facebook to developing the Spillt app. Why Ann and her sister, Maddie, decided to build Spillt, and what market gap they hope to fill. What product development for Spillt looked like. Why they built Spillt in a way that prioritizes the needs of food bloggers. The difference between a content algorithm and a social algorithm, and why that difference mattered in the creation of Spillt. The plans for monetization on Spillt in the future. What user growth has looked like on Spillt so far. Resources: Spillt Tastemaker Conference Pinch of Yum Goodreads Slack Booked Up: Ben Smith on Traffic Clariti Follow Spillt on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Once Coupled, the development agency behind the brand Small Plugins. To get a 70% discount on ALL (current and future) Small Plugins plugins, get early access to test new plugins, and vote on ideas for the next plugin, go to foodbloggerpro.com/small. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	416: Preserving Family Recipes with a Food Blog with Sarah and Kaitlin Leung from The Woks of Life	05 Jul 2023	01:07:34
Documenting family recipes, managing a food blog as a family of four, and writing a James Beard-nominated cookbook with Sarah and Kaitlin Leung from The Woks of Life. ----- Welcome to episode 416 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Sarah and Kaitlin Leung from The Woks of Life. Preserving Family Recipes with a Food Blog For Sarah and Kaitlin Leung, their food blog, The Woks of Life, is a family affair. They have run the blog with their parents, Judy and Bill, for over ten years, and now they all work together full-time! Bjork chats with Sarah and Kaitlin about the early days of The Woks of Life, including why they started documenting their family's Chinese recipes, and how they grew their site while working full-time. Sarah and Kaitlin share more about the division of labor when running a food blog as a family, and what they've learned over the last ten years of blogging. They have a really unique perspective on food blogging, and it's a can't-miss episode. In this episode, you'll learn: More about being nominated for a James Beard Award for their cookbook. The origin story of The Woks of Life back in 2013. Why they wanted to preserve and document their family's Chinese recipes on the blog. What the division of labor looks like amongst the four family members behind The Woks of Life. How they transitioned to running their blog full-time, and the changes they made during that time that were most beneficial for the growth of the blog. How the skills from their previous jobs translate to running the blog. What international site traffic looks like for Woks of Life, and how it affects RPMs. What advice they would give to beginner bloggers. Resources: The Woks of Life The Woks of Life Cookbook Clarkson Potter Pinch of Yum Chinese Ingredients Glossary Google AdSense Raptive The Go-Giver Optin Monster WeChat Designing Your Life Designing Your New Work Life Follow The Woks of Life on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Once Coupled, the development agency behind the brand Small Plugins. To get a 70% discount on ALL (current and future) Small Plugins plugins, get early access to test new plugins, and vote on ideas for the next plugin, go to foodbloggerpro.com/small. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	415: How and Why To Self-Publish a Cookbook with Matt Briel from Lulu	27 Jun 2023	00:54:58
Insights on the differences between traditional publishing and self-publishing, details on the financial and non-financial benefits of publishing a cookbook, and what it takes to be successful when self-publishing a cookbook with Matt Briel from Lulu. ----- Welcome to episode 415 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Matt Briel from Lulu Press. How and Why To Self-Publish a Cookbook Have you ever dreamed of writing a cookbook? Are you intimidated by the process of finding a publisher? Or are you just curious why a food blogger might want to write a cookbook? If you answered yes to any of those questions, this podcast episode is for you! Matt Briel is an entrepreneur and the Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Lulu.com, a print-on-demand, self-publishing, and distribution platform. Bjork and Matt chat about the differences between traditional publishing and self-publishing, why you might want to consider self-publishing a cookbook, and how to be successful when self-publishing content. It's a super informative episode that will give you a lot to think about when it comes to cookbooks! In this episode, you'll learn: More about Matt's background and how he came to be interested in publishing. What marketing looks like for Lulu and why they prioritize helping creators sell more books. The differences between print-on-demand and offset printing in the publishing world. Why print-on-demand is a more ecologically friendly option. What the print-on-demand process looks like from start to finish for a cookbook. What it takes to successfully self-publishing a cookbook, and who you need on your team. What a success story looks like for creators who self-published their cookbooks. How self-publishing a cookbook can help you diversify your income streams. The non-financial benefits of publishing a cookbook. What to do if you're curious to learn more about self-publishing a cookbook. Resources: Lulu Disney World is Awesome Podcast Simon & Schuster Shopify Fiverr 99designs Upwork The Peachie Spoon Lauren Fit Foodie Tiny Home, Big Flava Lulu's Resources Lulu's YouTube Page Connect with Matt via email Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	414: How Kyleigh Sage Combines Brand Work and Ad Revenue to Make $10,000-$15,000 a Month	20 Jun 2023	00:58:53
Blogging While Working Full-Time, Pitching Brands, and Determining Your Rates with Kyleigh Sage from Barley & Sage ----- Welcome to episode 414 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Kyleigh Sage from Barley & Sage. Combining Brand Work and Ad Revenue to Make $10,000-$15,000 a Month There are lots of different opportunities for food content creators to make money. And one of the most common ways is by partnering with brands! In this interview, Bjork and Kyleigh chat about partnering with brands on sponsored content and freelance work (even when you don't have a large social media following), including how to effectively pitch to brands and negotiate your contracts. Kyleigh is honest and transparent about her strategies for working with brands and how she navigates pricing her work. It's clear that she is passionate about helping other food bloggers find success, and you won't want to miss this interview! In this episode, you'll learn: About Kyleigh's professional background and journey to starting her food blog in 2019. How she strategically approached her first year of blogging while still working full-time. More about how she first started partnering with brands on sponsored content and freelance work. How she combines brand work and ad revenue to make $10,000-$15,000 a month. How an SEO audit transformed how she approached her blog and helped her qualify for Mediavine. How she recommends calculating your rates when working with brands. How to effectively pitch your work to brands and network with PR agencies. What she recommends for maintaining good relationships with brands and PR agencies. What she would repeat, and what she would change from her food blogging journey so far. Resources: Barley & Sage Mediavine Media Wyse Substack Pricing Guide for Food Photography Barley & Sage Resources Follow Kyleigh on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	413: Lessons in Burnout, Persistence, and Creativity after Ten Years of Food Blogging with Maggie Zhu	13 Jun 2023	00:57:30
Growing a food blog while working full-time, outsourcing tasks for your business, and limiting burnout with Maggie Zhu from Omnivore's Cookbook. ----- Welcome to episode 413 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Maggie Zhu from Omnivore's Cookbook. Lessons in Burnout, Persistence, and Creativity after Ten Years of Food Blogging Maggie Zhu has been running Omnivore's Cookbook, a food blog all about modern Chinese cooking, for over ten years. That's a very long time in internet years! She's had incredible success growing her site during this time and just recently wrote her first cookbook. But this success didn't come without some struggle. Maggie has navigated intense periods of burnout over the last ten years and has learned that outsourcing and prioritizing her creativity are key to helping her overcome these phases. This interview is honest, raw, and thought-provoking, and we really hope it resonates with you as much as it did with us! In this episode, you'll learn: About how Maggie got started as a food blogger over 10 years ago. What it was like for her to work a full-time job while growing her food blog. What her goals are for her blog, and how she works through the comparison trap. How she limits burnout after blogging for 10+ years. Why she prioritizes outsourcing certain tasks for her business, and how she determines what to outsource. Where she finds people to join her team. How she approaches creating Chinese recipes for a Western audience. Why it's important for her to find a creative outlet outside of her blog. What advice she has for someone in the early stages of food blogging. Resources: Omnivore's Cookbook Pinch of Yum's Income Reports WP Engine Big Scoots Chinese Homestyle Cookbook by Maggie Zhu Upwork We Study Billionaires: Wealth and Health with Jason Karp Follow Maggie on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	Building a Creative Life Beyond the Metrics with Sabrina Loyer	26 Aug 2025	01:05:26
Reconnecting with creativity, redefining success as a creator, and creating without burnout or comparison with Sabrina Loyer. ----- Welcome to episode 533 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Sabrina Loyer. Building a Creative Life Beyond the Metrics In this episode, we're chatting with Sabrina Loyer about what it really means to be successful as a content creator. Sabrina built a thriving business around helping others go viral, but she also experienced the anxiety, burnout, and pressure that can come with chasing metrics. She shares her journey of moving beyond the comparison trap, creating without boundaries, and learning to view social media as a tool rather than the end goal. Sabrina and Bjork also discuss the two powerful tools that have transformed her creative process (and life!) and Sabrina's practical advice for simplifying content creation and using tools like ChatGPT effectively — all while staying grounded and joyful in your work. Whether you're a seasoned creator or just starting out, this episode will help you reconnect with your creativity, quiet your inner critic, and redefine success on your own terms. Three episode takeaways: How to redefine success — As a creator, it can be really easy to define success by the number of pageviews, followers, or likes you get. But churning out more and more content in service of those goals can be stressful and lead to burnout. It can also zap your creativity! In this episode, Sabrina explains how to refocus your workflow to emphasize joy and authenticity, not just numbers. Two exercises that will transform your creativity — Sabrina explains two exercises she has incorporated into her life — morning pages and artist dates — that help reconnect with your inner child and creative self. How to avoid burnout — Sabrina shares how she works with clients to reorganize their content strategy with pillars, ChatGPT prompts, and mindful creation to avoid burnout. Resources: Follow Sabrina on Instagram and TikTok HairCut Harry "The Story of the Chinese Farmer" by Alan Watts The Artist's Way clearspace Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Raptive and Yoast. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.
	412: How to Support Your Mental Health as a Content Creator with Sherry Walling	06 Jun 2023	00:48:44
Navigating grief, managing anxiety, and prioritizing your physical health with Sherry Walling from ZenFounder. ----- Welcome to episode 412 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Sherry Walling, a clinical psychologist and founder of ZenFounder. How to Support Your Mental Health as a Content Creator Sherry Walling is back on the podcast today to talk about something we should all be discussing more — the mental health of entrepreneurs. If you have a career as a content creator, it can be difficult to separate your personal life from your professional life. It can also be lonely to run your own business. Not to mention the challenges of sharing parts of your life on social media! All this to say that entrepreneurs face a unique set of challenges when it comes to mental health, and this powerful episode with Sherry is one you won't want to miss. She shares more about the habits you can incorporate into your life to better manage anxiety, stress, and grief, and prioritize your emotional and physical well-being. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Sherry started a public conversation around the mental health of entrepreneurs. The first steps to take when your mental health is suffering. Why it's important to prioritize your well-being. The habits that entrepreneurs can incorporate into their lives to take care of their mental health. The practices Sherry incorporates into her life to support her physical and emotional health (including the trapeze!). The benefits and detriments of technology for our mental health. How to live your life in a way that honors your soul. How Sherry navigated seasons of grief, and the lessons she learned from those times. What content creators can do to support their mental health. How to separate your personal from your professional life, and why that matters. Why it's important for creators to have a hobby. Resources: ZenFounder ZenFounder Podcast Sherry's previous episode of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast Headspace Full Focus The Entrepreneur's Guide to Keeping Your Sh*t Together: How to Run Your Business Without Letting it Run You Gear Junkie We Study Billionaires: Wealth & Healthy with Jason Karp Touching Two Worlds Untangle Grief Refuge in Grief Empowered through Grief The Grief Project Follow Sherry on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	411: Working with Brands and Knowing What Your Work is Worth with Shanika Graham-White and Darnell White	30 May 2023	00:52:44
Running a business as a couple, working with brands, and creating content for your audience. ----- Welcome to episode 411 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Shanika Graham-White and Darnell White from Orchids + Sweet Tea about how they work together to run two businesses, partner with brands, and create content with their audience in mind. Working with Brands and Knowing What Your Work is Worth We're really excited to share this week's conversation with Shanika Graham-White and Darnell White. They're the creators behind the food blog Orchids + Sweet Tea, and the production company, Brooklyn Sweet Tea Productions. In this episode, you'll hear all about the evolution of their businesses, how they negotiate with brands, and more about their experience as black creators in the food blogging space. It's a really inspiring episode with tons of actionable takeaways, and we can't wait for you to give it a listen! In this episode, you'll learn: How and why Shanika and Darnell started Orchids + Sweet Tea, and why they decided to start a production company, too. How they made the leap from food photography to videography. Shanika's workflow and equipment set-up for photography and shooting video. What the division of labor looks like between Shanika and Darnell. How Darnell's background in programming translated to videography, and how he got started filming recipe videos. How Shanika determines and structures pricing when working with brands for sponsored content and/or video production. How they divide their time between their different businesses and goals. What advice Shanika and Darnell have for food bloggers wanting to start working with brands. How they navigated and persevered through the early stages of blogging, and how they found a balance between personalization and optimization. More about the experience of being black creators in the food and wellness space. How Shanika creates content with her audience in mind. What advice Shanika and Darnell would give to their past selves when they were just starting Orchids + Sweet Tea. Resources: Orchids + Sweet Tea Brooklyn Sweet Tea Productions Orchids & Sweet Tea: Plant-Forward Recipes with Jamaican Flavor & Southern Charm The Guardian: Hungry Planet: What the World Eats - in pictures Parker Walbeck Productions Follow Shanika and Darnell on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn how you can organize your blog content for maximum growth by going to clariti.com/food. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership
	410: AI, Third-Party Cookies, and Changes in Video Advertising Standards with Paul Bannister from Raptive	23 May 2023	01:00:14
Navigating the changing landscape of video advertising, adapting to a future with AI, and understanding the removal of third-party cookies with Paul Bannister ----- Welcome to episode 410 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Paul Bannister from Raptive. AI, Third-Party Cookies, and Changes in Video Advertising Standards If it feels like the last few years have come with a lot of changes in the online world, that's because there have been tons of changes. We're talking ChatGPT and AI, the removal of third-party cookies, the rapid growth of video, and more. Luckily, our guest on the podcast today is just the person to break down these big changes and explain how it all relates to content creators. Bjork is chatting with Paul Bannister, the CSO and co-founder of Raptive (formerly AdThrive and CafeMedia) about all of these buzzy topics. Whether you're hoping to qualify for Raptive in the future, are already a Raptive creator, or are just curious about all of the tech news in the online space, this is a really informative listen! In this episode, you'll learn: More about the beginning of Paul's career founding Online Gaming Review in 1995. How he approaches big changes in the online space. What third-party cookies are, how they relate to digital advertising, and what you need to know about the removal of third-party cookies from Google. What's next for advertisers after the removal of third-party cookies. How ChatGPT and AI are changing the world of content creation. How the transition from UA to GA4 will change Raptive's eligibility criteria. About why he believes "video is the future" and how the advertising space is changing to reflect that. The difference between in-stream, out-stream, and accompanying content video ads. More about the new standards for video advertising. How Raptive is evolving to help content creators diversify their income streams. Resources: Paul's previous episodes on The Food Blogger Pro Podcast here and here Raptive formerly known as AdThrive and CafeMedia Dotdash Meredith ChatGPT Pinch of Yum's 20 Minute Healthy Chicken Parmesan Bard Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost Raptive's Eligibility Criteria 363: What Bloggers Need to Know About Google Analytics 4 with Alison Bechdol Google Analytics Course on Food Blogger Pro IAB Tech Lab Raptive Blog Follow Paul on Twitter Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group ----- This episode is sponsored by Duett. Learn how the Duet team can leverage your email list for ever more site traffic at duett.co/foodbloggerpro. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

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