Monetizing a food blog, building a brand, and implementing systems and strategies with Amina Al-Saigh from Hungry Paprikas.

-----

Welcome to episode 501 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Amina Al-Saigh from Hungry Paprikas, where she shares recipes from across the Middle East with an authentic Arab voice.

In this interview, Amina shares her journey from starting out as a food content creator on Instagram while working full-time as an engineer to today as a full-time food creator with a brand new cookbook (Souk To Table).

Amina explains how she balanced her food blog with her full-time job in the early days, the importance of her niche in attracting brand partnerships, and the qualities that made her a desirable partner for brands, even when she had a small following.

Bjork and Amina also chat about the strategy of incremental stacking when adding tasks and processes to your workload and how workflow changes when you take your food blog from side hustle to full-time. This is a really inspiring interview for anyone, but especially those currently balancing a food blog with a full-time job.

• Growing and monetizing on Instagram versus a blog — Amina shares when and why she decided to start her website in addition to her Instagram (which now has almost 200,000 followers) and how she qualified for Mediavine within a year. She also explains what it was like to start monetizing her site with ads, and how it compared to when she first started making money from brand partenrships with her Instagram account.
• Incorporating systems and processes into your business — Before becoming a full-time food blogger, Amina worked as an engineer. And her background as an engineer is ever-present in the systems and processes she has incorporated into her business to make her life easier and work more efficient. Amina shares her processes and tips for organizing your workflow, from content scheduling to photography and editing to collaboration with her team.
• Making progress while letting go of perfection — Success looks different for every creator, but Amina believes that if you continue to show up every day, prioritize learning, trust your gut, and let go of perfection, every food blogger will be able to reach their goals.

Resources:

• Hungry Paprikas
• Mediavine
• Asana
• Airtable
• Lightroom
• Foodie Digital
• Food Network
• CBC Creator Community
• SOUK TO TABLE: Vibrant Middle Eastern Dishes for Everyday Meals
• Email Amina
• Follow Amina on Instagram
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Siftr and Memberful.

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Setting up an LLC, claiming unique deductions, and deciding on when to hire a tax professional with Nate Coughran from Cookie Finance.

-----

Welcome to episode 500 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This is the second episode of our finance mini-series, and we’re excited for Bjork to sit down with Nate Coughran from Cookie Finance. 

In our latest episode, Nate Coughran from Cookie Finance shares key tips for getting your finances on track as a creator. First off, setting up an LLC can protect your personal assets and reduce audit risk. Nate also recommends keeping separate bank accounts for your business—this makes tracking your money way easier and less stressful.

When it comes to taxes, creators can claim unique deductions, but it’s important to find the right balance. Nate emphasizes staying on top of your bookkeeping throughout the year to avoid end-of-year stress. And if you’re making over $75K, it’s worth hiring a pro to ensure your tax strategy is solid and you’re setting aside enough for taxes. It’s all about staying ahead and keeping things simple!

• Financial Setup for Creators: Creators should consider forming an LLC to protect personal assets and reduce audit risk. Keeping separate bank accounts for business transactions and tracking finances regularly helps you stay on top of your money

• Tax Strategy & Deductions: Creators can often claim unique deductions that traditional businesses can’t. However, to avoid end-of-year stress, it’s important to balance aggressive and conservative deductions and be proactive with bookkeeping throughout the year.

• Know When to Get Professional Help: DIY bookkeeping works for smaller incomes, but if you’re making over $75K, it’s worth hiring a professional. Also, setting aside money for taxes is key to avoiding surprises and ensuring accurate tax reporting.

Resources:

• Cookie Finance
• Wells Fargo
• Chase
• Capital One
• Mercury
• Gusto
• QuickBooks
• Xero
• Follow Cookie Finance on Instagram
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Cookie Finance. 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 [email protected].

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Launching a cookie starter kit product, growing a TikTok following to 3 million followers, and networking with Dana Hasson.

-----

Welcome to episode 499 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Dana Hasson, an entrepreneur, content creator, self-taught baker, and founder of Homemade Ish.

Dana Hasson has spent the last decade building her business — reaching over 3 million followers on TikTok and launching her first physical product, Homemade Ish Cookie Starter Kits.

In this interview, Dana explains how (and why) she transitioned from beauty and fashion content to food content and how she balanced networking and creating in the early days of building her brand.

Bjork and Dana also discuss the process of launching a physical product, including how she is pairing the brand with her existing content and leveraging her huge social media following.

• Why consistency is the secret to success on social media — Dana shares more about how she grew her TikTok following to over 3 million followers and explains why she thinks posting consistently (5x/day, every single day, for over a year!) was the key to her success.
• How to launch a physical product — Dana recently launched Homemade Ish, her line of Starter Cookie Kits. Learn how she built her team behind the product, developed a scalable recipe for her cookies (hint: it requires a food scientist!), and everything else you need to consider when developing a product.
• The importance of a season of quiet hustle — Dana shares more about the early days of building her brand, when she focused on learning, networking, and understanding the industry — as she first started posting on social media.

Resources:

• Dana’s website
• Homemade Ish
• Chiara Ferragni
• Addison Rae
• How Faith Christensen Grew Her TikTok and Instagram Platforms to 2.5 Million Followers
• Good Girl Snacks
• Kit
• Maximizing the Impact of Your Email List with Nathan Barry from Kit
• Follow Dana on Instagram and TikTok
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Siftr and Memberful.

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership

Investing in Yourself and your Business, managing seasons of burnout, and the importance of time tracking with Megan Porta.

-----

Welcome to episode 498 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Megan Porta from Eat Blog Talk and Pip and Ebby.

You might recognize Megan Porta from her podcast, Eat Blog Talk (chances are, if you listen to this podcast, you also listen to hers)! Megan has also been a food blogger herself for over 14 years at Pip and Ebby and knows a lot about balancing her time between her many areas of focus.

In this podcast interview, Bjork and Megan chat about all things investing as an entrepreneur. Megan shares her strategies for making decisions about investments, how to invest in yourself, how to invest in your business in the early stages, and how investing in yourself and your business can help you overcome plateaus and avoid burnout.

• How to invest in your business (when you don’t have any money to do so) —Bjork and Megan chat about how to approach investing in your business when you’re in the early stages and hesitant to spend the money and how to make decisions about investments.
• How to get started investing in your business — Megan suggests starting by time tracking and reflecting on the current pain points in your business. You can then begin your investment journey by investing in solutions to remove those pain points.
• How to get through seasons of burnout — Investing in your business (and yourself) is a critical component of avoiding and overcoming plateaus, burnout, or even quitting. Megan shares more about her personal journey with this and her strategies for managing seasons of burnout as an entrepreneur.

Resources:

• Pip and Ebby
• Eat Blog Talk
• Easy Breakfast Ideas 101
• Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire
• Big Band Software
• Riverside
• Intentional Spark
• 045: How to Use Facebook Ads to Reach the Right People with Tony Rulli from IntentionalSpark.com
• Clariti
• Nathan Barry
• Kit
• Toggl
• Hard Seasons and Wild Hearts
• Eat Blog Talk Investment Download
• Follow Eat Blog Talk on Instagram and Pip and Ebby on Instagram
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Cookie Finance.

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 [email protected].

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Mastering time management, outsourcing, and creating a vision for your life with Jaimee Campanella.

-----

Welcome to episode 497 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jaimee Campanella. 

In this episode, Jaimee Campanella gets real about the time management struggles bloggers and entrepreneurs face. She shares her journey of finding the balance between work and family and how being intentional with your time is a game-changer. From doing a time audit to figuring out how to prioritize tasks, Jaimee explains how you can stay on track without burning out and make time for what really matters.

Jaimee also talks about creating a joyful structure for your business, knowing when to outsource, and why documenting processes is key for sustainability. It’s all about blending creativity with structure so that you can stay productive without losing your passion. If you’re ready to break free from the time scarcity trap and create a work-life balance that actually works, this episode will be right up your alley!

Time Management Starts with Intentionality: A clear vision for your life can help you you structure your time around what truly matters. Jaimee’s advice: setting realistic expectations and prioritizing tasks based on interest and importance can help you prevent burnout and make your time feel more rewarding!

Outsource Wisely, but Don’t Rush: Outsourcing tasks can free up valuable time, but timing is everything. Make sure it aligns with your goals and comes after you’ve figured out where your time is really going. A time audit is a great first step!

Creativity and Structure Can Coexist: Building a structured approach to managing your time doesn’t come at the expense of your creative flow. With the right processes in place and a good team, you can have both productivity and passion without feeling overwhelmed.

Resources:

• The Jaimee Campanella Company
• Things
• Asana
• Episode 165 of The Food Blogger Pro podcast: Getting Things Done with David Allen
• Kit
• Follow Jaimee on Instagram and Other platform - facebook, youtube, tiktok, whatever seems most important for them
• 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 [email protected].

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Developing a content strategy and writing blog posts that will get traffic to your blog with Ashley Segura from TopHatRank.

-----

Welcome to episode 496 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we're rewinding back to one of our favorite episodes with Ashley Segura from TopHatRank and TopHatContent!

As bloggers, our goal is to create content that our readers find valuable. But even more, we want to create content that people are actually searching for. And that’s what we’re chatting about today with Ashley from TopHatRank and TopHatContent!

She’s an expert when it comes to content marketing, and she’s sharing some of her best advice for creators in this episode — everything from how to come up with great content ideas to what an ideal blog post structure looks like.

It was a really great interview, and we know you’ll have so many takeaways to apply to your own content strategy after listening. We hope you enjoy it!

• Content Strategy & Audits: Ashley talks about how she got into content marketing and why content audits are essential for improving website performance. She shares tips on when to republish, delete, or noindex old posts to keep your content fresh and effective!
• Creating & Structuring Content: From brainstorming blog post ideas with ranking potential to structuring posts for maximum impact, Ashley shares her process for crafting content that resonates with both users and search engines.
• Understanding the User Journey: You'll learn about the importance of backlinks and how understanding the user journey can help drive engagement and improve SEO performance.

Resources:

• TopHatRank
• TopHatContent
• TopHatSocial
• Tastemaker Conference
• Semrush
• BuzzSumo
• Slickstream
• 231: A Better Experience – Building Engagement, Not Just Traffic with Kingston Duffie
• Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You
• SEO for Bloggers Webinars
• Semrush’s Topic Research Tool
• AnswerThePublic
• Yoast SEO
• Follow Ashley on Twitter
• Follow TopHatRank on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Yoast. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors. 

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Getting started with keyword research, finding the right keyword research tool, and tracking your keywords with Aleka Shunk from Cooking With Keywords. 

-----

Welcome to episode 495 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, we're rewinding back to one of our favorite episodes with Aleka Shunk from Cooking With Keywords!

Since launching her course, Cooking With Keywords, Aleka has taught countless students about the ins and outs of keyword research, and in this week's podcast episode, she’s sharing her best tips to develop a strong keyword research strategy.

You’ll learn what keywords and modifiers are, how to get started with keyword research, what tools you should use, and more. Whether you’re just diving into keyword research for the first time or you’re a seasoned pro, we know you’ll have so many takeaways from this conversation. Enjoy!

• How keyword research works: Aleka walks listeners through the keyword research process and explains what keywords and modifiers are, what the different phases of keyword research look like, how to get started with keyword research, and more.
• The keyword research tools Aleka recommends: There are so many different tools on the market for SEO and keyword research, it can feel impossible to choose. Aleka shares her go-to tools for keyword research and the pros/cons of various tools.
• Why it's important to analyze and track your keywords: The keyword research process doesn't end when you hit 'publish' — it's just beginning! Aleka explains why it is so important to continue analyzing, tracking, and optimizing your keywords in order to see the most benefits from keyword research.

Resources:

• Cooking With Keywords
• Get 10% off any Cooking With Keywords course or coaching service (available for FBP members only)
• Aleka’s Get-Together
• Keysearch
• Semrush
• Ahrefs
• Keywords Everywhere
• Keyword Surfer
• Substack
• Follow Aleka on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest
• 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 at foodbloggerpro.com/work-with-us.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Navigating business ownership with family members, establishing ownership of responsibilities, and creating genuine content with Echo and Erica Blickenstaff.

-----

Welcome to episode 494 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Echo and Erica Blickenstaff from the food blog Favorite Family Recipes. 

In this episode, Echo and Erica dive into the ups and downs of running a family business. The key to their success? Dividing responsibilities and playing to each other’s strengths. After struggling with everyone doing everything (hello, burnout!), they sat down to figure out who would take on what. Once that was sorted, it was like a weight was lifted, and they were able to dive deeper into their areas of expertise.

They also talk about the challenges of growing a business while staying true to your roots. After taking a hit from Google’s algorithm updates, they realized the importance of diversifying their revenue streams and not relying too much on search traffic. With 2 million monthly page views (!!!) and a focus on authentic, family-driven content, they’ve learned to balance growth with staying genuine. Whether you’re running a family business or just trying to keep things organized, this episode is full of actionable tips and inspiring insights!

• Dividing Responsibilities for Success: Working with family can make decision-making tricky, but once the three sisters divided up their responsibilities based on each person’s strengths and weaknesses, everything fell into place. It helped them work more efficiently and allowed everyone to dive deeper into their areas of expertise.
• Navigating the Business Roles: Inspired by the E Myth framework, they identified who best fit the roles of the entrepreneur, manager, and technician in their business. Understanding these roles helped them streamline operations and keep the business running smoothly.
• Adapting and Staying Authentic: After being impacted by Google’s Helpful Content Update, they’ve been focusing on diversifying their revenue streams and staying true to their roots by creating authentic, family-focused content that AI can’t replicate.

Resources:

• Favorite Family Recipes
• The E Myth: Why Most Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber
• Slicing Pie by Mike Moyer
• The EOS business framework
• The Minne Stuga
• Snackdive
• Clariti
• Semrush
• Asana
• Most Requested Copycat Dishes — their third cookbook!
• Follow Favorite Family Recipes on Instagram
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Yoast 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 [email protected].

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Balancing business strategy with your passion, storytelling on social media, and listening to your audience with Kimberly Espinel, author of How To Make Your Food Famous.

-----

Welcome to episode 493 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Kimberly Espinel, food photographer and author of How To Make Your Food Famous.

We are excited to welcome Kimberly back to the podcast to discuss her new book, How To Make Your Food Famous, and her strategies for building a successful career as a food creator, especially in today’s ever-evolving social media landscape.

Kimberly discusses how she made the leap from her job as a social worker specializing in adoption to working for herself as a freelance food photographer, starting with brand partnerships and scaling her business along the way. She emphasizes the importance of listening to your audience — paying attention to what resonates with them and shaping your offerings around their needs — and shares her formula for creating viral food content.

• How to balance business strategy while staying true to your passion —Kimberly reflects on how she navigates changes in Instagram’s algorithm and features, focusing on what makes her happiest—whether that’s photography or video — while still seeing growth on her account.
• Kimberly’s secret formula for creating viral food content — She explains why her strategies are more timeless than they may seem, stressing the power of consistency in content creation. Kimberly also shares the commonalities she has observed among creators who were able to grow their accounts on social media.
• The common traits among successful creators on social media — Authenticity, vulnerability, personality, and storytelling are all essential for those looking to grow their platforms in the next decade. If you can master one platform, nail your messaging, and build a community, the skills you build will carry you through to the next phase of your business.

Resources:

• The Little Plantation
• 314: Creative Food Photography – How Kimberly Espinel Teaches and Inspires Food Photographers
• How To Make Your Food Famous: A Masterclass in Sharing Your Food Online
• Korean Vegan
• Eat Capture Share Podcast
• Follow Kimberly on Instagram
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Clariti and Yoast. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors.

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

The staying power of SEO, experimenting with different SEO tactics, and how to create content that resonates with your audience.

-----

Welcome to episode 492 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Stephan Spencer. 

In this episode, Stephan Spencer, author of The Art of SEO, breaks down why SEO is still as important as ever, even with AI changing the search landscape. While AI may shift how we search, SEO remains the backbone of the internet. Stephan encourages listeners to stay focused on their SEO goals, keep investing in strategies that work, and adapt to the evolving world of search.

You’ll also hear Stephan talk about the power of experimentation. Don’t be afraid to tweak things like title tags and test different tactics—whether it’s a boost or a drop, tracking results is key and tools like Google Search Console, SEMRush, and Ahrefs can help you monitor performance and refine your strategy. Lastly, you’ll learn about the importance of creating content that resonates with your audience—Google rewards authentic, helpful content, so the more personal and valuable your content is, the better it’ll perform in search.

• SEO Still Reigns Supreme: Despite the rise of AI, SEO isn’t going anywhere. AI may change how we search, but SEO has been the backbone of the internet for decades. Keep investing in it, stay focused on your goals, and create your own reality in the world of search.
• Experiment and Track Results: Don’t be afraid to experiment with SEO tactics (like changing title tags). You may see a boost—or a drop—but you can always course-correct. Stephan also talks about how you can use tools like Google Search Console, Analytics, Ahrefs, or SEMRush to track your results and optimize your strategy.
• Create Content That Connects: Focus on crafting comprehensive content that meets your audience’s needs and expectations. Personal stories and experiences matter, too! Google’s E-E-A-T metric rewards real, human experiences, so the more authentic and valuable your content, the better it’ll perform.

Resources:

• Stephan’s website
• Stephan’s podcast: Marketing Speak
• Episode 465 of the Marketing Speak podcast: Monetize Your Content with Bjork Ostrom
• Get Yourself Optimized (Stephan’s new site!)
• The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization by Stephan Spencer
• The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Stephen Pressfield
• Claude
• Ahrefs
• SEM Rush
• Moz
• SEO Testing
• SearchPilot
• HeyGen
• Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
• All Day I Dream About Food
• The Coffee Chronicler: Ultimate Guide to Aeropress
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Yoast and Member Kitchens. 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 [email protected].

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.