Eat Blog Talk | Megan Porta

In episode 350, Megan chats to Alyssa Brantley about the process of writing a cookbook and how it can reenergize your creativity for blogging. Alyssa is the author of I Don’t Want to Cook Book and her cooking philosophy is whole foods that take half the time, meaning just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat great. She applies this philosophy to her popular food blog, Everyday Maven, where she shares seasonal whole food recipes that are packed with flavour made in minutes with easy shortcuts. Her work has been featured widely in magazines such as Gourmet and Real Simple. In this episode, Alyssa shares tips for making the process of writing a cookbook manageable and enjoyable. - Can you remove your biggest hurdle to writing a cookbook? - What elements can you change to make your cookbook unique? - If you do everything, you can’t do anything to the best of your ability. - Which tasks can you hand over to someone else? - Think strategically about the ingredients and instructions for your recipes. -

In episode 349, Megan chats to Sam Adler about how she built a 6-figure food photography business in 4 years, touching on everything from finding clients to pricing and offering unforgettable value. Sam is a professionally trained pastry chef and creator of the baking blog, Frosting & Fettuccine. She is also a professional food photographer who, within a year of starting, got her first client. In addition to regular clients, she has a range of food photography courses to help photographers find their unique style. In this episode, discover how to find your first client, put yourself out there, negotiate valuable partnerships and develop a remarkable style to set you apart from other photographers. - Deal with the fear of a new venture. - Client-getting strategies - how to get the right clients. - Should you be persistent while reaching out? - What to do when brands approach you as potential clients. - Get paid what you’re worth. - Tips for pitching and how to retain clients. Connect with Sam Adler Website

If you are a food blogger who can relate to any of the following challenges, this episode is for you! You feel like you are spinning your wheels constantly. You're working harder than ever, but never seem to get anywhere. You feel isolated and alone and unsupported in the work you do as a blogger. That "next level" feels so hard to reach and you're not even remotely sure about how to get there. Either you don't have clearly defined goals or your current goals seem unattainable. You don't have a clue what projects are relevant and where your focus should be. The 2023 Eat Blog Talk Mastermind program is opening enrollment and could be the solution to your challenges! Inside this episode you will hear from current members who have seen transformations happen in their business after being in this impactful group. To achieve your goals faster than you ever thought possible, apply for the 2023 Eat Blog Talk mastermind program at: https://eatblogtalk.com/2021masterminds/

In episode 347, Megan chats to Aimee Pruett about time management tactics to help you grow your blog when you have limited time. Creator of Food Banjo, Aimee is a food blogger by night, marketing manager by day and a mother of 2 small kids. Regardless of her busy schedule, she has been able to scale her blog’s sessions monthly, going from 10K to over 80K over the past year by using her time wisely. In this episode, she shares her top time management tips that have helped her grow her blog exponentially while still fulfilling her other commitments. - If you don’t have a lot of time, what should you lean into? - Tips for optimizing old content. - Priotizing your responsibilities - Recipe testing tactics to save time. - Time efficient ways to do food photography. - How to find free hours to accomplish your goals. - Timely ways to learn new skills. Connect with Aimee Pruett Website | Instagram

In episode 346, Eric Samuelson teaches us how to rank for non-recipe posts and why this content is often easy to create and valuable as it  attracts new readers to our blogs.  Eric has been blogging since 2009 and, as the creator behind Eat Like No One Else, he teaches his readers how they can enhance the way they eat through specialty food and ingredients and how to use it to make the most amazing food at home. As someone who is passionate about finding the right ingredients, he talks about ways to write about your passion on your blog and why an experimental mindset is beneficial in the long-run. Find out how you can share your knowledge and expertise alongside recipes to help you rank on Google. - What expertise do you have that might generate interest? - Non-recipe posts take less time. - ‘How to…’ posts are a great way to share your knowledge.  - Check which posts you rank for and create roundups for them. - Think of the problems people might encounter with popular recipes. - Keep a balance between writi

In episode 345, Megan talks to Jenna about which trends to look out for in Q4, 2022. They explore topics like maximizing Web Stories for explosive traffic, gaining extra revenue from Pinterest and buidling rewarding communities with Facebook Groups. Jenna is the creator behind The Urben Life, a food and lifestyle blog where she shares allergy-friendly recipes and travel guides. She started blogging in 2016 and, as someone who is eager to help others, she was drawn to the community aspect of it. She realized there’s a need for more transparency in the creator space and went on to provide bloggers and influencers with resources and tools they can use to thrive. Use this episode to decide which trends to spend time on and how you can accelerate your blog growth and earn more in Q4. - Be strategic (i.e. seasonally relevant) about what you are posting in Web Stories. - Explosive traffic comes from what is most likely to be viral. - PinTV creates a space to share your recipes directly with your audience. - Repurpos

In episode 344, Megan chats to Cheryl Norris, creator of Bakes by Brown Sugar, about why we should treat our blog as a business from the beginning, the importance of SEO and investing in yourself. Engineer by day, baker by night, Cheryl has been a food blogger since 2018. Passionate about the science of baking and eager to share delicious recipes of our favorite desserts, she launched her blog not realizing how much work it takes. What started as a hobby, she quickly decided to treat it as a business and invest in herself, always learning something to improve her content for her readers. In this episode, you’ll hear Cheryl's key tips on where to focus and what to do to grow your blog quickly from the start. - Ask yourself: What is your audience looking for? - Prioritize SEO and keywords - it’s a crucial element of success. - Once you start creating for the user, you start caring for the user. - If it’s a really popular recipe, post it anyway. - Invest in courses, conferences and other additional learning. - P

In episode 343, Tyanne Johnson teaches us how to self-publish a cookbook in 45 days. She walks us through every step she took from what’s essential during market research to how a book launch team can help you and tips for book promotion. Tyanne is food blogger and recipe developer at Cooking with Tyanne, specializing in easy, flavourful recipes using basic ingredients anyone can find no matter where they live. She started food blogging in 2019 and after switching from Wix to Wordpress, she decided she needed a product to go with her new website. In this episode, she shares how she published a cookbook, Deliciously Fresh Freezer Meals, in under 45 days right after graduating from college in 2021.  - Use a database of recipes that work. - Survey your audience to check if your product resonates. - Have an ebook and hardcopy version. - Create a publishing schedule. - Find the right publisher from the start. - Gather a launch team to help with feedback and promotion before your book launch. - Don’t aim for perfec

In episode 342, Megan chats to Madison Wetherill about how to get the most out of Gutenberg blocks in order to streamline our blogs and make them fast and easy to navigate. Madison is a food blogger turned web designer at Grace & Vine Studios. She helps clients’ make their website and brand stand out from the crowded food blogging space. She also hosts the Vine podcast for food bloggers looking to increase their impact and connect with their dream audience. In this episode she demystifies Gutenberg blocks and explains why it allows you to customize different pieces and sections of your content. In turn this simplifies how you build your website to streamline updates and make it noticeable and easy to navigate. - Use the Gutenberg editor to have certain sections of your blog pop out. - Create a template or blogging outline to give you a head start. - Reusable blocks are templates that contain information that you want to reuse. - When used well, reusable blocks can educate your reader and provide helpful c

In episode 341, Allea Grummert teaches us how to segment our email list so that we can send tailored content to our subscribers and get higher conversion rates and earn more revenue. Allea is the founder of Duett where she works as an email marketing strategist and conversion copywriter. She helps online business owners make a killer first impression through automated welcome and nurture sequences that engage readers, build brand loyalty and optimize conversions for sales and site traffic. In this episode, find out which strategies to use to segment your email subscriber list and why this will help you sell your product or service more easily by identifying the different interests of your subscribers. She highlights clever ways of approaching our mailing list for maximum benefit to our online businesses. - With the right email subscriber strategy we can achieve our business goals. - Serve your readers better, send them more relevant content using segmentation. - Increase the chances of them engaging with your

In episode 340, Megan chats to Courtney Paige about how to turn your blog and the community you build into a full-time job. She explores different sources of revenue and shares her strategy for social media growth and negotiating brand sponsorships. Courtney is a freelance food photographer and founder of A Page of Positivity, a healthy delicious food blog. She used to work full-time as an interior designer while dedicating the rest of her time to blogging. She started on Instagram sharing beautiful pictures of food as part of a recovery process from an eating disorder. In 2020, she discovered food blogging as a way to create a space to call her own. Now she is able to make most of her income from Instagram in a positive way, leveraging her online audience as she collaborates with brands. In this episode, find out how she transitioned into blogging and built a large, engaged community on Instagram, enabling her to become a full-time food creator. - Be transparent about your pricing. - Explore different source

In episode 339, Dalya Rubin, creator of It’s Raining Flour, teaches us how we can attract potential clients from the blogging community, helping other bloggers grow. This can in turn provide us with a rewarding additional source of income from the start of our blogging journey. Dalya runs a gluten-free blog and works as a recipe developer, food photographer and trained chef in New York City. She creates food content for brands and bloggers while exploring everything the Big Apple has to offer for foodie creators. Dalya is especially passionate about recipe development for other food bloggers and in this episode she shares how she markets her passion to generate additional revenue for her business. Find out how to market yourself, attract clients and what to focus on first to stop yourself from feeling discouraged.  - What are you really confident in or do you have a niche speciality? - Make sure you know who you are reaching out to. - Narrow down the search (i.e. look up recipes that you’re interested in and

In episode 338, Megan chats to Kathleen Pope about starting a food blog late in life, a mindset for a new, exciting and successful career and how to keep motivated. Kathleen especially encourages us not to give up until we start reaping the fruit from our hard work. Kathleen transitioned into food blogging after running her own product marketing and development business for non-profit organizations. Since 2017, she shifted her focus to her passions of cooking and hospitality and runs the blog, The Fresh Cooky, which now has over 500 recipes. She encourages families to get together, make healthier food choices and invite others to the table. In this episode, she explains the advantage of becoming a food blogger later in life, including having less inhibitions to try something new and more resilience to keep going. - Find a career that allows you to schedule your life the way you want. - The older we are ,the less inhibited we are to try and fail until we succeed. - If you say you can’t, it really means you won

In episode 337, Megan talks to Sue Ringsdorf about starting a food blog as a second chapter in life and seeing blogging from a different perspective. It is not only about making money but also the legacy you leave behind. Sue started Sue Bee Homemaker on her 50th birthday after wondering for several months what her next phase in life would be. With a soon-to-be empty nest, she wanted to find a new passion to invest her time in and was encouraged by several friends’ to start a blog. Sue’s cooking is inspired by her mother and now she helps make other people feel comfortable in the kitchen, learning new recipes to nourish and treat their families without breaking the bank. In this episode, she unpacks common feelings that hold us back from starting something new, regardless of our age (e.g. imposter syndrome) and why despite those obstacles you can succeed. - We are often held back by comparing ourselves to others. - Can you succeed doing your blog your way? - Define your primary goal for your blog. - Recognise

In episode 336, Megan chats with Johanna Voss, about the benefits of hiring a talent manager, especially how and why this can land you groundbreaking deals for your business. Johanna is a talent manager for social media influencers who want clarity for their brands, their businesses and plan strategically for the future. She has closed up to $3.5 million in brand deals and speaking engagements on behalf of her clients. In this episode, she delves into the process of when and why you would need a talent manager for brand deal negotiations. Find out how you can make more money by getting the best partnerships and save time by having a talent manager take care of communication and project management involved in partnerships.  - First decide: Why do you want a talent manager? - Talent managers only get paid through commission so if they land a deal for you. - The brand agrees to work with the talent because of their portfolio of work; the manager negotiates the best deals. - It is not a manager’s responsibility t

In episode 335, Michelle Boulé teaches us how to bring universal laws into our businesses and apply them to our processes so that we can boost our confidence in the decisions we want to make and reach our goals more easily. Michelle is a transformational life and business coach who helps compassionate business owners and creative entrepreneurs all over the world clarify their goals and make their visions a reality with confidence. She has a multi six-figure coaching business that offers different coaching programmes, speaking engagements, in-person retreats and teaching. Drawing from 20 years of practice in somatic therapy, energy medicine, mindset psychology, spirituality and her award-winning career in dance, she explains how to identify our innate wisdom and authentic self. In this episode, find out why this will help you clarify next steps in your business and optimize your processes to fulfill your vision. - You have an innate wisdom guiding you towards your most ideal life. - Learn to be present with yo

In episode 334, Megan chats to Katie Jasiewicz, author and owner of Katie’s Cucina, about mistakes made by veteran bloggers and how to avoid them in order to let your business flourish with the times. Katie has been blogging for 12 years. For the first couple of years she shared her recipes with family and friends as a way to fill up her time. She never imagined that she would be able to make this her full-time job. In 2014, she quit her marketing job to become a full-time blogger. It became an increasingly flourishing business the more she learned about the industry. In this episode, she shares what she has learned and compiles a list of recommendations for us based on her experience. - Don’t underestimate the importance of SEO. - An SEO audit can point out technical mistakes and help you write optimal blog posts. - Expect slow and steady growth. - Regularly update your About and Home page with relevant information (i.e. seasonal recipes and credentials). - Maximize video content and related social platforms

In episode 333, Sarah Barnes teaches us how to grow our Instagram and TikTok to more than 70K in an organic and enjoyable way. She explains how she has done this for her own brand, Taming Twins, in 90 days by focusing on what her audience really needed and not trying to win the algorithm. As a food blogger and a twin mom, Sarah is driven by the question, “What’s for dinner?”. She is inspired to help other busy parents with the answer by providing quick, affordable recipes. Her blog has 8 million views a year and she has been featured in publications such as The Times, The BBC and The Daily Mail. Her success on Instagram and TikTok came after the traffic she got on Pinterest slowed down. She decided to reinvest her time in something that would make a difference in her business again. In this episode, she explains the strategy she used to succeed on these platforms in a short amount of time and without having to ‘play the algorithm’, which made it an enjoyable, meaningful experience for her and her followers. -

Peter Taunton founded one of the largest wellness brands in the world with over 6,000 franchises or licenses across 3 brands in 28 countries- LIFT Brands.   He’s also the 2010  Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Peter is currently a Forbes Master Class instructor at the Forbes School of Business.  Peter’s business accomplishments have been well-recognized by the business community. He and his companies have been featured in many business and industry publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur 500, Inc 5000, Top Global and Franchise 500.  Peter also wrote a #1 best selling book sold on Amazon called “Impossible Hill”... which shares 30 years of real life stories laying out the mindset that helped Peter build his business empire.  Peter is ever-committed to coaching and inspiring people in both their business and personal lives as they navigate through life striving to light the fire with-in and make their  impossible dreams… possible! Go into being an entrepreneur with your eyes open - it cost

In episode 332, Barbara Curry teaches us about why it’s essential to collaborate and build community as food bloggers and why this will help build and sustain our blogs.  Barbara is an attorney who started a food blog, Butter & Baggage, as a hobby when her children moved out of the house. In 2018, she turned it into a business sharing her special recipes for comfort food with a Southern flair and obsession with butter. As someone who came to food blogging at a later age and having to manage an intense full-time job, Barbara soon found that seeking out help from her blogging community would propel her business in the right direction quicker. Tune in to find out about the different ways she met and collaborated with other bloggers and how this has lessened frustration and uncertainty. - Mastermind groups provide a great support structure. - Everyone has something valuable to add to these groups. - Having a coach gives you more concentrated personal attention. - Receive objective perspectives on different as