548: Create For Your Audience Instead of Google (+ Why Social Media is More Important than You Think) with Luay Ghafari

In episode 611, Sena Wheeler teaches us the importance of email marketing for business growth, sharing her strategy of sending personalized, value-driven emails. Sena Wheeler is part of a 5th generation fishing family and the co-founder of Sena Sea, which brings wild Alaskan seafood direct to your door. She's passionate about sustainability, helping busy families eat healthier and educating people about the brain-boosting benefits of wild fish. She has a master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Science with a specialty in quantifying omega 3's in fish and determining preferred handling practices for premium quality. She and her husband enjoy running this family business together, spending part of the year in Alaska and having the flexibility to enjoy watching her children participate in their school sports, and of course, eating and cooking fish! In this episode, you’ll learn about the benefits of leveraging personal stories in email, building a quality email list and its long-term value and stability compared to social media platforms. Key points discussed: - Consistency is key: Consistently sending emails, even if they are not perfect, is more important than trying to create a masterpiece every time. - Offer value upfront: Providing a free downloadable cookbook or other valuable content can help attract and retain subscribers. - Understand your audience: Identifying and addressing your audience's pain points, such as how to cook the product, can help you create content that resonates. - Embrace selling: Don't be afraid to include a sales pitch in your emails, as your subscribers are there because they are interested in your product or service. - Personalize your content: Sharing personal stories, photos, and updates can help build a stronger connection with your audience. - Leverage collaborations: Partnering with other influencers or bloggers can help you expand your reach and provide value to your audience. - Maintain an engaged list: Focus on building a list of engaged subscribers rather than a large list of uninterested people. - Use a content calendar: Planning your email topics and themes in advance can help you stay organized and efficient. Connect with Sena Wheeler Website | Instagram 

In this episode, we're going to talk about 5 traits of high achievers and how to incorporate similar habits into our lives. When you spend time with inspiring, high-quality individuals, you suddenly notice traits that would be well-worth adopting. I attended a conference earlier this year where I noticed such high-achieving individuals. I observed five distinct things that set them apart and helped lead them to success as business owners. Here is how you can incorporate similar strategies to elevate your own personal and professional success. Action Plan: 1 - Avoid negativity: High achievers refuse to engage in criticism, gossip, cynicism, and complaining, as these behaviors can be draining and unproductive. 2 - Embrace challenges: You should be open to receiving and giving challenges and questions from others, as this can lead to valuable insights and personal growth. 3 - Celebrate failure: Failure should be viewed as a necessary step towards success, and high achievers wear it as a badge of honor, encouraging you to take bigger risks. 4 - Prioritize learning: Dedicating time each day to learning, whether through books, podcasts, or other resources, can help you stay focused, motivated, and on track with your goals. 5 - Establish routines: Incorporating daily routines into your life, even if they start small, can help you maintain productivity, focus, and a positive mindset. Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topic you'd like her to cover. Website | Instagram

In episode 609, Megan chats to Allie Hagerty about how she grew her food blog from 750 page views a month to over 100,000 page views a month. Allie has been food blogging since 2020, although she took a few years off. After being laid off from her full-time job as a new mom of a 4 week old, Allie decided to put all her energy back into reviving her old, crusty food blog. She started working on her new niche: new England and Mediterranean dishes (think fresh, minimalistic ingredients made delicious) in November '23. Allie had maybe 400 sessions monthly. Today, in June 2024, she has almost 75K sessions and is on MediaVine! Allie hunkered down, worked hard, and eliminated distractions like Instagram. She is proof that SEO is NOT dead. In this episode, you’ll learn about Allie’s strategies for creating content clusters, optimizing SEO, and maintaining consistency to achieve rapid blog growth. Key points discussed: - Focus on content clusters: You should focus on creating content clusters around ingredients, recipes, or topics that you are passionate about and knowledgeable in. - Prioritize quality over quantity: You should focus on creating high-quality, helpful content rather than just posting frequently. - Embrace interlinking: You should interlink your related content to create a cohesive and easy-to-navigate website structure. - Consistency is key: You should strive for consistency in your content creation and promotion efforts, even during challenging personal times. - Adopt a positive mindset: You should approach your blog with the mindset that every post will rank highly, and trust the process. - Build a supportive network: You should prioritize building relationships with other bloggers and mentors who can provide guidance and support. - Pursue high-quality backlinks: You should seek out opportunities to earn high-quality backlinks from reputable sources to improve your site's authority. - Optimize your titles and metadata: You should craft compelling and informative titles and metadata to improve your content's visibility and click-through rates. - Focus on your niche: You should focus on your unique expertise and niche, rather than trying to appeal to everyone or compete with others in your space. Connect with Allie Hagerty Website | Instagram 

In episode 608, Courtney Carey teaches us how to plan and organize the cookbook creation process while managing other life responsibilities. Courtney Carey is the creator of Cake Me Home Tonight, a baking blog designed to help home bakers elevate their baking game! On her blog and social media, Courtney shares easy and delicious dessert recipes along with baking tips and tutorials to make baking fun and stress-free. Courtney recently released her debut cookbook, Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes, an 80's themed cookbook featuring cupcake recipes inspired by nostalgic and classic snacks and desserts. She enjoys sharing her love of all things dessert and all things 80's because there is nothing sweeter than nostalgia! In this episode, you’ll learn more about the challenges of balancing a blog, job, and family while writing a cookbook and how to meet deadlines despite setbacks. Key points discussed: - Plan and organize thoroughly: Carefully evaluate your work style, schedule, and responsibilities to set yourself up for success when writing a cookbook. - Break down the process: Create detailed checklists and spreadsheets to break the book-writing process into small, manageable tasks. - Leverage your strengths: Allocate tasks based on when you feel most energized and productive to maximize your efficiency. - Seek help from your support system: Don't be afraid to ask your family and friends for assistance to balance the workload. - Outsource tasks you're less confident in: Consider hiring professionals for photography, editing, or other areas you may struggle with. - Expect the unexpected: Be prepared to adapt when life throws curveballs. - Embrace imperfection: Understand that perfection is unattainable, and focus on creating a high-quality product rather than striving for flawlessness. - Take mental breaks: Recognize when you need to step away and recharge to avoid burnout and maintain your productivity. - Prioritize your commitments: Be willing to temporarily scale back on other responsibilities to dedicate the necessary time and attention to the cookbook project. Connect with Courtney Carey Website | Instagram 

In this episode, we're going to talk about 5 strategies to be more consistent in your business in order to achieve more faster. One of the things that have really served me well in my business is consistency. Consistent effort, even in small steps, leads to significant achievements over time. I help many food bloggers during planning calls on a monthly basis. What I find is that the ones who are consistent see results quicker than the ones who are not. If you are struggling with consistency and feel frustrated, the good news is you can teach yourself to be more consistent. Here are my top 5 strategies to improve consistency. Action Plan: 1 - Identify your "why": Knowing your deeper motivation and emotional drivers can fuel your consistency in business. 2 - Track your time: Analyzing how you spend your time can reveal opportunities to improve efficiency and create more space for consistency. 3 - Implement systems: Developing predictable workflows and automating tasks can help you stay on track and free up mental energy. 4 - Seek accountability: Having someone or a group hold you responsible for your goals can push you to maintain consistency. 5 - Celebrate your wins: Acknowledging your progress, both big and small, can reinforce positive behaviors and keep you motivated. Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topic you'd like her to cover. Website | Instagram Food Photography by Kristina Cadelina Promote your food blogging services Megan’s recommended books and resources

Food photographer, Dyutima Jha, interviews Megan Porta about how to grow your business, becoming more successful, without working more hours. Originally published on Dyutima's podcast, My Food Lens. Dyutima is an architect-turned commercial and editorial food photographer and podcaster based in Singapore. She is the first South Asian woman to host a food photography podcast, My Food Lens. After 15 years as an architect, designing healthcare facilities around the world, she found her passion in food styling & photography. Today, she has a successful business working with clients around the world and teaching other photographers how to do so as well. In this episode, you’ll learn about powerful strategies to improve your mindset, increase productivity, and achieve better results in your food blogging businesses without burning out. Key points discussed: - Acknowledge the power of your mindset: Your mindset is a crucial factor in achieving success, and it's often underrated - recognizing the impact of your thoughts and beliefs can be a game-changer. - Uncover and rewrite limiting beliefs: Many of the beliefs that hold you back are unconscious - identifying and rewriting these limiting beliefs can open up new possibilities for success. - Focus on the positive: Where you focus your energy and attention will determine the outcomes you experience - shifting your focus to the positive can attract more positive results. - Embrace change: Change is inevitable in business, and having a mindset that accepts and adapts to change can help you thrive during challenging times. - Avoid comparison and persistence: Comparing yourself to others can lead to discouragement and quitting too soon - focusing on your own journey and persisting through setbacks is key. - Start small and build confidence: Stepping out of your comfort zone can be daunting, but starting with small, manageable steps and gradually building up can help you become more confident and brave. - Prioritize self-care and productivity: Taking care of your physical and mental well-being, as well as implementing effective time management strategies, can significantly boost your productivity and success. - Create a nurturing work environment: Designing a comfortable and inspiring workspace can positively impact your mindset and productivity. If You Loved This Episode... Listen to Megan's interview with Dyutima Jha - Episode 540: How to Keep Readers on Your Page By Bringing Powerful Storytelling to Food Photos Connect with Dyutima Jha Website | Instagram 

In episode 606, Megan chats to Kris and Katie Kimball about their journey with The Blog Fixer, a service that helps WordPress bloggers automate technical tasks. Kris Kimball is a software developer who left the corporate world of banking in 2015 to start the Blog Fixer. His company helps thousands of WordPress bloggers like his wife Katie automate the boring technical stuff so they can focus on what they love. Kris and Katie are full-time online entrepreneurs raising 4 kids, and they love hiking in the mountains and hate home improvement projects. In this episode, you’ll learn about the common fixes for bloggers' sites and how Kris and Katie stay on top of relevant information to serve food bloggers' businesses. Key points discussed: - Automate tedious technical tasks: Chris Kimball developed The Blog Fixer plugin to help his wife Katie automate the process of adding no-follow attributes to hundreds of links on her blog, Kitchen Stewardship. - The plugin makes permanent changes to blog content: Unlike other plugins that only make changes on load, The Blog Fixer makes permanent changes to the blog's content, ensuring the fixes remain even if the plugin is deactivated. - Stay up-to-date with SEO changes: The Blog Fixer team continuously monitors SEO best practices and updates their fixes to ensure your blog remains compliant with the latest recommendations. - A wide range of fixes: In addition to the no-follow link fix, the blog fixer provides solutions for internal redirects, link targeting, and other common technical issues faced by bloggers. - Primarily suitable for experienced food bloggers: The Blog Fixer's services are particularly valuable for food bloggers with extensive content archives, as it can efficiently address technical problems across a large number of posts. - The Blog Fixer offers a white-glove service: The blog fixer team handles all the installation, configuration, and optimization of their plugin, so you don't have to worry about the technical details. - Connected to the blogging community: The team actively listens to their clients' needs and develops new fixes to address the evolving challenges faced by food bloggers. - Deals with custom fixes: In addition to their standard fixes, The Blog Fixer is also capable of providing custom solutions to address unique technical problems on your blog. Connect with Kris and Katie Kimball Website

In episode 605, Nikki Rausch teaches us how to close more paid partnerships by having a strategic follow-up plan and focusing on relationships. CEO of Sales Maven, Nikki Rausch has the unique ability to transform the misunderstood process of “selling”. With 25+ years of selling experience, entrepreneurs and small business owners now hire Nikki to show them how to sell successfully and authentically. Nikki has written 3 books, all available on Amazon. And she has a podcast called Sales Maven which you can find on your favorite podcast platform. In this episode, you’ll learn about effective strategies for landing and securing brand deals, including how to leverage existing networks, create curiosity, and recognize buying signals from potential sponsors. Key points discussed: - Identify your target sponsors: Make a list of the people/brands you want to work with as sponsors. - Leverage your network: Identify who in your network knows someone at the companies you want to work with, and ask them to make introductions. - Use your advocates: Make a list of your biggest advocates and ambassadors who could potentially make introductions on your behalf. - Create curiosity: When speaking with potential sponsors, ask strategic questions to pique their interest and get them engaged in the conversation. - Invite next steps: Before ending a call with a potential sponsor, schedule a "circle back" call to review any proposal or answer additional questions. - Focus on the relationship: Treat sales as a conversation and focus on building relationships, rather than just trying to make a sale. - Recognize buying signals: Learn how to identify buying signals, such as questions from the potential sponsor, that indicate their interest. - Follow up strategically: Don't chase clients excessively, but leave the door open and schedule follow-up calls when appropriate. Connect with Nikki Rausch Website | Instagram 

In this episode, we're going to talk about 5 steps to overcome the fear of investing in our business to avoid stagnation and foster growth. Have you ever come across a business investment that you really needed? It could’ve been a mastermind group, a business coach or maybe a new camera for better photography. But when you considered the financial cost, you were hesitant. Maybe you thought it could wait or you need to be making more money before you can spend anything on your business. However, if all you do is wait for the perfect moment to invest, you might be missing out on significant revenue growth and something that could take your business to the next level. I’ve been there! Here is how I mastered the mindset for making the right business investments. Action Plan: 1 - Pinpoint the investment and related concerns: Pinpoint the specific investment you want to make and the associated concerns, such as getting a return on investment or hiring a reliable coach. 2 - Gather information from trusted sources: Educate yourself and sleuth by reaching out to your trusted network of peers, such as a mastermind group or online communities, to learn about their experiences with various programs and individuals. 3 - Trust your intuition: Even after gathering data, you should lean into your intuition to guide your decision-making process, as your gut feeling can be a reliable indicator of whether an investment is right for you. 4 - Assess your budget: You should carefully evaluate your budget to ensure the investment is financially feasible, even if it means getting creative and making adjustments to accommodate the investment. 5 - Be willing to take the leap: Once you've checked all the boxes, you should confidently take the leap and make the investment, knowing that the right investments can ignite explosive growth in your business. Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topic you'd like her to cover. Website | Instagram  

In episode 603, Megan chats to Amy Angelli leveraging E-E-A-T and creating a robust About Page to significantly boost blog traffic. Amy founded The Copper Table in 2019 to share recipes that minimize processed ingredients with a focus on cooking in season and cooking from scratch using fresh produce. She wanted these recipes to be for people who are busy and often don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen, but want great meals that make them feel good after a busy day. She lives on a small island in Washington state between Seattle and the Canadian border in a richly agricultural area that provides a lot of inspiration and recipe ingredients! In this episode, you’ll learn about how Amy tripled her traffic during Google's HCU as well as strategies for effective interlinking, crafting compelling opening paragraphs, and shifting mindset around recipe creation and keyword research. Key points discussed: - Update your About Page regularly: Continuously revise and expand your about page to showcase your expertise, authority, and trustworthiness as your knowledge and experience grow. - Link to your About Page conversationally: Incorporate links to your about page in a natural, conversational way within your recipe posts to guide readers and signal your authority. - Establish expertise in the opening: Dedicate the first 1-2 paragraphs of your recipe posts to clearly establishing your expertise and authority on the topic. - Address specific pain points: Focus on addressing specific pain points or needs that your recipe solves for the reader in the opening paragraphs. - Leverage your personal experiences: Incorporate relevant personal experiences, family history, or educational background that demonstrate your expertise in the niche. - Interlink strategically: Develop an interlinking strategy that connects your recipe posts to other relevant content, categories, and your about page to showcase the depth of your knowledge. - Prioritize helpfulness over metrics: Shift your mindset to focus on being a helpful, one-stop resource for your readers, rather than solely chasing traffic volume or low competition. - Continuously expand your expertise: Consider taking additional classes, courses, or pursuing other opportunities to deepen your knowledge and skills in your niche. - Maintain a positive mindset: Adopt a mindset of focusing on the present and not worrying excessively about future changes, as each day brings its own challenges. If You Loved this Episode… You’ll love Episode 428: 5 Biggest Mistakes Food Bloggers Make In Their SEO with Ty Kilgore - this episode is referenced in Megan’s conversation with Amy. Connect with Amy Angelli Website | Instagram