802: Beyond Ads - How to Build a Multi-Revenue Food Blogging Business with Yumna Jawad

Megan chats with Yumna Jawad about building a multi-revenue food blogging business through cookbooks, partnerships, affiliate marketing, speaking opportunities, and physical products. Yumna Jawad, who was born in Africa to Lebanese parents and moved to the US at 11 years old, is beloved by millions of fans globally on Instagram, TikTok, and her website, Feel Good Foodie for her unique, delicious, creative and easy recipes that often go viral on social media. She has grown her massive following from scratch the past decade and has recently founded a new culinary venture, Oath Oats, launched in November 2022. Yumna's viral food trends have been featured by Live with Kelly & Ryan, The Today Show, Good Morning America, PEOPLE, Vogue, and the New York Times. A graduate from the University of Michigan Business School, she now lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband and two kids. Yumna's parents are both Lebanese so she proudly features Lebanese, middle eastern and Ramadan recipes as part of her heritage. Her first cookbook, The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook, launched in May 2024 (Penguin) and is filled with over 100 approachable, unique and delicious "Middle Eastern meets Midwestern" recipes for the entire family. The cookbook hit the bestseller lists on Amazon, USA Today and Publisher's Weekly. Ad revenue is no longer enough to support a long-term food blogging business. In this episode, Yumna shares the exact ways she diversified Feel Good Foodie into a recognizable brand with multiple income streams. This conversation is packed with practical ideas for experienced food bloggers who want more stability, visibility, and long-term growth. Key Topics Discussed: - Build revenue streams before traffic declines force you to. - Long term brand partnerships outperform one off sponsorships. - A cookbook strengthens authority far beyond direct sales. - Affiliate income grows faster when personality leads the content. - Email works best when it builds relationships instead of pushing recipes. - Video creates stronger audience connection than static content alone. Connect with Yumna Jawad Website | Instagram

Jeanelle Castro breaks down what is working with YouTube Shorts right now, including how to create faster, stand out, and turn short form video into real blog traffic.   Jeanelle is the creator behind Jeanelleats, a food and travel brand known for story-driven videos. She uses her Filipina-American heritage and love for travel to share lesser-known foods around the world, making the 'unknown' feel familiar to her audience. She blends her background in marketing into every corner of her business. She operates the recipe blog jeanelleats.com with her husband, and launched MyMusubi, a uniquely designed musubi mold for her community of over 2 million subscribers.   Short form video is no longer optional if you want to stay competitive. This episode breaks down exactly how to use YouTube Shorts as a fast, effective marketing engine without overcomplicating the process. If you are an experienced food blogger looking to increase visibility, test content ideas, and build a stronger brand, this gives you a clear path forward.   Key Topics Discussed: - Start with Shorts to test content ideas quickly and identify what resonates. - Focus on title, hook, and thumbnail as primary growth drivers. - Repurpose one piece of content into multiple videos with different angles. - Show your face to build trust and stand out from generic content. - Prioritize consistency over volume to avoid burnout and maintain momentum. - Treat YouTube as a long-term marketing engine, not just an ad revenue stream. Connect with Jeanelle Castro Website | Instagram

Kristen Wager introduces a new method of monetizing recipes called Recifix and shows us how to build a more stable and diversified food blog business in the face of AI and traffic volatility.   Kristen is a PhD-trained consumer insights leader with deep expertise in the creator economy. Over the past decade, she's led research initiatives at Kellogg's Company supporting top CPG brands like Special K, Cheez-It, and Morning Star. Most recently she built research programs for the top 100 food creators at Raptive where she gained firsthand insight into the food creator ecosystem and the challenges creators face. That experience led her to create Recifix - a cleaner, calmer way to find, plan, and share ad-free recipes, all while supporting the creators behind them.   Relying on Google traffic alone is becoming increasingly risky. This episode explains what is actually changing in search, why AI is accelerating that shift, and how experienced bloggers can build stronger revenue streams that are not dependent on algorithms.   Key Topics Discussed: - Traffic from search is not owned and can disappear without warning. - AI is reducing clicks by delivering answers without sending users to blogs. - Real diversification means adding new revenue streams not just new platforms. - Email lists and direct audience relationships protect your business. - Subscription based models create compounding and recurring income. - Trust with your audience is your strongest long term competitive advantage.   Connect with Dr. Kristen Wager Website | Instagram Recifix - [email protected]

When is the right time to start hiring out tasks in your food blogging business? Erin Jensen teaches us when to start building a small team and how to make sure you hire the right people early on.   Erin created The Wooden Skillet in 2016 to have a creative outlet after long days working as an attorney and raising her young family. In the years since, Erin has built a team and steadily grown her website, social media presence, and most recently, Substack presence. Erin's main goal is to help women get excited to cook dinner with her easy and flavor-packed recipes. Erin is the recipe developer and food photographer for all of her recipes and has been featured on Kare11, Food52, FeedFreed, CountryLiving, Shape, Elle, Self, and The Plan To Eat Podcast.    Experienced food bloggers hit a ceiling when they try to do everything alone. This episode breaks down what it actually takes to hire, train, and retain the right people without burning out or losing control of your brand. It is a practical look at turning your blog into a real business with support systems that last.    Key Topics Discussed:   - Overwhelm is the clearest signal it is time to hire. - Start small with subcontractors before committing to hiring employees. - Trust and reliability matter more than prior blogging experience. - A simple task audit reveals exactly what to delegate. - Hiring locally can unlock efficiency in photo shoots and production days. - Long term team success comes from slow growth and consistent communication.   Connect with Erin Jensen Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Adam Sobel about advanced email personalization strategies that increase conversions and create a more tailored experience for your audience.   Adam Sobel is the chef and owner of The Cinnamon Snail, a vegan food truck, restaurant, and catering company serving New York and New Jersey. Adam has cooked at the James Beard House, represented the USA at the World Street Food Congress in the Philippines, and teaches cooking at the Institute for Culinary Education, De Gustibus Cooking School, and independently online. Adam has appeared on the food network, Cooking Channel, PBS, and several networks, and is the author of the popular cookbook Street Vegan.   If your email strategy feels flat or underperforming, this episode shows how to turn your list into a revenue driver. Personalization goes far beyond first names. It is about delivering the right content, offer, and message based on behavior and intent. This is the next level for bloggers ready to monetize smarter.   Key Topics Discussed: - Personalization should be based on behavior and preferences, not just names. - Segmenting your audience allows you to send more relevant content and offers. - Email sequences should adapt based on user actions and purchase history. - Selling becomes easier when offers match specific audience needs. - Testimonials and messaging should align with the reader's experience level. - Small optimizations in email flows can significantly increase revenue.   Guest Details Connect with Adam Sobel Website | Instagram

Laura Piper teaches us what changed with Pinterest in 2025 and how to adjust our strategy to get more targeted traffic and better results. Laura is a Pinterest expert who works exclusively with food bloggers. Her mission is to help them make Pinterest their #1 traffic source without feeling frustrated or overwhelmed. Using her proven Pinterest strategies, along with in-depth Pinterest trends and keyword insights, she simplifies the platform for food bloggers, allowing them to focus on what they love most—creating amazing new recipes. Pinterest is no longer a volume game. This episode breaks down the shift toward intent driven discovery and why broad keywords are losing. If your traffic has dropped or stalled, this is the reset you need to attract higher quality clicks and stay competitive in a more advanced algorithm landscape. Key Topics Discussed: - Broad keywords are losing effectiveness in favor of highly specific search intent. - Long tail keywords drive more clicks even with lower impressions. - Pin titles and designs must include context, audience, and differentiators. - Trends and seasonal timing directly impact pin performance. - Boards need to be niche specific to reinforce keyword relevance. - AI content increases competition which makes specificity even more important. Connect with Laura Piper Website | Instagram | Pinterest Get your copy of Laura's Food and Drink Trends Guide

Megan chats with Kim Cauti and Reed Dunn about what happens inside the Eat Blog Talk Inner Circle and how it helps bloggers gain clarity, connection, and momentum. The Eat Blog Talk Inner Circle is a supportive community for food bloggers who crave more focus, accountability, and connection. Inside, you'll connect with like-minded creators, stay motivated through weekly check-ins, and gain fresh ideas through group discussions and expert insights. With a private Slack space, live calls, and collaborative opportunities, this is a flexible, encouraging environment designed to help you grow your blog with clarity, consistency, and confidence. This episode gives a behind the scenes look at the Inner Circle experience through real member voices. If you are feeling isolated, overwhelmed, or stuck in your blogging business, this conversation shows how the right community can provide clarity, accountability, and faster progress without adding pressure or complexity. Key Topics Discussed: - Blogging alone can create blind spots and make it harder to move your business forward. - Getting direct answers from experienced bloggers saves time and prevents you from relying on outdated or generic advice. - Having built in accountability through weekly goals and focus calls helps you consistently follow through on important work. - Learning from real data and real experiences gives you better direction than testing everything on your own. - Being in a supportive and safe environment allows you to make clearer decisions and act with confidence. - You do not need to be at a certain level to benefit from the Inner Circle, because everyone brings valuable insight to the group. Connect with the Inner Circle Website Guests on this episode: Reed Dunn - Pesto and Potatoes Kim Cauti - Pretty Delicious Life Taryn Solie - Hot Pan Kitchen

Megan chats with Josh Gale about using Facebook to unlock a powerful new revenue stream through consistent content, smart reposting, and platform specific strategy. Bio: Josh, creator of The Chef Out West, is a rapidly growing content creator with a booming social media presence. In just eight months, he has grown his audience to 325K on Instagram and 512K on Facebook, gaining thousands of new followers daily. He also runs a Substack community of 23K subscribers, built in only five months. With recent Facebook monetization generating over $10,000 in a single month from views alone, Josh brings valuable insight into high-performing content and audience growth. His platforms reached approximately 50 million views on Facebook, 44 million on Instagram, and 150K on Substack in the past month, making him a compelling voice on content strategy and growth. This episode breaks open a major opportunity most food bloggers are overlooking. Facebook is quietly paying creators for views, and the barrier to entry is lower than you think. If you are relying heavily on brand deals or struggling to scale revenue, this conversation gives you a clear path to diversify income using content you are already creating. Key Topics Discussed: - Facebook monetization is accessible with relatively low thresholds. - View based revenue can scale quickly with consistent posting. - Posting multiple times daily increases chances of viral reach. - Repurposing and re editing old content drives new growth. - Longer videos generate higher earnings per view. - Consistency matters more than perfection. Guest Details Connect with Josh Gale Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Chris Pieta about using AI strategically to streamline workflows, improve content quality, and grow your blog without sacrificing your voice or credibility. Chris Pieta runs the operations and AI side of Food Blog Coaching, founded by his wife Kayla Burton, where they help food bloggers turn their blogs into thriving businesses and become confident entrepreneurs. They also run the food blog Broken Oven Baking Company together. What they teach in FBC, they first test and refine on their own blog. Chris has been using and testing AI in his businesses since 2022 and has been building AI-powered workflows and tools specifically for food bloggers. Previously he ran a photo and video agency and coached creatives on business. AI is already reshaping how food bloggers create, publish, and grow. This episode cuts through the noise and shows experienced bloggers how to actually use AI in a way that saves time, improves output, and strengthens their brand instead of diluting it. If you want to stay competitive without sacrificing quality or trust, this conversation matters. Key Topics Discussed: Treat AI as an assistant that handles repetitive tasks, not a replacement for your voice. Better prompts with clear goals, context, and constraints produce dramatically better results. Context profiles are the fastest way to create personalized, high quality AI outputs. The real value of AI comes from building repeatable systems, not one off tasks. Avoid generic AI content at all costs or you will lose audience trust quickly. Strong personal branding will matter more than ever as AI content increases online. Connect with Chris Pieta Website | Instagram Resources Coaching & Community for Food Bloggers Ideal Reader Profile Generator Free Blogging Tips Newsletter

Megan chats with Martin Glover about building a sustainable food blog when time is limited and the industry feels uncertain. Martin Glover is a dad, home cook, and the main chef in his household who is passionate about proving that anyone can create great food without being overly fancy. Through Dad What Cooks, he shares approachable recipes for BBQ, bread, and pizza while keeping a close eye on the budget, showing families that delicious, satisfying meals don't have to be expensive or complicated. If you are balancing a full time job, family life, and constant industry changes, this episode will show you how to focus, simplify, and keep moving forward without burning out. Martin shares practical systems that help him grow traffic steadily while keeping blogging fun and manageable. Key Topics Discussed: -Work with the time you have, not the time you wish you had. -Focus on what is already working and double down. -Use AI as a strategist and editor, not a replacement. -Refresh and improve old posts before chasing new ones. -Stop chasing every platform and commit to a few core channels. -Publish now, refine later, and let progress beat perfection. Connect with Martin Glover Website | Instagram