How to Monetize a Recipe Blog and Mix Up a Sweet Profit

So you’ve mastered the basics of blogging, now it’s time to make some money with your recipe blog.

Trust me, monetizing your blog is going to be a blast!

Whether you’re just starting out or you’re already a pro, these monetization methods will turn your hobby into a full-time business. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at each one.

1. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is the best monetization method for recipe bloggers because it hits the sweet spot between time investment and earning potential.

Affiliate marketing is a form of advertising where a publisher (the site owner) links to a product in their content and earns a commission from the advertiser (the affiliate program) if readers click on that link and make a purchase.

Also, since you can add links to your existing content, it’s the perfect method for beginners. You’ve already written content, so you’ve already done the hard part.

How to Start Affiliate Marketing for Recipe Bloggers

When it comes to recommending affiliate products in the recipe blogging niche, there are several options to consider:

• Cookware and kitchen tools: From high-quality pots and pans to innovative kitchen gadgets, there are plenty of affiliate opportunities in this category.
• Specialty ingredients: Unique or hard-to-find ingredients can be a great option for affiliate recommendations, especially if they tie into specific recipes or cuisines.
• Cookbooks and meal plans: Recommending cookbooks or meal planning resources can be a natural fit for recipe bloggers looking to provide additional value to their audience.
• Food delivery services: Partnering with meal kit companies or specialty food delivery services can be a convenient way to monetize a recipe blog while providing a useful service to readers.

Once you’ve identified which products will solve problems for your readers, you need to sign up for their affiliate programs.

You should start by joining the Amazon Associates affiliate program.

Most physical products in the recipe niche will be available on Amazon, and the conversion rate on Amazon is insane.

Yes, Amazon’s commission rates are rough, and they only offer a 24-hour cookie duration, but the conversion rate makes up for it. Plus, you’re nearly guaranteed to get accepted into their program.

For products that aren’t available on Amazon, just Google “[Product] affiliate program,” and you’ll find their program’s signup page.

To save you some time, here are a few of the best affiliate networks for recipe bloggers:

1. Rachael Ray

   

   Commission Rate: 5% Per Sale

   Cookie Duration: 30 Days

   The Rachael Ray Store sells a beautiful assortment of cookware, cookbooks, dinnerware, bakeware, and more.

2. Ketoconnect

   

   Commission Rate: 40% Per Sale

   Cookie Duration: 90 Days

   KetoConnect is a globally recognized brand for its authenticity and quality content towards improving health and fitness through a keto diet.

3. Cuisinart

   

   Commission Rate: 10% Per Sale

   Cookie Duration: 45 Days

   Cuisineart sells various kitchen appliances and tools. Get a 10% commission rate and 45-day cookie duration with their affiliate program!

Once you’ve been approved for the product’s affiliate program, the program will give you your affiliate link, and you can start inserting it into your content.

How To Monetize A Recipe Blog With Affiliate Marketing

To add your link to your content, go to your post editor, highlight the relevant text, and insert the link.

Here are a few best practices for adding affiliate links to your WordPress blog:

• Add links where it’s helpful. Adding too many links to your blog posts is just like adding too many ads; it’s annoying. Add links to product titles, images, CTA buttons, and the first time you mention a product. That’s plenty.
• Disclose your links. Every blog post with affiliate links should have a disclaimer at the beginning, and every CTA or product image should also.
• Use direct sales language. When you are writing your call to action, be direct. It’s not rude to say, “Check the price” or “Buy this product today.” Being too passive makes you look unconfident.

Or, take it a step further by creating product displays.

You Can Double Your Affiliate Sales With Lasso Displays

You can create displays manually using the post editor to add links to images and buttons.

However, it can be time-consuming to create these displays and keep them updated if you’re doing it all by hand.

Luckily, monetizing your blog with affiliate links is simplified when you’re using a tool like Lasso.

Lasso makes it super easy to add links and product displays to your posts. You can add product displays to posts right from the post editor; no coding is required. It’s as simple as clicking your mouse three times.

You can also automatically import product info from retailers like Amazon. Just paste the link into the Lasso dashboard, and Lasso will populate the display with the product title, image, and price.

With all of this, remember to follow the guidelines in the affiliate program’s terms and conditions. Amazon, in particular, is pretty stringent.

But everything Lasso does is compliant with Amazon Associates’ TOS, so you never have to worry about being booted from the program.

That’s just scratching the surface of what Lasso can do to help you monetize your recipe blog. If you’re ready to start making a serious affiliate income from your recipe site, sign up for Lasso today.

Affiliate Marketing Pros and Cons for Recipe Bloggers

Affiliate marketing can be a great way for bloggers to monetize their content. By promoting products or services related to their niche, bloggers can earn a commission on sales made through their affiliate links. This can provide a steady stream of passive income.

However, there are also some cons to consider. One potential downside is the need to strike a balance between promoting products and maintaining authenticity. Overly promotional content can turn off readers and damage the blogger's reputation. Additionally, affiliate marketing success often requires a significant amount of time and effort to build a loyal audience and establish trust.

In conclusion, while affiliate marketing can offer a valuable revenue stream for bloggers, it's important to approach it thoughtfully and with the audience's best interests in mind. By carefully selecting products to promote, being transparent about affiliate relationships, and providing genuine value to readers, bloggers can navigate the pros and cons of affiliate marketing successfully.

2. Display Ads

The second best way to monetize your recipe blog is with display ads. Ads are the internet's favorite monetization method, but they have severe drawbacks.

How to Monetize a Recipe Blog With Display Ads

Monetizing a recipe blog with display ads couldn’t be easier.

First, choose an ad network to join. Networks have traffic requirements, so here are the best ad networks to join based on your site’s page views:

• 100,000+ Visitors per month - Raptive
• 50,000+ Sessions per month - Mediavine
• < 50,000+ Visitors per month - Ezoic

Once you’re accepted to an ad network, follow their instructions to integrate their ads into your site. They will have documentation for every type of content management service (WordPress, Joomla, Ghost, etc.).

If your chosen ad network has a dedicated accounts manager, they will guide you through getting their ads on your site.

And… that’s it. Let the ads run and wait for your deposits to hit your account.

Display Ad Pros And Cons For Recipe Bloggers

Display ads can be a great way for recipe bloggers to monetize their content. They are easy to set up and can generate passive income as visitors interact with the ads. Additionally, display ads can provide a steady stream of revenue, which can be especially beneficial for bloggers who are just starting out and looking to establish a consistent income stream.

On the flip side, display ads can sometimes detract from the overall user experience on a recipe blog. They can be distracting and take away from the visual appeal of the site. Additionally, some users may find display ads intrusive and may be turned off from visiting the blog again.

Another potential downside of display ads is that they may not always be relevant to the content of the recipe blog, which can lead to a disconnect between the ads and the blog's focus. This can result in a less cohesive overall user experience and may impact the blog's credibility and trustworthiness.

In conclusion, recipe bloggers should carefully weigh the pros and cons of display ads before implementing them on their blogs. While they can provide a valuable source of income, bloggers should consider the potential impact on user experience and the overall cohesion of their content.

3. Digital Products

Selling your own digital products is a great way to increase your earnings per visitor in the recipe niche.

A digital product is anything you can sell on your recipe blog that the customer will receive via download.

Here are some digital products to sell on a recipe blog:

• Recipe e-books: Create and sell downloadable recipe e-books with themed collections or specific dietary focuses.
• Meal planning templates: Offer customizable meal planning templates to help organize and streamline cooking and grocery shopping.
• Cooking video tutorials: Develop and sell access to exclusive cooking video tutorials featuring unique recipes and techniques.
• Recipe app subscriptions: Provide access to a recipe app with premium content and features for a monthly or yearly subscription fee.

A lot of people search for simple checklists and guides related to different topics. They’d happily pay you for them.

Pros and Cons of Selling Digital Products for Recipe Bloggers

One of the main advantages of selling digital products as a recipe blogger is the potential for passive income. Once you create and set up your digital products, such as e-books or online courses, they can continue to generate revenue without much ongoing effort.

Another pro is the ability to reach a wider audience. By selling digital products, you can connect with people all over the world who are interested in your recipes and cooking expertise, expanding your reach beyond just your blog audience.

On the downside, creating high-quality digital products requires time and effort. From recipe development to design and marketing, it can be a significant investment of resources before you start seeing a return.

Additionally, selling digital products may require you to navigate technical aspects such as e-commerce platforms and digital file delivery, which can be a learning curve for some bloggers.

How To Monetize a Recipe Blog By Selling Digital Products

The first thing to do is create your digital product.

Look at which content your audience interacts with the most, and brainstorm digital products to help serve their search intent.

That’s what I did when I created our Ultimate Blogging Guide:

Then, create the product using whatever tools are at your disposal. For example, use Microsoft Word to create an ebook PDF, or Google Sheets to create interactive spreadsheets and checklists.

Next, you have to figure out how to distribute your product. The easiest way to distribute PDFs is by uploading them to your WordPress media library. Then you can give customers the link, and they can download the PDF from there.

Lastly, you’ll have to set up payment processing and order fulfillment. A plugin like Woocommerce can automate most of this, but you’ll have to tie it to a processor like Stripe or PayPal.

Woocommerce can even connect to an email tool like ConvertKit, so as soon as your customer finishes their checkout, they’ll get an email with a link to their download.

Barring any issues, you won’t have to do anything but watch your bank account grow.

4. Email Newsletter

One effective way to monetize a recipe blog is by creating an email newsletter. This method allows you to build a loyal audience and engage with your readers on a more personal level. Let's explore how to monetize a recipe blog with an email newsletter and the pros and cons of email marketing for recipe bloggers.

Before we dive into the specific strategies for monetizing a recipe blog, let's talk about email newsletters. An email newsletter is a regular email that is sent out to subscribers with updates, news, and special offers. This is a great way for recipe bloggers to connect with their audience and build a loyal following.

How to Monetize a Recipe Blog with an Email Newsletter

One way to monetize a recipe blog with an email newsletter is by including affiliate links to products or ingredients mentioned in your recipes. You can also offer exclusive content or recipes to subscribers who sign up for your newsletter. Additionally, you can sell ad space in your newsletter to relevant brands or businesses.

Pros and Cons of Email Marketing for Recipe Bloggers

• Pros: Email newsletters allow you to build a loyal audience, promote products, and drive traffic to your blog. They also provide a direct line of communication with your readers.
• Cons: Building and maintaining an email list takes time and effort. You'll also need to find the right balance between promotional content and valuable, engaging content to keep subscribers interested.

5. Consulting and Coaching Services

Consulting or coaching is exchanging your expertise and time for a fee. Your customers need an expert, and you’ve proven yourself to be that expert.

As you become an authority in the industry, people will reach out to you with questions about topics they consider you an expert in.

Now, you don’t have to charge for being helpful, but you should place a dollar value on your time.

As a recipe blogger, you extensive knowledge of the industry. If a reader reaches out to you asking for help, you should get paid for that effort.

How To Monetize A Recipe Blog With Consulting Services

Monetizing a recipe blog with consulting services is similar to selling sponsored posts.

Put a “Coaching” option in your nav bar that goes to a landing page outlining your consulting services and your hourly rate. This will help head off some of the people looking for free advice.

Then, wait for requests to come in, evaluate them, and propose your offer. If the customer accepts, send them an invoice using PayPal or another payment processor, and schedule the call.

Pros and Cons of Selling Consulting Services for Recipe Bloggers

One of the major pros of selling consulting services to recipe bloggers is the potential for a steady income stream. Many bloggers are eager to improve their skills and are willing to pay for expert advice and guidance.

Another advantage is the opportunity to build a strong reputation within the food blogging community. By helping bloggers create high-quality content and improve their recipes, you can establish yourself as an industry expert and attract more clients.

On the flip side, a potential con of selling consulting services to recipe bloggers is the need to constantly stay updated with the latest food trends and techniques. This can require a significant time investment to ensure you are providing valuable and relevant advice to your clients.

Additionally, some bloggers may have unrealistic expectations or be resistant to change, making it challenging to effectively advise and guide them. It's important to be prepared for potential roadblocks and have the patience and perseverance to navigate them.

Recipe Blog Monetization FAQs

What Is The Best Way To Make Money From Recipe Blogging?

If you want to build a successful recipe blog, then affiliate marketing is the best way to monetize it. It’s the least intrusive way to make a lot of money from your site without much extra effort.

Can I Make A Full-Time Income From Recipe Blogging?

Absolutely! Some recipe blogs, like Delish and Epicurious get hundreds of thousands of monthly visitors. That’s enough for a full-time income for a small team of people.

How Do I Start a Recipe Blog?

Learning how to start a recipe blog is the first best way to use your expertise to start an online business.

You need to register a domain, install WordPress, and publish great content. It's a lot of work, but totally worth it!

How Do Recipe Bloggers Get Paid?

Most recipe bloggers make money through affiliate commissions and advertising fees. Both of these monetization methods pay out one or two months after the fees have been generated.

Some recipe bloggers also sell sponsored posts, consulting services, or their own products. In these cases, a payment processor like PayPal or Stripe is necessary.

Is Recipe Blogging Easy?

Nothing worth doing is truly easy, but that doesn’t mean recipe blogging isn’t fun.

As a recipe blogger, you’ll get to go places, try new things, and meet new people. And it will be part of your business! What could be cooler than that?

Is It Worth Starting A Recipe Blog?

It’s absolutely worth it to start a recipe blog. Not only can you make a living from it, but you can also build a community and control the conversation.

Once you’re an established authority, people in recipe-related industries will take you seriously.

Final Thoughts on Monetizing a Recipe Blog

Now that you know all the different ways you can monetize your recipe blog step-by-step, I have one bonus tip for you:

Use multiple monetization methods!

Diversifying your income streams is the best way to protect your business’s future.

If you promote affiliate offers, use display ads, and sell your own products, it won’t destroy your company if Amazon cuts its commission rates again.

With this multi-tiered approach, hard work, and careful planning, you’ll be on the fast track to earning what your online business deserves.

Why You Should Trust Our Recipe Blogging Content

You may be thinking, "that's all great, but what does Lasso know about recipe blogging?"

Quite a lot, actually.

Here's why you can trust our process for building a successful recipe blog:

We've Built Wildly Successful Blogs

Lasso is built for affiliate marketers, by affiliate marketers. We're not gurus; we've walked the walk.

Our team members have built multiple blogs from the ground up, some of them earning over seven figures in revenue.

We put that experience into every guide we write, so you can trust we're giving you a process that works.

We Talk To Recipe Bloggers Every Day

Lasso's WordPress plugin is installed on over 8,000 websites, including a lot of recipe blogs.

Our team supports those bloggers every day as they create awesome content and earn lots of money.

These communications give us a bird's-eye view of what's new in the recipe industry. We take that information and use it to keep these guides as up-to-date and accurate as possible.

We're Super Nerds

We've put a lot of company focus into learning everything we can about blogging, affiliate marketing, SEO, and anything to do with online entrepreneurship.

We attend conferences, collect high-level contacts, read tons of books, and distill all of that information into our content. We pass information onto you that was previously only available to industry insiders.