How To Start a Delicious Cooking Blog and Serve Up Tempting Treats

If you love cooking and want to turn it into a side hustle or even a full-time gig, starting a cooking blog is the way to go.

Successful cooking bloggers earn thousands every month just by sharing their experiences. So, why not give it a shot?

In this post, I'll show you how to create a cooking blog that connects with readers and brings in some cash.

If you're ready to become a cooking blogging pro, let's dive in!

Cooking Blogging Basics

Starting a cooking blog can be a really fun and rewarding experience, but it's important to know what you're getting into.

Here are a few basic things to keep in mind before diving in:

What Is a Cooking Blog?

A cooking blog is a website where individuals share their recipes, cooking tips, and food-related experiences with others. It serves as a platform for food enthusiasts to showcase their culinary skills and connect with a community of like-minded individuals.

These blogs often feature a wide range of recipes, from quick and easy meals to elaborate gourmet dishes. They provide detailed step-by-step instructions, accompanied by mouth-watering photos, to guide readers in recreating the recipes at home.

Additionally, cooking blogs may include articles on various cooking techniques, ingredient substitutions, and kitchen equipment recommendations. They also offer personal anecdotes, food stories, and product reviews, adding a personal touch to the content.

Whether you're a beginner cook looking for simple recipes or a seasoned chef in search of culinary inspiration, a cooking blog is a valuable resource that can help you explore new flavors, expand your cooking repertoire, and connect with a vibrant online community of food lovers.

Why Should You Start a Cooking Blog?

Starting a cooking blog can be a rewarding experience for several reasons:

• Share your passion: Starting a cooking blog allows you to share your love for cooking with others. You can showcase your favorite recipes, cooking techniques, and culinary creations.
• Build a community: Through your cooking blog, you can connect with like-minded individuals who share your interest in food. You can engage with your readers, exchange tips and ideas, and create a community of food enthusiasts.
• Inspire others: By sharing your cooking journey and documenting your culinary experiments, you can inspire others to get into the kitchen and try new recipes. Your blog can be a source of motivation for novice cooks who are looking to improve their skills.
• Develop your cooking skills: Running a cooking blog requires you to constantly explore new recipes and techniques. This process can help you expand your culinary repertoire and refine your cooking skills. You'll always be on the lookout for exciting and delicious recipes to share with your audience.
• Opportunity for creativity: A cooking blog provides a platform for you to unleash your creativity in the kitchen. You can experiment with different flavor combinations, presentation styles, and even fusion cuisine. Your blog can become a canvas for your culinary creations.

Finding Your Cooking Niche

You’re probably thinking, 'I already picked a niche! Cooking' But for the purposes of blogging, that’s not nearly specific enough, at least in the beginning. If you want your blog to succeed, you need to niche down.

Why Choosing a Niche is Important

Choosing a cooking niche is important for a number of reasons.

First, it makes it easier for readers to find your content and for search engines to rank it. If your blog is too broad, it will be hard to compete with other established cooking bloggers and get organic traffic.

Second, having a specific niche will help you establish yourself as an expert in that area. Readers will come to trust your opinion and recommendations, and you'll be able to build a loyal following.

Finally, having a cooking niche will also make it easier for you to come up with content ideas. Rather than trying to cover every aspect of cooking, you can focus on the specific topics and recipes that your readers are most interested in.

How to Choose a Cooking Blog Niche

Choosing a cooking blog niche can be an exciting and important decision for aspiring food bloggers. With so many options to choose from, it's essential to find a niche that not only aligns with your passion but also has the potential to attract and engage your target audience. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect cooking blog niche:

• Identify your passion: Think about the type of cooking you enjoy the most. Is it baking, grilling, vegetarian, or international cuisine? Identifying your passion will help you stay motivated and enthusiastic about your blog.
• Research popular trends: Look for current food trends and popular dishes that are gaining traction. This will give you an idea of what people are interested in and help you stay relevant in the ever-changing culinary world.
• Consider your expertise: Assess your cooking skills and knowledge. Do you have expertise in a specific cuisine or technique? Sharing your expertise can help you establish credibility and attract a dedicated audience.
• Identify your target audience: Think about who you want to reach with your blog. Are you targeting beginners, health-conscious individuals, or food enthusiasts? Understanding your target audience will help you tailor your content and create a more meaningful connection.
• Find a unique angle: Differentiate yourself from other cooking blogs by finding a unique angle or niche within your chosen category. It could be focusing on budget-friendly recipes, quick and easy meals, or specific dietary restrictions.
• Test and refine: Once you have chosen a niche, start creating content and pay attention to the response from your audience. Take feedback into account and refine your niche if necessary. Remember, it's a learning process, and your blog can evolve over time.

By following these tips, you can confidently choose a cooking blog niche that aligns with your passion, expertise, and target audience. Happy blogging!

We’ve written extensively about niche research for bloggers, but you should look for these qualities in your final choice:

• A mix of big and small competitors. If the niche doesn’t have big sites, there isn’t much money to be made. If there aren’t small sites, you won’t be able to compete.
• Income potential. A healthy mix of affiliate offers, display ads, and original products will allow you to diversify your income.
• Keywords and link-building opportunities. You’ll do more extensive keyword research later, so right now you’re just looking for content gaps. Are there keywords you could realistically rank for and get traffic early?

Popular Cooking Blog Niches

When it comes to popular cooking blog niches, there are several options to choose from. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a beginner in the kitchen, there's a niche that caters to your interests and culinary skills.

One popular cooking blog niche is healthy cooking. This niche focuses on creating nutritious and balanced meals that are not only delicious but also good for your health. From gluten-free recipes to vegan and paleo options, this niche covers a wide range of dietary preferences.

Another popular cooking blog niche is international cuisine. If you have a passion for exploring different cultures through food, this niche is for you. From Italian pasta dishes to spicy Indian curries, you can share your love for global flavors and introduce your readers to new and exciting recipes.

Baking and pastry is another niche that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. From decadent cakes to delicate pastries, this niche allows you to showcase your baking skills and share tips and tricks for achieving the perfect bake. Whether you're a fan of classic desserts or experimental creations, there's a wide audience eager to learn from your expertise.

Quick and easy meals is a niche that caters to busy individuals who want to prepare delicious meals without spending hours in the kitchen. From 30-minute recipes to one-pot wonders, this niche focuses on providing simple and time-saving solutions for everyday cooking.

Other subniches in the cooking niche include:

• Vegetarian and vegan cooking: Sharing plant-based recipes and tips for a meat-free lifestyle.
• Comfort food: Celebrating nostalgic and comforting dishes that bring joy and warmth.
• Grilling and barbecuing: Exploring the art of outdoor cooking and mastering the grill.
• Meal prepping: Providing strategies and recipes for preparing meals in advance for busy schedules.
• Dessert recipes: Focusing solely on sweet treats and indulgent desserts.

With so many cooking blog niches to choose from, you can find one that aligns with your passion and expertise. Whether you're interested in healthy cooking, international cuisine, baking, or quick and easy meals, there's a niche waiting for you to share your culinary adventures with the world.

Planning Out Your Cooking Blog

So you've picked a niche for your blog, that's amazing! But don't forget,'failing to plan is planning to fail.'

Before you run off and start posting, let's take a moment to plan out your business strategy.

Set Your Blog Goals

Setting goals for your Cooking blog is essential to its success. It gives you direction and helps you stay focused on what matters most.

When setting your goals, it's important to consider your audience, your niche, and what you realistically hope to achieve.

This can include things like increasing your readership, building your email list, or monetizing your blog.

By setting clear and achievable goals for your cooking blog, you'll be able to create content that resonates with your audience, establish yourself as an authority in your niche, and achieve the success you're looking for.

Define Your Target Audience

To start a successful cooking blog, it is essential to define your target audience. Knowing who your audience is will help you tailor your content and engage with them effectively. Here are some steps to define your target audience:

1. Identify the main demographic: Determine the age, gender, location, and other key characteristics of the people you want to reach with your cooking blog.

2. Research their interests and preferences: Find out what types of recipes, cuisines, or cooking techniques your target audience is interested in. This will help you create content that they will find valuable and engaging.

3. Understand their skill level: Consider whether your target audience consists of beginner cooks, experienced home cooks, or professional chefs. This will affect the complexity and level of detail in your recipes and tutorials.

4. Identify their pain points: Determine the challenges or problems your target audience faces in the kitchen. By addressing these pain points in your blog posts, you can provide solutions and establish yourself as a helpful resource.

5. Determine their preferred platforms: Find out which social media platforms or websites your target audience frequents. This will help you prioritize your promotional efforts and connect with them where they are most active.

6. Consider their motivations: Understand why your target audience is interested in cooking. Are they looking to improve their health, impress their friends, or simply enjoy delicious meals? Knowing their motivations will help you create content that resonates with them.

7. Engage with your audience: Actively interact with your target audience through comments, social media, and email. Ask for feedback, respond to their questions, and use their input to refine your content and grow your blog.

By defining your target audience, you can create a cooking blog that caters to their specific needs and interests. This will increase your chances of building a loyal following and establishing yourself as an authority in the culinary world.

Do Your Keyword Research

Keyword research is an important aspect of creating content for your Food blog. It helps you understand the phrases and questions people use to search for information on the topic you're writing about. That way, you can use those phrases and questions to optimize your content for search engines.

Identify the keywords that are most relevant to your niche. These are your “seed keywords.”

Seed keywords are broad terms used to generate super-specific long-tail keywords.

• Recipes
• Cooking techniques
• Meal planning
• Dietary restrictions
• Baking
• Cooking tools and equipment
• Healthy eating
• Meal prep
• Culinary traditions
• Food presentation

Take your seed keywords and feed them into your keyword tool of choice. I like using Ahrefs.

Add them to the report and hit search. Then, go to “Keyword Ideas” and click “Matching Terms.”

This list will contain thousands of possible terms for you to write about. I recommend targeting the lowest-volume keywords possible, no matter the traffic.

When you first start your cooking blog, it’ll be hard to get traffic. But you can get it by targeting keywords that other site owners ignore.

By doing your keyword research, you can improve your chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages and attracting more traffic to your Food blog.

How to Start a Cooking Blog | Step-by-Step Guide

Now that you're done with the business plan, let's get to the fun part.

Here's how to start a Cooking blog:

Step 1. Pick a Blogging Platform

Choosing the right blogging platform is crucial for the success of your Cooking blog.

I strongly recommend building your blog with WordPress. It’s open-source, so your blog won't be dependent on a private company, and it’s fully customizable.

Some bloggers are intimidated by the number of features WordPress offers, but the best way to learn is just to jump in and start.

Here are some other options to consider:

• Blogger: A free platform owned by Google. Offers simple templates and easy integration with Google AdSense for monetization.
• Squarespace: A premium platform known for its design-centric approach. Offers visually appealing templates and in-depth customization options along with integrated eCommerce solutions for monetization.
• Wix: A free platform with a drag-and-drop website builder and customizable templates. Offers e-commerce options for selling products.

Consider the features, ease of use, and cost when choosing a platform that fits your needs. Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it's important to do your research before making a decision.

Step 2. Register a Domain Name

Registering a domain name gives your blog a unique online identity. When choosing a domain name for your cooking blog, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Make it easy to remember
• Keep it short and sweet
• Include your main keyword
• Avoid using numbers and hyphens

Also, please don’t create an exact-match domain name, like deliciousrecipesblog.com.

It’s limiting, has terrible branding potential, and just looks amateurish. You can do much better.

Instead, spend some time brainstorming cooking blog names that have the following:

1. A keyword related to your niche
2. A feeling, emotion, or quality you want your website to communicate
3. Three words or less

So, instead of the example used above, you could use one of these:

• SavoryDelights.com
• FlavorfulPassion.com
• TastyJourneys.com
• DeliciousBliss.com
• YummyInspiration.com

All of those are available at the time I’m writing this, and all would be easy to build a brand around (not to mention better for Search Engine Optimization or SEO).

You can also use a domain name generator tool for inspiration.

Once you have a few ideas for a domain name, you can check if they are available using a domain registrar.

Many services can help you register a domain name, but I recommend getting one from your hosting provider. (They usually include a free domain name when you buy hosting.)

When you find the perfect domain name, register it right away before someone else takes it.

Step 3. Secure Reliable Hosting

Once you’ve chosen a domain name, you have to purchase website hosting to make your cooking blog accessible online. (As I mentioned earlier, you can usually purchase both simultaneously.)

Website hosting is a service that allows your website to be stored on a server and accessed by Internet users.

Here are some popular website hosts for cooking blogs:

• WP Engine: I host all my sites with WP Engine. It's lightning quick and super easy to use. I've tried almost every shared hosting provider, and WP Engine is by far the best.
• Kinsta: A premium hosting provider known for its high performance and managed WordPress hosting solutions.
• Hostgator: A popular host that offers affordable pricing and easy WordPress integration.

After you’ve chosen and registered your domain (following the instructions from your hosting company), you’re ready to install WordPress and start building your site.

Step 4. Install WordPress

The first step to setting up your cooking site is to install WordPress.

Any legitimate host these days will offer automated WordPress installation with the click of a button. Follow their instructions, and reach out to their support if you get stuck.

Once you’ve installed WordPress, go to your WordPress Admin Dashboard and start customizing your site.

Step 5. Pick a Theme for Your Cooking Blog

When choosing a theme for your website, it's essential to consider your niche and target audience. Your theme should reflect your content's style and tone while being visually appealing and easy to navigate.

There are thousands of themes available to choose from, both free and paid. These are the free themes I recommend for new bloggers:

• Carbonate - Carbonate is a simple WordPress theme designed for online businesses. It makes it easy to create a stunning niche website without all the fluff.
• GeneratePress - GeneratePress is one of the most popular WordPress themes on the market. It's lean, fast, and easy to customize. There's free and paid versions available.
• Kadence - Kadence is an extremely fast and lightweight theme, with a wide range of free customizations, although it does fall behind in updates from time to time.

You could also buy a premium theme, but free themes are fine in the beginning.

Step 6. Install Essential Plugins

A lot of people are afraid of plugins because they think more plugins will slow their site down.

However, any good plugin these days is built for speed, so you shouldn’t worry too much about it.

If you’re still worried about site speed, our Cloudflare review shows how to perfect it.

To install a new plugin, click on “Plugins” in your WordPress dashboard sidebar. Then, click on “Add New” and either upload a plugin ZIP file or search for free plugins in the WordPress Plugin Repository.

Here are a few plugins that I recommend for every new Cooking blog:

• Lasso Lite - The best way to insert product displays and affiliate links into your content is to use Lasso. Lasso Lite is the free version of Lasso and is great for new sites.
• Cloudflare - I recommend the paid Cloudflare plan, but even the free CDN will do wonders for your site speed.
• Imagify – Big images are the biggest thing that slows down websites, and an image optimization plugin like Imagify fixes them instantly.
• RankMath – RankMath is my favorite SEO plugin, but you could also use Yoast SEO or All-In-One SEO. SEO plugins provide guidelines rather than done-for-you solutions.

Now that you’ve installed and set up WordPress and your plugins, it’s time for some branding.

Step 7. Design Your Site

I’m not a web designer, but here are a few guidelines for beginners to create a professional-looking site:

• Use two colors: You only need two colors for your brand, a primary and an emphasis color. The emphasis color should contrast your primary color and only be used for CTA buttons. I use Coolors to quickly find a color palette that works for me.
• Use one or two fonts: You don’t want to overwhelm your audience. A tried and true technique is to use one font for your headings and one for your body text. It also helps to have one serif font and one sans serif font, so they stand apart. Fontpair is a great tool for this.
• Start with a text logo: Too many marketers get hung up on details like logos. You don’t even know what your site is going to be yet. Give your brand time to develop by starting with a simple text logo.

Don’t worry too much about your site’s design in the early stages. You can change all this stuff later when sales start coming in.

Step 8. Set Up Your Basic Blog Pages

You'll need to create a few key pages before you can start publishing awesome Cooking content.

The first page is your homepage, which should introduce your blog and give readers an idea of what they can expect to find on your site.

You should also create an "About" page, which provides more information about you and your blog. This is a great place to share your story and give readers a sense of your personality.

Another important page is the "Contact" page, which makes it easy for readers to get in touch with you. You can include a simple contact form or provide your email address and social media links.

You can create these pages by using your blogging platform's built-in categories or by creating custom pages that link to your posts.

By providing readers with clear navigation and easy access to your content, you'll be on your way to building a loyal following.

Step 9. Write Your First Blog Posts

Once you've set up your blog and have a clear idea of what you want to write about, it's time to start publishing your first blog posts.

Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Choose a topic you're passionate about and that your audience will find interesting. Research what's already out there and offer a fresh perspective or unique insights.
2. Plan out your post by creating an outline or mind map. This will help you stay focused and ensure that your post flows logically.
3. Write your post in a conversational tone and avoid using jargon or overly technical language. Use short paragraphs and sentences to make your post easy to read and scan.
4. Include images or other media to break up the text and make your post more visually appealing.
5. Use subheadings and bullet points to organize your content and make it easier to read.
6. Edit your post carefully for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Read it aloud to ensure it sounds natural and flows well.
7. Once you're happy with your post, hit the publish button! Share it on social media and other channels to get it to as many people as possible.

How to Write Great Cooking Blog Posts

Now that you officially have a site, it’s time to fill it with top-notch content.

You won’t get really good at it until you’ve done it for a while, so it’s best to write as much as possible in the early days

Here’s how to publish better cooking articles from day one.

Brainstorm Ideas

Coming up with great blog post ideas based on your niche and your audience's needs can be very tough.

What I like to do is start by writing word clouds with pen and paper. It helps me quickly move from one topic to the next without thinking about it.

Once I have a good list of topics, I organize the keywords and put them into Ahrefs. Then I prioritize my content production based on what I think I have the best chance of ranking for (and what sounds like the most fun to write about).

Build a Solid Framework

Before I ever write a blog post, I build an outline using Dynalist.

I look at what competitors have published for my keyword, write down my version of the headings, and move the structure around until the flow makes sense.

Not only does this give me a solid foundation to build my article upon, but it helps me pace my article. If I’ve written 300 words under an H3 heading, I need to wrap it up and move on to the next point.

If you establish solid guidelines, your posts will practically write themselves.

Write Without Stopping

Once you have an outline of where you want your article to go, it’s time to just sit down and write.

I like to shut out any distractions and write in silence, or put on very quiet music. It’s insane how quickly you can write when you don’t have anything else to think about.

You shouldn’t even care about quality when writing your first draft. Just get your words down on paper.

Once you’re finished, step away for a bit, then come back and start editing. Correct any grammar mistakes and make sure your ideas make sense (it helps to read the content out loud).

Optimize Your Content for On-Page SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your content to rank higher in search engine results.

Make sure you do these things when writing your cooking blog posts:

• Properly structure your headings. Headings are like a map that search engines like Google use to decipher what your content is about. Make sure your headings make sense (nest smaller ideas under larger ideas), and that you’ve included keywords.
• Use your target keyword naturally and often. It’s common knowledge that keyword stuffing doesn’t work anymore, but it’s still important to use your target keyword often. It will help your readers stay on track and help search engines better understand what you’re talking about.
• Add Photos and Videos. Images and videos increase the time readers spend on your page. That signals to Google that your article fits what readers are looking for. They also break up a post and allow your readers to breathe before reading the rest of the article.
• Promote the post immediately after publishing. There’s some disagreement about whether traffic is a ranking factor, but I’ve definitely had faster rankings when I got early traffic to my blog posts. And, if you have a mailing list, your subscribers want to know about your content anyway!

Use AI to Speed Things Up

At the time I'm writing this, AI still isn't able to replace a skilled, knowledgable writer.

But it's getting really close.

As AI tools continue to improve, you're going to find more and more content online that's produced without a human writer. And that content will rank in Google. There's no consolation prize for human-written content.

For the time being, here's my advice; use AI to write the first draft of your content. Then edit it thoroughly before publishing.

To get the best AI content out of the gate, I recommend Copy.AI.

Out of all the AI writing tools I've tested (which is a lot), Copy.AI produces the best, most natural content, and also has the most reasonable pricing.

Promoting Your Cooking Blog

Once you publish a blog post, you need to promote it.

Seriously, most cooking bloggers post and pray. If you use even one of these promotional methods, you’re doing more than 99% of the competition.

Make the Most of Social Media

Social media and blogging go hand-in-hand. Social media can be a game changer, especially in the cooking niche, where readers care about the person behind the blog.

I don’t recommend spending all day on Twitter, but comment on popular threads, respond to outreach and share helpful things.

Also, shout out when you have a new blog post! Your followers want to know when you put out new content.

Build an Email List for Cooking Enthusiasts

There’s a reason why email marketing is the only form of online marketing that’s barely changed in the past 15 years. It works.

It’s also challenging. Most cooking blogs ask readers to join their mailing lists, so give them a special reason to sign up for yours.

It could be a workout plan, equipment guide, or anything else that sets you apart from other cooking bloggers.

Why go through all this headache? Because anyone who signs up for your mailing list is devoted to what you have to say. These people are your congregation.

If you recommend a product to your mailing list, they’ll likely purchase it. At a bare minimum, send your new blog posts to your mailing list to pump up early traffic numbers.

Be ethical, but find things your mailing list will appreciate and sell, sell, sell!

Collaborate with Other Cooking Bloggers

As website owners, we tend to think of our competitors as enemies, which is a bit silly. When you think about it, they’re just like us, trying their best to hustle and make things work.

Instead of worrying about how other cooking bloggers will outrank you, reach out and see if you can work together.

If you build a network of small cooking bloggers who all promote each other’s content, you’ll stand a much better chance of competing with established cooking authorities.

Engaging in Cooking Communities

Join online communities related to your niche and engage with other members. This will help you establish yourself as an expert and build relationships with potential readers.

Monetizing Your Cooking Blog

Ok, so your blog is up and running, and you're gaining a following. How do you monetize a cooking blog?

Here are the best ways to earn a real income from your new cooking blog.

Affiliate Marketing

I recommend cooking bloggers start with affiliate marketing before any other monetization method.

I love affiliate marketing because it’s a low-effort way to monetize your website without ruining your reader’s experience.

To monetize your cooking blog with affiliate marketing, first, you have to identify products your audience will find helpful. Then, find the affiliate program for those products, and write thourough product reviews.

For beginners, I recommend focusing on the Amazon Associates affiliate program. The conversion rate is incredible, and you can diversify when your site is more successful.

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

Another way to find affiliate programs is by checking Lasso's database.

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

1. 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.

2. 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.

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 approved for your chosen affiliate program, add your affiliate link to products and images, and you’re good to go. You’ll earn a commission if a reader clicks on your link and makes a purchase.

If you're still wondering how to earn money with affiliate marketing, check out these affiliate marketing website examples for inspiration.

Earn More Affiliate Income With Lasso

If you want to take your affiliate marketing strategy to the next level, I recommend you sign up for Lasso.

Lasso is a WordPress plugin that helps affiliate marketers manage links and create product displays that convert.

All you need to do is paste the affiliate link in your Lasso dashboard, add some interesting sales copy, and you’re ready to insert that Display into your blog posts.

Your product displays could look like this one:

Great Displays Increase Conversions!

If you ever need to change the link, you can change it once in your Lasso dashboard, which will update the link across your entire website.

Lasso will also handle your link cloaking and attributes, so your site will always be optimized and compliant.

That’s not even mentioning things like Tables, Grids, Lists, Link Alerts, and more.

If you want to monetize your cooking blog the easy way, sign up for Lasso today.

Display Ads

Another great way to monetize your cooking blog is with display ads. Display ads use cookies to advertise products your readers will love, so it’s a very individualized experience.

Display ads are also the most passive way to monetize a cooking blog. You turn them on, configure the settings, and wait for the money to roll in.

The drawback to display ads is that nobody likes them. It’s why so many people install ad blockers in their browsers (which stop you from making money, by the way).

Here are the best ad networks to join based on your site’s page views:

• 50,000+ Visitors per month - Mediavine
• 10,000-50,000 Visitors per month - Ezoic
• <10,000 Visitors per month - Google Adsense / waiting to grow

Digital Products

Selling digital products is the easiest way to transition from advertising other people’s products to selling your own.

That’s a great step to take because it means instead of earning 3-8% of the profit, you’re taking 100% of the profit.

The drawback to selling anything is that you’re responsible for the bulk of the work. You need to provide customer service, handle returns, and find a way to process payments and distribute products.

High-potential digital products in the cooking blog niche:

• Recipe E-Books: Create and sell digital recipe books with unique and delicious recipes.
• Cooking Video Courses: Offer online cooking courses with step-by-step video tutorials for different cuisines or techniques.
• Meal Planning Apps: Develop apps that help users plan their meals, create shopping lists, and provide nutritional information.
• Recipe Subscription Boxes: Curate and deliver monthly boxes containing pre-measured ingredients and recipe cards for convenient cooking at home.
• Virtual Cooking Classes: Host live streaming cooking classes where participants can interact and learn from a professional chef.

Once you’ve created a digital product, connect a payment processor like Paypal or Stripe to your site with a plugin like Woocommerce.

Then you can use a tool like ConvertKit to automatically email the lead magnet to customers after they’ve finished checking out.

It’s a lot of work, but the extra profit is well worth it.

Consulting

Are you passionate about cooking? Well, guess what? You can turn your knowledge into a consulting service!

Imagine all the valuable insights you've gained from immersing yourself in the cooking world. Now, you can share that knowledge with your readers and offer them personalized consulting.

Here's the best part: your audience will let you know exactly what they need help with! As your blog grows, people will reach out, asking for guidance on specific techniques or recipes.

Why not offer them an hour of your time for just $100? It's a win-win situation. They get expert advice, and you get to share your passion while earning some extra income. Don't worry if they decline, it's just a small setback.

If you find you’re selling a lot of consulting services, you can even create a section of your site dedicated to your services.

FAQs on Starting a Cooking Blog

How Much Money Do Cooking Bloggers Make?

The income range for cooking bloggers is enormous. Many bloggers make no revenue, while some cooking blogs make over six figures per month. It all depends on traffic and how well you present your offers.

How Can I Monetize a Cooking Blog?

The best way to monetize a cooking blog is with affiliate marketing, but you can also use display ads, sell digital downloads, or even sell coaching services.

How Do Cooking Bloggers Get Paid?

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

Is Cooking Blogging Easy?

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

As a cooking 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 Cooking Blog?

It’s absolutely worth it to start a cooking 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 cooking-related industries will take you seriously.

Final Thoughts on Starting a Cooking Blog

So there you have it, my advice for anyone wondering how to start a cooking blog.

Starting a cooking blog can be tough. It takes time and effort before you start making money. You might even lose money in the first year. But trust me, it's worth it.

If you want to be a successful cooking blogger, just follow the tips in this guide, stay persistent, and publish content that you would enjoy reading. It's hard work, but you can definitely do it.

Remember, consistency is key. Engage with your readers and most importantly, have fun!

Why You Should Trust Our Cooking Blogging Content

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

Quite a lot, actually.

Here's why you can trust our process for building a successful cooking 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 Cooking Bloggers Every Day

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

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.