If you love food and want to turn it into a side hustle or even a full-time gig, starting a food blog is the way to go.
Successful food bloggers rake in thousands of dollars 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 food blog that connects with readers and brings in some cash.
If you're ready to become a food blogging pro, let's dive in!
Why You Can Trust Our Food Blogging Guide
Lasso is installed on over 8,000 websites, including many food blogs.
Our team has built multiple 7-figure blogs in a wide range of niches.
We have hands-on experience working with founders to grow and monetize their food blogs.
Food Blogging Basics
Starting a food 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 Food Blog?
A food blog is a website or online platform where individuals share their experiences, recipes, and opinions related to food. It serves as a hub for food enthusiasts to discover new recipes, learn cooking techniques, and explore different culinary cultures.
Food blogs often feature vibrant food photography, detailed step-by-step instructions, and personal anecdotes from the bloggers. They provide a platform for food lovers to connect, exchange ideas, and seek inspiration for their own culinary adventures.
Food bloggers are passionate about food and usually have extensive knowledge and expertise in various aspects of cooking. They experiment with different ingredients, flavors, and cooking methods, providing readers with valuable insights and recommendations.
Whether you're looking for a quick weeknight dinner recipe, a decadent dessert idea, or tips on hosting a dinner party, food blogs are a valuable resource. They offer a diverse range of recipes, dietary options, and cultural flavors, catering to a wide audience with different tastes and preferences.
Overall, food blogs are a fantastic source of inspiration, guidance, and entertainment for food lovers of all skill levels. They provide a platform for sharing and learning about the wonderful world of food.
Why Should You Start a Food Blog?
Starting a food blog can be a fun and rewarding experience. Whether you're a seasoned chef or just love to experiment in the kitchen, a food blog allows you to share your passion with others. Here are a few reasons why you should consider starting a food blog:
- Connect with a community: A food blog provides a platform to connect with like-minded individuals who share your love for food. You can engage with your readers, exchange recipes, and learn from each other's experiences.
- Showcase your creativity: A food blog gives you the opportunity to showcase your creativity in the kitchen. You can experiment with new ingredients, create unique recipes, and share your culinary creations with a wider audience.
- Document your culinary journey: Starting a food blog allows you to document your culinary journey. You can keep track of your favorite recipes, share your cooking successes (and failures!), and look back on how far you've come.
- Build your personal brand: A food blog can help you establish yourself as an authority in the food industry. By consistently sharing high-quality content and engaging with your audience, you can attract opportunities for collaborations, sponsorships, and even cooking gigs.
- Inspire and help others: Your food blog can serve as a source of inspiration and guidance for others who are looking for new recipes or cooking tips. By sharing your knowledge and experiences, you can help others discover their love for cooking and empower them to try new things in the kitchen.
So why wait? Start your food blog today and embark on a delicious journey of culinary exploration!
Ready to kickstart your Food blog? Get Your FREE 20-Page Guide To Making $1,000/Day.
Finding Your Food Niche
You’re probably thinking, 'I already picked a niche! Food' 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 food 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 food 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 food niche will also make it easier for you to come up with content ideas. Rather than trying to cover every aspect of food, you can focus on the specific topics and recipes that your readers are most interested in.
How to Choose a Food Blog Niche
Choosing a food blog niche can be an exciting and important decision for any aspiring food blogger. With so many different food niches out there, it's important to choose one that you are passionate about and that will set your blog apart from the rest. Here are some ways to help you find the perfect food blog niche:
- Identify your passion: Think about the types of food you love to cook, eat, and explore. What type of cuisine excites you the most? Identifying your passion will help you stay motivated and create content that resonates with your audience.
- Research popular food trends: Keep up with the latest food trends and see if there's a niche within those trends that aligns with your interests. Whether it's plant-based cooking, gluten-free recipes, or sustainable eating, there are always new trends emerging that can inspire your niche.
- Consider your expertise: Do you have any specific culinary skills or knowledge that sets you apart? Maybe you're an expert in baking, grilling, or creating healthy meals. Utilize your expertise to carve out a niche that allows you to share your unique insights and tips.
- Find a gap in the market: Do some research and see if there are any food niches that are not yet saturated with bloggers. Finding an untapped niche can help you establish yourself as a go-to resource in that area.
- Think about your target audience: Who do you want to reach with your blog? Consider the demographics and interests of your target audience and choose a niche that caters to their needs and preferences.
By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to choosing a food blog niche that aligns with your passions, expertise, and 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 Food Blog Niches
A popular food blog is a great way to share your love for food and connect with others who have the same passion. With so many food blogs out there, it's important to find a niche that sets you apart and resonates with your audience. Here are some popular food blog niches:
- Healthy Eating: Focus on creating delicious and nutritious recipes that promote a healthy lifestyle. From vegan and vegetarian dishes to gluten-free and paleo-friendly options, there are endless possibilities to explore.
- Baking and Desserts: Indulge your sweet tooth and share your baking skills with mouthwatering recipes for cakes, cookies, pies, and other delectable treats.
- International Cuisine: Take your readers on a culinary journey around the world by exploring and sharing recipes from various cuisines like Italian, Mexican, Thai, Indian, and more.
- Quick and Easy Meals: Provide time-saving recipes and meal planning tips for busy individuals and families who want to enjoy delicious homemade meals without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Restaurant Reviews: Share your dining experiences and recommendations by reviewing local restaurants, cafes, and food trucks. Include mouthwatering photos and honest opinions to help your readers make informed choices.
- Food Photography and Styling: Showcase your artistic skills by capturing stunning food photographs and sharing tips on styling and presentation. From flat lays to overhead shots, inspire others with your visual storytelling.
These are just a few popular food blog niches, but the options are limitless. Choose a niche that aligns with your interests and expertise, and remember to stay consistent, engage with your audience, and have fun with your food blog journey!
Planning Out Your Food 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 Food 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 food 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
Defining your target audience is crucial when starting a food blog. Knowing who you are writing for will help you tailor your content and connect with your readers on a deeper level. Here are a few key points to consider:
- Demographics: Understand the age, gender, location, and other relevant characteristics of your target audience. This information will help you create content that resonates with them.
- Interests and Preferences: Determine what kind of food your target audience enjoys, their dietary preferences (such as vegan, gluten-free, or keto), and any specific cuisines they are interested in.
- Lifestyle and Habits: Consider the lifestyle and habits of your target audience. Are they busy professionals looking for quick and easy recipes? Or are they home cooks who enjoy experimenting with elaborate dishes? Understanding their needs and preferences will shape your content accordingly.
- Knowledge and Skill Level: Assess the knowledge and skill level of your target audience. Are they beginners looking for basic cooking techniques and tips? Or are they experienced food enthusiasts seeking advanced recipes and culinary advice?
By defining your target audience, you can create content that speaks directly to them, making your food blog more engaging and appealing. It's essential to continuously analyze and refine your understanding of your audience to ensure your content remains relevant and valuable to them.
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
- Food
- Healthy eating
- Diet
- Restaurant reviews
- Food photography
- Meal planning
- Baking
- Vegetarian
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 food blog, it’ll be hard to get traffic. But you can get it by targeting keywords that other site owners ignore.
TIP: When you first start your food blog, focus on info content (question keywords). The content will be more helpful for your audience and less competitive since monetizing it is more challenging.
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.
Supercharge your earnings from day one. Lasso makes it easy to organize affiliate links make your first sales with conversion-optimized displays.
Don't wait for success; seize it with Lasso!
Learn MoreHow to Start a Food 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 Food blog:
Step 1. Pick a Blogging Platform
Choosing the right blogging platform is crucial for the success of your Food 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 food 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 One example of an exact match keyword domain name in the Food blog niche could be "easyrecipesforbeginners.com"..
It’s limiting, has terrible branding potential, and just looks amateurish. You can do much better.
Instead, spend some time brainstorming food blog names that have the following:
- A keyword related to your niche
- A feeling, emotion, or quality you want your website to communicate
- Three words or less
So, instead of the example used above, you could use one of these:
- TastyEats.com
- DeliciousJoy.com
- YummyBliss.com
- SavorySatisfaction.com
- FlavorfulFeast.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 food 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.
CAUTION: I recommend staying away from Godaddy. They have awful customer service and a history of alleged predatory behavior
Here are some popular website hosts for food 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 food site is to install WordPress.
NOTE: WordPress is an open-source software found on WordPress.org. WordPress.com is a premium blogging platform, but you never need to pay to install WordPress on your website, even if it’s self-hosted.
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.
TIP: You can find your dashboard login page at yoursite.com/wp-admin
Step 5. Pick a Theme for Your Food 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 Food 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 Food 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:
- 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.
- Plan out your post by creating an outline or mind map. This will help you stay focused and ensure that your post flows logically.
- 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.
- Include images or other media to break up the text and make your post more visually appealing.
- Use subheadings and bullet points to organize your content and make it easier to read.
- Edit your post carefully for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Read it aloud to ensure it sounds natural and flows well.
- 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.
Get our FREE toolkit and checklist for writing articles that convert.
How to Write Great Food 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 food 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).
TIP: I use Grammarly Pro to speed up the editing process for all my content. It’s probably the most valuable tool I use (aside from Lasso, of course 😉).
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 food 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 Food Blog
Once you publish a blog post, you need to promote it.
Seriously, most food 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 food 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 Food 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 food 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 food 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!
TIP: You can find a bunch of premium sales email templates on Canva. Work smarter, not harder!
Collaborate with Other Food 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 food bloggers will outrank you, reach out and see if you can work together.
If you build a network of small food bloggers who all promote each other’s content, you’ll stand a much better chance of competing with established food authorities.
Engaging in Food 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 Food Blog
Ok, so your blog is up and running, and you're gaining a following. How do you monetize a food blog?
Here are the best ways to earn a real income from your new food blog.
Affiliate Marketing
I recommend food 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 food 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 food bloggers:
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Commission Rate: $2 - $10 Per Lead
Cookie Duration: 30 days
Same-day grocery delivery and pickup service bringing you fresh groceries and everyday essentials. With the Instacart shopper program, customers shop online with their favorite local grocery store.
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Commission Rate: 5% Per Sale
Cookie Duration: 30 Days
The Rachael Ray Store sells a beautiful assortment of cookware, cookbooks, dinnerware, bakeware, and more.
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Commission Rate: 10% Per Sale
Cookie Duration: 30 Days
Hu Kitchen, an entirely gluten-free and all-natural with simple ingredients, but unbeatable taste restaurant-goods chain located in NYC.
TIP: We maintain a database of the best affiliate programs. Click here to see the best food affiliate programs.
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:
Lasso is the best WordPress plugin for affiliate marketing. If you want to earn more affiliate income and grow your niche site, you need Lasso!
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.
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Starting at $30 a month
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Starting at $30 a month
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Starting at $2.75 a month
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If you want to monetize your food blog the easy way, sign up for Lasso today.
Display Ads
Another great way to monetize your food 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 food 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).
TIP: If you use display ads on your food blog, configure the settings to prioritize user experience. By being selective with your ad placements, you’ll make more money in the long run.
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
NOTE: With the low rates ad networks pay, it won’t be worth running display ads if you have less than 10,000 monthly visitors. You’re better off focusing on affiliate offers and creating more content to grow your following.
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 food blog niche:
- Recipe e-books: Create and sell digital cookbooks with unique and delicious recipes.
- Meal planning apps: Develop an app that provides customized meal plans based on dietary preferences and restrictions.
- Online cooking courses: Offer comprehensive video courses that teach various cooking techniques and cuisines.
- Recipe plugins: Develop a plugin that allows food bloggers to easily display recipes on their websites with a professional look.
- Food photography presets: Create and sell digital presets that enhance food photography for bloggers and aspiring photographers.
- Meal delivery services: Partner with local restaurants or chefs to offer meal kits or pre-prepared meals delivered to customers' doors.
- Interactive meal planners: Build an interactive tool that helps users plan their meals for the week while considering nutritional requirements and personal preferences.
- Kitchen gadget reviews: Publish in-depth reviews and recommendations of kitchen gadgets and appliances, and earn affiliate commissions.
- Food blogging templates: Design and sell customizable website templates tailored specifically for food bloggers.
- Social media management tools: Develop a platform that helps food bloggers schedule and analyze their social media posts for maximum engagement.
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
Food blogging is a great opportunity to offer personalized consulting services.
By immersing yourself in the food world, you gain valuable knowledge that you can now share and sell to your readers.
The best part is that your audience will tell you exactly what they need help with.
As your following grows, there will be people asking for guidance on specific topics or requesting tutorials.
For just $100, you can offer them an hour of your time to address their concerns.
And remember, even if they decline, it's not a big deal!
If you find you’re selling a lot of consulting services, you can even create a section of your site dedicated to your services.
TIP: You can use Lasso to increase your consulting sales. Set the destination link to your contact page, and you’re all set!
FAQs on Starting a Food Blog
How Much Money Do Food Bloggers Make?
The income range for food bloggers is enormous. Many bloggers make no revenue, while some food blogs make over six figures per month. It all depends on traffic and how well you present your offers.
How Can I Monetize a Food Blog?
The best way to monetize a food blog is with affiliate marketing, but you can also use display ads, sell digital downloads, or even sell coaching services.
How Do Food Bloggers Get Paid?
Most food 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 food bloggers also sell sponsored posts, consulting services, or their own products. In these cases, a payment processor like PayPal or Stripe is necessary.
Is Food Blogging Easy?
Nothing worth doing is truly easy, but that doesn’t mean food blogging isn’t fun.
As a food 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 Food Blog?
It’s absolutely worth it to start a food 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 food-related industries will take you seriously.
Final Thoughts on Starting a Food Blog
So, that's all the advice I have for anyone wondering how to start a food blog.
Let me be real with you, this industry can be tough. Some people grind for months, even years, before making their first sale. You might even lose money in the first year. But hey, it's totally worth it!
If you're serious about becoming a successful food blogger, just follow the tips in this guide, stay persistent, and publish the kind of content you'd actually enjoy reading. Yeah, it's gonna be a lot of hard work, but trust me, you've got this!
Oh, and don't forget to stay consistent, interact with your readers, and most importantly, have fun with it!
Why You Should Trust Our Food Blogging Content
You may be thinking, "that's all great, but what does Lasso know about food blogging?"
Quite a lot, actually.
Here's why you can trust our process for building a successful food 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 Food Bloggers Every Day
Lasso's WordPress plugin is installed on over 8,000 websites, including a lot of food 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 food 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.