Makin' Bacon: Serve Your Fans. Grow Your Income.

As bloggers we often try to build a community through our blogs and social media, but we often leave a valuable tool on the table...Facebook groups. But how can you actually create and grow a Facebook group of your own? Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us outToday, Linda Reed-Enever and I dive into just how Facebook groups work, how they can be used to connect with your audience, and why building a community is incredibly powerful. Next, on Makin' Bacon!For more information and links, check out Building Community Through Facebook Groups with Linda Reed-Enever.

As bloggers we are often told we need to be on Pinterest to maximize our blogs and businesses. But with a constantly changing algorithm, the addition of new features, and updates to the core functionality it can be really hard to stay up to date with it. Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, Kate Ahl and I dive into all things Pinterest, including how it differs from the other social platforms, the top mistakes bloggers make on it, and why Pinterest matters more than ever! Next, on Makin' Bacon!For more information and links check out Staying Up to Date On Pinterest with Kate Ahl.

As bloggers we often turn to podcasts for advice, listen to podcasts for entertainment, and follow our favorite podcasters on social media, but we often don't think about getting behind the microphone ourselves. But from growing our brands to creating content, podcasting can be a great way to move your business forward. Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, Laura Bauder and I dive into the ins and outs of podcasting, including how to generate leads, grow your brand, and even create amazing content. Next, on Makin' Bacon!Check out more links and information at href="https://www.amazingfoodmadeeasy.com/info/makin-bacon/more/growing-your-blog-with-a-podcast-with-laura-bauder">Growing Your Blog with a Podcast with Laura Bauder.

As bloggers we often are working alone and can struggle to break into new audiences, much less bring in a new source of revenue. Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, Cate Brubaker and I dive into running a bundle giveaway, launching an activity book, and using air table to organize all of your work! Next, on Makin' Bacon!For more info check out Working with Other Bloggers and Expanding Your Revenue Streams with Cate Brubaker.

As bloggers we often have a never ending list of todos. Things that we just need to do, but aren't necessarily taking advantage of our strengths. If only there was a source of help that was inexpensive, or even free! Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, Christina Hitchcock and I dive into how you can use interns to do more while focusing on the most important aspects of your business that only you can do! Next, on Makin' Bacon!For more info check out How to Use Interns to Move Your Blog Forward with Christina Hitchcock.

As bloggers we often focus so much on building out our websites and social media accounts hoping for ad revenue but we often forget there are other sources of income out there. One of the ones with the biggest potential is for teaching cooking classes. But it can be intimidating figuring out where to start. Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, Cynthia Samanian and I dive into all things cooking classes including deciding on your subject, how to teach the class, and of course the best ways to sell it. Next, on Makin' Bacon!For more information and links take a look at Teaching Cooking Classes with Cynthia Samanian.

As bloggers we often get so hung up on creating recipes that we forget we are writing them for real people. And at the most basic level, people turn to our recipes because of the connection we have with them. But how can we make that connection stronger, and even use it to create products they love? Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, we dive into how to pitch brands, ways to connect more with your fans, and how to create products they love. Next, on Makin' Bacon!For more info and links check out Connecting with Your Fans and Selling Digital Products with Jenna Urben

As bloggers we often read articles about food writers, watch chefs on tv, and see cookbook authors on morning shows...but we rarely believe that could be us! Where do you get started, and what can you expect?. Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, we dive into everything PR, including how to find media coverage, what the benefits of getting featured is, and how you can even do it all yourself! Next, on Makin' Bacon!For more info and links check out Dr. Tiffany Eurich Interview

As bloggers we always hear about how important a niche is. But a niche isn't always a method of cooking or a piece of equipment...it can also be a culinary point of view! But how do you find your culinary point of view, and more importantly, how do you make money from it? Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, we dive into finding your culinary point of view, the importance of multiple income streams and how you can successfully charge MORE! Next, on Makin' Bacon!For more links and information, check out Chef Evelyn Williams.

As bloggers we often become experts at writing about food, of connecting to our audience, and clearly explaining how to make something in their kitchen...but writing sales and marketing copy is a whole 'nother beast! Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, we dive into how to write compelling copy for your landing pages, how to maximize profits through lower-priced items, and how to sell without feeling icky! Next, on Makin' Bacon!For more links and information check out How to Write Compelling Copy for Your Landing Pages with Alyson Lex.

As bloggers, we know we should be getting our videos into as many places as possible, but how can we possibly create Instagram reels and recipe videos, YouTube shorts and facebook videos, not to mention TikTok videos and Pinterest video pins! There's so many places and it can be really hard to get started. Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out. Today, we dive into all things Jumprope including how video can increase your ad revenue, ways bloggers can use TikTok to move their business forward and how you can "do it all" while still holding down a job. Next, on Makin' Bacon! For more information and links check out How to Use Video to Increase Your Ad Revenue and Grow Your Social with Lauryn Piemonte.

As bloggers we often are trying to grow our following and expand our network so we will become more enticing to publishers, brands, and agents. One very effective way is through appearing on podcasts, but how do you find them and what do you do once you are on there?  Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, we dive into how you can use podcasts interviews to grow your brand, and how you can maximize your time on them! Next, on Makin' Bacon!For more information and links check out Expanding Your Brand By Being a Podcast Guest with Mark Asquith.

As bloggers we often try to improve our photography skills, get better at SEO, and learn how social media really works...but we often forgot to spend the time working on our writing skills. As the backbone of what we do, honing those skills can be critical to moving your blog forward, and luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, we dive into everything you need to know about food writing. From blogs and cookbooks to recipes and reviews, there's a whole world of food writing out there!For more information and links check out Everything You Need to Know About Food Writing with Dianne Jacob.

As bloggers we understand how important video is to connecting with our audiences. But how can you get started with video, especially cooking videos, and where the heck can you find the time to do it all? Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out!Today, we dive into reusing your video content, how to use community-first platforms, and how live video can power your blogging strategy!Check out more links and information on How to Repurpose Your Video Content with Caleb Dempsey.

Today, we dive into how to set up paid memberships on your blog, how live events can grow your business and just exactly how can you create custom spice blends to sell directly to your fans.As bloggers, we love to use spices and we know our fans do as well. So it's a natural leap to try to sell our own blends directly to our own fans. But how the heck does that work and work you get started?Luckily today's guests are the perfect people to help us out. They run the wildly successful barbecue and grilling website. Hey Grill, Hey, they also sell a line of Hey Grill Hey brand of products and run an online barbecue course called the Grill Squad. I can't wait to learn from today's guests, Susie and Todd Bulloch from Hey Grill, Hey!Check out more information and links for Susie and Todd Bulloch Interview.

Today, we dive into the importance of video in creating your brand. What type of content actually resonates with fans and how Jumprope can help you streamline the entire process?As bloggers, we know how important video is from food demos to recipe guides. Video is the fastest way to inform your fans and connect with your audience. But most of us don't have any experience with creating or especially editing videos. And it can be really intimidating trying to get started.Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out. Jake Poses is the co-founder and CEO of Jumprope. At Jumprope he leads the product design and community teams and is passionate about empowering creators to make amazing content.For more information and links, check out How to Harness the Power of Video to Expand Your Brand with Jake Poses.

Today, we dive into figuring out what your audience wants, how to analyze your data and the best way to formulate your plan of attack.As bloggers, growing our traffic is often a top priority. But what is the most efficient way to accomplish that? And how do we make time for all the work required?Today's guest is the perfect person to help us figure it all out. Christine Pittman is the founder of 2 successful blogs, Cook the Story and The Cookful. What originally started as a hobby has turned into one of the top ranked food blogs in the world with more than 2 million monthly readers. For more information and links check out : Using Analytics and scalling your Business with Christine Pittman.

As food bloggers, cookbooks are often on our radars. Many of us explore traditional publishing and self publishing but we ignore one path of publishing...getting paid to write a book. Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out. I can't wait to learn from today's guest, cookbook editor, author and coach, Maggie Green. For more information and links for Traditionally Publishing Cookbooks with Maggie Green.

Today, we dive into everything you need to know about hosting online summits, how to harness the power of organic list building, and why building relationships with your audience is the key to jump starting your growth...next on Makin' Bacon. As bloggers we always hear how important it is to grow our email lists, especially because it's the only asset we actually own. But trying to figure out what the most effective ways to build your list are can be really difficult, especially without just relying on annoying popups or costly Facebook ads. Luckily, today's guest is the perfect person to help us out! Get more info and links for: Organically Building Your Mailing List Through Summits and Challenges with Jennie Wright

Today, I talk with Matt Molen, from Email Crush about everything newsletter including how to maximize signups, why solving problems builds authority so quickly, and his game changing tip for using curiosity to encourage click throughs.As bloggers we are told time and time again that we need to collect our fan's email addresses and build our mailing lists, but what is the best way to do that? And what do you do once you have them? There's a lot of ins and out to email marketing, and today's guest is the perfect person to show us how it all works.See more links and information on Email marketing with Matt Molen.

Today, we talk about why teaching cooking classes is so meaningful, how finding a mentor can provide the guidance and support you need, and we explore the sometimes long and winding road to publishing a cookbook.As bloggers we often dream of publishing a cookbook, but it's not always a smooth process to get there.  The way can be filled with potholes, and sometimes landmines, but luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us avoid them.She also teaches people how to cook and truly believes that anybody can learn to be a great cook once you get rid of their fear. I can't wait to learn from today's guest, Judi Leib from Whisk in the Southern. Here's more on Cookbook Publishing and Teaching Cooks with Judi Leib.

Today, we talk about how to monetize Instagram, why story telling is critical to building a following, and why being yourself is the surest way to standout and find your true fans.As bloggers we know we have fans on Instagram, but we often struggle to reach them. And often times during the process we lose track of what makes us and our brand unique. Luckily, today's guest is the perfect person to help us get back on track.Get more info and links at Storytelling and Staying True to Yourself with Tameka Bazile.

Today, we talk about creating a brand without a blog, why self publishing is perfect for some people, and how podcasting can propel you forward.As bloggers we are often highly focused on our blog, trying to drive traffic and grow our audience. But there are many channels out there you can use to get in front of audiences that don't rely on a blog at all. And today's guest is the perfect person to help us explore them.Get more links and info for Building a Brand Without a Blog with Darrin Wilson

Today, we talk TikTok! Including how introverts can succeed on it, what goals a blogger can accomplish, and  why it's not just for the kids these days. Join Jason as he interviews Sarah Wohlner about everything you need to know when growing your blog through social media, especially TikTok!For more information and links see  Growing with TikTok with Sarah Wohlner

Today, we talk about the true value of going to conferences, what small events even regular bloggers can host, and why networking is critical to success...yes, even for you.During my interview with Abbey Rodriguez and Chandice Probst, they dive deep into scaling your blog and your business through conferences and tradeshows, finding brand partnerships, and how to surround yourself with people that will help you succeed!!Check out more links and information on . 

n this interview Jason and Wendy Braitman chat about everything you need to know about reinventing your career and turning your vision into a reality! Discover how you can stand out from the crowd, maximizing the parts of the job you love, and the best way to take an idea and actually make it happen!Check out more links and information at Reinventing Your Career with Wendy Braitman.

Jason interviews Megan Porta, from Pip and Ebby, and Eat Blog Talk as they dive deep into the keys to successful long term blogging: Productivity, Diversity, and Self Care!We dive into why efficiency only matters if it is properly directed, how diversifying your traffic and income can kick-start your blog and why none of it is possible without taking care of yourself.See more links and information on Slowing Down and Working with Intent with Megan Porta.

During today's interview, Jason and Meagan dive deep into unlocking the power of Pinterest and how the Pinterest algorithm actually works. It is vital to understand WHY people come to Pinterest and appreciate their journey. They delve into what to look for if you start outsourcing, and how to develop an intentional strategy!As bloggers, we talk a lot about social media and growing our brand, but we often don't get the most out of each site. Pinterest, especially is known for changing up their algorithm and leaving bloggers frustrated and confused about where to turn. But luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out. I can't wait to learn from today's guest Meagan Williamson.Check out more links and information at Harnessing the Power of Pinterest with Meagan Williamson. 

Jason as he interviews Lori Rice and they dive deep in photographing your own cookbook, the benefits of working with conscientious food makers and growers, and how cookbook photography is different than for online work!Lori helps food makers, growers and artisans style and shoot their own photos aligned with their brands. She creates content for major food brands, agricultural organizations and publishers. She's the author-photographer of two cookbooks, Beer Bread and Food on Tap, and her latest course, Cookbook Photo Academy, helps food lovers navigate photographing their own cookbooks while they are also writing them.For more information, links and options, check out Successfully Photographing Your Own Cookbook with Lori Rice.

Today we dive into everything you need to know about combining Personal Branding, Storytelling, and Business Modeling for food blogging success.As bloggers we often get into the habit of writing posts, taking photos, and posting on social media, but we often lose track of where we are going or who we are writing for. Luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us out...take it away Omaily! Check out more links and information about Business Modeling and Branding for Success with Omaily Lucas.

Today we dive into everything you need to know when cooking on live TV Including how to pitch TV stations and set yourself up for success! As bloggers we sometimes fall in to the rut of hiding behind our blogs... we just publish recipes and post them to social media but we don't get out in front of our audiences. There's many ways to do this, from cooking classes to Facebook Live's, but one of the most effective ways to get in front of a new audience is by going on local television. Just thinking about that can be terrifying for many of us, but today's guest is the perfect person to help us out! Take it away Marie! Check out more links and information on How to Cook on Local Television with Marie Fiebach

Today we dive into what you need to know when doing an online cooking class, why delegation is a key to growth, and how to pursue your creative vision!As bloggers we are experts at teaching people. And one of the best ways to do that is by teaching cooking classes, but learning how to start, especially when the pandemic has pushed all classes online, can be really confusing. Luckily, today's guest is the perfect person to help us out.Check out more Innovation and Online Cooking Classes with Taylor Dawson links and options!

Today we talk about how to work with traditional publications, when to engage with negative commenters, and how to respond in a crises. Life as a food blogger is generally pretty low key most of the time. We write recipes, we take photos, we put it up on our website. But every once in a while something goes wrong and you're thrust into a crisis. Or, you know, there's a global pandemic. When this happens, it can be really hard to know what to do. But luckily today's guest is the perfect person to help us navigate through it all. After spending more than the 20 years at the intersection of technology, science, health, policy, and ethics. He is now a consultant to corporations, academic institutions, and other organizations on crisis communications and reputation management. I can't wait to learn from today's guest communication, strategist and occasional food and wine blogger, Doug Levy. Check out more notes and link at How to Respond in a Crisis with Doug Levy

As bloggers, we rely on our websites for money, not only through ads, but for selling sponsored posts, promoting our own products and for keeping our fans engaged. So when our sites go down, it can be a disaster. But today's guest is the perfect person to help us prevent that from happening.He is the founder of NerdPress a digital agency that provides WordPress maintenance and support services for publishers and small businesses, placing an emphasis on site speed, stability and security. He has been building, fixing and maintaining websites since 1998 and has spoken on a wide variety of technical topics in plain English, no less, for numerous conferences, webinars, and podcasts.Discover more notes and links for Full Interview with Andrew Wilder

Join Jason as he interviews Casey Markee and they chat about everything SEO, including the biggest mistake bloggers make, what Core Web Vitals are, and how to prepare your site to get the most out of your holiday traffic!Speaker, writer and trainer Casey Markee is the founder of digital consultancy Media Wyse and a well-known SEO professional with 20+ years of experience. Casey has trained SEO teams on five different continents, spoken at over 100 conferences, and has worked with thousands of bloggers in the Food, Lifestyle and Travel niches. He also collects comic books, is currently being forced to watch Love Island with his wife Tifany, and believes bacon should be its own food group.  Check out links and take aways at Maximizing Your SEO and Preparing for the Next Core Update with Casey Markee

As bloggers, we often forget that there is a whole world outside of our blogs. We get so caught up being online, writing our recipes and relying on ads and affiliate links that we forget there are things offline, whether it's tours, demos, events or classes. There's a lot of things you can do in the real world; at least when the pandemic is finally over.Join Jason as he interviews Chef Debbi from Debs Kitchen, Edible Gardens & Cooking Tips and they chat about everything you need to know about running food tours, demoing with brands, and hosting live cooking classes!For the show notes and links to more information, check out Running Food Tours with Chef Debbi Dubbs.

Today, we talk about the what jobs are best to outsource, where to find freelancers, and how to tell when you really need help!Running a blog can be a full time business...and so can managing social media, finding sponsorships opportunities, editing videos, taking photographs, and everything else we have to do! So how can you get it all done? By hiring the right people. It's a really intimidating process, but Emily Perron, today's guest, is the perfect person to show us how.Check out the podcast page Growing Your Team with Emily Perron.

Come join me as I talk to Chelsea Cole from A Duck's Oven about publishing a cookbook, leveraging your blog to work with brands and how a photography style can help you stand out in the crowd! See full features with transcriptions at Self Publishing Your Cookbook with Chelsea Cole.

Today, we talk about the power of tracking your time, how to limit distractions, and why if you aren't following a vision, you're not going anywhere.As bloggers, there is always too much work to get done. So being able to effectively prioritize, and maximize, our efforts is a huge key to moving our blogs forward. It can feel really overwhelming at times, especially when we are busy, but today's guest is the perfect person to help us get started moving forward faster.See full article and transcript at Maximizing Time with Megan Porta

Today, we dive deep into going live on video, overcoming your fears, and why sometimes when things go wrong, it's just an opportunity to connect with your fans even more!One of the biggest challenges bloggers and creators have is connecting with our audiences, of letting our personality come through and making our fans feel involved. One of the best ways to do this is through video, especially live video.But between technology concerns and fear of messing up, many bloggers shy away from it. But today's guest is the perfect person to give us that boost of confidence we need, to get out there and connect!Check out the full transcription Don't Fear Live Video with Kathy Hester

Today, we dive into the world of competitive cooking, how to host your own competitions, and how to harness the power of guest bloggers. As bloggers, we often get caught up in making money directly from our blogs, using ads, affiliate links and sponsored posts, but we forget there's a whole world of food out there to explore and make money from. Today's guest will show us a few of the unique ways she's created a living. Check out the full transcription and links at Cooking Competitions and Guest Blogging with Saffron Hodgson

Today we're going to dive into using giveaways to promote your brand, getting started with Instagram, and why you just need to ignore the numbers.Part of being a successful blogger is crafting your own style and being visible across several platforms.  Today's guest is going to help us discover how.See full transcript and links: Giveaways and Instagram with Wendy Abdulmesih

Today we are going to talk about growing your community in a Facebook group, getting into sponsored posts, and how you know when to finally cash out...take it away Tracie!Trying to learn everything you need to know about blogging can really be daunting. But luckily, there are people out there like today's guest who are willing to share their expertise.Check out the full transcription, notes and links at Growing Your Business with Tracie Fobes.

In this episode we talk to Luci Petlack about hiring contractors, how to introduce new themes into your blog, and how to restart your blogging career after a life change.Sometimes things are just clicking as a blogger. You have your routine down, your business connections are growing, things are going great...and then something happens to disrupt it all. This could be good or bad, from taking care of a sick parent, transferring to a new job or city, having a baby, or you know, a global pandemic.Check out: Restarting Your Blogging Career with Luci Petlack

Today, we are going to talk about how to find out what your audience is looking for, why great design matters, and why a brand is more than just a logo.As bloggers we often work so hard on our recipes, the stories we tell, and using social media to bring in readers, but we often neglect the thing that people see first...our website.  A good website design does more than look pretty, it informs the visitor and can be a big factor in turning them into a real Fan.  But where do you get started?Madison even offers a free DIY Branding Foundations Guide for you to start thinking about your road to success.Show Notes and Transcription: Designing Your Brand with Madison Wetherill

Today we are talking about how to set the tone with your fans, ways bloggers can get their foot in the door, and how remote shoots can help during the pandemic.One of the ways many bloggers can make money, or even start a career, is by providing consulting services to companies and brands. These services can take many forms, but a very common one is providing photography. Most bloggers don't know how to get started, but today's guest will help us out.Show Notes and Transcription: Becoming a Professional Photographer with Christina Peters 

Today, we talk about the hardest part of writing cookbooks, how to pitch brands you love, and why giving back can help you, and your community. See full transcript and article at with Annelies Zijderveld

Today we talk about how a podcast works, whether or not you are ready for one, and how to use a podcast to grow your brand.As bloggers we always hear that you need to be everywhere. So we write on our blog, post on Facebook and Instagram, share images on Pinterest, and even post videos on YouTube. But one area most bloggers neglect is audio.Show notes and transcription:  Podcasting for Bloggers with Nicole Schwegman

Working in food is a shared passion for most food bloggers, but this can take many forms outside of just blogging including writing cookbooks, being a chef, working with brands and teaching classes. Today's guest is going talk about some of the jobs she's done and how you might be able to  get involved in them as well. Show Notes and Transcript: Jobs Across Food with Karista Bennett

When it comes to growing your blog, you simply need to connect with your audience, solve their problems, and watch the money roll in. Easy, right? We all know it's not as simple as that. And today's guest is the perfect person to help us actually accomplish our goals.Today, we talk about how to position your brand to reach your biggest fans, why kindness matters in business, and how to authentically fake it until you make it. Full Transcription: Harnessing Authenticity and Kindness to Grow Your Brand with Jenny Melrose

Traffic is the life blood of blogging, and we are in a constant struggle to get more of it. There are so many different ways to approach it though, that it can quickly get confusing.  Today's guest is going to help us cut through the noise and find what is truly important.Not only has she been blogging for more than a decade,  she also has a day job where she hires bloggers for big brands. So she lives, eats, and sleeps blogging! Show Notes and Transcript: 10X Your Traffic with Heather Johnson