There are no magic tricks or shortcuts for starting or running a food blog. Illustrate your love for food and blogging through your writing and connect with people who share the same interests. With so many bloggers in the industry, things like authenticity, kindness, vulnerability, and attention to detail can help you stand out from the crowd.

I’ve been running my food and travel blog for a while now, and it has taught me a thing or two. Here are some ways that helped me make my blogging more meaningful.

Make Connections

Blogging is all about connecting with other people. Don’t consider your readers like random people on the internet; think of them as friends. Style your writing in a way that you’re having a conversation. Refer to your readers as “you” because it’s one of the most powerful words. This will make them feel like you’re talking directly to them, sharing your experiences. 

Make sure you read all comments and reply to them, ask lots of questions, encourage actions and show interest. Your blog is your community, not a regular website.

Show Your Personality

Don’t shy away from showing your personality; it’s what attracts most readers to you. As a food blogger, you can talk about things you love and how much you love them. Share your enthusiasm for food and connect with others who share the same love. For example, if you love an unpopular food combination, talk about it no matter how weird it sounds. Tell your readers how you discovered your love for this combination—this will motivate your readers to share theirs and increase engagement.

Make Friends in the Community

The food bloggers community is growing around the world; make sure you create meaningful connections with them. Find other bloggers, connect and cultivate friendships, share different ideas and collaborate. This will help you reach out to a broader audience and find new friends who share your interests.

Don’t forget to help each other out. Leave thoughtful comments, promote their content, and get the same in return. Blogging can sometimes feel overwhelming, but having community friends helps you tackle challenges and stay motivated, promoting a healthy bonding.

Be There for Your Readers

Ensure you’re always there for your readers, answering their questions and offering meaningful suggestions. Without conversations, a blog isn’t a blog. It needs two-way communication; make your readers feel heard and reply to them. Whenever I reply to my readers’ emails, they tell me how impressed they are with my in-depth and timely replies. Most bloggers don’t respond to emails and messages, disable comments, etc., but you can distinguish yourself by communicating with your readers.

If you share recipes on your food blog, chances are people will ask for ingredient substitutions or offer suggestions. This shows that they take time to read your blog, so you should take the time for them.

Write What You Love

You shouldn’t consider blogging as a task or a chore because it will affect the quality of your content. Write about things that are special to you instead of blindly following trends. When people start writing about topics that everyone else is talking about, they lose their essence and, eventually, readers. Your readers read your blogs because of your authenticity.

There’s no trick to producing quality content; just write about things that make you happy and passionate. For example, I love traveling the world, visiting culinary destinations, and trying different cuisines, so that’s what I talk about in my blogs. I intend on taking my readers with me on my incredible travel experiences, letting them taste delicious food via pictures, and giving honest insights about all experiences, good and bad. This is what keeps my readers keep coming back.

While talking about things you love, don’t shy away from trying new things. Don’t limit yourself to different rules or what other bloggers are doing. Have your own style, get personal, and show a little vulnerability because that makes you who you are.

Food Photography

While you can’t physically let your readers taste what you’re eating, pictures can play a huge role. If your food photography is on point, your readers will eat with their eyes and want to explore more.

Readers can’t smell the heavenly aroma or touch or taste the food; they can only see it, so make it count. Photography can draw most of your readers. Bad lighting, low-resolution pictures, poor composition, etc., can send your readers away. Make sure you take bright and crisp photos that appeal to your website visitors, and they turn into your readers. You can invest in a good camera or use your phone because newer smartphones have great cameras. Learn which angles work best for food photography and how to edit them. All this extra effort will bring great results for your blog and offer a meaningful experience to your readers.

Manage Time Efficiently

Time management is something that everyone struggles with, but it’s important to create a schedule and follow it. List all your tasks and arrange them according to their importance. Don’t start without a plan because it may not work in the long run. As a food blogger, you may have hundreds of content ideas at once or sometimes none, so make sure you write things down and prioritize everything.

Have a Clean and User-Friendly Website

Clutter and high loading speeds can send your visitors away. Create a clean website that’s easier to navigate. Invest in a reliable freelance web developer to customize your blog website to your niche, target audience, and other preferences. No matter how well-written your content is or how crisp your photographs are, you can’t reach your audience without a responsive, user-friendly, and attractive blogging website.

You don’t need to add a lot of elements to your landing page; keep it free from clutter and add meaningful things that will compel your visitors to stay and explore. My homepage has a list of my most recent blogs because that’s what readers intend to look for. It has a simple navigation bar, my social media handles, and a brief intro at the end so people can explore more if they wish.

There’s no point in displaying advertisements, annoying pop-ups, and other clutter that will ruin your readers’ experience.

Stay Consistent

Being consistent isn’t limited to blogging; it’s a life hack. No matter what you do, staying consistent can help you grow and stay motivated toward your goals. For blogging, create a posting schedule to remain consistent. You can post daily, twice a week, or once a week, depending on your preferences. Having a schedule helps your reader know when to expect a new blog, and you find it easier to stay consistent.

Make it Easy for Readers to Comment, Follow and Share Your Content

Place links for your social media profiles and email subscription prominently on every web page’s header. Sometimes a reader may want to see more of you, so make it easy for them. Similarly, add social media sharing buttons in every blog. This will allow your readers to share your work on different platforms, bringing more readers. Make sure you don’t force them to share; just leave a simple call to action and thank them.

Most bloggers disable or don’t have the comment section below their posts; this can prevent your readers from connecting to you. If you’re adding the comment section, make it as easy as possible. Don’t ask for CAPTCHAs or logins. Let them share what they feel without any interruptions.

Choose Brand Deals Carefully

There’s nothing wrong with monetizing your blog—after all, you’re putting so much time and effort into it. However, make sure you choose brands and projects carefully. Once your blog does good, you’ll get many sponsorship deals, and you have to choose the one that aligns with your values and readers’ interests. For example, if a company selling a special diet tea wants you to promote it on your blogs but has harmful ingredients or isn’t what it claims to be, it’s best to steer clear of it. Focus on producing authentic and meaningful content, and you’ll get plenty of opportunities.

Use Pinterest

While you may already use various social media platforms to promote your blogs, Pinterest is one of the most effective platforms to bring your content to your potential readers. Facebook and Instagram keep changing their algorithms, and relying on them may not generate the results you expect. While you can still share your content on other platforms, don’t forget to make the most of Pinterest. Even companies and brands look for bloggers on Pinterest so don’t underestimate its viability.

Don’t Give Up

Growing a food blog can be slow because many others in the industry offer similar content. If you don’t find the expected results, don’t give up and stay consistent. You’ll soon find a unique style that will distinguish you from others and bring many readers. If you follow all the tips I mentioned above, you can form a bigger, loyal audience.

Explore Incredible Travel and Food Experiences Around the World with Irina Bukatik

Hi, I am Irina Bukatik, a travel, and food blogger. I’d love to take you on an exquisite journey to uncover different cultures and cuisines around the world.

I talk about my travel experiences, foodie destinations, and secret getaways in the world, and share tips for running a blogging website. Get in touch with me to ask any food blogging-related questions.