I wish I had some magic secrets or shortcuts to share, but the truth is that food blogging is hard work. I receive questions about the subject fairly often, so I sat down to compile my best tips for food bloggers and ended up with an even twenty. You’ll be more likely to develop a successful food blog if you follow these guidelines.
1. Be authentic.
Post about what you love and produce the best content you possibly can.
2. Don’t give up.
Blog growth is slow at first and gains momentum as time goes on, assuming that you stick with it and do your best.
3. Post original content.
If visitors like what you do, they will keep coming back for more.
4. Show your personality!
Enthusiasm is infectious, so don’t be afraid to show it. One of the coolest things about blogging is that you can connect with people who share your undying love for, say, avocado on toast.
5. Make friends and help each other.
In other words, network! Connect and cultivate friendships with other bloggers who share your interests. Leave thoughtful comments on their blogs, chat with them on social media and promote their content.
6. Make yourself accessible.
Be present and responsive on social media as best you can.
7. Keep your site design clean and easy to navigate.
Clutter detracts from your content.
8. Make it easy for visitors to follow your blog.
Place links to RSS/email subscription and social media prominently on each page.
9. Make it easy to comment on your blog.
No CAPTCHAs or required logins, please. Find a way to let your commenters know that they are appreciated, whether that’s by emailing them privately, responding to their comment publicly or by commenting on their blogs.
10. Make it easy to share your content.
Provide social media sharing buttons at the end of each post. Say thank you when others promote your work.
11. Post fantastic recipes only.
You don’t want visitors to invest their time and ingredients into a recipe and end up disappointed, right? Better to let the blog go quiet for a few days than to post a recipe you can’t stand behind.
12. Cite your sources.
Always. Not cool: reposting recipes verbatim, posting other bloggers’ photos without permission. Cool: original recipes, sharing links to your inspiration, linking to further resources on the subject at hand.
13. Don’t sell out.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t try to make money off your blog, but don’t align yourself with a brand or project that isn’t a good fit. You are the company you keep. Focus on producing your best content and building your audience and the opportunities will come.
14. Post on a regular basis.
Whether that’s every day, once a week or once every other week, don’t let your blog look abandoned.
15. Get your own domain name.
If you want your blog to be taken seriously, just do it. You can buy a domain name for less than twenty dollars a year through GoDaddy (affiliate link).
16. Build a self-hosted WordPress blog.
That is, if you want full control over your design and content and plenty of room to grow. If you don’t know how to do these things, pay someone good to do it for you or shower your geeky friend with homemade cookies until he agrees. Find a step-by-step guide (and food blog design and web hosting tips) here.
17. Learn about search engine optimization.
SEO isn’t black magic; it’s about making your quality content findable. It’s important to understand and implement the basics. Here is Google’s SEO starter guide [PDF].
18. Submit your posts to recipe submission sites.
When you’re getting started, submission sites may be a good source of new visitors. In the past, I’ve submitted my posts to Foodgawker, Tastespotting, Tasteologie and Finding Vegan (when applicable). Keep a text file that contains the submission information so it’s easy to copy and paste it onto each site. If your photo is rejected the first time around, edit it or choose a different photo and resubmit. Don’t forget to pin your new recipes to Pinterest, too!
19. Learn how to take appetizing photos.
People are much more likely to want to eat, make, share and pin your recipes when they are presented alongside appealing photos. Find my food photography tips and equipment recommendations here.
20. Do what your mama told you.
This should go without saying, but be nice, be constructive, be respectful, be appreciative, be humble. Work hard.
More resources for food bloggers on Cookie and Kate
Questions? Feel free to leave them in the comments section below.
Emma
Hi Kate. Thank you for such a great post. It’s difficult to get noticed in the food blogging world, but your tips are so helpful. I’ve been putting some of your points into practice, and even though it’s slow going, I am starting to see results :)
Kate
Glad to hear that, Emma! Best of luck!
Tom Foster Photography
I’m not a food blogger as such but I found these looking for blog tips in general and they all look good! Looks like I’ve got some work ahead of me! :)
Kate
Thanks, Tom!
Issie
Thank you for posting these! I’ve been reading up on all your food blogger guidance posts (props, cameras, software etc) and they’re all really helpful! I’m currently trying to grow my blog so I’ll be using all your tips!
p.s slowly working my way through all your recipes, absolutely LOVED your lemony roasted cauliflower risotto.
Issie x
concealerandkale.blogspot.co.uk
Kate
Thanks, Issie! So glad you’re enjoying my tips and recipes! xo
CLS
We loved this post here at CLS! Thanks for the great read!
Cynthia
Hello Kate,I love the tips you posted but I have few problems that I need your help with. I’m the type that loves sharing food recipes but i don’t have pictures of the recipes and I download pictures from Google to back up my recipes. Although i take permission from foodbloggers before posting the recipes. What do you think i should? can i post recipes without pictures? will it attract people? please i need your opinion and advice.
Kate
Hi Cynthia, that’s a good question. Food blogging is pretty competitive and it does seem like blogs with original recipes and photos do best. I’m very visual myself and need photos to get excited about recipes. That said, there are other ways to get people excited about recipes. Maybe you can share stories or history with your recipes for context?
sunil chauhan
Hi Kate,
Thank you for sharing this useful tips with us. Its really useful as a new blogger. I absolutely love your blog and appreciate you sharing these tips. I am excited to learn more about what type of food is beneficial for our body.
These 20 tips are really helpful for us. Thanks again for sharing this useful tips.
Kate
Thanks, Sunil!
popinaVanilla
Thank you so much for the advice. Great read :))) I will be sure to follow!
Anisha
Great tips! Love this post. Will take them all on board as I start my new food blogging journey :-)
Kate
Good luck, Anisha!
Ashley
Kate! Thank you so much for these resources! I just started a blog a little over a month ago and this make all the information so much more manageable! Thanks so much for your helpful tips!
Kate
Thanks, Ashley! Your blog looks fantastic. Love the design and logo!
Sadiya
Kate, your blog is breathtaking! I recently started my blog and I’ve been trying to increase traffic from people I don’t know and this post was so helpful.I’m implementing a lot of your advice and hopefully it will help! I feel like I can actually do this now.
Kate
Thanks, Sadiya! Best of luck with your new blog! You can do it. :)
Logan
Thanks for the generous tips. I have been blogging for a little while now and it is great to get some words of wisdom. Thank you!
Sheena
Thanks for the tips! Just restarting a blog and it’s great to have some help for it.
Kate
Thanks, Sheena! Your blog looks awesome!
Cattelya
I’m feeling really thankful after reading this entire post very attentively. I’m gonna be a regular student of Kate.
Hello dear kate
N
Wow!! Thank you, thank you so much Kate :-) !! Awesome tips. Working on a vegan blog with some friends, and finding it all so exciting, but also overwhelming. These tips are so useful, you are amazing lady <3
Kate
Thank you, N! Best of luck with your new blog!
Bethan
Hi Katy,
Thank you for this post – really great advice for someone who has just launched their own blog. I WILL learn about SEO!
Bxx
Sharron Timmins
Wow, I’m not sure how I ended up on your blog, but so glad I did. Great pics and a wealth of resources and tips. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m just starting a site and blog with virtually no experience or know how, so your tips are inspiring. The biggest one being ‘Don’t Give Up!” What’s also inspiring is your willingness to share your know-how. :-)
Kate
Thank you, Sharron! Best of luck with your new blog!
bobby panini
I would love to monetize my blog, however, it is difficult to write great articles. I have a hard time thinking of an appealing topic. Please advice on how to keep relevant and attractive content regarding food coming. (Sorry for a previous comment wherein i incorrectly entered info on name / website boxes.)
Kate
Hi Bobby, that’s a tough question. Enjoying writing and brainstorming content ideas are pretty central to blogging. Do you love food/cooking?
tanvi
super suggestions.
Swati
Hi Kate
Thank you for sharing these tips. Recently I started healthy food blog and new to this blogging world. Through Google search I ended up on your website. Your tips and resource links are really helpful and inspiring. I love your website design, it is very neat and clean.
Vaishnavi
How do I title posts of similar recipes? For example, there is already a post titled Chicken Biryani. I want to add another post of the same dish (but a different recipe), how do I title it? Should I simply say Chicken Biryani 2 or say something like ‘My sister’s Chicken Biryani’ if it’s her recipe I’m using? There is no major difference between the recipe that is already there and the one I want to post, in terms of ingredients. It’s a different method thats all.
Kate
Good question! That’s totally up to you. I like more descriptive titles, so I’d vote for ‘My sister’s Chicken Biryani’ in this case. It sounds more interesting than Chicken Biryani 2. :)
Mathew
Thanks for all the great information!
Alison
I found this very helpful. As someone who has been blogging for a short time now and still learning to blog. This was extremely helpful in how I an improve and keep it interesting. Thank you!
Kate
I’m glad to hear it! Thank you, Alison!
Goatrips
It’s nice to read these bits of food blogging advice and realize that you’re already doing nearly 90% of this. Thanks for this article; very informative! :)
Carrie
Kate – thank you so much for this post, and all of your other posts! I literally have created my site using all of your tips (which have made it easier than I thought it would be)! A huge thanks to you because now I am up and running and having a blast with it.
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Carrie. Your site looks so great!
Christina Grover
Huge help! I have recently gotten into cooking blogs, and would love to start my own. It just seems so fun, and I love that there is such a big online cooking “community”.
Kate
Thank you, Christina!
Pooja@poojascookery.com
Thanks for the tips. I will surely try to implement for my blog.
Alma Beatrice
I’m just hoping to break into the world of food blogging but aren’t sure where to start, now I learn lots more thing from your blog. Thanks Kate!
Candice Siders
I would like to see a comment section from people who have actually tried the recipe. I visit food sites for recipes, not photography and “gee that looks/sounds great” blurbs. This seems to be a universal problem with the comment sections of nearly all blogs.
Thank you
smiling notes
These are some really useful and awesome tips! Thanks a lot for sharing :)
xoxo
Shamira
soumya
Very nice article and very informative. Great tips for a food blogger and newbie.
Agnes
Thanks so much for this post Kate!! I just recently started my own site and this is so helpful and inspiring! I am definitely going to read up on your tips for taking better photography since I can see how that will really make a difference!
Sebestian
Hey Kate,
Thanks for sharing these awesome tips. I needed it for my food stuff offering. And, Now I get a complete clear picture. :) :)
Thanks again for writing a great stuff.
James Meastas
Being a food blogger asks for imagination, experimentation, ingenuity, and a heaping dose of enthusiasm. These are the best tips i ever read.
Kristen
Great tips, thank you! I just recently started a food blog so it is much appreciated! =)
Antonia
Thank you for the bit about recipe sharing websites. Just what I needed! I have found Pinterest to be a great driver of traffic. Hope these sites help as well. Thanks again!
Nichole
Hey Kate! I’m consistently inspired by your blogging and your ideas. I’m currently building a food blog website and having trouble with my images. How do you keep your images and the layout so consistent? Thanks so much!! Nichole
Kate
Thank you, Nichole! I always export my photos at the same sizes, and use a little Photoshop template I created for the side-by-side images. Beyond that, I think it takes practice to develop a consistent style and an eye for exposure and composition. You might check out my photography tips page, if you haven’t already!
Mishael @ Witty Vittles
Thank you for these tips. I’m going to go check out your photography tips post now. That’s still something I struggle with, even after almost a year of food blogging. It’s a steep learning curve, I guess – at least as far as I’m concerned.
I also really love the list of resources you provided. So helpful! I’ve pinned this to come back to later. I just don’t have time to go through it all right now. At least I’ll have a lot to look forward to! :-)
Rahul
Awesome tips. Must read article for every food blogger wanting to start his/ her blog.
Michael
Hi,
Really good read, some great no nonsense tips! Still early days for me so will try to keep these in mind.
Thanks
Edgar
Hi Kate, my wife and I started a food blog a month ago, you are right it is a lot of hard work and super overwhelming at first. We feel so passionate about improving the experience for food bloggers that we decided to build an app to help food bloggers publish their recipes. This information will be very useful for us, we appreciate the time you took to put the recommendations together and share them. :)
Emily
Thank you for all of these great tips! I just started my food blog a couple weeks ago and this is very helpful!
Ellie
Thank you for the wonderful tips! I recently started my own blog and even though I do it for fun, I still want to find ways to improve what I’m doing.
By the way, your dog is simply adorable! :)
Kate
Thanks, Ellie!
Love Food Life Alchemy
Thank you for the great info. Specialy the list of recipe submission sites. I didn’t know they all existed.
Swati
Thanks a lot Kate. The tips are really helpful. I have recently started my blog and was actually amazed with the enormity of the food blogger community. It gave me afterthought about what all apart from cooking I need to do to be a successful member. Thanks a lot once again.
Chris Martin
Hey, thanks for the lovely information :) Will greatly help me out ! Keep up the good work Kate :)
Runa
Thanks for sharing. I am going to start my blog and this is so inspirational as well as informative
Natalie
Great tips, thanks for your help :-)
Faylinn
My best friend and I want to start a food blog and I definitely think that we are planning on adding sharing buttons, because we really want people to share it. However, I would definitely want to be able to track where people are sharing our blog at. Is there a way to see how many people share it on Facebook, Pinterest or other platforms?
Kate
Hey Faylinn, I think some social sharing apps offer those numbers. You can also install Google Analytics to see where people are coming from.
Lindsay
First of all great blog! And you are absolutely right! Keep up the good work!
Kate
Thanks, Lindsay!
Josh
I searched for ‘food blog where should I submit my posts’ in Google and this was the first thing that came up! : ) Just what I needed, Kate, thanks!
Kate
Awesome! It was great to see you and meet your wife at Chopped!
Manuel Chana Romano
Nice tips!
Nina
Is it ok to make someone else’s recipes as long as you cite them? Also, would it be inappropriate to review others recipes on youtube? I would always give credit in whatever I did. I can cook, but can’t create my own recipes, so is food blogging/youtube videos even possible for me? Thanks!
Kate
Hey Nina, generally, you’d need to make three substantial changes to the recipe before you should share it (with credit, of course). Otherwise, just link over to the source for the recipe. I don’t think you should share others’ recipes on YouTube; you might run into some copyright issues/unhappy bloggers there. You could ask them first, and see if they’re ok with it!
Tiffin Chandigarh
Thanks Kate, you have listed up “to do” things in entirely professional manner which certainly enhance knowledge of each food blogger
Emily Honeycutt
Hi Kate,
Thanks so much for sharing your insights. I’ve been a nutrition & cooking instructor, teaching whole food, plant-based vegan classes for over ten years, and used to have a pretty basic website.
Just a few months ago with the help of my husband, I completely redid my site and am working to expand my online presence with the intention of helping more people and builidng my business. It’s exciting, but overwhelming.
I’ve been visiting your site for a while now and it’s really beautiful. There is so much to consider about blogging, from being on social media to learning about SEO. I haven’t really understood the importance of networking with fellow bloggers until now. I’m an introvert and have always just read posts without commenting. I’m sure that would be a surprise to the students who attend my classes, but I understand that many speakers and performers are introverts like me.
Anyway, thanks for all the valuable tips and especially for highlighting the importance of engaging with my fellow bloggers. I’ll take your advice to heart and put it into action. Thanks again!
Elaine H
Being food-lover, I welcomed the idea of blogging particularly in the food and beverage niche. I never thought it is this exciting. Apart from learning new recipes and meeting other bloggers, I tend prepare the best food recipes for my everyday meals. While searching some food blog sites, I stumbled into this site and found that these tips are truly helpful. These will make a genius blogger. Thanks for sharing.
Humayun
Thanks for sharing those really helpful tips.
Babor
Thank you for your great post!
lucy4g
Thanks Kate,
Thanks for sharing those really helpful tips.
Komal
Thanks for sharing such amazing ideas. As soon as I read your ideas I started implementing it. I am new to food blogging and hope that your ideas get me some visitors to survive :)
stayinlanka
Really this is nice post.Thanks for share.
taladro
First off I would like to say terrific blog! I had
a quick question which I’d like to ask if
you do not mind. I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your
thoughts before writing. I have had trouble clearing my mind in getting my ideas out
there. I truly do enjoy writing but it just seems like the
first 10 to 15 minutes are lost simply just trying to figure out how to
begin. Any ideas or tips? Thanks!
shan
Thanks for sharing good ideas, i really enjoy your post.
Sam Aidun
wow, that’s quite a complete list. I’ve probably 75% covered:-) this is a good guide to keep on on point, on purpose and on fire with the food blog. Persistence is key for me and the “why” of the whole project – why I’m doing it in the first place. This usually motivates me on those ‘other-than-fabulous’ days.
Zainab
Being a new food blogger, I found your post so helpful! Thanks for sharing your tips.With food blogging, I realize that there is so much to learn and you discover something new everyday. This blog post has definitely added to my knowledge, so thanks again! :)
Sien
I was always interested by people that made food blogs. I think you did a great job sharing your tips. You have an amazing blog and it’s so nice that you can make all of these things yourself. I like the fact that you tell us something about your dog Cookie in the bio. It’s a good thing that healthy food can be and can look so delicious. You’re doing a great job with your blog! Keep on doing it!
Raj Kumar
Great post thanks for sharing
aspirateur silencieux
You could certainly see your expertise within the work you write.
The arena hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t
afraid to say how they believe. At all times go after your heart.
Bethany Calaby
Wow this post had some really helpful tips and tricks in it! I will be sure to use some in my own blog “Bethany Bakes”, thanks so much! Also I love your sense of humour it’s great :)
Smartpastamaker
Thanks for share those tips. I just start a new blog related to food and recipe. I am hoping your tips will help me to make some good visitor.
Thanks in advance…….
cooking dash 2016 cheats
Amazing! Its really amazing post, I have got much clear idea about from this post.
Loosiefer
Hi Kate,
Thanks for the post. your post is very much helpful for my blog.
I have got lot of ideas from you.
You have done a great job!!
Best of luck.
(Y)
Akshay
Nice Tips.People who have just started with the food blogging.This post is of great help.Thanks Kate !
seatbelts for trucks
nice post thank you for sharing…
goerasmusgo.eu
I was extremely pleased to discover this page.
I need to to thank you for ones time for this particularly fantastic read!!
I definitely liked every little bit of it and I have you saved
as a favorite to check out new information in your site.
Amma
I am just starting out as a blogger and I need all the help I can get! This was very informative with lots of great links! Turns out blogging isn’t as easy as it looks, but it sure is fun!
Kate
So true! Good luck with your blog, Amma. I hope this helped.
Lauren
This article is so helpful!! I’ve been working on my food blog for years now, but it is always refreshing to get new ideas on how to improve. Thank you so much!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Lauren! I hope this offered some pointers that were new to you.
PaTricka
Thank you so much on the advice!! Very helpful.
Kate
You’re welcome! I hope they were useful.
Bradley
Such great tips!! Thanks for sharing I need to work on my food photography… I just invested in a new camera!
Kate
Have fun!
nikki@soulfullymade
Thank you for all the great tips! I have been blogging a short time. So much to learn and keep up with! But I am loving it all and found that Food Bloggers are the Best! I am making wonderful friends along the way! I can’t wait to dig in to more of your links here and learn! Sharing with each other is a blessing! Thank you again!
Kate
Thank you so much, Nikki! Welcome to the community, and I agree– we have some really great folks in the field, all of whom are more than willing to share resources and knowledge. All the best with your blog!
Orit
Thank you! I really appreciate the links of places to submit to.
Kate
You’re welcome, Orit!
Simona
I would like to thanks to you Kate :) for this amazing article on food blogging. I’ve just started blogging and its really helpful to me.
Thanks
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad it’s useful.
Court
These are fantastic tips and ideas. Im new to blogging and Im so lost right now. I love cooking and Im really good at it but taking the pictures is a very weak point for me. Also Im so confused with making the blog itself.
Im going to read this information 100 times until I understand everything you are talking about
Thanks again
Kate
Good luck, Court!
Sian
Hey Kate,
This post and a few of your others have really helped me out and I just wanted to thank you! I started a blog two weeks ago and even though I’m not sure what I expected It’s definitely a lot more intense than I would have thought especially since before this I was very light on the whole social media side of life… anyway!
Hats off to you and keep up the awesome posts!
Sian
Viginia Luther
Thank you
Kate
You’re welcome, Virginia. :)
Kate
Thanks so much, Gareth! It sounds like you have a wealth of knowledge and delicious recipes at your fingertips. Enjoy making your blog!
Gayatri lamba
Thank you! I really appreciate the links of places to submit to.Hats off to you and keep up the awesome posts!
Kate
You’re welcome, Gayatri! I hope they were helpful for you.
Chrissy Faery
Thank you so much for these amazing tips! :) I’d never considered submitting my recipes to submission sites before, and I’m SO thrilled to discover Finding Vegan – what a fantastic selection of delicious vegan food! <3 xxx
Kate
I’m so glad this was helpful, Chrissy! Best of luck.
Spain on a Fork
This was above and beyond helpful. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
Kate
You’re welcome! I hope it proves useful.
Rob
Thank you for taking the time to do this! I initially thought that this might be a cutthroat business, where aspiring bloggers would have to find their way on their own. But, this – plus recent experience with other food bloggers – confirms that this is really a great community of people who want everyone to succeed. My blog is still a work in progress, but this will help tremendously.
Kate
Oh, I’m so glad this helped give you some perspective, Rob! The majority of us want to see each other succeed. I hope your new venture starts out well!
Luna
Great tips! Learning about SEO is definitely important – I’ve seen so many blogs with amazing content and low traffic!
sejal
This web site is a very good i like it very much
Kate
Thank you, Sejal!
Angeles
Thank you very much for the info. I just went back to blogging after a year in blank because I was finding it was too much effort for nothing, but I decided to give it a go again and try my best. I realized that networking is essential and I will try the tips you shared
Kate
Happy to hear it was helpful, Angeles!
Kate
You are welcome, Angeles! I am glad it was helpful!
Mayalee
Nice Tips!!! Thanks for informed like it. It’s very useful information.
Kate
I am happy to hear that, Mayalee! You are very welcome.
ejaculatings
Currently it seems like Movable Type is the top blogging platform out there right now.
(from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?
Kate
I currently use WordPress and love the format and functionality!
Monique Plante
Dear Cookie & Kate:
I love your blog! Your recipes are so easy to make, use everyday ingredients and we end up w/a delicious meal. I relate to your style of communication, no plagiarism, you work hard and are consistent.
When I came upon your site, I thought this is engaging and how I would like my blog to feel. It’s clean, organized and easy to navigate. You come across as a real person who has developed her voice and speak directly to your audience. You are always positive.
Would it be possible to share my concept and get some feedback?
I look forward to hearing from you, Monique
Andeywala
Thanks a lot for enjoying this beauty article with me. I am apreciating it very much! Looking forward to another great article. Good luck to the author! all the best!
Kate
I am happy it was helpful!
Chococraft
What a fantastic post! The information is very useful. Thank you for sharing this here.
Kate
I am glad you found it so useful!
Suzanne Smith
Thanks Kate. Especially like your thoughts on plagiarism. Think too many people are just copying content from all over.
Kate
You are welcome, Suzanne! Thank you for your comment :)
Nozomi
Thank you so much for Sharing This. Your site has good content.
Kate
You are welcome! I am happy you found it helpful.
Milo
HI i am starting a new food blog , wix.com / weebly.com which do you think is better
Kate
Hi Milo, I’d really recommend using WordPress (self-hosted WordPress or wordpress.com) for reasons explained in the post.