Today, I want to share with you the inspiring story of Sarah Bond and her incredible journey as the owner of the food blog Live Eat Learn. With over 1 million monthly visitors and a monthly income of $30-40k, Sarah has grown her blog into a thriving business. Initially started as a documentation of her own cooking journey, Sarah now focuses on creating content clusters around specific ingredients or topics to establish herself as an authority in those areas. She emphasizes the importance of SEO in driving traffic to her blog and shares valuable tips on updating content and enhancing the user experience. Sarah also has two niche sites focused on kombucha brewing and dog food, allowing her to diversify her online presence. Through her story, you’ll gain valuable insights into content strategy, growth tactics, and adapting to changing trends.
On the Niche Pursuits podcast, Sarah Bond joins host Jared to discuss her journey building Live Eat Learn, a food blog that has reached remarkable success. With over 1 million monthly visitors and a monthly income ranging from $30-40k, Sarah’s blog is a testament to her expertise in content strategy and growth tactics. Sarah’s focus on creating content clusters around specific ingredients or topics has helped establish her as a trusted authority in the industry. She shares her insights on using SEO to drive traffic, updating content effectively, and using social proof to build credibility. Additionally, she discusses the role of her email list in building relationships with her audience and promoting digital products. Don’t miss this episode filled with valuable strategies and inspiration for growing a successful blog.
Content Strategy
At Live Eat Learn, the main focus is on recipes. Recipes are what drive the majority of traffic to the website, and Sarah Bond, the owner, understands the importance of consistently developing and sharing new recipes to keep readers engaged. She believes that recipe development is a crucial aspect of providing readers with reliable and successful recipes that they can recreate in their own kitchens. By continuously creating and sharing new recipes, Live Eat Learn establishes itself as a go-to resource for food enthusiasts.
In addition to recipe posts, Live Eat Learn also includes informational posts. This mix of recipe and informational content supports the overall Content Strategy of the blog. Informational posts provide readers with valuable insights, tips, and knowledge related to food and cooking. By combining recipe and informational posts, Live Eat Learn aims to provide a well-rounded experience for its audience.
Recipe Development
Recipe development is a vital part of Live Eat Learn’s content strategy. Sarah Bond and her team of writers focus on creating recipes that are not only delicious but also accessible and easy to follow. They aim to develop recipes that cater to various dietary preferences and restrictions, ensuring that there is something for everyone.
When it comes to recipe development, Sarah emphasizes the use of step-by-step photos and videos. These visual aids enhance the user experience, making it easier for readers to follow along and replicate the recipes. These visual elements also help to engage readers and keep them interested in the content.
Mix of Recipe and Informational Posts
Live Eat Learn’s content strategy revolves around striking a balance between recipe and informational posts. While recipes are the primary focus, informational posts provide valuable knowledge and insights that complement the recipe content. These informational posts can cover a wide range of topics, such as cooking techniques, ingredient guides, and nutrition information.
By incorporating both recipe and informational posts, Live Eat Learn aims to cater to the diverse interests and needs of its readers. This approach helps to establish the blog as a comprehensive resource for all things food-related.
Social Media
Over the years, Live Eat Learn has witnessed changes in social traffic. Platforms like Pinterest and Facebook, which were once major sources of organic reach, have experienced a decrease in reach. Sarah Bond recognizes the importance of adapting to these changes and finding new ways to engage with her audience on social media.
To combat the decline in organic reach, Live Eat Learn repurposes content for different social media platforms. This strategy involves taking existing blog content and tailoring it to fit the specific requirements and preferences of each platform. By repurposing content, Live Eat Learn can reach a wider audience and maintain an active presence on social media.
Video content is also a significant focus for Live Eat Learn’s social media strategy. Sarah understands the power of videos in capturing attention and engaging viewers. By creating compelling and informative videos, Live Eat Learn can stand out on social media and provide additional value to its audience.
SEO Strategy
Search engine optimization (SEO) plays a critical role in driving traffic to Live Eat Learn. While platforms like Pinterest have become less relevant, SEO remains a key factor in ensuring the blog’s visibility in search engine results.
Improving click-through rates is a priority in Live Eat Learn’s SEO strategy. By creating eye-catching and engaging titles, the blog aims to attract more clicks from search engine users. Sarah Bond understands the importance of using compelling language and keywords that resonate with the target audience.
In addition to title optimization, Live Eat Learn also focuses on updating old content. This process involves revisiting existing posts, optimizing titles, and incorporating social proof to keep readers engaged. By regularly updating and optimizing old content, Live Eat Learn can maintain its relevance and visibility in search engine results.
Creating Engaging Titles
Engaging titles are a crucial aspect of Live Eat Learn’s content creation process. Sarah Bond and her team understand that a well-crafted title can capture the attention of readers and motivate them to click on a post. When developing titles for recipes and informational posts, Live Eat Learn aims to be descriptive, enticing, and relatable.
A successful title not only informs readers about the content of a post but also sparks curiosity and excitement. Sarah and her team conduct thorough research and brainstorming to come up with titles that are unique, attention-grabbing, and aligned with the target audience’s interests.
Updating Old Content
Updating old content is a priority for Live Eat Learn. Sarah Bond recognizes the value of maintaining a fresh and up-to-date website. By regularly revisiting and updating old posts, Live Eat Learn can provide readers with the latest information and insights.
When updating old content, Sarah focuses on retitling posts to make them more appealing and stand out in search results. She also emphasizes the importance of incorporating social proof, such as positive reviews or testimonials, at the top of posts. These additions help to build credibility and engage readers.
Updating old content is not only beneficial for SEO purposes but also for reader satisfaction. By continuously improving and updating old posts, Live Eat Learn ensures that its audience receives the most current and valuable information.
Content Creation
Live Eat Learn relies on a small team of writers to create and curate its content. While Sarah Bond remains central to the blog’s content creation process, she understands the importance of additional contributors in providing a diverse range of perspectives and expertise.
When choosing contributors, Live Eat Learn prioritizes quality. Sarah and her team look for writers who are passionate about food, have a deep knowledge of specific topics, and can provide unique insights. By focusing on quality contributors, Live Eat Learn can consistently deliver high-quality content that resonates with its audience.
Collaborating with a small team of writers also allows Live Eat Learn to cover a wide range of topics and ensure the blog’s content remains diverse and engaging.
Email Marketing
Building relationships with readers is a critical aspect of Live Eat Learn’s marketing strategy. Sarah Bond understands the value of connecting with her audience on a personal level and using Email Marketing to foster those relationships.
Live Eat Learn utilizes its email list to provide subscribers with exclusive content and updates. Through regular emails, Sarah keeps subscribers informed about new recipes, informational posts, and other food-related content. This consistent communication helps to establish trust and loyalty among readers.
In addition to providing valuable content, Live Eat Learn also uses email marketing as a way to generate traffic to the blog. By strategically promoting new posts, products, and digital offerings, Sarah can drive traffic and increase engagement on the website.
Generating Traffic
Generating traffic is a top priority for Live Eat Learn. Aside from email marketing, the blog employs various strategies to attract new visitors and retain existing ones.
Social media, particularly platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, plays a significant role in Live Eat Learn’s traffic generation efforts. The blog maintains an active presence on these platforms, regularly sharing visually appealing content and engaging with followers. Through strategic and targeted social media marketing, Live Eat Learn can reach a wider audience and drive traffic to the website.
In addition to social media, Live Eat Learn also focuses on search engine optimization and creating high-quality content. By optimizing posts for search engines and continuously developing informative and engaging content, the blog can attract organic traffic from search engine users.
Digital Products
While Live Eat Learn primarily earns revenue from ads, the blog also offers digital products such as meal plans and ebooks. These digital products provide additional value to readers and serve as an opportunity for monetization.
However, it’s important to note that digital products are not the main source of revenue for Live Eat Learn. Instead, they complement the blog’s overall content strategy and provide readers with additional resources and tools to enhance their cooking and eating experiences.
By offering digital products, Live Eat Learn can diversify its income streams and provide more opportunities for its audience to engage and support the blog.
Niche Sites
In addition to Live Eat Learn, Sarah Bond has two niche sites: Brew Buch, focused on kombucha brewing, and Bone Appétreat, focused on dog food. These niche sites allow Sarah to cater to specific interests and expand her online presence.
Brew Buch serves as a platform for sharing brewing tips, recipes, and information about kombucha. It provides a dedicated space for individuals interested in brewing their own kombucha and offers a comprehensive resource for everything related to kombucha.
Bone Appétreat, on the other hand, focuses on dog food recipes and tips. It caters to dog owners who are looking for homemade and nutritious options for their furry friends. By specifically targeting this niche, Sarah can tap into a different audience and provide valuable content and resources.
Having separate niche sites also serves as a risk mitigation strategy. By diversifying her online presence, Sarah reduces the risk of putting all her eggs in one basket. Each niche site has its own audience and revenue stream, further strengthening Sarah’s overall business.
Focus on Brewing and Kombucha Recipes
Brew Buch, one of Sarah Bond’s niche sites, has a specific focus on brewing and kombucha recipes. The website serves as an in-depth resource for individuals interested in kombucha brewing, offering tips, guides, and recipes to help them navigate the process.
The content on Brew Buch covers a wide range of topics, from the basics of brewing kombucha to advanced techniques and troubleshooting. Sarah ensures that new content is added regularly, whether it’s a new recipe or an informative article. This commitment to consistently providing valuable content helps Brew Buch establish itself as a go-to resource for kombucha enthusiasts.
By focusing on brewing and kombucha recipes, Brew Buch creates a niche within a niche, catering specifically to individuals who want to explore kombucha brewing on a deeper level.
Growing Slowly
Sarah Bond takes a deliberate and patient approach to growing her niche sites. Rather than rushing to achieve rapid growth, she focuses on gradually building an engaged audience and providing valuable content.
Growing slowly allows Sarah to maintain quality control and ensure that she delivers the best possible experience to her audience. By taking the time to create high-quality content, engage with readers, and refine the niche sites, Sarah can establish a solid foundation for sustainable growth.
While the growth may be slower compared to other strategies, Sarah believes that this approach ultimately leads to long-term success and a loyal audience.
Separate Sites for Risk Mitigation
Sarah Bond’s decision to have separate niche sites for brewing and kombucha recipes is driven by risk mitigation. By having distinct websites for each niche, she reduces the risk of potential issues on one site affecting the others.
For example, if there were a technical issue or a major update in the blogging landscape that impacted Live Eat Learn, having separate niche sites would ensure that the other sites remain unaffected. This strategy allows Sarah to protect her business and maintain a degree of stability across her online presence.
While there have been suggestions to combine the content from these niche sites into Live Eat Learn, Sarah values the risk mitigation aspect and prefers to keep these sites separate.
Multiple Websites
In addition to Live Eat Learn and her niche sites focused on brewing and kombucha, Sarah Bond also has another website focused specifically on vegetarian food. This website serves as a passion project and has been growing slowly over time.
The vegetarian food website complements Live Eat Learn by providing a space dedicated to vegetarian recipes, tips, and resources. Sarah aims to make this site a comprehensive resource for all things vegetarian, covering a wide range of topics and providing valuable insights and inspiration for individuals following a vegetarian lifestyle.
Having multiple websites allows Sarah to cater to different interests and expand her reach within the food blogging industry.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, Sarah Bond has several plans to continue growing and refining her websites. She emphasizes the importance of staying relevant on social media and staying ahead of emerging trends and challenges in the food industry.
One of her strategies for determining future topics to cover is by looking at the categories that still need to be filled out on the vegetarian food blog. By aiming to make it the most comprehensive resource possible, Sarah can identify gaps and create content that meets the needs and interests of her audience.
The future plans also involve continuing to publish valuable content, exploring new opportunities for monetization, and maintaining the momentum of Live Eat Learn and her niche sites. Sarah is committed to continuously improving and expanding her online presence to provide the best possible experience for her readers.
Staying Relevant on Social Media
Social media plays a crucial role in Live Eat Learn’s marketing strategy, and Sarah Bond understands the importance of staying relevant and engaging on various platforms.
Among the social media platforms, Pinterest and Instagram are particularly active for Live Eat Learn. Sarah recognizes the visual nature of food content and utilizes these platforms to showcase her recipes, share cooking tips, and engage with her audience. By creating visually appealing content and maintaining an active presence, Live Eat Learn can efficiently connect and interact with its target audience.
Staying relevant on social media also involves keeping up with the latest trends and strategies. Sarah remains up-to-date with the changes in algorithms, audience preferences, and best practices to ensure that Live Eat Learn maintains its visibility and engagement on social media platforms.
Staying Ahead of Emerging Trends
The food industry is dynamic and constantly evolving, with new trends and challenges emerging regularly. To stay relevant and ahead of the curve, Live Eat Learn aims to anticipate these trends and adapt its content strategy accordingly.
Sarah Bond keeps a close eye on emerging trends and shifts in the food industry. By staying informed, she can identify potential opportunities and create content that aligns with these trends. For example, if a specific ingredient or cooking technique starts gaining popularity, Live Eat Learn can develop recipes and informative posts that cater to the growing interest.
By staying ahead of emerging trends, Live Eat Learn can continue to provide valuable and timely content to its audience, establishing itself as a reliable source of information and inspiration.