I’m thrilled to share my August 2016 income and traffic report with you today. This month’s update comes to you from a cozy coffee shop in Georgetown, brimming with fresh insights gained from an incredible weekend at the Natural Products Expo in Baltimore. It was an exceptionally rewarding experience, fostering growth and new perspectives for my food blog. For a deeper dive into my trip, you can catch my daily vlogs HERE.

The Expo provided an invaluable opportunity to connect with an array of truly inspiring brands, many of which I eagerly anticipate collaborating with as future sponsors for the blog. Beyond brand connections, I had the immense pleasure of meeting two exceptionally talented fellow food bloggers: Sara from Cake Over Steak and Renee from Will Frolic for Food. The rich exchange of ideas and information with these peers was, by far, the most significant takeaway from my weekend. There’s an unparalleled value in face-to-face interactions within the blogging community, and I’m always profoundly grateful for these real-life connections.

Publishing these transparent income reports has unexpectedly opened countless doors to meaningful conversations with other bloggers. We discuss everything from the intricacies of blog monetization to the daily challenges and triumphs of running a digital business. To everyone who reads these reports, offers advice, shares questions, or simply reaches out to say hello—thank you! Your engagement makes this journey even more fulfilling. I reiterate it every month, but I am genuinely glad I began this tradition, and I am committed to continuing these monthly reports for the foreseeable future, as they not only document my progress but also foster a supportive community.

My enthusiasm for the future trajectory of my food blog has never been higher. I’m incredibly excited to see where this journey leads, how it evolves, and the new opportunities it will unlock. But enough musing – let’s delve into the detailed report for August!

Navigating Growth: A Deep Dive into August 2016 Traffic

Overview: Consistent Progress Towards Our Goals

For those who have been following my journey through these monthly reports, you’ll recall my ambitious goal of achieving 100,000 monthly pageviews by September 1st. While I didn’t quite hit that exact mark, falling short by a mere 1,782 pageviews, I consider this an enormous success. To be so close to a significant milestone is incredibly motivating, and it reflects the consistent hard work put into content creation and SEO best practices. What’s even more exciting is the phenomenal start to September I’m currently experiencing, but that’s a story for next month’s update.

The most gratifying aspect of my recent traffic surge isn’t just the increase in numbers, but the remarkably steady nature of this growth. In the past, major traffic spikes were often attributed to a few viral posts or isolated events. However, the current trend shows a sustained and consistent daily rise in traffic. This “evergreen” growth is far more reassuring and valuable. It indicates a healthy, expanding audience base and a strong foundation, making these higher numbers much more likely to be retained and built upon, rather than experiencing the dramatic peaks and valleys of previous months. This consistent progression is a testament to sustainable blogging strategies and a focus on long-term audience engagement.

Audience Dynamics: New vs. Returning Visitors

When analyzing audience behavior, the balance between attracting new visitors and retaining existing ones is crucial for sustainable blog growth. For August, the percentage of returning visitors remained almost precisely consistent with previous months. This stability is a positive sign, indicating that our existing content continues to resonate with our core audience, encouraging them to come back for more delicious recipes and helpful tips. While a significant jump in returning visitors is always welcome, maintaining a steady loyal readership alongside new audience acquisition is a healthy indicator of a well-balanced content strategy. For now, I’m content with this consistent ratio as we focus on expanding our overall reach while nurturing our dedicated community.

Unpacking Our Success: Top Ten Traffic Sources

A consistent presence across our primary traffic channels is vital for sustained blog growth. As I mentioned in last month’s report, I’m extremely pleased to see our top three—and really, top four—traffic sources holding steady. This stability confirms that our efforts in SEO, social media, and content distribution are yielding reliable results. Understanding where your audience comes from is key to optimizing your content strategy and allocating resources effectively for maximum reach and engagement.

Mastering Seasonal Content and Pinterest Strategy

Having now been actively blogging for three years, a milestone I proudly reached this month, I’ve amassed a considerable library of hundreds of recipes. This extensive archive places the blog in an excellent position to capitalize on seasonal traffic. What this means in practice is that for every season—be it the vibrant produce of summer, the comforting flavors of fall, the warmth of winter, or the freshness of spring—I have a robust collection of recipes already indexed by Google. When users search for seasonal dishes, like “butternut squash recipe” in autumn or “strawberry desserts” in summer, my blog appears as a go-to resource.

Beyond Google, this seasonal strategy harmonizes beautifully with Pinterest marketing. Many of these seasonal recipes have had a year or even two to three years to gain traction and circulate widely on Pinterest. As a new season approaches, these evergreen seasonal pins resurface, reminding users of delicious recipes they saved. For example, as Fall begins, users who pinned a pumpkin spice or apple cider recipe months ago are now more inclined to seriously consider making it, resulting in increased click-throughs to my site for the full recipe. This delayed gratification from Pinterest traffic is a powerful aspect of long-term content strategy, illustrating how older content can continue to drive significant traffic years after publication due to consistent pinning and seasonal relevance.

This cumulative effect, combined with a growing back-catalog of high-quality content, is a significant driver of the substantial growth observed over the past few months. It truly feels as though having a vast array of recipes out in the world, actively circulating and being discovered, is now paying significant dividends in terms of overall blog visibility and traffic.

Elevating User Experience with Video Content for SEO

To further enhance our success on Google organic search and improve user engagement, I’m actively working on integrating video content into our most popular and highly searched recipes. A prime example is the video I recently created for THIS Butternut Squash Pasta recipe. This particular post, originally published two years ago, offers a fascinating case study in content longevity and strategic optimization. When it was initially launched, it generated little to no traffic. It wasn’t until a full year later that it began to gain traction, and now, two years post-publication, it stands as my single most popular post, remarkably contributing a whopping 11% of my total monthly traffic. Achieving 11% of total traffic from just one out of hundreds of posts is truly substantial and highlights the power of sustained effort and targeted optimization.

The addition of video content serves multiple strategic purposes. Firstly, it significantly increases the “stickiness” of a post, meaning visitors spend more time on the page. This improved dwell time is a critical factor for Google’s algorithm, signaling that users find the content valuable and engaging, which can positively influence search rankings. We discussed the importance of this “stickiness” in last month’s traffic and income report as well. Secondly, videos enhance the overall user experience, providing a dynamic and easily digestible way to follow recipes, appealing to diverse learning styles. My goal is to make these already popular posts even more successful by enriching them with high-quality video, aiming to raise their visibility and rank as high as possible in Google search results. The higher a recipe ranks, the more likely a user is to click on it, leading to increased organic traffic and broader audience reach.

August 2016 Income Report: Monetizing a Passion

*Transparency Note: Some of the links provided below are affiliate links. Rest assured, all listed products and services are ones I personally use on a regular basis and wholeheartedly recommend. Should you have any questions about any of them, please don’t hesitate to reach out via email. The income figures presented herein reflect earnings directly attributable to the blog, excluding any revenue generated from my separate food photography and videography business.

Mediavine (Display Advertising Network): $733.51
This represents revenue generated through display advertisements served on the blog via the Mediavine ad network. As traffic consistently grows, so does the potential for ad revenue, making Mediavine a cornerstone of the blog’s monetization strategy.
Freelance Writing: $150.00
Income derived from writing assignments for other publications or brands, leveraging my expertise in food and recipe development. This diversification allows for additional income streams while expanding my professional portfolio.
Sponsored Post: $0.00
While no sponsored content was published in August, this remains a significant potential income avenue. Sponsored posts involve creating dedicated content (recipes, reviews) in collaboration with brands, aligning with the blog’s niche and audience values.
Food Blogger Pro (Affiliate Sales): $5.80
This commission comes from a dedicated post I wrote encouraging aspiring and established bloggers to sign up for Food Blogger Pro, an invaluable resource for food blogging education. Affiliate marketing involves earning a commission by promoting products or services I trust.
Food Photography School (Affiliate Sales): $29.70
Generated through a post focused on food photography tips for beginners, guiding readers to this excellent online course. Highlighting tools and courses that genuinely help my audience is a key part of my affiliate strategy.
Greater Than Gatsby (Affiliate Sales): $41.76
This income stems from several articles where I demonstrate how I use Greater Than Gatsby Actions & Presets to edit my food photos, offering valuable insights into my post-processing workflow.
Amazon Associates (Affiliate Sales): $54.18
Revenue from various Amazon affiliate links strategically placed throughout my blog posts, recommending kitchen tools, ingredients, and other products relevant to my recipes and audience. This broad affiliate program allows for diverse product recommendations.
Click It Up A Notch Ebook (Affiliate Sales): $4.80
Earned from a post I authored, which helps beginners understand DSLR manual mode, recommending this helpful ebook as a further learning resource.

Total August 2016 Blog Income: $1019.75

Managing Our Resources: August 2016 Blog Expenses

Running a professional food blog involves several essential investments to maintain quality, reach, and technical performance. Here’s a breakdown of the expenses for August:

WP Engine Hosting: $0.00
A fantastic surprise this month! I received a credit on my hosting plan for upgrading, which meant August’s hosting was completely free. WP Engine provides robust, high-performance hosting crucial for a growing blog, ensuring fast load times and reliable uptime, both critical for SEO and user experience.
Food for Photography: $200.00 (Estimate)
This figure is an estimated cost for ingredients specifically purchased and used for recipes that were photographed and featured on the blog. It’s important to note that I only expense food directly related to blog content creation, distinguishing it from ingredients used for general recipe testing or personal consumption. While an estimate this month due to time constraints in logging receipts, I aim for precise tracking to ensure accurate financial reporting.
Props for Food Photography: $0.00
Fortuitously, no new props were needed this month, allowing for a zero expense in this category. Building a diverse collection of food photography props over time helps manage these costs, as new purchases are not always necessary.
Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription (Lightroom/Photoshop + Premiere): $10.91 + $19.99 = $30.90
Essential tools for professional content creation. Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop are indispensable for editing high-quality food photography, ensuring images are visually appealing and consistent with the blog’s aesthetic. Adobe Premiere is crucial for editing the growing volume of video content, enhancing production quality and engaging our audience through dynamic visuals. These subscriptions are vital for maintaining the blog’s visual standards.
Mailchimp Premium (Email Marketing Service): $20.00
Mailchimp is our chosen platform for email marketing, allowing us to connect directly with our subscribers, share new content, and build a loyal community. The premium plan offers advanced features necessary for segmenting our audience and optimizing email campaigns, which is a powerful tool for driving traffic and engagement.
The Blog Village (Blogging Community/Education): $25.00
Investment in continuous learning and community support. The Blog Village provides access to valuable resources, expert advice, and a network of fellow bloggers, fostering professional development and helping me stay current with industry trends and best practices.

Total August 2016 Blog Expenses: $245.00

Note: I acknowledge that these expense figures are an estimate for August due to recent busy periods. I am committed to reconciling and providing precise figures for next month’s report. Transparency and accuracy in financial reporting remain a top priority.

Strategic Focus in August: Embracing Continuity

Given a particularly busy summer filled with various life commitments, my primary strategic focus for August was to ensure unwavering continuity and consistency across all aspects of the blog. Rather than pursuing ambitious new projects, the emphasis was firmly placed on maintaining the established rhythm and quality of content delivery. This meant consistently publishing at least two new blog posts per week, releasing a minimum of one new video per week, and maintaining a regular, engaging presence across all social media channels.

This commitment to continuity is crucial for sustaining audience engagement and reinforcing search engine visibility. Even when life throws curveballs, demonstrating reliability in content output helps keep the audience engaged and signals to search engines that the blog is an active, authoritative source. Last month, I mentioned my intention to publish a comprehensive guide detailing my video shooting process, including equipment used and specialized tips for creating successful video content. While I haven’t been able to finalize that guide yet, the continued influx of questions regarding video creation reaffirms its importance. I am now making it a priority to begin working on this guide this week. Please feel free to send any specific video-related questions my way so I can ensure the guide addresses the most pressing needs of my audience.

Looking Ahead: Strategic Priorities for the Next 30 Days

The upcoming month holds several exciting and transformative initiatives that I am eager to dedicate my full attention to. These strategic priorities are designed to propel the blog forward, enhance its brand identity, and secure long-term partnerships.

The Big Rebrand: Embracing a New Blog Name!
This is perhaps the most daunting, yet most exhilarating, task ahead: a complete blog name change! I know, it sounds incredibly scary, but it’s a decision that has been simmering since the very first day I launched the blog. “B Britnell” was always intended as a temporary placeholder, and I deeply regret waiting this long to take the plunge. My recent experience at the Natural Products Expo served as a powerful reminder of this necessity. While networking, I often felt my blog’s name didn’t immediately convey its purpose or personality, especially when compared to other bloggers whose names were instantly engaging and conversation-starters. A new name will allow for clearer brand identity, better memorability, and a stronger connection with my audience. It’s about creating a brand that truly reflects the vibrant content and community we’re building. That said, I currently have no definitive ideas for the new name, so suggestions from my wonderful community are not just welcomed, but eagerly awaited!
Forging Strategic Brand Sponsorships
This is an opportune time of year as many brands are actively planning and allocating their marketing budgets for 2017. My goal is to strategically position the blog for impactful brand collaborations. Following the Natural Products Expo, I returned with a substantial collection of business cards from companies I would absolutely love to partner with. My sincere hope is to cultivate long-term relationships with a select handful of brands—ideally no more than eight. This approach is far more valuable and authentic than engaging in numerous one-off collaborations. I am seeking partnerships with brands I genuinely admire and, preferably, those whose products I already use and love on a regular basis. Long-term partnerships allow for deeper content integration, more consistent storytelling, and a stronger alignment with my personal values and the blog’s ethos. Fingers crossed that these efforts bear fruit; rest assured, I will keep you all updated on our progress in this exciting area.
Finalizing the Media Kit: Our Professional Introduction
Closely intertwined with the pursuit of sponsorships is the critical task of finalizing my media kit. This essential document has been about 75% complete for the past few months, and it’s now time to bring it to perfection. A professional and compelling media kit is the blog’s business card, resume, and portfolio all rolled into one. It provides potential brand partners with a comprehensive overview of the blog’s audience demographics, traffic statistics, social media reach, past collaborations, and unique value proposition. Having a polished, ready-to-send media kit is absolutely vital for making a strong first impression and effectively communicating the tremendous value a partnership with my blog can offer to a brand. This will be a top priority to ensure we are fully equipped for outreach to potential sponsors.

A Heartfelt Thanks to YOU: Giving Back Through Our Community

It is thanks to each and every one of you who visits, reads, and engages with my blog that I have been able to continue supporting a young girl in Haiti this month. This ongoing commitment is deeply important to me, and it is my steadfast plan to consistently donate 10% of all blog earnings. Your readership not only fuels the growth of this platform but also directly contributes to making a positive impact in the lives of others. I am profoundly grateful for this wonderful opportunity to give back, even if it feels like a small contribution for now, knowing that together, we are making a difference. Thank you for being an indispensable part of this journey.