Welcome back to the second installment of my monthly income reports! It’s truly incredible how much has evolved in just one month since I began publishing these insights into my blog’s traffic and earnings. This journey towards transparency has been immensely rewarding, fostering connections with both new and long-time friends within the blogging community.
The overwhelming number of questions and comments I received after my first report underscored the value of sharing this journey. I’m genuinely thrilled to offer a glimpse behind the scenes and provide actionable insights for fellow bloggers and aspiring content creators. Please remember, my inbox is always open if you have any questions about blogging, food photography, or simply want to chat about the ups and downs of this incredible endeavor.
Let’s dive right into the heart of February’s performance.
Unpacking February’s Traffic Journey: Milestones and Momentum
Traffic Overview and Key Milestones
February marked an exhilarating new record for Food With Feeling, becoming my highest traffic month to date! This significant achievement brings me closer to my ambitious goal of reaching 100,000 pageviews per month by mid-2016. My approach for February involved a relentless effort in promoting content: consistent submissions to various food submission sites, active engagement on visual platforms like Pinterest and Yummly, and diligently adhering to my three-posts-per-week publishing schedule.
Initially, I considered omitting the top traffic graph, but its insights are far too valuable to keep hidden. A substantial portion of February’s traffic surge can be attributed to several dramatic spikes throughout the month. Without these isolated, high-impact events, my overall traffic numbers would tell a very different story. One such peak originated from a coveted inclusion in a Buzzfeed roundup, providing a massive influx of new visitors. Another significant boost came from Finding Vegan, which remarkably featured two of my recipes on their highly influential Facebook page within the same week. The prominent spike in the middle of the month, however, remains a bit of a mystery, stemming from Yummly. While the exact trigger for this particular Yummly surge is unclear, I certainly embraced the unexpected increase!
The Strategic Role of Food Submission Sites
I want to delve briefly into the effectiveness of food submission sites such as Foodgawker, Tastespotting, and Finding Vegan. Many bloggers have begun to question their efficacy as direct traffic drivers. It’s true that, on their own, these platforms might not immediately funnel a massive amount of traffic to your site. For instance, last month, even with a majority of my recipes making it to Foodgawker’s first page—and two even reaching the coveted first row—each only generated approximately 300-500 additional pageviews, a generous estimate at best.
However, it’s crucial to understand that the true value of these platforms extends far beyond immediate direct traffic. It’s about the subsequent ripple effect and long-term exposure your recipes gain. Consider Example #1: as mentioned, Finding Vegan featured two of my recipes on their Facebook page, which boasts over 800,000 followers. This type of high-visibility feature can dramatically amplify your reach. Example #2: In the past month, I received several emails from prominent blogs and online publishers, including Refinery 29, expressing interest in featuring my recipes. When I inquire about how they discovered my work, a frequent response is simply that they stumbled upon it while browsing through recipe submission sites. These sites act as a discovery portal for larger media outlets, opening doors to opportunities that direct traffic metrics alone wouldn’t capture. Example #3: Social shares. Often, visitors to these submission sites will see an intriguing recipe and save or share it for later without immediately clicking through to the blog. While these might not translate into immediate pageviews, each share is a potential seed for future traffic. You never know when one of these delayed engagements will cause a recipe to suddenly gain viral traction. It’s always amusing to witness a recipe posted a year ago, which initially garnered little attention, finally take off and bring in significant traffic. This is precisely what happened with THIS Sriracha Lime Salmon post.
Engaging Your Audience: New vs. Returning Visitors
Last month, I highlighted my intention to strategically increase the number of returning visitors to the blog. Unfortunately, this figure saw a slight dip in February. However, I believe this is largely a proportional effect of the impressive 12,000 additional pageviews recorded in February compared to January. While the overall number of returning visitors might have marginally decreased as a percentage, the sheer volume of new traffic means the absolute number of loyal readers remains strong.
To specifically address this, I’m currently developing an exclusive e-book, which I plan to offer as a valuable incentive for readers to subscribe to my newsletter. My strong hope is that this initiative will not only significantly boost the number of returning visitors but also cultivate a more engaged and active community of readers, keen to consistently explore new content and interact with the blog.
Decoding Your Top Traffic Sources
In February, direct traffic surprisingly emerged as my number one source, a metric that can often be a bit perplexing for bloggers. While it can include visitors who type your URL directly or have your site bookmarked, it also encompasses traffic that Google Analytics can’t categorize, such as clicks from certain offline documents or untagged links. THIS insightful article provided a much clearer understanding of the nuances behind direct traffic.
I am particularly pleased to see organic search maintaining its position as a top referrer. This is a direct testament to the consistent efforts I’ve been putting into my SEO strategy, diligently optimizing content for search engines. It’s incredibly rewarding to witness these foundational efforts translate into sustained, high-quality traffic.
Monetizing the Food Blog: February’s Financial Breakdown
Some of the links below are affiliate links. Rest assured, all of the products and services listed are ones I personally use on a regular basis and wholeheartedly recommend. If you have any questions about any of these resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out via email. Transparency and trust are paramount in these reports.
- Mediavine: $288.71
- Freelance Writing: $250
- Sponsored Post: $0
- Gourmet Ads: $6.19
- Food Blogger Pro: $11.30
- Food Photography School: $29.70
- Greater Than Gatsby: $10.70
- Amazon: $1.90
This substantial portion of my income comes from display advertising managed by Mediavine, a premium ad management network. Their optimization strategies ensure a strong RPM (Revenue Per Mille, or per 1000 pageviews), making them a cornerstone of my blog’s monetization.
Beyond Food With Feeling, I also offer my expertise in recipe development and food writing to other publications and brands, contributing to a diversified income stream.
While February didn’t see any finalized sponsored content deals, securing these brand partnerships remains a key objective, and I’ve been actively pitching and negotiating for future collaborations.
This modest sum was earned during the very brief transition period in February, where Gourmet Ads was active on my site for only a day or two before I fully switched over to Mediavine for comprehensive ad management.
This affiliate commission is generated through a dedicated post I wrote, where I enthusiastically encouraged fellow bloggers to consider joining Food Blogger Pro, an invaluable resource for learning the ins and outs of food blogging.
My passion for food photography extends into affiliate earnings from a post detailing tips and tricks for aspiring food photographers, recommending this excellent educational platform.
This income stems from several posts I published, showcasing how I enhance my food photos using Greater Than Gatsby Actions & Presets in Adobe Lightroom, a tool I highly value for its transformative capabilities.
A small but consistent stream, this income comes from various Amazon affiliate links strategically placed throughout my recipe posts, recommending kitchen tools, ingredients, or photography equipment.
TOTAL FEBRUARY BLOG INCOME: $598.50
*It’s important to note that this income report specifically focuses on earnings generated directly through my blog. I do not include any revenue from my separate food photography business, as that operates as a distinct entity.
Essential Investments: February’s Blog Expenses
Running a successful blog, especially one focused on food, inevitably comes with essential operational costs. These investments are crucial for maintaining site performance, creating high-quality content, and ensuring the smooth running of the platform. Here’s a breakdown of my core expenses for February:
- WP Engine Hosting: $90
- Food: $133.40
- Adobe Lightroom/ Photoshop: $10.91
Premium hosting is a non-negotiable for a growing blog, ensuring speed, security, and reliability. WP Engine provides excellent managed WordPress hosting, which is vital for user experience and SEO.
This category covers the cost of ingredients specifically purchased and used for recipes that are photographed and published on the blog. It does not include food items bought for general recipe testing that may not make it to a published post, or for personal consumption.
As a food blogger and photographer, access to professional editing software is indispensable. Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly Lightroom and Photoshop, is essential for editing and enhancing all my visual content.
TOTAL FEBRUARY BLOG EXPENSES: $234.31
Key Learnings & Strategic Shifts from February
The Traffic vs. Income Paradox
As you can observe, February’s traffic significantly surpassed January’s by approximately 12,000 pageviews, yet my overall income for the month was considerably lower. This disparity highlights a crucial lesson in blogging: high pageviews, while certainly a desirable metric that all food bloggers strive for, do not always directly correlate with a proportional increase in income. Conversely, a month with slower traffic can sometimes yield surprisingly strong earnings, as evidenced by my projections for March, where I anticipate tripling February’s income despite a softer start to traffic. This ongoing dynamic underscores the importance of diversifying monetization strategies and understanding the various factors that influence both traffic acquisition and revenue generation.
February’s Core Focus: Expanding Reach and Strategic Promotion
My primary goal for February was to generate more leads and secure a few additional sponsored posts. I’m pleased to report that these efforts paid off, leading to several exciting brand campaigns lined up for March. This proactive approach to securing direct partnerships is becoming increasingly important for stable and higher-value income.
A significant shift in my workflow during February involved dedicating much more effort to content promotion. I’ve often heard the advice that 20% of your time should be spent creating content, and a whopping 80% on promoting it. candidly, I’ve often reversed those numbers in the past, heavily prioritizing creation. In February, I made a conscious and concerted effort to tip the scales towards promotion, and the results were palpable. However, maintaining this intense level of promotion is incredibly demanding. It’s time-sensitive, requires constant vigilance, and frankly, can be quite exhausting. There are days when it feels genuinely difficult to keep up. This experience has firmly cemented my future plans: when my blog reaches the stage where I can begin outsourcing tasks, social media management will undoubtedly be the very first role I hire someone for. Delegating this crucial, yet time-consuming, aspect will free me up to focus on content creation and strategic growth.
Charting the Course: Goals for the Next 30 Days (March)
My focus for the upcoming 30 days is concentrated on three pivotal areas designed to enhance both reader engagement and long-term blog sustainability:
- The Highly Anticipated FREE Smoothies Ebook: I am pouring a tremendous amount of energy into finalizing this e-book, with the ambitious goal of releasing it by the end of March. The considerable time investment in its creation has, I believe, contributed to a slightly slower start in traffic for March, but I am confident that the long-term benefits of providing such a valuable resource will far outweigh any short-term dips. This e-book is meticulously crafted to be an exceptional resource for my readers. Psst – if you want to be among the first to receive this exclusive e-book upon its release, make sure you are signed up for my email newsletter!
- Optimizing Amazon Affiliate Links: I’ve been much more intentional and strategic about integrating Amazon affiliate links throughout my new and existing posts. This involves careful consideration of product relevance and seamless placement within the content. My expectation is that this more deliberate approach will significantly pay off in the long run, transforming incidental clicks into a more consistent revenue stream.
- Beyond the Metrics: Tracking Time for Efficiency: A new initiative I’ve undertaken is to meticulously track all the time I dedicate to my blog. This includes everything from grocery shopping for recipes, the hours spent cooking and photographing, all the way through to the final stages of publishing and promoting each post. My aim is to gain a clearer understanding of my workflow, identify potential time sinks, and optimize my productivity. I’m eager to share more insights and a detailed report on this in my next income report for March!
A Heartfelt Thank You & Community Impact
It is truly because of your consistent visits and engagement with my blog that I have once again been able to sponsor a young girl in Haiti this month. This commitment to giving back is incredibly important to me, and I plan to continue supporting her for many months to come. My ongoing pledge is to donate 10% of all earnings generated from my blog. I am profoundly grateful for this precious opportunity to make a positive impact, even if it feels small for now, and it’s all thanks to you, my amazing readers.