Starting a blog is high up there amongst one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Not only is it now my career (still pinching myself!) but I’ve also met some amazing individuals along the way and learned so much about how the internet world works. I get so many questions from you guys asking how to start a food blog, and I love it because I find it pretty amazing that so many of you are interested in this crazy blogging world. Starting a blog itself is pretty simple, and I’m here to take you through how to start a food blog in 5 easy steps, we’ll get you up and running in no time!
Don’t waste any more time, just start now! Honestly, just do it. It’s oh so worth it.
One of the first and funnest parts on how to start a food blog, it can also be daunting and time-consuming. It took me ages to finally settle on Sprinkle of Green, and the original name I’d wanted was already taken (not fun) but luckily I loved Sprinkle of Green and it was 100% available. I suggest making lists of keywords you identify your blog with, and try mixing and matching. Get as creative as you like though I suggest picking something that makes sense, isn’t too long, and that people will easily understand and remember.
When you do think of a name, please oh please double check it is available. Do a simple Google search and see if anything comes up, and if all is clear check if the domain is available on Bluehost or DreamHost. If it is all good, check the social media sites – Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and see if anyone has an account with your chosen name. If not, grab it.
Hosting is pretty simple, it’s what allows your website to be live in the world wide web. There are quite a few options out there, but if you want to take it seriously then using a self-hosting platform is the way to go and the one I most definitely recommend. It’s pretty much the standard to be taken seriously and also means that once your blog starts to grow you have more control over the overall look and feel of the website, along with allowing for easier monetisation (more on that to come in another post).
Here are some web hosts that I recommend:
DreamHost – this is the one I personally use, and it’s been pretty great at keeping my blog alive and well! They have a 24/7 helpline, which is great if you have any questions or something is not working the way it is supposed to as it means they can get to it pretty quickly! Once your blog starts getting more traction, they also do specific WordPress hosting.
Bluehost – a lot of bloggers I know use BlueHost and really love it as well, it has some great rates and is a good budget host. Like DreamHost, you also get your domain name included with the package which is handy if you’re just beginning!
Both are quite similar, so check them out and see which one resonates best with you. One thing to do is also to while registering is to use a Whois Privacy, which shields your address and phone number from being shown to the public.
Click on through to check them out:
I personally use WordPress, though I have worked with websites that use Squarespace and can say both are user friendly, though WordPress does allow greater freedom and is the one I recommend, so we will go with that one here.
Installation is pretty straight-forward:
Awesome, you have your own domain and blog now, wahoo! You’re so close to posting your own mouth-watering recipes in no time (make sure you send them to me so I can see!)
Now it’s time to make it look gorgeous and into something you’d be proud to show the world. You know now how to start a food blog, so let’s make it look pretty!
One of the best ways to do this in the beginning without paying massive bucks for a custom design is to use themes. You can go for free ones, though I find they can be quite limiting and you can get a great theme for not that much. Here are a few I recommend for food blogging:
You’ve now got a gorgeous, functional website that is ready to take on the blogging world by storm! It’s exciting, and beautiful, and emotional. I feel ya, I’ve been there too!
Now it’s time to focus on making it as user-friendly and find-able as possible.
If you want to take blogging seriously, I recommend joining a few networks and using a few amazing resources that are out there. To be perfectly honest, blogging is currently quite the saturated market so you’re best learning anything and everything you can to make your internet dreams come true!
Food Blogger Pro – This is from one of my favourite food blogs out there, Pinch of Yum. Linsday and Bjork are blogging pros, so naturally they created their Food Blogger Pro platform that will teach you anything and everything you need to know from growing to monetising your site. Don’t wait, head on over!
Food Photography School – another blogger fave of mine, they have some of the most eye-popping images out there. Vibrant colours and sharp photography, it’s almost certain you’ve come across Dana and John’s blog. As mouth-watering photography is key for a food blog, why not make sure you start yours with a bang? Find their course here.
Pinfinite Growth – I’ve been a fan of Melyssa Griffin for ages, and this course is incredible. Many of us have a misconception that Pinterest is a social media platform when in fact it’s a search engine (!) and can be a super valuable tool for a food blogger. A large chunk of my traffic comes from Pinterest without me having to put in crazy hours. This course teaches you how to set up your account so that it is fine-tuned to perfection and will drive traffic to your site efficiently and organically. Not to be missed! Learn more and register here.
List Surge – As I said, I’m a huge fan! So many bloggers undermine the importance of growing their mailing list, but in fact it’s one of the most important to grow, especially if you plan on someday monetising your site. It gives you direct contact with your readers, and so is of immense value not only to you but to brands as well. How do you grow your mailing list? This course will take you through it so that it becomes pretty much fail-proof! Also, don’t forget to sign up to the Sprinkle of Green mailing list as well and get our latest recipes, wellness tips, and natural beauty news straight into your inbox!
Food Submission Websites – this one is free and straight-forward. Websites like FoodGawker.com, TasteSpotting.com and FindingVegan.com are great places to submit your posts once they’re live. If selected it will be displayed to hundreds and thousands of people, getting you more visitors and views. They do work on a visual basis, so make sure you have your food photography nailed and you’ll for sure get accepted.
(This post contains affiliate links, which means if a purchase is made I stand to make a commission. Thank you for supporting Sprinkle of Green and allowing the blog to grow and flourish, meaning I can keep posting deliciously healthy recipes and wellness bits for all you lovely people!)