When Religion VanderMolen determined to make a significant life change and go vegan, she could not have imagined the place this new journey would take her.
In her quest to reside more healthy, she began a weblog in 2015 known as The Conscientious Eater to maintain all of her vegan and plant-based recipes in a single place. However she had no recreation plan.
As time went on, she discovered about monetization and Search engine optimization, and in 2018 she and her husband have been capable of improve their meals weblog revenue by 5 instances in simply 3 months.
As we speak, she’s making $3,500 from her weblog. She additionally wrote a cookbook known as Plant Biased and has a preferred YouTube channel to show folks methods to put together vegan recipes.
A number of the subjects mentioned by Religion embrace:
- Why she went vegan
- Why she turned a digital nomad
- Her Pinterest technique
- Her key phrase analysis technique
- How and why she wrote a cookbook
- How she updates outdated posts
- How she creates her content material briefs
- How her intelligent electronic mail sequence introduces folks to her model
- And way more!
I’m a digital nomad, homeschooling mom of two younger kiddos residing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
My husband, Brett, and I moved to Asia again in 2015. We now have since lived in China, Thailand, and now Malaysia. We like to journey as a household and discover completely different cultures and cuisines.
Why Religion VanderMolen Created Her Website
I went vegan proper after Brett and I acquired married (shock!!!). We knew we needed to maneuver abroad quickly, so I began The Conscientious Eater to maintain monitor of all the vegan recipes I used to be creating and as a type of on-line journal.
I went vegan in a single day after watching the documentary Forks Over Knives.
I’ve all the time been focused on well being and vitamin; the idea of consuming crops of their complete type simply made sense to me. A plant-based weight-reduction plan appeared like one of the best ways to eat for my long-term well being. It additionally appeared like a technique to stop most of the continual ailments many People ultimately face.
I continued to analysis extra about the advantages of a plant-based weight-reduction plan and slowly began to study extra about the way it advantages my well being, the setting, and animals. These ideas are what maintain me consuming a principally plant-based weight-reduction plan to at the present time.
Why Religion VanderMolen Went Vegan
Transitioning to a vegan weight-reduction plan in a single day was exhausting. I bear in mind waking up the following morning after I made a decision to go vegan and standing in entrance of my open fridge considering, “What on earth do I eat for breakfast?”
I used to be newly married, wasn’t nice at cooking, and was used to consuming greek yogurt, eggs, and rooster regularly. Plus, nobody round me ate a plant-based weight-reduction plan or actually understood why I used to be reducing out all meat, dairy, and eggs from my weight-reduction plan.
Fortunately, my husband was supportive. Regardless that he has by no means switched to a totally plant-based weight-reduction plan, he’s completely satisfied to eat no matter I cook dinner for him. It’s additionally useful that he can’t cook dinner, so he’s pressured to eat no matter I make!
Why She and Her Husband Turned Digital Nomads
My husband and I have been each avid vacationers earlier than we met. We shortly determined that we needed to reside abroad after getting married. Asia is enjoyable, low cost, and numerous so we began out in China. We now have since lived in Thailand for a short while and at the moment are primarily based in Malaysia.
We wish to increase our children abroad and plan to homeschool in order that we are able to have the liberty and adaptability to journey any time of 12 months.
How A lot The Conscientious Eater is Incomes
Our web site is making $3,500 per thirty days.
This is our AdThrive information for 2021:
And that is from our YouTube channel over the past 28 days:
Our revenue is damaged down as follows:
- AdThrive – $2,200 – $3,200
- Plant–primarily based cookbook – $400
- YouTube – $100 – $500
- Amazon Associates – $50
- Different associates and sponsored content material – $100
Religion VanderMoler’s Progress Methods
Our primary technique by far is Search engine optimization, which accounts for round 80% of our revenue.
At first levels of my weblog, I didn’t know something about Search engine optimization and I’d simply write about my life in China or Thailand. Then I’d share an unrelated recipe on the finish of the submit.
Since studying extra, I’ve slowly been modifying outdated posts to make them extra Search engine optimization-friendly, which has began to extend the variety of pageviews we get per day/month.
To study the ins and outs, we began on Meals Blogger Professional, the place our theme firm Feast has some good content material on establishing E-A-T. Mediavine and AdThrive have put out some good content material as effectively. Our enterprise companion, Josh, additionally has good background data in Search engine optimization.
We use Ahrefs to do key phrase analysis and discover low-hanging fruit and content material to replace by wanting on the key phrase issue and search quantity. To replace posts, we create content material briefs utilizing Subject, we use Ahrefs key phrase explorer, and likewise Google.
One factor we began doing not too long ago is utilizing Subject to see what subjects our posts ought to cowl. Then, if there’s a recipe that has a ton of feedback, we seek for that subject within the content material to see what persons are really asking about or commenting on.
Her Distinctive Advertising and marketing Technique
We now have a funnel arrange that takes folks from YouTube to electronic mail to the web site after which to a ebook gross sales pitch.
I do meal prep movies on YouTube, and for these movies I share a free recipe or meal prep information. This lead magnet methodology isn’t something new, nevertheless it’s labored effectively for us.
We now have a terrific welcome sequence by way of ConvertKit that helps introduce folks to our model, section them primarily based on what sort of content material could be most useful for them, and ultimately introduces them to my cookbook, Plant Biased.
Our electronic mail checklist at the moment has about 10,000 folks on it. We achieve about 500 per thirty days. Our conversion price for ebook gross sales is round 3-5%. It helps that it’s extremely rated on Amazon!
Utilizing Pinterest
I actually targeted on rising my Pinterest account again in 2018 and noticed it develop considerably in a brief period of time. Then having two little youngsters, plenty of transferring, and life acquired in the best way and I ended pinning persistently.
Simply firstly of 2022 we determined to concentrate on our Pinterest account once more. We employed a Pinterest advisor and he or she helped us develop a method. We now pin each day and are hoping to see plenty of development and pageviews to our web site quickly!
Key phrase Analysis
Our key phrase analysis technique is to search out key phrases which are at our punching stage. We’re not an enormous web site like Minimalist Baker or Pinch of Yum, however we’re not simply beginning out both.
Because of this we go after medium issue recipe key phrases which are between a key phrase issue of 10-40 on Ahrefs.
As for quantity, we attempt to goal something from 300 to 7,500.
Hyperlink Constructing
We truthfully have numerous room to develop in relating to hyperlink constructing. Our main focus has been on constructing a stronger web site construction and inside linking profile.
We’re not afraid to ask for hyperlinks from different associated web sites, however we don’t have a devoted outreach particular person to do that.
Proper now we’re utilizing all our social media channels (YouTube, Fb, Pinterest, Instagram) as a method to attach with different vegan bloggers and develop a relationship that may then result in mutual cooperation (usually involving hyperlinks).
For instance, having a printed cookbook—even one which’s self-published—has been a terrific benefit for us on this space. It permits us to supply a worthwhile useful resource to folks (a ebook that’s offered on Amazon) in order that they will see the sort of high quality content material we produce.
Our pitch up to now has been one thing like “Can I share with you a replica of my new cookbook? For those who prefer it, I’d be completely satisfied to supply ‘x’ variety of copies so that you can disclose to your viewers!” It’s not a direct hyperlink request, however the consequence, when constructive, can lead to a hyperlink to our web site.
Reaching Present Income Ranges
I created The Conscientious Eater in 2013 as a pastime, however didn’t notice its potential till 2018 when my husband, Brett, began studying about methods to monetize web sites. Since then, it’s been a facet job.
In 2020, we introduced on a companion that has turn out to be a terrific buddy of ours. And simply this 12 months we employed our first digital assistant. All of us work part-time on the positioning for about 10 hours per week on common.
I discovered methods to put Google AdWords on the positioning in 2015 and it made round $100/month from 2015 to 2018.
Then Brett wrote an article about our determination to concentrate on monetization in the summertime of 2018: How I 5X’d My Meals Weblog Revenue in 3 Months.
Right here’s our month-to-month revenue earlier than and after:
It’s slightly exhausting to see, nevertheless it begins in 2015, jumps in August 2018 and I’ve up to date it by way of Nov 2021. It’s color-coded primarily based on the revenue supply.
Present Visitors
The Conscientious Eater receives 102,000 web page views per thirty days.
Religion VanderMoler’s Favourite Instruments
We swear by:
- Ahrefs for key phrase analysis
- Internet hosting on Flywheel and utilizing the Feast Plugin & Theme, and
- Clariti is one thing that has a ton of potential that we’re simply getting began with.
Clariti is one other creation of the Pinch of Yum / Meals Blogger Professional / WP Tasty / Nutrifox empire run by Bjork and Lindsey Ostrum. The explanation they’ve grown a lot is as a result of they create actually helpful instruments!
Clariti is like Surfer Search engine optimization. It helps you prioritize content material to repair or replace. It tells you the phrase rely of every submit, what number of pictures are lacking alt textual content, variety of hyperlinks and if there’s any damaged hyperlinks.
By integrating with Google Analytics, you’ll be able to see what number of web page views that submit is getting and the common time on web page.
They’ve plans to combine with Google Search Console so to see key phrases that you simply rank for and your place (I’m assuming). Integrating with GSC is the place the true energy will are available!
Her Largest Problem
Our largest challenges have been social media algorithms.
My Instagram blew up in 2017 to over 40,000 followers, then I took a break for just a few weeks whereas Brett and I have been on our babymoon in central Europe. After that break, our development plateaued and has by no means recovered.
YouTube has additionally been a tricky nut to crack.
I didn’t get a lot traction for some time. Then, main as much as COVID lockdowns, every little thing took off. All the things slowed down after that, however is now selecting again up once more.
Generally I really feel like I’m on a hamster wheel attempting to maintain the algorithms completely satisfied and that actually has me query whether or not it is value it.
With the assistance of our VA, we’re attempting a brand new technique on Pinterest primarily based on the recommendation that we acquired from a Pinterest advisor. With the VA’s assist, we’re additionally attempting just a few issues on Fb and Twitter as a result of we’ve by no means actually made an effort on these platforms.
Creating and updating content material on the web site will proceed to be our predominant focus, meal prep content material on YouTube can be #2, and we’ll maintain experimenting with Pinterest, Fb, and Instagram.
Her Most Vital Accomplishment
I’m very happy with my cookbook, Plant Biased. It’s superbly designed and I like each single recipe in there! I put numerous time into the newbie’s information to assist folks begin their plant-based journey. And with a median score of 4.8, it looks like the folks buying it on Amazon are loving it too!
I truthfully nonetheless can’t consider I printed a ebook and that it’s being offered on Amazon! That is one thing I by no means would have performed if it wasn’t for our enterprise companion. For years it was simply me engaged on my weblog, after which in 2018, my husband began to assist me with the technical/monetary facet of the web site.
My husband has a superb buddy who’s an incredible enterprise man and in the future he found that I had a meals weblog. Quickly after he supplied to put money into my weblog and be a part of our workforce.
One of many first issues he really helpful was for us to revamp the e book that I had created again in 2018 and switch it right into a printed cookbook. This terrified me, however together with his encouragement and superb design workforce, we created an exquisite cookbook that I’m actually happy with!
We printed it by way of our enterprise companion’s publishing arm, Go West Media.
As for advertising and marketing, we created a launch group and gave them advance entry to the ebook and inspired them to write down a evaluation on Amazon. Then we launched it by letting everybody know on all of our platforms, particularly electronic mail.
I’d love to write down one other cookbook centered round enjoyable, scrumptious, plant-based meals for youths!
What She Needs She Knew Again Then
I want I had identified methods to qualify for advert administration businesses like Mediavine and AdThrive to start with. We’d have certified for Mediavine again in 2014 or 2015, however didn’t learn about it till 2018, and it 5X’d our income from day 1.
Religion VanderMolen’s Largest Mistake
I’d say our largest mistake was not doing key phrase analysis early on. It was a pastime firstly, so I simply created and posted what I needed to create and submit, however I feel we might have been lots greater if I had performed key phrase analysis early on.
Her Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs
Hold experimenting with balancing your time between studying and doing. For those who’re simply studying the entire time and never doing, then you definitely’re actually simply “procrastilearning.”
However should you’re simply sticking your head down and “doing” on a regular basis, you received’t adapt and also you received’t discover new methods of doing issues should you analysis what others are doing and work together with them. Placing the fitting stability will maintain you creating, but additionally versatile to adapt to modifications.
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