Callan Wenner was plugging away at her company job when she realized she wanted a inventive outlet.
She had all the time been very adept within the kitchen, and had even thought of culinary college at one level, however in the long run she determined to take her ardour on-line.
She began a weblog known as The Cozy Plum as a spot to share her recipes. When she realized that running a blog may really be a profitable enterprise, she went all-in.
As we speak her weblog earns $5k per thirty days and offers her the liberty and suppleness to work when she desires and keep house along with her son.
Hold studying to seek out out:
- What she thought running a blog was going to be like
- When she realized what running a blog was really about
- The place her earnings comes from
- How a lot site visitors her website will get
- Her primary advertising methods
- Her ideas on search engine optimisation
- How she conveys her experience
- Her detailed strategy to key phrase analysis
- Her inside linking technique
- How she creates content material
- How she grows her e-mail listing
- The assets and instruments she makes use of
- Her largest problem
- Her primary accomplishment
- Her worst mistake
- Her recommendation for different entrepreneurs
Meet Callan Wenner
My title is Callan (like calendar) and I come from a comparatively rural space in central Pennsylvania.
I performed Division I water polo in faculty, which took me to northern California for about 6 years earlier than I moved again east to attend graduate college.
I then lived and labored in Pittsburgh, PA for five years (the place I used to be courting my now husband), and at last moved again to my hometown the place my husband and I just lately had a child boy (our first baby).
I’ve all the time been very adept within the kitchen and regarded culinary college (very costly), nevertheless it wasn’t till the pandemic that I made a decision to show my passion into one thing extra.
Why She Created Her Web site
Like a variety of newer bloggers, I began The Cozy Plum in spring of 2020… the early pandemic days. I used to be on the lookout for a inventive outlet and have all the time cherished being within the kitchen—it’s my pleased place—so I made a decision to begin a weblog to host my recipes as a aspect challenge.
I naively thought my distinctive recipes had been wonderful and I may trick Google by simply offering a small quantity of textual content and a recipe card. I used to be all the time listening to individuals say they only needed to “get to the recipe,” so I assumed I used to be giving customers what they needed.
I rapidly discovered that no one was looking for issues like mango coconut marshmallows, one in all my earlier recipes, and began diving into what actually goes into working a profitable weblog: key phrase analysis, search engine optimisation, UX, digital content material creation, working a small enterprise, and so forth.
That’s once I realized that running a blog is a really profitable enterprise and I may make an excellent residing doing one thing I cherished.
I invested in a running a blog mentorship program to assist me study the essential ins and outs of running a blog and rapidly begin attacking errors I had been making. It was 1.5 years after this system that I certified for Mediavine and commenced making an earnings from my web site.
The last word purpose of beginning my very own enterprise was that I needed to work for myself, make my very own guidelines, and have flexibility in my life to journey and take day without work.
I additionally needed to have a job that allowed me to be at house with my kids when the time got here. I can now say that I’ve achieved that purpose.
How A lot She’s Making
For the previous 12 months, I’ve averaged $5k per thirty days as a base earnings solely from my web site and one images consumer.
I first monetized my web site in October 2022. You possibly can see right here the earnings distinction that one 12 months has made on my web site. This quantity will proceed to extend as I’ve honed in on my key phrase analysis, search engine optimisation practices, and general web site authority.
I additionally tackle extra freelance tasks as my schedule permits. This contains recipe growth and images and videography for nationwide manufacturers, sponsored social media posts, and ghost content material creation for different bloggers or manufacturers’ social media.
This varies by month, however I don’t settle for a challenge for lower than $1500 solely as a consequence of my very own value of doing enterprise. One-off tasks usually vary from $2,000 to $6,000.
As a result of I’m a meals blogger, particularly desserts and special day appetizers, seasonality impacts my web site.
In the summertime months when there aren’t any main holidays and other people don’t wish to have their oven on within the warmth, I common round 50k classes.
As soon as quarter 4 hits, that quantity doubles and I sit round 120k classes.
January additionally has an enormous decline in web site numbers and income. Everyone seems to be making an attempt to wash up their consuming habits after the vacations and candy indulgences are at a minimal.
I additionally see a major decline in “unfollows” on Instagram because of this.
Her Predominant Advertising Technique
My advertising technique is consistency.
I’ve a devoted schedule for every of the next: weblog posts, Google internet tales, e-mail newsletters, Pinterest, Instagram, and Fb. These are my highest-traffic drivers.
This 12 months, I plan to be extra constant on YouTube, so I’m curious to see how that seems. I’m pushing out content material via as many channels as I can actively deal with, and the place I’ve essentially the most devoted neighborhood who belief me as their kitchen professional.
I additionally submit my recipes to FoodTalk, which might be controversial for meals bloggers because the platform basically scrapes your weblog submit to their web site. Nevertheless, I’ve by no means seen this compete with any of my precise weblog posts, so I don’t see it as an issue (proper now).
They’ve an extremely sturdy e-mail listing, and since I’ve a great following to my profile, my recipes get featured of their e-mail virtually each month. I can submit 3 recipes a month for a function, so I particularly select recipes that present excessive RPMs by way of my Mediavine dashboard.
After I land a type of e-mail options, I all the time see a spike in site visitors and earnings.
I work 30 to 40 hours per week on my enterprise.
Previous to having a child, it was nearer to 50 to 60, however I’ve outsourced extra of my duties, which has freed up time. I’ve began working smarter, not more durable.
Her Ideas on search engine optimisation
Web site visibility and a powerful on-line presence are an enormous a part of the running a blog aspect of my enterprise. The extra seen my web site, the extra site visitors, and the upper my earnings.
When first beginning my enterprise, I had put a variety of give attention to rising a social media following. Nevertheless, as soon as my web site was monetized and I had entry to extra earnings knowledge, I dove into search engine optimisation greater than ever.
For instance, common RPMs from natural search in October 2023 had been $34.79, whereas RPMs from Instagram had been $11.90.
My apple crumble cheesecake went viral on Instagram with over 12 million views, which introduced round 67k to my web site in October from Instagram, however solely resulted in roughly $300 due to the RPM conversion.
Due to this, I particularly give attention to rising visibility for search queries organically. I additionally actually give attention to inside linking which helps my EAT (experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness), exhibits me as an professional, and builds my general model fairness.
I be sure all of my weblog posts and web site pages (together with class pages) and on-page components are optimized.
I’m writing for the person… to present them the data they’re on the lookout for as rapidly and clearly as potential, quite than simply key phrase stuffing to get into the SERPs.
It’s a long-term technique, however when taking a look at your YOY knowledge, it’s apparent that it pays off.
Key phrase Analysis
I exploit a number of totally different strategies and packages to conduct my key phrase analysis. If I’m simply beginning out, don’t know what recipe I wish to make, and wish to get some concepts, I head over to Google, paired with a plugin known as Key phrases All over the place which populates month-to-month search quantities with queries.
I’ll use the ABC technique to create a listing of concepts.
For instance, if I do know I wish to make a cake, I’ll write down numerous sorts of truffles to do the tactic with: bundt cake, single layer cake, snack cake, layer cake, sheet cake, and so forth.
I put “bundt cake recipe” into the search bar then hit the area button. Google will robotically populate search queries about this with bolded phrases. I see “chocolate bundt cake” and that appears appetizing and is one thing I wish to discover additional.
I modify the search time period to “chocolate bundt cake” and hit the spacebar. I write down the entire bolded modifiers. Then, I am going via each letter of the alphabet with the letters on each the again finish and entrance finish of the search time period and write down what populates.
These are widespread search queries related to your head key phrase.
From there, I head over to KeySearch and search the phrases I’m occupied with to examine the month-to-month search quantity, competitor URLs and area authority, and associated search phrases.
If the question ticks my private containers (greater than 1k month-to-month search quantity, potential to rank prime 10, aligns with my model, and so forth), then it goes on my working key phrase listing for consideration.
I then check with that key phrase listing to consider seasonality and holidays, as I’m planning out my recipes every month.
Along with this technique, I additionally use RankIQ to construct supporting posts and in addition analysis queries to make use of as H2s in associated posts.
When you’re occupied with meals running a blog, I extremely counsel taking the Cooking with Key phrases course, which is how I discovered the best way to effectively and efficiently conduct key phrase analysis.
Inside Linking and Hyperlink Constructing
Hyperlink constructing is extremely essential, particularly for EAT.
Inside my very own web site, I exploit the LinkWhisper plugin to advocate inside hyperlinks that I ought to contact on based mostly on what I’m writing about.
After I first began, I used to be all the time linking to different weblog posts by way of the precise recipe title. Nevertheless, this wasn’t actually benefitting me as a result of I used to be continually linking to the identical precise key phrase.
There are tons of, typically hundreds of key phrases that every recipe can rank for, so I needed to adapt my technique to hyperlink these posts to different rating key phrases.
For instance, if I’m writing a brownie submit and describing “fudgy brownies” I’ll hyperlink one other brownie submit to the phrases fudgy brownies, as that could be a key phrase I’d wish to rank larger for.
To construct hyperlinks externally, I submit recipes to recipe roundup teams on Fb, converse on podcasts, and do interviews.
Callan’s Content material Creation Technique
After deciding on my key phrase and common recipe, I write out the recipe and check.
If I’m utilizing a base recipe that I have already got, I just about know it’ll work out. Nevertheless, typically I’ve to check recipes a number of instances, particularly baking recipes.
Throughout this course of, I take each course of photographs and movies concurrently. This enables me to condense the method so I get all of the digital content material I would like in a single go. As soon as the dish is completed, I take last pictures and last movies.
From there, I export, cull, and set up all recordsdata. Pictures get exported from Lightroom and despatched to my picture editor. I edit every recipe into 3 movies (1 minute, 30 seconds, and 10 to fifteen seconds).
As soon as the pictures come again, I load them into WordPress and into the bottom recipe template, together with the ultimate recipe within the recipe card and the step-by-step-instructions inside the weblog submit.
From there, I ship my key phrase analysis spreadsheet to my author, who writes the remainder of the weblog submit, incorporating mandatory key phrases and descriptions.
I evaluate the weblog submit, publish, add the 1-minute video to my recipe card, then add the recipe to my schedule to advertise by way of Google internet tales, Pinterest, Instagram, and Fb.
This will get repeated for each recipe, which is as much as 8 per thirty days.
Her E mail Listing
I at the moment have virtually 3,000 subscribers on my primary e-mail listing. I name these my MVPs, as these are the oldsters who’re actually tuned in to my choices and are most certainly to make my recipes.
I ship out a bi-weekly e-mail with new and featured recipes, in addition to tidbits of what’s happening behind the scenes.
I exploit numerous CTAs on totally different pages of my web site, pop-ups if I’m providing one thing particular (like a information), a highlight function in the midst of each weblog submit, and in Instagram tales.
My primary viewers sign-up has an intro e-mail sequence which sends out a collection of three emails after signing up.
This contains what they will anticipate from The Cozy Plum, the best way to discover success in my recipes, and the highest 10 recipes from the previous 12 months to get them began.
I additionally just lately joined the ConvertKit creator program, which lets you counsel different creators your viewers could take pleasure in (upon sign-up) and vice versa. I don’t have sufficient knowledge on this, but, however I’m hopeful that it’ll deliver extra subscribers.
Lastly, I’ve an extra e-mail listing that goes particularly to manufacturers or shoppers I’ve labored with up to now.
This goes out twice a 12 months and contains current tasks and what I’ve been as much as in a contract capability. It helps to maintain me top-of-mind for tasks and permits manufacturers to see what I can supply them.
Her Favourite Assets
My go-to assets are:
- Podcasts/Webinars: Meals Blogger Professional, Eat Weblog Speak, search engine optimisation for Bloggers
- YouTube: The Chew Shot
- Paid programs: Cooking with Key phrases, meals running a blog mentorship packages, enterprise teaching
Her Favourite Instruments
Essentially the most helpful instruments are my challenge administration techniques.
I particularly use these packages as they permit me to automate my processes, scale back pointless communication with my workforce, and maintain me on monitor with weblog posts and challenge deadlines.
Asana: I exploit this as my private challenge administration system to make sure no items are falling via the cracks.
For instance, I’ve a 26-step guidelines for each single merchandise I would like to finish per recipe with date-specific deadlines.
AirTable: These spreadsheets are used to compile all knowledge for my weblog posts, together with focused key phrases, months to advertise, and submit IDs, which helps me simply add the posts into custom-made blocks on my homepage.
I additionally use them to create and share schedules with my contractors, which I embed with e-mail triggers upon standing adjustments (i.e. “submit loaded to WordPress,” “weblog submit full”).
These are used for my author, Pinterest VA, and Google Net Tales VA.
Honeybook: I exploit this program as my CRM to maintain monitor of consumer data and communication, and my invoicing system.
It robotically sends reminders to shoppers to pay an bill so I might be completely hands-off.
Callan’s Largest Problem
The largest problem was studying the best way to be my very own boss and adapting to the pliability. I’d say it’s one of the best and worst half about working a web-based enterprise.
It’s really easy to present in to the sensation of not desirous to work on a particular day, however selecting to work anyway.
Initially, it was troublesome to have fluctuating month-to-month earnings after getting used to a really regular earnings in my company job.
It took a while to determine precisely what I wanted to run my enterprise and which bills may wait till I used to be bringing in extra money.
Her Best Accomplishment
Constructing my enterprise from the bottom up.
I knew the best way to create an superior, engaging recipe…I didn’t know a lot else.
I taught myself the best way to construct and preserve my web site, the best way to key phrase analysis, market myself on social media, negotiate contracts, study drool-worthy images and videography, web site analytics, handle a workforce, and keep on prime of the altering panorama of the web world. And a lot extra!
After I really feel like “I’m not profitable sufficient but,” I remind myself that I’ve constructed all of this from my very own dedication and can solely proceed to develop.
What She Needs She Knew When She Began
I want I had recognized about search engine optimisation.
I spent an excessive amount of time with my head buried within the sand and would have monetized my web site a lot quicker if I had taken the time to study extra about key phrase analysis and search engine optimisation greatest practices.
I’m nonetheless paying for that naivety by updating outdated weblog posts once I might be spending time specializing in different methods to herald earnings or diversify.
However skinny content material will not be helpful to my web site, so I must get these updates accomplished.
Her Largest Mistake
I don’t suppose I can say that I’ve made any enormous errors up to now, however there are positively some issues that I want I’d accomplished in another way.
First, I’d instantly give attention to search engine optimisation and web site presence. At first, I had a bigger give attention to rising an Instagram following, however I don’t personal Instagram and it may go away at any second, and the RPMs for web site site visitors by way of Instagram are abysmal.
Second, I’d learn to worth my providers and negotiate contracts with manufacturers proper off the bat.
I’ve positively underpriced myself on a lot of tasks just because I didn’t perceive my very own value of doing enterprise and what my absolute baseline worth per challenge wanted to be.
Third, I want I had outsourced sooner. Whenever you aren’t making some huge cash but, it’s simple to wish to tackle that work your self. However for my enterprise, time is cash.
Paying different individuals to do the work that I don’t wish to do (or takes a variety of time) frees up my schedule to run the elements of my enterprise that permit me to proceed to herald cash.
Her Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs
Constructing a enterprise from the bottom up is a marathon, not a dash. I nonetheless inform myself this each day. The to-do listing is infinite, and a few days you get extra accomplished than different days.
All through yearly, there shall be highs and lows, and it may be lonely whenever you’re placing within the lengthy hours.
Determine why you’re doing what you do and remind your self of that at any time when the times really feel particularly powerful.
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