Making Instagram work smarter for your business, repurposing old content, and making the most out of DM automation tools with Lindsay Ostrom from Pinch of Yum.

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Welcome to episode 522 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Lindsay Ostrom from Pinch of Yum.

Welcome to the kickoff episode of our new mini-series, sponsored by Grocers List! In this conversation, Bjork and Lindsay are diving into how Pinch of Yum is rethinking its Instagram strategy, especially when it comes to using Reels, DM automation tools, and driving email list growth. They chat about how to balance creativity with conversion, and Lindsay shares why her opinion of DM automation tools has completely changed over time.

Lindsay also gets into the nitty-gritty of repurposing blog content and using Grocers List as a strategic bridge to get Instagram followers into the email ecosystem. If you’re looking to work smarter with your content and make Instagram actually work for your business, this episode is for you!

• How to repurpose old content — Lindsay discusses how she has been breathing new life into older recipes by organizing and packaging her existing content into resources and opt-ins that can a) provide value to readers and b) drive followers to sign up for the Pinch of Yum email list.
• Pinch of Yums’ current Instagram process and strategy — Lindsay shares her current content strategy for Instagram and how she’s been rethinking the value of Instagram in her business. Historically, she viewed Instagram primarily as a means to build awareness around the brand and new recipes, but she is now being more strategic about the Instagram to email pipeline. She explains her practical tips for getting started with this mindset shift in this discussion!
• How to make the most out of DM for automation tools — Lindsay first tried out a DM for automation tool to drive site traffic a few years ago, but didn’t like how it cluttered her Instagram inbox and made engaging with readers more difficult. So she abandoned it! Recently, however, she tried again (this time with Grocers List) and has had great success building her email list. In this interview, she explains what changed her opinion on these tools (and shares the Instagram inbox organization tip you need)!

Resources:

• Pinch of Yum
• Skinnytaste
• Grocers List
• Grace and Vine Studios
• 22 Healthy Freezer Meals (That You’ll Actually Love)
• Freezer Meals Instagram Post
• Follow Lindsay on Instagram and Pinterest
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Grocers List.

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Scaling a Brand, Navigating Burnout, and Finding Your Why with Joanie Simon of The Bite Shot.

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Welcome to episode 521 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Joanie Simon from The Bite Shot.

In this week’s episode, Joanie gets real about the not-so-glamorous side of turning a creative passion into a full-on business. She shares how her love for food photography grew into something much bigger (and messier!) than she expected, from hiring a team to navigating the financial and emotional rollercoaster that comes with scaling. Spoiler: it wasn’t always smooth sailing, but it was 100% worth the ride!

We also explore the tricky balance between staying creative and keeping up with the structure a business demands. Joanie opens up about burnout, the pressure to please everyone, and how she lost touch with her audience along the way. Through mentoring, self-care, and redefining what success actually looks like, she’s found her way back to her “why” — and she’s sharing what that process really looked like.

• Growth can be messy, but so worth the effort!: Joanie shares how her food photography side hustle grew into a full-blown business, including the ups and downs of hiring a team, dealing with new responsibilities, and learning from the messy parts of scaling.
• The tug of war between creativity and structure: From chasing inspiration to juggling deadlines, Joanie talks about how building a business can sometimes smother the creative spark and how she’s working to find a balance that actually fuels both.
• How Joanie reconnected with her why: Joanie opens up about people-pleasing, burnout, and losing touch with her audience — and how mentoring, self-care, and redefining success helped her get back to what really matters.

Resources:

• The Bite Shot
• Joanie’s food blog, The Dinner Bell
• Company of One by Paul Jarvis
• The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
• “The Story of the Chinese Farmer” by Alan Watts
• Follow The Bite Shot on Instagram and YouTube
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Member Kitchens and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors.

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Pitching, writing, publishing, and marketing a cookbook with Erin Clarke from Well Plated by Erin.

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Welcome to episode 520 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Erin Clarke from Well Plated by Erin.

In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome back Erin Clarke (after 9 years!!!) to dive into the behind-the-scenes journey of traditionally publishing a cookbook — from developing the recipes and managing timelines to copy-editing and more. Erin opens up about how she balanced her cookbook projects with her ongoing blog work, as well as the challenges and rewards of publishing a cookbook.

Bjork and Erin also chat about the marketing side of cookbook creation — how Erin mapped out the social media strategy for her cookbook promotion, why she crafted all of her captions in advance, and how she documented the entire cookbook process on social media to create excitement and drive sales. Erin emphasizes that cookbook writing shouldn’t be motivated by money but by a passion for cookbooks and the long-term brand legitimacy and awareness that these books help build.

• The cookbook proposal is your blueprint — Erin explains why a compelling cookbook proposal is essential — not only does it help you effectively pitch to publishers, but it also forces you to test your concept (and whether you’re up for the challenge!) and clarify your vision before writing begins.
• Cookbook writing is a long game — Success requires patience, consistency, and a commitment to detail. Erin shares about the challenges of adjusting to the timeline of print publishing and the shift in mindset required to develop a cookbook.
• How to develop recipes that work — Erin walks through her incredibly detailed approach to recipe development (have you ever counted the kale stalks in a bunch at the grocery store?) and how being methodical when developing and writing recipes from the get-go creates a strong foundation for your future self and sets your readers up for success.

Resources:

• Well Plated by Erin
• Rebranding Your Blog with Erin Clarke from Well Plated
• Avery
• Skinnytaste
• Ten Speed
• Rodale
• Well, Actually…from Erin Clarke of Well Plated
• The Well Plated Cookbook
• Well Plated Every Day
• Follow Erin on Instagram and Facebook
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Yoast.

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

The power of consistency, community, and time management with Christina Leopold from Addicted to Dates.

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Welcome to episode 519 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Christina Leopold from Addicted to Dates.

This week’s episode dives deep into the journey of food blogger Christina Leopold, who built and scaled her brand, Addicted to Dates. Her story is packed with gold for anyone looking to grow their online gig. One of the biggest takeaways? Consistency is key, but working smarter with your content is essential for staying sane.

Christina also spills the tea on turning her passion into a full-time hustle. She had to get down to business with things like SEO and figuring out how to make money. Plus, she emphasizes the power of knowing your worth and when to bring in some extra hands. Finally, we chat about the importance of connecting with your community and fellow creators. It’s all about building those authentic relationships and learning from each other!

• Consistency and repurposing are your best friends: Christina’s journey highlights that showing up regularly (like her daily posts for years!) is huge. To maintain your sanity, you’ll have to get smart about your content – think repurposing and making the most out of what you create (like turning one recipe into a bunch of posts).
• Treat your blog like a business (because it is!): Making the leap to full-time meant learning about SEO, monetization, and how to manage her time like a boss. Hiring help, tracking analytics, and creating systems (like batching recipe posts) gave her more space to focus on the creative stuff she loves.
• How connections can fuel growth: From community support to brand partnerships, Christina emphasizes the power of real connections. Engaging with others has opened doors to brand collaborations, steady income, and long-term growth.

Resources:

• Addicted to Dates
• Lofi Girl YouTube channel
• Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
• Interested in having your own Coaching Call with Bjork? Submit an application here!
• InfluenceKit — use this link to redeem your 30 Day Trial + 40% off First 4 Months of Pro Plan!
• Grocers List
• Email Christina!
• Follow Christina on Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors.

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Surveying your audience, building effective lead magnets, and staying consistent with emails with Molly Thompson from What Molly Made.

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Welcome to episode 518 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Molly Thompson from What Molly Made.

Tired of the ever-changing Google algorithms, Molly Thompson decided to lean into email marketing a few years ago and has since developed a super effective four-part system for growing her email list.

In this episode, Bjork and Molly delve into Molly’s strategies for growing her email list from 15,000 to 100,000 subscribers within a year (and how that has led to an increase of 300,000 pageviews every month!). Molly shares her insights on repurposing content across platforms, surveying her audience for pain points, using her website as a central hub, and her strategies for driving traffic back to her site.

• The importance of consistency in email engagement — Molly sends out three emails per week, focusing on providing value to her audience. This consistent engagement has helped her build a loyal subscriber base and drive significant traffic back to her site.
• Why you need to understand your audience’s pain points — A key strategy Molly employs is surveying her audience to understand their challenges and needs. She explains how she uses ChatGPT to organize and analyze the data, and how these insights allow her to create content that addresses her audience’s pain points, making her opt-ins and emails more relevant and engaging.
• How to effectively use lead magnets — Molly shares her approach to creating opt-ins that convert. She discusses how to use platforms like Instagram to drive email opt-ins and the importance of structuring a welcome series to nurture new subscribers effectively.

Resources:

• Molly Thompson
• Kit
• WP Recipe Maker
• Grocers List
• ManyChat
• Tastemaker Conference
• Follow Molly on Instagram
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Yoast.

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Growing and nurturing your email list, understanding your subscribers' needs, and creating lead magnets with Matt Molen from Email Crush.

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Welcome to episode 516 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Matt Molen, the CEO of Email Crush.

In this episode, Matt shares email marketing principles and why it’s one of the most powerful tools bloggers often overlook. He breaks down how to grow your list, why your subscribers are more valuable than you think, and how email can become a key revenue stream if you do it right!

Matt also offers practical tips on creating convert lead magnets, writing emails people want to read, and building trust through simple, effective sequences. Whether you’re starting from scratch or ready to level up, this interview is packed with email strategies you can start using today!

• Email marketing that actually pays off: For food bloggers, email is more than a newsletter — it’s a key revenue stream. From sharing your story to promoting products or partnerships, it’s one of the most effective ways to grow your income and your brand.
• How to build (and nurture) your list with intention: Your current traffic is your best resource for growing your list. With the right lead magnets—think quick-start guides, mini recipe series, or kitchen cheat sheets—you can attract the right audience and keep them coming back for more.
• Consistency and value drive results: Whether it’s a weekly roundup or seasonal content, consistent, valuable emails lead to higher engagement. Understand what your readers need, simplify your messaging, and make every email worth opening.

Resources:

• Email Crush
• MarketBeat
• EmailCrush’s Email Profitability Calculator
• Matt’s course, Email on Autopilot
• Email Matt!
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Clariti. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors.

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.