Unlocking Food Blog Success: Our November 2018 Income & Traffic Report

Welcome to our in-depth food blog income report for November 2018! This detailed breakdown reveals our traffic figures, revenue streams, income sources, and operational costs. Designed to empower aspiring and established food bloggers, this report offers transparent insights into growing and monetizing your online presence. Join us as we explore the journey from passion to profit in the dynamic world of food blogging.

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Our Cranberry Rosemary One-Pan Chicken recipe soared in popularity this month!

The highly anticipated income reports are officially back! After taking some time to settle in with my baby girl, it’s exhilarating to resume this transparent accounting of our food blog’s income and expenses. But before we dive into the numbers, let’s address a fundamental question:

Why We Share Our Food Blog Income Reports

Our decision to publish these detailed food blog income reports stems from two primary motivations:

1. To Inspire and Guide Other Bloggers: For years, I found immense inspiration in the food blog income report series by Lindsey and Bjork Ostrom. Each report was a beacon of possibility, which I’d eagerly share with my husband, exclaiming, “See! It’s achievable! If I implement XYZ, diversify my income streams, I can truly make this work, perhaps even leave my traditional job, and build a sustainable business.” Witnessing other bloggers successfully navigate the challenges and triumphs of online entrepreneurship provided a clear roadmap, enabling me to deliberately design my own growth strategy. It fueled my motivation to consistently increase traffic, innovate with new products, and forge profitable affiliate partnerships. Their transparency was invaluable to me, offering a blueprint for success.

   Given my deep passion for helping fellow bloggers flourish (as evidenced by our food blog virtual assistant agency and our specialized food blog and photography coaching program), sharing my own journey, successes, and challenges felt like a natural progression. It’s an act of vulnerability that often invites diverse opinions, but the positive impact on the blogging community far outweighs the occasional critique. While I’m approaching my ten-year blogging anniversary, it’s a reminder that true success is built through dedication and consistent effort, not overnight magic.

2. To Drive Our Own Strategic Growth and Accountability: Writing these food blog income reports is a powerful strategic tool for my own business. It compels me to maintain rigorous financial accountability, clearly highlighting areas where we excel and identifying opportunities for improvement. Moreover, it provides a vivid snapshot of our income diversification, or lack thereof. This regular self-assessment is crucial for understanding growth patterns, pinpointing our most impactful content, and maintaining a vigilant pulse on our blog’s evolution—whether it’s growing or facing a downturn. It’s an invaluable exercise for continuous learning and adaptation. So, with these objectives in mind, let’s delve into the specifics of November 2018!

Traffic Overview: November 2018 Highlights

Our traffic performance in November 2018 reveals some truly exciting developments, backed by a strategic backstory.

The Power of Seasonal Content & SEO Strategy

Last year, I dedicated significant effort throughout Q3 and Q4 to developing a robust collection of seasonal winter recipes. My goal was to harness the kind of substantial traffic surges often enjoyed by traditional (non-healthy) food bloggers during the holiday season. This proactive approach led to the creation of popular recipes such as Perfect Whole30 Turkey Breast and Gravy, Whole30 Green Bean Casserole, and Instant Pot Whole30 Cranberry Sauce with Apples and Rosemary.

In preparation for my maternity leave, I also strategically revisited older recipes that held strong seasonal potential. This involved a substantial investment of time in reshooting photography, producing engaging video content, comprehensively updating written content, and refining recipe directions—all meticulously executed with modern SEO best practices in mind. The objective was to ensure these evergreen posts were optimized for maximum visibility and engagement during their peak seasons.

The results speak for themselves. We experienced a significant and measurable increase across all our seasonal content traffic! Notably, our recipe for The Best Paleo Stuffing performed exceptionally well. This success was particularly rewarding, considering I was eight months pregnant while filming a paleo stuffing video in July – a memorable effort that truly paid off.

Unpacking Key Traffic Surges

Let’s look at a powerful comparison:

Incredible growth!

And how about an astonishing 2312% increase for one of our star recipes? We’ll absolutely take that!

This remarkable surge was a direct result of the dedicated efforts of our expert Pinterest team. Their strategic pinning and optimization truly worked wonders. The moral of this story is clear: investing time and effort into optimizing seasonal content—through meticulous planning, SEO, and strategic promotion—yields tangible and rewarding results. Now, if only we could replicate this success consistently for our Christmas content!

Overall Traffic Performance in November 2018

Here’s an overview of our total traffic for November 2018, contrasted with the preceding 30 days in October 2018:

Even more impressively, our traffic doubled compared to the same period last year, indicating consistent and powerful growth:

Total Pageviews for November 2018: 659,151

A Closer Look at Our November 2018 Income Streams

It’s important to clarify that this income report exclusively details revenue directly attributable to our food blog and its immediate online presence. We deliberately exclude any freelance work or income generated by our virtual assistant agency, 40A., even though my blogging experience undoubtedly informs it. The focus here is solely on income generated *through* the blog itself.

As I was still midway through maternity leave this month, our income from sponsored posts, direct freelance work, and coaching was naturally lower than usual. However, this report still showcases the incredible potential of diversified blog monetization.

• Sponsored Posts: $0. While we actively engaged in a significant multi-campaign project during November, the payment and full completion extended into December. We anticipate reporting this income next month, demonstrating the fluctuating nature of brand collaborations.
• Ad Revenue with Adthrive: $16,436.32. Our RPM (Revenue Per Mille, or revenue per thousand pageviews) for November was an outstanding $24.94 (calculated as $16,436.32 / 659,151 pageviews). This figure underscores why Adthrive remains an absolutely phenomenal partner for high-traffic blogs. Their optimization strategies consistently deliver top-tier earnings, making them an indispensable component of our monetization strategy. For bloggers aiming to scale their ad revenue, reaching the traffic threshold for premium ad networks like Adthrive is a game-changer.
• Freelance Food Photography: None this month. Although there was no direct income from freelance photography this month, it’s worth celebrating that my photos were featured in the winter edition of the Magnolia Journal. This highlights the value of quality photography in building a strong brand and securing valuable exposure.
• Freelance Recipe Development: None this month. Similar to photography, direct recipe development income was paused due to maternity leave. However, recipe creation remains central to our blog’s core content and long-term value.
• Food Blog Retainer Clients: $400. We collaborate with several bloggers monthly, providing ongoing support in critical areas such as content development, advanced SEO suggestions, effective digital marketing strategies, and comprehensive growth planning. This recurring income stream reflects the demand for expert guidance in the competitive blogging landscape.
• Food Blog & Photography Coaching: None this month. While paused for maternity leave, our coaching services offer personalized, in-depth mentorship for bloggers looking to refine their content, photography skills, and overall business strategy.
• Beautycounter Affiliate Income: $92.44. My focus on Beautycounter naturally waned during maternity leave, resulting in lower sales as I posted less about my favorite skincare products. This serves as a clear reminder of the direct correlation between consistent promotion and affiliate earnings. I’m eager to reignite this income stream soon.
• Thrive Market: $540. As a proud partner with Thrive Market, we earn a commission each time someone signs up for a trial through our unique link. My genuine enthusiasm for Thrive Market predates our partnership; I was a loyal customer first, and I cannot overstate the positive impact this company has had on my healthy living journey. It’s a truly authentic collaboration. (A fun fact: I was 8 months pregnant in the photo on my landing page for Thrive, requiring some very strategic box placement!)
• Sales (Digital Products): $243. This category encompasses sales from our proprietary digital products, including our popular cookbook The Paleo Instant Pot, our professional food photography presets, and our insightful ebook Improve Your Food Photography Almost Instantly. Developing and selling your own products is a powerful way to diversify income and provide unique value to your audience.
• Amazon Affiliate Sales: $325.80. We earn a small referral fee when readers purchase products through our Amazon affiliate links, at no extra cost to them. It’s important to note that our Amazon affiliate sales are currently seeing a slight decrease as we actively prioritize and nurture our direct partnership with Thrive Market, aligning our affiliate strategy with our core values and preferred brands.

Total Income for November 2018: $18,037.56

Essential Investments: Our November 2018 Expenses

Running a successful food blog requires strategic investments in robust tools and services. Here’s a breakdown of our essential monthly expenses:

• WPOpt: $43. Our web host, WPOpt, is truly exceptional. They ensure our site runs at lightning speed, which is crucial for user experience and SEO. Furthermore, they seamlessly include an HTTPS certificate, eliminating any security setup headaches. WPOpt offers various hosting tiers to accommodate different traffic volumes, making them a scalable solution for bloggers at any stage. While an upgrade might be on the horizon, their current level admirably handles our substantial traffic. I wholeheartedly recommend them for their reliability and performance.
• Mailerlite: $110. Our email list is an indispensable asset for driving consistent traffic and building a loyal community. This strategic focus has led to a significant subscriber base. We choose Mailerlite for its efficiency and affordability; it reliably fulfills our email marketing needs without unnecessary complexity or exorbitant costs. Our subscription increased by $20 this month as we proudly surpassed the 30,000 subscriber milestone.
• Adobe Creative Cloud: $50. As a content creator deeply involved in design, photography, and videography, the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite is indispensable. For the blog, I regularly utilize Premiere Pro for video editing, Lightroom and Photoshop for professional photo enhancement, and Adobe Illustrator for graphic design. The $50/month subscription represents exceptional value for the comprehensive toolkit it provides.
• LinkMyPhotos: $5. This convenient service allows us to effortlessly link our Instagram posts directly to relevant blog content. While many popular bloggers opt for LinkInProfile, LinkMyPhotos offers identical functionality at half the cost, making it a smart, budget-friendly choice for directing social media traffic.
• Food Blogger Virtual Assistant: $700. Our virtual assistant (VA) is a pivotal force behind our blog’s operational success. Her responsibilities span a wide array of tasks, from curating social media content and assisting with photo and video shoots to managing countless other administrative and creative needs. The impact she’s had on our business’s capacity, efficiency, and earning potential is truly profound. I firmly believe that every serious blogger should consider investing in a virtual assistant to scale their efforts and reclaim valuable time. She has been instrumental in allowing me to focus on high-level strategy and content creation, even during maternity leave.

Total Expenses for November 2018: $908

Net Income: $17,129.56

The Bottom Line: Our Net Income and What It Means

To summarize, November 2018 marked our absolute best month ever in terms of net income! This extraordinary achievement occurred with virtually zero freelance work and while I was operating on a part-time schedule, fully dedicated to staying home with my baby girl. The ability to be a “full-time blogger” (however one defines that!) has truly transformed my professional life, offering unparalleled flexibility and financial reward.

Ready to Transform Your Food Blog?

If you’re inspired by our journey and eager to elevate your own food blog, we invite you to connect with us. Whether you’re interested in applying to become a food blogging and photography coaching client, seeking a long-term retainer client relationship, or wish to explore the invaluable support offered by our food blog virtual assistants at 40A., please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re here to help you achieve your blogging dreams!