6 Food Blogging Tips to Win at SEO

Find 6 food blogging tips to win at SEO, stop spending hours spinning your wheels, and start having overwhelming success when it comes to Google! 

Why SEO Matters

This might sound harsh, but if you’re writing without SEO in mind, you’re wasting your time. It’s crucial when it comes to your site’s visibility, traffic, credibility, and overall success. It takes a little extra time and effort, but if you implement SEO tactics correctly, it’s well worth the effort! 

Before you get knees deep in research, let’s start with some basic principles you can begin to implement immediately! 

Tip #1: Choose a Niche 

Gone are the days of mommy bloggers or lifestyle bloggers who seem to cover an endless variety of topics from fashion to DIY hacks, recipes, and more. The blogging space is far too competitive now, and covering so many topics will only confuse your readers. 

Instead, pick a narrow niche and hammer down. For instance, don’t be a vegan blogger who is also gluten-free and sugar-free, too. Instead, just be a vegan blogger. Of course, your recipes can be more than one thing, but you don’t want to put much emphasis on them. 

Instead, incorporate mentions of your niche in every post, and cover as many basics as you can. For instance, if you’re a gluten-free blogger, start with posts like gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, gluten-free chocolate cake, gluten-free brownies, etc. 

This is the fastest, easiest way to build your domain authority and become a trusted resource for your audience! 

Tip #2: Write with Intent

Now that you have a niche, it’s time to optimize the writing in each post itself. When doing SEO research on a tool like SEMRush or AHREFs, it’s easy to suffer from shiny object syndrome and want to include every keyword even slightly relevant. Don’t. 

Instead, choose one primary keyword to target and 2-3 secondary keywords to add on. Then, make sure the images and recipe for your blog fit those that match the top Google results fairly closely. 

If they do, begin writing, keeping your keywords in mind and filtering out all text that isn’t directly related to the keyword and recipe or isn’t helpful to the audience. My favorite way to do this is to read my drafts out loud! If it sounds unnatural, it can probably go! 

Tip #3: Use Long and Short Tail Keywords

• Long-Tail Keyword: A phrase that is generally made from 3-5 words

• They’re highly focused and detailed 

• Typically have a lower search volume but offer direct relevance to a particular audience 

• Short-Tail Keyword (Head Terms): Consist of 1-2 words

• Broad and general, targeting a large category

• Generate a high search volume 

Both types of keywords serve distinct purposes on their own. However, when combined they’re a powerhouse for your blog! For instance, you can use short-tail keywords to target a broad audience in a general niche (such as food). Then, tack on long-tail keywords to speak to your specific audience. By combining both types of keywords, you can strike a balance between casting a wide net for traffic and providing detailed, valuable content tailored to users' specific needs, ultimately maximizing the effectiveness of your online presence. It’s a win-win!

Tip #4: Add Internal and External Links

One of the easiest ways to build authority and drive traffic to your blog is to use links! 

Internal links are links that direct readers to other pages on your site. 

Use internal links wherever possible and as often as possible, but don’t stuff them in where they don’t belong! For instance, if you’re talking about a burrito bowl and you want to say you can add toppings like salsa, guacamole, and sour cream and you just so happen to have recipes for those things - link them! 

Don’t add links to phrases like “click here” or “keep reading to find”. You need an anchor word or words relevant to the post you want to link. 

External links are links that direct readers to other sites. 

The goal of posts should always be to help readers, and one of the best ways to do that is to provide links to reputable sources to back up claims or provide additional information. Follow the same rules of thumb as internal links - linking only where natural and relevant and using anchor texts. 

For instance, if you’re talking about butternut squash. You can say something like, “Butternut squash is full of health benefits,” and link it to a trusted nutrition site.  

Tip #5: Be Authentic

Readers can sniff out BS from a mile away, and they will call you out. The internet can be ruthless, after all. So, it’s best to be authentic from the start. 

The great thing about blogging is that most of the grammar rules you studied in school kind of go out the window. As a result, you’re free to type how you talk. 

Don’t force yourself into a mold, don’t try to sound super serious if you’re not, and do not under any circumstances ever copy the words of someone else. You know that. 

Instead, let your personality shine, and don’t be afraid to have fun! Before you know it, you’ll have dedicated readers who come back to read your words and learn more about your life. 

Tip #6: Break Some Rules

The beautiful thing about SEO is that there really isn’t a right or wrong way to do it. Follow the basics (like the rules above), and feel free to experiment. 

Algorithms are always changing, and what works one day or for one person might not work the next day or for another. When it comes to the nitty-gritty of SEO, use your brain and go with your gut. Most things can always be changed later! 

That’s it! Pretty easy, right? 

Before I go, my final tip is to hire a food blog writer to take all the work off your plate so you never have to worry about SEO. If you’re interested in outsourcing this task, I’d love to chat!