Starting Your Food Blog on a Budget
In this episode, I’ll share practical tips and lessons I’ve found useful as a beginning food blogger on a small budget.
1. Choosing Your Niche
When choosing my niche, I asked myself: What am I passionate about?
For me, it’s food. Even as a child, I was curious about school lunches and would try to recreate them at home. Cooking has always been my way to de-stress, spending whole weekends in the kitchen.
Food blogging is a marathon, so your niche needs to be something you won’t give up on despite obstacles. I wondered if Taiwanese food was too niche or saturated. After researching, I found:
• Few Taiwanese food recipes are available in English, giving me an opportunity to be a pioneer.
• Some people from other cultures might not initially be interested, but I decided to keep going and trust myself.
2. Time Management and Building a Routine
Balancing a full-time job (9–5) and food blogging requires a realistic routine. My approach:
1. Start small: post one blog post per week.
2. Gradually add learning goals: SEO, social media, video editing.
3. Build routines step by step—small efforts compound into big results.
3. Website Choices and Platforms
Many beginners face the dilemma: website or social media? I chose a website to avoid later transferring content from social media.
Popular options: WordPress, Squarespace, Wix. I chose Squarespace because:
• Easier learning curve than WordPress
• User-friendly and quick to set up
• Affordable for my budget
4. SEO for Beginners
SEO can be intimidating at first. I discovered a Squarespace plugin called SEO Space, which helps:
• Scan blog posts for SEO improvements
• Suggest relevant keywords with low competition
• Offer step-by-step YouTube tutorials explaining SEO jargon
This saved me hours of research and made SEO approachable.
5. Overcoming Perfectionism
Quality content matters, but perfectionism can delay publishing. My strategy:
• If content is 80% good, I publish it
• Improvements are made in future posts
• Focus on consistency over perfection
6. Video Filming Tips
Early posts included photos only; videos were minimal (10 seconds). Now, I’ve started filming and editing videos:
• iMovie (Mac users) – free
• CapCut – free, no watermark, great for editing short videos
• Pixabay – free music for videos
7. Marketing and Social Media
Initially, I focus on content creation, not traffic. Pinterest has been effective for me:
• Posting one Pinterest post per day
• Free tools like Canva help create graphics, videos, and thumbnails
Other social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook) felt overwhelming at first.
8. Useful Tools for Beginners
• YouTube: learn how to use SEO, Canva, iMovie
• Canva Free: create high-quality visuals and videos
• iMovie/CapCut: editing tools for video content
• Grammarly: ensure accurate English writing
• ChatGPT: generate better expressions and ideas
• Squarespace: website hosting
• SEO Space: manage SEO efficiently
Use free tools at the beginning to learn what you truly need before spending money.
9. Mindset and Motivation
Starting a blog is a marathon, not a sprint. Key strategies I follow:
• Just do it and keep doing it
• Allow yourself to feel frustrated without judgment
• Set medium-term goals (e.g., 6 months to create enough content to hire a marketing expert)
• Limit worrying: spend 10 seconds a day on concerns, then focus on action
• Combat loneliness: create a community through podcasts and interactions
Key Takeaways
1. Build a realistic routine: start small, add gradually, and stay consistent
2. Believe in yourself: passion is your motivation, don’t let doubt stop you
3. Accept negative emotions: frustration is part of the journey; cope and move forward
4. Use free tools wisely: YouTube, Canva, Grammarly, ChatGPT, iMovie, SEO Space
5. Publish consistently: progress over perfection
Starting a food blog is challenging but rewarding. By setting routines, staying motivated, and using the right tools, you can turn your passion into a long-term journey.
If you’re at a similar stage or planning to start your own blog, I hope my experience inspires you. Share your story in the comments—you are not alone!