Why Your Favorite Recipes Come with a Side of Story

If most food bloggers had their way, a recipe blog post would likely be simpler—a few images, a short introduction with helpful tips, and the recipe itself. Sadly that’s not the reality of the internet today with flashing ads taking over your screen while you’re up to your elbows in focaccia dough. But it hasn’t always been that way.

In the beginning, think early aughts, food blogging was entirely disconnected from ad revenue and Google’s algorithmic whims. Most food bloggers then were in fact food writers, using an online audience to develop their voice and share a much-loved recipe. 

There were so few recipe publishers, we hung onto their every word and looked forward to each new post—100% ad-free. A few would get cookbook deals or become contributors to our favorite food magazines. We giddily followed them off the screen and into print. It was the golden age of food writing. 

Modern recipe publishing

Then came the flood. Aspiring food bloggers popped up in droves, eager to replicate the success of what those early pioneers had made look so effortless. Along the way, the terrain had shifted dramatically. 

You need to be more than just a great recipe developer and writer now—you need to be a professional photographer, videographer, food stylist, marketer, and SEO expert. If you could do it all, and do it well, you could make a very comfortable living from your home kitchen.

All of this expertise from one person requires a lot of time and financial investment. Beyond the basic costs of running a website—like hosting, recipe plugins, and software—there’s the need for high-end camera equipment, online courses, and endless food styling props. For new bloggers, these expenses add up fast.

Today, crafting a single recipe optimized for both Google (more on that below) and social media can easily take over 20 hours. And that’s before you’ve even nailed down a version of the recipe that’s consistently reliable and simple to follow.

As the saying goes, time is money. Enter ad placements—the lifeline that generates the revenue food bloggers rely on to keep the lights on.

How food bloggers earn money

This is where RPMs come in, aka the soft, gooey center of why food blogs can seem so tediously long. 

For food bloggers, ad revenue is based on RPMs (Revenue Per Mille), which is the amount earned per 1,000 sessions. This amount can fluctuate based on a number of factors, including time of year, device, traffic source, time on page, and ad density. Ad density is one of the few factors a blogger can control and plays a big role in boosting RPM—more ads mean higher earnings and longer posts create more opportunities for ad placements. More content, more ads, more revenue!

But it’s not as simple as it sounds. There are millions of food blogs, and only a small percentage are highly profitable. Early-stage food bloggers are often fueled by sweat equity, working hard in hopes of eventually breaking into the top tier of high-earning bloggers.

To qualify for some of the larger ad networks, food bloggers need at least 100,000 monthly pageviews. With that level of traffic, a food blogger might earn between $2,000 and $3,000 per month, or around $24,000 to $36,000 annually. Longer posts can drive up those RPMs.

The ad networks were primarily responsible for this initial push to longer posts, even if you were just waxing poetic about your weekly trip to Costco while losing sight of that blueberry muffin recipe your readers are after. 

Then Google said enough. We’ll reward the sites that demonstrate expertise, through a combination of high-quality, relevant content and author credibility—aka the helpful content update. 

Nowadays, personal stories have largely given way to detailed instructions and practical tips, such as where to buy the author’s go-to Thai curry paste online (which, of course, will be an affiliate link—because yes, food blogging is a real job, and bloggers need to earn a living too).

This added information above the recipe serves two main purposes: 

First and foremost, to ensure even the most inexperienced home cook feels confident following the recipe.

To provide Google with plenty of tasty SEO tidbits to boost the recipe’s ranking in search results. 

Better rankings lead to more traffic—and more revenue.

Another important consideration for authors is the extent to which their articles are eligible for copyright protection. Basic lists of ingredients are generally not considered copyrightable under US law—whereas more substantial expressions or accompanying media will be. The more creative you are in your explanations, the better for your reader, and the more likely you are to enjoy protection over the results.

Advice for food bloggers

If you’re a food blogger trying to maintain the delicate balance between performing well in search and keeping your readers happy, do your best to ensure that the content above the recipe card offers value to your readers. 

Here are some suggestions for relevant content to include:

Ingredient substitutions

Dietary considerations (can this recipe be made vegan or gluten free?) 

Where to find uncommon ingredients

Preparation tips, along with process shots 

Storage, freezer, and meal prep tips 

Alternative methods, like Instant Pot or slow cooker variations 

Recipe FAQs

With literally millions of food sites to choose from, think of personality as the sprinkles that set you apart, but relevant content is what establishes your expertise and keeps readers coming back for more. 

Even John Mueller, who coordinates Google Search Relations efforts, recommends making content for your readers first. What makes you, your recipe, and your corner of the internet unique, helpful, and relevant?

How to support online publishers

Food is a highly personal topic, filled with memories and experiences food bloggers are generous enough to share. Whether they’re helping us recreate a beloved restaurant dish at home or offering a comforting family recipe, they’re here to guide us every step of the way. 

Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse behind the scenes, here are a few ways you can support the recipe publishing community:

Leave a review after trying the recipe—it helps others and gives valuable feedback to the creator.

Share any tips or questions that might help fellow home cooks.

Remember your dinner party manners when commenting—be kind and respectful, even if the recipe didn’t turn out as expected. 

Spread the word by sharing a recipe you love with friends and family.

Make the recipe and post about it on social media—bonus points if you tag the author!

Let those video ads play while you gather ingredients. You can close them afterward, knowing you contributed to the creator’s RPM. 

Be patient with ads, especially during Q4 (the last three months of the year). This is when bloggers earn the most—RPMs spike, traffic increases, and ad placements get more aggressive. 

If you find ads and anecdotes distracting, simply use the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of most recipe posts. It’ll take you straight to the recipe. While you may still encounter a few ads within the recipe card, it’s a small trade-off for a well-written, free-to-you recipe.

For a completely ad-free experience, consider buying a cookbook, a paid recipe subscription service, or better yet—give your grandma a call. She probably has a recipe and a story you’ll love, and let’s face it, you’re probably overdue for a chat.

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