Food Blogging Progress - this is my monthly update of my blogging journey. The idea of becoming a food blogger had been simmering in the back of my mind for years. But there was always “something” holding me back—work, kids, lack of time, moving houses, the chaos of life… a million different reasons. Even when I launched Just Simple Recipes, I struggled to dedicate consistent time to blogging. Let’s be honest—it’s hard when both my husband and I work full-time, we’re raising two incredible, talented kids, and we’ve got a lovely dog to look after.
Eventually, I came to a realisation: there will never be a “perfect time” to chase this dream. So, I made a few important changes. I reduced my working hours, found an after-school programme for my youngest, and delegated dog duties to my oldest.
In the beginning, my blogging was chaotic. I had no clear direction—just posting whenever I found a moment, not checking stats, and not thinking about the blog as a whole. That changed 30 days ago. I did some proper research and created an actionable plan I call the “12 Steps.” Each step represents one month, with goals for stats, posts, revenue, and budget. This roadmap showed me what’s possible if I keep going—slowly but steadily—for the next year.
This is my progress report for Step 1: the first month of my blogging development plan.
My Goals for the First Month
I wanted to set realistic targets—not fantasy goals like “a million euro in two months.” I knew exactly how much time I could dedicate to the blog and what could be achieved within those hours.
For Step 1, my main goals were:
- Increase total posts to 95
(I already had many older posts from last year, but they weren’t SEO-friendly or user-focused. I consider them “test posts” where I learnt what works and what doesn’t.) - Reach 18,000 impressions over the month (around 600 per day)
- Achieve 150 clicks and 600 total sessions
All of these targets were realistic, grounded in my blog’s history, and aligned with my available time and resources.
The Cost of Running a Food Blog – Hosting, Props, Keysearch, Feast Plugin
You may have seen some bloggers say it costs nothing to blog. That’s simply not true—at least not if you’re taking it seriously. Starting a food blog requires investment: in tools, services, and visuals.
Here's what I invested during my first step:
- Hosting: I use Hostinger, which covers everything I need—reliable service, easy-to-use control panel, email, SSL certificates, and more. I chose the annual plan for better value, which cost me $170 USD (including taxes). That’s now covered for the next 12 months.
- Feast Plugin: This was my biggest investment so far—$249 USD for a 12-month subscription. And honestly? Totally worth it. The Feast Plugin is a lifesaver for new food bloggers. It delivers gorgeous, clean layouts, SEO support, a modern homepage, recipe index, and a professional feel—without the 10k+ price tag of custom web design. I’ve had zero issues so far and I’m completely satisfied with this purchase.
- Keysearch: For keyword research, I use Keysearch at $24 USD/month. It’s beginner-friendly and provides exactly what I need—keyword tracking, backlink research, and content gap analysis—without the hefty costs of SEMrush or Ahrefs.
- Props: Great food photography sells recipes, full stop. No one wants to try a dish that looks poorly styled or sloppily shot. This month, I added to my collection:
- Two roasting dishes from TK Maxx (€25 each)
- Four bowls from Dunnes Stores (€16 total)
- Two bowls and two side plates from Penneys (€20 total)
- Photography Tools: I used to shoot with my iPhone 12, but it finally gave up due to its old age. I now use a Redmi Note 14 Pro, which I got through work. For editing, I pay for Lightroom, which costs €6/month.
- Food Costs: I don’t count these in the blog budget—everything I cook gets eaten and enjoyed by my family! My husband is especially thrilled. Those pears? Gone in five minutes!
Outcome & Results – Step 1
So, how did I do in the first month? Better than expected!
- Posts: Reached 95 total by adding new recipes
- Impressions: Got 23,000 total, with daily averages between 700–800
- Sessions: Reached 2,500—well beyond my 600-session goal
- Clicks from Google: 172
- Clicks from Bing: 64 (with 2,000 impressions—surprisingly strong!)
- Adsense Revenue: €7.27
The biggest surprise? One of my posts hit Google Discover, which brought in a lovely traffic spike. Another "Black Horse" for me was Bing. I hadn’t even considered Bing traffic before, but clearly, it’s becoming a valuable source—especially with all the Google algorithm drama.
All in all, not only did I meet my goals, I exceeded them. A truly encouraging start!
Plans for the Next Step: Updating Old Posts, Content Planning, Scheduled Purchases
Although Step 1 was a success, I’ve got 11 more steps ahead. My long-term goal? To turn this blog from a side hustle into a full-time career by the end of my 12 Steps Plan.
Here’s what’s on the agenda for Step 2:
1. Blog Appearance & Structure:
- Finalise the “About Me” section
- Tweak a few Feast Plugin settings for a more polished site
- Re-think SEO strategy, make the changes about it. For a long time I was following Income School strategy, BUT it is not working in 2025!
2. Content Planning:
- Build out a 6-month content calendar
- Plan upcoming recipes with keyword research already done
- Make my blogging more structured and intentional
3. Updating Older Posts:
- Rewrite outdated content
- Add new, high-quality images
- Replace older recipe cards
4. Purchases:
- As my major annual costs are already covered, I’ll spend less this month
- Planning to buy vinyl backdrops (currently using cheap ones from Temu)
- Might try DIY wooden boards since I can't find any locally in Ireland without import taxes
- More linens, plates, and bowls (naturally!)
5. Courses:
- I’m eyeing a few online food photography and styling courses to level up my skills
I’ve also set clear stat targets for the next step—and I’m excited to see if I can hit them.
Final Thoughts
Blogging isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. But if you keep going, step by step, all the hard work really does pay off.
So here’s to the next step in the journey. I’ll be sharing progress every month, so stay tuned and let’s grow together!