The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

Increasing revenue without increasing your workload and mastering Instagram strategy with Mika Kinney from Joy to the Food.
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Welcome to episode 574 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week, Bjork is back with part two of our GRO mini-series — this time chatting with Mika Kinney from Joy to the Food.
How Mika Kinney Turned Her 480,000 Instagram Followers into Site Traffic and Revenue
Two years ago, Mika Kinney had 1,000 Instagram followers. Today she has 480,000 — and both she and her husband work full-time on Joy to the Food. That kind of growth doesn't happen by accident, and in this episode Mika breaks down exactly how she did it.
Mika started her site in 2021, left her job in September 2023, and went all in on Instagram in January 2024. What followed was a masterclass in understanding what social media can do for a food business — not just as a vanity metric, but as a genuine traffic and revenue source.
In this episode, Bjork and Mika dig into the super intentional content strategy behind her growth, how she uses GRO to capture the value of her Instagram audience and drive traffic back to her site, how she (easily!) increased her affiliate income, and why she and her husband recently launched a membership program — all without dramatically increasing their workload.
Three episode takeaways:
What's actually driving Mika's Instagram growth — Mika breaks down the difference between videos that get reach and videos that get followers and the role of calls to action in Reels. She also shares why showing your face and bringing your personality to your content is one of the most important things you can do and how she structures her content schedule in a way that keeps her consistent without burning out.
How Mika uses GRO to turn Instagram attention into real business results —Mika walks through how DM automation and story replies work to reduce friction for her audience, why carousels are her go-to format for reaching a large portion of her existing followers, and how conversational hooks have changed the way she thinks about content. Most importantly, she shares how direct traffic to her site has increased continuously because of GRO — including during a stretch of six to eight months without a single viral video.
How Mika is diversifying her revenue without adding to her workload — From sharing two to three affiliate deep links per day (generating an extra $2,000–$3,000 per month) to launching a weekly exclusive recipe membership program with GRO, Mika has built multiple revenue streams on top of her existing content workflow rather than in addition to it. She and Bjork talk through how each revenue stream works, how the membership is structured, and why diversifying away from a single traffic or income source has become essential for food bloggers navigating the current landscape.
Resources:
Joy to the Food
From 1K to 250K: The Instagram Growth Strategy That Transformed Joy to the Food
GRO
LTK
Butcher Box
Creator Coach
Shop My
Maximizing Affiliate Revenue with Deep Linking
Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook
Feast
Mika Creative
Follow Mika on Instagram
Register for the Q&A: Google Updates, AI Search, and What Actually Matters for Your Blog in 2026
Thank you to our sponsors!
This episode is sponsored by GRO.
Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.
Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Increasing your traffic, growing your email list, and diversifying your revenue with Ben Jabbawy from GRO.
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Welcome to episode 573 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, to kick-off a new mini-series, Bjork is interviewing Ben Jabbawy from GRO (formerly known as Grocers List).
What's Actually Working for Food Creators Right Now
If you've been looking for a smarter way to turn your social media followers into website visitors, email subscribers, and paying members — this episode is for you. Ben Jabbawy and his team at GRO have sent over 100 million DMs across Instagram and Facebook on behalf of their food creator customers. That kind of scale gives Ben a uniquely data-driven lens into what's actually working for food creators right now — and in this episode, he shares it with us!
Bjork and Ben chat about recent changes in the social media landscape, dig into the strategies of successful food creators, and discuss why Facebook is suddenly driving a major surge in traffic for food bloggers. They also get into the email side of things and how GRO's new membership program lets food bloggers offer an ad-free experience or exclusive recipes directly on their site — no coding required.
Three episode takeaways:
What's actually working on Instagram and Facebook right now — Ben and Bjork dive into why carousel posts are performing so well for creators right now, including how to capture an audience with carousel posts and how to reuse your evergreen content for carousel posts. They also chat about Facebook strategy and explain where to include recipe links in your posts to get the biggest reach and the most click-throughs.
How to grow your email list using the content you're already creating — Ben walks through two high-converting email list growth strategies that food bloggers can implement right now: a simple "email to save recipe" prompt and a comment-for-DM lead magnet approach that delivers real value to your audience while building your list. He and Bjork talk about why building your email list through social media is one of the most important things you can do to protect your business from algorithm changes, and how GRO's improved functionality makes this easier than ever.
How to launch a membership program directly on your food blog — GRO's new membership feature lets food bloggers offer an ad-free experience or exclusive recipes to paying members — integrated directly into their site. Ben shares the key ingredients for building a meaningful revenue stream out of memberships, including the price points he recommends, what actually drives sign-ups, and how to think about what recipes to put behind a paywall.
Resources:
GRO.co
Pinch of Yum
Pinch of Yum Trader Joe's Meal Plans
Inside Crowded Kitchen's Strategy for Growing to 2.4 Million Followers on Facebook
How Food Dolls Turned Facebook Into Their Top Traffic Source
Sally's Baking
Joy to the Food
Stay Snatched
Mediavine
Raptive
Kit — affiliate link!
How Pinch of Yum Uses Instagram to Grow Their Email List
Substack
Food Empires
Follow GRO on Instagram
Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group
Thank you to our sponsors!
This episode is sponsored by GRO.
Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.
Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Avoiding creator burnout and reconnecting with your "why" with Josh Zimmerman of Creator Coach. 
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Welcome to episode 572 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Josh Zimmerman. 
How to Sustain Long-Term Creativity Without Burning Out with Josh Zimmerman
What happens when your personal brand is you and the work starts to feel like too much? Josh Zimmerman knows this territory well. After a career in journalism, he made the pivot to life coaching specifically for creators, drawn to the unique pressures that come with building a business around your identity and your output.
In this episode, Josh and Bjork dig into the mental side of creative work; specifically, why burnout hits creators differently, how to reconnect with the "why" behind what you do, and what it actually looks like to build a sustainable creative business for the long haul. They also talk about the role of fractional C-suite executives and how bringing in the right support can help you manage the business side of things without losing your creative spark. If you've ever felt the weight of your work pressing in on your sense of self, this episode is a great reminder that you're not alone. and that there's a way forward.
Three episode takeaways:
Your identity and your work are not the same thing: When your personal brand is built around who you are, it's easy for criticism or creative slumps to feel deeply personal. Recognizing that separation — and actively protecting it — is key to long-term sustainability as a creator. 
How to reconnect with your "why": When motivation starts to fade, the answer isn't always to push harder. Getting clear on your core motivations and the reasons you started creating in the first place can be one of the most practical things you do for your business.
You don't have to run every part of your business alone: Bringing in outside support can free you up to focus on the creative work you actually love, without letting the operational side of your business drain your energy and spark.
Resources:
Creator Coach
YouTube Nation
jzmanagement
Episode 563 of The Food Blogger Pro podcast: Using AI to Eliminate Busywork and Unlock Creative Time with Jason Glaspey
Follow Creator Coach on Instagram
Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group
Thank you to our sponsors!
This episode is sponsored by Member Kitchens. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors.
Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.
Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Leveraging Pinterest for growth and the "ready, fire, aim" mindset with Sharlene Murrell of Good Enough Moming. 
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Welcome to episode 571 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Sharlene Murrell. 
Leaving Your Day Job and Scaling a Food Blog with Pinterest with Sharlene Murrell
In this episode, Bjork Ostrom sits down with Sharlene to explore her journey of building a thriving food blog by mastering Pinterest. Sharlene shares how adopting a "ready, fire, aim" mindset and overcoming early struggles with keyword research helped her rapidly scale her traffic and income after leaving her day job.
The conversation also dives into actionable Pinterest strategies, including targeting broad keywords, creating multiple pins per post, and leveraging tools like Canva. They round out the conversation with practical advice on capitalizing on seasonal trends, maintaining consistency, and overcoming imposter syndrome. No matter where you are in your food blogging journey, this episode is packed with inspiration and tactics for creators ready to take action!
Three episode takeaways:
 The "ready, fire, aim" mindset: Sharlene's success highlights the importance of the "ready, fire, aim" approach. Launching quickly and iterating based on feedback can accelerate your growth and help you identify what resonates with your audience. 
Leveraging Pinterest for growth: By mastering keyword research and targeting broad keywords, Sharlene effectively used Pinterest to drive significant traffic to her blog. Consistency and understanding the platform's seasonal nature are crucial for success.
How to repurpose content creatively: Sharlene emphasizes the value of repurposing content across different platforms and formats. This strategy not only saves time but also maximizes exposure and engagement with diverse audiences!
Resources:
Good Enough Moming
Farmhouse on Boone
Raptive
Mediavine
The Simple Pin Podcast
PinClicks
PinnerAnalytics
EasyPinScheduler
PinnerPress
Canva
Chuy's
Follow Sharlene on Instagram and Pinterest
Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group
Thank you to our sponsors!
This episode is sponsored by Yoast. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors.
Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.
Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Strategies for growing on Instagram and Substack, the importance of staying consistent, and leaning into data with Jenn Lueke from Jenn Eats Goood.
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Welcome to episode 570 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jenn Lueke.
How Jenn Lueke Grew to 1.7 Million Followers with Budget Meal Planning Content
Jenn Lueke started Jenn Eats Goood in 2018 as a college student — no strategy, no monetization plan, just a hobby Instagram account she loved running. For five years, growth was slow, but she remained consistent. Then in 2023, something clicked. She leaned into meal planning and budget grocery content, and everything changed. Within a year, she went from stalling in the thousands to crossing one million followers.
In this episode, Jenn and Bjork chat about all of it — what finally worked, how she prioritizes data in her content strategy, which platforms she's focusing on right now, and why she now considers her Substack newsletter her number one priority.
Three episode takeaways:
The importance of leaning into what is working — It took five years of trial and error, learning, experimenting, and testing before Jenn's following on social media started to grow. Her meal planning content really resonated with her audience, so she capitalized on the momentum of the series to grow her community (rather than reinventing the wheel)!
How Jenn built her team — Growth brings new challenges, and Jenn is candid about how hard it was to build a team in the beginning and what the division of labor looks like now that she's figured it out.
Why Jenn made Substack her number one priority — After just a couple of years, Substack is now the biggest revenue driver in Jenn's business. She and Bjork talk about how she balances free and paid content, what drives growth on Substack, and why it is the most important part of her business right now.
Resources:
Jenn Eats Goood
Liz Moody
Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
Q&A: Using Substack as a Food Creator — for Food Blogger Pro members
Don't Think About Dinner
Follow Jenn on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Substack, and YouTube
Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group
Thank you to our sponsors!
This episode is sponsored by Clariti.
Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.
Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.