One of the best ways to express your love of food is to share it on the internet! Have you ever considered starting a food review blog? Food writing is an essential part of food culture.
If you would like to start a career as a food blogger, we encourage you to do so. But how do you get started? How exactly do you start a food review blog?
We have prepared this guide to show you how to get started.
How to Start a Food Review Blog
The first thing to do is to come up with a great name for your blog. You have to make sure this hasn’t been trademarked and that the domain name is available. Think of something that will make your blog unique. You can choose your own name, but this doesn’t automatically tell readers that you are a food blogger.
Once you’ve chosen the name and the domain, here are the next steps:
1. Read Food Writing
The first thing to do is to learn your craft from the best in the business. Research different food writing and food writers to discover your style. Read the top food blogs and food magazines. Focus on what these writers write about food. Do they discuss the backstory of the chef? Do they provide a history of the cuisine? How do they express their approval and satisfaction with the food?
When you read food writing, you will have an understanding of what a reader is looking for. This will also help you decide what you want to write about. It will also help you decide your tone, style, and method of storytelling.
2. Decide on a Theme
Next, you have to decide on a theme for your food blog. Will you be discussing restaurants and food in your locale? Will you focus on a particular cuisine? Are you targeting a fine-dining audience? Or are you targeting the ‘all you can eat on a budget’ audience?
You have to think about what will set you apart from your competition. This is something you can decide upon when you read different food writers. You can learn which is the best theme for you to take upon.
You want to try, as much as possible, to stand out among other food review blogs. Your theme and style of writing should be as enticing as the food you are discussing.
3. Study Chefs, Restaurants, Cuisines
You should also study different chefs, restaurants, and cuisines. You should be able to discuss these expertly in your writing.
For example, if your focus is on Indian food you should know who are the top Indian chefs for food lovers to follow. You should be able to recommend the best Indian restaurants in your locale. You should also be able to write expertly about the different types of Indian cuisine – comparing and contrasting North Indian food to South Indian food, for example.
As you build your following, your readers will likely want to read more about chefs, restaurants, and details about cuisine. It’s imperative that you do your research beforehand.
4. Share Recipes
Among the food blogs you read, you should read food recipe blogs. Every now and then, you should share a recipe on your blog. Even if your focus is on getting your readers to go to a restaurant, they will also be looking for ways to cook their favorite cuisine at home.
Make sure you share recipes that your readers can follow and save. As you provide more recipes on your food blog, you may consider creating a cookbook to sell to your readers. You should look into cookbook printing if you decide this.
Recipes can be a great way to build readership. Many readers may be interested in finding a recipe rather than reading about food. However, if you draw in a readership through your recipes, it’s possible that they will venture to explore your other topics.
5. Learn About the Food Industry
You need to learn about the food industry for a number of reasons. You can use it as research to tell a story on your food blog. Your readers might be interested in knowing how a restaurant gets started. Or where the best seafood in the country is sourced from. Or how foreign spices are imported to bring an authentic taste to the cuisine.
Learning about the food industry also allows you to establish yourself within the industry. If you wish to make yourself known in the industry, you can attend conventions, conferences, and other events. By learning about the industry you can present yourself as a food writer when you attend such events.
It’s crucial, however, that your food blog gains traction before you show up to these events. You don’t want to seem precocious without having gained credibility.
6. Be Consistent
You also need to be consistent with the output of your content. Decide on a schedule of how often you will publish a blog post. Make sure you stick to this schedule without fail.
Once you gain a loyal readership, they will expect a consistent output. If you regularly fail to meet your publishing goals, you will lose your readership and your credibility.
Consistency also means that you will be regular with the type of content that you publish. If you expect to publish one restaurant review and one recipe per month, make sure that you stick to this schedule.
7. Promote Your Food Blog
Make sure you promote your food blog. Set up social media accounts where you share snippets of your content. You should also get business cards printed and hand them out where you go.
If you gain credibility as a food critic, you can strike deals with restaurants to provide free meals in exchange for a restaurant/cuisine review. If you plan on making a career out of your food blog, you should promote your food blog wherever you go. If someone asks you what you do, feel free to mention your food blog – even if you haven’t quit your day job!
Bon Apetit
Now that you know how to start a food review blog, we hope to see you start your food blog soon. By following the steps in this guide, you are sure to create a successful food blog.
Be sure to read more great content on living life a bit differently on our website.
