How to Start a WordPress Food Blog — A Step By Step Guide

Do you think your food choices & knowledge about different recipes are better than most other people? Do you want to use them to create an extra income stream without following the standard 9 to 5 routine?

If yes, then don’t think much before starting a food blog where you can share your knowledge with the world, get recognized for it, and, of course - make money. Food blogging has already become quite a popular concept in metros and now steadily spreading across tier-2 cities. Be a part of this rapidly changing scenario and build a career that’s flexible, exciting, and doesn’t follow a monotonous routine.

In this step-by-step guide, we tell you exactly how you can start a WordPress food blog without facing any problem. Follow it carefully to take the first step towards realizing your dreams. 

First Thing First — Pick A Brandable Domain Name

Since you cannot change your domain name afterward, it’s important for you to think carefully about it and choose a name that’s easy to remember and, at the same time, can set you apart from the masses. There are numerous domain name suggestion tools that can help you come up with a unique name for your blog.

To be on a safer side, shortlist 3-4 names and cross-check with your domain registrar which of them is available for registration. As soon as you find your favorite domain name, register it without any further delay. 

Buy A Web Hosting Plan For Your Blog

Once you have a domain name to represent your blog, the next step is to opt for a web hosting plan that falls within your budget and can keep your blog online 24/7. What you can do is check out a few different web hosting companies, read real-life reviews written about them on popular media platforms, and go with the one that is affordable, trustworthy, and carries a good reputation in the market. 

Since you’re just starting, pick a shared web hosting plan instead of VPS or a dedicated server. Doing so will make sure that you don’t end up spending more than what you should be. Besides, you can always make a switch from the shared web hosting plan to a VPS or dedicated server at a later stage. So, there is no risk involved in opting for a shared web hosting plan.  

Install WordPress

WordPress is undoubtedly the most popular and easy to use content management system with plenty of user-friendly features. Once you’ve picked your favorite domain name and a decent web host, the next step is to install WordPress. Most web hosts provide this facility, so you don’t have to worry about the installation process. 

Install A WordPress Theme

As soon as you install the WordPress, your blog will be ready for publishing the content. However, before doing that, make sure you install a proper WordPress theme that’s lightweight, search engine friendly, and attractive. 

You can find dozens of themes online, but there is no point in going for them if they don’t match with your blog’s niche. So, instead of wasting your time on trying random options, check MyThemeShop’s food blogging themes that come with an eye-catching and SEO-ready structure, responsive design, custom features, detailed documentation, and 24/7 technical support. 

Installing and setting up these themes requires no technical knowledge, so don’t worry, even if you don’t have a technical background.  

All these themes are designed to rank your blog high on search engines for both desktop and mobile results. Plus, they come with built-in support for third-party tools you might want to install on your blog for an enhanced browsing experience. All in all, it’s a perfect way to design a food blog that can keep readers engaged for an extended period. 

Setup Necessary Tools

After installing a proper WordPress theme, your food blog is ready to go live. Now, all you need to do is install necessary third-party plugins and Google tools to ensure that you can analyze your readers’ behavior and serve them effectively. Some of the essential tools you can consider here as follows:

Google Analytics — By installing Google Analytics, you can have a clear idea of how your website is performing on search engines. It helps you track your traffic based on devices, users’ interests, preferred content type, geolocation, and many other factors. This Google property is available for free of cost.

Search Console — Another free tool provided by Google to help you check all the issues that might impact your blog’s rankings. You can use Search Console to check the indexing status of your content and the visibility of your website on Google. 

Akismet — As your blog starts growing, you might get several spam comments on your blog. Akismet will filter such comments without any manual effort from your side. It works round the clock to keep your blog’s comment section clean. 

Rank Math — It’s the only plugin you need to keep everything related to the technical SEO of your blog in check. There is no need to write hundreds of lines of codes or spend hours finding flaws in your blog’s SEO score for better rankings. Just install Rank Math once and follow the instructions to fix all the SEO related issues so that your blog can attract a lot of organic search traffic. It’s a free tool but can deliver you benefits worth thousands of dollars. 

Apart from these necessary tools, you should also install plugins to build an email list, increase social media follow & share, and format your food recipes and guides. There are plenty of free and paid options available for your consideration. Take a look at them and pick those that fulfil your requirements. 

Once you have all these tools along with a beautiful food blogging theme installed on your blog, you can start posting regular content. From this point, how consistently you work towards adding value to your readers’ time will determine the success of your food blog.

This is how many food bloggers have turned their online ventures into brands that restaurants, food chains, hotels, etc. from all around the world want to work with on a regular basis. You can also follow the same strategy and successfully start a food blog. 

If you still have any doubt about how to start a food blog or any feedback, then share it with us in the comments section below.