How To Start A Food Blog: Quarter One Deep Dive Review
At the beginning of this year I finally stopped Googling how to start a food blog and instead I actually did it.
But I wasn’t going to chase social media to make it successful.
Not because it “doesn’t work,” but because it wasn’t working for me in this season.
With little ones at home, a full life, and a business I wanted to grow sustainably, I knew I needed something that felt a little more… peaceful.
So I decided to come back to blogging — and focus primarily on Pinterest as my traffic strategy (with a little help from Instagram along the way).
Now that Q1 is wrapped up, I wanted to share a real, honest look at what that’s looked like so far — the numbers, what’s working, what’s not, and the simple strategy I keep coming back to.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you choose to purchase through them.
A Little Backstory
Before I share the numbers, I want to give a little context — because this isn’t my first time blogging.
I’ve actually been blogging on and off for the past 10 years.
Over time, that turned into learning SEO, Pinterest marketing, and eventually working as a Pinterest marketing strategist for other businesses.
So I’ve seen a lot of strategies…
And if I’m being honest, most of them felt complicated, time-consuming, or heavily dependent on constantly showing up on social media.
This time around, I wanted something different.
Something simpler.
Something more sustainable.
Something that could grow with my life, not compete with it.
And that’s what this current approach is built on.
Q1 Blog Stats
(These are my personal results from the first 3 months of this year. Blogging, Pinterest growth, and income will vary from person to person and are not guaranteed.)
# of Blog Posts: 21
Email Subscribers: 9
Traffic
- January: 132 sessions
- February: 161 sessions
- March: 211 sessions
- Q1 Total: 504 sessions
- Impressions: 2.63k
- Outbound clicks: 117
- Top Three performing Pins: 1. The Best Cabbage Roll Skillet, 2. Homemade Mayonnaise, 3. Easy Homemade Mayonnaise
- Used occasionally to support content. Current strategy: post 1-2x per week, share to my fb stories for friends and family to see recipes.
- Not my primary traffic source
- Current stats: 22 followers
Income
- Affiliate income: $25.66
- Digital products: $0
- Total: $25.66
Nothing crazy yet — but I’m playing the long game here.
What’s Actually Working
If I had to simplify everything I’ve learned so far, it would be this:
1. Consistency over perfection
I’ve been aiming for 1–2 blog posts per week, even when it feels slow. Which it definitely does right now. Food blogs typically from my research have some of their lowest months in Q1, and thats when I started this so I feel like this is taking forevvverrrr lol.
2. Letting Pinterest guide my content
Instead of guessing what to write, I’m creating content based on what people are already searching for (more on that below).
3. Simple pins > perfect pins
Not overthinking graphics has been a game changer.
4. Repetition (this is huge)
One blog post doesn’t just get one pin — it gets multiple.
5. Playing the long game
Pinterest isn’t instant, but it builds over time.
What Hasn’t Worked
Because not everything hits — and that’s okay.
- Overthinking SEO
- Waiting too long to publish
- Trying to make everything perfect
- Expecting fast results
The Biggest Shift
The biggest shift for me wasn’t posting more…
It was what I was posting.
When I started using Pinterest trends to guide my content, everything clicked.
Instead of asking:
“What should I write this week?”
I started asking:
“What are people already searching for right now?”
And then creating content before it peaks.
That one shift changed everything about how I approach blogging.
Want to Start a Blog Like This?
If you’re reading this and thinking, “okay wait… I want to do this too” — I wanted to keep this really simple.
You don’t need:
- a big following
- a complicated setup
- or tons of time
You just need a place to put your content.
What I Use to Run My Blog
I personally use Bluehost to host my blog.
It’s beginner-friendly, affordable, and one of the easiest ways to get started if you’re new to blogging.
👉 You can start your blog here.
Simple Steps to Start a Blog
- Get hosting
- Choose your domain name
- Install WordPress
- Pick a simple theme
- Start posting
That’s it.
My Advice
Don’t wait until everything is perfect.
My biggest growth has come from starting messy and figuring it out as I go.
My Simple Pinterest Blogging Method
Once your blog is set up, the next question becomes…
what do I actually write about?
Here’s the simple method I’ve been using:
- Look at Pinterest trends for upcoming months
- Turn those trends into blog post ideas
- Create content 1–2 months ahead
- Publish consistently
- Create multiple pins per post
That’s it.
No complicated funnels.
No daily social media posting.
Just a simple, repeatable system.
I kept getting asked how I was doing this, so I turned it into a simple guide.
Inside, I walk through:
- how I find Pinterest trends
- how I turn them into blog content
- how I plan ahead
- and how I actually implement it week to week
You can grab it here for just $9.
The Pinterest Trends Blogging Method
My simple system for planning blog posts using real Pinterest search data.
It’s simple, practical, and meant to help you take action right away.
If You’re Just Getting Started…
I just want to say this:
You don’t need:
- a huge audience
- a viral post
- or a perfect strategy
You just need:
- consistency
- a simple plan
- and time
Because this kind of growth?
It compounds.
Looking Ahead to Q2
If I’m being honest, I’m still very much in the early stages of this.
I’m finishing Q1 at right around 200 sessions for the month — which might not sound like much, but it is growth. And more importantly, it’s consistent growth. There are no more zero-traffic days, things are starting to click, and that feels really encouraging.
Going into Q2, I’m not chasing huge, flashy numbers. I’m focusing on continuing what’s already working — showing up consistently, creating content based on Pinterest trends, and giving things time to build.
My goal is to grow to somewhere between 300–500 monthly sessions, keep publishing 1–2 blog posts per week, and stay consistent with creating multiple pins for each post. Nothing groundbreaking, just steady progress.
I also want to continue building out more seasonal content ahead of time, since that’s been one of the biggest shifts in my strategy. Instead of reacting to trends, I want to stay a step ahead of them.
On the income side, my focus is less on big jumps and more on building a foundation — growing affiliate income slowly by trying to add at least one affiliate product into each post and maybe even start seeing some sales of my $9 guide that I talked about earlier in this post! Even a few sales here and there start to add up, and that’s the kind of momentum I’m looking for right now.
And maybe most importantly, I want this to stay aligned with my life in this season. I don’t want to build something that requires constant hustle or pulls me away from my family. I want something steady, sustainable, and honestly… enjoyable.
Because I really believe this kind of growth — the slow, consistent kind — is what actually lasts.
So that’s the plan for Q2: nothing fancy, just showing up, staying consistent, and letting it compound over time.
Final Thoughts on our first Q1 as food bloggers…
I’m still in the early stages of this, and I’ll keep sharing as I go.
But if you’re looking for a slower, more sustainable way to grow your blog…
Pinterest might just be it 🤍
And spoiler alert….Pinterest is showing that IT IS for Q2!
What questions do you have about starting a blog or using Pinterest for a blog? LMK in the comments and I’ll do my best to help!
