Although Kayla Burton has an intensive background in STEM, a passion let her down a unique path. She was in search of a light-weight passion to take her thoughts off work, and since she had all the time had a ardour for baking, she created her web site, Broken Oven Baking.
Though Kayla did not learn about website positioning and key phrase analysis when she began, she rapidly realized the ropes.
By sharing her creations on Instagram, she was in a position to develop it rapidly. Then she grew her weblog, began touchdown model offers, and was nicely on her method to constructing a really worthwhile enterprise.
Right now, Kayla earns round $8k monthly, and whereas she grows her web site, she additionally coaches different meals bloggers.
Preserve studying to search out out:
- What her unique area was earlier than running a blog
- Why she began her weblog
- How her weblog obtained its title and why the title is difficult
- How she grew her following on social media
- Why she determined to get into teaching
- The place her earnings comes from
- How a lot site visitors she’s getting
- Her principal advertising and marketing technique
- Her ideas on website positioning
- Her method to key phrase analysis and hyperlink constructing
- How she creates content material
- How she grows her e mail lists
- The assets and instruments she makes use of
- Her principal problem
- Her greatest mistake
- Her recommendation for different entrepreneurs
Meet Kayla Burton
Hey, I’m Kayla!
I grew up in small-town Wisconsin and graduated from UW-Madison as a biology main in 2016. After a number of corporate jobs, I made an sudden profession transition from a analysis coordinator to a content material creator!
I didn’t have any prior expertise as a content material creator; my background was utterly in STEM.
I began my weblog whereas working as a medical analysis coordinator.
Now I stay in Chicago with my companion, Chris Pieta, and our cavapoo, Archie. It’s been a enjoyable and wild journey and I’m so grateful for the place I’m in the present day!
Why She Created Her Web site
I created Broken Oven Baking in 2020 whereas working as a medical analysis coordinator in oncology. I wished a passion to take my thoughts off of labor, and I’d all the time loved baking.
So, I began baking a ton and sharing my creations with coworkers and associates. I even hosted a number of cookie-decorating events and fundraisers!
Chris was beginning his product images firm on the time, so he took photographs of my bakes and I shared them on Instagram. After posting constantly for a number of months, I hit 1k followers and related with some superior, supportive meals bloggers!
I’d by no means actually learn blogs earlier than, however I loved enjoying round with web design and brand creation as a teen. That, mixed with my love for baking, led to the launch of my baking weblog!
I had no thought what I used to be doing at first, however I used to be full of pleasure for this new journey and intrigued by the chances!
Regardless of the title, I don’t even have a damaged oven (anymore)! Once I began my weblog, I used to be dwelling in a 100+ year-old Chicago studio house with a really small fuel oven that had a complete thoughts of its personal.
Due to an oven thermometer and persistence, I used to be nonetheless in a position to efficiently bake every little thing from cookies to macarons!
I wished my blog’s name to pay homage to the way it all started. I didn’t assume an excessive amount of about how folks with damaged ovens may encounter my weblog or how folks may count on no-bake recipes (which I do have a few of)!
To start with, I spent my mornings, breaks, evenings, and weekends studying and implementing as a lot as I may. After a number of months, I purchased my very own digital camera and took over photograph duties.
In 2021, I hit 10k IG followers. I’d principally credit score consistency for my progress at first, however I did additionally use hashtags, have interaction with the neighborhood on IG, and leap on reels within the early days!
After that I established my LLC, landed my first few model offers, obtained featured on Good Morning America, and mentioned goodbye to my 9-5!
A couple of 12 months after going full-time, I certified for Mediavine and began incomes advert earnings. This was an enormous milestone that I used to be tremendous happy with!
I went all in on website positioning and keyword research and diversified site visitors from social media, recipe sharing websites, and Google net tales.
Any time I’d see a spike in site visitors, I’d do something I may to maintain it going! I even tried boosting posts on Fb a number of occasions.
As time went on, I noticed that I benefit from the tech/enterprise facet of running a blog and connecting with the neighborhood greater than recipe creation.
Different meals bloggers began reaching out with questions on WordPress, website positioning, working with manufacturers, and many others. and I used to be desirous to share my information!
In 2023, I launched my coaching services, which now embrace weblog audits, 1-on-1s, and group teaching.
It’s been tremendous fulfilling and I’m excited to construct it out and assist extra folks develop their running a blog companies!
How A lot She’s Making
I went full-time with my enterprise in Could 2021, and in 2023 it pulled in about $95k. This was nearly double what I made the 12 months earlier than, and greater than I ever made at any of my company jobs.
Whereas I used to be aiming for a 6-figure 12 months, I’m happy with this accomplishment!
I at the moment have 3 principal income streams. The tough estimates for 2023 are:
1) content material creation/sponsored work for meals manufacturers – 50%
2) advert income from my baking weblog – 25%, and
3) teaching companies for different meals bloggers 25%
I’ve not too long ago began promoting digital products as nicely. I’ve traffic and income reports for every quarter of 2023 on my weblog if you happen to’d prefer to dig in there.
In 2023, my weblog got here near 1 million classes (959k), and this January I had 100k classes!
General 2023 classes:
General 2023 site visitors sources:
January 2024 vs 2023 classes:
I normally spend about 8-12 hours engaged on my enterprise each weekday.
This 12 months I’m making extra of an effort to take breaks over the weekend, however I’ll normally nonetheless put in a number of hours of sunshine work on Saturday and/or Sunday.
Kayla’s Foremost Advertising and marketing Methods
My principal methods for my baking weblog are website positioning and social media advertising and marketing.
I all the time do keyword research and competitor evaluation to get my recipes to rank on Google, and I create engaging photographs and movies to share throughout social media platforms.
Just lately, ManyChat has been a recreation changer for growing engagement and driving Instagram site visitors to my weblog!
ManyChat is a chatbot platform that enables me to robotically ship my recipe hyperlinks to Instagram customers after they remark a selected key phrase on a submit.
For instance, throughout the vacation season I posted a reel for my Raspberry Crumble Cookies. I used ManyChat to arrange an automation in order that when somebody commented “recipe,” they instantly acquired a DM with the recipe hyperlink.
The reel ended up getting 2.7m views on IG and over 13k folks commented to get the recipe through ManyChat.
As for weblog teaching, my principal technique is targeted on neighborhood.
This comes naturally and is extra fulfilling to me! Since I like serving to bloggers and giving again to the neighborhood, I share free suggestions and assets through a weekly email newsletter and Instagram content material @foodblogcoach.
Those that need to study and excel sooner put money into my paid coaching services.
Her Ideas on website positioning
Round 47% of my weblog classes have been from Google organic traffic in 2023, so I’d say website positioning is vital for my enterprise. The truth is, it’s so vital that I invested in an SEO audit with Casey Markee in 2022!
My social site visitors is generally from Pinterest, however I’m additionally energetic on Instagram, Fb, TikTok, and YouTube (shorts) and get a little bit of site visitors from these, as nicely.
My present course of is formulating candy recipes with key phrases that I can rank for. The principle instruments I exploit are Google, KeySearch, SEOquake, and not too long ago I’ve added Semrush into the combo.
Key phrase Analysis
Whereas there’s extra that goes into it, I usually shoot for a principal goal key phrase of at the very least 1000 month-to-month search quantity and <50 problem in KeySearch.
I additionally return and replace posts once in a while to attempt to bump them up within the SERPs.
Hyperlink Constructing
I feel hyperlink constructing is vital to assist drive site visitors and improve authority.
My principal methods for gaining backlinks have been sharing recipes in Fb roundup teams and getting featured in podcasts, on-line information/magazines, and many others.
I attempted HARO some time in the past however I used to be so overwhelmed that I didn’t keep it up.
Her Content material Creation Course of
My weblog has somewhat over 200 posts in the mean time.
I’m at the moment specializing in updating previous posts, however to summarize my new recipe creation course of: first I provide you with recipe ideas that fit inside of my niche and I feel my viewers would love.
Then I conduct analysis to search out key phrases to rank for and ensure my posts match consumer intent.
As soon as I’m set on a recipe, I’ll take a look at it, write it up with the submit, and shoot photographs and movies for it. I at the moment have contractors serving to me write blog posts, handle Pinterest, and edit photographs and movies. Lastly, I’ll publish and promote!
As I give attention to updates and weblog teaching this 12 months, I’m solely publishing 1-2 new posts monthly.
Nonetheless, I used to be constantly posting 2 recipes per week for fairly a while. I’ve a number of contractors serving to me out: a Pinterest manager, a weblog author, a photograph editor, and a video editor.
Her E-mail Checklist
I’ve 2 separate e mail newsletters.
Each different week I ship out recipe and life updates to my baking weblog viewers. I develop this one through IG story promotion, a baking suggestions freebie, and the ConvertKit Creator Community.
I additionally ship tips and resources to my blog teaching viewers as soon as every week. I develop this listing through free and paid assets, like my LrC Picture Export Information, Analytics Dashboard, and extra!
I’ve realized a ton about food blogging from the Meals Blogger Professional podcast, Eat Weblog Discuss, and TopHatRank webinars.
For all issues enterprise and mindset, I’d advocate Alex and Leila Hormozi’s content material and books. I’ve additionally actually loved Ali Abdaal’s new guide, Really feel Good Productiveness!
As for instruments, I’d be misplaced with out my calendar, and I exploit Asana for daily planning and project management.
A software that’s been serving to me focus these days is mind.fm.
Her Largest Problem
I feel the most important problem I wrestle with is overcoming imposter syndrome. I’ve all the time had excessive requirements for myself and it’s arduous for me to guage how I’m doing as a brand new entrepreneur.
Irrespective of what number of nice critiques I get on recipes or testimonials from teaching shoppers, I nonetheless really feel like I’m not doing sufficient. To fight this, I strive to have a look at the proof of what I’ve achieved previously few years and simply hold going regardless of my emotions of insecurity.
I inform myself it’s regular to really feel this fashion whenever you’re fairly new to one thing and issues will really feel higher the extra you do it.
I additionally strive to have a look at it in a optimistic means. It is good that I care and need to do superb work and proceed enhancing!
I requested my present group teaching members one thing like this throughout our first name collectively and one in every of their solutions was “not giving up.”
I wholeheartedly agree with this. I’m happy with my willingness to strive new issues, potential to resolve issues, and resilience total!
What She Needs She Knew When She Began
Meals running a blog is far more than simply making recipes and taking photographs.
I had completely no thought what website positioning or key phrase analysis was once I began out. Having that and web site information would’ve saved me a lot money and time at first.
To study these abilities, I watched all the free TopHatRank website positioning for Bloggers webinars, listened to podcasts like Meals Blogger Professional and Eat Weblog Discuss, and bought the Cooking With Key phrases course.
I additionally invested in an website positioning audit with Casey Markee after listening to each interview of his I may discover!
Her Largest Mistake
I don’t dwell on errors so nothing actually stands out as vital.
I view every little thing as a studying expertise and rapidly transfer on to the subsequent take a look at.
Once I launched my weblog, I used to be on wordpress.com with a poorly optimized theme and low cost host. These have been errors that I needed to appropriate, however I realized a lot from them (together with that I ought to put money into myself to keep away from future errors)!
Her Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs
Love the core of what you do and don’t count on issues to be simple or fixed. Expertise is advancing so rapidly proper now that issues are all the time altering!
Your methods and targets will in all probability look somewhat totally different in a number of years, and that’s okay. I’ve solely been running a blog for about 4 years now and issues already look so totally different from once I began!
Preserve an open thoughts and hold executing. The extra you do, the extra you’ll study your self, the business, and what course you need to transfer in.
Say no to issues that don’t align together with your imaginative and prescient or values. In the event you’re on this for the long term, assume long-term when making huge choices.
Don’t be afraid to ask for assist! Outsource duties that drain you, put money into teaching, and many others.
Be your genuine self! Construct your personal brand and set up a neighborhood.
