Jamie Silva knew early on that she needed to run her personal enterprise.
When she reached a turning level in her skilled profession, she took the plunge and dove headfirst into meals running a blog.
Her Cuban delicacies weblog, A Sassy Spoon, was born, and a 12 months later she was accepted into Mediavine. Over time she has continued to develop, scale, pivot, and adapt, and has even began teaching different meals bloggers.
At this time her web site will get tens of millions of pageviews a 12 months and she or he’s incomes a number of 6 figures.
Maintain studying to seek out out:
- Why she stop her day job
- How she acquired into meals running a blog
- The place her earnings comes from
- Her most important advertising and marketing technique
- Her ideas on search engine marketing and EEAT
- Her method to key phrase analysis
- Her content material creation course of
- Her go-to sources and instruments
- Her largest problem
- Her biggest accomplishment
- Her most important mistake
- Her recommendation for different entrepreneurs
Meet Jamie Silva
My identify is Jamie and I used to be born and raised in Miami, Florida by Cuban mother and father.
For so long as I might bear in mind, I needed to begin my very own enterprise. In my previous life, I attempted opening a number of on-line ventures and way of life blogs solely to rapidly speak myself out of the concept and stop with out ever giving them an opportunity to develop.
It wasn’t till I used to be at a fork within the street with my profession in 2016 that I made a decision to actually decide to turning my dream of turning into my very own boss right into a actuality.
By that time, I had been hustling my approach by way of company life, working as a social media strategist for big-time purchasers within the culinary house.
Previous to that, I used to be climbing the company ladder within the healthcare trade. Someplace in between, I went again to highschool and acquired my bachelor’s in enterprise.
Evidently, for somebody with a artistic, entrepreneurial spirit like mine, my day-to-day life certain did not replicate it.
This fashion-too-safe route I used to be informed to decide on for my life was making me crave change. I needed a profession that provided freedom and adaptability and a break from the mundane on a regular basis routine.
That is after I determined to stop my full-time job to determine my subsequent transfer.
I totally supposed on interviewing for different 9-5 jobs however as a substitute, I discovered myself taking place rabbit holes of analysis, studying weblog earnings stories and studying all about easy methods to earn a living from a meals weblog. I used to be bought.
I made a decision I used to be going to present running a blog one other shot and actually follow it for an extended haul this time. And that I did.
At this time, I am the meals blogger, recipe developer, and meals photographer behind the multi-six-figure meals weblog, A Sassy Spoon.
Why She Created Her Web site
Earlier than I even purchased a site identify, I learn so much about meals running a blog from different profitable meals bloggers.
One particularly was Pinch of Yum. Their earnings stories shed a lot gentle on simply how profitable meals running a blog was.
Despite the fact that I had enterprise/digital advertising and marketing data and expertise, and had labored with meals bloggers in my company job, I didn’t actually perceive easy methods to make an annual wage from a weblog.
This was 2016, and there wasn’t a lot data on the market about worthwhile meals running a blog. All I knew was that all of it appeared attainable. Promising, even.
For the primary time in a very long time, it lastly felt like the suitable path for me.
I bought my area in February 2016 and I started sharing recipes utilizing iPhone images. I ultimately purchased a used DSLR from a pawn store (true story) and discovered meals images.
From the start, I centered so much on search engine marketing and web site pace. I could not have identified a lot about meals running a blog but, however I knew that rating on Google was big.
I invested in web site optimization early on. Moreover, I started working with an area boutique PR agency managing social media accounts for native eating places. It was a blessing to have a versatile, work-from-home gig whereas I constructed A Sassy Spoon. Eternally grateful for the chance.
By July 2017, I used to be in a position to qualify for Mediavine (1.5 years after beginning my weblog) with roughly 47,000 month-to-month web page views (the requirement again then was 25,000 month-to-month periods).
Google and Pinterest have been my highest site visitors drivers. By the top of 2017, I certified for Raptive (beforehand AdThrive) with over 100,000 web page views.
How A lot She’s Incomes
Since 2017, my earnings streams have included a mixture of show advertisements, sponsored content material, internet online affiliate marketing, and freelance meals images.
By 2018, I made $85k whole per 12 months. In 2019, I added weblog teaching as an earnings stream after feeling like I lastly had one thing of worth to share.
And I scaled to over $100k in income. By 2021, I scaled to multi-six-figures and have been in a position to maintain that till immediately.
As of 2023, that is my earnings breakdown:
- Advert Income – 78%
- Weblog Teaching – 21%
- Affiliate Advertising – 1%
Nearly all of my earnings comes from the show advertisements on A Sassy Spoon. That one earnings stream generates multi-six figures alone.
This, after all, is gross earnings and doesn’t embody bills for issues like taxes, groceries, gear, webhosting, contractors, accountants, instruments, subscriptions, schooling, and so forth.
I’m averaging $20k months with Mediavine Professional. Some months it’s larger or decrease, relying on the season. I additionally stopped working with manufacturers in late 2022 to focus extra on the teaching aspect of my enterprise.
As for site visitors, A Sassy Spoon receives over 3.5 million pageviews per 12 months, which is roughly 290,000 web page views monthly.
I work roughly about 20 hours per week on each teaching and A Sassy Spoon.
Her Essential Advertising Technique
In 2022, I noticed I used to be caught in a web page view plateau. It doesn’t matter what search engine marketing magic I did or key phrases I used, my site visitors was caught.
I made a decision to slender down my area of interest from consolation meals to Cuban delicacies. I additionally revamped my content material technique to create content material that aligned with my expertise and experience.
Contemplating I’m a first-generation Cuban-American who grew up having fun with these tried-and-true classics and cooking with my Cuban household, this was the apparent selection to face out and scale.
By the top of 2022, having a centered area of interest ended up being the catalyst in breaking by way of my site visitors plateau. My site visitors elevated by 40% because of this.
Her Ideas on search engine marketing
search engine marketing is essential for my enterprise. Natural search is my main site visitors driver.
My general search engine marketing technique is to leverage semantic search engine marketing and create content material that not solely aligns with my area of interest and EEAT, but additionally builds topical authority in Cuban delicacies.
Previously, I centered too closely on the key phrases/search quantity and located that my content material was disconnected and never resonating with the viewers I needed to focus on.
Now, I give attention to creating content material that understands and responds to the intent behind consumer queries which is straightforward when your viewers/subjects inside and outside.
Key phrase Analysis
I used to do key phrase analysis first after I was planning out content material, however now I take advantage of it as extra of a cross-reference for my weblog posts.
As a result of I do know my Cuban Delicacies area of interest so effectively, I do know precisely what my viewers is searching for, so I plan content material based mostly on that as a substitute of chasing key phrases for the sake of rating.
I develop, model, shoot, and create the recipe after which write the recipe posts. As soon as the weblog publish is drafted, I take advantage of KeySearch to boost the publish with key phrases if needed.
I discover that I normally cowl all the principle key phrases with out the preliminary key phrase analysis as a result of I write with my viewers in thoughts. This technique is what has helped me proceed to scale my weblog site visitors.
Hyperlink Constructing
It’s humorous, I’ve really by no means pitched for a backlink ever. The backlinks I’ve acquired within the final 8 years have been from publishers discovering my content material by way of Google or Pinterest.
Evidently, I don’t have a technique for constructing backlinks.
I do, nevertheless, give attention to strategic inner linking which has been extremely very important in serving to me break by way of my web page view plateau since 2022.
Jamie’s Content material Creation Course of
I’ve 319 weblog posts in whole. As a recipe blogger, we now have a number of transferring elements to our workflow, so I divide the duties into themed days.
Sundays/Mondays are planning and prep days; Tuesdays are shoot days; Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays are for calls, enhancing images, and writing. This helps reduce the overwhelm and helps me keep constant by having weeks of content material scheduled forward of time.
I even have one other meals photographer and my wonderful VA who assist me with the running a blog aspect of the enterprise. Once I’ve wanted extra recipes photographed for the weblog, I ship my meals photographer a really detailed doc with the step-by-step images I want.
Other than that, my VA takes care of selling my weblog posts for me on Pinterest and Google Internet Tales, and typically helps me draft the weblog posts in WordPress as effectively.
I now not share content material on Instagram or Fb.
Her E-mail Listing
I’ve an opt-in type inside my weblog posts and use Mediavine’s Highlight Subscribe function so my viewers can’t miss it as they scroll by way of the recipe publish.
Readers choose into my preliminary welcome collection after which are moved to a nurture sequence. That is totally on autopilot and my e-mail subscribers have tripled since I narrowed down my area of interest in early 2022.
Her Favourite Sources
The sources which have helped me develop and scale are:
Books like The Taste Bible, Ratio, The Science of Good Cooking, Steal Like An Artist, Essentialism, Atomic Habits, Revenue First, and The Huge Leap.
Podcasts like The Sassy Solopreneur (which is mine), The Running a blog Millionaire, Meals Blogger Professional, and Eat Weblog Speak.
The instruments I completely want in my enterprise are:
Google Search Console: This helps me see how my web site is performing and rating on Google. I additionally use this instrument to see the content material that’s resonating with my viewers and based mostly on that, I create new content material for A Sassy Spoon.
Assist System: Entrepreneurship and running a blog is a lonely gig. You want mates. Your loved ones and family members do not actually perceive the ups and downs of working an internet enterprise however what you are promoting and blogger mates do.
I can’t emphasize sufficient how vital it’s to seek out your folks.
Mentorship: Perhaps I’m biased however each mentor I’ve had has been an integral a part of my progress. Particularly, working with Foodie Digital has been the lifeline I didn’t know I wanted for A Sassy Spoon.
Total, I don’t suppose I might’ve grown as a profitable entrepreneur with out having mentors by my aspect main the best way. It has saved me a great deal of time and power and it’s value each penny.
Her Greatest Problem
I’d say my largest problem is prioritizing myself and minimizing hustle.
I’ve undoubtedly gotten higher with this, however actually, while you love what you do, it’s simple to get consumed by all of it.
Generally it’s okay to put within the hours/months/years of exhausting work early on in order that “future you” has the choice to hustle/scale or coast when wanted. There are seasons for each, in spite of everything.
Via the years, I’ve discovered to present myself permission to fulfill my huge targets with ease and at a sluggish, regular tempo, permitting for relaxation and for making house for myself outdoors of the enterprise—one thing I’m undoubtedly prioritizing extra this 12 months.
Her Biggest Accomplishment
I’ve been in a position to construct a worthwhile enterprise from scratch that’s nonetheless sustainable to at the present time.
I began in 2016 with 0 web page views, 0 followers, 0 e-mail subs, 0 all the pieces, and now have a multi-six-figure meals weblog, principally from passive advert income, with the abilities to diversify as wanted.
Final 12 months, I reached $1m in general income. An internet site that began in the lounge of my 1-bedroom residence now pays my payments, maxes out my 401k 12 months over 12 months, and affords me the liberty and adaptability I as soon as solely dreamed of whereas caught at a desk in my 9-5 jobs.
What She Needs She Knew When She Began
Trying again, I want I had gone all-in on the Cuban Delicacies area of interest proper from the beginning as a substitute of enjoying it secure with a broader consolation meals area of interest. I used to be anxious about boxing myself in and was attempting to emulate what the OG bloggers have been doing again then.
Lots of them appeared to flourish overlaying a broad spectrum of recipes and way of life subjects, or simply specializing in key phrases. I rapidly realized they’d the benefit of beginning when there was much less competitors and will get away with having a extra broad focus.
In hindsight, it looks like a centered area of interest would’ve been my golden ticket to attaining success extra rapidly.
Her Essential Mistake
I wouldn’t say I’ve made any big errors, however one factor I really feel that I ought to’ve accomplished sooner is outsource.
Having assist with images, weblog writing, and social promotion actually helps you scale approach sooner and frees up your time for extra revenue-generating actions.
Her Recommendation for Different Entrepreneurs
Be sure you are filling a niche out there by showcasing your experience with subjects that construct belief, appeal to the suitable viewers, and assist Google perceive who you’re and what you’re an authority in, which is big for search engine marketing.
Except for that, keep the course, keep in your lane, and don’t examine your self to anybody else. Even when you really feel like nothing is going on, maintain going!!
