NJCS 09: Food Blogger Makes 6-Figures Using SEO & Keyword Research | From CPA to Full-Time Creator

Michele Di Pietro, founder of Mangia with Michele @mangiawithmichele, is a culinary professional turned full-time food blogger and content creator specializing in Italian and Italian American cuisine. After a long career in food service and culinary direction, Michele launched her brand in 2017 on Instagram, posting recipes and engaging with the community, which quickly grew.

The COVID-19 lockdown proved pivotal, as she authored her cookbook “Soupified” and later launched a well-structured website in 2021, which became her primary monetization hub. 

Michele emphasizes the importance of combining culinary expertise with digital marketing, SEO, and community engagement to build a sustainable brand. She shares insights on content creation, SEO strategy, email marketing, monetization via Mediavine ads, sponsored brand deals, and the challenges of balancing creative work with the technical and time-consuming aspects of blogging.

Despite occasional criticism from Italian food purists, Michele’s authenticity, warm connection with her audience, and continual learning in marketing and AI tools have propelled her success. She plans to expand her video content, podcasting, and product offerings while maintaining a strong community focus.

Michele Di Pietro, founder of Mangia with Michele @mangiawithmichele, is a culinary professional turned full-time food blogger and content creator specializing in Italian and Italian-American cuisine.

After a long career in food service and culinary direction, Michele launched her brand in 2017 on Instagram, posting recipes and engaging with the community, which quickly grew. The COVID-19 lockdown proved pivotal, as she authored her cookbook “Soupified” and later launched a well-structured website in 2021, which became her primary monetization hub.

Michele emphasizes the importance of combining culinary expertise with digital marketing, SEO, and community engagement to build a sustainable brand. She shares insights on content creation, SEO strategy, email marketing, monetization via Mediavine ads, sponsored brand deals, and the challenges of balancing creative work with the technical and time-consuming aspects of blogging.

Despite occasional criticism from Italian food purists, Michele’s authenticity, warm connection with her audience, and continual learning in marketing and AI tools have propelled her success. She plans to expand her video content, podcasting, and product offerings while maintaining a strong community focus.

KEY PARTS OF THE CONVERSATION:

00:00:00 - Intro "Mangia with Michele"

Michele opens with her mission statement about inspiring people to cook and enjoy Italian and Italian American flavors

00:01:24 - Formal Guest Introduction & Studio

Welcome John and Steven formally introduce Michele Di Pietro to the NJ Content Studio show

00:02:38 - Career Background: From Culinary Training to CPA Auditor

Michele reveals her journey as a culinary-trained professional who transitioned into accounting and CPA auditing

00:06:18 - NYC to New Jersey: Professional Transitions

Michele discusses her five years in New York City and her career path

00:08:00 - Transition from Operations to Content Creator

Michele explains how she started in operations before pivoting to full-time content creation

00:09:37 - Vision: Working with Brands in the Food Space

Michele shares her early ambition to work with food brands and grow through collaborations

00:10:29 - Launch Date: November 2017 Instagram & Blog Launch

Michele reveals she officially launched her Instagram platform and blog in November 2017

00:16:59 - Authenticity vs. AI Content: Differentiating Strategy

Michele discusses how authentic, original content differentiates her brand from AI-generated food content

00:19:30 - Cookbook Launch: "First Came the Cookbook in 2020"

Michele discusses her cookbook launch in 2020, which started as a lockdown project

00:20:46 - SEO Breakthrough: Learning Keyword Research

Michele's turning point—learning SEO and keyword research despite having no prior knowledge

00:22:41 - Food Photography Process: Shooting Everything with iPhone

Michele explains how all her recipe photography is shot using her iPhone

00:31:09 - Pinterest Strategy: "Pinterest is a Huge Opportunity"

Michele reveals how Pinterest became her biggest traffic driver for organic discovery

00:41:43 - Host Question: "What About AI?"

John pivots to an important topic—Michele shares her perspective on AI for content creation

00:41:55 - AI for Food Bloggers: Course Purchase & Strategy

Michele discusses purchasing an AI course specifically designed for food bloggers and how it fits her business

00:42:00 - AI Use Case: Updating Old Blog Posts

Michele explains her primary AI use case: using prompts to identify and update underperforming older blog posts

00:42:29 - Using AI Prompts: Best Practices for Recipe Content

Michele reveals how AI prompts will help her, especially with supplementary information in recipe posts

00:43:01 - The Key Rule: "Supplement with AI, Don't Replace with AI"

Michele and hosts emphasize the critical difference—AI assists but never replaces her personal, detailed approach

00:44:47 - Monetization Milestone: Goal to Join Mediavine

Michele discusses her goal and achievement of joining Mediavine for ad revenue

01:04:41 - Building Community & Future Vision

Michele emphasizes the importance of building community and shares her vision for future projects

01:08:40 - Closing Remarks & Call to Action

Final wrap-up with Michele sharing where listeners can find "Mangia with Michele" online

Highlights

• 🍝 Michele transitioned from a culinary director to a full-time food blogger specializing in Italian cuisine
• 📈 Instagram was Michele’s launchpad, but her website became the primary revenue source
• 📚 During the COVID lockdown, she wrote and self-published the cookbook “Soupified”
• 🔍 SEO and keyword research play a critical role in her content strategy and discovery
• 💰 Monetization primarily comes from Mediavine ad management, supplemented by brand partnerships and affiliate income
• 📧 Growing an email list using tools like Flowdesk and Grocer’s List is key to building direct audience connections