How To Make Your Recipe Post POP!

Food bloggers, I know how it is—you have a delicious recipe that you want to share with the world. It is an incredible dish that you crave often and you think that the world will be better knowing it. You post it with high expectations about the accolades you will receive for unleashing such deliciousness on the world. You wait...and wait...and wait. It turns out your post has fallen flat.

How can you make that recipe post really pop?

1) Photos, Photos, Photos 

A picture is worth a thousand words, but be sure your photos are telling the story you want them to tell. Think "food porn," not "cake wrecks." Consider lighting, background, and the colours of your dish. It's easy to make a colourful salad look good in a photo; plain cookies, soups, and beige foods are much more challenging. Try different angles, compositions, and adding interesting items in the background. And never underestimate the power of Photoshop!

*note: YMC mug and ingredients in the background. Some blackberries add a touch of interest to boring-looking breakfast quinoa*

*cookies often look better stacked or rearranged*

2) Delicious Descriptions

I know your recipe is tasty, but in what way? Is it crunchy, chewy, chocolatey, or savoury? Is it creamy, silky, warm, or refreshing? Mouth-watering descriptions make the reader want to try the recipe out—and don't forget to mention tasty accompaniments! 

*fresh crusty bread goes wonderfully with savoury ratatouille*

3) Step-By-Step instructions

Clear instructions are very important—remember that not everyone is comfortable in the kitchen, and so adding a "splash" of vinegar or a "handful" of chocolate chips can be intimidating to inexperienced cooks. Use standard measurements. My own personal sticking point is fresh ginger. Years ago, I followed a recipe that called for "two inches" of fresh gingerroot—clearly my gingerroot was wider than normal, because the result was disastrous. Since then, I've always specified fresh gingerroot in terms of tablespoons or cubed measurements. Be sure to list your ingredients in the order that you use them to make it easy for your reader to follow. Don't forget that photos can be helpful visual aids for complicated steps in a recipe!

*an illustration of what cauliflower "rice" should look like*

4) Know Your Audience

A lot of people are happy to specialty-shop for that elusive ingredient that is essential to your recipe, but many are not. Know who you are writing for; if an ingredient is particularly exotic, give examples on where to find it or suggest a substitution that can be easily found in a standard grocery store. Suggestions on how to bypass the need for certain kitchen appliances can also be helpful to the reader (i.e., is a food processor really necessary, or can a blender be used in its place?).

*you don't need a deep fryer to make doughnuts—bake them in little bundt pans instead!*

5) Consider A Video

A video can be a fun way to share your recipe—it gives your readers a taste of your personality. It's also a great way to illustrate a complicated step in the recipe.

*in this video, I show the "sound" that should be made when the dough is ready to roll*

Now grab that camera and notepad, and share your wonderful recipe with the world! Happy cooking!

Want more Nicole advice? Read The 5 O'Clock Scramble: 5 Steps To Dinnertime Bliss, Boring Back To School Lunches, and Help! My Child Wants To Be A Vegetarian.