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Hey Reader,

We're midway through August and school is back in session, football is on the television, and Halloween decorations are already filling the stores. This is a fun time of year to be a food blogger — with Q4 traffic increases and brand partnerships to look forward to, big food-centric holidays on the horizon, and cozy baking and foods just around the corner!

But before all of that, we're highlighting some of the most important news items from the last few weeks. The usual topic suspects are all here, with lots of Google, AI, and social media news to keep up with.

1. Analyzing pages that improved following the June 2025 core update 📈

For many food bloggers, just the term "core update" can have them shaking in their boots! But luckily, the June core update had a positive outcome for many food blogs. In this helpful analysis of the June core update from Marie Haynes, she explains what types of sites saw traffic bumps and what they had in common.

So, what were some of the commonalities of sites that fared well in this core update that can be used in your blog posts?

• First-hand experience: think personal stories, anecdotes about recipe testing, photos of you preparing the recipe to build trust with your reader and demonstrate your experience.
• Useful visuals: include step-by-step photos of the recipes, how-to guides for chopping ingredients, or charts of recipe costs are just a few examples
• FAQs: FAQ blocks with answers to common questions or pitfalls, ingredient substitutions, etc. continue to provide helpful information for your readers!
• Easy to navigate structure: blog posts that are reader friendly and easy to read are always a good idea. Use H2s and H3s, break-up big paragraphs, include a table of contents for long posts, etc.

If nothing else, read through her TL;DR from the analysis!

​Read the full article by Marie Haynes here.​

2. Will GEO replace SEO – or become part of it? 🗺️

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We are undoubtedly entering a new era of SEO — and GEO, or generative engine optimization, will play a big role in this era. While it may be a new engine, the goal of the engine is the same — to answer a user's question quickly, effectively, and thoroughly:

While keyword research is still important, it's time to evolve your S/GEO workflow and data analysis. Don't miss the 'Actionable GEO strategies you can start today' section of this article if you're looking for someplace to get started.

​Read the full article from Search Engine Land here.​

3. The Substack AI Report ✏️

Substack surveyed 2,000 publishers on their use of AI and summarized it all for us in this helpful post. It's always fun to get a peak into another creator's work flow, don't you think?

Of those surveyed, ~45% are using AI, with men more likely to use AI than women (and, not surprisingly, women also expressing more concerns about AI use than men). Publishers are using AI primarily for research, brainstorming, and writing assistance (like proofreading) and not as much for content generation (yay!). Those that use AI as part of their workflow are taking advantage of it on a daily or weekly basis, and ChatGPT is the most popular option. Lots of interesting tidbits in here!

​Read the full report from On Substack here.​

4. New Platforms, Real Results: How Creators (and Brands) are Winning on Threads and LinkedIn in 2025 🧵
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If you're tired of Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, have you considered posting on Threads or LinkedIn? There is always an advantage to being an "early adopter" of a new social media platform, and while LinkedIn has been around for decades and Threads is a couple of years old, both platforms are seeing big growth right now.

Both platforms offer something different for creators:

Reddit is another great option for diversifying your traffic sources (and we have two great podcast episodes here and here about the platform if you want to learn more). 🎧

​Get all the details on Later, including tips for finding success on both platforms.​

5. Trending Recipe Ideas this Fall 🎃

Are you planning your content calendar and looking for recipe inspiration for the upcoming fall months? Look no further than our round-up of trending recipe ideas this fall! Filled with recipe ideas that will perform well for you year after year, from pumpkin to comfort food, and more.

What’s that in the air? Why, it’s the sweet, crisp smell of fall! 🍂

The autumn season is quickly approaching here in the Northern hemisphere, and that means it’s almost time for all those cozy, comforting recipes we all know and love.

And if you’re starting to brainstorm some fall recipe ideas, we’re here to help you out! In this post, we’re sharing a roundup of trending recipe ideas this fall to help give you some ideas as you plan out your content calendar for the rest of the year.

​Read the full post on Food Blogger Pro.​

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