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Hey Reader,

It has been a good few weeks to be a food lover — the Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, AND Mardi Gras! Just what we needed to brighten an otherwise very cold and dreary season.

We’re back in your inbox with another round-up of the latest news in the content creation world. As always, Bjork and I will dive deeper into these stories and share our thoughts in a podcast episode airing Tuesday, February 24!

Let's dive in! 🗞️

1. Debunking the myth that search is dying

SEO is over! 10 blue links are dead! No one will ever make money as a blogger again!

We've all heard versions of this over the last year (and sometimes it might even feel like it!). But this analysis from Graphite is a really good reminder that the search changes happening right now are big, but not as dramatic as some are making it seem. So, deep breath, and let's see some of the stats!

There is some bad news for food bloggers — traffic to cooking sites decreased by 15% from 2024 to 2025. BUT smaller sites (i.e. the vast majority of food blogs) actually fared better than most bigger sites!

TL;DR, there are some big changes happening in search. Many food bloggers have seen decreases in site traffic from Google. It's a great time to focus on diversifying income and traffic sources. BUT there is still a ton of traffic to be had from Google and all hope is not lost!

​Read the full analysis on Graphite here.​

2. Google Personal Intelligence creates AI Frankenstein recipes

Have you tried Google Personal Intelligence yet? It's a brand new (January 2026) Gemini feature that connects with your personal data from Gmail, Google Photos, YouTube, and Search to provide customized responses to your queries.

You've likely heard of AI Frankenstein recipes — when AI pulls from multiple recipes and combines them together to make a... bad recipe. Well, it turns out that Google Personal Intelligence is doing the same thing but, because the results are personalized, people are prone to trust them more.

Below is an example from Glenn Gabe, who used Personal Intelligence to ask for a Key Lime Pie Recipe. Because the Personal Intelligence knows that he tends to visit Inspired Taste frequently, they used that site to inform the response.

Similar issues came up when testing recipe searches in AI Mode. It's clear that there is a lot of room for progress for Google here, both in correctly attributing recipes to their source, and providing accurate information to users.

​Read the full post on Search Engine Roundtable here.​

3. 10 email automation templates that save creators 20+ hours a week

So much to do, so little time. We've heard again and again about the increasing importance of email for your business. But who has the time?! That's where email automations come in. And Kit has made it even easier with these templates.

The amazing thing about recipes is that the vast majority of them are evergreen. This means it's really easy to set up a few email sequences that share your recipes with your audience ONCE and have them send... forever.

Get started with sequences we think every food creator should have:

• ​Lead magnet delivery to welcome sequence automation​
• ​Evergreen newsletter​
• ​Cold subscriber re-engagement and list cleaning​

​Read the full post on Kit here.​

4. The top 5 reasons food bloggers should consider a paid newsletter (and who probably shouldn’t)

For years, food bloggers have been told the same thing: grow your traffic, optimize for ads, chase SEO, repeat.

And while blogs are still incredibly valuable, many creators are realizing something important: relying on one income stream is risky and building a deeper connection with your audience matters more than ever.

And so, that’s where paid newsletters come in!

A paid newsletter isn’t about “locking everything behind a paywall.” It’s about offering your most engaged readers a more intentional, supportive, and sustainable way to support your work.

So, here are the top five reasons food bloggers should consider adding a paid newsletter. Plus at the end we have a quick section on who shouldn’t start one (at least not yet).

1. You own the relationship (not an algorithm)
2. Predictable, recurring income
3. A space for deeper, more creative content
4. Your most engaged readers are happy to support you
5. It strengthens (not replaces) your existing platforms

Paid newsletters are powerful but they’re not for everyone, and that’s okay. You might want to wait if:

1. You don’t have a consistent free email list
2. You’re already overwhelmed with content
3. You’re not clear on what you’d offer
4. You don’t enjoy writing
5. You’re hoping for instant income

​Read the full blog post (with a LOT more detail) on Food Blogger Pro today.​

5. How to win with the Pinterest algorithm in 2026

We know that Pinterest traffic is down lately, but that doesn't mean there isn't still a great opportunity on Pinterest (especially for newer bloggers). So let's figure out how to make the most of it!

The Pinterest algorithm relies on 4 main signals:

• Pin quality — high-resolution, visually compelling, vertical images or videos that are engaging (lots of saves/comments/click-throughs) and evergreen.
• Pinner quality — frequent, consistent contributors who respond to comments.
• Relevance — does your pin include relevant keywords? Is it saved to a matching board? Does it link to a site (i.e. your food blog) with a related theme?
• Recency and freshness — self-explanatory!

Some strategies you can start implementing right away:

• Keyword research — use the Pinterest search bar autocomplete function, check-out related Pins and trending searches, and aim for high-intent, long-tail keywords.
• Pin text — Draft a clear Pin title that includes your keyword and a specific benefit (like "Meal Prep Vegan Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats”). Make sure your Pin description is detailed and includes two or three keyword phrases.
• Multiple pin formats — Try a mixture of static pins and video pins.
• Track performance with Pinterest analytics — Lean into formats and recipe types that are performing well!

​Read the full post on Sprout Social here.​

And that's it for us this month! See you back here in March. ☘️