The Ultimate Blog Podcast

Kate Cooper is joining us today to talk about how she started and grew her outdoor blog with the goal of helping people get more information on a topic she’s passionate about: hiking in Colorado and the American West. Not only is Kate the owner of Kate Outdoors, an outdoor blog, but she’s also an attorney for creators and owner of The Legal Influence, a business that helps creators navigate the legal side of their job. Today, Kate is sharing all the details on her approach to SEO to drive more traffic to her blog, how she consistently creates blog content without having to constantly travel, and how she was approved for Journey by Mediavine to make a more consistent income. If you’re ready to be inspired to share more of what you love on your blog, you need to tune in to this one! 🔗Check out the show notes for Episode 156

While blog image optimization might not be the most fun topic, it’s very important for improving site speed, SEO, and keeping your readers engaged and interested. If you want your blog to have the best possible images without slowing down your website, learning how to optimize your blog images is a step you can’t afford to skip. In this episode, we’re sharing what exactly blog optimization is and why you need it, where to find high-quality images, specific tools and tips on how to resize your images, and a new free resource that walks you through image optimization. Whether you’re new to blogging or you’re hundreds of blogs in, this episode is full of actionable tips you won’t want to miss! Check out the show notes for Episode 155!

2024 was a challenging year for many bloggers. Content updates have affected so many bloggers, discouraged them, and made them wonder if it’s possible to find success after so many challenges. Melissa Griffiths, founder of the highly successful food blog for moms Bless This Mess, is here today to give her perspective on how she’s pivoting to stay afloat. After more than a decade of blogging, Melissa is sharing how she’s pivoting to work through the challenges of dropping traffic this year, how she keeps her readers engaged with approachable content, and how her passion and connection with her readers are a big part of her success. Tune into this one to be inspired. Click here to see show notes for episode 154!

Jennifer and Amy are sharing something special today: The Ultimate Blog Roadmap is now live! If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or isolated in the world of blogging, you’re not alone. It’s easy to read about all the information you need to start and grow your blog, but have no one to hold you accountable to implement. That’s where The Ultimate Blog Roadmap comes in! It’s a monthly membership with a step-by-step course, live calls with Jennifer and Amy, and a community of other bloggers to bounce ideas off of and get help. If you’re ready to build your blog alongside a community, this is the piece you’ve been missing! 🔗Check out the show notes for Episode 153!

In this episode of The Ultimate Blog Podcast, we're sitting down with Christina Lenkowski, podcast publicity strategist and trainer. Christina shares how you can pitch yourself on podcasts to get in front of new audiences and build your blog. We know that getting behind the microphone can be intimidating, but Christina is here to share the benefits of guesting on podcasts, tips to get comfortable guesting, how to find and pitch yourself to the right podcasts, and what next steps you need to give podcast listeners when you do guest on a podcast. If you want to grow your blog in a fun, authentic way, you need to hear this episode! 🔗Check out this week's show notes here!

In this episode of The Ultimate Blog Podcast, we’re welcoming Tony Hill, creator of the Pinterest keyword research tool and rank tracking tool, PinClicks. Tony shares his journey as a seasoned tech entrepreneur and how he got into Pinterest-based traffic strategies. Tune in to hear what exactly PinClicks is and how it can help boost your Pinterest strategy (even if you’re a new blogger and you don’t know where to start). This is a great episode to get reinvigorated about your blogging business and drive more traffic to your blog! 🔗Check out the show notes for this episode

Today is a special episode where we’re sitting down with a student from our membership, The Ultimate Blog Membership! Katy Purivance is a passionate furniture refinisher and blogger who took her love for DIY projects online. She discusses how a sense of blogging community can make all the difference when navigating the journey of blogging. Katy shares her journey from finding success on Instagram to growing her blog, finding a community of bloggers, and how a blogging community has changed the game for her. Plus, she shares her best advice for new bloggers. Tune in to be inspired to find your community!

In this episode, we get to talk with Allison Hardy, email marketing strategist. Allison shares why evergreen email funnels are a great strategy for bloggers, how to shift your mindset to get comfortable with selling, and how to sell to all types of buyers in your audience. She also gives us her thoughts on how long the ideal open cart should last, and if you should ever extend your open cart period. If you want to start selling or increase your sales through email marketing, you’ll love this episode! 🔗Show notes for episode 149

In this episode, we’re excited to chat with Kayla Burton, the creator of the food blog Broken Oven Baking Company and a coach for food bloggers. Kayla shares her journey of starting a food blog because she loved web design and baking, and how she monetized and grew it until she could quit her 9-5 job. Today, Kayla explains how she gets feedback from her audience to create content they want, how she got brand partnerships as a new food blogger, what creative revenue streams a food blogger can use to monetize, and her best advice for food bloggers who are just starting out. Tune in to be inspired and get tips to monetize your food blog! 🔗Show notes for Episode 148

Today, we’re thrilled to welcome back Jillian Leslie to talk about blogging trends you need to know. Jillian has been building businesses on the internet since 2009, from her first blog Catch My Party to MiloTree, which helps bloggers create freebies and pop-ups. In this episode, Jillian shares the problem with relying on SEO alone, how to think like an entrepreneur in order to monetize your blog, easy ways to get started on your freebie, and how blogging is moving to be more personal in 2025. 🔗Show notes for Episode 147

We’re chatting with Jackie from Interact all about growing your email list with Interact quizzes! Interact is a powerful AI quiz platform that can create a quiz for your brand in minutes. Today, Jackie is sharing why Interact quizzes are a great tool for understanding what your audience wants, how Interact helps you segment and nurture your email list, and how you can easily create quizzes with content you already have. If you want to grow your email list, attract new visitors, and connect with your audience in a new, fun way, you’ll love this episode. Learn more about creating your first digital product here! Sign up for our newsletter here Check out the show notes (link below) for more information including links and resources mentioned in today's episode! SHOW NOTES: www.sparkmediaconcepts.com/episode146

Today, we’re excited to welcome Carol Lander to the podcast! Carol is the creative force behind Bluesky at Home, a successful home decor and lifestyle blog. Carol shares her journey from the culinary arts into starting a home decor and lifestyle blog, and offers advice to anyone wanting to start and monetize their own blog (even if they’re feeling the imposter syndrome). She talks about how she grew her blog with email marketing, how she makes smart financial decisions for her blog, and the value of joining a supportive blogging community. She also shares how someone wanting to get started can find their niche and audience in the home decor space. Tune in to get inspired and get serious about starting your home decor and lifestyle blog! Learn more about creating your first digital product here! Sign up for our newsletter here Check out the show notes (link below) for more information including links and resources mentioned in today's episode! SHOW NOTES: www.sparkmediaconcepts.com/episode145

In this episode, we’re redefining what it means to be a successful blogger. We’re challenging the idea that success is solely tied to how much money you’re making, and instead, encouraging you to create your own personal definition of success. We’re sharing our own definition of success, like having control over your schedule, using your unique talents, making an impact on others, and more. Tune in for a fresh perspective on measuring success and tips to celebrate your personal wins along the way! 🔗show notes for episode 144

Today, we’re thrilled to welcome Brittany Herzberg to the podcast! Brittany is a massage therapist turned SEO and case study copywriter. She shares how any blogger can use case studies to connect with their audience and build trust, no matter what niche they’re in. She explains how paying attention to what your audience is saying will help you build case studies easily, how to avoid common mistakes in case studies, and how to incorporate SEO into your case studies. If you want to connect with your readers and get in front of the right people, this one is a must-listen! 🔗Show notes for episode 143: sparkmediaconcetps.com/143

Today, we’re excited to welcome our guest, Tammy Overhoff! Tammy is the owner and author of the successful blog Organize Yourself Skinny. She shares the journey of building her blog from a hobby in 2011 to a career that allowed her to leave her full time job and spend more time with her kids. She’s sharing how she built her blog over the past 13 years and what she’s learned along the way, from listening to your audience to understand what digital products they need from you, to pivoting when what you’re doing isn’t working. If you want to turn your blog and digital products into your main source of income, tune in to be inspired and learn practical tips from Tammy! Thanks for listening! Let us know your thoughts on Instagram: @sparkmediaconcepts Learn more about creating your first digital product here! Sign up for our newsletter here at www.theultimateblogpodcast.com/newsletter Check out the show notes (link below) for more information including links and resources mentioned in today's episode! SHOW NOTES: www.sparkmediaconcepts.com/episode142

We are excited to welcome Penny Zenker on today! She is sharing more about focus and productivity which is crucial for entrepreneurs facing burnout. Penny Zenker is known as “The Focusologist.” She’s a sought after international keynote speaker and best-selling author. Penny is sharing more about focus and productivity which is crucial for entrepreneurs facing burnout. She shares insights on eliminating distractions, perfectionism, and self-sabotage to maximize results. Penny introduces her new book, “The Reset Mindset,” and outlines a three-step practice: Recognize, Get Perspective, and Realign and Execute. We talk about the importance of managing focus and energy, nurturing existing connections, and adopting practical strategies like the 80/20 rule and daily planning methods to enhance productive and achieve greater satisfaction. If you feel like you are hitting a point of burnout, tune in to hear the insights that Penny has to share! Thanks for listening! Let us know your thoughts on Instagram: @sparkmediaconcepts Sign up for our newsletter here at www.theultimateblogpodcast.com/newsletter Check out the show notes (link below) for more information including links and resources mentioned in today's episode! SHOW NOTES: www.sparkmediaconcepts.com/episode141

It’s Amy here and I have a solo for you on my review of Joe Pulizzi’s book “Content Inc.”. I’m really emphasizing the impact of community and how it can increase your impact as a content creator. It’s important to build a loyal audience and community over chasing vanity metrics like social media followers. I share more about understanding your audience needs, genuinely connecting with others, and leveraging your email list for deeper engagement. Tune in to hear more! Thanks for listening! Let us know your thoughts on Instagram: @sparkmediaconcepts Sign up for our newsletter here at www.theultimateblogpodcast.com/newsletter Check out the show notes (link below) for more information including links and resources mentioned in today's episode! SHOW NOTES: www.sparkmediaconcepts.com/episode140

Hey there! It’s Jennifer and I’m doing a solo. In our membership, we hosted a book club event and we chose the book “Content Inc.” by Joe Pulizzi. Amy and I have both decided to share our key takeaways from the book in the next few episodes. I’m sharing about “finding your content tilt", meaning the importance of identifying a unique niche in blogging. I'm sharing that with you on today's episode. I hope this episode inspires you to create meaningful, impactful content that resonates with your audience and helps grow your blog! Thanks for listening! Let us know your thoughts on Instagram: @sparkmediaconcepts Sign up for our newsletter at www.theultimateblogpodcast.com/niche and get access to our exclusive resource! Check out the show notes (link below) for more information including links and resources mentioned in today's episode! SHOW NOTES: www.sparkmediaconcepts.com/episode139

Do you feel like you are low on time? As summer comes to a close, we know that summer may have looked different for you in your blogging business. We are talking about the challenges that bloggers often face during these busy seasons. We share our personal experiences of balancing family responsibilities and blogging and we are offering actionable strategies for you if you are short on time. We hope that this episode encourages you to navigate your blogging business with grace and strategy to keep moving the needle forward! Thanks for listening! Let us know your thoughts on Instagram: @sparkmediaconcepts SEO Audio Course Check out the show notes (link below) for more information including links and resources mentioned in today's episode! SHOW NOTES: www.sparkmediaconcepts.com/episode138

Are you wanting to be a travel blogger? Join us as we chat interview Gina Corley, a student of ours and a travel blogger from "Gina on a Plane." Gina shares her journey into travel blogging and shares more about her solo travel experiences. She discusses the challenges of balancing a full-time job with blogging, the realities of monetization, and the importance of consistency and community support. Gina emphasizes the value of providing long-lasting content and offers advice for new bloggers to stay passionate and persistent. Tune in to hear all that Gina has to share! Thanks for listening! Let us know your thoughts on Instagram: @sparkmediaconcepts SEO Audio Course Check out the show notes (link below) for more information including links and resources mentioned in today's episode! SHOW NOTES: www.sparkmediaconcepts.com/episode137