Transparent Food Blog Journey: Q4 2023 Traffic, Income, and Future Visions for Broken Oven Baking

Welcome to a comprehensive recap of Broken Oven Baking’s performance for Quarter 4 and the entire year of 2023! It’s incredible how quickly the year flew by, but it was undoubtedly a period of significant growth, learning, and exciting new ventures. This report aims to pull back the curtain on the numbers behind the blog, offering a transparent look at our traffic, income, and expenses. Our goal is to provide valuable insights for aspiring food bloggers, seasoned content creators, or anyone considering a career in the dynamic world of online publishing.

Ready to dive into the details? Use the links below to navigate through our quarterly and annual breakdown:

• A Few Important Notes
• October 2023 Performance
• November 2023 Performance
• December 2023 Performance
• Quarter 4, 2023 Summary
• 2023 Annual Summary & Lessons Learned
• Looking Ahead to 2024: New Directions & Goals

A Few Important Notes on Our Reporting

Before we delve into the numbers, here are a few critical points to keep in mind regarding how these reports are compiled. Understanding these details will provide context for the financial figures presented:

• The income and expenses figures are reported on a cash basis, not accrual. This means the amounts reflect what actually entered or exited our bank accounts each month.
  • For example, Mediavine, our ad network, operates on a Net65 payment schedule. Therefore, the income reported for December 2023 actually reflects earnings generated from Mediavine back in September 2023. This timing difference is crucial for interpreting the monthly cash flow.
• To maintain the quality and consistency of Broken Oven Baking, we collaborate with several talented contractors. They provide invaluable support in various areas, including blog writing, Pinterest strategy management, professional photo editing, and expert video editing. These collaborations allow us to focus on strategic growth and new initiatives.
• Quarter 4 was a particularly busy period, primarily dedicated to the extensive preparation for our new 6-month food blog coaching program, which successfully launched in January 2024. This intensive focus meant less direct time spent on new blog content creation. Additionally, Chris and I enjoyed a rejuvenating two-week trip to Europe in October, balancing work with much-needed personal time.

October 2023 Performance: Kicking Off Q4 with Positive Momentum

The fourth quarter began with a strong start in October, recording an impressive 75,894 sessions. Despite a two-week personal trip to Europe, the blog maintained solid performance, demonstrating the resilience of our content and audience engagement. This month also saw us achieve a healthy net profit, laying a positive foundation for the rest of the quarter.

October’s income was significantly bolstered by consistent client work and the early sales from the food blog coaching program, indicating a successful diversification of revenue streams. While expenses were managed, the investment in contractors and food/props reflects our ongoing commitment to producing high-quality content for the blog and our clients. The positive net income set an encouraging tone for the rest of the quarter.

November 2023 Performance: Reaching New Traffic Milestones

November marked a fantastic milestone, with blog sessions surging to over 100,606! This achievement is a testament to the effectiveness of our content strategy and the growing audience engagement. Financially, we came very close to breaking even this month. A net loss of $625.18 was primarily influenced by initial purchases and shipping costs for the group coaching gift boxes, alongside several annual plan renewals for essential tools and services. These investments, while impacting the monthly net, are crucial for long-term growth and client satisfaction.

While November’s traffic numbers were excellent, the significant expenses reflect strategic investments. The substantial FedEx costs were for preparing and shipping gift boxes to our new coaching clients, a key part of launching the group program. Additionally, several annual subscriptions renewed this month, including Clariti, Dropbox, Food Blogger Pro, and Keysearch, which are vital for blog operations and SEO. These outflows, though resulting in a temporary net loss, are crucial for sustaining and enhancing our business infrastructure for the coming year.

December 2023 Performance: A Record-Breaking End to the Year

December closed out 2023 with a monumental achievement: a new record of 122,177 sessions! This incredible growth signifies strong audience engagement and successful content strategies as the year drew to a close. Despite even higher expenses this month due to additional gift boxes and further annual plan renewals, we successfully ended the month with a healthy net profit. This demonstrated our ability to manage significant investments while maintaining profitability.

December’s financial performance highlights the growing success of our Food Blog Coaching program, which contributed significantly to the month’s income. This influx of revenue was critical, especially with several major annual renewals for essential tools like ConvertKit and Semrush. These powerful platforms are indispensable for our SEO, email marketing, and overall blog management, justifying the substantial investment. Despite these considerable outflows, strategic income generation ensured a strong net profit, capping off the year on a high note.

Quarter 4, 2023 Summary: Growth Amidst Strategic Shifts

Looking at Quarter 4 in its entirety, our sessions increased by a solid 18.5% compared to Q4 2022. While we initially hoped for an even greater surge, this growth is highly commendable, especially considering that a significant portion of our energy and resources during this period was dedicated to developing and launching our new coaching program rather than solely focusing on blog content creation. This performance demonstrates the underlying strength of the blog and the effectiveness of previous content efforts.

Analyzing traffic sources for Q4, Google remained our predominant driver, underscoring the importance of robust SEO practices. While we diversified our efforts, organic search consistently proved to be the most powerful channel for attracting new visitors. The consistent growth, even with a shift in focus, validates the foundational work put into search engine optimization and quality content production.

Quarter 4 Net Income Overview

• Q4 Total Income: $21077.97
• Q4 Total Expenses: $16753.69
• Q4 Net Income: $4324.28

Despite the substantial investments in annual renewals and the new coaching program launch, Q4 concluded with a healthy net income. This financial performance reflects a successful balancing act between strategic expenditures for future growth and consistent revenue generation from both the blog and client work. The net profit, while modest given the scale of operations, indicates sound financial management during a pivotal transition period for the business.

2023 Annual Summary: Doubling Revenue and Strategic Pivots

Assessing year-over-year traffic growth accurately proved challenging due to the transition from Universal Analytics (UA) to Google Analytics 4 (GA4). We only began collecting data in GA4 at the end of April 2022, making a direct comparison difficult. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Google remained our largest traffic driver throughout 2023, even amidst various Google algorithm updates that impacted many publishers. This consistent performance underscores the power of strong SEO fundamentals and quality content.

Overall, 2023 was an exceptionally strong year for Broken Oven Baking. We saw a notable increase in overall traffic and, even more impressively, almost doubled our total revenue compared to the previous year. This significant financial growth allowed us to surpass any of our previous corporate salaries, marking a truly transformative year for the business and a major personal achievement. It’s a testament to the dedication, strategic planning, and hard work invested in the blog and its expanding services.

2023 Annual Net Income

• 2023 Total Income: $95164.78
• 2023 Total Expenses: $58772.64
• 2023 Net Income: $36392.14

Key Lessons Learned in 2023 for Sustainable Blog Growth

• Diversification is paramount for both income and traffic. Relying on a single source for either can leave your business vulnerable. In 2023, expanding beyond ad revenue to include client work and coaching proved critical for financial stability and growth. Similarly, nurturing traffic from various platforms—not just Google—helps mitigate risks from algorithm changes and ensures a broader audience reach.
• Community > competition! Giving more truly creates a stronger ecosystem. This year underscored the immense value of collaboration over rivalry. By actively engaging with and supporting other bloggers and industry experts, we found that generosity pays dividends. Sharing knowledge, promoting others’ work, and building genuine connections fosters a more vibrant and less lonely entrepreneurial journey for everyone involved.
• Always follow your heart! It will (usually) lead you in the right direction. The biggest pivot of 2023, shifting focus towards coaching, was a decision rooted in personal passion. While the numbers were a factor, recognizing and pursuing what truly excites you can unlock unforeseen opportunities and lead to a more fulfilling and sustainable business model. Trusting that inner guidance has been instrumental in our most rewarding developments. 😊

Looking Ahead to 2024: Doubling Down on Coaching and Community

Last year was nothing short of a wild ride, filled with unexpected turns and incredible growth. At the beginning of January 2023, my primary goals were to significantly increase blog traffic and client work, with an ambitious target of reaching a 6-figure revenue. However, after just a few months, I recognized a deeper calling and made the pivotal decision to shift my focus, diving headfirst into the world of blog coaching. Looking back, I am profoundly glad I took that leap of faith.

Through this journey, I’ve discovered that my true passion lies not solely in developing recipes, but in the intricate technical and business aspects of blogging. Even more rewarding is the opportunity to teach these crucial skills to other aspiring and established bloggers, and to witness their success stories unfold. This realization has fundamentally reshaped the direction of Broken Oven Baking.

The year 2023 ultimately evolved into a period of carefully maintaining the blog and nurturing relationships with loyal clients, all while vigorously launching and scaling coaching services for food bloggers. This began with personalized 1-on-1 coaching calls in February, progressed to a comprehensive 3-month program around May, and culminated in successfully filling a 6-month group coaching + mastermind program in Q4. Each step allowed me to refine my approach and better serve the community.

Our flagship group program’s weekly calls officially kicked off on January 11th, and as I write this in mid-February, I am still in awe of the amazing things that have transpired in just the past few months. I’ve had the privilege of connecting with so many inspiring bloggers and industry experts, and I am immensely grateful for their generosity, support, and willingness to collaborate. The vibrant energy and shared ambition within this community are truly unparalleled.

Indeed, this community is the absolute best. My primary goal for 2024 is to give back even more and empower as many bloggers as I possibly can. I am committed to playing my part in making the blogging journey less solitary and more accessible, helping others understand and implement effective strategies to grow their businesses. By fostering a supportive and knowledgeable environment, we can collectively achieve greater heights.

If you’re embarking on the exciting adventure of starting a website or looking to enhance your existing one, I highly recommend exploring my dedicated food blog resources page. It’s packed with tools and recommendations that I personally use and trust. Additionally, I regularly share free, actionable tips and insights on Instagram. Come say hi and join the conversation! 👋

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your continued support and for being a part of this incredible journey.
❤️ Kayla