1. how do you find a blog? A few ways. Either it comes up in a search for something specific, or someone here recommends it, or a friend sends it, or another blog links to it, or the blog is mentioned in mainstream media (eg the NYTimes or somesuch)

2. what blogs do you read regularly-- and what does "regularly" mean to you? Is it daily, weekly, or just when you are looking for something specific? None. Sometimes I find one I like, but rarely to people consistently provide good, quality, up to date content. I think a lot of people trail off or fizzle out. I guess the only one I can think of that I have read more than once or twice are Cote De Texas and the Vicky Elizabeth or whatever that one was, both decor.

3. What takes you back to a blog? Do you return to keep up with their goings on? do subscribe? Do you turn to a few loyal favorites when you need a new recipe? Not applicable. I don't subscribe. I don't want any more emails.

4. Do you enjoy the stories-- do you like to read about their kids, dogs, mates and travels? Do you like to read insights about the equipment, procedures, ingredients? Do you just want to read the recipe and see the end result? It depends if they are a good writer and if they have an interesting persona. I do like to read for information about eqp, procedures and ingred (that is how I select tools and appliances). I rarely use a recipe that either does not have 1)many, Id say more than 50, reviews aor 2) a review from someone i know.

I do not trust random recipes, a lot of them are not tested and are wrong or bad. I like seeing what people say about a recipe on epicurious, and the changes they suggest.

5. Do you save recipes to pinterest? Post on your FB? -- and if so, is it before or after you've tried the recipe? I don't used Pinterest much and FB not at all. I figure if I want it I can always find it again.

6. How do you search for a recipe? By primary ingredient/protein (quinoa salad, chicken salad) ? By type of dish (healthy desserts, quick dinners)? By preparation (grilled halibut, no-bake desserts)? It depends. Sometimes I have an ingredient on hand and am searching that way. Sometimes I am entertaining and looking for something seasonal and or au courant.

7. When looking at recipe links--no matter where they are (email, google search results, FB, Pinterest)-- what makes you click? Is it a great photo? A new or interesting idea, primary ingredients? Experience/Name recognition of author? It has to be a good photo. Photos that look homely or are on a funny plate, I don't find as compelling. Dumb but true.

8. How do you feel about ads and affiliate links? Do you accept them as part of the business of maintaining a blog-- or do they annoy you? Do you ever click affiliate links to purchase a book or recommended product? I don't mind them unless they cover the content. The other day I was on Hooked on Houses and the add kept covering what I was reading and harassing me about why I didnt like the ad so they could customize a new ad for me. I left the site.

TIA! I appreciate your time in responding-- Also, if you are interested in joining a small, informal focus group, drop me a message with your email address. Over time, I am hoping to share some potential blog names, a preview of site logo and design and some early blog posts in order to get a broad range of feedback. No obligations-- I would just like to have a group of earlier reviewers that are broader than my immediate circle of friends and family. Sure, I think my contact info is in my profile?

Good luck!

1. how do you find a blog? I knew some of the people from various forums (the cooking forum here and a gardening site I used to frequent) before they started blogging. Others I discovered through links on blog visits or doing a Google search for something.

2. what blogs do you read regularly-- and what does "regularly" mean
to you? Is it daily, weekly, or just when you are looking for something
specific? Not near as often as I used to. Maybe 2 or 3 times a month.

3. What takes you back to a blog? Do you return to keep up with their
goings on? do subscribe? Do you turn to a few loyal favorites when you
need a new recipe? I'm not that loyal.

4. Do you enjoy the stories-- do you like to read about their kids,
dogs, mates and travels? Do you like to read insights about the
equipment, procedures, ingredients? Do you just want to read the recipe
and see the end result? Pretty much just want to see the recipe and end result. There is one blog I read specifically for enjoyment ... http://beautythatmoves.typepad.com/beauty_that_moves/

5. Do you save recipes to pinterest? Post on your FB? -- and if so, is it before or after you've tried the recipe? I don't save them to FB, but I will post some there before and after trying.

6. How do you search for a recipe? By primary ingredient/protein
(quinoa salad, chicken salad) ? By type of dish (healthy desserts,
quick dinners)? By preparation (grilled halibut, no-bake desserts)? That varies ... sometimes by ingredient, sometimes by recipe name.

7. When looking at recipe links--no matter where they are (email,
google search results, FB, Pinterest)-- what makes you click? Is it a
great photo? A new or interesting idea, primary ingredients?
Experience/Name recognition of author? Not one single thing. It just depends.

8. How do you feel about ads and affiliate links? Do you accept them
as part of the business of maintaining a blog-- or do they annoy you? Do
you ever click affiliate links to purchase a book or recommended
product? Some blogs are very slow to load with the ads. Some I pretty much stopped visiting for that reason.

1. how do you find a blog?

Usually by referral.

2. what blogs do you read regularly-- and what does "regularly" mean to you? Is it daily, weekly, or just when you are looking for something specific?

I "liked" Ina Graten on Facebook, so I see recipes that she posts. (With a link to the recipe)

I also read my niece's blog regularly, when she mentions (on Facebook) that she has a new entry . She announces her new recipe by posting a wonderful picture of the dish with a short description with a link to her blog.

3. What takes you back to a blog? Do you return to keep up with their goings on? do subscribe? Do you turn to a few loyal favorites when you need a new recipe?

I don't often go back to food blogs. may subscribe for a short time, then unsubscribe when the emails annoy me by coming daily. I rather see a preview of the recipe on Facebook.

4. Do you enjoy the stories-- do you like to read about their kids, dogs, mates and travels?

No

5. Do you save recipes to pinterest? Post on your FB? -- and if so, is it before or after you've tried the recipe?

No. If there is a recipe I really want to try, I copy and paste it into a Google document folder I keep for recipes.

6. How do you search for a recipe?

primary ingredient in a Google search.

7. When looking at recipe links--no matter where they are (email, google search results, FB, Pinterest)-- what makes you click? Is it a great photo? usually a great photo

8. How do you feel about ads and affiliate links?

I have gotten blind to most ads, do not notice them unless I have to watch a video for 30 seconds before being redirected. I never absorb what the ad is about.

Thank you all for your time-- this is very helpful!

I have a very clear understanding of what i read and how I use blogs-- but I feared that I wasn't "typical". It helps to learn a bit about how you use blogs!

I rarely look at blogs but when I do it drives me crazy when they have pics of .every. single. step. of the food prep. Scroll, scroll. scroll. Good luck!

1. how do you find a blog?

Usually I have stumbled upon a blog by searching for something like a recipe, or sometimes via a link from Pinterest.

2. what blogs do you read regularly-- and what does "regularly" mean to you? Is it daily, weekly, or just when you are looking for something specific?

I like The Kitchn. That is really the only food blog I read, and I am not even sure if it would really be considered strictly a food blog? Oh, and I also sometimes scroll through 100 Days Of Real Food. I usually look at Kitchn a couple times a week. 100 Days, less frequently.

3. What takes you back to a blog? Do you return to keep up with their goings on? do subscribe? Do you turn to a few loyal favorites when you need a new recipe?

Regular updates bring me back. If a blogger doesn't post new stuff at least every couple of days, I lose interest and stop checking. I have never subscribed to any blog, but I have a bunch of them bookmarked (mostly decorating ones!). For recipes, I mostly use Pinterest to search for something new, or the web site allrecipes.com.

4. Do you enjoy the stories-- do you like to read about their kids, dogs, mates and travels? Do you like to read insights about the equipment, procedures, ingredients? Do you just want to read the recipe and see the end result?

I don't read enough food blogs to be able to answer this.

5. Do you save recipes to pinterest? Post on your FB? -- and if so, is it before or after you've tried the recipe?

Sometimes I save recipes to Pinterest. Never on FB.

6. How do you search for a recipe? By primary ingredient/protein (quinoa salad, chicken salad) ? By type of dish (healthy desserts, quick dinners)? By preparation (grilled halibut, no-bake desserts)?

Hmm. All of the above, depending on my mood or what my priority happens to be at the time.

7. When looking at recipe links--no matter where they are (email, google search results, FB, Pinterest)-- what makes you click? Is it a great photo? A new or interesting idea, primary ingredients? Experience/Name recognition of author?

Probably a good photo.

8. How do you feel about ads and affiliate links? Do you accept them as part of the business of maintaining a blog-- or do they annoy you? Do you ever click affiliate links to purchase a book or recommended product?

Usually I'm able to ignore them. I don't think I have ever clicked on one!

I think that food blogs are hard to follow regularly. I come upon them when doing a google search. Most google searches I do are because of an idea I have and am looking for validation that I am not crazy or on techniques of how to make it work. The ones I return to are ones where I have found the recipes reliable (101cookbooks, simplyrecipes, etc. )and that tend to cook in a way consistent with what I do. I also love when recipes include the measurements by weight (which makes substitutions soooo much easier).

I do like stories as I find that food does not occur in a vacuum, but I think there is a balance. One blog I use to enjoy had beautiful essays but it was getting to a point where sometimes there was not even a recipe associated with that long essay, which is kind of the point of the blog, or at least used to be. However, while I like stories, I find too much "advocacy" or "education" to be tiresome. I like food, and I have no problem with people expressing their opinions, but sometimes I just want the restfulness of the food and the process. This could be because I am often found of "alternative" diets but I find much of the nutritional information suspect.

Pictures are another tricky area. There are some blogs where they could really use an editor to say, one (maybe 2 shots) of the finished dish is enough, do not include every picture you took, from every conceivable angle. It takes too long to download and reveals nothing new or useful. I would also say to choose your blog name with longevity in mind. Some blogs outgrow their names and it can be difficult for the reader to get past that. One blog that has some interesting recipes includes shoestring in the title. However, their definition of cooking on the cheap and mine vary widely and it taints the whole experience.

The only ads I have a problem with are ones that are set on autoplay, and you have to scroll through the page to find where it is and turn it off, other than that, they do not bother me. Sometimes affiliate links are helpful when looking for something not readily available in my area but that Amazon has, so I like that aspect.

Ditto to everything Mtnr said except I print out recipes if I really am intrigued.

My main blog pet peeve, endless photos, i. e. Pioneer Woman. Although she does have trustworthy recipes.

Funky,

Do you know about the site Get Off My Internets? They have forums discussing blogs of every type. There is a section for food bloggers. Maybe by scanning those, you can see if there is a common or repeat complaint about food blogs. There is a tremendous amount of snark but there is also legitimate criticism.

1. how do you find a blog?

Usually by referral by a friend or family.

2. what blogs do you read regularly-- and what does "regularly" mean to you? Is it daily, weekly, or just when you are looking for something specific?

I subscribe to two so those I read when I get an email. Others I only check because of a specific referral.

3. What takes you back to a blog? Do you return to keep up with their goings on? do subscribe? Do you turn to a few loyal favorites when you need a new recipe?

The email reminder bring me back. I have unsubscribed to more than the two that I still follow usually because they emailed too often or the recipes didn't interest me. I do check the favorites when looking or a recipe idea.

4. Do you enjoy the stories-- do you like to read about their kids, dogs, mates and travels?

No, not really. I wouldn't mind a brief post that ties to the recipe. I did unsubscribe to one once she became a new mommy. I'm not interested in that. The time you visited Rome and had the best whatever and here's a recipe, okay. The dog went to the vet and the baby was sick and I only have time to make hot dogs, I don't want to know.

5. Do you save recipes to pinterest? Post on your FB? -- and if so, is it before or after you've tried the recipe?

I don't use Pinterest or post them to Facebook. I will bookmark a recipe to try or I email it to myself to try later. If I like it, it stays in my email folder for future access and to share. If I'm int he grocery store trying to remember a recipe, it's quicker for me to pull up my email recipe folder.

6. How do you search for a recipe?

Most of the time by primary ingredient. What can I do with x. I'm in the mood for y.

7. When looking at recipe links--no matter where they are (email, google search results, FB, Pinterest)-- what makes you click? Is it a great photo?

Hmm, most of my links come from my sisters whose taste I trust. I don't want recipes called Funkyart's Delight. Funkyart's Brown Bread is okay, if I can find it later when it think what was the brown bread recipe I liked? A good photo might entice me. One of my complaints is every blog has the same exact photo style, it's hard to tell any of them apart. White plate, wooden farm house table, a crumb or salt on the wooden table, linen napkin. Yawn.

8. How do you feel about ads and affiliate links?

I ignore ads so they don't bother me but if it redirects, I immediately close out the site. I have never clicked on an affiliate link (I don't buy anything online). I don't mind seeing affiliate links as long as the blogger is honest about them. I don't want cookies that last for 45-90 days placed without acknowledgement (a seemingly common practice with fashion and lifestyle blogs). If I learn about something from a blogger, then sure, they can take a commission on that item. But I don't think they should get commission from every item purchased, having nothing to do with the original blogger, from, say, Nordstrom's or Amazon just because I clicked on their link 3 months ago. It doesn't really matter to me since I don't shop online but I still don't think it's right.

Whoa. I can't imagine not shopping online.. but I agree re: lingering cookies. I don't believe affiliate links work via cookies-- it would cost the companies too much. It's just a tag in the sending URL that identifies the referrer.

I use food blogs much like the majority of you all-- I have a few I like to read but for the most part, I don't follow the lives of the blog personalities. I am there for the food. I do enjoy reading Mark Bittman because he almost always has something interesting to say about the food, the preparation or cooking in general. I like reading I am a Food Blog because her stories are generally related to the topic at hand and she is pretty down to earth. I won't name them by name-- but there are a number of food blogs that have a cutesy tone-- or hipster-- yeah, not my style. I don't want to make up new cute words by smooshing two together. I don't want to "Holla!". It's just not my personality and I couldn't sustain it. The blogs that have been awarded for the best writing seem to be everything BUT a food blog to me. I want my blog to be about food and flavors.. I want to inspire creativity and confidence.. and I want to be seen as a trusted source for info and recipes. (There was a great article recently on the lost art of recipe testing.. maybe in the LA Times?)

I really had no intention of sharing photos step by step-- modern blogs are moving away from that and unless a particular step requires a visual to understand, it's superfluous. I've had enough of the awkward overhead food shots. I had to laugh when Hhireno "yawned" in response to the styled food shots. It is true-- and I am sure I will fall into some of the same patterns-- if for no other reason because my table IS rustic as are any prop tables I'd use. My plates ARE white. My napkins ARE linen... but shoot me if I start artfully arranging crumbs!

The only thing that really surprised me in your responses is how few of you use pinterest and facebook. I actually subscribe to more food blogger's facebook feeds than email (like Mtn, I really don't need or want the extra emails!). Plus, many of my friends post links to recipes as well as their own recipes/dishes. I rarely LOOK for recipes on pinterest but I do save recipes to pinterest. I can't tell you how often I run into someone who refers to something I pinned or posted.

Many thanks again-- this insight is helpful. Once i am up and running, I will have tools that will give me quantitative insight but as I am shaping/refining my vision your experiences are helpful. I was fighting the urge to build the kind of blog *I* would want to read read-- but seeing your responses, I think that may be the best way to go. At the very least, it will keep me authentic!

I only will look at a blog that I find when searching for something- like a recipe... I don't follow any regularly.... since I enjoy baking i found one several yrs ago that i referred to more than once that had a good fondant recipe and dealt with fondant use, etc.... I enjoyed her style of writing and have read some of her blog as it dealt with specific cake decorating details, but never 'followed' the blog for the sake of reading the blog...

I prefer it when the blogger doesn't share too much of their personal life-- I am sure their kids are darling or whatever, but I'm really not interested...

I frequently search for recipes- usually by main ingredient... I actually click on a good number of recipes, and decide whether to try it or not after reading- I'm good at reading recipes and knowing if they will 'work' or if they need doctoring, so I don't make too many duds. pictures generally don't entice me. I mainly like to look for new ideas, etc. I don't 'pin' them... but have saved many recipes to my favorites folder... I don't use FB for sharing recipes.

I will quickly leave a page if an ad harasses or annoys me...

The two food blogger emails I get aren't even once a week. They are both sporadic and that's perfect for me. I've unsubscribed to one that was a daily pest, one that turned out to be more shopping site than recipe site, and the one that was morphing into a mommy blog.

What I find with with FB and pinterest is that they are not all that much different than magazine clippings of recipes. I used to do that, and still have a couple of file folders of some left, but after clipping them, I never really got back to them. So, to keep my life more clutter free (even virtually), I will print if I plan to use it that day or for some special occasion but beyond that, I must abstain. I can also say that I really appreciate food blogs that have a printable version of the recipe, especially when I can print it without the photo. Not all do this and I am very conscious of my paper and ink usage so the photo attached to the recipe is not worth printing to me.

interesting points, tishtosh. I don't usually print recipes-- but if I did, I would want a printable version sans photo, sans color.

I consider my pinterest boards a way to keep my life a little less cluttered. Bookmarks were much harder for me to manage and keep organized and I never referenced my printed recipes. How do you return to a recipe? Do you remember the name and source?

I'm just the opposite, I like a printed copy with photo. I keep the recipes in binders (have 4). I also have recipes in Page documents, but 90% of the time I reach for the binders.

Didn't get to read the other answers...

I find blogs based on recipes that fall under the type of eating lifestyle we follow most of the time. Not sure if that is what you would call it. :0 But if it is WFPB and especially WFPB no SOS, or Vegan. that is good, then I think people that have those food blogs belong to groups on Facebook that support that way of eating (like Herbies, or Chef AJ, McDOugall, FOK, Furhman, Rawtillwhenever, etc - those are all in that world) and recipe get posted on facebook. then it might catch my eye, and I pin it and if I notice that I get more than 1 from a particular blog I will rummage around and look for more.

if I were printing a recipe, I would want it without a pic for sure... but I rarely print recipes anymore. most of the recipes I file these days are recipes I clip from the newspaper or mag...

Funky, when I print the recipe, if I like it, it goes into binders as a keeper where I can write on it with any little tidbits of information specific to my situation. We eat based on what is available, generally influenced by the things I keep stocked in my pantry and what is on sale, or in the garden. The only major exception to that is special occasions like holidays or birthdays (birthday person gets to choose their birthday meal). For that type of eating and cooking, I find that have a bunch of recipes clipped does not work for me so pinterest is not useful.

There must be some type of program/option for the printing as I have seen some blogs that will allow you to choose to print the picture or not, which would accommodate CindyMac, too.

Tish, I rarely use the printing option on a blog, but instead copy and paste grabbing whatever photo appeals to me. I do the same with my binder copies ... date first made and any pertinent notes/tweaks.

Pinterest is really the only place I store recipes other than cookbooks. I used to save recipe cards and cut out recipes from bon apetite, cooking light, southern living and gourmet-- but they are all online now as are most of their recipes. Family recipes are either published (I made a Tastebook cookbook of family recipes years ago) or committed to memory. I admit though, the pinterest boards I reference the most are private.

Hhireno, thank you for the mention of GOMI-- I wasn't aware of it and it has some great (candid!) views on bloggers and sites. I have spent a lot of time there today -- some of the critiques are harsh lol but I agree with many. I am sure I will reference this again and again!

Thanks for sharing! This is all great info!