I have been thinking about a question that came up during the meeting about organizing Substack more like Wordpress.
Here is a helpful tip: when you tag your posts, you can go into Settings and find the link for each tag. You can then use those links in posts, your navigation, or a directory page so readers can easily browse topics like recipes, book reviews, or something more specific like chicken recipes. It is a simple feature that makes your archive much easier to navigate.
I have not done this yet, but am going to implement something on my recipe page.
I was able to watch the recording today. It was very helpful. I am still wondering, though, with all the changes to AI in Google Search, if recipe cards are still the best way to share recipes.
I think there's a lot of options here, Jeanie Jo, and no one right answer. It really comes back to your overall strategy... if you're hoping that recipes you publish here on substack will get indexed in google search results, formatting them in the recipe card is essential. But, there's a lot of room for creativity in the content you add above the recipe card. And that content, the story you tell about the recipe, how your voice comes through, matters more than ever with the changes to AI in google search. It's even important that your voice come through in how you write the recipe inside the recipe card itself.
If you are publishing recipes for newsletter subscribers and not trying to get them to show up in search results, then the recipe card is completely optional. Use it if you like it, leave it out if you don't.
As I talked about in the meeting, I do both. I want some recipes to show up in search results and drive traffic to my substack. I also publish recipes that are just for subscribers. For me, it helps to think of each recipe individually, and be intentional about who it's for and how I want to use it.
Thank you, Rebecca for your response. It makes absolute sense, it is just quite unfortunate that I have a different way of presenting recipes and I do not like the look of the recipe cards 😢 BUT, I would like to be found on Google Searches.
I should have said this in my last reply: Add the recipe card to recipe posts only. Posts like the one you did on peaches don't need it, of course. So, not every post needs to use it.
I just took a look at your Substack and I think there are ways you can do both. For example, your post about Dirty Rice Skillet - I love the step by step photos and instructions! And the ingredients and tool list is great! Keep all of that as is. Just add a recipe card to the bottom of the post. The people who want to move through the recipe with the step by step photos will do so. The people who like the recipe card format will skip down to that. The recipe card also now has a print function and I'm always surprised by how many people still print recipes. Everything else in that post is great - the headline and the post URL say what the recipe is, Dirty Rice Skillet. Just add the recipe card to the bottom as an extra feature.
Thank you for taking the time to look at it for me. I think adding the recipe card makes the most sense, and I can skip including the PDF version of the recipe.
I have been thinking about a question that came up during the meeting about organizing Substack more like Wordpress.
Here is a helpful tip: when you tag your posts, you can go into Settings and find the link for each tag. You can then use those links in posts, your navigation, or a directory page so readers can easily browse topics like recipes, book reviews, or something more specific like chicken recipes. It is a simple feature that makes your archive much easier to navigate.
I have not done this yet, but am going to implement something on my recipe page.
I’d love to see how you set this up on a recipe navigation page, Jeanie Jo! Please keep us posted!
I was able to watch the recording today. It was very helpful. I am still wondering, though, with all the changes to AI in Google Search, if recipe cards are still the best way to share recipes.
I think there's a lot of options here, Jeanie Jo, and no one right answer. It really comes back to your overall strategy... if you're hoping that recipes you publish here on substack will get indexed in google search results, formatting them in the recipe card is essential. But, there's a lot of room for creativity in the content you add above the recipe card. And that content, the story you tell about the recipe, how your voice comes through, matters more than ever with the changes to AI in google search. It's even important that your voice come through in how you write the recipe inside the recipe card itself.
If you are publishing recipes for newsletter subscribers and not trying to get them to show up in search results, then the recipe card is completely optional. Use it if you like it, leave it out if you don't.
As I talked about in the meeting, I do both. I want some recipes to show up in search results and drive traffic to my substack. I also publish recipes that are just for subscribers. For me, it helps to think of each recipe individually, and be intentional about who it's for and how I want to use it.
Does that make sense?
Thank you, Rebecca for your response. It makes absolute sense, it is just quite unfortunate that I have a different way of presenting recipes and I do not like the look of the recipe cards 😢 BUT, I would like to be found on Google Searches.
I have a lot to think about.
I should have said this in my last reply: Add the recipe card to recipe posts only. Posts like the one you did on peaches don't need it, of course. So, not every post needs to use it.
Yes, I only share my original recipes that I created/adapted.
Thanks again, Rebecca! I truly appreciate it 🫶🏻
I just took a look at your Substack and I think there are ways you can do both. For example, your post about Dirty Rice Skillet - I love the step by step photos and instructions! And the ingredients and tool list is great! Keep all of that as is. Just add a recipe card to the bottom of the post. The people who want to move through the recipe with the step by step photos will do so. The people who like the recipe card format will skip down to that. The recipe card also now has a print function and I'm always surprised by how many people still print recipes. Everything else in that post is great - the headline and the post URL say what the recipe is, Dirty Rice Skillet. Just add the recipe card to the bottom as an extra feature.
Thank you for taking the time to look at it for me. I think adding the recipe card makes the most sense, and I can skip including the PDF version of the recipe.
Such a helpful meeting today!