Case Study: Allie Hagerty
Allie’s food blog grew from 700 to 100,000+ monthly sessions in just 6 months after implementing changes from her audit!
Meet Allie
Allie is the passionate foodie behind Seasoned & Salted, where she shares her love for Italian pasta and coastal New England cuisine. With a focus on fresh ingredients and seafood, she creates recipes that bring together the best of both culinary worlds.
What started in 2020 as a simple dinner recipe blog on Squarespace has evolved into something much more special!
In early 2024, after being laid off from her full-time job and becoming a new mom, Allie decided to take her blog to the next level. She had already migrated from Squarespace to WordPress but struggled to understand best practices and how to create truly helpful content for her readers.
The Challenge
Before the blog audit in January 2024, Allie faced several key challenges:
- Limited Technical Knowledge: Allie struggled with site health, linking structures, and general technical aspects of food blogging.
- Lacking Strategic Direction: She didn’t understand how to structure content to best serve readers.
- Low Traffic: Her traffic was around 700 monthly sessions.
“I just didn’t know what I didn’t know. I just didn’t understand any part of food blogging.”
The Solution
Through the blog audit and coaching process, Allie implemented several key changes:
- Technical Optimization
- Fixed broken links across the site
- Improved site health metrics
- Enhanced internal linking structure
- Optimized photos
- Content Improvements
- Gained an understanding of the user journey
- Improved user engagement and internal linking
- Created helpful tips sections
- Systematic Approach
- Established reusable post templates
- Created consistent content frameworks
- Streamlined content development process
The Results
Allie achieved remarkable growth after implementing the audit recommendations:
Traffic Growth:
- Grew from 700 to 50,000 monthly sessions by May 2024
- Doubled to 100,000 monthly sessions in June 2024
- Qualified for and joined Mediavine in 2024
- Transitioned to Raptive in 2025
Business Evolution:
- Successfully monetized the blog
- Launched a second food blog
- Developed systems and templates for efficient content creation
- Consistently publishes 8-12 new posts monthly
“Before the audit, I was at like 700 [monthly sessions]. I monetized in May and hit like 50,000 sessions, and then June, I think, is the first month I hit 100,000, so I doubled from May to June.
Please note that individual results may vary. Case study details shared with client permission. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Allie’s Key Takeaways
- Consistency is Critical
- Maintained regular posting schedule
- Focused on quality content creation
- Built interconnected content series
- Template-Based Efficiency
- “I actually find a lot of empowerment in that [template] because I know when I’m developing the recipe, I’m already thinking of what I need to know for the user. So I find that the development stage and also the writing stage goes so much quicker now.”
- Strategic Content Development
- Focused on niche topics (Italian pasta and coastal New England recipes)
- Created strong internal linking structures
- Developed content series (like traditional Roman pastas)
“And now, where I am is my food blog is monetized, I’m switching ad networks, and I just launched my second blog because I found that I love blogging so much that I really want to keep doing it.”
Is a Blog Audit Right For You?
According to Allie, you should consider a blog audit when:
- You’re ready to implement changes immediately
- Have time and energy to follow through
- Want to establish proper systems and processes
“I would tell people you are better off waiting to do an audit until you actually are ready to make the changes from the audit within like a reasonable time frame.”
Allie’s Advice for Food Bloggers
- Find Reputable Resources
- “Look for reputable free resources…find people that you think are doing really well and want to emulate. And then reach out to them, follow what they do.”
- Be Patient with Growth
- “One of the biggest reasons why people quit is because they’re looking for instant gratification…you have to put in the work consistently for like six months at least when you’re starting before you really see the amazing results.”
- Stay Focused and Committed
- Work within your expertise
- Maintain consistency
- Don’t spread yourself too thin
Allie’s Blog Audit Testimonial
Watch Allie’s Full Interview
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