Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns 18 (and a humble ask for a few simple favors)
I can hardly believe the simple little cooking blog I started on a whim in 2005 has been around for 18 years! It’s been a wonderful ride for the most part, but if you’re a fan who’d like to help me celebrate, there are a few easy things you could do that would really help this site!
I say it every year, but truly I never imagined how my life would change when I started this blog, and it’s been a blessing to me in so many ways. I’ve met smart amazing people, enjoyed keeping my brain active in retirement, and been gratified by the kind responses from the many people who have told me how much they enjoy the recipes. And there is absolutely no doubt that blogging has been the best retirement job ever!
Blogging in 2023
But I also want to be honest. Blogging in 2023 is definitely a struggle. It’s become a highly competitive industry, search engines demand that recipes be formatted in a specific way, social media is a constant challenge to keep up with, and the technology is constantly changing. And the income keeps going down while the expenses of blogging keep going up. So despite the generous feedback I get from people daily and my sense of satisfaction in what I’ve created, I’m constantly wondering how long I can continue.
How Can you Help?
I know without a doubt that many, many people love this site and would be happy for a chance to help it continue to succeed if they only knew what to do! So Here’s a short list of birthday favors I’d so greatly appreciate.
- When you search for recipes on Google, target Kalyn’s Kitchen.
- Leave star ratings on the recipes you enjoy.
- Leave comments (especially on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok)
- Consider subscribing to my site via e-mail.
More about how to do those things:
- If you’re searching for a recipe on Google, add “Kalyn’s Kitchen” to the end of your search terms. If I have a recipe like the one you’re looking for, it will come up first. And I don’t have a recipe like that, you’ll still get other search results.
- Leave star ratings on the recipes you enjoy. Google search results display those ratings and also how many star ratings a recipe has, so they’re so important! The star ratings are found in the complete recipe part of the post (use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top to get there quickly.) Under the small photo and the word PRINT is a row of five stars, with five being the best. To rate a recipe you don’t have to log-in or leave a comment, just click the stars.
- You can follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube, and on all those platforms, comments are what drives the algorithm and determines how many people are shown a recipe post. I can share the best recipe in the world on Facebook but if no one comments, the Facebook algorithm thinks no one wants to see the recipe. (And the opposite is also true, the more people comment, the more people the recipe gets shown to.) Even a comment every now and then is so helpful!
- And consider following my site on e-mail; that’s the easiest way to not miss new recipes. If you subscribe by e-mail you get the first few paragraphs sent to your inbox every time there’s a new or updated post. If the recipe appeals to you, click through and read it and if not simply ignore it. The e-mails do have a few ads that pay the cost of the service, but there is an unsubscribe button at the bottom left in every e-mail if you decide they’re not for you.
Thanks for the Support!
If you’ve read this birthday post clear to the end, please know how much I appreciate the support. One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about blogging is the many people I’ve met, both in person and virtually, and your kind comments through the years have truly meant the world to me.
Birthday Posts Through the Years:
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns One
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Two
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Three
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Four
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Five
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Six
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Seven
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Eight
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Nine
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Ten
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Eleven
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Twelve
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Thirteen
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Fourteen
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Fifteen
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Sixteen
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Seventeen
44 Comments on “Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns 18 (and a humble ask for a few simple favors)”
Happy Birthday, Kayln’s Kitchen! I need to get back on track and will gladly leave reviews/comments!
Thank you so much Julie!
I’m thankful for your recipes. I’m diabetic and am always searching for the next great low carb ideas. You’re good at this. A big thank you and happy 18th. I hope I help the algorithms.
Thanks so much Carol! I am glad the recipes are useful for you and I always appreciate the support!
Happy 18th birthday, Kalyn’s kitchen
Thank you! I appreciate the support.
Congratulations on so many years as a successful blogger! I think I found you close to the start of your blogging journey and have been a happy email subscriber since then. Your healthy recipes are always in my wheelhouse, and many have become family favorites that I’ve made over and over.
While I’m here, I want to credit the way you have evolved your site. It’s so easy to search and find what I’m looking for, and I’m often amazed at how thorough you are in offering directions for stove-top, instapot, crockpot, etc. etc. Your preparation notes and photos are always clear, helpful and friendly!
As others have posted, I’m happy to be more interactive with feedback. Quick question: does the 5-star rating on recipes found on your website help with your request? I never think to do this, but I will going forward.
Hi Maureen,
Thanks for being a long-time supporter. I won’t say it has been easy to keep the site always evolving (and sometimes I feel like I am NOT keeping up with the younger bloggers at all) but I do think it has helped keep my brain active in my “retirement” years.
Yes, giving a 5-star rating is SO helpful. Google includes those ratings and how many ratings a recipe has in search results, and I think they also give priority to recipes with better ratings (although of course, no one really knows how the google search rankings work, we can only guess!)
I appreciate all the help I can get, thank you!
I just recently found you – in a roundabout way! I get daily emails from Closet Cooking (Kevin), and one day he had a post about Egg Muffins with Ham & Cheddar. He gave credit to you as the OP, so I looked at your version and preferred it. Have now made that recipe of yours MULTIPLE times, and started getting your emails. I continue to find recipes of yours that I love! Thank you for doing your thing and I’ll try to remember to hit “like” and give 5-star ratings! I appreciated your post today about how to help you – it was very informative. Happy 18th!
Thank you for the support! And I am glad you liked the post. It was hard at first for me to think about asking for help, but in the end I was glad I did.
And I actually met Kevin back in the very early days of blogging!
Happy 18th birthday! I subscribe to your emails and have been cooking several of your recipes. So far, we have not been disappointed with any of them. I have never thought about leaving a comment or reviewing with any stars, but if it helps to keep you going, I will definitely do that in the future.
Thank you so much Cindy! It’s frustrating that those things have become so important, but they are. I appreciate the support.
Happy Birthday Kalyn! I’ve been following you and a low carb diet since you began. Unlike other blogs where they go on and on before sharing the recipe, I find yours informative and always read your notes before jumping to the recipe. I can see the struggle to be competitive as air fryers, insta pots, and so many other websites compounding a recipe search. I will amend my search for recipes, beginning with yours first. I follow the seasons with your comments and I awake each morning to find your latest comments and recipes in my inbox! Thank you, Carol
Thank you so much for the support and that nice feedback! (I do try hard not to go on and on, although unfortunately what is required by Google these days means a bit more info before than the recipe than I would prefer otherwise.)
Wow, 18 years! I’ve enjoyed every single post!
Thank you so much!
Happy Birthday, Kalyn. I have been following for many years. While I have cooked many of your recipes, I have never left any stars or comments. I usually read many of the comments to make sure I want to make it but I have never left a comment or stars. I plan of doing that in the future!!
Thank you for blog.
Thank you in advance for that! And I am so glad you have been enjoying the recipes!
Happy 18th Birthday Kalyn’s Blog!!
Thanks Meg!
Kalyn, I have been following you since I retired in Feb, 2010. Have made many, many of your yummy recipes for family & friends & was always complimented . . . I did give you credit! I most certainly will rate your recipes with stars. Thanks again for your time, effort, research & your witty commentaries. Love you, Meg
Thanks so much for the support Meg!
18 years! Wow. You’ve created such amazing things and should be very, very proud. And thanks for letting me tag along on all the fun for so long. You’ve always been a wonderful big sister!!!
Thanks Rand! And you have been a WONDERFUL “little” brother too. I could never have done it with such style and good design without your help!
happy birthday, Kalyn’s Kitchen! You are an adult now! 😉
I greatly appreciate all you have done throughout your years of blogging and the wisdom and guidance you share with the blogging community.
thank you for being you!!
xoxo steph
Thank you so much! I just wish you lived closer so we could go out to lunch some day!
Happy Anniversary Kalyn and thank you for all of your wonderful work over the years. We have been following your recipes for about 14 years now, back when we first read South Beach Diet.
Not a day goes by without some reflection of your work in my cooking. I remain a huge and grateful fan. Many thanks!
Annie
Thank you so much Anne, I love knowing that. Thanks for the many years of support!
I had no idea how complicated blogging has become… and the importance of reader interaction with your posts… armed with this knowledge I will gladly honor your birthday/anniversary requests. 🥰💕🥰
Thank you so much for that! I struggled with writing something to ask for help, but it is just so daunting these days I finally decided I had to!
Congratulations on your wonderful blog, 17 years is a long time to blog. My blog is turning 10 years this month and I hope to keep blogging for a while longer.
It’s really 18 years already gone by, I started counting the birthdays when the site was one year old! Ten years is a long time too. Good luck to both of continuing on a bit more.
Happy birthday. I just found your blog this year. Your recipes have been a life saver as I learn a while new way of eating.
Thank you, so happy to hear that!
You and your recipes are intertwined into some of my best family memories over the years. Every family celebration, whether a summer bbq, birthday party, or holiday get together featured a recipe creation from you. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do. You are valued and appreciated!
Thank you so much. I love hearing that!
Happy Birthday to Kalyn’s Kitchen! What a journey it has been— hope you continue to thrive in the food blog world.
Thanks so much Nupur! I still have fond memories of meeting you! Hope you are doing well.
I am right there with you! I’ve been a huge fan from the very beginning!
Thanks so much Pam.
I don’t do any kind of social media, but I just subscribed to your email. Hope it helps, I really appreciate your recipes.
Thank you so much!
Wow 18 years! Kalyn’s Kitchen (and Kalyn) has blessed me so much over those years. You are amazing and your recipes are top notch. Thanks for all the delicious meals that have ended up on our table throughout those years.
Thanks so much Laurel! Love you!