Yvonne Maffei of My Halal Kitchen attracts halal cooks through her Facebook page to her blog.
Do you have a niche food blog that targets certain readers, such as bakers, paleo eaters or local restaurant-goers? The challenge is how to find the right readers and fans, or how they discover you.
Halal food expert Yvonne Maffei knows who her readers are and how to attract them. She has over 1.1 million likes on Facebook. Establishing her blog, MyHalalKitchen.com, has led to brand ambassadorships and sponsorships from many companies in the halal industry.
We met when I spoke in her home town of Chicago years ago, and more recently I coached her on a cookbook proposal. Her forthcoming cookbook, My Halal Kitchen, comes out in 2016.
Yvonne has been featured in The New York Times, Cooking Light, CNN’s Eatocracy, NPR’s Morning Edition, and quoted in The Huffington Post.
Here’s what she had to say about finding and serving a niche audience:
Q. How did all those Facebook fans find you?
A. I was posting two or three times a day on Facebook, giving away recipes and cooking tips and any kind of inspiration. Our community is word-of-mouth, and things spread really fast. All the family and friends are going to know about it. If their friends liked the page, people noticed it. Maybe 20 people share a post with family and friends around the world.
In Chicago, where I live, I go to events, banquets, and parties to get known. People like to meet you in person and then they spread the word. Wherever I go, I am always passing out business cards or a favor with my name and website address.
Q. But your following is international, right?
A. I do have huge international readership. American readers are first, then Canada, and then Pakistan is third, because they speak and read English and are actively looking for halal information.
Q. Facebook drives traffic to your website, more than other social media?
A. Yes. Maybe it’s because of the age group. Instagram is for a younger crowd, but it’s not the millennials as much as people in their 30s or 40s, because they have families and want healthy recipes.
Q. Let’s talk about your recipes. They are not necessarily Middle Eastern. There’s Greek Salad and Strawberry Lemonade, for example. How do you decide which recipes your readers want?
A. Sometimes I’ll ask a random question on social media, like, “What are you craving in the summertime to drink?” I’ll absorb the replies and see if I can create something people would like. I like the element of surprise, to not have expected recipes that are typical Middle Eastern and Asian. I want people to see that they can make anything halal — like something they saw in a restaurant and couldn’t order.
I do a lot of demos of foods people don’t normally eat, mostly because they can’t find them halal, like Chicken Parmesan and Tiramisu.
Q. I watched a cooking video on YouTube of you making black bean dip, and I was disgusted by some of the ignorant comments.
A. I just ignore the comments. If I focus on that I won’t be able to continue.
Q. Unlike most American recipe bloggers, Thanksgiving and Christmas are not your biggest traffic sources. I assume the month leading up to Ramadan is your busiest time. What do you do to prepare?
A. It’s changing a little bit because Muslims are getting into Thanksgiving and the holidays, but yes, the big events are Ramadan and Eid. I usually share meal plans, shopping tips, what to do with leftovers, and party ideas. I just did a free e-book for Eid cooking and that was pretty popular.
I have an advantage because Muslims are not going to find a food magazine that caters to them.
Q. How do you convey that you are a trustworthy member of the tribe in your posts?
A. Your audience will tell you what they think of you. I disclose if I’m paid. I only recommend products I actually use, so I can provide an authentic experience. People can tell.
I also give people resources. People aren’t coming to my blog or my Facebook page just for a recipes. Their number one question is “Where can I get this?”
Q. So you have to be an expert on all halal quality products.
A. Yes. I want natural products, suitable for moms who don’t want artificial ingredients. They also want tayyib ingredients, an Arabic word that means pure. In the Koran, it says that God has ordained for you what is permissible — halal — and pure — tayyib. People are looking for organic products for this reason.
Q. Many of your posts look like regular food posts, but there is subtlety. Is that because you insert a knowledgeable sentence, such as : “It’s so simple to make, mainly because you can get the pre-formed Angus Beef Burger patties from Crescent Foods, a quality halal brand that is known for their humanely raised and antibiotic-free poultry products, and simply add your own flavorings to it.”
A. Yes. Also I use Arabic words, like inshallah (God willing) and al humdullilah (thank God), and mashalla (may God protect or bless).
Q. Why is that?
A. Muslims of every nationality know certain Arabic words because are part of their every day life, whether you’re Malay or American or Indian. It’s part of prayer, and prayer is Arabic no matter what language you speak.
Q. Was it important to you to be recognized by The New York Times, or are there other publications that are more important to your readers?
A. Not necessarily important, but I was excited that halal and Ramadan were mentioned. People were excited that The New York Times paid attention to us. We were recognized.
I think niche blogs focusing on different cultural and community groups will continue to expand. It’s exciting to see people like Yvonne seeing the need and having the skills to execute it. Congrats and thanks for the introduction.
Me too, Cameron. There are so many of us who reach a niche audience. Mine is geared at food writers, others want to reach people on special diets, culinary travelers, bakers, restaurant goers in their towns, people obsessed with bacon, people who use slow cookers, etc. I think it’s far easier to attract a niche than to start a general food blog these days. That has been done, and very well, by the early food bloggers.
Thank you for sharing this interview… I’ll have to try Yvonne’s black bean dip!
Hah! So you watched the cooking video, Nina.
This is a great article. I think there are different ways to niche down a blog and this is a good example. The content can be more general but the target audience is actually the niche.
Thank you. The target audience for her niche is huge, so she’s not giving anything up by creating a blog aimed at them.
I love the idea of a niche blog! I’ve been blogging for years and am just now beginning to get good traction. I have seen a shift in what my readers want and am working to give them the kinds of recipes they’re searching for…classic, mostly Southern-style, but easy and quick. It really is a longtime process and my readers have changed over the years. I’m a general food blogger, but I’ve morphed a bit, refining what I offer.
You’re going in the right direction, Stephanie. It’s great to have a sharper focus as your blog matures.
I think niche blogs are great. This is one I visit often! I started writing my blog on Pakistani food about four years ago and In fact spoke at London’s food blogger connect conference a few years ago on the topic, niche blogging and saw it was so well received. Since then I have secured a book deal for my first cookbook memors on Pakistani food out in April 2016. So I think it does help if you set up your niche. It sets you apart by being authentic, authoritative and focused. Good luck to Yvonne!
Sounds like you are doing very well with your niche of readers who love to make Pakistani food, Sumayya. Congratulations on your book deal, and on being featured in that NY Times article!
Thanks Dianne! It all started with your book 🙂
I like niche blogs too. Both as a reader as and a writer. I started my blog three years ago when my cholesterol level needed reducing. Since I didn’t want to take medication I resolved to do so by eating well – both nutritionally and eating delicious food. My teenage son suggested I write a blog to keep me motivated which helped me and my readers (I hope).
I don’t think I have worked hard enough at reaching a wider readership – there are millions of people trying to reduce their cholesterol levels – partly due to other writing commitments. I have often thought about a self published cookbook but perhaps a free e-book is the way to go?
A free e-book might entice people to sign up for your newsletter, but you need to find ways to expand your audience. Perhaps write for publications and websites dedicated to people trying to reduce their cholesterol?
Good idea. I will pursue this. Thanks
Living in Indonesia I am naturally a fan of @myhalalkitchen. It’s a pleasant surprise to see you write about @yvonnemaffei and her efforts in the Halal world. Kudos for you Dianne.
She is always getting recognition from the Muslim community — why not from food writers? She deserves it.
I have just started learning cooking and blessed with your blog. Thank you for sharing delicious recipes. I make them and get praised. Thank you
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