TL;DR: The sacred fan-creator relationship has traditionally been fostered through personal narratives on recipe blogs. But in 2021, there is a better way.
Let’s talk about the Recipeasly scandal that happened earlier this year.
A seemingly well-to-do tech guy announced he and a couple of buddies launched a “fix” for the dreaded accoutrements that come with free recipes: narratives and display ads on food blogs.
This *personal* announcement from Redman was met with severe backlash from creators and acute commentators everywhere:
I’ve read countless articles and opinion pieces commenting on this issue, and can sum up the main takeaway as such: bloggers want to tell their personal stories behind a recipe while also earning income from SEO traffic and display ads. The calls to action for readers are largely: if the formatting bothers you, buy a cookbook, use paid online recipes, or just get over it and read the backstories to demonstrate appreciation for the creator behind the dish.
Really though? If you’re anything like me — a mediocre home cook who appreciates trying new recipes but refuses to pay for the NYT Cooking app — when you saw Redman’s tweet you probably thought “Thank God.” In fact, I ignorantly embarked on a similar venture myself in the thick of the pandemic, and actually built a recipe social media app with the mission of sharing recipes in a more accessible, digestible, and practical format.
But in pursuing this venture, I realized (prior to encountering Recipeasly) that this business is about more than just recipes. It’s about the individuals behind them. The Iranian Londonite who calls his mom for instructions on how to make traditional Persian dishes whenever he gets homesick, the Vietnamese photographer inspired by picking fresh vegetables in the countryside with her grandmother, the astrologer who reversed her MS symptoms by switching to a plant based diet. For viewers that do take the time to read the personal context and thoughtfully comment on each recipe, the recipes mean so much more. These stories are what truly attract and retain fans, and ultimately drive special, steadfast virtual foodie communities.
But I couldn’t help and think that there was a better way — why poison this sacred creator-fan relationship with ads for products that neither the creator nor the fan cares about? And is a clunky early 2000s WordPress blog really the best way to establish a connection with a fan in the first place?
The last decade has seen live video, Zoom chats and user-generated VODs emerge and quickly become commonplace. It will be in the next decade where we see entire immersive experiences being built around these digital and visual interactions. So we thought, why not wrangle this trend to give the food blogging world a tune up — enabling them to build broader and deeper connections with fans, and make money at the same time?
Times are a-changin’. Fans today still appreciate reliable recipes and food porn photos, but these forms are starting to take a backseat to short-form videos, BTS content, and live interactions. What fans crave today is connection, authenticity, raw unadulterated content. It’s less about the food and more about YOU, the creator.
We have adapted to this change by building a livestreaming experience that helps forge a bond between creator and fan through live cookalongs. Needy toddler cameos, dog barks, and spilled flour bloopers included. Hungry fans banter and ask questions in real time with creators through the live chat feature, and show their support through tips and subscriptions. The platform is formally launching soon, and we can’t wait to share it with the world. But for now, I’d love to hear your feedback on my musings, please drop a comment.
— Sarah
Co-Founder, Crafted
