When starting out the number one question is what recipes should I add? This short help guide has been written to help you find the answer that best suits you as a recipe contributor.
Factor One – Why are you adding recipes?
There is a wide range of reasons people choose to add recipes to Bush Cooking. Knowing why you are doing it can help guide you in what recipes to provide. A full list of reasons to add a recipe can be found here.
If you are representing a brand, then the recipe needs to use their equipment or product. If building a personal brand the recipe needs to reflect the area you want to be known for.
Factor Two – What recipes represent you?
In each person’s profile, there is the title ‘Area of Expertise‘ which links to that area of specialization on the Bush Cooking website. If your specialization is ‘grilling’ then this is the type of recipe that you should share. It doesn’t make sense if an end user clicks on this link and then doesn’t see any of your recipes there.
This has happened a surprisingly large amount of the time, where an area of expertise may be meat then they provide a range of baking recipes.
Factor Three – Are my recipes too simple?
No, your recipe isn’t too simple. The majority of people looking for recipes online want to cook them because they are not familiar with them or are looking to do something new. (If they know how to cook it, they will already have the recipe).
Often these people are newer to cooking or that particular style, ingredient, or method. It is a regular occurrence that the more simple entry-level recipes are the more successful.
More complicated recipes can also do well, but they are often (not always) more niche and require an established personal brand. Once people are familiar they are also more inclined to create their own recipes or adapt them from something they already are familiar with.
Factor Four – But I just follow other people’s recipes?
There are a lot of interesting facts around this statement but let’s focus on two.
1/ Over 90% of people do not follow the recipe exactly, this means that you likely have a ‘foundation recipe‘ but then make your own tweaks to it whether it is ingredients, method, time, or equipment. As soon as a change is made you have personalized it.
2/ It is almost impossible to copyright recipe ingredients or methods, what is unique and controlled is your personalization. This means the description and photos (and if you make one, video). More information is here.
Although somewhat of a moral issue it is a known risk that all recipe publishers take when they put a recipe in the public domain. Bush Cooking chooses to not publish exact ‘copy and paste’ versions of other recipes’ ingredients and methods but on reviewing with contributors they are yet to find a recipe that has not been changed in a significant manner from its inspiration.
Note: In a similar vein all photos must be taken, owned, or have written permission from the photographer to be used. Bush Cooking does not use free, legally sharable stock photos on any of our recipes.
Factor Five – How much time will it take to create the 6 minimum recipes?
Often this can be surprisingly short. There are a few ways to get recipes quickly (and cheaply) when getting started…
- Already made a recipe video – If on YouTube these can be easily inserted and the recipe extracted, it is surprising how many recipe videos there are without a corresponding text recipe for people to follow, print, or similar.
Note: YouTube video views done on BushCooking.com still count as views toward your metrics and advertising revenue. - Social media posts – Often social media posts include many photos of a recipe being made, some even with enough to create a recipe (once the instructions are provided). In creating the post there may be additional recipe photos sitting in the library that were not suitable for the post but definitely good enough to include to support a Bush Cooking recipe.
- Something that is already being cooked – While cooking at a competition, at an event, or even at home, pull out the camera and get snapping, it is only a few extra minutes to something that is already happening. If it is good enough for judges, friends, and/or family, then it is highly likely that someone else would be glad to have the recipe. (Photo taking tips can be found here).
Note: Keep the receipts for the ingredients and consumables, these may be a tax deduction against your business, winnings, or associated earnings. Check with your accountant for your personal situation.
Still looking for inspiration?
Click around the website and see what is there, what you can’t find, and what you can do better.
