Why Selling the Experience Helps Your Recipes Rank
If you’re a food blogger who spends hours testing, photographing, and editing—but your post still falls flat on Google—there’s a good chance the problem isn’t your recipe at all. It’s how you’re positioning it.
Most recipe posts describe a dish (“creamy,” “delicious,” “perfect weeknight dinner”), but very few actually sell the experience of making it. And in today’s world of food blog writing, readers are looking for more than instructions. They’re looking for transformation.
This small shift in how you write about your recipe can make your post more engaging, more memorable, and more competitive in search.
The old food blog “template” doesn’t work anymore
Many recipe creators have fallen into the pattern of writing like they’re presenting a school essay: introduce the dish, mention a fact or two, then gradually lead into ingredients.
But readers don’t stop scrolling for a description. They stop for a feeling.
Your recipe needs to tap into emotion like excitement, curiosity, relief, nostalgia, and confidence. Not just information.
Sell the transformation, not adjectives.
When your recipe finally worked—after testing, adjusting heat, swapping ingredients, or tweaking the texture—there was a moment you felt YES, THIS IS IT.
That moment is what people want to feel when they land on your post. Your job is to guide them toward that feeling of “oh wow, I need to make this, RIGHT NOW!”
So instead of describing what the recipe is with a list of adjectives everyone else is using, tell them what it feels like to make the recipe. Only you can offer this unique experience.
Think of your blog post as a sales page.
Before you panic—no, this doesn’t mean being pushy or overly promotional.
Instead, think about a sales page in the softer sense: it guides the reader toward a transformation.
From uncertainty → to confidence. From basic → to restaurant-worthy. From time-consuming → to quick and easy. From boring weeknight dinner → to something exciting you can’t wait to eat.
Your writing should make them believe, “This is the recipe I’ve been looking for.”
The key is to create a story arc
Instead of writing a descriptive essay, think about creating a story arc that guides people from conflict or tension (the problem they’re experiencing) to a resolution or solution (your recipe).
Step 1: Lead with the benefit
Before anything else, tell the reader what this recipe will do for them.
Examples:
“Make restaurant-quality naan with just 5 ingredients.”
“The creamiest Alfredo you can make without any heavy cream.”
“Crispy chicken tenders without deep-frying.”
This instantly communicates value and gives the reader a reason to stay. (Bonus: Google likes clear value upfront too!)
Step 2: Build tension with the problem
Every great story has a moment of challenge. Recipes do, too.
Examples:
“Most scalloped potatoes turn out watery…”
“Chicken breasts usually dry out fast…”
“Pumpkin bread is often too dense…”
Call out the problem other recipes have and explain why yours is different. This establishes your credibility and expertise. (Another SEO bonus through E-E-A-T!)
Step 3: Resolve it with your tested process
Explain the payoff a reader will get from all of the hard work you put into recipe testing. What did you do differently? What technique matters most? What ingredient changed everything?
This shows your firsthand experience, not just instruction. And this is what makes you a valuable human recipe creator (that Google wants to prioritize!).
Example rewrite
Instead of:
“This lasagna is quick, cheesy, and delicious…”
Try:
“Most lasagna recipes requiring a lot of time to prep and layer or sacrifice flavor and texture for speed. This recipe is the perfectly middle ground! After testing six versions, I finally found a faster sheet pan method that still delivers that rich, cheesy goodness without boiling and drying noodles and fussing over layers.
Do you feel the difference?
The first one describes the recipe in a very generic, easily repeatable way. The second sells your unique take on the dish and the payoff in the experience.
This one mindset shift can elevate your food blog writing, increase time on page, boost your rankings, and make your recipe the most irresistible to click.