Yummly is a platform that allows recipes to be shared to the public. You do not need to be a blogger to use this tool. That means any person searching on web can see your posts through the Yummly platform. They may also appear in the Yummly emails regarding different recipe highlights. Yummly is the #2 referrer of Marilyn’s Treats after Google.
The recipes appear in a cookbook style. The title, one image of the completed recipe, serving size, choice of metric system, cook time, ingredients and directions are provided by the recipe author for approval to be included in the public recipe box.
There are many benefits of being an approved recipe publisher. Recipes can be converted to different metric systems, adjusted for the correct recipe size needed, includes a star rating and nutritional information will be calculated and included by Yummly. And of course your recipe appears in the public recipe box for anyone that searches on Google. Yummly is considered an authority by Google.
Consideration of ownership is given to the recipe author or blog. The directions can only be viewed by clicking over to the source or blog. Traffic is counted showing in Google Analytics. If you run ads you will earn that revenue. And readers will see all your calls to action.
Yummly provides accepted recipes an opportunity to create a list of ingredients to add to a shopping cart. Anyone can search for recipes using many filters such as cuisine, category, an ingredient or by a favorite source. Recipes can be reviewed and will appear on display of your recipe.
As a reader you have the option of opening a personal profile account using a personal account name. When you “yum” a recipe it is added to your personal recipe box. If the recipe fulfills all requirements then that recipe also is added to the public recipe box. To use Yummly you need a login ID.
As a publisher of a recipe you must open a page profile to be featured. This is different than a personal profile. Having a personal profile is required to open a page profile. This is not unlike other social media platforms like FaceBook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
So, how can you get the benefits of this great program? Let me explain it to you.
How to use of Yummly:
Since we as recipe bloggers are using Yummly to expose our recipes to the public, it is helpful to know the requirements you need to follow to get them shown and included in the public recommendations.
To receive shares and have them show in a public forum it is best to have added a yum button to your recipe posts. This is very simple to do with many sharing plugins. If you are on Blogger or your favorite share system doesn’t include Yummly there are two options.
When setting up the share button you can choose your profile or page URL. I suggest you use your Public Page.
A yummly button or a bookmarklet for your browser (https://www.yummly.com/bookmarklet) are easily created at the above link. You can easily yum any recipe you find on the web. This includes your own.
Please note that when a recipe is yummed, Yummly does not offer you a choice of the image. They will use The first one fitting their criteria.
Yummly picks the first clean image that is in your post fitting the minimum required size. They will resize images that are large enough to retain clarity to fit their needs when smaller than the those added to the public recipe box. That image ideally will be of the finished dish.
Not all yummed recipes fit their “public” criteria. You can find which ones have by going to https://www.yummly.com/profile/MarilynLesniak/recipes. Replace my USER NAME and add your own. Only you can view your personal recipe box. This box will also add recipes you have yummed not meeting the public requirements.
Posts on your page are the recipes that fulfill the Yummly requirements. You can find your page profile by going to https://www.yummly.com/page/marilynstreats Replace my BLOG NAME with your own.
Your private personal recipe box includes all recipes you have yummed whether they have been accepted or declined for publication.
This is an image of your Personal Private Recipe Box
On your page you will find subtle differences from your personal recipe box. The recipe will show only recipes accepted for publication. You will see the title of the dish as well as the blog name.
This is an image of your Public Page Recipe Box
Name and profile info of the website and links to social media page
This is an image of scrolling your public Recipe Box
Scroll of recipes added to the public recipe box with name, site and number of Yums.
Criteria for recipe to be added to the Public Recipe Box:
Optimal image size is 730 px by 410 px (vertical or horizontal) but 230 px by 230 px will be accepted. The first image that fits that requirement will be the image chosen. That image should be of the completed dish.
Branded images or images with overlays don’t always make it to acceptance for public view. The branding on those images must not obscure the dish. The image must be a .jpg. If you don’t use Picmonkey or Canva you can find a converter for .png to .jpg here. The image on your page will have your blog name and link at the bottom in bold capitals added by Yummly.
Your recipe must be in a specific format. Yummly presents the recipes with one large image. It is followed by the recipe name, the list of ingredients and an instruction to click a link to your blog to get the directions. Yummly adds the nutritional information and sales on ingredients at local markets at the bottom. They also offer a shopping cart for the reader to add what they need to buy to make your dish.
In order to provide this information your recipe MUST include all ingredients with specific measurements. (This is how nutritional information is figured).
The recipe must also include complete directions even though Yummly directs your reader to your blog so you get the page views, ad clicks, etc.
You can insert branded images showing the process of making your dish in your recipe post. However, a complete recipe with no interruption in recipe card styling is required as the first image according to Yummly criteria. (Think cookbook style).
The recipe must be of one item. Most collages won’t become public. Roundups, tips, and multiple dishes to create a full meal are not accepted for public search and viewing.
If your dish has a secondary component such as frosting for a cake, you can include this by putting all ingredients together. The directions can be written for the two separate parts.
Having a good Recipe Plugin with schema markup also goes a long way to showing up in the public recipe box as well as being featured.
See this article on Best Recipe Plugin Review for Schema. Also see this post by BlogAid for an in depth review of these plugins Best Recipe Plugin for SEO Including Schema Markup and Speed
This is an example of an accepted recipe available to the public:
Image is showing Title, Image Ingredients, Cook Time, Total Calories, Number of Yums, Ingredients, Shopping Cart, Metric Conversion and Serving Size
Scrolling down you see the full ingredients list. A sticky popup to get the directions and rest of info to your recipe appears from this point to the end.
Image showing Ingredient Full List, Option for Shopping Cart, Popup to click to site for the entire post including Directions.
Scrolling again you will see the nutrition ingredients.
Image showing Nutrition, Tags (added by Yummly), Number of Reviews
This is the bottom of the accepted recipe showing related posts around the web as well as additional posts on your own blog.
Image showing Related posts from the web and additional Posts from your blog.
So there you go. Now you will benefit from the addition of this widely used platform for highlighting your recipes!
Disclosure: I am not an affiliate of Yummly or any company included in this article. I have not been compensated in any way. Information obtained is solely from my experience.
I hope I have helped in some small way to assist you in using this great Recipe Resource to extend your social media reach!
For more of the Work Smarter Series see these articles.
A lot of great information for recipe/food bloggers. I wish there was a Yumly for lifestyle bloggers. 🙂 TFS and have blessed weekend.
Thanks Clearissa. I would look around for lifestyle publications. I am sure there are some that allow bloggers to post. Enjoy your weekend!
As you know Marilyn, am a very visual person and what great information and links you have provided, which is greatly appreciated by me! So much to now learn a again! Thank you for making what you share so simple and easy to understand, absorb and follow!
Thank you Joanne for the kind words!! I am glad you enjoyed the article. Have a great weekend.