Last Updated on April 1, 2026 by Lisa Keys
This cautionary tale exposes the pitfalls of food blogging and explains how you can avoid the "fake, fraud, and failure" recipes clogging the web. Fake news has no place in the kitchen.
The Business of Numbers
For professional bloggers, the industry functions as a numbers game. High follower counts across social media attract advertisers and sponsors. This logic holds up: higher numbers create more opportunities to generate revenue. Most excellent bloggers build their businesses through the honest practice of testing recipes and honing their prose. These creators grow their audiences organically through hard work-a commendable achievement that deserves reward.
The Shortcut to Success
Sadly, many others bypass quality content to inflate their social media presence. They focus entirely on aggressive networking or even "buying" followers. I frequently receive offers to purchase hundreds of followers or "follow-back" requests from thousands of accounts.
While I refuse to purchase followers, I happily follow those who share my interests. However, when a blogger follows me only to unfollow me days later, they signal their phoniness. They are simply hunting for numbers. In fact, I use an app to expose these tactics; it recently identified 69 food bloggers who pulled this stunt on my Instagram account in just one month.
The Cost of Untested Content
Since I don't run my blog as a business, I don't worry about metrics. I worry about content. My frustration boiled over recently when an expert baker friend posted a failed lemon loaf on Facebook. She had followed a recipe from a popular, visually stunning blog, yet the cake collapsed into a deep crater.
She did nothing wrong. The blogger simply published a flawed, untested recipe. The ratios of leavening to oil were fundamentally broken. This "fake news" resulted in a sad waste of expensive ingredients and served as a poor commentary on the state of digital food media.
So, beware of internet recipes especially if they are AI generated. Know your sources and if on a blog read the comments. If all the comments are like "Oh that looks yummy" you might want to skip it. Better to read comments that give critiques or advice showing real people have tried the recipe. It is a much safer bet. If you ever try one of my recipes and there is a problem or success please come back and let me know. It is such a compliment to have you even try the recipe that the last thing I want is for you to be unhappy about it.
Food for thought or a rant? Either way I followed in his light and that is all that matters. Next week I hope to post this lemon loaf recipe without the rant. While I fixed the structure of the cake it still lacks the lovely lemon punch. I think it needs a lemon glaze poured over it while still warm in the pan.
Marcie says
Luckily for us, you are The Real Deal, Lisa! XOXO
Lisa says
honest to a fault I am afraid. I suppose that is a trait my son liked in me even though it caused us to butt heads a few times
patcook1 says
Bless you, Lisa. You are REAL! <3
Lisa says
There are so many great blogs out there to enjoy. I just don’t understand the person who posts bad recipes
Kim says
Oh my! You are speaking to me. I have been scratching my head as I look at other blogs with subpar content and terrible recipes yet with thousands of followers. I am left here asking myself "What in the world am I doing wrong". Thanks for the reminder that content and good recipes are more important than thousands of followers!
Lisa says
Your blogs are both so wonderful with great content and beautiful photos. You will get to where you need to be.
Laureen says
Good work, Lisa! And GREAT recipes!
Lisa says
I can say the same about you! Thanks for hanging with me here
Ronna F says
You are one in a million, Lisa!!!!! <3
Lisa says
I don’t know about that Ronna but I do prefer to speak my mind when necessary
Wendy Doremus says
Dear Lisa,
True blue, through and through, from the day I met you!
XO
Wendy 🙂
Lisa says
Great rhyme thyme with you!
thegsandwich says
This was a great educational rant. I had no idea you could buy followers. Wow, what an eye-opener. By the way, I tried your shrimp recipe from a few weeks back and it was fantastic. Thanks for sharing it.
Lisa says
Super happy you enjoyed the shrimp with charred lemon. And especially to have you as a true follower
thegsandwich says
I love your blog Lisa. The fact that people pay for followers or don't kitchen test recipes is really disturbing to me.
Lisa says
So funny today to hear that this buying of followers is all over the news and talk radio due to an article in NY Times
Lynne Laino says
Marcie took the words right out of my mouth, you are SO the real deal! Surely Will got it honestly. I’m looking forward to your lemon loaf recipe. I’m also looking forward to making your amazing Irish Soda Bread recipe in March, just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
Lisa says
I am really glad you endorse my Irish soda bread. It’s a real compliment coming from a cook and baker like you. Thanks
Robert Chappell says
first the new York times complaining about people upping their follower count now the good grief chef. I will try to take my twitter followers from 5 or so up to 25,000 🙂
On Sun, Jan 28, 2018 at 2:47 PM, Good Grief Cook wrote:
> Lisa posted: "Food for thought or a rant? In the spirit of William I do > this. William could recognize a fake, a fraud and a phony from a mile away > and he always had the courage to call someone out on it. In fact, he did it > without hesitation. Not a great way to make fr" >
Lisa says
I missed the NY Times article. Can you share the link?
Lisa says
Found it-thanks. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/01/27/technology/social-media-bots.html
Stacie Cass Sessoms says
Thanks so much for this post! Nothing frustrates me more than a untested recipe!!! My doctor recently told me to eliminate dairy and gluten from my diet. The internet and Pinterest are flooded with such fad recipes, but I immediately wondered how many were legit. Part of me feared I was being too sinical, but this post reminded me I’m not alone in my frustration with these fake food bloggers!
Lisa says
Once you find some trusted sources stick with them. I can recommend my friend Kim's blog for gluten free and dairy free recipes. Check her out at: theglutenfreegathering.com