Re: Quantity or Quality Recipes: What's more important Zazz?
Post
by JostLori » Tue Mar 07, 2023 10:59 pm
Hi Dave
Seems like your question about quality or quantity is really about more than that. I think you're finding yourself in an uneasy place, kind of like a "middle child"in the world of recipe sites. I remember when Zazz first started out and it was a welcome relief from the ruination of the site that goes unnamed by me. But we must all admit that it was rather rustic at the beginning. It has evolved over the years, and it gets better all the time. There are very few sites like it, and I don't understand why.
When you look at the other recipe sites out there, they are pretty darned fancy. But note of them boast a "family" of followers like Zazz does, however small. And there are very few with great forums.
I just did a quick search for "Meatloaf recipes". I had to go 9 whole pages before coming across the first Recipezazz recipe. There are many reasons for that. I always find that the same old sites always come up on page one, and two, and three, and.... Ok, sites like the one I won't name because, years later, I'm still pissed off. Then there's Bon Appetit, Southern Living, Pioneer Woman, The Kitchn, Taste of Home, MyRecipes, All Recipes, Paula Deen, Just a Pinch. You get it. All big names, many are big media companies and book publishers or authors. They sell subscriptions, products, etc. They have tons of money to spend on site optimization and probably pay to be pushed up in the rankings. Maybe you have tons of money too, but probably not like they do!
If you look at their home pages, they are slick. You can tell right away that their images are curated. You won't see one single "bad" picture there. In most cases, you won't see recipes that their readers post sight unseen. (Unfortunately, that's one of the things that makes Zazz so endearing - that we can see everything!). They show collections of recipes (25 GREAT Chicken Dinners in 10 Minutes or Less!). LOL. And the photos they show in those collections are also curated. They don't just take the default photo showing on the recipe, they show the best photo of that recipe. This is something that Zazz could probably do better, and with more timely updating. And still have a section at the bottom where it streams what's being posted (recipes and photos).
I love Member of the Day and Recipe of the Day. I'm always excited when I'm IT! So it's something to look forward to. But sometimes the Member of the Day is not a very active member, and I wonder how they got chosen. Like today - the Member of the Day has 13 recipes posted, has reviewed 5, and has posted zero photos! Whaaaat??? Nothing against that member, but what criteria is used to determine who gets chosen?
Sorry to go on so long! The other thing I've noted is that Pinterest has great attraction. There, you can choose what you post, and make it a good one. Many people go there for recipes. I didn't use to, but now I often do. I like what you're doing on Facebook, the photos are good, but the posting is sporadic. Unlike some that pop up every single day. (I know that takes money!)
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not necessarily JUST the quality of recipes that draws people to the site. It's other things that are external to it, and the competition is fierce. I have clients with small companies that pay a good chunk of their budgets for digital marketing consultants, just to get their foot in the door. Some do it successfully.
I only have one worry, and that's if Zazz goes the way of that other site and only worries about the money coming in, with complete disregard for the "family" that existed on the forums. The family that helped them get to where they are today. Please just don't get rid of the forums and the community!
Think I better stop there, this is turning into a book!
I like the draw idea. And I like the idea of coming up with some way of determining a 'quality' photo. Voting on images is an idea presented by some members.
