How I Stopped Marketing By Accident and Got Better at Marketing My Small Business in 2024
The Podcast That Started It All
This blog post contains affiliate links for Enji.
If there was one moment that flipped the switch for me, it was listening to episode 27 of The Kara Report: "Stop Marketing by Accident." In this episode, Kara, of The Kara Report, and Tayler Cusick Hollman, the founder of Enji, drop some serious marketing wisdom and SEO sage advice. They talk about how so many small business owners (yep, I felt called out) are out here throwing up reels and social media posts constantly, hoping something sticks.
The biggest takeaway? A real marketing strategy isn’t about doing all the things—it’s about doing the right things. Tayler breaks it down: know your audience, set clear goals, and don’t be afraid to assess what’s working (or not). Also like, don’t overdue it if you’re starting out. It’s ALL about being intentional with marketing your message. And the best part? When you have a solid plan, marketing doesn’t have to eat up all your time. Like truly, you can be good at marketing if you spend even 1 hour per week. Just one. This podcast was the spark that got me to rethink my whole approach and take my marketing game to the next level.
Aaand let’s be real—marketing can feel like the wild wild west, especially when you’re running a small business. But in the summer of 2024, I decided to tackle it head-on. I started with a new focus on SEO and setting up a social media strategy with a little help from tools like Enji. And guess what? It wasn’t as overwhelming as I thought. So here’s how I turned marketing from “ugh” to “aha!” and saw my business begin to thrive.
The Kara Report: My Blogging/SEO MVP
Blogging
Blogging turned out to be the gateway I didn’t know I needed. I attempted it before, but it didn’t stick and I just hated it! It was another thing that I quickly fell off of. Thanks to The Kara Report's BBB "Blogging for Bingeable Brands", I learned that blogging isn’t just about putting words on a page—it’s about creating material that resonates with your audience. For just $97, this course taught me how to write with intention, focus on the keywords people are actually searching for, and create content that keeps them coming back. And let me tell you, blogging with a purpose? Total game-changer. Not only did my writing improve, but I actually now know what “keywords” I’m showing up for, what “keywords” that I WANT to rank for, AND how to get there—Duh!
SEO & Website Optimization
SEO used to feel like a foreign language—confusing and out of reach. But Kara constantly breaks it down into simple bite sized pieces in a way that finally clicks. Plus, she talks about tools like Google Search Console and now, indexing suddenly didn’t feel so intimidating. I got the hang of optimizing my image sizes (pro tip: smaller files, faster load times!) and naming them strategically, and I started using headers and keywords where they mattered most. These small tweaks added up to big wins, like boosting my visibility and driving more traffic to my site.
Website optimization was a BIG priority, and I focused on a few key areas on my website over the the course of two-ish weeks and consistently posted blogs on a bi-weekly basis after getting that set up:
Image Optimization: Resizing and renaming images helped my site load faster, creating a better experience for visitors.
Headers and Keywords: I made sure my content was easy for search engines to understand by using strategic headers and placing keywords naturally throughout my writing.
Content Quality: Instead of posting for the sake of it, I created well-thought-out, engaging content. This not only boosted rankings but also built trust with my audience.
The result after 3 months? My website performed better, ranked higher, and converted more visitors into actual clients!
Enji: My Marketing MVP
Enter Enji—my new BFF in streamlining marketing chaos. Its KPI tracking let me measure what was working, so I could double down on strategies that brought results. The content scheduler? A lifesaver for planning blog posts and social media without last-minute stress. And don’t even get me started on the AI copywriter feature—it made writing faster, smoother, and mucho fun. Having these tools on hand meant I could focus less on scrambling and more on strategy.
KPI Tracking
Before Enji, I was kind of winging it. But with Enji, I could finally see what was really working. It tracks the key metrics that matter for your business, like website traffic, engagement, and conversions. And the best part? It breaks it all down so it’s easy to understand, even if you’re not a numbers girlie. They have pre-built KPIs—Key Performance Indicators for those who have heard the term but didn’t know what the heck that stood for— that you can select and learn about. But you can also create custom ones once you get comfortable with the software!
Anywho, this meant I could stop wasting time on strategies that weren’t moving the needle and double down on the ones that were. Caveat, I am a data nerd so this is truly exciting to me. But there’s just something about seeing pretty charts that show you what’s not working while giving you a dopamine hit when you see what IS working!
Content Calendar & Scheduler
Enji’s content scheduler is hands-down a lifesaver. I am no longer scrambling to write a last-minute post or wondering what to share on social media that day. With this feature, I could plan out my blog posts, Instagram captions, and even email campaigns weeks in advance. It lets me map everything out visually, so I can see how my content flows and ensure I’m hitting the right topics at the right time—and obviously keeping with my feed and brand aesthetic. Honestly, this tool gave me my weekends back. Now, instead of stressing, I can spend time with my fam and friends, knowing my marketing is already handled.
PRO TIP: Create content that is EASY and that you actually LIKE! Content should ALWAYS have a purpose!
AI Copywriter
I’ll admit it—I use AI. But how could AI write in my voice? Enji takes what it learns about your brand (like your tone, style, and favorite phrases) and helps you craft copy that feels like it came straight from you. For those of you who use the free version of Chat GPT, it’s basically like the paid version where it can remember your brand voice, but like specifically for copy. Whether it’s a blog post, an email, or a snappy social caption, it speeds up the process without sacrificing authenticity. And like all AI generators, don’t just copy and paste. I use it as an outline and make adjustments—but overall there isn’t too much to tweak! And bonus, you can edit the initial outputs and choose if you want captions to be shorter/longer, talk in a different tone, target specific ideal customers, etc. (Pssst, Enji helped me outline this blog post!)
Hard Work Pays Off, Dude
All these efforts—and truly it was an effort—added up to growth I could actually feel. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve been told that I’m really good at doing things that people don’t like doing. But I really don’t think you need to go as hard as I did to reap the benefits. You just need to hunker down in a NOT busy season and get the ball rolling. It takes time, and the quicker you wanna see the results, the more time you need to put upfront. BUT IT GETS EASIER. Just like with anything—even the skills you use for your business—the more you do it, the faster and better you get.
After about three months of putting the work in—maybe like 3-4 hours a week—I was getting WAY MORE cold leads that turned into real clients, showing up higher in keyword searches, and seeing my hard work pay off. The pressure to post constantly on social media eased because the quality of my content spoke for itself! For the first time, I felt like I wasn’t just keeping up—I was thriiiving.
Let’s Give Your Marketing That Final Bowtie Touch!
In summary, my Summer 2024 marketing journey was a total game-changer. By diving into blogging, getting friendly with SEO, and embracing tools like Enji, I built a strategy that didn’t just work—it worked for me. I’m here to tell you that marketing doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelming. With the right tools, a clear plan, and a little determination, you can grow your business while keeping your sanity intact. And if you NEED a cheerleader and have more questions on how I started, send me a DM on the ‘gram! You can also connect with Kara and Tayler there too! They’re kinda amazeballs.
BONUS: Kara invited me onto her podcast where we chatted about ALL of this, so if you’re a listener instead of a reader, here you go!
LAST THING. If you use my referral link for Enji, you’ll automagically get a discount! It’ll be $19 a month for your first 2 months ($20 total savings) or $40 off an annual subscription! But of course feel free to do the 14 day trial and reach out to me or use the chat function in Enji to ask your q’s! Happy Marketing!
