How Mariah Grew Her SEO Consulting Business to $120K/Year with Small Audience
Who is Mariah Liszewski?
Mariah Liszewski, the founder of Mariah Magazine, is an SEO consultant and online business educator who started her journey in the digital space in 2015 after quitting both college and a full-time job. Originating from a background in website design and development, Mariah became passionate about SEO and focuses on simplifying search engine optimization strategies for online business owners.
What problem does Mariah Magazine solve?
Mariah Magazine helps overwhelmed online business owners build sustainable traffic from Google by simplifying SEO into actionable strategies, saving them from the frustration of SEO's technical complexities.
How did Mariah come up with the idea for Mariah Magazine?
Mariah's journey into the world of SEO began unexpectedly after she left both college and her full-time job, feeling dissatisfied with the traditional career path laid out for her. Initially, she started working as a website designer and developer. However, her clients repeatedly inquired about increasing the visibility of their sites on Google, prompting her interest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), a field she initially found technical and daunting.
Fascinated by the challenge, she immersed herself in learning SEO despite initial hesitation. Most of the information she found was either too advanced or aimed at getting business owners to hire agencies. Recognizing a gap in accessible SEO education for small online business owners, Mariah decided to build her knowledge from the ground up. By experimenting on her website and refining her methods based on feedback, she was able to simplify SEO into practical strategies that were both actionable and successful.
One key challenge Mariah faced during this ideation phase was self-doubt about her expertise, initially struggling with the confidence to put her findings into a formal course. By reframing the creation and launch of her course as an experiment rather than a final product, she overcame self-doubt. This mindset helped her focus on being helpful and refining her approach based on user feedback.
Mariah learned to channel her natural curiosity and research skills into her business, finding value in transparency and understanding her audience's needs. This process of constant reflection and communication helped her stay authentic and avoid the trap of building something she didn't truly enjoy. By identifying her unique perspective and understanding her clients, she built a sustainable model that focuses on making SEO approachable and actionable.
How did Mariah Liszewski build the initial version of Mariah Magazine?
Mariah Liszewski built her initial product with a focus on simplifying SEO for online business owners. The first version of her DIY SEO Course was created largely within a 6-12 hour timeframe. She utilized a highly resourceful approach by delivering the course content live over a period of six weeks via a Google Doc and a Facebook group, allowing her to gather real-time feedback and adjust as necessary. Prior to this, Mariah leveraged her experience from website design and development to dissect and reconstruct SEO fundamentals in a way that resonated with her target audience. Despite initial self-doubt, she used her personal experimentation and website data to validate her methodology, making the complex world of SEO more approachable to her growing client base.
How did Mariah launch Mariah Magazine and get initial traction?
Mariah Magazine started by creating content and working directly with clients while building her personal brand. She began growing visibility through YouTube videos, which helped attract partnerships like her collaboration with SEMrush. There is no specific mention of a formal launch event or platform like Product Hunt; growth was gradual and content-driven.
What was the growth strategy for Mariah Magazine and how did they scale?
YouTube
Mariah Magazine has effectively used YouTube to grow her business since starting the channel in 2017. She focused on creating tutorial-based videos that answered common questions from her audience. Initially, she produced content irregularly but later committed to a schedule of two videos a month. Her consistency helped her grow her channel to nearly 18,000 subscribers by 2023, with YouTube ads bringing in around $600 to $1,100 monthly.
Why it worked: Mariah's success on YouTube can be attributed to her unique teaching style, where she directly addresses common questions with informative and actionable advice. This builds trust with her audience, making it easier for viewers to engage further with her brand, sign up for her email list, and consider purchasing her educational products. Her collaboration with SEMrush further enhanced her credibility and visibility in the SEO industry, attracting more clients.
SEO
Mariah Magazine emphasizes a foundational and practical approach to SEO, helping online business owners get their content on page #1 of Google. Instead of focusing on advanced techniques or “best practices,” she identifies market gaps and helps clients fill them, achieving impressive results like significantly increased website traffic in under three weeks.
Why it worked: SEO is an enduring marketing strategy that allows businesses to gain visibility in search engines like Google, where many people naturally seek information. By focusing on foundational SEO, Mariah cuts through the confusion that often surrounds this field, offering a sustainable way to increase website traffic and sales. Her success in getting her DIY SEO course’s sales page to one of the top search results for relevant queries serves as a testament to this strategy.
Email Marketing
Mariah utilizes email marketing as a key strategy for engagement and sales. She offers a lead magnet called "The Roadmap to Successful SEO," which helps potential customers start implementing SEO best practices right away. This lead magnet is promoted during podcast interviews and acts as an entry point for people curious about her teaching style before committing to her courses.
Why it worked: The lead magnet is intentionally designed to provide immediate value, encouraging sign-ups to her email list. Subscribers then receive ongoing, personable communication that maintains engagement by involving them in her business journey and providing insightful content and resources. This approach has helped position Mariah as a trusted educator and SEO expert.
Networking & Partnerships
Networking and building relationships have been crucial for Mariah's business growth. Participating in podcasts and online community discussions allowed her to connect with potential clients and industry experts. Her active presence on platforms like YouTube has also led to opportunities, such as being discovered by SEMrush for a collaboration with their team.
Why it worked: Mariah's authentic and transparent style resonated with her audience and potential collaborators. By engaging in community dialogues, she has been able to build genuine relationships and establish her personal brand as a trusted source of SEO knowledge. This approach not only brought clients directly but also opened doors for partnerships and collaborations with established industry players like SEMrush.
What's the pricing strategy for Mariah Magazine?
Mariah Magazine offers her DIY SEO course at $147, emphasizing a practical, foundational approach to SEO, with consulting and digital products tailored to business owners seeking personalized guidance over agency involvement.
What were the biggest lessons learned from building Mariah Magazine?
- Embrace Imperfection: Mariah learned that success in SEO doesn't require perfection, but rather a focus on foundational strategies that fill market gaps. This realization helped her achieve consistent client success and should encourage founders to prioritize effective strategies over perfect execution.
- Turn Doubt into Data: Mariah struggled with self-doubt when creating her course. By shifting her perspective to see each launch as an experiment or data collection, she was able to overcome doubt and improve her offerings. Aspiring founders can benefit from viewing their projects as iterative experiments rather than final products.
- Focus on Genuine Connections: Making authentic connections through podcasts and online interactions was pivotal for Mariah's growth. By leveraging real conversations and understanding client needs, Mariah built a trusted brand. Founders should prioritize genuine engagement and understanding customer pain points over mere promotion.
- Adapt and Listen: Mariah constantly solicited feedback and learned from her audience. This iterative approach allowed her to refine her offerings and better serve her niche. Paying attention to audience feedback enables founders to pivot and adapt as needed, ensuring their business remains relevant and valuable.
- Leverage Authenticity for Growth: Mariah's transparent and personal approach, including on YouTube, attracted genuine interest and opportunities like the SEMrush partnership. Founders should recognize that staying true to their unique voice and perspective can differentiate them in crowded markets and build stronger customer loyalty.
What platform/tools does Mariah Magazine use?
Discover Similar Business Ideas Like Mariah Magazine
More about Mariah Magazine:
Who is the owner of Mariah Magazine?
Mariah Liszewski is the founder of Mariah Magazine.
When did Mariah Liszewski start Mariah Magazine?
2015
What is Mariah Liszewski's net worth?
Mariah Liszewski's business makes an average of $10.8K/month.
How much money has Mariah Liszewski made from Mariah Magazine?
Mariah Liszewski started the business in 2015, and currently makes an average of $130K/year.
Sources (20)
