Hey hey hey Reader,

Last week we talked about the easiest backlinks of all time; your social media profiles.

Because they're links you control AND links you can set up in minutes.
Those links ALSO help Google and AI tools understand that your business exists outside of *just* your own website.

(Didn't read it or need a refresher, check it out here!)

This week, we’re taking that idea one tiny lil' baby step further...

Getting mentioned in the media.

If you've been on my newsletter list for a while, you might notice I talk about this decently often.

At least once every 6 months.

Because it's THAT important.

And if you're thinking "Mariah, my business is too small, too new, too non-flashy. No media publication is going to care" 🫠

Respectfully, you're wrong.

Here’s the part a LOT of people don’t realize...

Media features are not about how big your brand is.
They care about YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

They’re out here thinking “I need a REAL expert who understands this topic & can explain it clearly.”

Because writing articles is HARD (you know this if you're trying to blog for your business LOL).

And journalists are constantly having to generate NEW content...

Which means they CONSISTENTLY need:

• experts to quote
• real-world examples
• informed opinions
• people who actually do the thing they’re writing about

This is why getting mentioned in the media is a 2-way street:

• JOURNALISTS need knowledgeable sources
• YOU (a business owner) needs brand mentions, authority, and backlinks

Which is EXACTLY why platforms like Qwoted and Featured exist.

They’re basically a marketplace for expertise.

A journalist asks a question, you respond with a helpful, thoughtful answer, and then....they quote you.

Which leads to...

✔ a media mention
✔ a backlink (sometimes)​
✔ a massive trust signal for Google & AI tools

You just need a clear niche, a point of view, and the ability to explain what you know.

Wanna see how this all can snowball?

I've used both Qwoted & Featured to land myself in Entrepreneur, Grit Daily, USA Weekly, and more.

For free.

Never paid a dime. Never hired a PR firm.

And here's how it all SNOWBALLED...

Back in the fall of 2023, I responded to a journalist's request on Qwoted for an article on Business Insider and I ended up getting published.

​You can read the article right here.​

But the SUPER COOL THING about this was, the PR juice didn't end there 🔥

I apparently made a good impression on the journalist writing the piece, so in summer 2024 she ended up reaching out and pitching ME (2) featured articles in another publication.

For free.

This was NOT one of those "pay to get featured in our blog" type of deals.

It was a "Hey, I loved your story and working with you. I'd love to write about you for this other publication too, if you're interested..."

Like I mentioned before, writers & journalists are CONSTANTLY having to come up with new ideas for stories & content.

And they usually work for a few publications at a time OR it's not uncommon for them to bop around to different ones throughout their career.

So when you make a good impression with them, and you have a unique angle to things, they remember you.

And then when they're pitching ideas to a different publisher, they might pitch YOUR STORY again, somewhere else.

Which multiplies the amount of PR you can get.

Simply by pitching yourself to ONE person, for ONE article (and being helpful & supportive to their process).

If you're curious, here are the links to the (2) additional features that were published on Buffer's blog.

👉 YouTube is My Business’s Biggest Source of Organic Traffic — Here’s How I’ve Streamlined and Monetized It​

👉 I Help Small Businesses Get Found on Google: Here’s My Advice for DIY SEO​

I didn't write those articles.
I didn't pay for those articles.

And I'm not a huge brand or business. It's just me.

I hopped on a call, answered some questions, and then proofread the pieces to make sure they were accurate.

That's it.

And now I've accumulated backlinks, brand authority, and MORE visibility for my business.

From just ONE (seemingly random) pitch opportunity that I found on the free version of Qwoted.​

THIS SHIT ADDS UP.

And you never know which opportunities are going to lead to more opportunities.

Or WHO you'll connect with in the process.

So pitch yourself.

And then keep pitching.

The baby steps add up my friend.

Even if you only have an hour a week.

I promise.

👇 Action step for this week:

If you haven't already, create a free account on Qwoted or Featured and pitch yourself to one media request this week.

Don’t overthink it.

Pick a question that fits your expertise and answer it like you're helping a client or friend.

Just remember to fill out your profiles COMPLETELY & FULLY on those platforms.

So the journalists know that YOU KNOW your shit!

EXTRA TIP: This is something that I set aside time for EVERY QUARTER. Checking requests, answering questions. It's free & can snowball VERY well (as you can tell LOL).

// NOTEWORTHY FINDS & UPDATES

🇨🇦 Local to Niagara on the Lake? Come see me! I'm not Canadian, but I should be considering how often I hang out across the border lolol If you're local to the Niagara on the Lake region, come to the International Women's Day Celebration Lunch + Networking!​ I'll be speaking on the panel and I'M SO EXCITED 💃💃💃💃 There's gonna be a bomb ass lunch, networking, swag bags, a photobooth, tarot card readings, and more. When? Friday, March 6th. Save $25 off your ticket with code MARIAHMAGAZINE Come hang out with me! ​Get the details & snag $25 off your ticket here! →​

🎙️ ​Want to speak on more stages? Check this out One of my business friends, Jay Acunzo, has been a public speaker for a loooooong ass time. And in that time, he's learned a LOT about what works, especially for pitching & creating good keynotes. I know "get on more stages" is on quite a few people's bingo cards this year, so I wanted to share his free resources... He's got some good breakdowns & articles on his website that explains booking better keynotes, and pitching strategically. ​View Jay's free Speaker resources on his site here! →​

🎧 ​FREE Audio Summit; Starts NEXT WEEK! The Energy Savers FREE audio summit starts NEXT WEEK January 26th. It's THE summit for entrepreneurs looking for inspiration on how to simplify business in a way that feels GOOD. The audio summit = 25 entrepreneurs sharing behind-the-scenes stories about how we’re saving energy in our business. And my fav part? It's audio-only so it's WAY easier to binge while driving, on a walk, etc. So if you wanna kick off 2026 feeling INSPIRED about SIMPLIFYING your business, this is the summit for you! ​Grab your FREE ticket to the audio summit here →​

Want help & support implementing SEO things like this?

This is what we do in Search Club!

​Join the Search Club SEO Membership waitlist & get support on implementing results driven SEO, in a way that feels actionable, practical, sometimes even....fun? 🤪

DOORS OPEN IN Q1 2026 🔥

Stay curious,

-- Mariah Magazine

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