The Kara Report | Online Marketing Tips and Candid Business Conversations

Kara Duncan
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Hey there, welcome to "The Kara Report"! Each week, we’re sharing what we see real businesses doing to grow their business and expand their reach to help you grow your business and become a marketing pro. In each episode, we get granular and talk about real-world marketing strategies, what DOESN’T work when scaling your business, and host candid conversations on the latest business and marketing trends. We'll even share the juicy data we collect and behind-the-scenes bloopers as they come. No fluff, no filler; just authentic, in-depth discussions that explore the key factors that truly make a difference in your business success. After all, we know that marketing your business is about more than Instagram Reels tips and social media algorithm hacks, and great marketing also doesn’t always mean you’re running a successful, profitable business.  While we specialize in content marketing, blogging for SEO, Pinterest marketing, and website copy for our own content marketing agency, all marketing strategies are welcome (and discussed) here. Whether you're an established entrepreneur looking to refine your business or marketing strategy or just starting your entrepreneurial journey, we’re serving up valuable insights designed to help you navigate the ever-changing world of business and marketing.  We believe when you do the work, you’ll reap the rewards and we promise we will focus on results-driven action steps (not the busy work) to help you hit your goals this year. Now let’s get started!

  1. 3d ago

    129 | Is AI Ruining Your Business? Why We Need To Chase Excellence + 4 Things AI Can't Replace

    I've had a version of the same conversation with a friend of mine for three months in a row. She comes to me with a plan. I give feedback. A month later, she comes back with basically the same plan again — and has no idea she's already been here. That's when I went looking for an explanation, and I found a study that stopped me in my tracks. It's about what happens to your brain when you let an AI do too much of your thinking for you — and it's a lot more common than you'd think, even among people who consider themselves "good" at using AI. This episode isn't about whether you should use AI. I use it constantly. It's about the difference between using it to execute and using it to think — and why that difference is quietly becoming the thing that separates businesses that are thriving right now from businesses that are just... busy. I'm sharing the study, the four things I don't think AI will ever be able to replace, and the one habit shift that's made the biggest difference in how I use AI in my own business. 🎙️ In This Episode: The study that made me rethink how much I'm letting AI "help" me strategizeWhy so many business owners are stuck in a loop they don't even realize they're inThe real difference between using AI to execute vs. using AI to thinkFour things that AI can't replace, no matter how good it getsThe one shift that's changed how I use AI day to day Links Mentioned:  Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/129The MIT Study I Referenced On The Effects of ChatGPT On Your Brain: https://www.media.mit.edu/publications/your-brain-on-chatgpt/Join the waitlist for my AI blogging membership: https://thekarareport.com/waitlistDownload my private podcast, Build It Once, Get Found For Months: https://thekarareport.com/private-podcastHire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport

  2. Jul 14

    128 | Start With Yourself Book Review: You Don't Need to Want a Billion-Dollar Business to Learn From Emma Grede

    I picked up Start With Yourself by Emma Grede fully expecting to love it because I've been a fan of her podcast for a long time. What I wasn't sure about was how I'd feel after all the headlines and viral clips that seem to follow her everywhere. After finishing the book, I realized something: you don't have to want someone's life to learn from the way they think. I don't want to build multiple billion-dollar companies, and I'm guessing most of you listening don't either. But that doesn't mean there isn't so much we can learn from someone who has. I think we've gotten into the habit of either putting successful people on a pedestal or dismissing them because we don't agree with every decision they've made. What if we did neither? In this episode, I'm sharing the biggest lessons I took away from Start With Yourself, the parts I completely agreed with, the ideas I questioned, and why I think grit, emotional regulation, customer obsession, and having a clear vision matter no matter what kind of business you're building. 🎙️ In This Episode: Why you don't have to agree with every lesson to learn from a business bookThe mindset shift that changed how I think about entrepreneurshipWhy emotional regulation matters more than another business strategyThe business lessons I loved most from Emma GredeThe advice I questioned, and why that's okayMy thoughts on the criticism surrounding Emma and why nuance matters Links Mentioned:  Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/128Other book reviews: 10X is Easier Than 2X (episode 46) https://thekarareport.com/10x-is-easier-than-2x-book/ and Time Anxiety (episode 89): https://thekarareport.com/time-anxiety-book-review/Join the waitlist for my AI blogging membership: https://thekarareport.com/waitlistDownload my private podcast, Build It Once, Get Found For Months: https://thekarareport.com/private-podcastHire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport

  3. Jul 7

    127 | The Wikipedia Test That Tells Me If Your Blog Is Working (Or Not)

    I hear this all the time from people who are blog-curious: "I have a blog, I don't even know if it's doing anything, I'm probably not doing it right." Some version of that. And honestly? I think we can fix that today. Here's the thing — you should know whether your blog is working. Your Google organic traffic should be climbing, and you should be getting inquiries where people say, "I found you on Google." If that's not happening, there's usually one specific reason, and it's probably not the one you think. It's not your SEO settings. It's not your keyword research. It's something a lot more obvious once you know what to look for — and I promise it's an easy fix once you see it. In this episode, I'm walking you through the exact test I use to figure out if a blog post is pulling its weight, why "good enough" AI-written posts are quietly costing you clients, and the one shift that makes Google and AI actually want to send people to your site. 🎙️ In This Episode: Why your blog might be technically fine and still not working for youThe stat about AI and Wikipedia that changed how I think about AI-written contentHow to tell the difference between "needs more reps" and "needs a real rework"The mindset shift that's quietly killing your blog's results (and it's not what you'd guess)The simple formula I use on every blog post to turn skimmers into readersHow to make sure your blog is actually working for you at every stage of the funnel Links Mentioned:  Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/127Join the waitlist for my AI blogging membership: https://thekarareport.com/waitlistDownload my private podcast, Build It Once, Get Found For Months: https://thekarareport.com/private-podcastHire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport

  4. Jun 23

    126 | My Best Summer Marketing Tips for Burnt-Out Business Owners (I'm Cutting My Own Marketing in Half!)

    Summer is officially here. Which means it's time to figure out how you're actually going to market your business for the next few months, when fewer people are online, your analytics dip, and everyone's outside touching grass instead of refreshing the feed. Here's the move most people make when they see their analytics dip: double down and push harder. And honestly? That can work. But this year, I'm doing the opposite. I'm cutting my own marketing almost in half. On purpose.  In this episode, I'm walking you through exactly what I'm keeping, what I'm dropping, and why scaling back strategically might be the smartest summer marketing decision you make (because going dark is the worst thing you can do). Most of our businesses have seasonal fluctuations whether we like it or not. Capacity dips, trips happen, and the content that felt easy in spring starts to feel like a slog by July.  The good news? You don't have to grind through it. There's a version of summer marketing that keeps you visible, keeps you sane, and actually makes your business look more magnetic, not less. If you've been feeling stretched thin, guilty about the platform you keep ignoring, or quietly burnt out on making content, consider this your permission slip. I'll show you how to pick what to drop before summer picks for you, and how to market in a way that actually feels fun again. 🎙️ In This Episode: The two ways to handle summer marketing (and why I'm choosing the less obvious one)My one-awareness-platform + one-nurture-platform minimum for staying visible without the overwhelmExactly what I'm keeping, pausing, and cutting this summer, and the honest reasons whyWhy making your life look fun is the best summer marketing tip I've gotThe AI setup that writes a week of my content without me typing a single promptHow to keep summer light while still quietly setting up your Q4 Links Mentioned:  Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/126Tune into episode 113 with Sabrina Gebhardt on building a business you can embody: https://thekarareport.com/113My episode with Enji in case you're seeing this and you didn't market your business over the summer: https://thekarareport.com/87Join the waitlist for my AI blogging membership: https://thekarareport.com/waitlistDownload my private podcast, Build It Once, Get Found For Months: https://thekarareport.com/private-podcastHire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport

  5. Jun 16

    125 | The Sales Strategy Being Passed Around in Private Coaching Rooms Right Now

    The online business landscape has shifted — and the strategies that are actually working right now? They're not showing up in anyone's public content. In this episode, I'm sharing the real conversations happening behind the scenes in masterminds and private coaching rooms — the advice that business coaches are giving their highest-paying clients but nobody's talking about publicly.  Spoiler: it's not sexy. But it's working. We're in a different era of online business. The sophisticated buyer is here, passive income hype is fading fast, and the tactics that felt effortless in 2020 and 2021 are just not hitting the same way. The good news? The shift that's happening is actually pretty human — and if you're willing to do the unsexy work, there's a real opportunity here. If you've been wondering why your launches feel harder than they used to, or you're noticing that buyers seem more skeptical than ever, this episode will help you understand what's actually going on — and what to do about it. 🎙️ In This Episode: Why the online business landscape feels harder right now (and why it's not just you)The 2017 era vs. 2020 era vs. now — and what's actually coming backThe two real examples of unsexy follow-up strategies that closed salesWhy boundaries are softening and what that means for how you sellWhy you need both a strong traffic strategy AND a strong conversion strategy now Links Mentioned:  Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/125Listen to Julie Chenell's podcast "Million Dollar Grit" where she talks about Jessi Jean's 1.2 million dollar launch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28Kcuyhm2tE&list=PLJVVs4nTpFcKRIBlDzJq7VQlibtRyciY8&index=2Join the waitlist for my AI blogging membership: https://thekarareport.com/waitlistDownload my private podcast, Build It Once, Get Found For Months: https://thekarareport.com/private-podcastHire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport

  6. Jun 9

    124 | Is Blogging Dead After 2026?! How AI Is Affecting Blogging (+ Is It Still Worth It?)

    Think blogging is dead in 2026? Before you ditch long-form content for TikTok and Reels, watch this. The truth is… the biggest names in tech are doubling down on SEO, AI models are hungry for high-quality website content, and small business owners who start blogging now are about to unlock a massive advantage. In this video, I break down why blogging is not outdated — it’s evolving. You’ll learn how AI, voice search, and shifting buyer behavior are reshaping content discovery, and why your blog might be the most powerful brand-building engine you create in 2026. I’ll also share three simple action steps you can take this week to finally start (or restart) your blog with confidence. Whether you want more leads, more visibility, or a sustainable way to repurpose content across platforms, this is your sign to treat your blog like the strategic asset it is. ✨ If you're serious about being seen, trusted, found, and paid — this one’s for you. ✨ Ready to go deeper? Get access to my private podcast and behind-the-scenes marketing insights you won’t hear anywhere else: 👉 https://thekarareport.com/private-podcast 🔗 Links Mentioned: Adobe to acquire SEMRush: https://news.adobe.com/news/2025/11/adobe-to-acquire-semrush Backlinko article: https://backlinko.com/llm-seeding My favorite keyword research tool: https://thekarareport.com/keysearch 🎉WORK WITH THE KARA REPORT🎉 Want to work together and enjoy having (way less) on your plate? Find our pricing and service options below ⬇️ Pinterest & Blogging Packages *Best Results*: https://thekarareport.com/blogging-and-pinterest-marketing-agency DFY Blogging for SEO: https://thekarareport.com/blogging Pinterest Management: https://thekarareport.com/pinterest 📌 What I Use In My Business 📌 Enji marketing software: https://thekarareport.com/enji Best Brand Blueprint for ChatGPT: https://thekarareport.com//brand-blueprint Pinterest-Approved Scheduler: https://thekarareport.com/tailwind Riverside for Podcasting: https://thekarareport.com/riverside  Fave Podcast Host (Get a $20 Credit): https://thekarareport.com/buzzsprout  Website Template: https://thekarareport.com/emshowit  Dubsado CRM (get 20% off): https://thekarareport.com/dubsado *ABOUT THE KARA REPORT* Hey, I’m Kara—a marketer, blogger, entrepreneur, and the CEO behind The Kara Report. I love about breaking down marketing, business, and search-driven growth strategies (like blogging for SEO and Pinterest) in a way that actually makes sense (and hopefully doesn’t put you to sleep). Whether it’s writing, content marketing, or scaling a business, I love finding what works and sharing it with people who are just as obsessed with big ideas and smart strategies as I am. When I’m not deep-diving into marketing trends, you’ll probably find me brainstorming my next big project or fueling up on way too much coffee. Want to work together? You'll find me BTS at The Kara Report, a content marketing agency offering DFY marketing services like: website copy, email copywriting, podcast management, and our personal favorites: Pinterest marketing and blogging for SEO. Follow Me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport  Affiliate Disclaimer Note this description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. While this channel may earn minimal sums when the viewer uses the links, the viewer is in NO WAY obligated to use these links. Thank you for your support!

  7. May 26

    123 | Your Brain Is Sabotaging Your Marketing (+ 7 Signs to Prove It And How To Fix It) with Tayler Cusick-Hollman

    You have the ideas. You've always had the ideas. They're sitting in a Google Doc somewhere, probably called something like "Q3 Content Plan," last opened months ago and somehow nothing in it has ever actually gotten published. Today's guest Tayler Cusick-Hollman would tell you that's not an ideas problem. It's a brain problem. And once you understand what's actually happening, you can do something about it. Taylor is the co-founder of Enji, a project management tool built specifically for small business owners doing their own marketing — and she has a background in psychology and sociology that makes her unusually good at explaining the very human reasons why marketing keeps not getting done. She walks through seven signs that prove you don't need more marketing ideas, and I'll warn you: at least a couple of these are going to feel uncomfortably familiar. This one is worth a listen if you've ever sat down to work on your marketing and somehow ended up doing everything except the actual marketing. 🎙️ In This Episode: Why capturing ideas feels like progress (and why your brain loves it so much)The 7 signs that you don't have an ideas problem — you have an execution problemWhat "structured procrastination" actually is and why creative entrepreneurs are especially vulnerable to itWhat to change this week to actually move the needle Links Mentioned:  Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/123Join Enji (Affiliate Link - But Save $$ During Their Birthday Month!): https://thekarareport.com/enjiFollow Enji on Instagram: https://instagram.com/enji_coDownload my private podcast, Build It Once, Get Found For Months: https://thekarareport.com/private-podcastHire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport

  8. May 12

    122 | If I Had One Hour to Work on SEO, This Is Exactly What I'd Do

    Most SEO advice assumes you have unlimited time. But what if you only have one hour? In this episode, I'm sharing exactly what I'd do with that hour (and it's probably not what you'd expect). Spoiler: I wouldn't tell you to write a blog post. Instead, I'm walking through the specific website SEO tasks that actually move the needle, require zero technical expertise, and can realistically get done in 60 minutes or less.  Whether you're brand new to SEO or just doing a tune-up, this episode will give you a clear action plan you can start today. 🎙️ In This Episode: What NOT to do with your one hour (and why SEO rabbit holes are a trap)The one page on your website that matters most for SEOHow to check your heading structure in five minutes with a free Chrome pluginWhen to build out individual service pages and location landing pagesHow to use Google Search Console to find quick wins in posts you've already writtenOne of the most underrated SEO moves Links Mentioned:  Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/122 Headings Map Chrome plugin: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/headingsmap/flbjommegcjonpdmenkdiocclhjacmbi?pli=1Check for broken links: https://www.brokenlinkcheck.com/Download my private podcast, Build It Once, Get Found For Months: https://thekarareport.com/private-podcastHire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport

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About

Hey there, welcome to "The Kara Report"! Each week, we’re sharing what we see real businesses doing to grow their business and expand their reach to help you grow your business and become a marketing pro. In each episode, we get granular and talk about real-world marketing strategies, what DOESN’T work when scaling your business, and host candid conversations on the latest business and marketing trends. We'll even share the juicy data we collect and behind-the-scenes bloopers as they come. No fluff, no filler; just authentic, in-depth discussions that explore the key factors that truly make a difference in your business success. After all, we know that marketing your business is about more than Instagram Reels tips and social media algorithm hacks, and great marketing also doesn’t always mean you’re running a successful, profitable business.  While we specialize in content marketing, blogging for SEO, Pinterest marketing, and website copy for our own content marketing agency, all marketing strategies are welcome (and discussed) here. Whether you're an established entrepreneur looking to refine your business or marketing strategy or just starting your entrepreneurial journey, we’re serving up valuable insights designed to help you navigate the ever-changing world of business and marketing.  We believe when you do the work, you’ll reap the rewards and we promise we will focus on results-driven action steps (not the busy work) to help you hit your goals this year. Now let’s get started!

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