Success Unscrambled Podcast

It was only 17 minutes long but I sat glued to my screen and it made me think that I need to make a video podcast.

Just to try it out and see if a video podcast episode would slow down my site in the first instance.

Also, if it would gain more traction compared to my standard audio podcast clips.

Of course, it would mean I have to find a specific place to do the recording.

I'd also need to get dressed, including make-up (to display your facial features) or at least look decent.

If you're here because creating video podcasts is of interest to you, stay a while.

Let me know if these are the questions on your mind.

Are video podcasts the best option for your topic or subject matter?

What video equipment or software can you use to record it?

Video vs audio podcasts which one is better apart from the video element?

Can you record solo episodes for video podcasts?

In this post, you learn how to get started with video podcasts, the best technology available on the market and all about doing guest interviews.

Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links which means that if you buy one of my recommended products I get paid a commission for sharing the link at no additional cost to you.  I only recommend products that I have tried myself and have experienced success.

The Pros and Cons of Video Podcasting

If you are like me and you like to weigh the options before jumping on something new.

Then you'd like this quick look at the advantages and disadvantages of video podcasting.

Advantages of Video Podcasting

As someone who enjoys creating video content, it is easy for me to see all the positive aspects of doing video.

* Increases conversion rates* Easier connection with your audience* People get to see your expressions* The visual element appeals to visual people* Longer retention rates* A great way to reach new audiences* It's a good idea to gain new listeners and a wider audience

Video Podcast Disadvantages

While the switch from audio to video podcast may sound simple here are some things to consider before diving in.

* You'll need to look presentable* Lighting is important* Editing may take longer* People can see your background* A good camera or video software is required

Taking advantage of a green screen can certainly assist with making your background more secure.

As you can see there are quite a number of considerations and preparedness required when considering a video podcast.

Types of Video Podcast

It is important to consider the type of video podcast that you want to create in a similar fashion to audio podcasts.

Here's a list of the various podcast types.

* Solo episode* Interview* Panel discussion* Drama presentation

It will become apparent quite quickly that all podcast types are not created equal especially when it comes to recording video.

Other considerations include doing a video series, live videos or video show by season.

The two easiest types to create via video are solo and doing an interview with another person.

However, having more than two people on a video recording adds a different level of complexity.

Ever wanted to use movie clips in YouTube videos but you had no idea how to get started?

If you are a frequent YouTube user, you may have noticed some videos contain movie or TV clips.

These videos are not only quite entertaining but they have higher retention rates.

While other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter can be useful.

One of the best places to find solutions to common challenges is YouTube.

For this reason, it is advisable to start a YouTube channel for your brand or business.

Even if you face the following challenges.

* Creating content for YouTube takes a lot of time* Video editing is boring and tedious* Researching potential topics can be challenging* You are not great at designing thumbnails* It takes 1-5 years of publishing consistently to gain traction on YouTube

If only there was a way to obtain a shortcut to making scroll stopping YouTube videos.

In this post, you'll learn how to find and use movie clips in your YouTube videos to gain more subscribers and increase engagement and retention rates.

The History of YouTube

One of the best ways to appreciate any social media platform is by spending time reflecting on its history.

Here's one fact that you probably didn't know about YouTube, it was created by 3 former Paypal employees, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim.

YouTube was created back in 2005 by these 3 lads and Google purchased it 21 months later for 1.65 billion dollars.

How can anything that was created for 21 short months be worth billions of dollars?

Well, think about the kind of problems that YouTube solves.

Let's take a step back for a few moments and consider what kind of content can be uploaded to YouTube.

You can upload videos, but what kind of videos?

Movies, TV shows, movie trailers, documentaries, video podcasts, vlogs, music videos, live streams, cooking demonstrations, product reviews and other educational content.

There's also the option to upload audio podcasts that have been converted into videos.

Does this information blow your mind?

YouTube Statistics

Well, what's even more important than the history of YouTube is the current usage statistics.

Did you know that there are 1.86 billion users of YouTube worldwide? This is according to recent statistics from the folks at SEMRush.

Personally, since there are close to 8 billion people in the world and the fact that kids are frequently YouTube users.

I thought that the total number of users would be a lot higher. Oberlo disputes this figure quoting a total of 2.3 billion users.

It is a well-known fact that YouTube continues to be the 2nd most popular search engine after Google. Shocking!! Lol!

YouTube is also the 2nd most popular social media platform. Many small businesses forget that YouTube is in the social media category.

However, the fact that users watch over 1 billion hours of video daily and that it is available in 80 langu...

Are you running out of Instagram poll ideas to increase your IG Story engagement?

Ever since Instagram Stories became available many small business owners have been trying to capitalise on this feature.

When compared to the IG feed, an Instagram Story calls for more creativity.

Recently, a business owner in my network mentioned that IG Stories is where she has more fun.

Depending on your brand messaging it may not be possible to add humour to your Story posts.

Let me know if you can relate to these obstacles.

Publishing to IG Stories every day can be time-consuming because you'll need ideas for both feed and Story posts.

Even if you had a list of 10 Story ideas the next hurdle would be setting aside time to create them.

Of course, there's also the added hassle of adding captions, hashtags, emojis, text, interactive stickers and at mentions.

If only there was a way to obtain a list of Instagram Story ideas that you can quickly create 30 days of content and schedule it out to publish daily.

In this post, I'll help you get a huge list of IG Story ideas and you'll learn how to create and schedule 30+ posts so you can set it and forget it.

Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links which means that if you buy one of my recommended products I get paid a commission for sharing the link at no additional cost to you.  I only recommend products that I have tried myself and have experienced success.

History of IG Stories

One of the best ways to appreciate features on social media is to look at the history of Instagram Stories.

After all, wouldn't it be nice to grasp the development of this unique technology?

Instagram launched Stories back in 2016 and there was a bit of backlash from the social media industry.

The reason for the backlash was because Snapchat already had a similar feature on their platform.

What made IG Stories different is that the user has the ability to pause, rewind and even add filters. (anyone else enjoys filters? Woohoo!!)

By November that year Instagram added live video.

In January the following year skippable ads, 5-second photo and 15-second video were also added.

Having the ability to respond to Stories was not added until July 2017 which was followed in December by Story highlights.

Users of Instagram can take all of this functionality for granted and complain about what they can't do.

However, isn't it amazing what Instagram has been able to accomplish in such a short time frame?

Instagram Story Statistics

Another important dimension when it comes to appreciating IG Stories is consumer statistics.

As a business, it is essential to assess the potential return on investment before using precious resources to publish Stories.

Did you know that there are 500+ million people who watch IG Stories daily?

The average user spends approximately 30 minutes a day on the platform.

81% of people use Instagram to research products and services.

Have you ever come across a valuable or funny post on Facebook? Are you wondering how to make a Facebook post shareable with friends?

While many people have categorised social media as being evil and addictive in many ways.

There is still a lot of valuable content and ideas available that you can use in your business or everyday life.

You have to agree with me that Facebook continues to be a great way to keep in contact with family and friends across the world.

As someone who has travelled to over 24 countries and made friends in some of those countries.

The easiest way to keep in touch is via social media.

Let me know if this sounds relatable to your business.

Being an entrepreneur and flying solo is very hard. In fact, it can make you feel isolated.

While networking locally with small business owners can be helpful.

A better way to increase your visibility is by using social media.

Facebook is especially good at assisting with this because there are groups and pages specifically dedicated to business networking.

In this post, you'll learn the basics of creating a post on your personal feed and business page.

Also, how to ensure that it is shareable to gain more reach for your business.

Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links which means that if you buy one of my recommended products I get paid a commission for sharing the link at no additional cost to you.  I only recommend products that I have tried myself and have experienced success.

What is Facebook Reach and Why It's Important

Before diving into creating and sharing Facebook posts let's look at the metric called 'reach'.

Facebook is one of the central hubs of the Internet and it's also one of the oldest social media platforms.

When it comes to social media, the word reach has been used loosely without people understanding its true meaning.

The definition of reach in marketing is the total number of people or households who saw your article, post or collateral at least once in a given timeframe.

In the case of a Facebook post, if your reach is recorded as 1,000 it means that at least 1,000 people saw it.

Measuring reach is important because it gives you an indication of how your post is performing.

Of course, if this is on your Facebook profile then it really doesn't matter so much. This is because analytics isn't available on personal profiles.

If you publish posts daily, weekly or monthly, you'll be able to see which posts get the most exposure compared to others.

Facebook has a potential audience reach of 2.85 billion. This makes it the perfect place to get more eyeballs when posting content.

What to Post on Facebook

Now that you understand what reach is all about, let's look at what to post on Facebook.

As you probably already know not all content is created equal.

It is a well-known fact that images and videos get a lot more engagement on social media compared to text.

However, I have seen instances where poems or deep meaningful text posts when coupled with a striking image can get good engagement.

If you're looking to become better at project management, this Todoist vs Things comparison might be just what you need.

The ability to work from home has presented awesome advantages to many of us.

One of these is the ability to manage projects on a global level.

While you're not going to learn how to become a global project manager in this post.

You'll definitely pick up a few techniques that are common in every project.

Let me know if these sound familiar.

Managing projects is not one of your strong points so you are looking for a clever way to improve.

The thought of managing dozens of tasks on a single project overwhelms you.

Using a simple solution will help you get your feet wet.

Access to a tasks list on your smartphone will boost your productivity.

In this post, you'll experience a Todoist and Things 3 review first hand as well as how to break down a large project into bite-sized chunks.

What is Project Management?

Before diving into the review of these two project or task management tools it would make sense to look at what it's all about.

Project management involves achieving the goals of a defined project by leading a team to help you get there within the agreed parameters.

Let's break this down a little bit more. What are the typical constraints of a project?

These constraints will include the following:

* Time* Budget* Scope* Goals

A typical example of a project could be a trip to somewhere nice for 2-3 weeks.

If you were planning a trip with your family to Greece and that trip is in 6 months time then your constraints will be as follows:

* Timeframe - 6 months* Budget - $5,500* Scope - visit Greece with family* Goal - family time and making memories

You probably never thought of a long-haul family trip as a project but technically speaking it is.

Someone or a small team (if it is a family reunion) will need to manage all the moving parts.

Of course, using a smartphone app to manage this project would make sense since there are so many variables.

The Core Elements of a Project Management Solution

As you can imagine there are several tools, productivity apps and applications available on the market that assist with project management.

Therefore it would make sense to look at what are the features necessary to manage projects successfully.

Let's revisit the family vacation example briefly, what do you think is needed to ensure this venture becomes a resounding success?

Here are a few hints to help you.

* reminders* due dates* start dates* lists of things to do* the ability to collaborate* a calendar view* assigning tasks to someone else* sharing lists* recurring items* attaching items

The initial reaction when someone is asked to manage a project is one of fear and overwhelm.

However, when you look at it from a 10,000-foot view you'll soon realise that it's not as scary as it sounds.

In layman terms, it is simply grabbing a list of to-do items and assigning dates to them. Finally, ensuring that each one gets completed to achieve goals.

Todoist Review

Help! How to organise passwords when you've got over 100 of them? Can you relate to this dilemma?

I don't know about you but I came to the realisation recently that I have over 1,000 passwords.

Some of them I use regularly (daily, weekly or monthly).

While others are used less frequently.

Depending on your age you'll probably remember a time when online banking meant logging into a website.

Then came banking via mobile apps which meant logging into your bank account via a laptop less frequent.

If you suffer from password overwhelm these concerns or reactions may sound familiar.

You cringe whenever you need to create a new account because it means yet another password to remember.

The words personal identity theft gives you heart palpitations.

There are sticky notes, text files, scraps of paper and grey matter oozing from your brain filled with passwords.

Your brain yearns for a way to organise all these passwords so that you can be relieved of the password burden.

In this post, you'll learn the best way to finally put an end to the password mess and weak passwords.

As well as the top-secret place to get truckloads of passwords so you will not need to invent a new password again.

The History of Passwords

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you'll know that I cannot help but look at the history of things.

Did you know that passwords also have a history?

The inventor of the humble digital password is Dr Fernando Corbato.

He created a piece of software during the 1950s to help people timeshare on a single computer called Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS).

In order for many people to securely use that one computer, they needed a password or passcode.

Back in those days computers were huge and could not be moved around like laptops.

Because of this clever invention, he received the AM Turing Award in 1990.

Dr Corbato passed away a few short years ago in 2019 at the age of 93.

One big lesson you can learn from this experience is that inventors seem to live well into their 90s so go out and invent something. Lol!! (joke).

How to Generate 100s of Unique Passwords in Seconds

As I mentioned previously one of the most stressful occasions weekly or monthly is when you are prompted to create new online accounts.

Thankfully there are a number of software platforms where a password is not required.

One such platform is SteamYard. You simply enter your email address and they send you a link to log in.

For everything else, in this new digital life, you'll need login credentials, a password or security pin or both to log in.

A few years ago I got so tired of finding new ways to generate strong passwords.

That is until I remembered another Irish inventor.

His name is Mads Haahr and he is a doctor and professor at Trinity College in Ireland.

You can find his inventions on the random.org website which was created in 1997.

What's cool about his invention is that he has a program to create a big list of random secure passwords for anyone.

This service is free of charge. When you arrive at the site just head over to the passw...

Are you looking for a Google Drive vs Google Docs comparison? Do you need help to get your head around the two?

It is possible that you have used this platform on and off over the years.

You constantly hear people refer to them frequently but it seems like they are speaking in a foreign language.

In fact, you wouldn't mind getting to learn more about both tools at all.

The challenge you face is finding a resource that will explain it in simple terms.

Let me know if this list of questions will help.

What is Google Drive and why do you need it?

Exactly what is Google docs all about and when does it make sense to use it?

How to set up an account for both platforms?

What do you need to get started?

When should you consider using either of these solutions for your business?

In this post, you'll learn everything you need to know about Google Drive and Docs as well as a few additional tips and tricks to stay productive.

History of Google Drive and Docs?

One of the best places to start when it comes to understanding these two platforms is by looking at how it all began.

Google Drive was launched a few years ago back in 2012. It was an effort to help users of Google store files and as a synchronisation service.

Six years later, in 2018, Google Drive recorded an astounding one billion active users.

In case you are wondering why so many people are using this service, I'll go into more detail later in this post.

Google Docs was first released back in 2006 as an online word processor.

Other document types included on this platform include web applications like Google Sheets, Google Slides, Forms, Sites, Drawing and Keep.

Interestingly, Google Docs is the result of a journey involving a series of acquisitions.

These acquisitions included Upstartle in 2006, DocVerse in 2010 and Quickoffice in 2012.

As you can see these platforms came from a series of innovations to become what they are today.

What is Google Drive and Google Docs?

Now that you know a little bit about the background of these two platforms let's look at what they do for you.

Depending on your situation at home or your background it would be best to use an analogy to explain Google drive.

If you used computers back in the 70s, 80s and 90s then you'll be familiar with floppy disks, an external hard drive or USB drives used for file storage.

Google drive is just an online version of floppy disks as you'll need an Internet connection to access it.

However, it has a lot more storage as well as the ability to increase that storage through a monthly payment.

It can be used to store anything and different file types like photos, documents, large files and attachments on this cloud storage service.

Access via a mobile app is also available.

On the other hand, Google Docs can be sent as a way to create different kinds of documents.

During the 70s, 80s and 90s many people were used to software like Microsoft Word, Word Perfect,

Are you wondering how to make a table in Canva fast?

Canva has been the go to tool for making all kinds of resources for small business owners.

In fact, Canva offers templates for all kinds of essential business items already.

It would be cool to create forms that would help keep you productive at home or at work.

Especially when you need to keep track of a million different things.

Here are a few handy examples where tables can make you efficient.

* Project tracker* Business expense tracker* Office accessories shopping list* Handy gift guide for clients* Business goals* Awards wishlist* Daily to-do list

While this may seem like an obvious thing to get done in Canva, it is not as straight-forward as you might have realised.

In this post, you'll learn how to create tables in Canva to produce beautiful forms and what you need to do to make them fillable online.

Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links which means that if you buy one of my recommended products I get paid a commission for sharing the link at no additional cost to you.  I only recommend products that I have tried myself and have experienced success.

Why Creating Tables are Necessary

As you already know one of the hardest things to develop as a small business is a custom system bespoke to the way you work.

When you first get started in business you may use pen and paper to get stuff done before you digitise those processes.

One of the things I do when I am learning something new is write notes.

I have gone through a ton of notebooks and pens over the years. It is incredible how I'll survive without writing.

Since I have moved house a few times over the years, I have also misplaced notebooks along the way.

Having or creating tables with a view to develop forms is important to keep your business running smoothly.

It is impossible to remember everything and as your business grows and you hire help it would make sense to develop a system that works.

Part of the documentation process involves having bespoke forms that work for you and your business.

What You Need Before Creating Tables

Everything that you do in your business right now is documented in your head so this next step is easy.

Spend some time writing down all the processes that you do every day and every week in your business.

Pay special attention to those processes that you can outsource to a virtual assistant.

You should have three broad categories of tasks.

* Outsource to VA* Only I can do this one* Things I can automate

If you get stuck coming up with a list of tasks spend the next 30 days documenting everything that you do to run your business.

At the end of that time period, you should have a good understanding of where forms are needed.

Also, draw a rough draft of what each form should contain to save you time in the creation process.

Most importantly to have a better environment for future generations we'll make those forms editable online.

How to Make a Table in Canva

Ensure you have an account set up in Canva and add your business brand colours to the brand kit.

So, you are at that point in your marketing journey where you are looking at the Facebook page vs profile situation.

Yes, there are a ton of experts out there advising you about which one to choose.

It's possible that you are brand new to Facebook or you've always had a personal profile but rarely used it.

A close friend of yours advised you to set up a Facebook page.

However, you noticed another friend going live for a network marketing business on her Facebook personal profile.

You are now wondering what to do.

How to know for sure what are the rules for each section of Facebook?

Is it possible to gain success for your business on Facebook?

What methods should you use to attract your potential clients?

Will you get banned if you use your personal Facebook profile for business?

If only there was a way to get absolute clarity around these areas?

In this post, you'll learn all about the best practices when it comes to using Facebook for business, which section to use when.

As well as how to generate leads for your business on Facebook.

A Brief History of Facebook

Understanding where Facebook came from may help you to better understand its current status.

Facebook began back in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and 4 of his college roommates with the intention of limiting the usage to Harvard students.

This was extended to all colleges in the Boston area then to all colleges and universities in the USA and Canada.

By 2006, anyone with a valid email address had the ability to create an account on the platform.

If you are as old as I am or possibly older you'll remember what Facebook was like back then.

Actually, I am sitting here wondering when I joined Facebook.

I just checked and my account was set up in 2007. It's crazy to think how time flies so fast.

Facebook got to its first 100,000,000 users by August 2008. That's just under two years after granting access to anyone with an email address 13 and over.

Here's an interesting Facebook business page fact, there were 100,000 business pages on Facebook in late 2007.

October 2008 saw the decision by Facebook to set up its international headquarters in Dublin, Ireland.

Why was Facebook created? It was a means for people to have an online profile to display a profile photo of themselves plus other personal information.

Now, here we are many years later and Facebook is more than just your face and basic details about you.

Why Use Facebook for Business?

Well, if you are wondering why you should consider using Facebook to help you generate leads for a business.

Here are a few interesting facts to consider.

Facebook has a very strict policy about people setting up more than one personal profile.

Unlike Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest where you can set up many profiles and brands.

LinkedIn is the only one that would be on par with that specific Facebook rule.

With a total of 2.

Are you stuck trying to get more blog followers to finally generate an income?

The thought of logging into your blog statistics every month only to see a trickle of readers can be frustrating.

I know because I have been there.

When I started my first blog over 10 years ago and published my first post all I heard were the sound of crickets.

Do you know what's more frustrating than having no followers?

Not knowing how to get blog followers is worse.

In fact, let me know if you can relate to the following.

Working a 9-5 job is not exciting for you anymore.

You heard that blogging online can be a very rewarding experience.

After work and on weekends, you spend hours upon hours watching videos and listening to podcasts about the success stories of others like you.

Everyone seems to get lucky after they decide to take action.

If only there was a way to grow your online presence on a low budget.

In this post, you'll learn about 40+ ways to get more readers to your blog so that you can finally generate an income online.

Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links which means that if you buy one of my recommended products I get paid a commission for sharing the link at no additional cost to you.  I only recommend products that I have tried myself and have experienced success.

Content Marketing Statistics

Before looking at how to get more blog followers, let us first look at content marketing statistics.

In case you didn't know, blogging is a form of content marketing.

By understanding what others are doing in this area you'll be better able to design and implement a strategy.

60% of smartphone users have contacted a business after engaging with a search engine result according to HubSpot.

Over 84% of organisations have a content marketing strategy in place based on a SEMRush survey.

Of those organisations who took the survey 76% of them have a content marketing team of fewer than 3 people.

Brands are using IG Stories more than ever based on a report from Top Rank Blog.

The top 3 hard skills that content marketers need to have to survive are social media, SEO and strategy.

This is based on that SEMRush survey of over 17,000 content marketing roles.

If there's one statistic you need to keep in mind it is this one.

89% of content marketers rely on organic search as they believe it is the most effective distribution method.

As you can see there isn't a magic pill or silver bullet that everyone is using to get results.

Knowing Your Audience

Wait! Before rushing out and creating a strategy for your content marketing or blogging plan.

The most important thing that you need to consider is your audience.

If you don't know who they are, what are you going to say to them?