What does coming back strong from a podcast hiatus look like? In the day-to-day chaos of our lives—balancing work, family, personal time, household upkeep, etc, etc—it’s perfectly understandable if it feels like a bit much to plan, record, publish, and market a podcast on top of that. If you’re thinking about pressing pause on your show, or you already have, rest assured, you can take that step without derailing your past progress.

In this episode, Mary talks you through how to put your show on hiatus and set yourself up to return strong. Whether you plan to reimagine the whole thing or just take a break before diving back into business as usual, you’ll want to ponder the goals of your podcast, your ideal workflow, and—maybe most importantly—the fact that taking breaks is a natural and healthy part of continuing to enjoy your podcasting journey!

Start preparing for your pause and your return right now:

• Why it’s important to keep your listeners in the loop
• How to incorporate the role you want your podcast to play
• What to include in an updated feature episode once you’re back
• Why it’s a great idea to build in breaks ahead of time

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Episode 87, “Find Podcast Success While Doing Less”: https://www.organizedsound.ca/find-podcast-success-while-doing-less-episode-87/
• Episode 84, “Simplify Your Workflow to Keep Your Podcasting Passion Alive”: https://www.organizedsound.ca/simplify-your-workflow-to-keep-your-podcasting-passion-alive-with-craig-constantine-episode-84/
• Podtalk, “Presence with Mary Chan”: https://podtalk.show/presence-with-mary-chan/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL “LET’S GO” BEGINS]

MARY: With all this uncertainty in the world, podcasting is, spoiler alert, not going to be your number one priority in your life. Okay, I know. Maybe it's already on the back burner for you, actually, and you feel this nagging feeling to do something. It's like, oh, I have my podcast. I should put out an episode, or, oh, I want to talk about these things, but, oh, I don't know, how do I have time? It's kind of nagging you. 

But the overwhelm of everything else in your life either A, doesn't give you the time to record, or B, the mental capacity to say a coherent sentence at this time is truly, truly lacking. So what is it like to take a pause from your podcast and also then come back too, with that intention? How do you restart or maybe reimagine your podcast if you're in a season of overwhelm or busyness? Or you know what, it's been on the back burner for a while and you're like, I want to come back now. So what can you do either to prep for this pause or figuring out what it can look like when you want to come back? 

This is episode number 96 on the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. 

>

Hey there, welcome to the show. This is episode number 96, as I said. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

But you know what? If you go back to episode 87, about doing less for your podcast, if you haven't listened to that one yet, do go and listen to that one, because it'll be a great companion episode for this one. It'll give you some ideas on shifting your podcast workflow and just giving you a few more details and expansion on what I'm going to talk about today. So, yeah, bookmark that. If you haven't listened to episode 87 yet, that is the one to get to after this one. All right.

[MUSIC IN]

So today we're going to talk about, hey, maybe somewhere along the way of your podcasting journey, you paused the show, or you, uh, plan to pause it now, or maybe you want to come back from your show. What does this all look like? Will you be getting back to the old workflow that you used to do? What worked for you then, and what would you change now? Another question could be, what did you never liked about that podcast workflow? So you would like to get rid of it or approve upon it altogether, right? Getting rid of it could just mean, like, skipping that step or passing it off to somebody else. 

So we're going to deep dive into some of these things today. To maybe even reimagine what it could look like to restart that podcasting journey of yours. So, the foundational question, really, I'm going to ask you is, is this the same podcast that you want to create, or is there a new iteration for you right now in your podcasting journey? So if you're in that season of overwhelm right now and you want to reimagine what your podcast can look like in the future, we're definitely going to take a look at that in this episode. So what does restarting a podcast look like? But before we even get to that, let's take a look first at the pause. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

So maybe you're in that overwhelm season right now, and you're like, I just have to stop cold turkey. I don't have time for this. But if you do have the bandwidth, if you do have that mental energy to create one more episode, it's best not to ghost your listeners. You know, as a listener myself, I always wonder, oh, is this person coming back? Or maybe I've noticed, you know, they used to have a weekly show, but they haven't published this week. Oh, sometimes I might not notice the first week, but then the second week, third week, fourth week a month, two months go by, and I was like, oh, yeah, I used to like listening to this show. What happened to it? It's not coming up on my feed anymore. 

So if you have the bandwidth, create a final episode and provide them with what your plan is so that, you know, a few months down the road, they can still think, oh, yeah, what happened to that show? I wonder if they're back yet. Or, you know what? Even if you don't have a plan, let them know that you don't have a plan, [LAUGHTER] that you'd like to come back. Just depends on what the situation is, right? So it just depends on your transparency and what you want to share. 

Some of the things that you can share are your hopes for the podcast. What do you love best about creating the show for your ideal listener? Share that as well, because they want to know what's going on in your head. So could be a short solo episode that you share this, or you can create one of your regular episodes. Especially if you do interview episodes, you can tag it onto your intro and outro for the next episode that you create. 

The point of all of this is the intention and making sure that your listener is on that plan as well. You don't want to just leave them in a lurch, right? Especially if you've been creating a show for quite some time. They want to know where you are on that journey and go alongside with you. So, you might not have all your plans ironed out right now, but maybe this is also a good way to verbalize those ideas. I've had people do a solo episode and just start with a few bullet points and then just riff on that and figure out, okay, is this what I want to do? If I say it out loud, it might create a different meaning for you. So your episode doesn't have to be pre-planned and scripted, freestyling it as a brainstorming session out loud can really be beneficial as well. 

However, if you do have a plan, great. Let your listener know. I know for me, I've always scheduled in breaks, so I talk about those pauses in my last episode before I do the break. And I'll also let my listener know when I'm back. Like, I could have an exact date or I could just say like, mid-September or something like that, right? But right now, let's take a step back, back. So we're taking a step back even further and think about some options that you have when you come back from your break. Whether it's a couple of months or it's been a whole year or more since your last episode. What's the plan? 

[MUSIC IN]

So even before you hit that record button, let's revisit our foundations. Here are some prompts for you to start thinking about what you want out of your podcast. Has your ideal listener changed? If so, how? Who is this person now? What are you passionate about currently? What new directions related to your business, or work, or organization that could drive new goals for your podcast? And finally, what role does your podcast play in those new goals? Does your podcast role need to shift? 

Earlier this year, mid-April, I was actually speaking at NTEN's Nonprofit Technology Conference about just that. Your podcast role. That, in order to figure out the direction of your podcast, or in this case, maybe a new direction when you're coming back, we need to know what role your podcast will play for your goals. You know, things like your frequency, your length, how long your episodes are the types of resources that go into a podcast, like show notes, that will all change based on what the role of your podcast is. 

For example, if you're looking just to create a lot more episodes, you're like, I want to come back and I want to come back strong. With weekly shows, a content role could be what you're after, but in this case, after a pause, really, do you have the bandwidth to continually create a weekly show and then repurpose that episode into other forms of content? You really gotta think about your capacity as well. 

As another example, if you're looking to build relationships, this is usually the easiest way to create a podcast and one that you actually hear very often. They are mainly interview style shows where you are focused on finding aligned guests to solve your ideal listeners challenges. You are also spending time promoting that person before, during, and especially after each episode. But maybe you're looking at your podcast as a way to engage with your listeners more. So this time you want to think about spending more time on collecting questions and perhaps voice clips to add to those episodes. You're really asking for their feedback and getting those voice clips. You also could share like Q&As or Ask Me Anything, AMA type episodes to get their thoughts or opinions. So they are really engaged with you as the host. 

But maybe your podcast role is to be more about moving people from the podcast to another platform that you have. So whether that is going to your email list where you do the majority of your sales or I've also seen nonprofit organizations use this to convert listeners from the podcast to paying donors and being on their email list there. So you'll be spending more time on your podcast creating story and compelling emotional connections. And knowing that this then requires more highly produced podcasts with like music and sound effects and clips of people's stories. So capacity wise, this is going to be upping your game. 

Or maybe it's about thought leadership. You know what, I really want to hone in on this thought leadership piece for my podcast. You have ideas to share, so you mainly want to have solo episodes. Well, you'll never run out of things to talk about. So in this capacity piece, you're going to be doing a lot of that prep work. You want to be the authority in your industry where you're going to have high level conversations take place. So you really got to map out what you want to talk about. You'll focus on a lot of details for actionable items and takeaways for your listener beyond the show notes. 

Because you know, if I'm learning from you, I also want to learn from you, maybe on your blog or newsletter. I want to sign up for that. You've got a whole ecosystem to spread your message and podcasting is just one part of that. So overall, what role do you see your podcast taking shape as? Because once you know that, we can take a look at options to coming back or reimagining your show. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

So now when you do come back, what are you going to do differently, if any? I was talking with Craig Constantine. He was actually on my podcast a little while back, but then I was on his show called Podtalk. And that was an episode I think came out in late March. I've shared the link with you in the show notes. I was actually his first guest after he had a very long break. I think he said at least a year. It was a year before he had me as a published episode. 

So he had a fantastic workflow that worked for him. Remember, he talked about that on my show. So what he did for restarting Podtalk was essentially the exact same show. He didn't do anything different. And he just came back with a new episode saying in his intro that he's back after a break and there's nothing wrong with doing just that. If you want to go back to what worked for you before, that's totally cool. 

But if you want to change things up, especially due to that capacity piece, whether it's frequency, meaning how often you publish, or going with or without guests, or maybe the length of the episode, maybe you're like I just want to do a lot shorter episodes now, this would be great to either say it in your new episode or create a whole new trailer. Because if it's a totally different style of show, a new trailer would be great to help advertise that right, for that organic search. So this becomes your new featured episode. 

And especially for those that are newly discovering your podcast, that organic search, they'll know exactly what the new shows is all about. And actually, even before you hit record, like I always say, it's all about the pre-stuff. What will your new workflow look like if you've never done guests before, how will you now incorporate a system into your show to bring guests on? If you were too busy before, does this new workflow actually work with your current capacity? And how are you integrating your podcast tasks, maybe into your calendar so that you actually do those tasks? Maybe you need some reminders on your phone. Do you have a team maybe you can assign some tasks to, or they can send you those reminders? I want to make sure that in three or six months time down the road, you are not back to this overwhelmed stage if you can avoid it. 

The capacity to create a podcast is probably more than you actually think. I know a lot of people always go into podcasting thinking, oh, yeah, you know, you just hit record and then you publish it, right? Well, in fact, I know if your podcast is tied to your work, if you're an entrepreneur, or you have it tied to your organization, or maybe if it's just a huge passion project, it's going to take a few more hours than you think. Podcasting is a lot of work, but, you know, there's value to this work, and it's fun. Like, who doesn't love doing something fun? And it's when it stops being fun, when the overwhelm presents itself, that we feel like we need that break, right? 

So I was thinking back to my show. You know, it feels like it's always been with a season. People always say, like, oh, yeah, you can create seasons, right? Like on TV shows, you create a season. Podcasting, similar. For me, I created my show with breaks in between these seasons to deal with that overwhelm piece. In my life, there are two sets or two, I guess. Two sets? Yeah, two series. Every year for me, I take a pause between December and February, and then also in the summer, July and August. So I need that time to recalibrate, to rest, and also to figure out, okay, what am I really passionate about right now that I want to talk about in this season, right? 

So give or take a few weeks or so of that time frame, I usually have those breaks. And my podcast doesn't have any themes or true story arcs to justify, like, an actual season. So some people might call it a series, where you do a certain amount, maybe have a broad theme around it for a number of episodes, and then you take a break. I could more broadly associate with that, like a series versus seasons, but technicality rather doesn't matter what you call it. But in my mind, listeners are still going to listen as long as they understand what the cadence or frequency is. You don't ghost them. You let them know on the last episode before there is a break. 

So a lot of my listeners know that I will take a break during my winter and my summer because we're all doing things during that time of year, and I need the break, and I need to spend time with my family so they'll know. Right? You know, right? Okay. So we're gonna take a look now at what you can do to shift it back to that fun piece I was mentioning earlier. There's no one way or one right answer to have fun, right? Everybody has fun in their own way. But I just want you to consider that breaks are totally okay. 

In fact, they are needed. I know in the world of content and fear of missing out, you feel some outside pressure to continually create. Maybe it's just our society, but really, you don't have to. Like I said, I do it for my sanity. I do it for my family. The breaks come first. You schedule that in. You know, we might think we have to do weekly episodes, but we don't. So unless you are a big celebrity podcast with a big advertising revenue behind you, who says you need to have weekly content? We don't. That's not the podcast that we're creating. In fact, it's because of advertising that we have sort of this unspoken rule about content creation. But in podcasting, that kind of goes against that traditional idea, the traditional broadcast idea with advertisers, right. That you are, as a podcaster, are not tied to any fixed schedule, that you are not beholden to any advertisers that way. And yet, yet, even if you are, you do have advertisers. Can you incorporate these ads into your new reimagined schedule? 

So do you want to do sprints? Maybe you batch record on a whole new, different level, right? There are lots of options that you can still do a bunch of recording, but then being able to edit, and schedule, and have them out there so you don't just have a whole bunch of recordings and nothing ever gets done with it, right? Because after you record, there's still lots to do in that process to get that podcast out there. 

So lots of options, lots of things to think about and mull over. So I'd love to hear your ideas. What is working for you? Or if you're in a season of overwhelm, what's stopping you from, well, stopping, right? I want to know. You can send me a voice note from my website, VisibleVoicePodcast.com or you can also email me as usual, [email protected] I know right now I am just figuring out my last few episodes before I go on my summer break. Oh, my gosh, I can't believe I'm already thinking about a summer break. But that's what you got to do when you're planning in advance. You were recording this maybe a few weeks ahead of time because you want to get to that break. 

So do you have the capacity to do that? I'd love to know. What are you doing with your podcast to build in those breaks.

[MUSIC IN]

On the next episode? Next time, we're going to hear from someone who wanted to create a space for affirming, learning and healing, so she turned to a podcast. I'm going to be in conversation with Chid Suzan, founder of the award winning, But What Do I Know podcast where she merges her love for community building and development with her passion for storytelling and facilitating conversations. She's got a fantastic podcasting journey story to share with you, so you're gonna learn a lot from her. So chat with you then.

[MUSIC ENDS]

>

MARY: Thank you so much for listening to the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you’d share it with a podcasting friend. And to reveal more voicing and podcasting tips, click on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com. Until next time.

>

[MUSIC ENDS]

How are you using or avoiding artificial intelligence in your podcast? AI is a shiny new offering with loads of possibilities, but a lot of people are also understandably threatened by its wide-reaching and ever-growing abilities. On today’s episode, Mary connects with Amanda Cupido, an adjunct professor, TEDx speaker, podcast producer, and author of the book “Let’s Talk Podcasting.”

Amanda has her finger firmly on the pulse of all things new in the world of podcasts, and she shares her deeply researched insights on the pros and cons of welcoming generative AI into our shows—just how wide should we be opening that door?

From concern around the inherent biases of AI outputs to the tool’s potential to build the confidence of new voices in audio, Amanda’s hot takes might just change the way you incorporate artificial intelligence into your podcast.

Learn to navigate generative AI from a 100% human expert:

• How we can maintain the human touch in AI-assisted creations,
• The struggle to stay transparent about our use of AI,
• What to take away and leave behind from popular celebrity podcasts,
• What other big changes are making waves in the podcasting world today.

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Suno AI music-making tool - https://www.suno.com
• Boardy AI networking tool - https://www.boardy.ai/
• ChatGPT - https://chatgpt.com/
• DeepSeek AI - https://deepseek.ai/
• Start With Why by Simon Sinek - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA
• Episode 79, Making Accessibility Possible in Podcasting with Joel McKinnon - https://www.organizedsound.ca/making-accessibility-possible-in-podcasting-with-joel-mckinnon-episode-79/ 

Engage with Amanda Cupido:

• Find out more about Amanda’s work - https://www.amandacupido.com/
• Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandacupido/
• Order a copy of “Let’s Talk Podcasting” - https://www.letstalkpodcasting.com/
• Get the kid’s version - “Let’s Talk Podcasting for Kids” - https://www.letstalkpodcastingforkids.com/
• Work with Lead Podcasting - https://www.leadpodcasting.com/
• Listen to Amanda’s TEDx talk, “Why Audio Storytelling is the backbone of humanity” - https://youtu.be/srh0mdmmQoo

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL “LET’S GO” BEGINS]

MARY: AI, artificial intelligence. People love it or they're afraid of it. On one hand it's this shiny new object, people flock to it. It's been helping us write better, maybe give us ideas and do that basic level of tasks that sometimes we don't want to do. But then on the other hand, it's the thought of robots taking over the world, making decisions that might be wrong, or even, gasp, replacing actual humans. 

So yes, I too all those fears and the shiny new object syndrome more so the fears though. So I haven't really been jumping on the AI bandwagon. And yet when I look at the nitty gritty side of things that I do, a lot of it is AI involved. You know, there's a lot of automations and workflows that are just always happening in the background for me. So why are we so scared? Amanda Cupdio tells us that it's the generative AI that has us all fearful. The generative part, that's the AI that's gotten very, very good lately. So I wanted to know more about it to A, calm my fears, but also my curiosity to it for the whole side of podcasting. 

Amanda came into my world through a mutual podcasting friend shout out to Aaron Johnson. Not only is Amanda an award winning podcast producer, TEDx speaker, and an entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Lead Podcasting, Amanda is also the author of the Amazon number one bestseller Let's Talk Podcasting: The Essential Guide To Doing It Right and now a kids' version of that book too. And if all of that wasn't enough to keep her busy, to top it all off, she's helping the next generation of podcasters as an adjunct professor to redefine the radio courses at both Seneca Polytechnic and Toronto Metropolitan University. 

To top it all off yet again is also teaching a new generative AI course at Seneca, which is the thing that piqued my interest and why I really wanted to get her thoughts on how AI can be good for podcasting, so that we're not so afraid of what's to come. I also have such a love for her because we both are former radio people and she was the first woman to be a program director at a talk radio station in Toronto. Which really blows my mind because Toronto is the biggest market in Canada and this milestone is actually relatively new in our recent history, so how is that still possible? But kudos to her. Congrats on that one. 

Okay, back to the topic at hand. Whether you are using AI or not in your podcast, in your podcast workflow, in the creation of your show, you are really going to enjoy this chat because, like I said, AI is a part of our podcasting world. So we need to be aware of how it's impacting our space and what unfolds for the industry itself and for the next generation of podcasters. 

This is episode number 95 with Amanda Cupido on The Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. 

>

Amanda, thank you so much for taking time out of your, 

[MUSIC ENDS]

You're so busy, you've got so much going on to talk with little ol’ me here.

AMANDA: Thank you. It's a true pleasure. Happy to be here.

MARY: One of the things that you're so busy with is this new class at Seneca Polytechnic… 

AMANDA: Yep.

MARY: …out in your east coast, Ontario, from me, West Coast, BC.

AMANDA: Yes.

MARY: Brand new class, Generative AI for Communicators.

AMANDA: That's it, Yes.

MARY: I was like, whoa, what is this? 

AMANDA: Yeah.

MARY: So, you know, I'm, I'm not a big AI fan. I'm still a little afraid of it. But when you think more about it, it's like, you know, back in the day when I remember when I was in high school, teachers were like, don't use your calculator. No calculators in math class.

AMANDA: [LAUGHTER] Yep.

MARY: And now look at us, right? So I feel like AI is similar to that so broadly. Tell us, especially for us who are fearing that AI, what is this class all about and why is it so important right now?

AMANDA: Well, the class is brand new and it's part of also a brand new program. So it's, it's all just spanking new. [LAUGHTER] It's a bachelor's program from Seneca for Communications Management. And they're teaching the students in general in this program about storytelling, content creation, communication strategies for corporate communication, strategies for individuals, brand building, personal thought, leadership development, right? So it's trying to paint this picture of like, what that, that whole, where this fits into the bigger picture of the, of the actual degree they're earning. 

And this course comes now in, and this is the first cohort of students coming through this new program. So this is why it's all. I love this stuff. This excites me. I like, you know, building and testing and just experimenting. And so I am using AI in my podcast production company, Lead Podcasting, and I also have a certificate from the University of Oxford. And so they reached out to me with the opportunity to bring this class to life, which was great. And so I'm also just responding to where the students are at. And so from a high level, the class is teaching really practical use cases, as the name says, to use AI for communications and that can be with more formal comms plans for corporate, but also as a freelancer who's maybe trying to get a gig as a copywriter. 

And so it really ranges and we'll do different case studies. I brought in guest speakers. We've also been just following the news in general and talking about that. So one interesting thing that I was surprised by, I was getting ready, these are, you know, early 20s, the students in the class are in their early 20s and, I was ready for them to teach me too. I was ready. No, but they were really open to learning. They, a lot of them had not experimented with AI at all. 

Some of them just truly had not even touched ChatGPT. Some had said, oh, they've used ChatGPT and that's it. Have not experimented with a single other thing. And I was shocked by that. I was expecting the younger generation to be all over this and, uh, telling me what apps they were using, but which I think, you know, for no matter what your age, just goes to show we're all in this together. I'm trying to figure this out. There's no advantage for anybody. We could all just dive in, even just me. I personally experiment with things and then I bring it into the classroom. So it is really evolving. 

But some of the programs we're using, if you're curious and you want to do some experimenting, we've used Suno to create songs and in that use case for, in a comms plan, you know, a custom song for a presentation or an anthem for a campaign. And Suno, you could like put in your own lyrics or have it generate lyrics for you. You pick the genre, the voice and then it like creates a song for you. So that's one app and one in class activity that we just did and shared our songs. And then we're also doing. We used Boardy AI. I don't know if you've heard of this, but this is, uh, an app that is an AI generated voice that will call you and you have a conversation. So first off, it's really interesting just to be chatting with an AI agent…

MARY: Yeah.

AMANDA: …and so this was like day one of my class, I called and we like had the whole class listen into me talking with this AI agent. Cool. A great intro, right? And then I gave them the number so they could all have their own calls if they wanted. And essentially this agent tries to network for you and says, you know, we're a more global community. Work has become more globalized and going to networking events just doesn't cut it anymore. So you have a chat with me and then I look in my network of all the other people I've chatted to, and I see who might be a good fit for you to meet and you get to share what you're looking for. 

And for students, it was great because they're all looking to network. They're trying to break into an industry. And so, yeah, that was really awesome to hear some students who on their own time did the call and it like went down a networking path with that agent. So there's a lot of experimenting and case studies like this. But on the other side, we're also getting really granular and looking at privacy policies line by line ethics. What do you think? You know, we're, we're getting into the, to the other side too. So it's, we're trying to have a very balanced approach of excitement and caution, you know so yeah…

MARY: Yeah.

AMANDA: …it's very interesting. Yeah, it's fun.

MARY: I know that the other day I saw, you know, Google Gemini doing that AI agent type thing that you were talking about. It's how you can in real time talk to them and figure out what it is that you, you know, you're googling or whatnot or like if you're cooking something and like, should I be doing this temperature or should I fry or should I whatever. And it would help support you in that. And that's kind of interesting because it means that it's coming to the everyday user, so it's not going to be as scary anymore. 

However, I do have a big ethics question which you lightly touched on there. You know, there is a huge bias of AI who don't see outside of that normative, white, patriarchal ecosystem that we live in. You know, AI generates voices that may sound like the person. Like if you get it to learn your voice, it learns your pitch, your frequency, pacing. But, what about for like people who are second language learners or those who are just podcasting as a passion and it's not meant to sound polished and, you know, corporate at all. What about that side of things?

AMANDA: I think there's two parts to this answer. The first one is about the bias. And what I say to that is that is, just a reflection of humanity. AI, we built AI. So unfortunately it's pulling from things that we've also created as humanity and the biases that are showing up are the biases that exist in our world. So I think it feels scary because it's being reflected back to us so blatantly… 

MARY: Mhmm.

AMANDA: …but it's all already here. This is our world. So I, and, and the biases are going to change. Like, I think it's going to be interesting as users experiment. The biases will change depending where we are in the world. And the AI agents will be trained and learn biases in local contexts, right? Where if you're in Afghanistan, unfortunately, there are brides that are 11 years old. And so if you ask an AI that's been trained over there to generate the image of a bride, you might get a gal that looks really young… 

MARY: Right.

AMANDA: …And that's just because of the images it's sourcing from the users there. So we have to just recognize, you know, our role in all of this. And the, the optimist in me is like, maybe when it's so starkly reflected back to us, maybe actually we'll be challenged to be better as a, as a human race.

MARY: So should it be like we need to use AI more just so it can learn about the diverse population?

AMANDA: Yeah, I, that's how I look at it. I say, I'm going to learn it, I'm going to teach it, I'm going to teach this thing, I'm going to tell it. I don't want a white man being representative of a CEO, when I put it… 

MARY: Yes. 

AMANDA: …right, a CEO. And so I can prompt that and then it's learning from me. And I think we have this opportunity to, to make it better and change some of the, you know, there's so much data out there that would take so long to replicate and over surpass from a content creation perspective. But if we could, with prompts, start shifting the narrative, it'll learn faster from prompts than from, you know, and you can tell it, don't use database, use my prompts, right? And you can just guide it to being better. So I think there is a, there is a silver lining to this. Not to say it's not, it's not going to be perfect. It's going to take time. 

And that kind of answers your second part of your original question, which was, you know, what about the real and raw authentic elements and how do we not make it so, you know, slickly polished when that's not what we want? And that's going to be part of, I mean, that's the human touch that you can add in or tell it to not alter. There's going to be opportunities for hybrid approaches to content creation which we can. 

MARY: What do you mean by hybrid?

AMANDA: Like, let's say somebody wants to make a podcast and they're, I don't know, 12 or 13. They're a young teen who doesn't even know really who their group of friends is yet. They're trying to figure themselves out and they don't really have a community of people they could invite onto their podcast. Maybe they could have a podcast with an AI agent that builds their confidence, makes them love their voice, feels more comfortable in conversation and interviewing, and then it's half human, half AI agent, and then eventually they develop into doing a full fledged one with two humans. But, like they're able to start in this hybrid format.

MARY: Oh, I see what you mean. Yeah. It's like this playing in the sandbox. It's not going to be full on, like public consumption. People are going to judge you. It's a very safe space.

AMANDA: It can be. And then you have to be careful and you have to understand what apps you're using and what the privacy policies of those apps are. One of the things I do in my classes, like, we actually pull up the privacy policy and start reading line by line, because we know that nobody reads the fine print.

MARY: Yes. [LAUGHTER]

AMANDA: And so I'm like, let's read it together. And then we actually. So we took the fine print from Deep Seek, which was an AI agent developed out of China, but we put it into ChatGPT to say, what are the privacy concerns that you see in Deep Seek? Right. Like, that was an interesting experiment. So you could use AI against itself. 

MARY: Yeah.

AMANDA: Yeah, it was neat. So anyway, I do think that there, it's going to be this, this moment of, of the wild, wild west where we're all just trying to figure it out. And also we have to recognise that there's a social acceptance around it all too. So, if you look in a lot of countries overseas, like in Korea, they have celebrities already, influencers, singers that are completely AI generated and people are following them on Instagram, showing up to their concerts. And there's fandom, there's true fandom around it. We in North America are not there yet. Like, we…

MARY: Not even close.

AMANDA: …not even close. But I think we'll get there. It's just going to take, it's going to be slower and there's going to be some bumps along the way. But so some of this voice stuff, you know, I don't think people are ready right now to fully sign on and like pay a patreon of a, of an AI generated closed situation. Like they're just not interested in that. But I do think over time that will change. 

And I think what the first step will be not from content in general, because where people are very particular with their content, but it'll come in the form of like, health care, for instance, you know, everyone right now, or not everyone, and people in North America for the majority. I think if you ask them, would you like to see an AI agent doctor or a human doctor…

MARY: Human.

AMANDA: …they are going to choose human. Yeah. But when the moment comes that they say, hey, human doctor has an 80% chance of diagnosing you correctly and an agent has a 99% chance of diagnosing you correctly, which one would you like to see? In the triage unit of ER, people are going to start opting for AI agent just because of the stats. We won't be able to compete as humans. And so, once that happens, it's going to create the first step in trusting AI agents. And then with that will, will be a ripple effect that, that then, at some point down the line content will, then people will start opting for the content too.

MARY: What about like, you're talking about, you know, that medical example. I get it. But then what about specifically for podcasting? Like, I had a discovery call with a potential new client and we were talking about his show. He already has an established show. And then I was like, oh, you, you also have some, you know, random solo episodes. And to me I was like, they didn't sound as that same energy that you had. And he was like, he was so excited. He was like, oh, that's because they were AI generated. Oh, I, I signed up for this program, it learned my voice and I can just create these short solo episodes with AI generated voice. And I was like, ooh, red flag, red flag. I. And I get why he chose that route and why he did it, but again, part of that society adopting into it. How do we remain transparent about the use of AI voice for podcasting specific so that we don't feel like we're tricking the listener for that shock that, oh, no, that, that wasn't human. Oh my gosh. I believed what he was saying and it wasn't even human.

AMANDA: Yeah, it's scary, isn't it?

MARY: Yeah.

AMANDA: Right now, I think it's very important to be upfront because people are nervous about it. He's experimenting, so great. I'm happy for him. But we do have to label things really clearly because there is this nervousness around it. We have done some hybrid shows with AI voices at Lead Podcasting and we label and we put a disclaimer. We label it really clearly and we're using it for translation purposes, but that just helps with accessibility. 

But right now there's. There's just a lot of questioning. We're not able to tell. And this is a lack of regulation and best practices. So we're all just figuring it out. Maybe in the future there's going to just be some ding that you hear the ding, you know there's an AI voice in there and that's it. You're not going to.

MARY: Right.

AMANDA: Like we're going to figure something out that is the signal or that we're going to just know, or it's like a little percentage sign that shows up beside your podcast on Apple and it's going to just tell you or whatever. So, like, we're going to have. We're going to. We're going to know, but right now we don't know how to know, so we have to just say it. [LAUGHTER] And as it continues to evolve and some of these, even, like the tech, the tech creators themselves might iterate and enable features that help with that transparency piece. So I think it's just coming. We just haven't. We're all just trying to figure it out right now.

MARY: Yeah… 

AMANDA: Yeah. 

MARY: …and there's also, like, the things that we might not have realised in the podcasting world that we have been using AI anyway. 

AMANDA: Yes. 

MARY: Like, when I really thought about it, I was like, oh, no, wait, you know, like the automatic transcription, the audiograms we make, the video captions, the creating the clips, the teaser clips. These are already things that were using that podcasters might not realise is all AI driven. So…

AMANDA: Yes.

MARY: …it's there.

AMANDA: It's there. I mean, and this comes down to the definition, like AI. Artificial Intelligence is, yeah, everywhere. It's generative AI that has suddenly gotten very good.

MARY: Mmm.

AMANDA: So generative being that it can create and spit out a deliverable and engage with you in a very human, like, way. And that has come down to, like, if you really want to peel it all back, is this. It's not that we didn't have the idea or the concept of how to make this happen, it's that we, we didn't have the computing power to make it happen. 

And the computing power has now become a reality. And so that's why Geoffrey Hinton, who now is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and seen as the godfather of deep learning, which is the core of generative AI, you know, he knew this was all possible, but he just couldn't figure out the computing power, piece, the computing. So he was, you know, it's interesting that in, in the 80s, he was talking about all of this and generative AI, this concept, it being a reality. And he was laughed out of academic settings because it just seemed so impossible from a computing standpoint. But here we are. So I'm actually happy for him that he got to see it in his lifetime. 

MARY: That’s true. 

AMANDA: But I also think he's quite scared now. He's like the one that's dialling it all back, being like, I regret it. So. But it's a lot. It's a lot. He's been talking, he's been researching this for decades.

MARY: Yeah. And that scary part is what I think we're all afraid of the unknown. So then how do we use AI for good? What's the good thing?

AMANDA: I mean, if, if humanity is good, which is. [LAUGHTER] And then we cue the nervous laughter because it's scary and we can't, we don't know. And, and it is a reflection of ourselves. And there are all these theories of how do you put, you know, parameters around what you build in order for it to never go rogue. But there's always loopholes. And so even as we were trying to, in my University of Oxford class, pick apart some of the rules you could put in place. It's hard even just as something as like, all right, a robot could never kill a human. Just. No, no killing allowed. But then what if the agent is your personal, you know, you're thinking about, of like a personal assistant that lives with you or something? This, this robot. But what if also its directive is to keep you safe and then a burglar comes in and shooting at you and then like, you do want the robot to shoot that. 

So there's just all these nuances. It's very, very hard to make loophole rules. So, yeah. Is there a chance that things are going to go wrong? Especially in this next, like, decade? For sure, it's probably going to be like, in my head, I think there's going to be a messy middle where, like, big mistakes are going to happen. People will die just, just even out of error. But it will ultimately, to a better society, I think we would get over that hump. And it will be. For it will ultimately be good. And I don't think people will lose their lives. 

You know, like, it might feel like it's in jest, but in the reality is, in life, people lose their lives from silly mistakes all the time. And this is just going to be part of that. So I don't think there's like, some major apocalyptic moment coming, but I do think there might be some. Some scary stories that emerge because of errors and learning. The learning that has to happen on the AI agents side and our side.

MARY: Yes. Yeah. The humanity side of it all.

AMANDA: Yeah.

MARY: Okay. Our science fiction dreams are coming true.

AMANDA: Yeah. In short. Yes.

MARY: Well, let's not keep going down this dark, scary path. Let's switch to, like, podcast specific…

AMANDA: Yeah. 

MARY: …broadly for the podcasting industry. You know, you are the author of Let's Talk Podcasting, which recently has an updated second edition. Congratulations for that one. And I always say, yeah, podcasting changes so quickly. There's things that's happening all the time. And so I was happy to see an updated version. But, I bet even since that's been published, like, what are some of the things that. Even now that the second edition is out.

AMANDA: Oh my gosh. 

MARY: Aside from the AI stuff we just talked about, what. What else has been new since then?

AMANDA: I purposely did not go deep on the AI in this book because I knew it would just change in two seconds. So I do a I just do a quick overview, but I don't go deep on app specifics. One thing that's a fun fact is that I was about to go to print, like, truly a day away. And Chartable announces they’re sun setting.

MARY: Oh, yes.

AMANDA: I had the chance to go in and delete, backspace. That got updated right in the nick of time. So as far as I know, nothing in the book is. Has been outdated just yet. Thank goodness. But it did. It was interesting to go back to look at my. The first edition came out in 2018. I started writing the first edition in 2016. So you can imagine. Yeah, like, this was feels and it's like some things I didn't even remember existed in the podcast space that I were in this book. And I went, oh, my gosh. If you want a little trip down memory lane, like, you try to get that 2018 version, it's funny to just compare it. 

But, you know, some of the best practices, obviously, are still the same. So there was. There's definitely elements that I've learned more and I integrated more anecdotes just from my own life of how I brought some of those best practices to fruition. But in, as far as technology goes, yes, I think there's a huge push around the AI and the apps that are coming out and their abilities and how good they are. So right now we use Eleven Labs for the voice generated stuff at Lead Podcasting and who knows, like I think that one's really respected right now in the industry. But that could change in two seconds. 

Everyone's, it's like a little race of who's iterating the fastest, who's serving the users the most. I think video podcasting in general is a very interesting trend to track and I'm a big audio first person. I know you are too. Yeah, I mean we're on clean feed right now, so but this is so, you know, we don't, we. This was how it all really began and so it's like the audio purist. But I don't, I don't negate all of the brilliant work that's been done in the video podcast space. I'm just mindful that people talk about podcasting as a trend. I don't think the medium is a bubble that's going to burst, but I do think the video aspect of it is, it is a little bit more bubble-esque, so to say. 

Like, this trend of having two people sitting and like with a Shure microphone on the, on a big stand, like that imagery with it and then the thumbnail with the cutout and like three big words with one of them highlighted. Like we could all imagine this visual like that is of its time. And I think in 10 years we'll look back and be like, that was so 2025, you know?

MARY: Cringe moment. 

AMANDA: Yeah, it'll be like, oh, cute. That's what they were doing. And it won't, that, that won't last forever, but it will iterate in some way. And I'm sure there will always be some form of video podcast, but I just don't think it's gonna like look and feel and sound the way it is right now. And so I barely talked about video podcasts in the first edition. I did a whole thing on it in this edition. So that's an example of one, you know, emerging trend that's really changed since then that I, and that I foresee will continue to evolve.

MARY: Yeah, it's very interesting to see everyone, well, the big names, the big players in the podcasting industry, you know, so for, you know, independent podcasters looking up their role models, it's usually gonna be those celebrity podcasts with a big team behind them like the Smartless or Julia Louise Dreyfus’ show or a lot of business people love Mel Robbins. You know, these are the leaders that every podcaster that is in that smaller independent space looks up to. 

But I feel like there's still a big difference when it comes to those type of shows versus the independent shows. You know, we're doing this as a passion project or we're solopreneurs and using it as a marketing piece. So what is the biggest difference, though, that you see that these independent podcasters need to do and not emulate from the big celebrity shows?

AMANDA: Yeah, I think it's being realistic with yourself and your expectations and your goals. And I think those celebrity shows are nice to draw inspiration from, to get you excited from the medium, but they have teams of 35 people behind them. They have a celebrity name going into it that's going to have a baked in audience. And these are things that are not always as easy to come by when you are an independent. 

And so, you know, I say in the book, if you are looking to just how do I write an intro? How do I write a closing? You could kind of mimic the pacing and this number of sentences and the kinds of words that are used from those big players. I think I encourage that, you know, mimic that, that cadence. People like it, you like it. So sure. But when it comes to growth goals or even production standards, I even talk about, like, I kind of made up these definitions because I didn't know how else to put words to it. But the difference between a cleanup edit and a content edit is a big deal, and it's gonna make your podcast sound very different. 

So a cleanup being. We're just cleaning it up. You know, you sneeze halfway through, we're gonna take it out. Yeah, you stumbles for 10 seconds straight. We'll tighten that up. And we're putting some music and it's basically as we say in radio, live to tape. You're doing it and you know the whole thing is gonna go out. So some of these celebrity podcasters do that. Like Joe Rogan, for sure. There's no editing. You could tell. And he's found success in that he doesn't even take out the sneezes. It's really live to tape with him and, but that, you know, and that's gonna create a certain sound. But not everybody could pull that off and have a three hour podcast and like measure themselves up against that. 

MARY: Yeah.

AMANDA: And then also recognizing ones like, Wiser Than Me with Julia, as you mentioned, like, she as a whole team. And I can only imagine that they're doing content edits where maybe that interview was actually two hours long. They've rearranged it. They've done pickups, they've taken out large chunks, and then the final episodes, 45 minutes. And it's only the best stuff. So I find number one, recognizing, hey, what am I listening to? And what am I expecting of myself? So some people are listening to these content edit shows and being like, okay, so I want to sound like that. And that's not even realistic. They don't even sound like that. That is so much work. So don't try to measure yourself to that standard. 

And then recognizing, okay, I'm going to do a cleanup edit or we're just going to live to tape and I'm going to be famous like, like Joe Rogan. And that's also not, you know, realistic, because not everyone can get away with an unproduced podcast like that and see that kind of success. So just, like, recognizing the production, have a critical ear, and then setting goals for yourself, like, what are you truly trying to accomplish? And this is what I ask a lot of people who are wanting to start, like, are you just wanting to tell your story and get it out in the world? Are you trying to hit number one on Apple? Is that, like, really, is that why you're doing this? Trying make money? Is this part of a business thing? Then the way your show's formatted, the way you go about it, the way you invest in it, it changes. So you really have to be clear on the why. And I mean, Start With Why by Simon Sinek is a very powerful TED Talk. So watch that first, and then you could, like, use that to help inspire the why of your show.

MARY: Yeah, that is such a great foundation. And it's also, you know, when we were talking about what's new, what's different, another new thing that you've done is create a kids' version of that book.

AMANDA: Yeah.

MARY: Which I was so excited to see because back in September 2020, my daughter was entering kindergarten. So, like, first school, you know, but pandemic… 

AMANDA: Yep.

MARY: …and her kindergarten teacher was wanting to create a classroom podcast. 

AMANDA: Oh that’s so cute!

MARY: So just, you know, for the kids, but also to include, you know, the caregivers. So I love seeing now that you've got this book that is for these kids in the young elementary school age. So why did you decide to go that route?

AMANDA: Yeah, so that's okay. So the book is a picture book, and it's a how to. It really is an explainer, and it's targeted for kids age 5 to 8. There are no introductory resources of this kind for kids that age to introduce them to podcasting as a medium. And so, I was like, it's, you know, once I started doing research and realising that, I was like, oh, my gosh, it's, I have to just. Just put this out in the universe. 

But how it all came to be, interestingly, was I was starting to get booked for podcasting workshops for Girl Guides, for summer camps and some classrooms, and this. The kids were so responsive. It was incredible. I played an episode of Case 63. If you don't know it, it's a Spotify original. Julianne Moore. It's sci fi. Really great. And the first episode's eight minutes. And I went, all right, I don't know, I'll start playing this. I'll just read the room, see how long they last. This was for a group of gals that were like 9 to 12. And all of these kids closed their eyes and listened to that entire eight minutes, audio only. And then it ends on a cliffhanger. 

[LAUGHER]

And they're like, no, what happened? They were so cute. And I was like, oh, my gosh, this is powerful. And then when I was writing the second edition of my book, so kind of all at the same time, it was over the summer, I did that summer camp. I'm writing the book, the second edition, and I just start updating all the stats. I'm literally just diving into the research that I hadn't gotten so granular with. I was. I was surprised to see the jumps in listenership for kids under 12. I went, oh, wow, wow, wow. This is huge. Disney's investing. Like, this is, this is big. And I don't have kids, so I didn't know anecdotally, but I knew anecdotally from my workshops. I knew from the research. I just thought, so while I was writing the second edition of the book, I went, I guess I'm writing a kid's book too. 

[LAUGHTER]

So it was the last second decision we wrote at the same time. As soon as the graphic designer was done the, was done the adult version of the book, I was like, next project right here. 

MARY: Gosh. 

AMANDA: And we pumped out the kids' version. So now, yeah, it's great to have out in the world.

MARY: I love that you're, like, supporting the next generation of podcasters as well.

AMANDA: I love that for them.

MARY: Yeah. And they, you know, for them, at least for my daughter, specifically, right? Because she's like, you know what, what do your parents do in class? Right. And my Daughter's like, my mom works in podcasting, you know, And I'm like, that's so cool. 

AMANDA: So cool.

MARY: And then when she's. She's at home and she's like, can I be on the podcast? I'm like, well, you can't be on this one… 

AMANDA: Oh that’s so sweet!

MARY: …but you can try and make your own? And then, you know, and I was like, you know what? You don't have to do, like, my version of a podcast. But you have an iPad.

AMANDA: Yeah.

MARY: It's got a microphone attached to it.

AMANDA: Yeah.

MARY: So just create something. And she started filming like, her, this was a few years ago during, I think it was still pandemic season. So, like, she was, she got all her stuffies and she created a stage. She drew a background behind it. 

AMANDA: Oh my gosh.

MARY: And she kept calling it the whole time. Oh, this is my podcast. In my mind, I'm like, that's not a podcast. But okay. [LAUGHTER]

AMANDA: Yes. Well, that's what's funny. Kids are using the word podcast very interestingly. 

MARY: Yes.

AMANDA: I noticed that it's like any video, any conversation is being referred to as a podcast, which I know us will be like, no, that's not correct. But also, they're the ones who are going to define what a podcast is.

MARY: Exactly.

AMANDA: So I guess that is. And we talk about that a little bit in the book. I say I actually have a line in there that says the definition of podcasting keeps changing.

MARY: Yeah.

AMANDA: So, because that. Who knows what it's going to be even five years from now, what people will be referring to when they use that word.

MARY: I know, exactly. So, yeah, when she was like, this is a podcast. I'm like, yes, yes, it is. You go have fun.

AMANDA: Oh, that's so sweet. Oh, my gosh. You have to record these moments also for your own self. I hope you get this down. It's so special.

MARY: Oh, so, yes. I love that you're, you know, talking about the next generation of podcasters for, like, the young kids, but also, like the whole next generation of podcasting with AI. 

AMANDA: Yeah. 

MARY: So there's so much changing. But in this very moment, as we are recording at the end of March 2025. What are you podcasting right now?

AMANDA: The kids stuff really excites me. It's a total divergence from everything I've done in my career. I've done corporate thought leaders, you know, and so, this kids book is the start for me, I think, of a whole other path that I'm excited to go down further. So that for sure, that's a whole, I have so many ideas. Like, I don't even know where to begin. I bought. You don't even know how many domains I went and just bought up... 

MARY: Love this! This is amazing.

AMANDA: …Idea, idea, idea. So I just. I'm trying to calm. Calm down. But I have a whole. Like, I'm very excited about that as a world. And, you know, I've spent my whole life creating podcasts for other people, and it's so, and I've hosted some, but they were never mine. Like, it was never really, really mine.

MARY: I know I was deep diving on you, and I'm like, I can't find your own podcast interesting.

AMANDA: It’s strange, I know. Well, and I always say, I mean, I have such joy in bringing other people’s to life and. And I spent so much time in radio where I got to talk a lot. Like, I'm okay, but, you know, I, but I, I do actually want to make my own. I want to do something that's like, again, you think about the why. Like, I want to do something that I just want to do as my own for my own personal self. So. Yeah, that's kind of, I'm excited about that idea too. Well, we got to just. We gotta wait. That'll be 2026 for sure. That's, we're not getting into that this year.

MARY: All right. I'm excited to, uh, go on all those multiple websites that you've.

AMANDA: Oh, my gosh. Yeah. I'm like a, I'm like a platinum member with Squarespace. They love me. Yeah. [LAUGHTER]

MARY: Amanda, this has been amazing. So much fun chatting with you, and I cannot, uh, wait to see what comes up next for you. And if you ever need, uh. Well, my daughter's nine now. If you need a 9, 10.

AMANDA: Okay.

MARY: Year old for anything, let me know.

AMANDA: I gotta start my talent scouting. So. Yeah, I'm gonna. I'm gonna ask for her demo, and we'll be in touch.

MARY: Yeah. Awesome.

AMANDA: Thanks, Mary. This was really fun.

[MUSIC IN]

MARY: Okay. Disclaimer. Well, okay, maybe this should have been at the top of the show, but after listening to that conversation, it felt like I needed a disclaimer that no AI voice was used in the making of this podcast. But I guess you would have guessed that, right? Yeah, I just. I needed to let you know, just because of the conversation that we just had about being transparent. So here we are. 

But as we were saying, I still use AI for certain tasks, like creating that initial transcript. It is AI generated, and then we as humans go through it to make those edits. And do things like spell last names correctly. Amanda's last name get spelled wrong all the time. So we do those things to make sure that we add that element of humanity to it. Because AI transcripts are just the words. But we like adding in a little bit of those emotional spots like, laughter, which happens a lot in this episode. You'll see it in the transcript. Laughter. It's those nuanced parts of the conversation that is all audio that never, ever gets picked up by AI generated transcripts. So we love adding that human touch. 

Podcasts as well when they're published out into the world. You might not know it, but because it is publicly available, some major tech companies have probably downloaded it to use in a language learning model without our direct consent. Things are happening. But I think what Amanda was getting at is that you can also be really amazing to learn from. Having that curiosity to see what the possibilities are to, as we were saying, do some good in the world. But there will be that messy middle, as she says, anything that we are learning and integrating into our lives, even if it's really small things like cooking or learning to drive, testing out a new device, a phone that you have, there's always a learning curve. And with generative AI, there's a learning curve too. But those can have a bigger impact when generative AI make mistakes. 

So it's going to take some learning and growing, but even that time frame is shrinking. The amount of knowledge that these models have now has grown exponentially in the last few years. So with more and more research and technology scaling this, maybe these mistakes won't be as costly as we might fear because we are learning at a bigger scale. Machines will be able to learn quickly from their mistakes, hopefully, and actually be useful and do that good in the world that we're hoping for, representing the diverse population that we have. Having the regular podcaster like you be represented in the ever changing AI landscape can hopefully represent who we all are instead of one type of person that these AI models are learning from. So don't be afraid to use it. Maybe I'm just saying that to ease my own fears. 

So tell me, are you using AI or even generative AI in your podcast? Does the AI voice scare you or are you experimenting with it? Let me know by leaving a voice note from my website, VisibleVoicePodcast.com or as always, an email is great too a [email protected] and I'm hoping that you will type out this email or voice it yourself and not have an AI do it. 

On the next episode, we're going to examine, examine what it's like to take a pause from your podcast. You know, the weather is getting warmer, people are re-evaluating things and what is important. And sometimes the podcast needs to take a little bit of a break or a backseat. So how do we restart or re-imagine your podcast if we're in a season of overwhelm in business, for example, what, what can you do to prep for this pause? Take a little summer vacation for yourself. What can it look like when you're back? We're going to figure out some of these things on the next episode, so I'll talk to you then. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

>

MARY: Thank you so much for listening to the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you’d share it with a podcasting friend. And to reveal more voicing and podcasting tips, click on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com. Until next time.

>

[MUSIC ENDS]

How can you take your guest episodes beyond a basic Q&A? When you think of a podcast, what comes to mind? If “a mic and two people talking” is your first thought, you’re in good company, but in this episode, Mary encourages you to expand that definition. Your show is about so much more than the interview. That one-time guest isn’t the person who keeps listeners coming back week after week—that’s you! So, how can you use strategic guest selection to leverage the values, interests, and timing of both the host and the listener?

When you bring on not just the most popular guest but the one who is truly the best fit, you gain a stronger episode, a more dedicated listener base, and a more cohesive show.

Get picky about your guest picks with these helpful tips:

• Why this month’s most sought-after podcast guest might not be the right choice for you
• Why platforms that match guests to podcasts aren’t ideal
• How your podcast values play into your guest selection every time
• How to tweak your publishing schedule to get the most out of every episode.

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Episode 62, How to Land Someone From Your Dream Guest List: https://www.organizedsound.ca/how-to-land-someone-from-your-dream-guest-list-episode-62/
• Episode 71, Celebrating with Values to Nourish Your Podcast: https://www.organizedsound.ca/celebrating-with-values-to-nourish-your-podcast-year-end-break-episode-71

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL “LET’S GO” BEGINS]

MARY: When you think of a podcast these days, what do you envision? Like, what is a podcast? Most people I talk to tend to say that if there's a microphone and there's two people talking, you've got a podcast. So, yes, that could be a good barometer. Like, a lot of the celebrity type podcasts are going that route. But podcasting is more than just interviews. 

I mean, this episode alone is a solo episode where there is no guest, but it still is a podcast. With the exceptional growth in podcasting since the pandemic, when we were all at home listening away, connecting to other humans through our earbuds and headphones, we've seen this interview style show get replicated over and over and over again. And I see the allure you want to emulate your favourite thought leaders. It's an easy route to get started, and we want to have a connection with someone. So an interview style show is definitely the way to go. 

However, what if we can make interview style shows better? What if it's more than just two people talking? On this episode, we're going to take a look at what we can be doing differently for our podcast and how being choosy about your guests will actually make a better show for you as the creator and for your listeners. 

This is episode number 94 on the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. 

>

Over the years, as I created my show, this very podcast, almost at 100 episodes, yay, I'm gonna get there. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

I've evolved based on my interests, capacity, and curiosity too, like wanting to experiment for myself and for my clients, using this podcast as a testing ground. Some of the things I did was change up my branding, my frequency, and even my format. So if you actually look back on the history of this very podcast, you'll see in my first year, I did only solo episodes every single week. And that was tough. It was a slog to get through, but it was my goal because I wanted to see what that felt like, to do an episode every single week, because that's what everybody was saying. You had to produce content every single week. And I'm glad I met that goal. But I totally knew that path was not for me. I am not a weekly content creator in that sense. Proud to have done it, but glad it didn't stick. 

And then when you look back, my second year, I went to rotating guest and solo episodes. That publishing every two weeks format, which I still have today. And it's a pace that really challenges me, yet gives me the pauses I need during the summer and winter and so, this every two weeks with the little mini breaks in between. I really fell into this and really loved this frequency and really loved what this gave me in terms of joy of creating the podcast, yet still something that I could do in my capacity with running my business. And still actually at that time when I was starting recovering a lot from my traumatic brain injury from my accident that I had and you know, having a family and life and all that stuff too. So that was great to figure out in my second year. 

My third year, I refreshed my branding to see what that impact was like, because like with all things, you know, things evolve and you want to change how things look a bit. So why not? Tried that out in my third year, which is still the branding that you see today. Year four, I was more particular about my guest choices. This is where I was experimenting more about this theme for this episode, about strategic interviews and how do I choose my guests and what does that really entail in the whole grand scheme of things and the value of my podcast and in the industry too. I started seeing trends towards guesting companies popping up like those matchmaker type things, and I wanted to see how those worked and why some guests were always not such a great match for your show. I really wanted to experience what that was like. 

And then that takes us to last year and now this year. Years five and six, I've gotten into a really good rhythm, at least from this recording, right? Like, I feel very in line with what I'm doing with my guests and making sure that the ones that I choose to come on the show are aligned with certain themes or my curiosities. And you know, your curiosities too, because you asked me questions about podcasting and sometimes those themes are very timely or sometimes they're just have been simmering in the background for a while and I've just been waiting for the right person to show up. 

My point is everyone grows and learns and so does your podcast. So looking at how you choose your guests can also change. And that is okay.

[MUSIC IN]

As I said earlier, many of the big name shows we want to emulate because we look up to them. They look like they're doing something right. Right? So if they're doing X, why can't we, they have success with guests on their show, so why can't we have guests as well? Many of the big name talk shows are big names because of the very fact that they have a talk show. An interview style podcast, of course, is very similar and in line with that same structure. You pretty much have your own talk show. 

But what many people don't realize is that those huge big name shows also have a huge team behind them, whether that's for the actual production and editing of the show or for things like guest coordination. And this is where my episode here is really landing. I'm getting tired of that guest coordination side of things on podcast episodes. On one hand, I get it, you are the star of your show. You don't have time to schedule guests for those big name talk shows. That makes sense. 

But on the other hand, it smells like they're only focused on the publicity cycle. You know, like A, these guests are an easy land as long as you talk about what they want to promote, that's the whole promotional publicity cycle. B, makes it easy for you to fill a spot on your publishing schedule. Nothing like some easy guests to have, right? And C, they are on all the other big name shows already, so they're doing a publicity circuit, the cycle or in the podcast world, usually it's a podcast book tour, instead of in person book tours. Podcast book tours are now a thing. 

This is the same when you think about actors who are promoting a new movie. All you see are the same actors, actors going on a different “Jimmy like” talk show, right? You get the same guests and sometimes the same stories. 

Now I know what you're thinking. I'm not a big time show. Yes, I might want to try and emulate some things, but I'm still an independent podcaster, so I don't have this problem. You know, we're not going to get a listers on our show, right? In an ideal world, I'd love to have them, but they're probably not going to come on my show. I can still dream, but in reality, let's bring it back down to reality. This can still relate. Think about this from a listener standpoint. 

If you are taking people who are releasing a book, are they doing their own podcast book tour that you might not know about? So, from a listener standpoint, if you are hearing and seeing the same guests on all your favourite shows, yes, sure, they might tell different stories, but mostly they are all doing the same tour cycle. That means the same messaging. They're going to talk about their book. So why should I, as a listener, tune into your show instead of my favourite show that already has that guest on? I may not necessarily actually want to listen to a new show when this guest has already been on my most favourite show. 

Will having this bigger name guest do more for you than just say, like a download spike the day or week that that episode has been published? Will you actually bring in more listeners for your show on a longer term basis? My bet is no, because on that show you haven't enticed them to stay for other episodes. Because interview style shows are all about the guest, not the host. So as a host, what can you do differently and try and sway those listeners to stay? 

[MUSIC ENDS]

I mentioned earlier about using those platforms that match hosts with guests. While those are convenient, they don't provide very compelling content. Meaning sometimes it's just your standard questions. I mean sometimes they even come prepared with questions for you to ask. So it's just a ask, answer, ask answer. It's again, not very compelling. I would also dare to say that they actually require you to do more work because you don't know who they are. You're required to do more research coming up with those questions, spending hours of your time or someone you've hired, their time, if you're lucky enough to hire someone because you've got the funds for it, spending all that time doing that research and coming up with those questions and that journey and theme for that episode. 

So I would argue that if you were more choosy about which guests you wanted on your show up front, you'll have an easier time to come up with question and themes around the episode because you already have a natural curiosity about what you want to ask them. As I always say, it's the follow up questions that really brings out the best conversations. So you can't pre write or prep for that. That will naturally come to you because you've done the research on this guest and especially when you are curious about their topic. So how do you be more choosy? 

[MUSIC IN]

First, I want to touch back on your podcasting values to refresh yourself on that. I do have episode number 71, Celebrating With Values To Nourish Your Podcasts. Go back and listen to that one. In that episode, I do talk about one of my values, which is to have fun. My podcast has to be fun in order for me to make it. If it's not fun, I'm not doing it. And one of those things that I do to make it fun is to have system and processes. I know systems and processes might not sound like fun, but if I get bogged down by my system and processes, then it's not going to be fun. See what I mean? So, I focus more of my time on the fun stuff when I have my systems and processes in place. 

So before making any decisions on who will be your guest. I always ask myself, will this be fun? Because that's my value. Does this person sound fun, or fun meaning passionate? Fun doesn't always have to mean, like, laughter and parties. Are they passionate about their subject? When you listen to them on other podcasts, you'll find out you'll hear that passion in their voice. Second question would be, would you actually want to be in a physical room with them for over an hour? You know, think about, like, networking, where you have to saddle up to a stranger and like, talk about, hi, this is what I do, who are you? In that room would you want to hang out with them for about an hour? If you answer no to any of those two questions, then the guest is not worth it. At least for me and my values. Right? 

So for your show, which value does this guest bring out? What makes them intriguing to be on your show? What will your ideal listener learn from them? That last question actually is quite vital because everything you do needs to be focused on your listener. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

The next thing, actually I allude to this in episode 62, How To Land Someone From Your Dream Guest List is the why? Why do you even want them on your show? This why has to be part of your values. So this why, for me, has to be fun. You'll need to know this why, so that A, you can figure out if it's in alignment with your show, your values, and your ideal listener. B, have that why ready to share with your email invite to your guest if that's part of your workflow, and C, so that it's part of your show prep. 

You're already doing the heavy lifting of research and coming up with questions when you're searching out for that ideal guest, right? You're being choosy when you're doing your research. So it's not like you pick your guest and then you do your research. No, you're already doing your research when you're trying to figure out if you want this guest on your show or not. So you're doing like, two birds, one stone type of deal. 

So by the time you actually invite the guests, I already have a list of questions or themes that I want answered even before they have said yes. So it can go both ways. You can either come up with questions and the theme first to land a guest, or you can hear about a guest and then start doing your research and having your curiosity piqued to write down those questions and then see if you want them on your show. 

[MUSIC IN]

The last thing we'll talk about is around scheduling and publishing the episode. Is there a date that would maximize this conversation? Now, most of the time for interviews, if they're doing the publicity tour, they're going to request that the episode gets published around the publishing date of their book. So when you think about that talk show circuit or the podcast book tours, that's what their publicists are hoping that you will do. This is because they're hoping when they hear about the book on your podcast from the guest that they want to immediately go out and buy it and then it will be available.

Plus there will be a spike in sales because all the episodes are being published that week. But is this really going to maximize the conversation? Like I was saying before, everyone's going to hear the same stuff on all the shows. So what if you publish before the book gets released? More and more authors I've seen talk about pre-sales I don't know how many times in my email inbox. Authors are talking about how pre-sales are really important to signal to the publisher that the book is valuable. This creates momentum for the author, you know, things like that. 

So why not pre-sale talk before the book is out? Doing the publicity tour essentially, but a lot sooner so it's not all bombarded at the same time. You're creating a conversation that probably hasn't happened yet on other shows. This could be months in advance. I've seen authors newsletters talk about pre-sales for months before the book is out. So why can't this be done on podcasts too? And you create this really unique opportunity for you and for the author. 

The strategy of course will only last until all the talk shows and interview style podcasts pick up on it. And they'll all start doing it too. But if you're allowed to, I would go that route because it creates uniqueness for your show. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

So how can you reimagine interviews for your podcast? Let me know where can you make room for improvement? If you've been doing the same thing day in and day out for your interview style podcast or your interview style episodes like I have, it's not a total makeover, but what you can tweak to improve your process, your flow and your podcast in general, I would love to know. 

So definitely send me a voice note on my website VisibleVoicePodcast.com email is also lovely, [email protected] I'd love to hear your thoughts on, uh, things you want to tweak or what you learned from this episode. So what are you going to evaluate on your show for your interviews? Are you already incorporating guests on your show? And if you do, how are you going to utilize their appearance to make your show better? 

[MUSIC IN]

On the next episode, we're going to dive a little bit into the celebrity podcast stuff that we're talking about, because we're going to learn from Amanda Cupido, who is an amazing legendary podcaster and legendary in the radio space too. That's how we were mostly connecting. We're like, oh, my gosh, radio, you and me and in Canada and a woman. Don't know if those things are so rare, but it feels like it's so rare. 

But mostly, Amanda and I, you'll love this. We will actually chat about generative AI and how that impacts your podcast currently and for the future of podcasting. Is it scary? Is it not scary? And how hopefully you can use AI for good. She actually teaches about this in Ontario, and so she's a wealth of information. You're gonna love her. Tune into that next time. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

>

MARY: Thank you so much for listening to the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you share it with a podcasting friend. And to reveal more voicing and podcasting tips, click on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com. Until next time.

>

[MUSIC ENDS]

What’s the right way to go about being a guest on other podcasts? When’s the last time you went on another show as a guest? As a podcast host, it’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day requirements of running a podcast. After all, you’re expected to find guests, record episodes, edit episodes, post everything online, and find fresh ways to get the word out.

Here’s the good news: being a guest on other podcasts is an excellent way to market your own show. Need more convincing? In this episode, we spell out the benefits with Julie Fry, the CEO of Your Expert Guest. Julie and her team are dedicated to finding their clients opportunities to be podcast guests. Turns out, there are plenty of reasons for podcast hosts to moonlight as guests, from positive impacts on your mission and messaging to growing your mailing list. Julie is brimming with tips for streamlining your pitch and plan, highlighting your call to action, and building lasting relationships with hosts and audiences alike.

Guest better (or better yet, start guesting) with Julie’s practical, insightful suggestions:

• Why you need to nail down your guest goals before you dive in
• What really works to get your target host’s attention
• Why you need to purge your pitch of “I” statements
• Key steps for the post-interview follow-up.

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• The Podcast Host, “Podcast Guests are Secretly Paying $50,000 to Go on Shows”: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/business-of-podcasting/podcast-advertorial-secrets/
• The Canadian Code of Advertising Standards, “Influencer Marketing”: https://adstandards.ca/resources/influencer-marketing/
• Competition Bureau of Canada, “Deceptive Marketing Practices”: https://competition-bureau.canada.ca/en/deceptive-marketing-practices
• Rephonic - https://rephonic.com/
• Listen Notes - https://www.listennotes.com
• Episode 69, Intangible Values of a Podcast, “What It Means For Stats, Metrics, and Monetization”: https://www.organizedsound.ca/intangible-values-of-a-podcast-what-it-means-for-stats-metrics-and-monetization-episode-69/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL “LET’S GO” BEGINS]

MARY: How do you figure out what success looks like when you're a guest on another podcast? What is that return on investment of your time? You know, a lot of people might think, is it really worth it, or is it something I can really do? Is that possible? Spoiler alert. Yes.

In this episode, we're going to talk all about that, but we're also going to focus on what's changing today in the podcast guesting landscape that can really affect you and your podcast. So in this episode, you're going to hear from Julie Frey, the Founder of Your Expert Guest, a podcast visibility agency for women making an impact who want to be heard by their ideal client without spending hours on social media. We're talking effortless visibility by using strategic podcast guesting to grow your own podcast. 

This is episode number 93 with Julie Fry on the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. 

>

MARY: Julie, thank you so much for coming on the show. I'm so glad we get to reconnect and have this time together.

[MUSIC ENDS] 

JULIE: Me too. Thank you so much, Mary. I'm really excited for this conversation.

MARY: Yes. Because I think there's a lot of, like, myths and things that people have just been doing because it's stuff that is kind of, like, secondhand now. They're like, oh, yeah, I'm a guest, or, oh, if I want to be a guest, I just do XYZ and ta da done. [LAUGHTER] But I feel like it's more than just that. There's strategy involved. And so I was like, ooh, you're the person that needs to come on to talk about podcast guesting.

JULIE: I love that. Yes. There is a lot more to just saying, okay, I'm in a guest on podcasts.

MARY: Yeah. I'm just gonna ask and everything will be okay, but okay. In the work that I do, there's two sides of being a guest. That's just being a guest and not having your own show. And so you're just going on different shows and talking about your message and promoting your work and stuff like that. But there's also the other side of it when you are a host and you have guests. So there's like, the hosting side of it, but in your line of work, you kind of have to deal with both. You know, you're working with people who want to be guests and those that also have their own shows to host them. 

So I want to first dip into why it's really important for hosts who have their own shows to also be a guest, because sometimes I feel like hosts are doing all this work, and then they're like, well, I don't have time to be a guest. So lay that out a little bit about that importance of why it is important to also be a guest when you have your own show.

JULIE: I am often surprised at how frequently I talk to podcasters who tell me that, one, it never occurred to me to guest on other podcasts to grow my own audience, or two, that they have a lot of imposter syndrome around reaching out to other podcasters to be a guest on their show. I'd be curious to see what you find in talking to other podcasters, but those are two of the main things that I hear podcasters saying. 

So I can definitely speak to both of those. We work with clients that have their own podcast and guests on other shows, and then we also have clients that do not have their own show. For the folks that have their own podcast, usually they come to work with us. And because they either don't have the time nor do they have the desire or the they feel like they're just not well equipped…

MARY: Yeah.

JULIE: …to pitch themselves to be a guest. It is fascinating, this peek behind the curtain into human psychology, [LAUGHTER] but in terms of why a host would want to guest on other podcasts, and I'm sure you talk to a lot of your clients about this, is it is a tremendous way to reach new audiences for your own podcast, which, again, if you're guesting, if you have a podcast because you have a business, can ultimately end up driving more referrals or relationships or revenue into your business. 

If you have a passion project, and that's your podcast, it still helps you connect with new listeners, new potential listeners, potential guests for your show. There's just a multitude of reasons of why you would want to do it if you have a show. But those are really kind of the driving factors.

MARY: I totally agree with that. Especially when you were saying how people have, like, maybe that imposter syndrome where they're like, I didn't know I could be a guest. I'm like, yes, you already have all your equipment. I mean, you might as well go and be a guest as well. And to showcase your own show, you can talk about your own podcast on other people's podcasts. And I feel like there's, yeah, that piece that's missing from host's mind, where they're like, oh, that is a way of promotion. And I never, ever thought about that.

JULIE: Yeah, I mean, it's really because you're already doing your own podcast, which is an investment of time and or money to keep it going. So if you are committing to that marketing strategy, then this is a really great way to run alongside of it and really maximize what you're doing in the podcasting space.

MARY: Okay, so let's say someone's decided, alright, I'm going to be a guest. But you know, it's nice to go out and have a conversation with someone like we're doing right now online. That's great. But also we're busy people. A lot of the people that you work with, and I work with too, they're impact driven leaders. You know, they're busy, they have their business, they have their messages to send out and all this stuff. So, what does success actually look like for them when they are guesting? What is that goal that they have in mind?

JULIE: Yeah, I think it's very specific to each individual. That's how we always start a new relationship. Or even a discovery call with a client is what are you hoping to accomplish by guesting on podcasts? And so we have a client right now where she has a book coming out in May. She has her own podcast, but what she is trying to do is grow the awareness of her book. And so we've talked about what sort of metrics that looks like at the end of a certain period of time. And that would be her definition of success with podcast guesting. 

We have another client who's had a show since 2019 and it's very, very niche. But what her success metrics are is the number of discovery calls that she is generating… 

MARY: Mhmm.

JULIE: …as a result of being a guest on podcasts. So it really varies. It is personal. Some people, I mean, we once had a podcaster who worked with us to get on other shows and it was truly a personal development exercise for him. Like he had no goals other than he just wanted to go meet people, talk on other people's shows. Granted, he was a very wealthy individual and not many of us have those resources to just do a personal development exercises. 

But it truly kind of comes down to you asking yourself, what does success look like at the end of a certain time period? Is it a certain number of shows? Is it a certain number of increased downloads for my own podcast? Is it certain number of new leads? Is it revenue goals? So it could be any number of things.

MARY: I really love that because people sometimes think, you know, when they do things like that, they're like, what's the return on investment?... 

JULIE: Mhmm.

MARY: …What are the numbers? What are these download numbers telling me? But I'm like, There's so much more intangible value to having a podcast, to being a guest on a podcast. Like you say, that personal development piece. I mean, that doesn't have to be the main goal, but I think that should be a lot of people's goals, especially when they have a podcast. Because you're just practicing how to say something maybe a little bit differently this time, and then you can hear it back and feel like, oh, I can slightly change the words this way or the meaning this way, and just get a clearer picture of what you're trying to say. When you get to practice as being a guest on other people's shows.

JULIE: Absolutely. We have a client, and one of the first things she said to us after maybe her fourth guest appearance, and she does not have a podcast, but she said, you know what I'm loving about this process is I'm getting so much better at my messaging and hitting the points that I want to make sure I hit in each interview. So, like you said, I think it pushes you to get better at whatever it is that you're talking about. So. Absolutely.

MARY: Yeah, it's that, it's the process of saying things again and again, and it's that piece of practice that I find a lot of people are like, well, yeah, but how do I practice? I don't want to just keep saying the same thing over and over again. I'm like, but that's why you go on shows, so that you get to try out a different flavour of something on a different show.

JULIE: Yes, yes. And part of the fun of this is you get to speak to different audiences, so different segments of listeners, and so you can tweak what you're saying so that you're not saying exactly the same thing over and over again.

MARY: Yeah, exactly. Okay. You know, there's a lot of things that you can Google on how to be a guest. Yet, like we were saying, each show is very different. Everyone sets up their workflow very, very differently. But like, the recommendation for quite a while there was like, everyone needs to have a one sheet. You need to pitch a show with an email, attach the one sheet. It's something, if you Google, you'll probably find it. 

But is that actually something hosts are looking for? Because I know as a host myself, I get bombarded with guest requests, and most of them, I say 99% of them are done very poorly. And I just hit the delete button on that email. So what is actually working to get a host's attention?

JULIE: I'm very curious to know what of the 1% that you say yes to, what is it?

[LAUGHTER]

MARY: Well, it's usually because they haven't said I, I, I, this, like this is an X…

JULIE: Yes.

MARY: …or so and so is an expert at this and they can talk about xyz. I'm like, that's great, but why would my listeners care?

JULIE: Yes, yes, that is what. Uh, in fact I just shared this in our Team Slack channel because somebody pitched me. It was, you know, a cold pitch to have me book a call with someone and it was so eye focused. And as a host, when they're reading a pitch, they don't care about you, they care about their audience and themselves and how you are going to inform them, educate them, entertain them, whatever the case may be. 

So going back to, what do you need to do when you're pitching a host, the first thing that we always suggest is to go to their website. If it's not readily available, do some googling, figure it out, look at the website, read about the host, learn about what they're doing, who are their listeners, do they have any services that they provide that maybe you're a complimentary service provider? So really familiarize yourself with the host. Listen to their episodes, get a sense of what their energy is. So whenever I go on a show, I always listen beforehand. And if the host is like a real fast talker, then I will try to up, I'm a west coast girl, I'm a little bit of a slower talker, [LAUGHTER] but I will try to amp up my speed so that our energies match. Similarly, if they're very slow and methodical, I will slow down so that we're in a similar energy pattern. 

But backing up to that. So you're listening to the episode you're wanting to see. Hey, if I go on this show, is it a podcast that I would be proud to share that I was a guest on? That should always be your number one metric of would this be a good fit for me and am I a good fit for the host? And making sure that there is a reason for you to guest on the show that can benefit the host audience. 

The one sheet, and for those of you that don't know what that is, it's basically a one pager, says who you are, what do you talk about? What other podcasts have you been on or whatever their media appearances have you been on? It's a nice to have. It's not a must have, so if you don't have one, you don't have to let that stop you from reaching out to hosts. So those are just a couple of things to think about. Definitely approach from the standpoint of service and how can I be of service to the host?

MARY: And, you know, people are always busy. So then I start thinking about, well, how much time does this actually take?

JULIE: Again, that kind of comes down to your goals. So if you have very aggressive goals of your marketing a book, or there's something tangible that you are hoping to have come from your podcast appearances, you may need to do more guesting over a shorter period of time. And you knowing that most hosts book about an hour of time for you to record the episode, we usually recommend about a half an hour of prep time beforehand. So you're looking at an hour and a half per guest appearance. So then you can think about how much time you have to budget for that. And then there's, of course, if you are pitching yourself to be a guest on the show versus if you're hiring it out. So, you need to take those things into consideration as well.

MARY: Yeah, that's right. On the show, though, we talk a lot about, like, audio quality and things that support hosting a show. So like I said earlier, right? Like, as a host, you already have the equipment. It easily translates into being a guest. But beyond those basics, like you were saying, you know, it takes usually people book an hour of the time, but what else can podcasters do that they aren't doing right now in the industry enough to prepare for a show? So what are those prepare pieces that we need to do that you aren't seeing people talk about enough?

JULIE: That is a really interesting question. So the approach that we take when we're working with clients is it's kind of a 3R. You're guesting on shows to grow your relationships, increase your referral partners, or drive revenue. Like, those are kind of the three pieces that really can be a great outcome from podcast guesting. So when you're thinking about what your strategy should be is, which of those tenants are most important to you? And so if you're looking to generate, say, more referrals from your podcast appearances, then you're looking at you're really spending more time on the person's website. You're understanding how your business might relate to their business. If you're looking for more downloads or more subscribers for your podcast, what are some really unique ways that you can position yourself when you're pitching and then guesting on the show and then also staying in touch with the host afterwards? 

We're definitely seeing a trend towards being more relational rather than transactional. There were a lot of agencies a few years ago that were like, we're going to book you on four podcasts a month. And that's a lot, for a lot of people. And I think that it shifted the industry to being more transactional, which is guesting for the sake of guesting. Whereas by scaling back the number of podcast appearances that you have and actually making them more intentional to see what you can generate from that relationship, like, how can you two support each other? It really has a lot longer tail than just appearing on a certain number of podcasts per month. So that would definitely be something I would think about and recommend when you're exploring your guesting strategy.

MARY: Yeah, And I think a lot of people forget about that after piece. You know, they're like, okay, how do I get on a show? I'm gonna get on a show, then I do the interview. Oh, I'm done. But you're not, right? Like, there is still the after piece. So what does that look like in terms of, like, aside from social media, because we're getting bombarded with, like, social media these days, and a lot of people are stepping back from that. So what are some other ways that we can promote those episodes that people really aren't talking about these days?

JULIE: Yeah, so there is the obvious, which is social media, of course. However, there are blog posts. So, you know, you can take your interview and turn it into a blog post. That's a great way to show the podcaster that you've guested on there, show some love. By linking back to their website. You can add it to your own website. Perhaps you have an about section or press appearance page that you can add the episode to. 

I'm a big fan of including it in your email, to your email list or your in your newsletter. And one of the coolest ways that I have seen people use their podcast guest episodes is in discovery calls. So especially if you have a business where it's very relationship driven, maybe you're a life coach or a money coach, that if you have an episode where you're talking about things, that it's really important for a potential client to hear this, learn about it, read about it, you can point them to your podcast episode where you're talking about that. So those are a few ways to just continue to promote the show, get it out there outside of just social media.

MARY: Yeah, because it's part of that relational piece you were talking about too, right? It's not just a one and done. I'm on to the next one. But hey, you've actually said some very important points that shouldn't just go away in the Internet. It can be used in other forms, especially to, like, spread your messaging and things that you teach or really value.

JULIE: Yeah. One of the ways that I love to share episodes when I've been a guest on a show is when I share, and mostly I'm. I'm active on LinkedIn, not really any other social media platforms, is I will call out who the podcast is for. So, for example, on this show, you know, I would, are you a podcaster? Like, here's a great show you might be interested in. Here's why. 

So I talk more about the podcast itself and then, oh, by the way, here's my episode where we talked about podcast guesting. I don't really like to shine the light on myself. I like to shine it on other people. So that's a way that works for me to kind of showcase podcast appearances and highlight the show rather than myself, which I feel like is a bit more effective.

MARY: Yeah. And I think it points back to that relationship piece too, because a lot of women, too, are very hard on themselves about promoting themselves, right? And I myself am included in that. So when you said, like, call out who the podcast is for and then sort of just say, okay, yeah, yeah, and here's my episode on it, so you can, you know, listen, I really resonate with that. That is doable for me.

JULIE: Yes, right?

MARY: That is something where I'm like, I'm happy to promote the other show because of XYZ vs I was on this episode. You will enjoy. Because I talk about this, that, and the other thing.

JULIE: I kind of comes back to what you were saying about. What you don't like about podcast pitches is when people are saying, I, I, I. So when you're on social media and you see a post about, hey, are you a podcaster? So lead with a question, which if somebody is a podcaster, they just might be more likely to continue reading that post because you're asking a question and inviting them to with it. So you're kind of allowing people to opt in to the content.

MARY: Yeah. And to start that conversation too, especially with that question off the top, right? Then you're creating that relationship versus. Oh, it's another task I have to do.

JULIE: Just spewing at people. 

MARY: Yeah. Oh, I was on a show. I have to talk about it. Right. Okay.

JULIE: Yes, yes, yes.

MARY: Okay. So we've talked a lot about, like, what to do, but I know there's also like, what not to do. What is one thing that you see everybody is still doing and you're like, this has got to stop.

JULIE: I would say the big one is when you just send the same message to every podcaster, regardless of their show. I know the people listening to your show are not going to do that, but the whole like, spray and pray approach, this just does not work. So please don't do that. That's really key because then you're being authentic. You're showing the host that you've done your research, that you understand who their audience is. And then we touched on it before, is just using all of that “I” language. It is such a turn off. So I would really suggest kind of leading with who the audience is, what the host does, pulling out details from their website or from the podcast that you've listened to that you can speak to in the pitch that shows them you get them.

MARY: Yeah. And what about, like, trends? What are some podcasting trends that people are like, should we be testing these trends out?

JULIE: Yeah. So a big one that we have been seeing since the beginning of this year, there is a lot more pay to play. So that means you send a pitch to a host, they respond back. And this actually just happened yesterday to a team member of mine. So it's a show that we had previously booked a client on and it's a decent show. It's in like, the top half of a percent. And the host replied back and said, hey, your Susie Q client looks really great.we now charge $950 per…

MARY: What?

JULIE: …appearance to be on the show. So we are just seeing a lot more of that. And I think it's coming from. And this is another trend is that there is just a lot more competition to get on podcasts. So what I will say for podcasters and why you have a really big leg up is that you do have a podcast. And so, if you are open to having a podcast swap where you go on one person's show and then they also appear on your show, then you do have a higher likelihood of getting that interview. 

We'll say that is something that if you're open to doing that it really can generate better results for you. So that's definitely one trend that we're seeing. I think that there are some coaches out there that are encouraging people to monetize their podcasts in that way. It's really tricky because it's not really on the up and up with FTC standards…

MARY: Mhmm.

JULIE: …and how they're supposed to be disclosure. If you're paying to be a guest, there's a whole article I could send you if you wanted to put it in the show notes… 

MARY: Yes.

JULIE: …That might be interesting for people to see. So the other thing that we are seeing that's trending is it used to be that if you were going on a podcast, you would come up with some sort of free resource that you would gift to people at the end of your interview and people would get a lot of email signups from that. I think that just because email marketing has been around for, gosh, what are we going on now? Like 20 years? Maybe longer… 

MARY: Maybe longer.

JULIE: …That those. We're in 2025 now. Yeah, time flies that those email signups are going down. So one of the trends that we are suggesting is just to be very clear about your call to action. So if it is you want to get more, more listeners for your podcast, make sure that you're seeding your podcast throughout the interview. You're talking about it throughout the interview, and then at the end you're reiterating, you know, go check out my podcast and share the name. It's great to share those links of the email resources when you're providing the links for the show notes, but we tend not to recommend that as like your number one call to action for people anymore. So those are a few of the things that we're seeing both on the guesting and kind of the ROI side of being a guest on podcasts.

MARY: Is there like that again, the psychological piece of consumers? Is there that layer of friction or is it just because we're so bombarded with so many things… 

JULIE: Yeah.

MARY: …that we don't want to sign up for? Another thing.

JULIE: Yeah, I think it's email fatigue. I know we all our inboxes are overflowing. There's so much that we have in there. So it has to be something super valuable if you're going to get somebody to click through. It cannot just be a one page PDF of something that they could easily Google or now ChatGPT to get the answer to.

MARY: Yes. Exactly.

JULIE: The one thing that we are seeing work pretty well is if you have a, like a video training series that you might actually charge for. Maybe it's a lower price point. Like, if you had something about, you know, starting your own podcast and maybe you charge $39 or $49 for it. If you turn that into a free offering for people to get at the end of the interview, we are seeing that those are working.

MARY: Oh, interesting. Yeah. So I guess that comes down to, like, your. If it's really worth it and it's high value, they will go out of their way and do that. Yeah.

JULIE: And there's the psychological piece of, ooh, I'm getting something that's worth $50 for free. Yes, I will sign up for that.

MARY: Mmm. True, true. There's a lot to do with, like, money and the economy and revenue. Like, I was just thinking back to how you were saying,... 

JULIE: Mhmm. 

MARY: …you know, the guest is like, pay to play. And I actually saw that a lot in the. The earlier years of podcasting. People were doing that, and then they stopped because they were like, oh, yeah, there's rules and stuff. So it's interesting to hear that it's back.

[LAUGHTER]

JULIE: Yes, it is. And maybe it is, uh, you know, an economy situation where people are feeling anxious or maybe they are already starting to see impacts to their revenue, so they're trying to generate a new revenue source. Could be that too.

MARY: Yeah, yeah. Because there are, like, a lot of people who, yes, they like hosting a podcast. Yes, they enjoy it, and it can be a passion project, but it still costs time and money, and they want to recoup some of that. And so this might be that. Yeah, economy at play. And they're like, how can I make more money or just make money, period?

JULIE: Yeah. But what's interesting to me is the podcast that we are seeing this from primarily is the hosts have this podcast as a way to market their own business. So they do definitely have a business that is generating revenue anyway, so this is maybe just another additional revenue stream for them.

MARY: Oh, I see. Yeah, and that's, I think, where you're mentioning, like, the business coaches, whoever those are, are probably. [LAUGHTER] It's like the new thing, right? The new business coach trend...

JULIE: Yes. Yes. 

MARY: …I can see that connection there. Okay, so we know that podcasting, the whole industry changes so much all the time. Like, we were just saying, these are things that are coming up. And. But as you know, things are changing so fast. But in this moment in time, as we're recording this, what are you excited about podcasting right now?

JULIE: Yeah. So I still think it is the number one way, whether you have your own podcast or you decide to guest alongside having your own podcast, it is one of the best ways to network and grow your relationships and meet new people, which then leads to new opportunities. It is such a unique platform to be able to just go deep with one person for 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and really share your story. 

So if you have a business, like, why did you start your business? What's your mission? What are your values? What sort of transformations are you helping your clients with? So there just are not many places outside of public speaking where you have someone's attention for that period of time. So I'm still really excited about the opportunity that podcasting and guest podcasting represents from that standpoint. 

I also, from a getting on podcasts, or finding aligned podcasts for you, there are more tools than ever to make it really easy for you to find those, outside of Google. There are paid tools, there are free tools, but it's a growing space, and so it will save you more time when you are doing the research to try to find the show. So that's something else that's really cool about the research piece, because I know it can take hours and hours to find good fit shows.

MARY: Okay. Podcasters are usually very budget conscious because, as I was saying, people are always looking for ways to make money from their show or even just, you know, recuperate that cost. So you're talking about these tools. What kind of tools? Which ones are free and which ones work?

JULIE: Yeah, yeah. So we use a database, and it is called Rephonic. So they have a free trial. I think it's seven days. But it's a good way to kind of dip in there. You can search by keywords. They will have great profiles for each show as far as what their audience is, what types of guests do they have. You can see stats on estimated listeners. And so from a demographics and audience perspective, it's a really great way to just see, ooh, would this be a good fit for me? You know, as I mentioned, it's a free trial for a certain period of time, and then it moves into paid tiers. But if you're really serious about guesting, that would be a great paid tool to explore. 

There are other databases like Listen Notes, where you can type in a show, you can see where the podcast ranks in terms of global popularity, and then over on the right hand side, it shows you shows that other people listen to. So that's another great place just to kind of dip your toe in the water for free and enter your own show in and see what comes up as far as aligned audiences. You know, ChatGPT, it's not great, but it's getting better. [LAUGHTER] And it kind of all comes down to the prompts. It still really likes to give you the most popular large podcasts in whatever industry you ask it about. But if you get very specific with your prompts, like, I'm looking for podcasts that are active and have a certain number of listeners. And, you know, for people who are writing a book, it will give you some decent suggestions. It might take a little bit of tweaking, but that's another good tool to find podcast ideas.

MARY: Yeah, it's great, but you still have to have a human being on the other side of it.

JULIE: Oh, yeah, absolutely, absolutely. Like, you have to, you know, go in, double check, because sometimes it will tell you shows that aren't active anymore. It will give you shows that don't take guests. So you do need to do your research. Cross those T's, dot those I's, make sure that the podcasts that you are pitching yourself to actually do take guests.

MARY: Yeah, exactly. Julie, it's been amazing to chat with you. I've got a lot of notes that I've taken down. So thank you so much for sharing your insights and your time with me today.

[MUSIC IN]

JULIE: Thank you so much, Mary. It was really fun talking to you.

MARY: You know, in the intro, I talked about what success looks like for being a guest on other people's shows. And some of the things that Julie mentioned was very similar, actually, to what I call the intangible values of a podcast. It's something that I talked about in episode number 69. And it actually reminded me of a client of mine right now because. Because podcasts are worth so much more than just the download numbers or how much money you can make from it. And again, another spoiler alert. Not very much at all, actually. 

So if you are tying your podcast to this monetization strategy, and advertising, and making money from your podcast, that goes into just looking at those download numbers a lot. But creating a podcast has so many more intangible values, and I love that one of her clients was saying that it's just a personal development piece. And you know what? It's great because I have another client who did that, too. She started a podcast because she was like, I just want to meet people, and I think this would be a cool place to do it. And, yes, it can be done with the podcast. 

But from the industry side, too, as you heard, I. I was really blown away by shows adding a cost to a guest spot so you had to pay to play, which, like Julie said, has some challenges with those FTC rules. And we'll add that link to the show notes so you can make sure you can click on that and read up on it. That's the FTC in the United States. But of course, here in Canada, I am Canadian, we have our own version The Competition Act, which regulates advertising and marketing. And the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards was actually updated in 2023 to include influencer disclosure, which I believe when you are paying someone, this can look like a contract, right, for a promoted product or service because money is being exchanged. So there's that fine line here. In this digital age, things are being updated. There are codes and standards to follow. So we need that transparency if you ever decide to charge someone a fee or their appearance on your show. 

So I'd be curious to actually see where this is headed and to see if it even is going to exist more in the coming years because of the economy and people trying to find more ways of generating revenue. Because podcasting is tied to a business usually. But I'd also be curious, just like for your own podcast, is this something that you even thought of doing? Is this something you were actually practicing? I'd love to know. And yet, though, you know, what doesn't change through this whole changing landscape of ours is that being a guest on someone else's podcast really is that human connection that we talked about. Yes, for you as being the guest, but also that connection for a listener. Podcast guesting is a great way outside of social media for you to talk about your messaging, your values and your podcast. So this way you get to connect to potential new listeners for your own show. 

So, yeah, what have you seen in your guesting appearances? Have you been a guest before? And if not, what's stopping you from being a podcast guest? I'd love to hear about it. As always, leave a message on my website with a voice note with that send voicemail purple button. Or as usual, you can drop me an email as well at [email protected]. 

On the next episode, we're going to talk strategies for interview podcasts and leaning more towards this guest theme for your own show when you are figuring out who will be a guest on your show, when you're being selective on who you want to showcase, this has a huge strategy behind it. So looking forward to chatting about that with you next time on the show. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

>

MARY: Thank you so much for listening to the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you share it with a podcasting friend. And to reveal more voicing and podcasting tips, click on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com. Until next time.

>

[MUSIC ENDS]

Video has taken podcasting by storm, but how do you know if it's right for your show? As a podcaster, how are you interacting with and utilizing video? More and more, we’re hearing about creators tacking on this visual element, and platforms like YouTube and Spotify are eagerly showcasing all the success stories of podcasters giving their audience a fresh way to consume content.

Sure, it’s relatively easy and inexpensive to get your hands on video recording equipment these days, and it’s straightforward to drop the final video into platforms like YouTube. But what about editing, and lighting, and additional preparations like your hair, outfit, and background? Video requires a lot of moving parts, and you still have to generate high-quality audio on top of all that. 

In this episode, Mary breaks down the meteoric rise of video podcasts and encourages you to really ponder how adding video would affect your workflow and your budget. How will video get you closer to your podcasting goals, or is it a timesuck you just don't need? 

Dig into the pros and cons of tackling this extra format:

• How easy is it really to “just” add a video component?
• How do you figure out if your audience even wants to watch your podcast?
• Just how helpful will AI be for editing and marketing?

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Episode 89, “Your Podcasting Questions Answered” - https://www.organizedsound.ca/your-podcasting-questions-answered-and-a-year-end-break-episode-89/
• Spotify research, “Spotify Unveils Uninterrupted Video Podcasts, Audience-Driven Payments, and the New Spotify for Creators Platform” - https://newsroom.spotify.com/2024-11-13/spotify-unveils-uninterrupted-video-podcasts-audience-driven-payments-and-the-new-spotify-for-creators-platform
• Sounds Profitable, “Audio and Video Podcast Consumers in 2024, Part One” - https://soundsprofitable.com/article/audio-and-video-podcast/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL “LET’S GO” BEGINS]

​​MARY: Video. It's one of the biggest things that people talk about these days for podcasting, because it feels like video is all the rage in the digital world. For podcasting you see clips of those interviews on social media. You hear of big names creating a studio and filming their podcast. You also see people talking with microphones. Like that visual aspect of a podcast is people with microphones. So the lines of audio first podcasting versus video podcasts are kind of blurring. But are they really? What's driving this need for video? And is it worth it for you as a podcaster to create a video for your podcast?

I touched on this a little bit in episode 89, that's the episode on Your Podcasting Questions Answered as my last episode of 2024. But I wanted to bring this topic back up for an entire episode of its own because, like I said, there's so much talk about video these days that I wanted to address it. But like anything in tech, things change quickly. So know that this is recorded in March of 2025, and I may have a new episode in the future for more video talk, because I'm sure this isn't the end of it, and I'm sure that there's a lot more things I want to add, but there's only so much that can go into this short little solo episode. So as of today, I figure, let's talk video podcasts as of right now, and are they right for you and how you can potentially integrate video into your podcasting workflow if you choose to record visuals as well. 

This is episode number 92 of the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. 

>

Hey, welcome to the show. Thanks for listening. Yeah, we're going to talk about video. 

[INTRO MUSIC ENDS]

The appeal of video for podcasting is growing. It's making a huge shift. And you know what? It actually started a while ago, too. Spotify started to offer video podcasts in 2020. So that's five years ago now. Toward the end of last year, Spotify reported that more than 50% of their creators are actively publishing videos monthly on Spotify. But video for podcasting isn't new. There's been a version of that called vidcasts, or videocasts that have been around since the early 2000’s. So why the push now? Why video podcasts today? 

And it all has to do with tech, right? With the rise of TikTok, YouTube focusing on podcasting, which they started in about 2023, so two years ago now. And of course, the integration of easily recording video, it's so accessible for everyone now. Cameras on laptops, your devices, your phones, right? Easily bought camera gear that is, you know, accessible. You can go to a store and just pick up some stuff and it's a pretty good price point for the pretty good quality. Video's point of entry has gotten easier and easier over the years. So that brings us to today. It is easy to record your podcast online with platforms like Riverside, Squadcast, Zencastr, you know, even straight into your phone, and then easily take that video and drop it into YouTube, video podcast done, right? Check. But in fact, many of those platforms come with AI as well, so they can cut your interviews into bite sized little clips. 

And some of my clients seeing all this on those video platforms like Riverside, Squadcast, Zencastr, et cetera, they're asking me about video for their podcasts. Should I be recording video too? They used it mainly just to facilitate the conversation with that video portion, but they never published the video, but now they're asking about doing that. So with all these new tools, it sounds like a no brainer. I mean it's already there. You can easily just record it with a hit another button, right? But is it really that easy? Or maybe the question is, is video really that effective for your podcast? 

[MUSIC IN]

So I want to make my first argument here that making a video podcast is not as easy as it sounds. It's not like, okay, we're hitting record anyway, might as well just record video for it. Bang, you're done. Video podcast isn't easy, especially in terms of creating one that is engaging. Because today in our world of video zoom conferences, all that stuff, are we really excited to see talking heads talk back and forth, does that make for a good video? 

So sure, anyone can record video, but to have video of a certain quality that also has good audio, because if video doesn't have good audio, people are going to turn that off. So a good video with good audio doesn't come easily. There's a lot of setup and different workflow flows to make sure that not only are you recording your audio, but you are also going to be recording your video now, it's an additional step or multiple steps as, uh, you'll hear. You have to think about camera. Are you going to use more than what that camera is already on your laptop? Do you have to get a separate webcam? The quality of that webcam, the tech aspects of it all. Better lighting, especially when we're getting into daylight savings and it's darker later in the day and you might be recording episodes later in the day as well. Lighting is great. You need that. 

What's your background gonna look like? Some people are still recording their podcasts in their closet. Do they want to have their closet in the background? And then talking about closets, what are you gonna wear? You gotta wear something from like, waist up at least, right in your video. So you gotta put on some decent clothes and if you're inclined to also put on some makeup and even wash your hair, make sure it's a hair washing night the day before you do your podcast, right? That's a lot of extra effort. 

You might not have thought about all that, but the little details and nuances that it takes, not just your time, but that mental capacity to get ready for a video. I mean, you don't have to wash your hair, but I bet most of you will think twice about how you look. If you know there's going to be a video portion to any recording, right? We're gonna put in that extra effort to look a certain way because it's just human nature in us to want to look presentable on a stage that is going to be recorded. 

So although there are many tools to facilitate the video recording process, it makes things easier these days. You still have to think about what's going to happen after you record that video. What happens next? So we're talking about how you're going to edit it. Will you be creating a  thumbnail? YouTube likes to see thumbnails. Do you have to go the YouTube route? What are their rules? Back to the editing. What sort of edits will you make? Will it just be the two heads side by side, or will you have multiple camera angles that you can make those smooth edits and jump from one person to the next? 

There's also the publishing side, after the edits. Many podcast hosting companies don't host the video. So you'll have to take an additional step or two to upload that video to YouTube or Spotify or wherever you want to host your video podcast versions. And then we get to those video clips too, because video clips are part of that promotion, that marketing of your episode. Are you using those types of video for your podcast? Since you recorded the interview, the episode, you might as well use that clip, right? We're talking about reusing content, so get some video clips out on social media. Another thing to add to the list. But again, we'll get into more of those video clips later. But just to say first that although recording video might sound easy, there's a lot of steps you need to consider before hitting that additional record button.

[MUSIC ENDS]

I think the next thing we need to also consider is your listener. Is your listener going to be the same as a podcast viewer for the video? Sounds Profitable, it's an organization that I follow. They had some great research on the comparisons of audio versus video podcast consumption. They were saying that and music to my ears. Of course, the majority of podcast consumers listen mainly to audio versus video. However, in that same report, they did say the two audiences are not that drastically different. But I still beg to differ because sure, I can see how an audio listener could also be a podcast viewer. I've done that. Sometimes I'll see a podcast on YouTube, but then I'll go back to my podcast player app and listen to it there. 

And I do know of people who prefer YouTube versus listening to a podcast. They like that the video is also passive. They can look at it if they want to. It's in the background. But one of the main differences I think that a lot of researchers might be missing here is those habits. Why one listener would choose one format over the other. And it's not just a audio first, video only, video passive. Some people like to look at faces sort of a thing, but actually their habits and why they choose one over the other. You know, think about it yourself. How and when do you use YouTube versus using your podcast listening app? Or just why do you use YouTube? You know, for me, I use YouTube for two very different things. One, I might be looking for very specific information. I'll scan what I need and I'll watch for that one small thing. 

An example could be like cooking, right? I want to see technique or doing home renovations. I want to see the technique for that as well. There's that whole visual aspect so that those videos are great. I can look for exactly what I want in that video, that specific part, and then close that video and get out. The number two reason for me to look at YouTube is entertainment. I don't actually want to turn on the TV or Disney Plus or Netflix or whatever streaming service you have and be bombarded by all the options. The nice thing about YouTube is that it's mind numbing. You can just go there. And their algorithm's pretty good for choosing what you want to watch next. So it's very passive. And I think that's why YouTube works so well. 

On the other hand, listening to a podcast on YouTube prevents me from multitasking, which is what I love. And I am an audio first person. And I feel like that's why audio consumption is higher on an audio only platform because you have that convenience of listening to podcasts without the video. And I don't have YouTube Premium. So if I want to listen to a podcast without the video, I still have to keep my screen on even though like, I put it in my pocket or something, the video is still playing in the background. But the beautiful thing about that convenience of audio only podcasts is that you can go for a walk, work in the garden, be at the gym, walk your dog, commuting. It's all about multitasking while listening to a podcast. 

And with video podcasts it's hard, because I'm either starting and stopping because I missed something either visually or the audio isn't as great when there is a video only podcast and I have to rewind, or maybe I'm doing dishes and my hands are wet and I can't rewind anyway because the touchscreen doesn't work with wet hands. So I can't even rewind the darn thing. It's got a level of annoyance for long term dedicated listening, or at least for me. Is it for you? I'd love to know. 

But okay, back to listeners. Audio podcast listeners. Each show is going to be very, very different. So for your show you need to gauge and research what's your audience's preferred platform and habits? Are they even asking for a YouTube feed? Do they use YouTube a lot for this long term listening? Not like that mind numbing stuff that I was talking to you about and how I use YouTube? Would they prefer to read something that's digestible like a blog on your website? There's other ways to consume that podcast content that this whole repurposing thing is good for. And video might not be a great repurpose for you for your podcast, but we can talk more about that later. 

Essentially, what is the end goal of the video in relation to the goal of your podcast? Meaning if your goal of the podcast is to reach more listeners, sure, maybe video is the way to go. You have that great reach now with YouTube's search algorithm. But if your goal is to be a thought leader in your industry or to nurture your customers and clients, YouTube might not be those listeners preferred platform. It's about figuring out your listeners habits, how they listen, where they listen, and how can you create a show for their needs. Back to that foundational piece of starting your own podcast. 

[MUSIC IN]

Another reason why you're seeing more and more big names in the industry use video is because YouTube and Spotify want you to. They are pushing for this platform and they have big pull. So they are changing the way their algorithm works and how they are curating the space to include video first. And when they've created a space where it feels like now, you could be missing out if you don't do video too. That can hurt sometimes, right? You're like, ooh, but am I missing something? I want to get into this. Should I get into it? But let's get real. Just because a large tech company says video is the way to go, it doesn't mean you have to follow suit. 

There are other ways to market and grow your show without having to resort to high tech, multi-camera, 1080p video files and oh my gosh, okay, 1080p video files. I was just thinking too that those files are huge in comparison to an audio only file. I'm talking about storage here. When you are doing video, you'll also start noticing a large uptake in your usage of data storage. Audio files don't take up a lot of space, but when you include that video portion and depending on how it's encoded, meaning like 1080p, 720p, all that sort of stuff, the quality of your video, how long the episode is, the longer the episode, the bigger file it is, you can start getting into very, very large files. 

And podcasting media hosting platforms are not going to start hosting these very large files. That will cost them a lot of money. So that means you have that extra step of uploading the video as well to YouTube and Spotify, et cetera. Not a big problem with that extra step. But with that storage component, if you are sharing that file out and you have a team member who works on your podcast, it really can add up for you on the storage side, your Google Drive, your Dropbox, or wherever you store your files in the cloud, videos take up a lot of storage real estate. And I don't think people really realize the kind of snowball effect of that. Unless you have like unlimited data storage somewhere. Just remember, videos will take up a lot more storage space. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

The last thing I'll say, and not to poo poo, on the whole video thing, because I can see the draw. I understand that visuals help. It's also a very inclusive piece for people who need those visual aids. And people do like to see faces. I do get that. But what I'm saying is you don't also have to produce a video podcast along with your audio podcast. Sure, you can record the video during the podcast recording and then use that to create the little teaser clips or the promotional clips to promote the episode and market your show. That's awesome. But that takes time too, making those clips. But again, I know there's also time shortened with the use of AI. So are those AI tools worth it as well? You might have to pay, pay something else. You got to pay out to use some of these tools. So are those AI clips any better than human selected clips too? 

But again, if it's human selected, you're paying in time to make that happen as well. But in the short time that I've been doing a little bit of video testing for some of my clients to create those clips and market their show with it, the AI clips aren't as good as the human chosen clips. Sometimes the AI ones are choosing these weird clips. That wasn't actually the main thought of the podcast. They may have mentioned the word a few times, but it wasn't the main theme to really draw out what a listener is really honing in on. 

And at the same time, even though you let the AI tools do the work, you still have to go in, adjust the captions for spelling. You know, everyone's names is spelled differently. You got that to look through too and make sure that those clips are still on brand to your podcast. So there needs to be a human element to review the work of AI. But again, I can see the draw of using AI too. There is the benefits of time saving or if you don't have the funds to hire a team, they can essentially be a small team member for your podcast. But yet you still have to do the research on how effective video is and using AI and video is for your podcast. Do video clips convert those viewers into podcast listeners? Is the time you put into it actually worth it? And I think that's a conversation for another day because I'm going to end this episode here. 

So let me know. Are you using video for your podcasts? How do you watch video podcasts if you even do like? I'm not a video podcast watcher, so let me know if you are. And what's your draw behind that? Why do you like watching video podcasts? Drop me a voice note on my website VisibleVoicePodcast.com or email is always a great way too to get a hold of me, VisibleVoicePodcastmail.com I'd love to hear your thoughts on this whole video podcast. Are you a watcher? Are you not? Sort of debate.

[MUSIC IN]

Next time on the podcast, we’re talking visibility. how being a guest on someone else’s podcast can make a huge impact, especially for women podcasters. Julie Fry is joining me on the show. She’s the CEO of Your Expert Guest and you’ll learn about what’s currently working in the industry when you are a guest on a podcast and how integral it is if you host your own show to also be a guest on other people’s shows. So join Julie and me on the next episode as we talk more about what’s working in the industry today about podcast guesting. And what are some of those things that everybody’s still doing, but we can move on from. So let’s improve your guest experience with Julie Fry and me on the next episode. I’ll talk to you then!

[MUSIC IN]

>

MARY: Thank you so much for listening to the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you share it with a podcasting friend. And to reveal more voicing and podcasting tips, click on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com. Until next time.

>

[MUSIC ENDS]

How do you know if social media is really worth it? Social media inundates almost every aspect of our lives these days, from communicating with friends to deciding what to listen to, watch, or buy—all the way down the line to actually listening to, watching, and buying it. So, of course, many podcast creators worry that leaving social media behind is an enormous marketing faux pas.

But what if it isn’t? Amanda Laird is the marketing pro behind Slow and Steady Studio. She wields more than two decades of PR and management experience to help small businesses and non-profits do just enough marketing to reach their goals in ways that make sense for them. In this episode, Amanda shares plenty of tips for figuring out whether that social media slog is paying off.

You’ll discover the link between podcasting and social media, as well as the first steps to determining exactly how social media marketing serves your podcast—and how your podcast serves you—so you can make strategic decisions that drive success rather than drive you crazy.

Hear Amanda’s insights on how essential social media really is to podcast marketing:

• What benefits are social media providing for your show?
• Where does podcasting fit in your marketing sandwich?
• What is your podcast’s consistent call to action?
• Should you consider moving your podcast to Substack?

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Amelia Hruby’s podcast episode, “Should I host my podcast on Substack?”: https://www.softersounds.studio/softercast/should-i-host-my-podcast-on-substack
• Episode 87, “Find Podcast Success While Doing Less”: https://www.organizedsound.ca/find-podcast-success-while-doing-less-episode-87/
• The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illnesss by Johnathan Haidt - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-anxious-generation-how-the-great-rewiring-of-childhood-is-causing-an-epidemic-of-mental-illness-jonathan-haidt/20144236?ean=9780593655030&next=t&next=t
• Engage with Amanda: Get some podcast clarity for your marketing with Amanda: https://www.slowandsteady.studio/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL “LET’S GO” BEGINS]

MARY: There's no shortage of distraction these days. We are digitally connected, and there's so much we can learn or be entertained by, especially from the world of social media. And today it's even more heightened because of all the research into how social media is playing a negative role in our mental health, and especially with kids growing up in this digital, like, hyper digital age. You know, recently, last year, there was Jonathan Haidt's wildly popular book called The Anxious Generation, how it connects social media to the epidemic of teen mental illness. 

Yet, as podcasters, we use social media without thinking much about it sometimes. We use it to promote our show. And if you have a business or organization that's tied to the podcast, that you need to talk about your message too, and it's all done on our screens, and it feels as if social media is the number one way to market the show, or sometimes even, like, the only way to market your show. So as a podcaster, we might think without social media, your message might sink without it. However, there really are alternatives. We marketed way before social media even existed. And so I've always thought, why can't we still market today like we did back in the day before social media existed? 

So on today's episode, we're talking about marketing without social media with Amanda Laird. Amanda is the Founder of Slow and Steady Studio and a marketing communications strategist. She has more than 20 years of experience in communications and PR and management, and now helps solopreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations do what she calls “just enough marketing to reach their goals their way”. 

And I love the idea of just enough marketing because I worked with her on one of her Clarity Sessions about two years ago. You know, my side of the story, which I tell briefly on the episode, is basically realizing how social media actually plays a role in my business and podcast, or actually the lack of a role social media actually plays and what I can be doing instead of social media. But also knowing it might play a little part in what I do. So I am still on it. So it's about talking about how to best use my time and stop that doom scrolling. 

Amanda and I also get into Substack. I really wanted to highlight this with her because it's the new shiny object for podcasters and the Internet. So Substack is heavily using podcasting and video on their platform. So if you're wondering about Substack, listen through to the whole episode and how that can or cannot integrate with your podcast. So, yeah, if you're curious or just wondering if you should be giving up on social media or even figuring out if you want to do less on these social platforms. Today's episode is for you. 

This is episode number 91 with Amanda Laird on the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. 

>

MARY: Amanda thank you so much for coming on the show and rescheduling with me due to my sick brain fog. You know how it is.

[INTRO MUSIC ENDS]

AMANDA: Thank you for having me, Mary. I will always find the time to chat with you.

MARY: Oh, thank you. I know, like, we were, I was thinking back before this, I was like, oh, when did we first, like, meet online? And it was like, when I first started my podcast production business, was it freelance? I was like, I don't know what I'm doing. And I don't remember how we were connected, but we were connected. And I was like, oh, sparks are flying.

AMANDA: That was many, many years ago, too.

MARY: Yeah, that was like, 2018, I believe.

AMANDA: I think it was.

MARY: Anyway, things have shifted in more ways than one between, like, what we do and social media these days. And that's what we're going to talk about. So I always say podcasting is not social media because sometimes people are like, well, isn't it social media? So I just want you to give the lay of the land, first of all, and help us define, what is social media?

AMANDA: Oh, is this not the question of our times Mary? Okay, so I went to Wikipedia. Wikipedia defines social media as, interactive technologies that facilitate the creation, sharing, and aggregation of content among virtual communities and networks. So in simple terms, that's your Facebook, your Twitter, your X, your Blue Sky threads, Instagram. These platforms that have become, like, the backbone of our communications personally and professionally. Where we are logging on and posting, there's text, videos. Oh, I can't believe I forgot TikTok on that list.

MARY: Oh, yeah.

AMANDA: Videos, images, whatever content we're posting on these platforms that's then distributed to our friends, followers, whatever the platform calls it.

MARY: So then would podcasting be under that category?

AMANDA: I don't think so. Okay. I'm taking a pause. 

MARY: Yeah. [LAUGHTER]

AMANDA: I mean, okay, in some ways, I guess you could argue that perhaps it's social media, but at the same time, I don't think it is. Because podcasting is distributed to a lot of different channels, right?Like, when I upload my podcast to my podcast host, then it's going out to Apple podcasts. It's going to, you know, all the places where people listen to podcasts. And I think one of the defining differences, too, with social media, and I'm putting, like, my Old PR school hat on when I say this like also with social media or what the promise of social media was way back at the turn of the century was a two way conversation.

MARY: Yeah, I think that too…

AMANDA: Right?

MARY: ...That's what I was thinking.

AMANDA: Yeah. And so yes, I do think that podcasts do facilitate a two way conversation, but that conversation isn't happening on the podcast, right? Like we put the podcast out into the ether and then that two way conversation might actually happen on social media that the podcast instigates, but it's not happening like on the podcast… 

MARY: Yeah.

AMANDA: …if that makes sense.

MARY: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, so then, now that we can sort of have like, a good foundation of what that is. Like marketing existed before social media. You know, we were marketing snake oil back in the day, right? So like, how can we market today without social media? What foundations should we be looking at first? What should we be considering?

AMANDA: These are great questions and definitely some of the most topical questions with my clients and in communities that I'm a part of, running a mostly online business. First, before I dive into some of the practical things, I just really cannot say enough that if you want to market your business without social media, or put it another way, if you don't want to use social media to market your business, then that is 100% possible. I really think, and I'm thinking about what I just said a couple minutes ago about how social media has become such a critical part of our professional and personal communications, but as social media has risen in popularity, we have all kind of forgotten that yeah, there is other ways to do this online and offline as well. 

So if you are feeling like you're getting that little intuitive hit that you'd like to do less social media marketing or you would like to leave entirely for relying on social media, it's 100% possible. So that said, whenever I'm chatting with somebody about marketing with social media, without social media, or really any tactic for that matter, I think the first place to start is to get really, really clear about what role social media marketing is currently playing in your business. So when I'm talking about marketing communications in my framework, which I like to call the Just Enough Framework, we have layers of different marketing objectives that we want our marketing to achieve for us, right? We and this very similar to a classic marketing funnel. So this will likely feel familiar to anybody who's familiar with the funnel.

MARY: The funnel, the funnel. [LAUGHTER]

AMANDA: I mean, we could do a whole other episode on the funnel, right?

MARY: You'll have to come back for that. [LAUGHTER]

AMANDA: So we are never ever just marketing for the sake of marketing. Like marketing is this great big vague umbrella term. But when we think about, okay, what are we actually trying to do when we're marketing our business? Number one, we're trying to attract new clients and customers, build an audience, build awareness of our brand. Then once people know who we are, we want them to connect with us in some way, right? This is where your brand story comes into play. This is where content marketing or even just your website comes into play so people can understand your business, understand your service offerings, your products, your point of view, what makes you unique, differentiates you from your competitors. How do I work with you? All of those good things. 

Some, you know, common term is like, this is the know, like, and trust type layer of your marketing. And then once people know who we are, once they have decided that we can solve their problem or meet their needs, right? Then it links in with our sales process. So we have marketing tactics that are designed to sell our products and services. 

So when you're evaluating your social media, I like to go through all of the ways that we're using social media and kind of map them to those objectives, right? Like, are we using social media to find new clients? Are we just using it as a way to share our point of view or to talk about our approach or what makes us unique? And are we using some of those social selling tools that are available on these platforms? Or is there a call to action that's like a buy now kind of call to action in your social media content? 

Now, I did a workshop about this recently and as I was talking about this, I could just hear that David Beckham meme from the Beckham's Netflix documentary where he was like, be honest, be honest. [LAUGHTER] Because what I see a lot is we think social media is doing one or more of those things that I just outlined, but maybe it's not. Maybe it's not actually moving the needle in our business. And so this is why it's so important to start at ah, this point. Because number one, if it is contributing to building awareness, connecting and converting clients, then you need to plan how you are going to fill those gaps. And if you take a look at your social media and you audit your social media and you realize, oh, wait a second, it's not really doing any of these things or it's not doing what I thought it was, then you want to maybe take another step back and look at the bigger picture and think, okay, well, how actually are my clients finding me?... 

MARY: Yeah, exactly 

AMANDA: …How am I marketing? Because what I have this. It's. I mean, I'm kind of laughing because it seems so simple, but I've had countless conversations with folks who are like, oh, well, social media doesn't do anything for my business, but I don't know what else to do. And then when I start to pull at those threads, oh, it turns out that actually they are doing a lot of marketing. Often it has to do with word of mouth, referrals, relationships, networking. But we have just come to equate marketing with social media. And even beyond that, I feel like we have come to equate it with Instagram in particular, especially for online businesses. And people are actually doing a lot of marketing outside of social media and then they don't even realize it because for some reason they think it doesn't count.

MARY: Yeah, because they're like, oh, if you have a business or you have an organization or you want to market something, you have to be on social media. You have to have an Instagram account or you have to be on LinkedIn. And if you don't have that, you're not an established legitimate business. And so like, I think we get that fear of, oh, well, we, we want to look professional. So we, I guess we have to be in all the places, you know? So when you're talking about tactics, I think a lot of people are like, tactic, social media, check. 

AMANDA: Mhmm, Mhmm.

MARY: So is that the approach for tactics? Like what, what is this?

AMANDA: Well, you know, one thing I will also say too is like, I have a lot of empathy and you know, I'm a small business owner too, right? So I have been in this place myself. I have done all of these things before. But what I, I talk a lot about, like social media also feels like we have a lot of control over it in a way that maybe some other marketing tactics feel like we have to relinquish a little bit of control. Like if I'm relying on referrals from my past clients or my network, well, doesn't that just mean that I have to wait for Mary to recommend me to her clients…

MARY: Right.

AMANDA: …and there's nothing I can do? Oftentimes, especially with solo service provider, especially women entrepreneurs, although I don't think it's expensive, exclusive to women. We are like freaking out about our business in some way and committing random acts of marketing…

MARY: Random acts of marketing, yes. [LAUGHTER]

AMANDA: …Which is just like the totally unstrategic, like posts that you just throw up on social, right? Or maybe you just throw it up there on social where you're like, my books are open. I've got two spots available. And now we can cross marketing off of our to do list check, right? We get that dopamine hit the likes. If we're lucky, people see it…

MARY: Yes.

AMANDA: …And then the likes and the shares and the comments start rolling in. And now we feel good, right?

MARY: Right, right.

AMANDA: Which is part of the reason why giving up social media maybe feels so scary, right?

MARY: Yeah. I mean, I remember I booked a session with you. We worked together, I think, like, two years ago now, and you had asked me that same question, and I was like, well, I think I'm on social media, but I don't really like it, but I'm on there. And actually I was looking back, I was like, oh, actually I get, like, a lot of my work through referrals, or actually, Google right now is working for me. So then you were like, then why are you on social media? I was like, oh, yeah, right. Why am I? [LAUGHTER]

AMANDA: It's true, because, half of the reason why I even started my business was because I was so tired of, like, just seeing social media at the top of every listicle for how to market your small business, right?

MARY: No, it doesn't have to be that way.

AMANDA: Exactly. And like, I don't want to sound too much like a conspiracy theorist here, but, like, think about it. Who is benefiting from our belief that we have to be on social media? It's not my business. My business isn't making money from that. But even if we're not investing dollars into ads on platforms like Facebook or Instagram or TikTok, if we're not doing any advertising, we're still paying with our time and our attention and our data…

MARY: Information

AMANDA: …Exactly. And when you're a small business owner, there's the time that you spend actually doing your social media marketing, and then there's the time that you spend fretting about doing your social media marketing, right? [LAUGHTER] So how much time and energy are we even like? It's. It's exponential how much we're paying for these platforms.

MARY: So let's switch then to podcasting itself is also a form of marketing. So then I feel like there's this catch 22 of, well I also have to market the podcast, which is my marketing vehicle, so then…

AMANDA: Mhmm.

MARY: …what the heck should I be doing? [LAUGHTER]

AMANDA: Yeah, that's such a great point. And this is something that I see lots of folks bumping up against, right? And I would say, yes, podcasting, but any type of content marketing, whether you're making videos or you're making YouTube videos, or you're writing blogs, or you've got freebies, or any type of content marketing, needs to have a distribution strategy. So it's that planning and that thinking through the tactics has to happen twice. Like, we need to understand, okay, if I'm going to start a podcast or I'm hosting a podcast, or I'm producing a podcast as part of my marketing strategy, where does that fit into my marketing sandwich, as I like to call it?

MARY: Oh, I love your sandwich analogy. Makes me hungry all the time too. Do explain.

AMANDA: Well, yeah, I mean, this is just my alternative to the funnel, right? Instead of thinking of it like a funnel, I think of it like a sandwich. Because we can put different layers. So that attraction, connection, conversion layers, and how much we put into each layer really depends on the resources that we have available to us. What are our goals, what is our energy like for marketing? You know, if you're running a small business, sometimes you run into a problem where your marketing was actually successful, successful, and now you're booked and busy and now you don't have time to market, right. So maybe you need to pull back a little bit on how much you're marketing, right. So that's why I like the sandwich, because it can change. It evolves quarter to quarter, year to year, however you kind of plan what the seasons in your business are. 

So thinking about your podcast, where in your sandwich does the podcast fit? Is this how you are trying to actually go out there and find new clients? Or once your clients have found you through other channels, through that visibility layer, through that attraction layer, visibility tactics or attraction tactics. Now that I know who you are and your business sounds interesting and maybe this is somebody who I could learn from, maybe this is somebody who could help solve my problem, then I'm going to tune into the podcast and it's more of an it's more about connection, right? So you have to really understand what the big picture strategy of the podcast is first, right?

MARY: Yes, totally.

AMANDA: Number one. And so if you know, you're a solo podcaster and you're sharing your IP or sharing your point of view on your podcast, then chances are that's probably more just in the connection piece right?

MARY: Yes, the relationship building podcast.

AMANDA: Exactly. But maybe your podcast has guests, and so you have a strategy around who you're going to invite to talk on your podcast, because then they're going to share it with their community and it's going to share it with their clients and their networks, and then that will bring people into your ecosystem. So that's step one. And then once you understand the role that your podcast is going to play in your marketing and how it's going to serve your business. Okay, now we need to kind of go through and make your podcast its own little sandwich, right?

MARY: Another sandwich. [LAUGHTER]

AMANDA: Yes, exactly. It's a sandwich in the sandwich. And you need to think through those same things. Like, okay, well, how. How are people gonna find out about this podcast?

MARY: Yeah, I think people jump to that always first.

AMANDA: 100%. Like, I have talked to a lot of people because I don't currently host a podcast, but I have in the past, right? So, people often ask me questions about podcasting. Although podcasting in 2018 was definitely different than podcasting in 2025. But all that to say, you know, people think, especially when people are like, well, I don't want to market on social media, so I'm going to start a podcast. And it's like, okay, great idea. So how are people going to find out about the podcast? You need to have that distribution strategy. 

So what are some of the ways that people can find out about your podcast outside of social media? Number one, having an SEO strategy for your podcast, right? I that's the right fit, maybe making sure that you know all the places in your podcast descriptions and your episode titles that those things are optimized for what your potential clients might be searching for, right? Making sure that your website is also aligned. Like you had said that Google's and search traffic is bringing you a lot of clients these days. So making sure, like, if that's the right fit for your business, right? Making sure that people know that you have a podcast when they come to your website. Like, that seems so simple, but sometimes it is hidden, right?

MARY: Yeah, it's hard to find.

AMANDA: So putting it front and center, right? Being a guest on other people's podcasts, right? People who like podcasts listen to podcasts. So if you want people to listen to your podcast, then, you know, you could try being a guest. I mentioned earlier having a strategy around guests, a guesting strategy, and then working your network, working your referrals. Like, are there folks that you could do ad swaps with? Are there folks that you could do feature swaps with? There's so many options for low cost, like newsletter classified ads these days. And this is something that I've had a lot of success with in my business for building my audience. 

And so some well placed ads that are aligned with your exact target audience is a way to kind of get the word out with your podcast. But this also goes back to really being clear on the role that your podcast plays in your business. And so if I find out about your business and your podcast is the place where I'm going to connect and I'm going to build that relationship with you as a potential service provider or as a customer, then you need to make sure that all roads lead to the podcast, right?

MARY: All roads do, hopefully. Yep.

AMANDA: And then once I get to the podcast, then what happens next? Because I love podcasting. I think it can be very effective for a serve, uh, for a business as a marketing channel. But you also don't want it to be like an escalator to nowhere. Once I listen to your podcast, now what happens? What do you want me to do? And so making sure that on your podcast that you have really clear next steps and a really clear call to action, telling people what to do now. Do you want people to sign up to your newsletter so that you can use email marketing to sell to them? Do you have, like, a strategic freebie that you use, like, download the template that you can, you know, fill out as you listen to this episode? That's like an old Amy Porterfield play from, like, way back in the day that I still think is very helpful, right? And you know somebody who I think is very good at this is my friend Amelia Hruby, who coincidentally hosts a podcast called Off The Grid, and it is all about marketing without social media…

MARY: She's great. I was on an online conference with her, too. She's great.

AMANDA: …Amazing. Amazing. Yeah, she's great. But what she's also really good at is having that consistent call to action, right. So as soon as you tune into her podcast, she's suggesting that you download her toolkit. Anytime she's a guest on a podcast, the call to action is download the toolkit, right. And then it puts you onto an email list so she can stay in touch with you, right? That's not to say that that's the strategy and the template that we should all be following, but my point is, is having that, like, clear next steps. Once they've listened to this podcast, what do you want people to do next?

MARY: Yeah, and that leads me actually to. And I know you were saying this isn't like the thing that everybody should. Be doing, but we are talking newsletter, email list. And the big thing right now is Substack. People are thinking, okay, if I move my newsletter to Substack and they do podcasting, it's like an all in one thing, and I can just easily do it all in one place and have it done and have that communication with listeners on there. So what are your feelings about Substack for a streamlined approach for podcasting and newsletter?

AMANDA: Mhmmm. Mhmm. Mhmm. Well, I will caveat this by saying that I have a lot of opinions on a platform that I do not use myself, [LAUGHTER] at least not as a publisher. But I mean, you're right, like Substack does have the functionality that you can publish an email newsletter and host a podcast at the same time, right? And I think I'm correct when I say that also it's free.

MARY: Yes, I looked it up. It is free.

AMANDA: Mhmm. It is free. So very compelling. Yeah, it is very compelling. Value proposition from Substack, right? And so, you know, Substack has really been hailed in the last couple of years as kind of this alternative to social media. And we're going to get on Substack and then we're going to start making, you know, six-figures a year based on our content. And in my experience and with the folks that I work with, that, that is not actually what happens. In fact, you know, more and more these days, Substack itself is starting to look a lot like an all purpose social media as well, right?

MARY: Yes. I was just thinking about that because you. We were talking about what is social media, and then we're like, okay, comments and stuff. So they have that in the platform where you can chat and have like, a forum and comments.

AMANDA: Exactly. And you know, maybe that's something that is appealing, right? But I mean, I'm no fun, because it's always going to come back down to like, well, what are the objectives?... [LAUGHTER]

MARY: Yeah.

AMANDA: …What are you trying to do, right?...

MARY: Yes. Yes.

AMANDA: …And I'm not going to let you just jump into the shiny new thing until we have a really clear understanding of the business case, right?... 

MARY: Yeah.

AMANDA: …And how this is actually going to drive things forward. And what do you need? What types of functionality do you need, right? And like I listen to podcasts on the Substack app. I do actually, usually I listen to them on the Substack app because I'm too lazy to like set up the RSS feed and Castbox, right?

MARY: Yeah. Because it's another form of like layer of friction that you got to do. So like you use the app.

AMANDA: Yeah, exactly. Which I mean, I. That's what Substack likes, right. Because once again, just because we're not paying with our dollars on these types of apps, like they wanna. It's in Substack's best interest for us to spend more time on the app, right? And which, when you also start to unpack, like, all the ways that it has started to act like a social media form with notes, with, they've introduced videos, they've introduced, I don't know if that this is something that's, like, widely available on the platform or if it's just with certain creators or certain partnerships that they've been doing, like, live feeds and, like, live streams and things like that on Substack. 

So Substack wants you on their platform and they want you to stay there for a long time. And so now they are implementing features for you to do that. Now, all of that to say, right? Like, yeah, maybe Substack is a good place for you to publish your podcast and a newsletter, and it's streamlined, and it's all in one. But I would also really just invite you to interrogate, like, what you want out of that too, because from my understanding, like, Substacks analytics is shit.

MARY: Yeah. From what I understand, too, yeah.

AMANDA: Yeah. And you know, I have clients who have had a really hard time trying to figure out, okay, like, who's actually, like, reading my newsletter, clicking my newsletter, and I have no idea what the podcast stats are like, right. Also, think about, okay, going back to what role does your podcast play in your business, right?

Where I have seen Substack work is when the thing, the product, the offer, whether it's paid or free, is whatever is happening on Substack. Like, I'm going to create a newsletter, I'm going to host the podcast there, we're going to have comments, we're going to do notes, we're going to do whatever. And everything happens here on Substack. And you're not now trying to pull somebody away from Substack to, like, buy a service. 

MARY: Yeah. 

AMANDA: You know what I mean?

MARY: Yeah.

AMANDA: And this is where I think things start to get tricky. And I. I kid you not that. I have worked with multiple service providers who started their Substack, bought into the promise of Substack, that you can publish here and make money from your content. And as a service provider who's creating content to market my business, I mean, yummy. I want that. I'm working so hard, so if I could get, you know, a couple hundred people to pay me $5 a month, like, that sounds amazing, right?

MARY: That's a great piece of income right there.

AMANDA: Exactly. I would love that. However, I'm not a content creator. That's not my business model. I'm a service provider, right?

MARY: Aha.

AMANDA: And so once you start to then be like, okay, well, when do people buy the Substack? And then if they're paying members of my substack, how do I sell to them? How do I now use email marketing? Because we also conflate email marketing with newsletters. And like, newsletters is like, the content marketing, it's like the information update date. It's the know, like and trust piece or it's like the product, right? Like if you're publishing on Substack, whereas email marketing is a conversion driver. It's driving sales. It's the email that has the like, buy now button, right? 

MARY: Mhmm.

AMANDA: It's the 27 emails I get from Old Navy with my super cash codes in it, right?... 

MARY: Yes. [LAUGHTER]

AMANDA: …Where it's driving me to make a purchase, right? So you have to have a really clear understanding of, okay, if you're especially if you’re a service provider, how is this going to fit into my strategy and into my sales strategy and into my business model, right? So I would caution, caution folks who are feeling or hearing the siren call of Substack, right, to really think deeply about the strategy and to try not to get caught up in Substack’s marketing, right?

Because, you know, they're going to promise you the world. And Substack is. I mean, maybe has Substack reached a tipping point? Maybe? You know, maybe it's gotten to a point where, you know, we can't all get rich on Substack anymore potentially. But unless you're really willing to put the work into Substack, it's, it's not going to do what it says on the tin. And if you're a service provider or you're using this as a way to promote other revenue streams or other lines of business, you'll probably just end up frustrated. So just keep your ESP, whatever email service provider you're keeping, you don't have to jump ship.

MARY: Yeah. The other thing too, I was looking into Substack just because I have two clients in the past month who were like, should I go on to Substack? So I, you know, did a little bit of research and tried to figure out, okay, how does this work for your podcast specifically? And the one thing that I couldn't find on their website is, okay, if I'm done with Substack, can I redirect and have a 301 redirect for my feed? And they have not given any option for that. So that tells me that you don't own your podcast after this. Substack owns that feed,... 

AMANDA: Ooo.

MARY: …and if you want to move off of it, you'd have to build the RSS feed all over again because it tells you how to import one, but it doesn't tell you how to export one.

AMANDA: Very interesting.

MARY: So that's usually my red flag of I don't think people should move their podcast there yet.

AMANDA: Yeah. Yeah. You know, Amelia, I mentioned before, has an episode called Should I Publish My Podcast On Substack? So I'll send you that link so you can include that in the show notes.

MARY: Yeah, and I listen to Amelia's podcast, too, so I haven't listened to that episode, but I can recommend her podcast, so I'm gonna go listen to that episode too. So thanks for sharing that one.

AMANDA: Great.

MARY: Okay. I mean, we could talk about this forever. We can gab and gab and gab, but we got things to do, so thank you so much for your time, Amanda. To close off, though, I always like to ask my guests, what are you excited about podcasting right now?

AMANDA: Okay. So I listen to a lot of TV recap podcasts, actually.

MARY: Ooo yeah!

AMANDA: And when we're recording this, we're just in the middle of February, and, like, a lot of my favourite TV shows are coming back, after long hiatuses. And so I'm currently, I'm watching Severance and YellowJackets and White Lotus is coming back. The Last of Us is coming out, a little bit later in the spring. And so I'm actually really excited to have, like, different TV podcasts, in my feed again, because it's been a bit of a fallow time for us TV lovers over the last year or so. And I really love HBO, always does, like, a companion podcast or often does a companion podcast with the shows where they're actually talking to the creators of the show and kind of giving some behind the scenes. And especially with shows like the Last of Us, like, I just, I love that so much. So I'm listening, I love to watch TV, but even more, I love to listen to TV podcasts.

[LAUGHTER]

MARY: I love that because, you know, our world is so serious, and so, like, TV is giving us that window into, like, dreamland, and not have to focus on marketing and tactics, and all that stuff.

AMANDA: Although, I mean, I don't know about you, but the zombie apocalypse, the mushroom zombie apocalypse… 

MARY: Oh, gosh, 

AMANDA: …does feel nigh.

MARY: It's true. That is true. Although I'm excited for the Last of Us just because this upcoming season, they filmed it on the island here where I live in Vancouver Island in Nanaimo and Vancouver, where I grew up. So I was like, oh, how are they gonna transform this into the mushroom world.

AMANDA: I can't wait.

MARY: I can't wait to. Anyway, thank you so much Amanda, for your time and your expertise and your brilliance. And maybe you should come back and we'll do funnel and sandwiches and stuff anytime.

MARY: Next time.

AMANDA: Anytime.

[MUSIC IN]

MARY: Oh, yeah. How are you feeling now about social media after that discussion? Are you still in the camp of staying or are you planning on leaving cold turkey? It's okay also to just dip your toes back in every now and then, because as Amanda says, it really depends. What are your goals? It's the same for when I'm talking about, you know, launching a podcast or when people are trying to figure out what they're doing with their show. It is that same question, what are your goals? 

I always ask my clients that. What is the reason for your podcast? What do you want to do with it? Is it that relationship building? Is it the thought leadership in your industry? Is it to grow your network? A podcast can be very specific for each of these things. Before you know what you can do with your show and how to do it, you need clarity on what your podcast is for. 

So I love that Amanda reiterated this point for the marketing side as well. And Amanda mentioned Amelia's podcast episode about Substack. We highly recommend it. Listen to it. It is linked in the show. Notes for you. I listened to it. It's a quick episode. So she really asked some strong questions that I've asked some of my own clients as well in our strategy sessions. So if you want a quick rundown of what you should start thinking about about this whole Substack, should I be on it? Should I not, give that episode a listen? Like I said, it's a short solo. So if you want to get more specific onto the idea of Substack, and if you want to host your podcast there, Amelia's episode will be a good follow up to this one. 

And like I was mentioning on the show, that clarity session with Amanda was amazing. It was a one off session where I needed my questions answered instead of, you know, googling it all, trying to figure out, okay, so now that I've googled everything, what will work best for me, it's having that second set of eyes and ears. You know, it's kind of like you're in that fishbowl and you're swimming around in circles all the time, but she's outside of that fishbowl and she really gives you some great clarity. So, highly recommend to if you're looking for some clarity in your marketing, go talk to Amanda. I will leave her website linked in the show notes of course. She'll give you a great roadmap for what will work for you and your show versus, like I said, that generic Google search of ideas that are out there and, uh, of course, what we see on social media too, right? So, slowandsteady.studio, I'll put that link in the show notes. 

And finally, as Amanda was talking about newsletters and that clear call to action on podcasts, I wanted to bring up mine. How, of course I'm going to end my show with a clear call to action. And since we were talking about newsletters, I would love for you to sign up for mine. You can learn more about podcasting and your voice speaking with spirit. Because your voice is needed now more than ever. I know I've said it before, but, yeah, even more so now because of all the restrictions and silencing that's happening in the world that we've been seeing on social media. So I've said it in the past, but I feel like this moment in time, I mean it more than ever, that we do need your voice now more than ever. 

So another way to keep in touch with me is through my newsletter, which I don't send out too often. So like she said, I'm not doing like, a buy now type of email marketing. It is a newsletter that I send out most of the time when a new episode is out. So keep in touch with me over there. I'll give you some extra tips as well in the newsletter about podcasting and your voice. So head on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com/newsletter to sign up. 

And as always, I'd love to hear from you about your thoughts on social media and podcasting, or even your thoughts about Substack. Are you on it? Are you not? Are you contemplating it? I'd love to know. You can leave me a voice note on my website, VisibleVoicePodcast.com look for the purple send voicemail button where you can email me or heck yeah, in direct message. Me on social media too. Yes, I'm there. Instagram or LinkedIn. I would love for you to just share your voice, right? Share your thoughts on this whole marketing without social media or I need social media, I'm too addicted to it. It doesn't matter. I would just love to hear your thoughts on this episode. 

So I'm gonna have a social media post on it. You'll see it. Hopefully the algorithm will let you see it. And when you do, leave a comment there as well. Totally cool. One way or another. 

On the next episode, we are going to be talking about video, oh yeah, it's that rise of video podcast and how video is so integrated into this podcasting space now. And this whole marketing piece too. People are using video on social media, right? So we are going to talk about pros and cons of integrating video and why you want or not want to add video into your podcasting workflow. So I'll catch you then.

[MUSIC ENDS] 

>

MARY: Thank you so much for listening to the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you share it with a podcasting friend. And to reveal more voicing and podcasting tips, click on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com. Until next time.

>

[MUSIC ENDS]

What shifts in podcasting have you noticed in the last few months? In the first episode of 2025, Mary dives right into the changes we’ve seen in podcasting just since last fall. More and more hosts are leaning into partisan politics and using their shows to share their thoughts and concerns with a huge audience. This has further legitimized the industry, similar to when celebrities started to don the mantle of podcast host several years back.

This mainstream growth has a real impact on your show, even if you aren’t interviewing Canada’s Prime Minister or the Democratic presidential candidate. Mary explores how you, as a podcast creator, can seize this opportunity to transform or elevate your show—ultimately your own media platform—to refresh stagnant formulas and revisit the most essential question: how does your podcast align with your values?

Whether you’re brand new or years into podcasting, let’s think about:

• How podcasting becoming more mainstream affects you and your show
• How you can lean into the shifts to bring a fresh perspective
• Why you should use your podcast to control the message you want to spread

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Find Podcast Success While Doing Less, Episode 87: https://www.organizedsound.ca/find-podcast-success-while-doing-less-episode-87/
• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on facing impostor syndrome and taking criticism, Rethinking with Adam Grant: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/canadian-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-on-facing-impostor/id1554567118?i=1000658497013
• Gratitude enhances health, brings happiness — and may even lengthen lives, Harvard Health: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/gratitude-enhances-health-brings-happiness-and-may-even-lengthen-lives-202409113071

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL “LET’S GO” BEGINS]

MARY: Although it's February, and this is my first episode back from my year end break. Welcome back. It feels like a lifetime ago because so much has changed in this short little bit of time from my last episode that I published in early December. It's amazing what a few months can do for you. And toward the end of last year, too, in episode 87, called Find Podcast Success While Doing Less, that episode is a good one to listen to before this one, because it's kind of a continuation or maybe like a little addendum to that episode. Where are you on your podcasting journey to make your podcast more integrated with what you do and your values, especially in today's world when, yeah, we're still trying to figure out what to do with less time, less money, less capacity, all of that sort of stuff. 

So if you haven't listened to episode 87 yet, make sure you go find that one and then continue on to this one. Because, yeah, the world has changed. It doesn't matter which part of the world you live in. And I usually don't get very political. This podcast isn't political at all. And I don't slide into that realm. But I feel like with everything that I do, whether that is my personal life, my podcasting life, my business life, everything is all intertwined. So what does that political landscape actually mean for podcasting as a whole? And then more specifically, what does it mean for your show? A few things, actually. So listen in. 

This is episode number 90 of the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. 

>

Hey, welcome back to the show. Oh, my gosh. This is episode 90. 

[INTRO MUSIC ENDS]

And as I usually start my year, I like to go back on, okay, what did I do on my podcast? What do I want to talk about this year? And things like that? And I realized I'm going into my sixth year of this particular podcast. I've done podcasting before with a different show, but this one, this is my sixth year for this. And that also means I'm going into my eighth year in my podcast production company. Who would have thought when I started this adventure? 

So thank you so much. Whether you are a longtime listener, whether you've known me from the beginning of my podcast production company or even before then, if I'm lucky enough to have a few listeners that are from before that time, or if you're relatively new here, or this is your first episode, you know, it also still feels, very much new to me, because every time I produce an episode, every time I come up with an idea, I take it from that curiosity and learning angle, what can I learn in this moment and how can I share that learning piece with you? So thank you so much for coming on this ride, listening to this specific episode, and we're going to talk a lot about what's shifted in the past few months since I last recorded an episode from December and what is going on right now in February and into the future of podcasting, of course, for your show. 

[MUSIC IN]

So what is shifting in podcasting? Like I said at the top of the show, I don't usually go political, but podcasts as an industry have gone political. It really has taken that mainstream effect because of the U.S. election back in November and we're starting to see like how that all played out with the podcasting space. So the way I see things is in some ways this is all a good sign for the podcasting industry as a whole. Just like when celebrity podcasts were starting to be a big thing, that started to drive the industry even more. I'm thinking maybe like Dax Shepard has this podcast, Armchair Experts, that started in 2018 and then a few years after that you're starting to see like, podcasting mention in TV shows. 

And in fact there are shows that are based on this idea of podcasting, like Only Murders in the Building, which I love, love, love. And what are they just finished their fourth season or they're going into their fourth season. Either way it's a hilarious show and there's all these goofs on like how the podcast is actually made and as an audio person I'm like, oh, you can't do that. But whatever, it's a TV show, it doesn't matter, right? And it's fun, but it's good to see it in mainstream. There's also Based On A True Story, which is about podcasting as well, and how do you make money and that celebrity status of a podcast and stuff like that. 

So it's really good to see that the podcasting industry as a whole, because of these celebrity type podcasts, has made it more accessible for you, an independent podcaster. Like, why do you care that there are celebrity podcasts? Why do you care that there are politics in podcasting now? As an independent and someone who is not on a network show, how does this really impact you? And the whole bottom line is that it legitimizes the platform, meaning if your show is produced well and it stands out in your industry, you become the leader. 

I mean even before the U.S. election, being Canadian, myself, Justin Trudeau, our Prime Minister in June of 2024, he was on Adam Grant's podcast ReThinking. Love Adam Grant. And I'm not saying to, like, listen to this episode because, oh, my gosh, Justin Trudeau was on and politics and this stuff, but it was just that Adam is also using this podcast as a little bit of behind the scenes of how he even got the Prime Minister onto his show. Like, he's an American going to Ottawa to meet Justin Trudeau. Like, I don't think that would have normally happened in an everyday scenario. But now, 2024, 2025, into the future, podcasting is a legitimate media platform. 

So taking this into consideration for your podcast, how are you using your podcast as a media platform? Meaning, what is it doing for you? Whether that is having a business behind it or you're marketing your personal brand, or maybe you're just getting awareness for an organization, or a brand, or something that you work with or work for. What is that point of that podcast? Because now you're creating your own media assets. That's what your podcast is. So in order to do that, we need to start thinking about what you want that podcast to do and to make your listeners feel, because that feeling then translates into action. So let's dig into that feelings bit first. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

When you're creating your podcast, what's feeling new? So if you're trying to figure out, okay, do I still want to do interviews, do I want to add solo episodes? What does the format of my show look like and feel like right now, and do I want to change anything? What's feeling stagnant, either for you or maybe for your listeners? And how do you want that refresh to happen? Because, again, you're going to look at this from a media platform lens. How does your podcast play into your overall work? If it's a passion project or, like I said before, part of a business or organization, what are these goals and how does your podcast align with that for this specific year? Because, like I said, everything's changing, everything's new. It's a great time to have that fresh eyes on something. 

And it's never too late. If you're listening to this episode and it's way past February and not the week that it is published, then that's totally fine. It's never too late to think about your podcasting journey that you've been on so far, even if you haven't launched a show yet. Like, you were still on this podcasting journey, because it all started with that spark of an idea. Where are you on this journey? Have you created hundreds of episodes? Are you only on your 5th episode? Are you on your 100th episode? What has shifted for you since that spark of an idea until today? What's different? 

[MUSIC IN]

I mentioned earlier the episode Doing Less For Your Podcast. That's episode number 87 that I did at the latter half of 2024. This is still happening now in 2025, in the beginning stages of the year, I'm seeing people wanting to rest, uh, to shift away from that constant productivity and the daily grind. So listen to that one if you haven't yet. But part of that episode, too. I talk about finances and being Canadian, paying a lot more for things online because they're in U.S. dollars. And our dollar right now is what, 68 cents? 68 cents per U.S. dollar. It's not, not as great as it used to be. So it means that, as Canadians, we are even paying more and more and more for the same product or service from last year. 

You know, for me, on the business side, that's great because I am getting a lot more Canadians who want to work with me, right? Working with a fellow Canadian, few and far between in the audio world and the podcasting space. So, love to support the Canadians where I can. But what that means is that everything at the start of the year is playing out with a lot of uncertainty. You know, people are trying to figure out, do you want to pay more for this, or should I streamline and not pay for a lot of things here and don't pay for this there? 

And, you know, podcasting isn't cheap to run your own show, to host a show, at least it does take some money or time. It's not an easy thing to do if you want to put some intention behind it. So with all this uncertainty and all this back and forth, what do we do now in this climate that we're in? I want you to take a step back as well. What can we control to keep the fear of the unknown at bay? 

[MUSIC ENDS]

Sometimes these tips can feel like very broad and very nebulous. But I think for one, this one is something I didn't want to mention at first because it feels kind of like cliche. But the more I thought about it, I didn't want to edit my own thoughts and kind of stay true to my speak with spirit ethics that I've got. It's gratitude. And you might see it online and be like, oh, yeah, I want to be grateful for this and thankful for that, but it really does help. And from a personal standpoint, I do journal every single night. It's quick bullet form. It's not a bullet journal, per se. I don't know if you've heard that type of journal before, but this is what I do. And I find it works simply for me because they're easy points and it's just to get things out of my head so I'm not constantly thinking about stuff before I go to bed. 

So I do this every night. Again, whatever works for you. If you are a morning person, maybe you do this in the morning, but for me, five things that were a success could be as simple as tasks, you know, that you checked off. That still counts. Then the next section is three things I'm grateful for and my role in it. What did I do to actually make that happen? So usually I don't do, like, I thank the warm weather today. I thank the sunshine. Well, what did I do to make the warm weather happen? Or what did I do to make the sunshine happen, right? So, not just this nebulous gratitude, but how did this gratitude happen? Because of something that you did. 

The last section is three actions I took to drive any big dreams or made my day really, really happy. What were those three things? And I've been writing down these points every night since 2019. I would probably say I may have only missed one or two nights because I was sick. Like, if I was traveling, I'd bring my journal with me, my notebook. It's not really like a formal journal. It's just a notebook of blank pages. And then I just put in these notes and headers every day so I can say that the gratitude changes the perspective. 

And when you are grateful for others and yourself, your brain's chemistry changes, and it can shift your experiences. There's actually a lot of research about how gratitude changes mental health for the better. Even last September, there was research from Harvard Medical School saying how gratitude not only brings happiness, but also lengthens lives. So living longer. Woo! Who wouldn't like that, right? Living longer is amazing. So throw a little gratitude in your space. It's that creation of a habit can be easy as taking down those notes. Like I say that I do every night before bed. But this habit that I really enjoy too, because this way I have time to myself, I get to wind down for a better night's sleep. And I actually do this as the very last thing. Not to get too intimate here, but it is the last thing I do in the bathroom before I literally get into bed. 

The house is really quiet. I'm usually the only one left awake, and then I do my journaling and I go straight to bed. And actually, you'd be pretty surprised how podcasting actually comes up in my nightly journal. Comes up more often than you might think. Whether that is, you know, something I've been listening to that I learned from a podcasting client that I'm working with. Actually, maybe something that I learned from one of my clients, right? Like, there's just so much that goes into podcasting that you can actually be grateful for. Even though this isn't a podcasting gratitude journal, it's not specific to podcasting, but it does help in your podcasting world. 

[MUSIC IN]

And another thing, during all of this uncertainty, a podcast as your media platform is a way for you to control the message, unlike all the bro culture that is there that I've been trying to stay away from. And we are seeing play out in the real world when we as a podcaster speak with spirit. And I mean it in a heartfelt, tactful way. Not like I'm gonna yell, and scream, and speak on what's on my mind. Like, that is a really unkind move, right? Like, we're not being mean spirited here. We are not just saying whatever we want on our mind when we're speaking with spirit, it is in a way that we say it with the intention of love, with an understanding that we are doing our best with the situation that we have and that we have this platform now, this podcasting platform to share that message. 

So what do you want to say? It's your podcast. It's not social media, which can shut down, or change algorithms, or do all sorts of weird things that you can't control, but this idea that you can still be a leader in, in your industry with your podcast, because you have created your own media platform, your message never goes away until you want it to. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

So I hope you got a little bit of something out of this episode to start your year or to continue that fresh podcasting energy for the year. Keeping this one short, because trying to stay away from all the doom scrolling and all the news. I watch a lot of news, so trying to stay away from that right now. So food for thought, how do you feel in this climate, this political climate that is affecting your podcast, if any, because I'm sure you never even thought about that connection, right? But there is, because now podcasting, it's a legitimate media platform. People are coming to the space to share their message as well. So how are you going to promote other people's voices with intention? 

We're going to dive deeper into a lot of nuance in this sort of realm this season. So I would love your hot take on what do you want to hear? What do you want to move towards this year? Leave me a voice note. I'd love to hear your voice, VisibleVoicePodcast.com There's a purple button that says send voicemail. Leave me a note there. Or email, as always [email protected]. 

And on the next episode, like I said, we're going to continue a bit on this theme here. It's an extension where you're going to talk social media. No, no, it's not what you think. I'm not a big fan of social media either. I don't know if you've noticed or if you're even on. I'm not really on there too often. LinkedIn and Instagram are my places, but they're very restricting of my time. Or I am restricting its time, maybe, is a better phrase.

So next episode, we're talking about social media because the idea is we're going to be marketing without social media. I'm going to talk to Amanda Laird, who is the Founder of Slow and Steady Studio and a marketing communication strategist. She has more than 20 years of experience in communications, PR, and management, and now helps solo-preneurs, small businesses and non-profit organizations do just enough marketing to reach their goals their way. I love her, just enough, because that's what we're talking about here, too. Doing less, right? 

So you're going to want to take some notes with this because Amanda knows so much about marketing and I've worked with her in different ways, including her as my client, but also in her helping me with my marketing strategy. So you'll definitely want that notepad, physical or virtual notepad, and take some notes. So we'll talk to you then. 

>

MARY: Thank you so much for listening to the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you share it with a podcasting friend. And to reveal more voicing and podcasting tips, click on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com. Until next time.

>

[MUSIC ENDS]

How are your values guiding your voice, schedule, and future plans for your show? The holiday season is upon us, and that makes this the final 2024 episode of The Podcaster’s Guide to the Visible Voice! Throughout the year, Mary fields tons of questions about all things recording, speaking, and producing. So, here’s a round-up of some of the impossible-to-Google questions most podcast creators ask at some point.

From embracing the volume of your voice to easy-to-implement recording hacks for guest episodes, wrap up your year and feel empowered to launch or continue your show in 2025 with these practical tips from a seasoned podcast strategist and voice coach.

Get inspired for your upcoming podcast season:

• How to reframe the “professional” voice in podcasting
• Consider capacity: taking breaks as a solo creator
• The future expectations of adding video
• Easy tips to take your recording process to the next level

Listen to this year’s guest episodes:

• Accessibility in Podcasting for Hard-of-Hearing Listeners with Kellina Powell, Episode 88: https://www.organizedsound.ca/accessibility-in-podcasting-for-hard-of-hearing-listeners-with-kellina-powell-episode-88/
• Warm Up to a Healthier, More Confident Voice with Nic Redman, Episode 86: https://www.organizedsound.ca/warm-up-to-a-healthier-more-confident-voice-with-nic-redman-episode-86/
• Simplify Your Workflow to Keep Your Podcasting Passion Alive with Craig Constantine, Episode 84: https://www.organizedsound.ca/simplify-your-workflow-to-keep-your-podcasting-passion-alive-with-craig-constantine-episode-84/
• Start a Ripple Effect of Continuous Learning with Beth Cougler Blom, Episode 81: https://www.organizedsound.ca/start-a-ripple-effect-of-continuous-learning-with-beth-cougler-blom-episode-81/
• Making Accessibility Possible in Podcasting with Joel McKinnon, Episode 79: https://www.organizedsound.ca/making-accessibility-possible-in-podcasting-with-joel-mckinnon-episode-79/
• Why We Need To Highlight Our Humanity In Podcasting with Erin Moon, Episode 77: https://www.organizedsound.ca/why-we-need-to-highlight-our-humanity-in-podcasting-with-erin-moon-episode-77/
• Writing For Your Podcast with Shannon Kirk, Episode 75: https://www.organizedsound.ca/writing-for-your-podcast-with-shannon-kirk-episode-75/
• Crafting a Consistent Brand Story with Brigitte Bojkowszky, Episode 73: https://www.organizedsound.ca/crafting-a-consistent-brand-story-with-brigitte-bojkowszky-episode-73/
• Voice Health: Treat Your Podcasting Instrument With Care, Episode 85: https://www.organizedsound.ca/voice-health-treat-your-podcasting-instrument-with-care-episode-85/
• Organic Discovery for Podcasts, Episode 67: https://www.organizedsound.ca/organic-discovery-for-podcasts-episode-67/
• Learn more about Spotify for Creators: https://creators.spotify.com/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL “LET’S GO” BEGINS]

MARY: Over the course of the year, I get plenty of podcasting and audio or voice related questions, as you could guess from the work that I do. And like we've talked about on the podcast before, no question is a dumb question. Podcasting questions come up all the time. Whether they might be a bit more foundational, like, what mic do you buy? How do you record online, how do you get the best sound? Those are more technical questions, but for this episode I wanted to go beyond that, because if you can google it, does it really make for an interesting or exciting podcast episode? Probably not. So I wanted to get under those almost superficial layers. So as we wrap up the year, I'm going to answer three very common questions that I get a lot. And as always, touch upon your podcasting values as we close out this year. 

This is episode number 89, the last episode for 2024, on the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. 

>

Hey, thanks for listening to the show, but before we get to the questions, a little Q&A. I wanted to share a voice note with you first, from someone's voice story. 

[INTRO MUSIC ENDS]

This is back in episode 85 about your voice health and treating your podcasting instrument with care. I asked you to say and complete the following sentence stems. The first time someone said something about my voice, it made me feel, dot, dot, dot, fill in the blanks, and then end with the second sentence stem, today, what I love about my voice is, dot, dot, dot, so this is one of the voice notes I got.

[VOICE NOTE AUDIO]: I'm calling from New York City, New York. The first time someone said something about my voice, it made me feel very self conscious. Today, what I love about my voice is that I've learned to speak slower. My ideal voice is that of many hosts on NPR public radio, which I listen to all day. And I've often been reprimanded by friends and family for having a very loud voice when I become excitable. And I don't notice that I have such a loud voice. So I'm always really thrilled to listen to voice coaches and experts when it comes to voice. Thank you so much. [VOICE NOTE AUDIO ENDS]

MARY: Thank you so much for sending the voice note. I love it. I wish more people would send voice notes. Honestly, I talk about them all the time and a lot of people don't have that bravery. And so the voice notes that do come into my inbox, I love them. So thank you so much for sharing. 

Now, when I heard that voice note, I do have to say I heard the words loud voice, and I too was reminded about how when I was a kid or, you know, even when I was working in radio, when other people use their voices for a living, I was told I was too loud. My coworkers would do that, if you kind of squish your fingers trying to pinch together with your thumb that pinching together to tell me to be quiet, softer, I'm like, no. Because that's when, you know, I am passionate about something. [LAUGHTER] But what I have to say is that it's okay to be loud because it is that passion coming through. It can be. 

When I get loud that way, I am passionate about something. But that doesn't mean you have to speak that way all the time, right? It's when we can play with our voice to be loud and passionate, but also soft and vulnerable when we need it. So thanks again for your note. Thank you so much for recording it and sending it. I'm glad you have a loud voice when you need it, as I do as well, because loud doesn't always equal bad. 

[MUSIC IN]

So this leads to my first question for this little Q and A episode. How do I sound more professional? I get this one all the time because, yes, I worked in radio, as you know, and so when people hear my voice, they're like, oh, you've got a great radio voice. And I'm like, yeah, well, been in the business for like 20 years. Like, this isn't the way I started out. This is not how I sounded when I started. So, how do I sound more professional? My short answer is, you don't. Not exactly at least, for podcasting. Like, even in that voice note earlier, she mentioned NPR. For me, it's CBC in Canada or in Europe, it might be the BBC voice. Those are broadcast voices. And even those are slowly changing. 

But when we podcast, listeners are looking for someone to connect with. So that means also sounding like them, not someone sitting behind a big desk with a microphone. I think the deeper question that someone is actually wanting to ask, when they ask about that professional sounding question, it's that confidence piece with their voice. Like, how do I know when to bring the emotion? Or when should I sound like that journalistic voice? But I think that's the key, though, in podcasting you're not reporting a story or being a journalist. That's a totally different kind of podcast. So unless you are creating a true crime podcast, we really need to reframe this. 

The professional, quote unquote sound in podcasting is essentially that confidence in your voice. Because in the podcasting industry, most of the popular podcasters don't have a broadcast background. The podcasters, they sound like you, or your friends, or your family. It's when you have confidence to play with your voice, to bring out the anger when you need it, or that sadness when it comes to share your happiness, your excitement, and joy. We're along for that ride with you. 

So as I said earlier, it's not a one note show. As humans we have many emotions and expressions to play with, and that can also be expressed through your voice. Your listeners are going to get it when you're loud and excited, like I said before, because they'll be there with you. How do you want them to feel? How do you want your listener to feel? Feel that way too. Because we're sharing the feelings. We're not just talking heads. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

The next question is a big question I get all the time. It's usually around taking breaks. Do I take a break from my podcast? Can I take a break on my podcast? The productivity aspect in us, in our society, that accountability part where we hear everyone saying, you need to create content, you need to have a weekly show, podcast once a week, post something once a week, or twice a week at this specific time, et cetera, et cetera. You know, you got to work ahead, so you never take a break. But you know, that doesn't work for everyone, especially if you don't have a team behind you. In all honesty, podcasting is a lot of work. 

So producing a weekly show on top of if you have your own business, your work, your family life, personal life, taking time to have some fun, there's not a lot of time in one person's life to produce that much content, you know, to have that many episodes. So we have to look back at what our podcast means to us. Why are we building this show? Does your ideal listener expect this productivity from you? Or is this something that you've absorbed from, I don't know, reading something on the Internet that, you know, society is kind of saying to you, this is what you need to do. 

But I truly believe any creative pursuit. Podcasting, yes, is included as a creative pursuit has their own cycles. So for me to create my best show, I need to include breaks or else burnout is going to set in. So these breaks include the year end break. This is the last episode before 2024 ends. As I told you, I always take a break roughly around the last two weeks of December, and then I come back sometime after Chinese New Year. And Chinese New Year moves, right? It's either in January or February, anywhere between mid-January to early mid-February, because I take that time to go over to Vancouver, see my family, celebrate with everybody. 

In the summer as well. I take a break usually in July and August because it's the summer here. It's amazing where I live, I want to be outdoors. I'm an outdoorsy person. I want to go out there and really experience the environment that I am in. And so there's not a lot of time for podcasting. I mean, there could be, but honestly, I don't really want to, [LAUGH] right? Podcasting isn't the end all and be all. It is really fun to do though. And I get it too. Like some people might say, you need to keep podcasting or else you'll lose your listeners. But I also understand if your listeners know where you're coming from, they understand your values for your podcast. They will come back. 

So take a look at those foundations for your podcast again, what was the point of your podcast? Why are you creating the show? And for me, it's not about making money. So my podcast goals are not to monetize and make money, but it is to establish my thought leadership, showcase my work so that down the line I can have clients and make money, right. People hear what I can do and they're like, oh yeah, you know what you're talking about. I'd love to hire you. So it's a long term marketing strategy. This podcast of mine is a marketing platform. But yes, I do love sharing my knowledge and that is fun for me. So that thought leadership aspect of the podcast really works. But that also means I don't have to produce a weekly podcast. That is not important. 

So what is your plan to take a break as the year is winding down? I challenge you to think about what your production schedule is like and how does that fit into the capacity of your life? What do you need to tell your listeners so that they are kept in the loop and they'll come back, when you're back from your break? 

[MUSIC IN]

This next question is a recent one, because it's a recent discovery. It's what's with Spotify for Creators? If you haven't heard what Spotify for Creators is yet, maybe you don't read the industry news like me, or you don't check your email from Spotify. That might not be your main question actually. When I get that question asked, to me, it's really around the idea of videos in podcast. Because Spotify has been making huge investments into podcasting in recent years, buying up podcast shows with big names. But then also buying up podcast businesses to integrate those platforms and those solutions onto the Spotify platform. 

So their latest is Spotify for Creators, which really is just a rebrand of Spotify for Podcasters, which you might be familiar with. That's where you go to upload your show, your RSS feed, to put onto Spotify for people to listen to. And originally, like most podcasting, it all starts as audio-only. But because the podcasting landscape is now blurring with video, this rebrand is to incorporate video content creators too. So it's not niching down to podcasts only and making sure that they're getting more than just podcasters, meaning they want to include video podcasts. 

Last year, October, actually in 2023, I had the episode Organic Discovery For Podcasts. That was episode number 67. This one was about when YouTube made a huge shift in their podcasting landscape to announce that they were shutting down Google Podcasts and integrating podcasting into YouTube. So a whole year later, now we see Spotify going head to head with YouTube to try and compete in this space with Spotify for Creators. So really, the question that I also get is, do I have to do video now, too? You hear it in their voice. They're like, oh, not one more thing, [LAUGHS] right? Like I said, podcasting is a lot of work. Now we have to do video, too. Short answer, no, you don't. 

So here's where that line gets blurred again. When listeners or viewers on the video side, see, there's already a distinction in the wording, at least viewers versus listeners, they understand that a podcast is a show where essentially there's a microphone and people talk to each other. So when you think of podcasting, you might think of the really big shows that have video. But you also have to remember that these big shows, they were also paid big bucks to be on Spotify. And some of them to, then when they got on Spotify, to include video in their strategy to compete all with YouTube. That was Spotify's whole grand plan. 

So now people think that a successful podcast must have video because those big names have video. But again, you also have to remember, those quote, unquote, successful podcasts, they have a big team behind them, they understand video and how to integrate that video audience, the viewers, into the goals of their podcast. So you might want to ask yourself, do you have the resources to make a highly produced show? So, I mean, highly produced, because it's not just a basic video call like over Zoom, and then you put it out on the Internet, if you have those resources, then good on you. Go and make that podcast on video happen. You will use Spotify and YouTube to their fullest advantage. 

But for most podcasts, consumption is still mostly done on a podcast listening or audio only app. And as I hinted earlier, audio only is a very different medium and listener type than a video watcher. You need to be mindful to cater to either one of those. So, if you're doing both, not just to cater to the video side or not just to cater to the audio side, because then the video side loses out or the audio side loses out, right? No one is a winner. So the other platform will always suffer. If you're only catering to one and thinking like, oh, we'll just do the video, because YouTube has so much algorithm that we'll just strip the audio from the YouTube and then we'll just post it for audio only, that's great but, your audio will suffer because you're not focusing on that. And the audio only listeners will probably not listen to the show as much as watching it on YouTube. 

But for a lot of podcast listeners, they're like, I don't want to watch a podcast, I won't be able to take it with me. I haven't paid for a YouTube subscription, so why do I want to listen to a podcast there? There's a totally different medium, right? The listeners is doing something different than a video viewer. But what I'm also not saying is not to use video. There's a double negative there. Yeah, I'm saying not only to use video, right? Like, I think there is a place for video on the promotional side of an audio only podcast. You can create clips of the conversation or create audiograms, which is what I do. It can be still very effective in reminding your audience to listen to the show or give that discoverability piece on social media. But just because you don't create a video for your podcast doesn't mean you can't be on YouTube, right? Remember I was saying YouTube has now integrated podcasts so you can have a static image of your podcast and still post it onto YouTube and still get some views from there. 

The other strategy could be making your audiograms a portrait vertical layout and posting it as a YouTube short to still get discoverability from YouTube. So, there's many ways to go about this video strategy and it doesn't mean you have to also create a video podcast now. So don't disregard video. But also don't think that you need to have video for your podcast either. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

The last question I have is, what's your recording process like for recording your guests for your episodes? This was something that was actually highlighted to me a few times now when I have a guest on a show or when I'm interviewing someone for, like, my networking groups and overall, just doing what I normally do on a podcast with a guest, and they're always like, wow, this is such a great idea. I'm stealing it. And now I'm like, wait a minute, have I not talked about it on my podcast yet? So, I'm going to share this little tidbit with you if you don't know yet. 

Okay, so when you have a guest on your show and it doesn't matter, could be in person, could be online. When you are doing an interview, hit record as early as you can. And, of course, let them know that you've hit record so that they know that everything is recording. But this does two things. One, it gives your guests time to relax and get comfy before the conversation ever starts. Because most of the time, when you're like, okay, we're going to get ready to record now. I'm going to hit record. You hit record. And then they get all like that deer in the headlights, [GASP] like, oh, my god, we're recording now. Okay, I'm going to talk about myself, right, okay, here we go. [STRAINED VOICE AND SIGH] But, if you record a lot sooner, you can just get right into the conversation, and they're like, oh, right, we're just continuing what we had just chatted about. So this is fine. I find that really, really helps. 

Two, this also gives you a chance to ask them to pronounce their full name, to just basically say their name of how they would like to be presented. So, whether or not you know how to pronounce their name, there's always different ways to pronounce names or regional pronunciations that you might not be aware of. So my main reason for making sure you record them saying it themselves is so that if you have trouble enunciating and pronouncing the name, you can practice along while listening to the playback. 

So you can just have them say their name, it's recorded, and then when you play it back after the fact, when you're recording your intro, or if you need to re-record their name or something like that, you can hit play, listen to them say it, practice it yourself, hit, stop, rewind, hit play, listen to it again, and just make sure that you pronounce their name the way they would like it to be pronounced. This way your lips and your tongue gets comfortable with it. And you can say it because at this point, you know it, you're not just going to struggle with how to pronounce the person's name. So, I hope this little quick, amazing tip is helpful for you in the recording process for your guests. 

[MUSIC IN]

So really, that's it as we wrap up the year. What are your podcast plans for 2025? What are you looking to improve with your show, whether you have launched one or not? Remember, this is all part of the values of your podcast. Think about your own needs and what you want out of your podcast. Let me know your plans, of course, by leaving a voice note. That would be awesome. You can do that on my website, VisibleVoicePodcast.com and look for the purple Send Voicemail button. Essentially, if you ask me a question, I'll answer it for you too. So, like, you get a quick answer for a little podcasting question you might have. 

And then normally, of course, at this time of the year, I always talk about values and celebrating. And if you're like me, I don't celebrate enough. That is still a practice that I am working on. Much better this year than last, but still working on it. So in terms of my own podcast, celebrating that, which sometimes could fall to the bottom of the list because I'm so focused on all the client work. So, I wanted to thank all my guests from this past year. I'm really grateful that they made time to share space with me and allowing me to be a part of their podcasting journey and sharing those views and messages and experiences with you. 

So I'd like to thank Brigitte Bojkowszky, Shannon Kirk, Erin Moon, Joel McKinnon, Beth Cougler Blom, Craig Constantine, Nic Redman, and most recently Kellina Powell. If you haven't listened to their episodes yet, please, please do. We covered a lot this year, from accessibility to voice and writing techniques, the humanity of podcasting and AI, and of course, asked about their individual lessons from their own podcasting journey. So I hope you learn a lot from them as I have. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

Oh, and since we're on the point of celebrating in gratitude, I realize I've never done this on the audio side of the show, but they are always in the show notes. So if you don't always read down to the bottom of the show notes, my team that makes this podcast happen, I started this as a one woman show and eventually over the years, I added a person, added another person. And so, like I was talking about, podcasting is not easy work. I do have a team behind me.

So, Shannon Kirk, thank you for all the writing that you do for the show notes. Kristalee Forre, who is behind the scenes with all the post-production, so that's creating the graphics and accurately cleaning up all the transcripts, that's always a tough job, but she loves the details. And Emily Johnston, who designed the podcast logo and the templates for all the graphics that Kristalee gets to make that's associated with the show. So thank you to you. You've made the podcast possible.

And also thank you to you, you, the listener, thank you for listening to the show. Because if really I only got, what, two listeners, then it's not worth it. I'm thinking that's me, and maybe me again on a different podcast. [LAUGHTER] You know, like, I'm not looking for hundreds of listeners, but just that idea of what I teach for others, too, is that if you think about each podcast episode as being in front of the room with someone. You know, I've been on networking groups where they're like, oh, yeah, ooh, we've only got eight people today. I'm like, you know what? My podcast episodes reach more than eight people. And so you get to spread your message, you get to share your voice, and you get to speak with spirit, and people are here listening like you. 

So thank you so much for being a podcast listener. And as I always say at the end of the show, if you love the show, if you got something from it, even if you don't love, love the show, but you're listening to this one episode and you got something from it, I'd appreciate it if you shared it with someone. And sharing could mean finding one of my social media posts and reposting it, or sending the link to a friend, or even from your phone, hit the share button and send it to a friend and say, hey, you might be interested in this. I really, really, really, really would appreciate that. So thank you. 

So here's to your podcasting journey. May the rest of the year be restful. Yes, for your show and your voice and to have a safe, but also adventurous 2025. I'll be back after Chinese New Year because I'll be celebrating with my family at the end of January this year. And so I'll be back around February 10th, early to mid February this year for Chinese New Year we're welcoming the Year of the Snake. It will be a year of wisdom, transformation, and power to your voice, so looking forward to 2025. All right, thank you again and we'll talk to you soon. 

>

MARY: Thank you so much for listening to the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you share it with a podcasting friend. And to reveal more voicing and podcasting tips, click on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com. Until next time.

>

[MUSIC ENDS]

How can you make your podcast more accessible to people who are deaf and hard of hearing? It goes without saying that we don’t know what we don’t know. When it comes to how people with auditory differences—such as those who are deaf and hard of hearing—interact with our podcasts, the only way to learn how to do better and make those episodes more accessible is to ask. And that’s exactly what this episode does.

Kellina Powell is an author and speaker who helps deaf and hard-of-hearing women express themselves with confidence in a hearing world. Tuck in your earbuds and get ready to listen and learn as Mary and Kellina discuss the nuances of engaging with podcasts as a hard-of-hearing listener. How big a role does video play? Is all the effort we put into creating transcripts paying off? Kellina weighs in with helpful transparency from first-hand experience about the accessibility questions you’ve always wanted to ask.

Learn from Kellina’s unique perspective of the audible world:

• How your microphone affects sounds picked up during recording
• The difference in how hearing and hard-of-hearing people filter ambient noise
• How we can make our transcripts more accessible to those who need them
• How to respectfully ask questions about accessibility

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Episode 84 “Simplify Your Workflow to Keep Your Podcasting Passion Alive with Craig Constantine” - https://www.organizedsound.ca/simplify-your-workflow-to-keep-your-podcasting-passion-alive-with-craig-constantine-episode-84/

Engage with Kellina:

• Buy Kellina’s book, “Everyday I Am Just Deaf” - https://bookshop.org/p/books/everyday-i-am-just-deaf-life-in-a-hearing-world-with-deaf-queen-boss-kellina-powell/18522433?ean=9781778112102
• Connect with Kellina - https://www.kellinaempowerment.com/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Transcript with Audio Description:

>

MARY: You don't know what you don't know. And that goes for all sorts of things, not just any podcasting. But in the world of accessibility that is especially true. We can't create an environment to support accessibility features until we understand how someone actually interacts with it. Not what all the gurus and experts are telling us, but actual people. All the good and the bad things, what works, what doesn't. This usability aspect is really important to know. 

But in podcasting, an audio medium, how accessible are they to people who are hard of hearing? How do you create podcasts that can be more accessible in an audio-focused world? For some insight, I reached out to Kellina Powell, the Deaf Queen Boss. Kellina empowers deaf and hard of hearing women to express themselves fully and be heard in the hearing world with confidence. We recorded this conversation at the height of 2024, in the summer heat. So it was really hot out where she lives in the Toronto area. And I took this opportunity to let her A, feel at ease with the tech that she wanted to use for our recording. So in this case an iPad, so she could have captions automatically since we were not using video for the recording. And then B, I also realized for you as the listener, since she's outside, you can actually hear how things are recorded and heard from her point of view. 

So you'll hear it all and I want you to hear all of it. Not all podcasts are recorded in quiet rooms. So I wanted to use this episode as a great example of what it can be like when audio is used in a natural outdoors environment versus a closed environment. You'll hear the difference, because she'll be outside and I'll be in my quiet space. So what I've done differently with this episode is the editing. I slowly faded out her side of the recording when I'm speaking, so you can hear the difference. But there were also some spots that I left in while I was speaking. So you can hear her background too, because different mics record differently and the environment you're in plays a significant role in the outcome of your audio. 

So there were spots where I was talking and her background was full of great noise. As in you could hear the wind, birds chirping, traffic in the background, and there was even a siren happening at one point. It all gets amplified when a microphone comes into play. A lot of people, for those who do have full hearing capabilities, they block out all of that stuff. Your brain knows that's background, and in that natural environment, your brain just filters it out. But with the microphone, it's recording all of that and playing it back into your headphones or your speakers. And I feel like that's how someone who is hearing impaired and uses a hearing device might actually hear the world. 

So keep that in mind when you record your podcast or have a guest on, because even someone like Craig Constantine, who was my guest from episode 84, he talked about being hard of hearing, an invisible disability that I didn't even know about, until he mentioned it on the show. So you never know who is hearing or wants to hear your show, but has a really challenging time. So I want you to listen in not only for what Kellina is saying in this episode, which is so really important to elevate accessibility in podcasts, but also for the sound itself of the episode and what role sound plays into your own podcast recordings. 

This is episode 88 with Kellina Powell on the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice.

> 

MARY: Kellina, thank you so much for joining me on the show. 

[INTRO MUSIC ENDS]

I'm really excited to talk to you about your experience as a listener, as a guest, all the stuff for podcasting.

KELLINA : Woohoo! I'm excited to be here. Thank you so much for having me.

MARY: Okay, let's talk first about your listening experience. As a listener of podcasts, Take me through some of your struggles that happens when you're listening to podcasts.

KELLINA: So I guess I would start with is when, during COVID So during COVID it was not acceptable for people who had deaf or hard of hearing. And I think it was just because technology was very new to everybody. Not everybody knew how to be accessible at the time. And for me, when I started listening to a podcast through my cell phone, even though I had a hearing aid Bluetooth in my ears, it was really great and everything. But until I realized that it's very hard to find, like, a subtitle that can go along with or even just a description of the podcast alone and what's happening. It was very hard in the beginning because I couldn't follow through until I actually started listening to podcasts on YouTube. So that actually helped me to listen to podcasts.

MARY: I didn't even think about that aspect of it because YouTube does have that captioning.

KELLINA: Yes.

MARY: Do you ever use Apple podcasts?

KELLINA: I did a couple of times, but not often.

MARY: Okay. Because since March of this year, in 2024, they've included transcripts that you can follow along with. So I was just also wondering, from a listener perspective, do transcripts actually help at all?

KELLINA: Sometimes it does. And sometimes it doesn't, unfortunately. Sometimes it cuts off. So know when you're speaking or even when someone's speaking fast, sometimes it doesn't pick up everything that someone's talking, unfortunately. Or sometimes it's not active all the time, like consistent, right? Sometimes your iPhone may act up or, you know, maybe you need to upgrade a new software, because I know a lot of people have been complaining about they always have to be consistent with new iPhone software, which is annoying for some people, right? Like for me, I didn't know that there was a closed caption that was coming up in March until I tried in April and I couldn't find it on my phone. And it was so hard because I had to upgrade my phone. I'm like, are you kidding? So sometimes it gets annoying.

MARY: Yeah, it's like the tech is helpful, but not always.

KELLINA: Exactly.

MARY: Yeah, and then there's also, I think as an industry as a whole, when we talk about transcripts, there is that difference between like a caption or subtitles, which is normally like a YouTube visual aspect, and then transcript, where it can be a separate document. And sometimes for myself, if I'm looking for a transcript just to like, figure out like the exact words somebody said or to do some research, or something like that. Transcripts are hard to find in terms of, is it on the website? Do I have to go into an app to find it? So that type of a transcript, when you're actually getting a document to read through, is something like that helpful at all?

KELLINA: It gets annoying, right? There's some people that don't even bother looking. For me personally, I don't have the energy to do that. People always ask me like, do you ever look for them? And I said no, if I can't find where it's coming from and I have to do the extra work, unfortunately they're going to lose me as a listener, because you didn't have an easy way of getting access to subtitle or description.

MARY: Yeah, it's that layer of friction, right?

KELLINA: Mhm.

MARY: So you gravitate towards YouTube because that currently it works for you?

KELLINA: Exactly. 100%, yeah.

MARY: Huh. What else works for you though?

KELLINA: What else helped me, especially listening to a podcast, is the microphone. A lot of people don't realize this. A lot of times, when they're talking on the microphone. I can tell the difference when someone talking through the headset versus the microphone, the professional microphone. Some people did not realize that. 

And I remember, I think it was a lady I did a podcast for and she was talking through her headset right before the bluetooth AirPod came out, the long wired one. So those long wired ones are not good. And I could tell, remember, I'm like, oh, are you using the long wired headset? And she's like, how do you know? I said, oh, because there's down with the microphone on it. So a lot of time people need to be mindful when they're using the microphone.

MARY: Yeah. Because it does record and pick up, like all the nuance and the different frequencies. And is that one of the issues where you're missing a frequency that you can't hear?

KELLINA: Yes, 100%.

MARY: So then I also wonder, what about like, then on Zoom? Because a lot of interviews are done over Zoom, and I'm sure, like now in our digital post-pandemic world and stuff, like, zoom is a huge thing, but they have the noise cancellation algorithm, and so it actually cuts a lot of the higher end frequencies too. Like as an audio editor, that's what I see. So, how much of a struggle is it to listen to a podcast that you can probably tell has been recorded on Zoom?

KELLINA: It's okay on Zoom. As long does the closed caption on it, I'm okay with it, but again, it really depends on someone's background noise or if they have a lot of like something that rubbing against the microphone, right? Because sometimes people. I remember one time I had to pause the sky and I said, hey, like, there's a lot of noise on your microphone. I don't know what's going on, but it's irritating my ears, because a lot of people don't know this. My hearing aid is bluetooth, so I actually hear it straight through my hearing aid instead of the speaker, so. Which is kind of cool. So, I could tell like so many different ways, especially through Zoom, it's kind of tricky because sometimes Zoom clash a little bit, especially with the microphone, and sometimes it's not always clear.

MARY: Yeah, I think a lot of people don't realize how much a microphone can actually pick up sound. This is something that I learned when I worked in radio, right? Like, somebody would be like, jangling their keys in their pocket while they're talking and the microphone just picks that all up. So it amplifies that sound. 

KELLINA: Yes. [LAUGHTER]

MARY: Or like click, clicking a pen. That happens a lot too. And then you're like, all you can hear is the pen clicking and not the person talking.

KELLINA: Yeah. Especially the pen that is clicking. And you know when people need something to play with on their hand. Oh, my god. Yes. It happened A couple of times. Even when I'm listening to a podcast, I hear a lot.

MARY: Yeah, because like you said, it's like, right in your ear with the. With the bluetooth hearing aid.

KELLINA: Yeah, exactly.

MARY: I can only imagine it's like that pen is clicking right next to your head.

KELLINA: Yes, it is. Yes, it's annoying. But I mean, hey, like, they always say they're superpowers, so.

MARY: Oh, totally. Hearing is your superpower now. Let's get into, like, more of this side of being a guest on a show. You know, we can make as much of an educated guest, you know, me as a host, to try and be more accessible. But I'm sure it really varies person to person. But on an overall level, what do you want podcast hosts to think about when we are hosting our podcasts? From your perspective, when you are a guest on our show.

KELLINA: I would say definitely prepare a script for people, right? You don't want to put people on the spot, especially someone who is deaf and hard of hearing. You don't want them to not follow the dialogue. How do you want the podcast to go? That's one. And number two, be prepared, right? What I mean by be prepared is just, you know, ask someone come on the call five or ten minutes before the actual podcast time to test out technology. Because technology has its own days, honestly. It really does. You just never know. 

And so I always tell people, you know, prepare, right? It's very important so that way we can understand you just in case if there's some changes that needs to be addressed. Just making sure the closed caption is there. Just really prepare. Because I know like, a lot of time when I go on podcast, they don't prepare. And then until the time comes, and then we go through a little, you know, conflict. But that's number two. Number three, definitely, definitely, you know, let people know about your sound quality. A lot of time, podcasters don't think about it. Like you said, they just go on, the guests just go on there and just talk. But sometimes they don't understand and realize that sound quality is super important, especially if you need someone to hear you very well. 

And lastly, I would say your speech. Be mindful how you're speaking to someone, because I noticed that sometimes when I go on podcasts, it's okay to be nervous, but some people need to talk a little bit slower. Some people need to talk more softer when they're interacting with someone who is hard of hearing, especially being a podcast, knowing that it's not face to face because we are lip readers and some of you may not know this, a lot of deaf and hard of hearing individuals rely on lip reading. So if you want to make sure that your guest can see your lips during the call, right? Don't be in the dark. Don't have anything covering your mouth. It's very important that you have the space bright and very clear. So that way we can read your lips during the conversation.

MARY: Oh, that's such a good point too. Or like with me, I have this big microphone, so making sure like the microphone isn't blocking that angle so that you could see, if you needed it. Yeah, that's, that's some great points especially too, like my show, there is no video portion and we met first on Zoom. So like, as the listener can paint a picture of what was happening with me and you and the beforehand before we recorded, again yeah, I wasn't sure if you needed that video portion or not and I asked you ahead of time and then we moved on to clean feed. 

So now that we're partway through this conversation and we're on cleanfeed.net recording this, there is no video portion. You said you have the captioning going on. How is this experience for you so far being a guest on my show, at least?

KELLINA: [LAUGHS] It's pretty wild because your microphone very clear. For me is to follow through and your tone is very well. I'm not like struggling to hear because you're talking too fast or you have background noises or anything like that. So far it's okay, but I do love having the caption. Sometimes on my iPad it does have automatic caption, so sometimes I don't have to ask for a caption. So first of all, it's okay.

MARY: Okay. Is your captioning working with this? Just curious.

KELLINA: Yes, it is.

MARY: Okay, awesome. Okay good to know for like future for myself [LAUGHS] or for anyone who is going to use this similar setup.

KELLINA: Yeah.

MARY: Okay. If you hosted your own show though, what would you incorporate that you find would be helpful, but many shows aren't doing.

KELLINA: That's a really good question. I have been seeing a lot of improvements with a lot of podcaster hosts. I would say if I were to have my own show, it would have been a lot more like YouTube short, just talking, discussion. And obviously it's going to have closed caption and I'm not going to have a big microphone in front of my lips. I will have that small microphone attached to my clothes so that people can be able to see. Very bright, so that people can see my lip reading. That's how I would do something different.

MARY: Because I come from radio and now this audio only podcast. The video stuff is also very new to the podcasting industry as a whole. Not new as in, it's brand new. It's been tried before, but now the, the features of it is really picking up and people are having their podcast on YouTube. So, then I was also curious, do you prefer a podcast that have that lip reading, visual person aspect, or do you ever listen to a podcast on YouTube that's just a static image?

KELLINA: I personally wish they that, I prefer video.

MARY: Yeah.

KELLINA: And I guess it's because it's a lot easier and I don't have to rely on closed captions so heavily. And I know sometimes, you know, people pick up things different than others. For me, I pick up a lot faster when I'm reading your lips and when there's very clear background noises and even just a clear, brightness on the show. But I can't do audio just because I don't have to keep like rewinding it again to make sure I understand what's being said. 

So a lot of time, like myself, I noticed that if I just listen to audio only, I keep rewinding it so many times because I'm missing so many words. I'm like, oh my God, what did she say again? And I'm trying to process what the person said as well, right? Especially when you're reading closed caption. You're multitasking. You're also listening at the same time. So that's why I prefer video.

MARY: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I was thinking too about like, like I was saying before, transcripts are almost the quick and easy checklist of like oh, I've done my accessibility feature, I have a transcript for my podcast. But if we have that layer of friction and it, you know, makes you do the work to either find the transcript, listen to it on the website instead of your preferred platform, then what can we do with that transcript to make it more accessible, if any, as a podcast host?

KELLINA: Oh, yeah, for sure, 100%. I just feel like using a transcript is a lot easier than anything else. And always hover at the bottom even if you cannot make a very long one. Just write a summary of what the podcast is about. At least do that for us so that way we understand. Okay, what's the comment conversation you want to be like, what's it about? To give us an idea and give us a heads up.

MARY: Oh yeah, like, so what you're talking about Is like the description for that episode on your app or YouTube or what have you, right?

KELLINA: Yeah, that's right.

MARY: Yeah. So yeah, we call that your, the episode description or your show notes. And yes, I, I find too like some people don't actually put a description in and I'm like, well, but what am I listening to? What, what are we getting ourselves into here? 

KELLINA: Exactly, it's like what's going on, you guys? Like you guys. Especially for those who've been doing podcasts for over two plus years and some of them still don't. And I question them all the time. And I'm like, has anybody ever spoken to you how important it is to have it? But yeah, I'd be surprised a lot of time too.

MARY: What then also makes an effective transcript because you can just have the words of, you know, people talking. But what about like, all the other sound aspects?

KELLINA: Like other sounds in terms of like, background noise or like microphone wise.

MARY: So one of the things that I do with my transcript again is like, I don't know, is this actually useful, is when say for example in this conversation we have a spot, where you know, we're laughing a little bit or there's a bit of sarcasm and then just having in square brackets laughter or sound effect, whatever the sound effect is. You know, if I was talking about pen clicking and I was actually clicking a pen, would it be helpful to actually write in sound effect? Pen clicking?

KELLINA: It would be helpful but it also depends how you are going around about it. It depends really, but it could be helpful.

MARY: Okay, so then outside of podcasting specific apps you were talking about like closed captioning with your iPad, there's accessibility features on devices. My Android phone, I have Live Transcribe that I can use while listening to a podcast. But how accurate or usable are features like this? Or would you just prefer it to be like those YouTube subtitles?

KELLINA: I would say YouTube. I don't know why, I'm sorry everybody, but YouTube is my thing. Okay… 

MARY: Yeah, totally. 

[LAUGHTER]

KELLINA: …I don't know you guys. Like, I guess because YouTube was already there and they were already showing so much more and I feel like the energy was there. You can see the people energy versus just listening. You can't. Yes. You can tell about the energy through the voice. But I don't know. I prefer YouTube 100%

MARY: Yeah, I feel like that visual aspect does help support the hearing part in your life.

KELLINA: Oh yeah 100%.

MARY:  So that's more of a preference. And everyone has their own preference. So you know…

KELLINA: Exactly

MARY: …like there's some people who are like, I don't do video at all. I can't stand video. I want to just like…

KELLINA: [LAUGHS] I get it.

MARY:  …take my headphones with me and go somewhere. So it's totally a preference.

KELLINA: Exactly, I totally get it. And I told everybody, uh, like, your style is going to be super different. If you are not someone who don't like video, you don't have time for editing, that's okay. You can just upload it and just make sure that the closed caption is there for YouTube and that's it. You don't have to do much, especially if you are someone who prefer video.

MARY: Okay, what about a podcasting industry or the individual podcast hosts? What can we do to improve the accessibility from its current state?

KELLINA: I mean, like I said before, just really making sure that everybody feels welcome. Making sure that you are asking the right question. There's no such thing as a dumb question. I get that a lot. Kellina, I'm gonna ask you a dumb question. I don't know if there's no such thing as a dumb question. Because you don't know, right? You will never know unless you ask. So always ask the correct question that you are concerned, worried about, and don't be afraid to ask. And I would say that's the most important thing is always ask. Especially if you don't know. You don't want to just go through the podcast and you never ask them, and then your podcast results don't come out great.

MARY: I also, though, feel like I don't want to offend. So, like, I don't. Maybe I just don't know what the right question to ask is. So how do you go about that?

KELLINA: So usually I always tell people before you ask a question, my favourite line is, hey, I may ask you something, but it might be offensive or it might be stupid. But is it okay I can ask you something? And then ask your question.

MARY: Mhm. Yeah. Because I feel like people, you know, they have a good heart. You know, they want to be informed, they want to learn and, but then they also, like, don't want to feel like they're making you do all the work, I suppose. Or offending you.

KELLINA: Exactly. And I feel like some people need to understand that when you do so much work, you're giving yourself so much work, so much headache, where you should have just asked right.

MARY: Mmm, mhm. So, yeah, going back to that point of I don't know what I don't know. So is there something from this conversation that we haven't touched on that you feel like you want to speak up on now?

KELLINA: I just want people to understand that it's okay to ask dumb questions, everyone, it's okay. [LAUGHTER] It's okay. At the end of the day, you have to remember it's your show, right? But you also want to make sure it's comfortable for everybody else. That's pretty much it.

MARY: Awesome. So then to round out the conversation, I ask everybody, what are you excited about podcasting right now?

KELLINA: I just love impacting other people that I don't even know. And that's why I love continuing going on podcasts, you know, and because it's so fascinating to really see how people are curious to know what are the individuals like as a deaf person, right? 90% of the time, every time I talk to a host, they never had a deaf person, so they're very excited to ask me questions. And so I just love the lightness of seeing the whole space to understand what it is like. So, yeah, I love it.

MARY: Yeah, I love it too, because then I can, like, research and meet people and have an excuse to meet people, right? Instead of just randomly finding someone saying, oh, you're kind of cool. Can we meet up and have a coffee date or something? [LAUGHTER] This like, hey, I have a podcast. Let's have a chat. [LAUGHS]

KELLINA: Exactly 100%. It's very cool how you can meet so many people, especially people you did not think you could meet. So it's definitely a cool way to connect with people.

MARY: Kellina, thank you so much for sharing your expertise and opinion with me.

KELLINA: Thank you. Thank you for having me. I'm excited. Thank you.

[MUSIC IN]

MARY: I had such a great conversation with Kellina. I loved it. It was so fun. And going back through it, it really got me thinking more about transcripts. As Kellina said early on in the episode, it's a layer of friction for her to use the transcript if it's only housed on your website, and then people have to go searching for it. What seems to work better is if the transcript is already there within the podcast listening app. 

But I know not everybody uses the same podcast listening app. Yes, there are some popular ones. So, I'm testing this out to put the transcript in the show notes. So ever since this episode was recorded in the summer, any of my episodes since the fall of 2024, I've included the transcript in the body of the show notes, so you'll have it in your podcast listening app. I was doing some tests because people also wonder if a large chunk of text like a transcript, would get cut off. But most apps so far have been displaying it, like Spotify. 

An accurate transcript is actually a lot of work, and I might talk about this more in a future episode. But for now, I like having my transcripts at the bottom of the show notes, so at least it's guaranteed to be on whichever app the person is listening on. So for the most part, I do like this approach. There are some drawbacks. Like I said, some apps do not display all the words because like, Apple Podcasts, they have a character maximum limit on the text. But Apple Podcasts also is trying to improve accessibility and they have a specific field for transcripts, at least on the app itself. Not on the web version of Apple Podcasts, but the web version, much like the app, has a link to the website episode page, which I do utilize, so they can click on that. But again, it's a lot of work to get to a transcript. 

So like I said, for now, it's great that the podcasting industry as a whole is trying more accessible features like what Apple Podcasts is doing with their transcripts and the app. But again, if podcasting listening apps are not really accessible, is it also worth the effort of creating an accurate transcript? Creating the transcript is one thing, but does displaying them is another beast altogether and how they're used. 

So for research purposes and looking for quotes, yes, the transcript on your website might be better formatted and easier to read, but the accessible part, I believe that needs to live as plain text on your show notes, your episode description field. So that way, no matter what formatting the podcast app uses, whether they have a transcript field or not, there is still a spot to display it. That's my stance, at least for this moment in time as technology exists. But like I said, I think I'll get into more detail about this in a future episode next season. 

This episode is also a great reminder for podcasters too. So in general, that reminder to use headphones and to be able to monitor, to listen in, to what is being recorded on your microphone. Yes, having headphones on means you don't have to use the echo cancellation or noise reduction algorithms on some of your online recording platforms, but also to actually get a sense of what is being recorded. If you are monitoring or listening in to what your microphone is picking up. 

Sometimes there are settings where you don't hear what's being recorded, and that's going to be hard to get around, but if you have that option, definitely use it. This way you do hear everything that the microphone is being recorded. So even in your quiet room, if you're by a window, you can still hear the car driving by, a train in the background, that pen clicking that. I was mentioning earlier, it's all going right into your ears because you're wearing your headphones and your microphone is picking it up. And of course you can monitor it. You can hear it. So I think we can use this very simple scenario, too, to get a very small glimpse and experience of what it could mean for someone who's hard of hearing, who uses a hearing aid, either listening to your show or being a guest on your show. And I never thought of some of these aspects, and I'm so grateful for Kellina who brought up these aspects to my attention. And we can now sort of use this podcasting experience as an easy way to sort of put yourself in someone else's shoes. 

So thank you so much, Kellina, for coming on the show to share your experiences and doing the work for us, who live so much more easily in this hearing world. I so appreciate the conversation. 

On the next episode. It is the final episode of the season before we hunker down into the end of the year and I have my year end break. So far throughout the year, I've been compiling questions, so I'm going to be doing a Q&A. If you have any questions that you want me to answer about podcasting, I'm all ears. I want you to send me your questions, either leaving a voice note on my website, VisibleVoicePodcast.com or drop me an email. Write me your questions at [email protected]. 

And like Kellina said towards the end of the EP episode, no question is a stupid question. You just need to ask. So bring it on. I'd love to start your 2025 strong. Whether you plan on launching your first or next show, going into another season of your podcast, or even picking up your podcast after a hiatus, I've got answers to your podcasting thoughts. So ask away and your question could appear on the next episode. So until then, speak with spirit. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

>

MARY: Thank you so much for listening to the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you share it with a podcasting friend. And to reveal more voicing and podcasting tips, click on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com. Until next time.

>

>

What could doing less look like for your podcast? Life is chaos these days. The hours often seem to fill up instantly with all the things on your plate, so don’t feel bad if publishing podcast episodes start to slide to the bottom of your to-do list. Stumbling on the podcasting flow is totally normal—and totally fixable. The good news is that you can cut back on your workload and still release an impactful, exciting show.

Curbing the number of hours you spend prepping, recording, editing, publishing, and promoting doesn’t have to result in lower-quality episodes. By circling back to your original goals and finding ways to trim, rearrange, and even cut tasks that don’t serve you, a process emerges that keeps you excited to create but not bogged down for hours and hours you just don’t have.

Yes, you have the potential to balance more rest and a meaningful show:

• How to check in on your definition of success
• Why you’re getting better with every show, even if you didn’t notice
• How to go out with heart if you decide to take a break

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Episode 84, “Simplify Your Workflow to Keep Your Podcasting Passion Alive with Craig Constantine” - https://www.organizedsound.ca/simplify-your-workflow-to-keep-your-podcasting-passion-alive-with-craig-constantine-episode-84/
• Episode 86, “Warm Up to a Healthier, More Confident Voice with Nic Redman” - https://www.organizedsound.ca/warm-up-to-a-healthier-more-confident-voice-with-nic-redman-episode-86/
• Edison Research, Infinite Dial 2024 - https://www.edisonresearch.com/the-infinite-dial-2024/
• Edison Research, Infinite Dial 2023 - https://www.edisonresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/The-Infinite-Dial-2023.pdf

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions

Show Credits:

• Podcast audio design, engineering, and edited by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions
• Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.
• Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio
• Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA

Transcript with Audio Description:

[MUSIC IN - GHOSTHOOD FEATURING SARA AZRIEL “LET’S GO” BEGINS]

MARY: What's possible if you can do less on your podcast, but still achieve your goals. This very specific moment in time. We're looking at the very end of 2024. We're in early November. As I record this, I feel like the collective Western world is at a standstill, kind of waiting in the wings, in limbo to see what's going to drop next. Whether that is interest rates for housing, local or federal elections, cost of living, like grocery prices rising. And you know, there's still like the day to day stuff like managing your work and your podcast is part of that. 

So there's a lot happening in your world, and podcasting might not be at the top of your list of to do’s. I know. And you know what? I'm here to say that it's okay if that's what you're thinking. Like, I got other things to do than to work on my podcast right now. And yeah, it's okay. And this is coming from someone who makes a living editing, managing and strategizing other people's podcasts. Podcasts is mainly what I do. So that's a scary thought for me that if I'm telling people to podcast less, is that going to be less for me as well? How do I survive that? 

But once you take a step back, less is more. As they say, doing less at this time in history can reap many benefits in the future. During your podcasting journey, just like any other parts of your life, it's always good to take a step back. Ask yourself, is there anything I can optimize or do less of, while still enjoying making my show? So let's get into how you can reassess your podcast, so you can still have fun creating a show that you love and have the work of making a podcast that meets your capacity. 

This is episode 87 on the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice.

> 

In our fast paced, moving, technological world, many things are grabbing our attention. 

[INTRO MUSIC ENDS]

And as creators of content, how do you want to create content for this world? I would like to think that we're not creating content just for the sake of creating content, adding noise to what is already out there. But you know what? If you want to create content for the sake of creating content, that's your goal? All the power to you. But if you're here to nurture those relationships, get more clients, practice your messaging, and maybe experiment with your thought leadership, then you're in the right place. 

But a podcast with those values is not easy to create. We're not just here plugging in a microphone, sitting around a table, and just shooting the breeze with your best friend. To create a podcast with intention, the effort is a long game. And some days, those days of creating the podcast can feel long as well, and very isolating. Especially with the digital world, we're always on screens and have a lot of technology in our faces and in our ears, but we're also busy with our real, quote, unquote, real life. You know, outside of work, friends, family, life in general, there's so much busyness that we are looking to slow right down, in our world. 

In the last few months, I've been hearing this a lot. I've been hearing you say you want to do less, or pare down this chaotic life that we're in to be less, do, do, do, and just be for once, just be in your space. Everyone is also, you know, looking at your bank statements or, you know, if you don't go through it in a fine tooth comb like most average people, then at least you're looking at the bottom line, right? We're scrimping, saving, hoping for the same, or having more with spending less. 

And that was the scary thing I was alluding to at the beginning. It's like, oh, man, if people aren't investing in a podcast, what am I doing? What am I here for, right? And there's been a lot of talk in the podcasting world, too, where people have put their shows on pause or they stopped it all together because of health reasons. Health is a big issue right now, too. So many of my clients either went through a huge health concern themselves that, impacted their capacity, or they became a family caregiver to someone, focusing their time on that. And, yeah, they still want a podcast, but figuring out, what does that look like now? 

So in my world, it's less scary, because people still want to podcast. It is still something that's fun and that people see meaning from it. So podcasting isn't going away, but in this world that we're in, what does it look like to do less for your podcast? 

[MUSIC IN]

Let's switch over to the podcast listeners themselves. Today, listeners are listening less, in terms of how many shows they dedicate themselves to. So listening to an average of nine shows a week last year in 2023 to only eight shows this year in 2024. That's all from Edison Research's Infinite Dial Reports for those years. Links in the show notes if you want to go back and prove stats, if you're a big stats lover. But okay. Although listening time has gone up, so there's probably more shows now. There's more choice, and the episodes have gotten a little longer. But the thing here is that each listener is choosing to have fewer individual shows to listen to. They still want the content. Doesn't matter how long the content is, but they're being more choosy about which shows they're sticking around for. And overall, like I said, podcasting is still popular. It still grows year over year. 

So I'm not saying to stop your podcast, you know, unless that really is your goal, and it hasn't been fun for you to produce podcasts, so I get that. But these listeners are being choosy. So let's be choosy, too, about how we create our shows. We want to keep them fun and interesting and engaging for your listeners. Because if your listeners are choosing quality over quantity, let's make sure your show is the best quality it can be, but also with the time and energy that you have to create it. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

You know, Nic Redman actually talks about this, too, in the latter half of our conversation on episode 86. That's just the episode before this one. How after a year of her podcast, she reconvened and wondered, you know, what is this all about? Who am I serving? How does this podcast serve, you know, that ecosystem of what you're doing? And I bet a lot of podcasters, and I bet you are thinking about this, too, you know, even though we are continuing to create, we also need to take a step back to wonder, okay, is this doing what I want it to do? And if not, how can I make a shift, but still keeping up a consistency and quality, that's integral to the values of the show, and, of course, your ideal listener. 

[MUSIC IN]

So I'm going to break down a couple of ideas here. These are some ideas that my clients have actually taken on. And like I've always said, each podcast is going to be unique, and so everyone's going to have a different approach. And like anything else, there's no one right answer. Because we're here to redefine success. At the top of the show. I talked about your goals. Your goal is going to be different from everybody else's goal. So what is your goal? How do you want to redefine your success for your podcast? Because it's not going to come down to just the download numbers. What does that even mean? So what does success look like to you? And how can you do less and save your sanity, all while still having some fun podcasting? Sounds like a tall order, but like I said, we're going to break it down. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

One of my personal mantras is, if it's not fun, I'm not doing it. But like everything else in my life, that's not a hard or fast rule. There are many factors to consider, what fun is and what I can control and cannot control to make that experience more enjoyable. So when you take a look at everything you do on your podcast, and I mean everything, what stands out to you? So on a very general level, I'm just going to go through some very general things on creating your podcast. 

So first I want you to actually write it all down. If you already have a checklist of items, awesome. Go through that too. If you don't, take a few minutes, let's write it all out right now and I'll help you brainstorm here. Start with the idea that you have for an episode. You know, how do you organize that? Do you have an organization system for that? And then from there, how do you draft your episode and your thoughts? If you have guests, what are those steps to make that guest happen to come on your show? Including, you know, asking them first, the follow up, the scheduling, the recording, collecting their information. I touched on the recording. So let's get into that. 

Recording of the episode. What is that process? Like, what is that process? If you have guests, what is that process? If it's a solo episode, what is that process? If you do more of a narrative style and you're pulling clips from different things, how do you actually record and create your podcast episodes? And then of course after that, the podcast isn't finished. It still has to be polished up and get out into the world. 

So the post production side, this can include editing, scheduling. Do you also have to publish it to a blog? Do you write transcripts, show notes, create graphics, images? These graphics and images, they could also be part of the promotion. What are you doing to share the episode and market your show? Do you email the guest and thank them? Do you make social media posts? What about a newsletter? All of that is a lot of work and I'll be the first to admit it, not all of it is that fun. My mantra, if it's not fun, I'm not doing it. But back to your values. Let's not have this whole overwhelming thing derail you and this list. 

On a general overview from that list, what sticks out like a sore thumb or maybe even as you're writing, the one thing on the list, what made you go, ugh, or even make a really cringey face. What was that that made that emotion creep up? Or maybe another way to look at it could be asking yourself, why do you have that on your checklist in the first place? Does it actually align with your values for your podcast? Or did you add it because, well, everybody else seems like they're doing it. So if it's there, can you do it differently so it's more efficient, or can you take it out altogether? Would you be able to do that one thing alongside something else so that you can get two for the price of one under one task? 

This reminds me a lot, actually, with episode 84 with Craig Constantine. He talks a bit about publishing schedules and quote, he says, if you're doing things all by yourself, weekly is insane. And I would even say if you have a little bit of support, that is still insane. I mean, just listen to that very general list I rattled off a few minutes ago. Podcasting is an insane amount of work. But like Craig says in the episode, he streamlines what he's not liking and constantly auditing his workflow so that it continues to stay fun for him in the capacity that he needs. 

[MUSIC IN] Remember, too, that your podcast is a learning journey. What you did on episode 1 is not the same as what you'll do for episode 10, 20, or even 100. Yes, they still could sound the same. You might have, you know, same intro, you have the guest, and then you have an outro. The format could still be the same. But, how you create those episodes can differ. You learn with each and every episode you create, even if you're not, like, fully aware that's happening. Yeah, each time, you get to improve one small thing with each episode, whether that's the actual content of what people will hear, or the process in creating that episode. The podcast grows alongside you as a podcaster. 

And since each podcast is unique, each host is unique, you are your own unique selling point, and your voice is a unique thumbprint, that nobody else has. You get to decide what works, what needs improvement, and what can stop. So, experiment, no one magic blueprint is going to solve all your problems. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

So say you want more capacity. You need more time. Like Craig was saying, it's insane, a weekly show. So maybe think about changing to every other week instead of weekly. You can always go back to weekly when your capacity is not as limited, in this current season, every other week gives you more time to incorporate breathing space and spacing out your workload. But that doesn't mean, if you're still recording, editing, and publishing right up to the deadline, even when this schedule is adjusted and you feel like it's still a lot to handle, you might need to actually take a look at your calendar as a whole and schedule in time to do specific tasks, so it doesn't feel so overwhelming at the last minute. 

So what I mean is, if, for example, on your previous schedule you had one week to record, edit, and publish, you can now spread that out over two weeks. So maybe record on one day, take a break for a few days, do anything else you need to do, then come back, edit your show, then take a break, do what you need to do, and then come back again and do the post production, like the scheduling and the publishing and all that sort of stuff. 

You can implement this by adding it to your calendar. So scheduling in those editing and publishing dates, so they are there and blocked out for you. For example, I know a lot of my clients, they like to double check on things and make sure that the scheduling is done like two days before the publishing date. That gives you some buffer time in case you get sick or you're like, I'm going to procrastinate and not do the podcast. But at least it's in your calendar to remind you that you've got to do this this week. 

[MUSIC IN]

Another option could be thinking about shorter episodes. For example, if you like editing but it still feels like a slog, think about shorter episodes. Nothing says you have to create an episode of a certain length. That's actually some old mindset from the old TV standards, when you had to create 22 minutes, there was eight minutes of commercial time to fill. On a podcast, whatever time the content needs is the time it will be. Shorter episodes on interview style shows can also look like doing a bit more on the show prep side of things. 

So, what you could do is review your current interviews that you've done and think about, you know, are you hitting record and stop only because you scheduled a one hour recording time. You know, you're just chatting away and then you're like, okay, well the time's almost up, so I'm gonna ask you one last question. Well, maybe you don't need to schedule a one hour recording time. Maybe start changing that to a 45 minute recording time. So as the times get shorter, over time you're gonna get better at getting to the meat of the conversation and what you want to get out of the conversation so it doesn't just sort of like, drag out for that one hour timeframe. This way you're honing in on your interview skills and you're forced to kind of focus on the topic at hand and have less tangents. 

Or perhaps just to make things shorter, skip the pleasantries, skip the big bios, skip the how did you get here History stuff, and just get straight to the meat of the episode. There are various ways to cut down on an episode time, and these were just some little examples. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

One last advice is, maybe not a popular one, but like I've said before, I'm not here to do what everyone else is doing, especially just for the sake of everything is content type of an idea. You know, in my radio days, that had a lot of impact on your mental health. When you're like, everything I do is going to be part of my show. That's a lot of pressure. So my last idea, which again, isn't say, you should do this, but I want to give you permission that it is an option, it's a possibility, to stop podcasting altogether. Shock, horror, I know, I know. 

But as I said at the start of the show, if it's not fun right now, why are you doing it? Okay, so stopping can look like various forms. For one, a hiatus, just going to take a brief pause, or stopping and actually ending the show completely. But there's a gray zone here as well, right? It's not black or white. It's not one or the other. So to give you an idea of this hiatus, if you want to just pause for, say, a season, create your last episode, and then either explain in that last episode of it’s own or within the intro and outro that, the podcast is going on hiatus, let your listeners know why, and about approximately when you'll be back.

It's only kind of fair when you think about it in terms of, like, a relationship. You've built up this relationship, and so you're just going to let them know, I'm going on a bit of a break. I need that break. Here are the reasons. I mean, you don't have to go in detail, obviously, but I think listeners really appreciate that. And they're going to wait for you to come back, essentially, because they're like, I get it. I'm in the same boat. I need a break, too. We'll come back together. 

But on that train of thought, it's kind of the same, too. If you completely stop and cancel your show, don't ghost your listeners. It'd be really nice to give your show a proper farewell that it deserves. You've put a lot of effort into it. You know, whether you have only created a handful of episodes or you're on episode 100 or going into episode 500. You've put a lot of effort into this, so go out with the heart and values that you originally put into it. You've created a community here, and they would love to celebrate this goodbye along with you. 

But of course, all of this is easier said than done. Ending your show by just, like, not doing anything anymore is also very legitimate. It's called podfading, where you just stop and ghost your listeners and you don't come back to it and you're like, I have some episodes recorded, but I got stuff. Life, it's a very real thing. And you don't have to come back to your podcast. Podfading is real, because, yeah, life. 

You know, I personally went through that with my previous podcast about hosting international students. It's called the Homestay Kitchen. We had to stop because Covid, the world stopped. Students were not arriving, and I had a four year old to take care of while running my podcasting business during COVID So life right? Podcast gone cold turkey ghosted everyone? No, I think we did one episode about COVID and how we don't have any students right now and we might be back, and then we just never came back because life. But what I'm saying is there's no one right answer. Every podcast will go through its own journey and they will have their own path to take, too. 

But starting with your podcast values to see what's jumping out at you right now that you want to stop doing in your podcast tasks, then you can look back and really evaluate to see what you can do to tweak that task to have it feel better or, yeah, just stop it altogether and not do that part. 

[MUSIC IN]

So as we start to wrap up this episode and just like this very natural time in the Northern Hemisphere, we're all turning inwards. We're cozying up in the fall and hibernating for winter coming up. So let's do a bit of collective rest for you and your podcast because I know we all need it right now. So what does rest look like to you as a podcaster? I'd love to know. How are you doing less for your show? As always, send me a note from my website, VisibleVoicePodcast.com or leave me an email to [email protected]. 

On the next episode. I have a very special conversation because I wanted to make sure my guest was able to use what she needed to make sure that her side of the podcast was as effective as possible. For her. So it'll sound a little bit different because she'll be outside recording on her iPad. I'll take you along through the experience with the Deaf Queen Boss, Kellina Powell. Kellina empowers deaf and hard of hearing women to express themselves fully to be heard in the hearing world with confidence. So I had a lot of fun with Kalina on this episode. You'll want to hear what she does to be a podcast guest on my show and how you can also make your podcast more accessible and possible for anyone who's hard of hearing. 

And speaking of that, of course, a full transcript of the episode is on my website, VisibleVoicePodcast.com, you can also find it on some of your apps too, so make sure that if you need the transcript, it's there for you. So we'll catch you next time when we chat with Kellina Powell, the Deaf Queen Boss. 

[MUSIC ENDS]

>

MARY: Thank you so much for listening to the Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you share it with a podcasting friend. And to reveal more voicing and podcasting tips, click on over to VisibleVoicePodcast.com. Until next time.

>

[MUSIC ENDS]