We are always on the watch for cool stuff!
This video is a quick and practical overview of the Zoom PodTrak P2. This unit is an interface, mini-mixer, and an onboard recorder for USB microphones.
You may find this very interesting if you use USB microphones for your content creation.
For more information about this device please visit Zoom.
Is a video a podcast? Should podcasters produce video? Is the emphasis on video damaging podcasting?
These are some of the questions I have noticed swirling about in media discussions. Technically, most of the veteran podcast purists out there point out that a podcast should be available on podcast networks driven via a RSS feed.
I am mostly is the camp that individual creators should be able to present their content in any form that they choose. However, I would concede that the term “podcast” is often over-used and people will slap the term on anything.
Our history with podcasting is with major podcasting platforms such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are audio only. The verbiage has mostly always been that podcasts are essentially on-demand audio programs. We always put an emphasis on audio for everything we do. At the same time, video can also be a very functional tool regarding the distribution of podcasts to a wider audience.
As a side note, much of our programming has begun to cover current events and politics. Recently, we have started a channel for the Billy Dees Podcast on Rumble.
I have been a user of Twitter for a long time. I believe it is going on 14 years. This period covers the two full terms of Barack Obama, the term of Trump, and now the presidential cycle of President Biden.
As someone who, to one degree or another, has been involved with media since the mid-eighties, this period has been the most transformative, not only in terms of how we regard legacy media, but also how we get and process information. The striking rise and changing role of social media, especially in the pandemic laden last few years, has been a game changer.
Twitter has always been a great source for trending topics. In the early days, tweets were short. This had the platform termed as “micro blogging.” This combination of trending and short blasts of information made the platform fast and interesting. As my podcasting grew, it became my platform of choice.
However, for most of its history Twitter was not a huge financial success, especially when compared to the Facebook giant. Simultaneously, let’s say during the past five years, the old social media models began to change. Setting up the user base of a given platform to be targets of advertising was starting to become too familiar. Users had few rights to the service as “consumers” and popular creators were getting little recognition for playing a large role in the success of certain platforms.
If you miss the old Twitter, let me just say that its days were likely numbered had it stayed the old Twitter. Something had to change. TikTok was taking the world by storm. YouTube started “Shorts,” Instagram kicked off “Reels,” and so on. Facebook rebranded itself to Meta. Twitter was starting to lose its shine and was loaded with bots.
Enter Elon Musk. Twitter is now “X” and there is much talk of an “everything app.” I won’t go over “everything” but there are a few key changes that has me very hopeful for the future of the platform.
The following is from my perspective.
X is still very much real time regarding what may be termed as “breaking news.” There is a great deal of latency with other platforms. If your thing is showing pictures of your backyard barbecue this doesn’t matter and X is likely not the place for you. However, if you follow trending topics, X is a great place to be.
If you blog, podcast, or create video your audience is there. Authors, artists, musicians are all there in force. Do you have something you would like to raise awareness about? Influencers are there. I could go on.
Tweets, or posts as they are called now, can be much longer. For me, another big change is that long-form video content is also now possible on X. This is a very recent development.
Although I help others produce video and love the medium, for me and as a creator I have concentrated on podcast/radio styled content. Audio has been a passion of mine for my entire career.
When my podcast became successful enough for guests, especially authors and publishers, to start seeking me out, a common request was that they wanted to be seen in a professional forum and could share those links to their fans. YouTube was the obvious choice. I found the best software and developed techniques to facilitate good video interviews. However, I always made sure that audio quality remained a constant for the podcast platforms. That is where the listens happen for me after years of building a reputation. A quality shift can be a problem for multi-format creators.
My attitude was that YouTube was good supplement to the podcast. It is a search engine as well. This is all good, but it was never a strategy of mine to grow my YouTube channel.
In the past with Twitter, I would tweet out my episode YouTube link with all the appropriate hashtags and window dressing. Anyone interested in checking out the episode would have to click on the link and go to YouTube.
Enter Tucker Carlson on X. Not your cup of tea? No worries keep reading. This has nothing to do with politics. What is relevant is that his entire interviews are posted on X in video form and the views bury all the cable news channels combined. More media figures are now joining the club. The trending audience has always been native to X and now do not have to go off-platform to view video. Better yet, the video is in pre-roll as they are scrolling and is not just sitting there as a pasted link.
Live video is highlighted at the top of the X app. Live content in the form of Spaces is also a popular feature. Spaces are live audio sessions and presentations. Spaces started being a feature during the old Twitter and have now grown with the news-driven content on X. Live Spaces are also listed separately. This is clearly designed to use live content as a driver of the platform.
As a verified user of X, I began posting video interviews in long form and was very happy with the results. Recently, an associate of mine, ShamanIsis, suggested that we do a live video podcast on X. On Thursday Oct 12, 2023, we went live with the show and the results blew away any live-stream I have ever done on YouTube. The views and audience reach were in the thousands. Now, keep in mind I have a presence on X and am established as a podcaster, so these results aren’t necessarily to be expected starting out. None the less, these results spoke volumes about the platform.
I don’t know what your social media needs or expectations happen to be. However, if you are dismissing X because you feel it is just a place for people to post stupid stuff, or you have been dissuaded by negative things that you have been told, you are missing a possible opportunity to shape your brand and build a community. X has become more of a hybrid of media and social media.
Oh, and more is coming.
The free version will get you started.
@BillyDees and @ShamanIsis are our screen names on X.
We had a great visit with Sam from Erie St. Vinyl in Massillon, Ohio.
Do you remember the feel of old record stores back in the 1970s? In addition to vinyl record bins around the store, Erie St Vinyl is decorated with vintage audio gear and décor. They even burn incense so that the aroma of the store has a classic record store vibe.
During this interview we discuss how people’s listening habits to music has changed, and how a new generation of music fans are discovering vinyl. We also chat about the business aspect of opening a brick-and-mortar shop to cater to the vintage audio and vinyl music fan.
You can find Erie St. Vinyl on Facebook.
Regarding the production, this episode was recorded on location at Erie St. Vinyl. Since Covid, it has been difficult to do location recordings. Although online production tools have improved over the past several years, it is still a great experience to record guests in their own environment with a mobile system.
This can bring a set of technical challenges. Very often location settings are noisy, don’t have have treated environments, and will often have loud air conditioning or appliances running in the background. However, we have found it is worth it to enter someone else’s world. The audience certainly appreciates this aspect of the interview over any minor imperfection of sound or lighting.
The environment of Erie St. Vinyl itself was worth capturing. The space is absolutely loaded with charm and atmosphere. Sam deserves much credit for following her goal of creating this great place.
You can find the interview on your favorite podcasting platform including the Spotify player below. We also recorded a videocast which is also posted below. The video version contains footage of the shop.
We are very pleased to announce that Kristy Mickelsen has agreed to have Perfect Media Productions, LLC, help produce and facilitate the distribution of her podcast, “W.W.A.A. Podcast.”
We first had Kristy as a guest on the Billy Dees Podcast about a year ago. Kristy is an author and an advocate for such issues as cancer, autism, lupus, and mental health. She is also a 43-year-old wife and mother, whose passions include her two autistic children, reading, and writing. After her appearance on the podcast, Kristy started becoming an active member of the social audio community, especially on Twitter Spaces. As her audience widened, Kristy decided to enter the field of podcasting.
Kristy is very active on Twitter, and you can find her at @KristyBooks. Want to know more about Kristy’s podcast? You can listen to her and her podcast trailer below on Spotify. More episodes are on their way soon.
I would like to personally thank everyone who has been listening to the Billy Dees Podcast. We don’t feature every episode here on the production website, but we did want to update followers of the blog about some updates and recent episodes.
We have had a wonderful uptick in listens over the past 90 days.
Apple Podcasts (then iTunes Podcasts) is where the podcast debuted and remains where a sizable percentage of the listens come from. More recently, Pandora has grabbed a huge percentage of listens. Also, Goodpods, which is what Good Reads is for books except for podcasts, is also coming on strong for listens and has been very active with us on Twitter. Their goal is to have a place where independent podcasts can thrive. We also want to welcome listers on the JioSaavn platform which is based in India.
Some great guests have contributed to our growth. Here is a sample of some of our recent episodes you may have missed. All of these episodes are available on your favorite podcast platform under the Billy Dees Podcast.
You can find Ruth on Twitter at @RuthLSnyder During this episode we are talking about using Twitter and Twitter Spaces for authors. Many of the topics we cover are applicable to any social media or content marketing strategy in general.
Our guest is Ruth L. Snyder who is the author of “Learn Twitter” which is geared toward writers. Ruth is also a speaker and a book coach.
You can find Keith on Twitter at @KeithKeller
Whether you want to improve your content marketing strategy or simply want to build your brand, social media is almost always a major tool in your toolbox. In this episode we are talking with Keith Keller who has been a Twitter strategist since the early days of the platform.
Keith discusses how to Amplify Your Message, Build Your Brand, and Create a Community via Twitter and Twitter Spaces. We also ask him about Social Audio, what it is, and how Twitter Spaces approaches the medium of social audio.
You can find Graciela on Twitter at @SoMCoaching
Graciela Moore is ICF certified, a transcendental hope coach, and author. Graciela also helps HSIP thrive into soul-alignment and is a public speaker.
On this episode Graciela talks about hope, the different ways we consider hope, and how important it is in our daily lives. Please listen in for some great insights into personal growth, happiness, and hope!
Rachel Thompson is an author of seven books. She is a champion for survivors and is the originator of the hashtag #SexAbuseChat on Twitter.
She also promotes other writers and is also known for the much-used blogging #MondayBlogs hashtag.
You can find her on Twitter @RachelintheOC, and at @BadRedHeadMedia which is all about creating effective social media and book marketing campaigns for authors.
On this episode we are talking with Rachel about her advocacy for survivors, being an author, and her presence on the new medium Twitter Spaces.
This year 2022, “Broken People” was released and won ‘Best in Category’ for Nonfiction with the Book Excellence Awards
You can find Maria on Twitter and Twitter Spaces @sbssforme and @techie_maria
On this episode we are talking with Maria Humphreys from the Strong Body Strong Soul Podcast. Maria is passionate about inspiring stories and is very enthusiastic about all topics related to audio, including the emergence of social audio. Maria has been able to combine her meditation practices with the nuances of spoken word communication.
Twitter Spaces is an audio medium allowing for a configuration of hosts, speakers, and listeners. This Space was hosted Thursday January 6, 2022, at 2:00pm EST.
If you are familiar with the app “Clubhouse,” you are likely to recognize Twitter Spaces which is very similar. Spotify, LinkedIn, and any number of other social media platforms are also exploring what is being termed as “social audio.”
Currently, the only way to take part in a Twitter Space is via the Twitter smartphone app. If you already have Twitter on your phone you can utilize Twitter Spaces.
In my opinion, for podcasts and as a production tool, the guests sound a bit “phoned-in” on Spaces but otherwise is acceptable. I am not sure how much I will be using Spaces for podcast episodes, but it has potential as a break-through medium. Real-time and trending topics are built into the fabric of Twitter which gives the platform a head-start in the social audio spectrum.
Our guest for this episode was Lenora Colarusso, who has been on the podcast numerous times. The first part of the episode covers Lenora and her journey of recovery and well-being. It is followed by snippets from a Question-and-Answer period that followed on the Space. Guests take part from all over the world, which is one of the great things about the Twitter Spaces format.
Perfect Media Productions, LLC 