First, thanks for all the birthday wishes last week. It was really great to hear from those of you who wrote, commented, texted, or watched my little b-day video.
Quick one today, because I’m technically ‘on vacation’ but didn’t want you to go a single week longer without you re-considering your content creation efforts.
I’m convinced that for most of us, we should stop making separate pieces of content every week. Make one and let the platforms carry it everywhere.
For years most of us built the long way around.
- We’d write a blog post.
- Then an email promoting the blog post.
- Then sit down and record a different podcast.
- Then an email promoting the podcast.
- Then a bunch of stuff for social media, sometimes not related to either of the above.
- Then maybe something for YouTube.
Exhausting!
A few changes have made that obsolete, especially for you podcasters who have felt you should be doing more video.
For years I’ve used Libsyn to host my podcast. They now let you upload video straight to your podcast feed, and it pulls the audio (from that video) and distributes it as a podcast for you. This is what my show on Apple Podcasts looks like:
This saves a big step. My editor Jason now just takes the YouTube video and posts it in Libsyn for me for the podcast. No more ripping the audio out by hand and uploading it as a separate step. One upload does it.
Here’s my recommendation:
- Write a good email newsletter. This should be your best thinking.
- Read it on camera.
- Upload the video to YouTube, drop the same video into Libsyn, and Libsyn sends the audio to Apple and Spotify as your podcast.
I do not know if other podcast hosts do this. I’ve been with Libsyn for over a decade so I don’t know the answer to your particular platform, but I recommend you look it up.
When it comes to cutting up the video for short-form, I use VidIQ (not an affiliate link). You connect your YouTube channel to it, and they cut up your long-form video. It’s surprisingly decent.
Shorts are important because it’s typically the number one way people discover you on YouTube or any other social network.
“But What If I Do Interviews on My Podcast?”
That’s its own animal. Here’s what I do when I post those:
Pull three or four takeaways into your email, share your take on them, and link to the episode. Nobody wants an email that just says "go listen to the podcast."
The platforms have now reached their version of The Cell Phone Wars. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile spend a fortune stealing each other’s customers instead of finding new ones. There aren’t enough new humans to go around, so they poach.
Apple putting video inside their podcast app is a shot at YouTube. They’re fighting over the same crowd.
When the giants fight over distribution, you win. They’re doing the work of spreading your one idea across their platforms.
Over the past few months on this newsletter, I’ve been strongly advocating that you spend your energy and creativity putting forth the best content you can.
One idea worth spreading. Less, but better. Let these platforms build all the tech to distribute it more effectively.
Some of you may be wondering, “Mike, does this mean I should start a podcast and record the video?”
YES!!!!!!
Get it started by the time I get back from vacation, ok? 🙂
Mike Kim
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Written on a MacBook pro from a coffee shop in SE Asia and emailed via Brand You Funnels (my whitelabeled Go High Level service). No pencil used on this issue.
✅Subject line: A thank you on my birthday
Today’s my birthday!
It’s the best b-day of my life because, well, I woke up above the ground vs. below it. That’s a start.
But it’s also been a lot of feelings… endings, new beginnings (going to a wedding tomorrow) and Saturday I fly to the other side of Earth for a bit.
A counselor told me years ago that my presence was meaningful to people, back when I didn’t feel it.
I’ve tried to live by that ever since… to be a present person, not a pre-recorded pundit who hides behind a screen.
So, if you’ve ever read something I wrote, watched a video, left a comment, or worked with me somewhere along the line, your presence has been meaningful to me too.
Thank you for letting me be a small part of your life.
Before I disappear, I recorded a short video just earlier this afternoon.
Today’s my birthday and I am thankful for you »
Thanks again, for the gift of your ear, your presence, your time.
A year older (and hopefully wiser),
Mike Kim