WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.839 I'm back from Podcast Movement 2025, and I have 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:04.879 some thoughts. 00:00:11.199 --> 00:00:14.240 Thank you for joining me for The Audacity to Podcast. 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:15.199 I'm Daniel J. Lewis. 00:00:15.505 --> 00:00:18.144 I really enjoy going to podcasting conferences. 00:00:18.144 --> 00:00:21.425 If you couldn't tell from my previous episode about why you 00:00:21.425 --> 00:00:23.824 should attend live events for your podcast, that doesn't 00:00:23.824 --> 00:00:27.185 necessarily mean a podcasting conference, but it could be a 00:00:27.185 --> 00:00:29.760 conference in general. I enjoy public speaking. 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:33.039 I enjoy hanging out with other podcasters of all shapes and sizes 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:35.359 and types. It's a whole lot of fun. 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:41.215 And the premier podcasting event for many years has been Podcast 00:00:41.215 --> 00:00:41.774 Movement. 00:00:41.774 --> 00:00:45.535 I was one of the original backers, and I've spoken at most of the 00:00:45.535 --> 00:00:47.854 Podcast Movement events over the years. 00:00:48.015 --> 00:00:50.414 And it's been around for more than ten years now. 00:00:50.414 --> 00:00:54.219 It's incredible to think of still that first conference many 00:00:54.219 --> 00:00:58.380 years ago and how it's grown and changed since then. 00:00:58.620 --> 00:01:02.460 And I attended both Podcast Movement Evolutions and Podcast 00:01:02.460 --> 00:01:08.055 Movement Proper this year, 2025, and things are changing again. 00:01:08.055 --> 00:01:12.375 And I have some thoughts, mostly good thoughts, some concerns as 00:01:12.375 --> 00:01:12.854 well. 00:01:12.935 --> 00:01:15.894 And I invite you to share your thoughts as well if you have any 00:01:15.894 --> 00:01:19.510 way of responding to this or commenting on the notes over at 00:01:19.510 --> 00:01:25.590 theaudacitytopodcast.com/pm25, I would love to hear from you, 00:01:25.590 --> 00:01:27.750 especially if you made it to Podcast Movement. 00:01:27.750 --> 00:01:30.310 So I've got several thoughts here, and the biggest thing that 00:01:30.310 --> 00:01:33.364 most people are talking about is Podcast Movement and sounds 00:01:33.364 --> 00:01:35.765 profitable and pod news mixed in. 00:01:35.844 --> 00:01:39.524 So this is that big news from the event and coverage around the 00:01:39.524 --> 00:01:43.524 event is that Podcast Movement has acquired sounds profitable. 00:01:43.880 --> 00:01:48.120 Sounds Profitable is a podcasting education research and insights 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:50.920 organization with lots of information there. 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:54.680 Now most of it is primarily from the business and advertising 00:01:54.680 --> 00:01:59.240 perspective of podcasting, but they do also do a lot of industry 00:01:59.240 --> 00:02:03.984 research, especially now that they have Tom Webster, formerly of 00:02:03.984 --> 00:02:06.944 Edison Research, working for Sounds Profitable. 00:02:06.944 --> 00:02:11.425 So that brings all of Tom's vast experience and knowledge of how 00:02:11.425 --> 00:02:16.000 to analyze the space and pull insights about the space and his 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:17.520 great voice too. 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:20.719 And all of that research too sounds profitable, and that helps 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:24.479 the industry as a whole, even independent podcasters who aren't 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:26.079 monetizing their podcasts at all. 00:02:26.425 --> 00:02:29.705 Now this move puts Bryan Barletta, the founder of Sounds 00:02:29.705 --> 00:02:32.825 Profitable, to be the president of Podcast Movement. 00:02:33.145 --> 00:02:37.064 Exactly what that means, we'll see in the coming months. 00:02:37.224 --> 00:02:41.544 And also made public at this time is that Podcast Movement has 00:02:41.544 --> 00:02:45.919 owned 50% of Pod News, you know, the podcast newsletter over at 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:47.040 podnews.net. 00:02:47.040 --> 00:02:51.599 And they've actually owned that 50% for some years now. 00:02:51.760 --> 00:02:54.480 And it seems as though James Cridland, the founder of Pod News, 00:02:54.480 --> 00:02:58.754 will become the head of content at Podcast Movement and probably 00:02:58.754 --> 00:03:01.955 be a major decision maker in the conference content going 00:03:01.955 --> 00:03:02.594 forward. 00:03:02.754 --> 00:03:06.594 I have great respect for both men and most of their industry 00:03:06.594 --> 00:03:07.474 perspectives. 00:03:07.715 --> 00:03:11.715 Based on some things that I've seen though, I think some people 00:03:12.050 --> 00:03:15.650 might be concerned if this will cause Podcast Movement to lean 00:03:15.650 --> 00:03:20.370 hard into a particular political direction or even a particular 00:03:20.449 --> 00:03:21.810 advertising direction. 00:03:21.969 --> 00:03:25.569 And while time will really tell, I also think there's some 00:03:25.569 --> 00:03:27.489 justification to those concerns. 00:03:27.944 --> 00:03:31.305 Nonetheless, in conversations I had and observed with James 00:03:31.305 --> 00:03:34.905 Cridland, I think he's already making some good decisions about 00:03:34.905 --> 00:03:37.944 Podcast Movements, content, and keynotes going forward. 00:03:38.264 --> 00:03:42.344 Along with these organizational changes also comes some location 00:03:42.344 --> 00:03:45.090 changes, New York City and Austin. 00:03:45.090 --> 00:03:49.169 And these locations might be long term for Podcast Movement. 00:03:49.250 --> 00:03:52.449 Podcast Movement, the main conference that is, was going to be in 00:03:52.449 --> 00:03:56.289 San Diego in 2026, but that has now been changed to New York 00:03:56.289 --> 00:03:56.530 City. 00:03:56.884 --> 00:03:59.604 That will make it a lot easier for international travelers, and 00:03:59.604 --> 00:04:03.364 that certainly puts Podcast Movement a commute away, probably a 00:04:03.364 --> 00:04:06.164 long commute, but commute nonetheless from many of the top 00:04:06.164 --> 00:04:08.564 advertisers and content networks in podcasting. 00:04:09.010 --> 00:04:12.930 So this move makes me think Podcast Movement will only become 00:04:12.930 --> 00:04:15.010 even more corporate. 00:04:15.330 --> 00:04:19.889 Additionally, Podcast Movement Evolutions, which I wondered if it 00:04:19.889 --> 00:04:23.889 would even exist after this year because at the Evolutions event 00:04:23.889 --> 00:04:27.305 in Chicago, it was quite a bit underwhelming. 00:04:27.305 --> 00:04:30.105 As far as attendance, the content was still great. 00:04:30.105 --> 00:04:33.384 And the people that who were there were still great to talk to 00:04:33.384 --> 00:04:34.504 and network with. 00:04:34.665 --> 00:04:38.105 But there were a lot fewer people than I and I think many others 00:04:38.105 --> 00:04:41.310 expected, and a lot fewer exhibitors as well. 00:04:41.470 --> 00:04:46.110 So despite that though, Podcast Movement Evolutions is moving in 00:04:46.110 --> 00:04:49.870 with South by Southwest or SXSW. 00:04:49.870 --> 00:04:53.214 And I think it's so much easier to say South by Southwest than 00:04:53.214 --> 00:04:54.735 the abbreviation for it. 00:04:54.735 --> 00:04:58.095 I suspect that Bryan Barletta gets most of the credit for this as 00:04:58.095 --> 00:05:03.055 he should because he was the one that got a whole podcasting 00:05:03.055 --> 00:05:06.095 track at South by Southwest recently as well. 00:05:06.539 --> 00:05:10.939 But this also confuses me and in talking with others, it confuses 00:05:10.939 --> 00:05:14.060 them too about the focus of these events. 00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:16.779 I've talked to many people about their perceptions of podcast 00:05:16.779 --> 00:05:19.659 movement and Podcast Movement Evolutions, which I'll probably 00:05:19.659 --> 00:05:21.899 just call Evolutions from here on out in this episode. 00:05:22.245 --> 00:05:25.685 And I heard about half the people say that Evolutions was for 00:05:25.685 --> 00:05:29.845 industry professionals and normal Podcast Movement was for 00:05:29.845 --> 00:05:30.964 content creators. 00:05:31.204 --> 00:05:35.444 But the other half, including myself, said it's the other way 00:05:35.444 --> 00:05:35.685 around. 00:05:36.250 --> 00:05:40.009 And then this is where I'm now, that kind of person in the middle 00:05:40.009 --> 00:05:44.889 between the two halves who doesn't really know anymore which one 00:05:44.889 --> 00:05:47.449 is for industry professionals and which one is for content 00:05:47.449 --> 00:05:48.009 creators. 00:05:48.009 --> 00:05:50.865 I often thought Evolutions was more for the industry 00:05:50.865 --> 00:05:55.345 professionals, what Podcast Movement proper was for the creators 00:05:55.345 --> 00:05:57.745 because that's how it started in the beginning. 00:05:57.904 --> 00:06:02.224 But with this move to New York City for Podcast Movement and 00:06:02.224 --> 00:06:05.959 South by Southwest for Evolutions, I get the impression that 00:06:05.959 --> 00:06:10.519 Evolutions will be more for the creators, especially the first 00:06:10.519 --> 00:06:13.399 time podcasters and those who are doing a whole lot of other 00:06:13.399 --> 00:06:16.120 content creation who will be there at South by Southwest. 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:20.414 Well, Podcast Movement in New York City up close to all of these 00:06:20.414 --> 00:06:25.294 advertisers and huge networks will then be more for the industry 00:06:25.294 --> 00:06:26.175 professionals. 00:06:26.334 --> 00:06:30.495 But the unfortunate thing about both, they are going to be really 00:06:30.495 --> 00:06:32.974 expensive to attend and get hotels. 00:06:33.459 --> 00:06:37.539 New York City will be hard enough, but Austin will be as booked 00:06:37.539 --> 00:06:39.939 as Bethlehem on the night of Jesus' birth. 00:06:39.939 --> 00:06:42.740 So I guess get ready to sleep in a stable. 00:06:42.899 --> 00:06:46.259 Nonetheless, perhaps to balance this out, some good news to come 00:06:46.259 --> 00:06:50.305 from this is that conference recordings will be free, completely 00:06:50.305 --> 00:06:50.944 free. 00:06:51.185 --> 00:06:54.785 This is perhaps to help relieve some of the stress about the cost 00:06:54.785 --> 00:06:58.705 of the new locations, but also I think in line with Sounds 00:06:58.705 --> 00:07:02.145 Profitable's core philosophies, and that is that industry 00:07:02.145 --> 00:07:03.824 information should be free. 00:07:04.360 --> 00:07:07.639 When Sounds Profitable does a report, they often release it 00:07:07.639 --> 00:07:08.920 completely free. 00:07:08.920 --> 00:07:12.120 They might have some kind of email opt in that you have to do, 00:07:12.120 --> 00:07:14.600 but you don't have to pay to get the report. 00:07:14.600 --> 00:07:17.720 They make it available for free and that's sponsored by their 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:20.564 partners that they have And the partners have their own benefits 00:07:20.564 --> 00:07:24.645 that they get, but the research and the information is free. 00:07:24.805 --> 00:07:28.085 And Sounds Profitable is bringing that same core philosophy to 00:07:28.085 --> 00:07:29.285 Podcast Movement. 00:07:29.365 --> 00:07:33.439 And already now with Podcast Movement 2025, all the 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:37.360 sessions were recorded, and they are going to be publishing all 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:40.000 of those sessions for free. 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:44.160 And they've said that future conferences will also have all 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:47.439 sessions recorded and all sessions be free. 00:07:47.894 --> 00:07:52.935 Thus, anyone from anywhere will be able to watch or listen to the 00:07:52.935 --> 00:07:53.574 sessions. 00:07:53.735 --> 00:07:58.214 They might not be live streamed based on the conference Internet. 00:07:58.214 --> 00:08:01.814 I really suspect that they wouldn't be, but at least the sessions 00:08:01.814 --> 00:08:02.615 would be free. 00:08:02.970 --> 00:08:06.810 So if you want to go to learn, then you'll be able to learn from 00:08:06.810 --> 00:08:11.610 home or on the commute or wherever you can consume the sessions 00:08:11.689 --> 00:08:14.810 that are published afterward because they will be free. 00:08:14.970 --> 00:08:16.970 And I think this is a really smart move. 00:08:17.235 --> 00:08:20.435 But as I pointed out in my previous episode about attending live 00:08:20.435 --> 00:08:24.514 events, the sessions are often not the biggest value of a 00:08:24.514 --> 00:08:25.235 conference. 00:08:25.394 --> 00:08:29.235 And I still have yet to see a virtual conference have the same 00:08:29.235 --> 00:08:32.990 great networking and relationship building that an in person 00:08:32.990 --> 00:08:34.110 event has. 00:08:34.350 --> 00:08:37.870 And I've experienced some of them over the years, especially 00:08:37.870 --> 00:08:40.110 since the whole COVID stuff happened. 00:08:40.190 --> 00:08:44.269 And I say experienced some of them because I've not experienced 00:08:44.269 --> 00:08:48.575 all of them that I've registered for just because it was like, 00:08:48.575 --> 00:08:52.654 ugh, more Zoom meetings or whatever technology they're using at 00:08:52.654 --> 00:08:55.774 the time and staring at a camera and all of this stuff. 00:08:55.774 --> 00:09:01.470 And it's it's just not as personable. It's not as relatable. 00:09:01.470 --> 00:09:07.470 It's certainly not as connecting as in person networking is. 00:09:07.629 --> 00:09:11.470 And I think a big part of that is this will sound weird, but 00:09:11.470 --> 00:09:12.589 being able to touch people. 00:09:13.074 --> 00:09:16.995 Like, shake a hand, give a hug, a high five, a fist bump, 00:09:16.995 --> 00:09:17.875 something like that. 00:09:17.875 --> 00:09:21.875 Physically giving each other a business card, patting each other 00:09:21.875 --> 00:09:23.714 on the back, different things like that. 00:09:23.714 --> 00:09:27.074 You know, all the professional and friendly touches like that. 00:09:27.290 --> 00:09:32.009 I think those are very meaningful and not just from a friendship 00:09:32.009 --> 00:09:35.690 perspective, but even from a business perspective because you can 00:09:35.690 --> 00:09:38.410 read some people by their handshake. 00:09:38.490 --> 00:09:41.985 And there's even the thing about is someone willing to give you a 00:09:41.985 --> 00:09:42.464 handshake. 00:09:42.464 --> 00:09:44.784 There have been a couple times where I've been snubbed from 00:09:44.784 --> 00:09:47.184 getting a handshake from someone even though I extended the 00:09:47.184 --> 00:09:50.944 handshake in friendship to someone they refused to give a 00:09:50.944 --> 00:09:52.784 handshake back and that hurt. 00:09:53.024 --> 00:09:56.649 But that's an emotional connection that was shut down. 00:09:56.730 --> 00:10:00.330 That kind of emotional connection happens in person. 00:10:00.570 --> 00:10:05.129 And digitally, I wouldn't have that same kind of experience, and 00:10:05.129 --> 00:10:07.929 that actually might be a bad thing because then I wouldn't even 00:10:07.929 --> 00:10:12.485 know, oh, that person doesn't like me if they refuse to shake my 00:10:12.485 --> 00:10:14.884 hand because shaking hands doesn't happen online. 00:10:15.044 --> 00:10:16.085 It happens in person. 00:10:16.085 --> 00:10:19.044 A lot of great things happen in person relationally. 00:10:19.205 --> 00:10:22.725 Humans are designed to be in person with each other. 00:10:23.044 --> 00:10:28.379 And we'll miss that if we don't get that live in person feel like 00:10:28.379 --> 00:10:32.940 we get at the podcast conferences in the past where we go and 00:10:32.940 --> 00:10:33.579 attend. 00:10:33.659 --> 00:10:37.500 And if in the future, the Podcast Movement conferences are mostly 00:10:37.500 --> 00:10:40.575 going to be the professionals, then that might mean we won't be 00:10:40.575 --> 00:10:41.615 as interested in going. 00:10:41.615 --> 00:10:44.735 But if the sessions are all available, at least you'll get some 00:10:44.735 --> 00:10:47.615 of the information that was shared in the sessions. 00:10:48.014 --> 00:10:51.860 My next thought will initially sound negative, but I'm not so 00:10:51.860 --> 00:10:56.419 sure it is. The Podcast Movement conferences are getting smaller. 00:10:56.740 --> 00:10:58.740 That may not actually be a bad thing. 00:10:58.820 --> 00:11:01.620 In 2025, I've attended several conferences. 00:11:01.620 --> 00:11:04.980 Podfest Multimedia Expo in Orlando, National Religious 00:11:04.980 --> 00:11:08.865 Broadcasters or NRB convention in Dallas, Podcast Movement 00:11:08.865 --> 00:11:13.345 Evolutions in Chicago, and Podcast Movement Proper in Dallas. 00:11:13.504 --> 00:11:17.424 Both of the Podcast Movement events are getting noticeably 00:11:17.424 --> 00:11:21.424 smaller, while NRB and I think Podfest are getting larger. 00:11:21.799 --> 00:11:24.839 I'll leave the theorizing about why that's happening to people 00:11:24.839 --> 00:11:28.120 with more data, but I actually liked that Podcast Movement was 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:29.240 smaller this year. 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:33.639 The entire conference fit in a single big room in the Gaylord 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:35.240 Texan Hotel in Dallas. 00:11:35.445 --> 00:11:39.125 The keynotes, expo hall, breakout sessions, speaker and sponsored 00:11:39.125 --> 00:11:43.205 lounge, and most of the networking all happened within that same 00:11:43.205 --> 00:11:44.404 big room. 00:11:44.565 --> 00:11:47.764 It still felt very professional, so it wasn't like it was just 00:11:47.764 --> 00:11:51.429 everybody thrown into this one space, But it also had a bit more 00:11:51.429 --> 00:11:56.389 of an intimate feel like the early conferences had because we 00:11:56.389 --> 00:12:00.070 were very centralized instead of being spread out. 00:12:00.149 --> 00:12:03.190 Like Podcast Movement Evolutions, we were on multiple floors, 00:12:03.345 --> 00:12:07.184 very spread out, multiple rooms in different places, sessions 00:12:07.184 --> 00:12:08.384 happening all over the place. 00:12:08.384 --> 00:12:11.424 Same thing with several past Podcast Movement events. 00:12:11.424 --> 00:12:16.384 But that wasn't the case here because everything was in one big 00:12:16.464 --> 00:12:19.649 room, including the Expo Hall. Yes. 00:12:19.649 --> 00:12:22.690 There was a little bit of stuff happening out in the hallways, 00:12:22.769 --> 00:12:26.370 but the main reason to be in the hallways was for the networking, 00:12:26.370 --> 00:12:31.169 and it was still in the hallway right outside that really big 00:12:31.169 --> 00:12:31.490 room. 00:12:31.695 --> 00:12:35.294 The Gaylord Hotels and Resorts are great spaces for large 00:12:35.294 --> 00:12:36.735 conferences for sure. 00:12:36.894 --> 00:12:41.695 And where we were in this place, I've been there before for NRB 00:12:41.695 --> 00:12:45.330 convention where every room was packed and the Expo Hall was 00:12:45.330 --> 00:12:47.970 downstairs and huge and all of that. 00:12:47.970 --> 00:12:51.889 Well, here, we were in one big room, and I liked it. 00:12:51.970 --> 00:12:54.210 And I think a lot of other people liked it based on the 00:12:54.210 --> 00:12:55.649 conversations that I had. 00:12:55.730 --> 00:12:59.425 And one of those reasons was, and this is my next thought, the 00:12:59.425 --> 00:13:02.144 Expo Hall was pleasant again. 00:13:02.384 --> 00:13:05.665 Being all in the same room, you would think that the sound would 00:13:05.665 --> 00:13:07.745 be confusing and deafening. 00:13:07.745 --> 00:13:10.865 I've attended some of the Podcast Movements past events, and 00:13:10.865 --> 00:13:14.340 maybe you were there too, where there were breakout sessions in 00:13:14.340 --> 00:13:18.259 the Expo Hall, and they were far too loud with the PA systems, 00:13:18.259 --> 00:13:22.259 and yet people still couldn't hear or focus very well on those 00:13:22.259 --> 00:13:23.059 presentations. 00:13:23.299 --> 00:13:26.259 And then the poor vendors and other people around in the Expo 00:13:26.259 --> 00:13:30.095 Hall had to yell to have conversations at their booths or in the 00:13:30.095 --> 00:13:35.855 aisles. It was so loud and so difficult to network in past years. 00:13:36.095 --> 00:13:39.215 But this year, it was so very different. 00:13:39.375 --> 00:13:43.320 Two things made it so radically different this year, acoustics 00:13:43.320 --> 00:13:44.600 and smart headphones. 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:48.919 The big room had enough acoustic treatment in the walls, carpets, 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:52.679 and ceiling that sound didn't reverberate as much as when 00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:56.845 everything is in a typical expo space where they bring the carpet 00:13:56.845 --> 00:13:57.245 in. 00:13:57.245 --> 00:13:59.565 Otherwise, it's just concrete on the ground, and all the walls 00:13:59.565 --> 00:14:04.605 are hard concrete, and the ceiling is some kind of hard and very 00:14:04.605 --> 00:14:05.964 reflective surface. 00:14:05.964 --> 00:14:09.804 Now when you're in a, essentially, a conference room, don't think 00:14:09.804 --> 00:14:12.919 conference room like a conference room in an office placed by a 00:14:12.919 --> 00:14:15.799 conference room, like, where conferences or conventions are held. 00:14:15.799 --> 00:14:19.639 But a large space like that, it's a hotel conference room. 00:14:19.799 --> 00:14:23.480 It's a lot more padded, and the acoustics are a whole lot better. 00:14:23.904 --> 00:14:25.345 So that was great. 00:14:25.345 --> 00:14:28.705 That absorbed the sound a whole lot more, made conversations a 00:14:28.705 --> 00:14:31.504 whole lot easier, and it was also more comfortable for walking 00:14:31.504 --> 00:14:35.024 around when you're walking on carpet that's built into the floor 00:14:35.024 --> 00:14:37.264 instead of carpet that was just trucked in. 00:14:37.549 --> 00:14:40.429 But the more technological advancement was in the smart 00:14:40.429 --> 00:14:41.870 headphones everyone had. 00:14:42.029 --> 00:14:44.990 There were closed back headphones that could receive audio 00:14:44.990 --> 00:14:48.110 wirelessly, and each pair of headphones could be switched to 00:14:48.110 --> 00:14:51.709 different channels like red, blue, white, yellow, purple, and 00:14:51.709 --> 00:14:53.069 some combinations of those colors. 00:14:53.345 --> 00:14:57.585 This meant the sessions didn't need a public address system or at 00:14:57.585 --> 00:14:58.625 least not allowed one. 00:14:58.625 --> 00:15:02.625 Some of the sessions did have a PA system, but they didn't use it 00:15:02.625 --> 00:15:03.585 all that much. 00:15:03.825 --> 00:15:07.949 And everyone with the headphones could hear very well, and they 00:15:07.949 --> 00:15:10.990 could even adjust their listening volume as necessary. 00:15:11.069 --> 00:15:12.990 That was fantastic. 00:15:13.309 --> 00:15:17.230 It meant a near normal volume conversation could be happening 00:15:17.230 --> 00:15:20.750 right behind me, but I could still focus on the session I was 00:15:20.750 --> 00:15:23.069 watching because I was listening through my headphones. 00:15:23.345 --> 00:15:25.904 There were several times I just didn't even realize there was a 00:15:25.904 --> 00:15:29.345 conversation happening right behind me because it wasn't 00:15:29.345 --> 00:15:31.665 interrupting. It wasn't distracting. 00:15:31.745 --> 00:15:33.585 I could focus on the headphones. 00:15:33.585 --> 00:15:35.504 And I've heard from some of the other speakers too that they 00:15:35.504 --> 00:15:37.424 noticed their audience seemed more focused. 00:15:37.839 --> 00:15:41.200 Adam Curry, surprisingly, Adam Curry loved it. 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:43.839 He was very skeptical when he heard about it. 00:15:43.839 --> 00:15:46.720 And certainly there are jokes to be made about how the audience 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:50.320 looks when they're in this state, but it worked out really well. 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:53.120 He loved it. Other speakers, I think, really liked it. 00:15:53.424 --> 00:15:57.345 You just do have to get over that dystopian look of it all and 00:15:57.345 --> 00:16:00.705 try not to think about doctor who's cyberman or jogging up to 00:16:00.705 --> 00:16:04.144 throw a sledgehammer into the screen telling people why 1984 00:16:04.144 --> 00:16:05.504 won't be like 1984. 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:09.480 But as a speaker, and I presented on what you need to know about 00:16:09.480 --> 00:16:13.160 podcasting two point o, I felt a bit disconnected from my 00:16:13.160 --> 00:16:15.800 audience because of the headphones. 00:16:16.040 --> 00:16:18.920 It was great that I could talk at a normal volume. 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:21.945 And because I've done so much public speaking in the past where I 00:16:21.945 --> 00:16:26.024 didn't have a microphone, and maybe it's just a odd reaction. 00:16:26.024 --> 00:16:28.105 It's a habit. I need to get over. I admit that. 00:16:28.105 --> 00:16:29.464 I need to get over this habit. 00:16:29.464 --> 00:16:33.065 But I have a tendency when I'm in front of a crowd, even when I'm 00:16:33.065 --> 00:16:37.169 holding a microphone to project my voice more and to be louder 00:16:37.250 --> 00:16:38.850 louder than I need to be. 00:16:38.850 --> 00:16:42.929 And I do the same thing if I am recording a video interview like 00:16:42.929 --> 00:16:46.209 at CES or sometimes at Podcast Movement, where I'm in a loud 00:16:46.209 --> 00:16:48.850 space, but I have a microphone right in front of me. 00:16:48.929 --> 00:16:53.305 I forget that the microphone can hear me just fine. 00:16:53.465 --> 00:16:57.225 I don't need to yell, but it's I know a lot of people do this, 00:16:57.225 --> 00:17:00.264 but it's something that I'm working on overcoming in myself. 00:17:00.264 --> 00:17:04.140 It's that hearing a lot of sound around me, I feel like I need to 00:17:04.140 --> 00:17:06.619 be louder, and other people often feel the same. 00:17:06.700 --> 00:17:11.420 But the headphones did make it so that everyone could hear me for 00:17:11.420 --> 00:17:11.980 sure. 00:17:12.220 --> 00:17:16.654 So I think actually this this time, I did a better job at not 00:17:16.654 --> 00:17:19.295 yelling or projecting my voice when I was talking into the 00:17:19.295 --> 00:17:22.015 microphone. It felt a lot like podcasting. 00:17:22.015 --> 00:17:24.575 And so much like podcasting that I think some of us even felt 00:17:24.575 --> 00:17:25.855 like taking off our pants. 00:17:26.174 --> 00:17:29.454 But when it came to audible responses from my audience, 00:17:29.454 --> 00:17:32.910 especially laughter, I felt very disconnected just like I did 00:17:32.910 --> 00:17:35.390 when I told that joke about taking off your pants because I 00:17:35.390 --> 00:17:36.669 couldn't hear you laugh. 00:17:36.829 --> 00:17:40.910 There at the event, I couldn't hear the audience laugh because 00:17:40.910 --> 00:17:45.069 the expo hall was just loud enough that I couldn't hear those 00:17:45.069 --> 00:17:46.109 sounds from my audience. 00:17:46.384 --> 00:17:50.944 So I had to scan the whole crowd to see if they were laughing 00:17:51.105 --> 00:17:55.105 instead of just hearing the combined laughter like you would get 00:17:55.105 --> 00:17:57.025 inside a room where everything is quiet. 00:17:57.025 --> 00:17:59.929 And then when the audience laughs, you hear their laughter. 00:18:00.009 --> 00:18:03.289 And if they're still laughing, you know, to wait longer or 00:18:03.289 --> 00:18:04.009 anything like that. 00:18:04.009 --> 00:18:06.970 It's just a little bit of the energy was different. 00:18:07.289 --> 00:18:10.970 Nonetheless, I think the sessions in the Expo Hall were much 00:18:10.970 --> 00:18:14.434 better with this setup, especially compared to without this 00:18:14.434 --> 00:18:15.075 setup. 00:18:15.154 --> 00:18:18.835 And I felt like we podcasters didn't have to worry so much about 00:18:18.835 --> 00:18:22.994 protecting our moneymakers, which are our voices. 00:18:23.394 --> 00:18:26.514 That is if you don't think about the parties, which I'm convinced 00:18:26.514 --> 00:18:30.880 are forever cursed to be always way too loud and pump the music 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:32.240 into too many places. 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:35.279 Like, you can't escape the music at the parties. 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:39.440 Nonetheless, it was really neat being all in the same room there 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:44.644 at the Expo Hall, and you could see people walk from session to 00:18:44.644 --> 00:18:48.005 session, and they were going back and forth in the room or from 00:18:48.005 --> 00:18:49.765 session to session in the same room. 00:18:49.765 --> 00:18:53.285 So I think the vendors got a lot more foot traffic because they 00:18:53.285 --> 00:18:55.044 were in the middle of all of this. 00:18:55.509 --> 00:18:58.309 And sometimes you had to walk through the vendor area to get to 00:18:58.309 --> 00:19:02.150 the next session, and I think that was good because then you got 00:19:02.150 --> 00:19:05.349 to see the vendors, maybe connect with them along the way, and 00:19:05.349 --> 00:19:07.829 the other people passing the other way like two ships in the 00:19:07.829 --> 00:19:11.634 night, or maybe not, depending on how that actually plays out in 00:19:11.634 --> 00:19:12.275 that metaphor. 00:19:12.275 --> 00:19:15.394 But anyway, you could talk to people, see them, and ask, hey, 00:19:15.394 --> 00:19:18.275 how's your session going? I'm going to that side to this session. 00:19:18.275 --> 00:19:20.835 You wanna join me? Or, hey, what are you looking at next? 00:19:20.835 --> 00:19:24.850 So I I felt like being all in the same room because it was 00:19:24.850 --> 00:19:28.289 smaller and because the Expo Hall was actually pleasant this 00:19:28.289 --> 00:19:32.850 time, I think made it a whole lot better, and I liked it smaller 00:19:32.850 --> 00:19:33.730 like that. 00:19:34.049 --> 00:19:36.850 Maybe their budgets didn't really like it for the conference 00:19:36.850 --> 00:19:40.934 organizers, but I think we attendees liked it in that smaller 00:19:40.934 --> 00:19:44.454 setting. So where should podcasters go now? 00:19:44.615 --> 00:19:47.734 You've got Podcast Movement going to New York City, podcast 00:19:47.734 --> 00:19:52.180 movement Evolutions going to South by Southwest, and which one 00:19:52.180 --> 00:19:55.859 should you go to? And that is a difficult question to answer. 00:19:55.860 --> 00:20:01.220 Podcast Movement is still the industry event, but it's becoming a 00:20:01.220 --> 00:20:05.380 lot less accessible, maybe more expensive, and maybe more 00:20:05.380 --> 00:20:05.779 corporate. 00:20:06.154 --> 00:20:08.954 Evolution seems like it would probably tailor more toward 00:20:08.954 --> 00:20:12.634 reaching the general content creators at South by Southwest, like 00:20:12.634 --> 00:20:15.914 people who also podcast or maybe people who are creating lots of 00:20:15.914 --> 00:20:19.034 other content and then want to learn how to podcast. 00:20:19.034 --> 00:20:22.569 So Evolutions might have a lot of beginner focused things or more 00:20:22.569 --> 00:20:26.169 content creator things, whereas Podcast Movement proper would be 00:20:26.169 --> 00:20:29.609 more corporate focused and more advertising business related. 00:20:29.769 --> 00:20:32.730 And I think that being in New York City will especially help them 00:20:32.730 --> 00:20:37.024 to reach those people, literally reach them in that space that 00:20:37.024 --> 00:20:38.784 they'll be really close to those people. 00:20:39.024 --> 00:20:43.105 So if you could attend only one big podcasting event per year, 00:20:43.105 --> 00:20:46.944 and by podcasting event, I mean an event about podcasting. 00:20:46.944 --> 00:20:51.089 So it would help you be a better podcaster and allow you to 00:20:51.170 --> 00:20:53.649 network with other podcasters. 00:20:53.730 --> 00:20:57.490 If you could attend only one per year, then I think it should be 00:20:57.569 --> 00:21:00.609 Podfest. See, Podfest is always in Orlando. 00:21:01.015 --> 00:21:03.575 It's been in Tampa sometimes in the past, but I think in the 00:21:03.575 --> 00:21:05.654 future, it's always going to be in Orlando. 00:21:05.734 --> 00:21:07.654 And that's an easy place to get to. 00:21:07.734 --> 00:21:11.414 It's also a place with lots of options around in the area. 00:21:11.414 --> 00:21:13.734 It's not like you're in the middle of nowhere, and it's only the 00:21:13.734 --> 00:21:15.414 event hotel is the only option. 00:21:15.690 --> 00:21:18.649 There's plenty to do in the Orlando area. 00:21:18.809 --> 00:21:22.970 And Podfest as a conference is structured much more around the 00:21:22.970 --> 00:21:24.809 independent podcasters. 00:21:24.889 --> 00:21:28.569 And it seems like it's holding its size or maybe even growing. 00:21:28.569 --> 00:21:32.164 I don't have a lot to compare to because I haven't been to all of 00:21:32.164 --> 00:21:33.525 the Podfests, unfortunately. 00:21:33.845 --> 00:21:36.164 But I would have gone if I could have. 00:21:36.164 --> 00:21:39.525 It's just life things happened that prevented me from going. 00:21:39.605 --> 00:21:42.644 But plus, the Podcast Hall of Fame has moved to Podfest. 00:21:42.644 --> 00:21:44.884 So that brings some special excitement too. 00:21:45.250 --> 00:21:48.929 And I've been assured that future hall of fame productions will 00:21:48.929 --> 00:21:50.769 return to high quality again. 00:21:50.929 --> 00:21:54.529 I don't know whether I'll make it to either Podcast Movement 00:21:54.529 --> 00:21:58.130 event in 2026, but I'll definitely be at Podfest. 00:21:58.555 --> 00:22:02.394 And I might even be exhibiting at Podfest with a booth. 00:22:02.394 --> 00:22:05.914 We'll see. But will I see you there? Please let me know. 00:22:05.914 --> 00:22:08.714 And what do you think about these events too? 00:22:08.875 --> 00:22:11.650 Which one seems like the better option now? 00:22:11.650 --> 00:22:15.089 And if you made it to all three of these events, especially 00:22:15.089 --> 00:22:18.849 Podfest, Podcast Movement Evolutions, and Podcast Movement 00:22:18.849 --> 00:22:22.369 Proper, I'd love to hear from you your thoughts, especially on 00:22:22.369 --> 00:22:26.049 this merger and everything changing and happening and the 00:22:25.605 --> 00:22:29.684 thoughts on the latest event and what you might focus on going 00:22:29.684 --> 00:22:31.204 forward. Please let me know. 00:22:31.204 --> 00:22:34.325 You can comment on the notes for this episode, a simple tap or 00:22:34.325 --> 00:22:40.549 swipe away, maybe, or go to TheAudacitytoPodcast.com/pm25 or 00:22:40.549 --> 00:22:42.230 reach out to me on social networks. 00:22:42.230 --> 00:22:45.109 I'm pretty much everywhere as the Daniel J. Lewis. 00:22:45.109 --> 00:22:48.869 Thanks to Brian Ensmeiner from Top Tier Audio for streaming 418 00:22:48.869 --> 00:22:51.269 Satoshis on my previous episode. 00:22:51.349 --> 00:22:56.464 And my new app for making podcast chapters is coming very soon. 00:22:56.625 --> 00:22:59.744 I have people beta testing it right now, and it's a full beta, so 00:22:59.744 --> 00:23:02.544 I don't have room for many other people to join. 00:23:02.625 --> 00:23:05.825 But I'd love for you to sign up when it's available, and I will 00:23:05.825 --> 00:23:07.424 certainly tell you about that when it is. 00:23:07.750 --> 00:23:11.029 And if you love The Audacity to Podcast and value the podcasting 00:23:11.029 --> 00:23:13.990 inspiration and education that I provide, would you please 00:23:13.990 --> 00:23:16.869 consider giving back? Whatever you feel it's worth to you. 00:23:16.869 --> 00:23:20.230 If you feel like, that was worth a dollar, then go ahead. 00:23:20.325 --> 00:23:25.924 Send a dollar. If you feel like, oh, man. This was worth $500. 00:23:25.924 --> 00:23:28.804 That's what I wanna give. Then go ahead and give it. 00:23:28.804 --> 00:23:33.764 Go to TheAudacitytoPodcast.com/giveback or you can stream 00:23:33.764 --> 00:23:36.549 payments through your modern podcasting two point o app. 00:23:36.549 --> 00:23:39.269 Now that I've given you some of the guts and taught you some of 00:23:39.269 --> 00:23:43.190 the tools, it's time for you to go start and grow your own 00:23:43.190 --> 00:23:45.750 podcast for passion and profit. 00:23:45.830 --> 00:23:48.869 I'm Daniel J. Lewis from TheAudacitytoPodcast.com. 00:23:49.394 --> 00:24:05.409 Thanks for listening. 404 not found!