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Welcome to Jon Michail’s Personal Branding Masterclass. Jon is the founder and CEO of Image Group International, an award-winning image consulting and personal branding pioneer established in 1989. This podcast will bring you old-school wisdom, inspiring ideas, strategies, and hacks for the new tech world. Here, you will learn everything about personal branding: the system, the techniques, and the right mindset to have a successful personal brand, image, and reputation.

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Hello, everybody, and welcome back. I'm John Michael. And it's great to have you with me here today, before we started a podcast or call me ask you to connect with me on social media.  My Twitter ex is Jon_Michail, my LinkedIn is Jon Michail. And you can find his image Group International on Facebook.  Now, let's dive in today's topic, creating captivating podcasts and video content. So let's get started. Creating content from a video perspective, in today's digital age is more accessible than ever, we all know that you can do that even on your iPhone. But the real challenge lies in expanding your target reach and of course, building a loyal audience. And we'll concentrate a little bit on that today. That's where podcasting and of course video can come really well together, they get to be very playful together and of course become powerful tools for building your personal brand. So the power of podcasting to increase your audience growth, and engagement, of course, is quite relevant out there. We already know that because there's a lot of successful podcasts out there that have proven that in all different forms, and genres. But how do you grow popularity? Well, it depends what you're looking for. But I'm gonna give you some statistics to get started. So according to Edison Research, you know, there are over 104 million podcast listeners in the US alone. And that's growing dramatically on a daily basis. So this figure has been steadily increasing, highlighting the expanding reach, of course, and popularity of podcasting, you know, something that quite a few years ago, what anymore only be two or three years ago, a lot of people weren't even on to so the engagement levels, though, is the area that we are concentrating on. And of course, listeners, we know from statistics, again, spend an average of six hours 37 minutes per week listening to podcast, if you really take that on board. That's just extraordinary. And podcasts attract a broad demographic, with 45% of podcast listeners aged also between the ages of 12 and 34. What that means is, you know, just under half the audience is under 34. Meaning also if you've got a business that targets a younger tech savvy audience, of course, a lot of them will be listening. There are also 2 million well over 2 million podcasts available and the content spans. You know, as I mentioned, across all genres, this bus selection shows that there's something there for everybody. And making podcasts a powerful medium for niche marketing. And niche marketing, of course, is what we specialising as personal branding is a concept around that. And of course, if you're running your business and you haven't got niche as part of your business model, I think potentially you're missing out. So the business impact while companies that of course, incorporate podcasts into the marketing strategies have also seen a 14% increase in brand awareness according to research. So this is because podcasts allow for deep storytelling and authentic engagement with listeners. Now, of course, why start a podcast is short form, but it's different style of podcasts, a lot of podcasts can go for 10 minutes. And of course, I'm not being given three, four hours or longer. Joe Rogan Of course, the number one podcast on the planet has specifically can run in two hours. So it's a different format and the different styles and you know, so what is important about podcasts, and the listeners that are on board today is just to understand what is your end gain by creating these podcasts. So podcast listeners are also more likely to take action, with 80% of listeners reporting that they have listened to a podcast advertisement or guide or of course story and acted on it. So this high conversion rate underscores the effectiveness of podcasts in driving sales and engagement. So podcasting overall, and the supporting video content are invaluable tools in building your personal brand and it's part of your toolkit, and they offer unique opportunities to connect, engage and inspire your audience. Plus that can significantly expand your reach and influence beyond your initial good intentions.

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So let me explain. Because podcasting offers a unique, intimate way to connect with your audiences with discuss, it's like having a one on one conversation with each listener. Your tone of voice carries your personality, your emotions and your passion. And of course, this helps build trust and loyalty plus listeners consuming while commuting, exercising or doing household chores in you know, increasing your contents rich, an impact. And you can see what impact this is having across mainstream media with radio, of course, going down dramatically in the last surveys. And of course, television surveys indicate the same thing. The ratings, of course, are all going down. With Digital's taken over hosting the podcast positions you also as an authority in your field, giving you a platform to share your knowledge interview industry experts that we've done occasionally, and of course, provide valuable insights because they are coming straight from the boss is mouthy button use that term, other authority.
Video content, of course, is also another powerful way to expand your reach, as it combines the visual and auditory elements to create a more engaging experience. So what it shows clearly here is and we know this, from the point of view of video, and video use, there is high engagement rates, because video content generates up to 12 100% more shares than text and image content combined, making it incredibly shareable and engaging. So this is very important to keep that in mind. And a lot of people of course, get frightened by video because it's like you got to, you know, put the show on. But you got to look at this, from a different perspective altogether, that this is not, you're not creating a Hollywood type of storytelling or movie telling or Film Producing. It's basically been about your authentic self. It's so it's so you can bring some raw elements into it like I do. And specifically, people appreciate that. It's also the preferred medium because 85% of internet users in the US watch videos online, and 54% of consumers want to see more video content from brands and businesses. So this is great. And the increased conversion rates, including video on the landing page, for instance, can increase conversion rates by up to 80%. So videos might complex information easier to understand, especially if it's educational, or instructional and more appealing to potential customers. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be using video for everything there is times where just audios good enough. But from the point of view of video, the retention rates are fairly good as well, because video content has been shown to improve retention rates by up to 95%. That's quite amazing compared to text only content. So overall, this makes for an invaluable tool for educating and retaining your audience like all videos and show you you know, your podcast videos are visually appealing and visually appealing. I don't mean Hollywood again. But I'm certainly not saying anything that looks like belongs somewhere that your audience would not resonate with. Because what that means is people will never pay for your service, it started different to have a look at a funny video online. But will people pay you for your expertise. And that's what I'm talking about when building a brand is that also appealing with good lighting, clear audio, and of course a clean background. And also remember to upload content to keep your audience engaged regularly. So it's not about just doing it once and hoping miracles will happen. If you're gonna go into this game of doing this, you're gonna have to do this regularly, certainly weekly. So if it's gonna be weekly, weekly tips, interviews, or behind the scenes, glimpses, of course consistency builds anticipation, and loyalty. Additionally, you could also include other features like live streaming, q&a sessions and interactive comments to foster real time engagement with the audience. So combining podcasting and video content works really well. But you know, if you don't want to have video, you can just have it as auditory as well with subtitles. And that of course, is also very helpful especially for people that listen. for long trips and sound well you don't get distracted by the video. So there is pros and cons with all of this. recording a video sessions and uploading them also on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo allows you to reach both audio and visual audiences, promoting your podcast on your video channel and vice versa use you know snippets from your podcast as teasers for your video content also works well. Sharing the highlights behind the scenes clips and quotes from your podcasts and videos on social media. To drive traffic to your main content also is very high.

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Video content, of course, is also another powerful way to expand your reach, as it combines the visual and auditory elements to create a more engaging experience. So what it shows clearly here is and we know this, from the point of view of video, and video use, there is high engagement rates, because video content generates up to 12 100% more shares than text and image content combined, making it incredibly shareable and engaging. So this is very important to keep that in mind. And a lot of people of course, get frightened by video because it's like you got to, you know, put the show on. But you got to look at this, from a different perspective altogether, that this is not, you're not creating a Hollywood type of storytelling or movie telling or Film Producing. It's basically been about your authentic self. It's so it's so you can bring some raw elements into it like I do. And specifically, people appreciate that. It's also the preferred medium because 85% of internet users in the US watch videos online, and 54% of consumers want to see more video content from brands and businesses. So this is great. And the increased conversion rates, including video on the landing page, for instance, can increase conversion rates by up to 80%. So videos might complex information easier to understand, especially if it's educational, or instructional and more appealing to potential customers. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be using video for everything there is times where just audios good enough. But from the point of view of video, the retention rates are fairly good as well, because video content has been shown to improve retention rates by up to 95%. That's quite amazing compared to text only content. So overall, this makes for an invaluable tool for educating and retaining your audience like all videos and show you you know, your podcast videos are visually appealing and visually appealing. I don't mean Hollywood again. But I'm certainly not saying anything that looks like belongs somewhere that your audience would not resonate with. Because what that means is people will never pay for your service, it started different to have a look at a funny video online. But will people pay you for your expertise. And that's what I'm talking about when building a brand is that also appealing with good lighting, clear audio, and of course a clean background. And also remember to upload content to keep your audience engaged regularly. So it's not about just doing it once and hoping miracles will happen. If you're gonna go into this game of doing this, you're gonna have to do this regularly, certainly weekly. So if it's gonna be weekly, weekly tips, interviews, or behind the scenes, glimpses, of course consistency builds anticipation, and loyalty. Additionally, you could also include other features like live streaming, q&a sessions and interactive comments to foster real time engagement with the audience. So combining podcasting and video content works really well. But you know, if you don't want to have video, you can just have it as auditory as well with subtitles. And that of course, is also very helpful especially for people that listen. for long trips and sound well you don't get distracted by the video. So there is pros and cons with all of this. recording a video sessions and uploading them also on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo allows you to reach both audio and visual audiences, promoting your podcast on your video channel and vice versa use you know snippets from your podcast as teasers for your video content also works well. Sharing the highlights behind the scenes clips and quotes from your podcasts and videos on social media. To drive traffic to your main content also is very helpfull  and makes a difference.

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Remember, to produce quality video and podcast you need to invest in quality equipment like good microphone and a camera. So please don't skimp on these things that matter. These are your tools in the trade clear audio and video quality are crucial for retain your audience's attention. Certainly, if that's the market you're aiming for in the business world, of course, that's important. You might also need to edit your content using an editing software to polish up content announcing, of course the overall viewing and listening experience. This can sound overwhelming Sayeda, you might be considering hiring a video or podcast editor producer to help you through this process. So let me explain to you my personal journey for with my own podcasts and how this platform was a game changer in many areas, and also has supported my personal branding journey. While my story is not a sad, soapy version, that you normally hear about in a lot of the stories promoted out there. And you gotta wonder how true they are. Being at the bottom of your life could be your business, your career, not knowing what's next, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. My interest in creating a podcast has more to do with my insatiable appetite to keep on growing, getting better, and helping great people become greater. In the process, though, I also elevated my personal brand and connected with a broader audience at the start together with my young and loyal assistant, Carol, who is now my producer. It was a newish concept. So we needed to understand the concept better. My moment of clarity amidst all this sea of social media noise, you know, and a conventional marketing strategies that we incorporated
came after a brief learning period of have quite a bit of practice. 

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Despite some initial doubts, there was a steep learning curve. And I decided to dive headfirst in the podcasting world once I got a taste of it. So once I felt Oh, that yeah, I feel good about this year, I can see the benefits of this, I can see the benefits to my audience. Certainly, I'm gonna go for it. And the goal was clear, to share my story, my expertise, our Clyde stories and success, and to build a community of like minded individuals to get that like the spice we were in. So during the first episode, launch the nerves and excitement of recording my first episode were palpable. I remember sitting in front of the microphone times heart racing, as I shared my vision and invited listeners to join me on this journey, these early challenges. And of course, the initial episodes were far from perfect technical glitches, awkward pauses, and of course, a lot of learning on the go, by the way, that sort of beings don't stop happening, you just get better at dealing with that. And of course, when it does sort of stuff up, it's not something that triggers you into thinking, oh, you know how bad that was, it's like you just get on with it. It says, you know, I've been promised you with this is very, very important. And of course, what this does, if you do quite a bit of work around your whole public speaking and communication styles, and approaches, and so on. What this does, of course, is make you feel so confident. And of course, podcasting is part of that. So with each episode, I grew definitely more confident and found my voice finding my voice, and connecting with listeners and receiving feedback from my audience was and continues to be positive. And certainly enrolling you know, I get feedback, maybe you shouldn't do that. Maybe she did that. Always interested. But the feedback. The word that I don't actually like one bit is actually the real word is feed forward. Because everything that he shared with me from my audience, of course, is about moving forward. And that's exactly my style, my clients, so faithful, what is the word? Okay, so you want to draw feedback from your mindset, emails and messages from listeners also, who responded with my stories and insights, keep on coming in. And it's played so with a podcast and of course, often and offers a unique, intimate way to connect with people on a deeper level. Like I mentioned at the outset of this programme, building, a community from the outset of my podcast was always going to be a niche for my target audience. So So you know, I'm not interested in everybody listening to my podcast. I mean, that'd be great. But I don't expect that because it's not real. I'm only interested in people that are interested in the subject, definitely personal branding, authentic personal branding, leadership, business growth, personal growth, career growth, et cetera. 

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That's the people I'm after people that be the self leaders out there. So it's not for everybody, because we know that, that in itself soft leader, this most people are not soft leaders, not because they're not capable of, but most people have never thought of themselves that way. So, as the listener base grew, though, so did the sense of community. So these levels of the Dasia was a game changer for my personal brand. And of course, to me personally. So once the podcast started gaining some traction, it was featured also on some various platforms. I've also received invitations to speak at other events and collaborations with industry experts have followed. each milestone has been a testament is a testament to the power of authentic storytelling. And the personal growth that I mentioned earlier regarding communication and so on, has been beyond professional success. And the journey continuously transforms me personally. Because every time you go into public space, to communicate, you're putting yourself at risk. But what is the risk? Okay, what is the risk of not doing anything? Nothing, right? If you do nothing, there's no risk. But is that what life is supposed to be about? For me taking risks is part of living. And if you're not taking risks, you can be virtually guaranteed guarantee that you're not fully living. That's the way life is I'm sorry, but the reality is sub risk is essential here, the risk side take a calculated risks, because the concept here is you communicate, you're gonna podcast could be my podcasts could be somebody else's podcasts, it could even be you creating your own podcast, there's got to be some elements of risks there. It's okay to fail. There's no such thing as failure. What is it? So learning lessons in the skies, Southern confidence in my voice, declaring my message and a deep connections may have been invaluable? Now, it's also helped me elevate my personal brand. So the podcast has become a cornerstone of my personal brand, because it showcases my expertise. Certainly, I believe, more authenticity, because I'm not afraid to speak out and commitment to my audience. And hopefully you get that I am committed to you. Otherwise, why would I be doing this? I certainly don't get paid for this. And it's certainly an investment on our part. As I said, it's opened doors to opportunities I hadn't thought of, but that's the payoff you see. Because when you put yourself out then take risks. There's also payoffs involved with that. And one of the payoffs of course, is meeting great collaborators and, of course, potential clients. It's also offered legacy and impact because it's more than just the platform, the podcast has become a legacy way to inspire, educate, and, of course, empower others. And of course, that's part of my daily way of being in something that I'm doing. It wasn't just about building also, my brand, was about building a real difference in the lives of my listeners with practical advice. And you'd be surprised that people certainly, you know, and I don't care if they have PhDs, or they've got quadruple degrees, basically, practical advice at times is missing. And that's what we're talking about here practical advice that you can put into action immediately. So looking back, starting the podcast was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It's been a journey filled with challenges, growth and incredible rewards. So I said to anyone standing at their own crossroads right now, unsure of the next step, you know, I say, take the leap, embrace the journey, find your voice and let your story shine. And it could also be other type of interviews as well, other than podcasts, that could be media interviews, as well. So podcasting isn't just the platform for me, it's a powerful tool for personal and business transformation, via branding. And we know that branding equals reputation. And if you're not building your reputation and growing your reputation in the marketplace, you will soon be forgotten. Unless by the way Yes, I gotta say this again, unless you got a job with tenure. And you obviously don't have to worry about that most people live in the real world and they certainly haven't got tenure. So that's all I've got to say for today's episode. I hope you've enjoyed it. If you have, please rate us on Apple podcasts and subscribe to more valuable content. If you need my help on your personal and business journey, please contact patricia.bosa@imagegroup.com.au. I want to thank you for tuning in. Remember your words have power to shape your personal brand inspire others until next time, cheerio. 

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Jon Michail’s Personal Branding Masterclass Podcast is sponsored by Image Group International, a global team of practical, digitally savvy personal brand and image strategists based in Australia, committed to maximizing your impact, influence, and authority in the business world. To learn more and apply for personal coaching, seminars, and group workshops, please visit imagegroup.com.au or call 1800 631 311.