A Tribute to Alice Wong

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In this episode we pay tribute to Alice Wong. Among her many accomplishments in disability activism, culture and media, Alice was the catalyst behind POD Access.

Using just some of the 100 episodes of the Disability Visibility Podcast, we look back at the impact Alice had on the disability community.

We hear from some of the most regarded names in disability advocacy, including Judy Heumann, Stacy Park Milbern, and Patty Berne. This episode also features some former guests and contributors to DVP like Maxwell Joy Moore, kalyn heffernan, and Dr. Lateef McLeod. 

While Alice is now a disabled ancestor, DVP, like so much of her work, remains a resource for us all. Check out the Disability Visibility Podcast Resource Guide for quick access to episode descriptions and links to the audio and transcripts. Thank you to ASL Interpreter Sarika Mehta and Becky Emmert for ASL review.

Now, Listen, Read, or Watch the episode below!

Then be sure to check out the recording of Alice Wong’s Celebration of Life.

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Introduction

[melancholy music]

CHERYL: On November 14, 2025, Alice Wong became an ancestor. A well-known disabled activist, writer, and podcaster, Alice was the catalyst for POD Access. In this episode, we’ll pay tribute to Alice by looking back at the 100 episodes of Disability Visibility Podcast. We’ll speak to some people who contributed to the podcast in different ways.

THOMAS: Cheryl, you knew Alice longer and interacted with her more than I did. But I have to say, I don’t think she would want us to have this sad music to open the tribute.

[record scratch, and music ends]

CHERYL: Dagnabit! [scoffs] You’re right.

THOMAS: From my interaction with Alice, I think she’d like something with just a bit…more…funk!

[beat drops on a mellow, funky tune]

CHERYL: Yeah, she’d like that!

THOMAS: [laughs]

CHERYL: Now, I think there’s only one way to start off a tribute to Alice.

THOMAS: A tribute to… I’m just gonna proclaim this today, the Godmother of disabled  podcasting. Alice should kick it off as she did in the first episode of the Disability Visibility Podcast.

[funk music dissolves into DVP intro with radio static, flipping stations, landing on voices singing]

LATEEF: [via device] This is the Disability Visibility Podcast, with your host, Alice Wong.

ALICE: Hey there. Welcome to the very first episode of the Disability Visibility Podcast, conversations on disability politics, culture, and media. My name is Alice Wong, [mellow music plays] and I am honored to be your host. With a gazillion podcasts out there, you might wonder why this one? Why now? The short answer is I don’t see shows about disability culture and politics by NPR or other major media organizations, and there are not that many around. The revolution is here. One podcast, one transcript, one tweet at a time. Oh yeah, and I just wanna make it clear that Disability Visibility isn’t visibility in a literal sense. It’s about creating spaces by us and for us. It’s about our identity, pride, and culture. It’s about sharing our community’s stories and our unapologetic lives with the world. [mellow music fades and clip ends]

CHERYL: That inaugural DVP episode was recorded in July 2017, just days after the GOP healthcare bill died in the Senate.

ALICE: Are you ready? Away we go! [digital beeping, then a machine counts down 5, 4, 3, 2, 1]

Disability Visibility Podcast History and Impact

CHERYL: I’m Cheryl Green, a white Ashkenazi Jewish woman with olive complexion and cat-eye glasses and a fabulously fuzzy leopard-print hoodie.

THOMAS: I’m Thomas Reid. I’m a brown-skin Black man with a smooth-shaven bald head, neat salt-and-pepper beard, wearing dark shades and a gray hoodie with the original 1966 Black Panthers! I thought Alice would dig these cool cats. [chuckles]

CHERYL: Thomas and I had the privilege of being invited by Alice to collaborate on a project with the goal of encouraging and amplifying d/Deaf and disabled podcasters. That eventually turned into PodAccess.net.

THOMAS: With 100 episodes of DVP, choosing which episode to highlight could be a time-consuming challenge. Fortunately, we had a bit of help from the inside, known as Cheryl.

CHERYL: The production team was Alice, Sarika Mehta, Geraldine Ah-Sue, and me. As one of the producers of the Disability Visibility Podcast I edited over 35 episodes and transcribed 99 of the 100. You can find audio and transcripts at DisabilityVisibilityProject.com/podcast-2/ and a downloadable resource guide that has show notes and info for all the episodes.

THOMAS: Some of the first episodes included Activism and the Disability Community, Disabled People in Media and Journalism, Immigration and Disability.

ALICE: What are your thoughts on the current administration’s attack on multiple-marginalized communities, such as disabled immigrants?

ALICIA: Well, it seems like the new administration is kind of like in the times when Hitler wanted the perfect body, the perfect everything. And when you don’t fit in that profile, of course, you’re not welcome. So, it seems like really this administration would like to get rid of anyone who costs money to the government. And the definition of who costs money to the government, as you and I know, can be seen from many different perspectives. But it seems like people forget that actually, immigrants are paying taxes and are doing all the things that they’re doing.

CHERYL: That was Alice in conversation with Alicia Contreras, taken from the second episode of DVP, which also included Michelle Garcia. I hate how fitting this episode is today.

THOMAS: Throughout its 100 episodes, DVP offered discussions on topics like Disability Justice, Mental Health, to lighter discussions like gaming, Star Trek, and comedy.

ALICE: So, I wanna thank you, Danielle and Maysoon, for joining me on the podcast today.

[upbeat, plucky music]

DANIELLE: My name is Danielle Perez. I am a bilateral, below-the-knee amputee. I use a wheelchair. And I do standup comedy in Los Angeles, California.

MAYSOON: My name is Maysoon Zayid, and I’m not a joiner. [music stops abruptly] So, I’m just gonna hang up on this podcast right now, if that’s OK.

DANIELLE: [laughs]

ALICE: Aw! [plucky music restarts]

MAYSOON: I am a comedian, writer, disability advocate, actress, and tap dancer. [music fades] And I’m on this podcast because you told me to be, and I never, ever say no to you. Because you’re the leader of the pack, and I just follow.

DANIELLE: Alice, you are the leader of the wolf pack, truly.

ALICE: Aw! Geez, you guys. Trust me: I will be editing that out.

DANIELLE: [chuckles]

MAYSOON: [laughs] No, you won’t! Excuse me. I never agreed to be edited.

ALICE: Oh.

MAYSOON: Yeah. You didn’t ask. [laughs]

DANIELLE: Uh-oh, uh-oh. It’s all on the record!

ALICE: OK.

MAYSOON: This is live to tape. We’re doing it live! [chuckles]

ALICE: All right. We will go on. We’ll go with that. Hey, you know, I respect your, as a artist, I respect your take. OK, then!

[cheery music break]

MAXWELL JOY MOORE: Alice had a massive impact on my podcasting. She was everything. She was the sun, the moon, and the stars. Alice did so much for the disability justice community. I know that she isn’t really gone. She’s here with me. Alice really was almost like a possibility model for me because Alice had this kind of longevity, this prolific nature about her. I mean, she created a media empire. What she left behind is massive.

What’s an episode that really stands out to me and why? Well, of course, I’m gonna say episode 52, all about podcasting, because it featured me and the one and only Thomas Reid of Reid My Mind Radio. I actually listened to it again earlier today and got all up in my feelings because [laughs] you know, I was hearing from a younger version of me, an almost more-hopeful version of me. And I think now that I’m older and I’m Maxwell now, because I’ve transitioned, I have a little less hope in humanity and more hope in the universe that things will change because they always do. And it’s really inspiring me to get back on the mic and tell my story again and get a chance to say, fuck ICE on the mic, shit like that!

THOMAS: That was Maxwell Joy Moore, host and producer of the podcast Power Not Pity. [rapid-fire electronic music blipping and bleeping]

Inside DVP

CHERYL: For the last episode of DVP, Alice interviewed us producers about what it was like to work with her and make the show. She admitted that she was nervous about being a great boss! She said… [recorded clip plays]

ALICE: But really, I wanted to give you, all of you, kind of that freedom to play as well: kind of just enough guidance but not like micromanaging.

GERALDINE: Alice is one of the best bosses or supervisors that I’ve ever worked with. If you, out there listening are looking for somebody to feel really human with, Alice is your person. [chuckles]

SARIKA: Second that. [laughs]

CHERYL: But also, Alice is your cat. [recorded clip ends]

CHERYL: Then she wanted us to share some dirt about what it was like to work with her, but all three of us were like, yeah, it was the best work environment ever, including how flexible and accessible she made everything.

THOMAS: Creating a podcast that people wanna listen to requires some essential ingredients. Of course, good content, consistency, and I’m gonna say a memorable and recognizable theme song.

CHERYL: Yup! [spacey, slow-funk number plays]

Here’s kalyn heffernan, who fronts Wheelchair Sports Camp. This is the band who created the song Alice chose as the intro for DVP called It’s Hard Out Here for a Gimp. [slow, space-funk fades]

KAYLN: Alice. Alice. Alice. Alice Wong reached out via Leroy Moore back in 2017 to [kitty meows] use a song on the Disability Visibility Podcast, and I was a big fan and follower of Alice Wong on Twitter mostly. But a big fan. Always saw her as such a idol. And so, when she asked me to use some music, of course, I was, like, humbled and honored. It was a fuck yes. [laughs]

Alice Wong was an idol to me and somebody that I aspired to reach the same amount of people from around the globe. Alice Wong was definitely, like, is definitely, like, the icon of our time. Always so legendary and prolific in the ways that she shared stories from so many different types of people, different types of disabilities, different backgrounds, different perspectives, and always on the front lines for so many important causes and reasons and always being so fly about it. She really had a style to her name and her brand and the messages that she chose to share and to uplift.

THOMAS: Sometimes you hear, it may not be a good idea to meet your heroes or those you admire. They may not live up to what you think you know about them. I wanted to invite Alice onto my podcast, but honestly, I was too nervous.

Next thing you know, I get an email from Alice inviting me onto DVP. You couldn’t tell me nothing. I thought I made it as a podcaster. We recorded some time in December, and then she told me the episode would go live the next spring. I was shocked. At that time, I was producing episode to episode. I never even thought about planning, scheduling, getting a team of people? [chuckles] Unknowingly, Alice made me aware that I could actually produce my podcast and make my life a bit easier. Thankfully, I got over my nerves and invited her onto the podcast. We had a great conversation about so many things, including her approach to podcasting.

[energetic dance music plays during the pre-recorded clip]

ALICE: I’m also very open about what I don’t know and my own kind of implicit biases. I really want this to be an opportunity to highlight and really just give space to all kinds of disabled people. And also, just to not have me dominate or drive the conversation, but to really have them being the ones driving the conversation.

THOMAS: I think that’s something that you and I share, is that curiosity about things. I don’t know a lot about a whole lot. [laughs] But I know I want to know, and the idea of being able to talk to people and just do that and present it in a way, that’s just really cool.

ALICE: Yeah! We think of the guests as the experts. I want them to shine. My role is to pick the subject and really do the prep work and hopefully ask good questions. That’s what really gives me joy. When I’m in conversation with somebody, and you get that feeling, that vibe, and you feel the energy when two people or three people are in a room and kinda just like jazz, just riffing, improvising, and just vibing off of one another. That’s what’s so exciting about disability culture, it is a shared experience. Whether we are exactly the same or not, but very often just the lived experience, sometimes there’s a lot of common themes. And I think when we see that reflected in one another, no matter how different we are, it just makes us feel more empowered, I think. [dance music and recorded clip end]

CHERYL: Alice was on my podcast too, talking about what makes a quote-unquote “good” radio voice. And she found subtle ways to empower disabled people. She was intentional about all aspects of DVP. Consider the first voice that comes on when you push play on Disability Visibility.

[chill funk music plays on recorded clip]

LATEEF: [via device] This is the Disability Visibility Podcast with your host, Alice Wong. [clip fades]

THOMAS: That’s Dr. Lateef McLeod, today, one of the hosts of the podcast Black Disabled Men Talk.

LATEEF: [via device] So, besides Alice being one of the ones that inspired me to start podcasting, she is the one who gave me instructions and showed me how to produce a podcast. She was the one who told me to get a Blubrry account and then to set everything up on WordPress. Without Alice’s help, I would not know a thing about setting up the infrastructure for the Black Disabled Men Talk podcast. I also was inspired by the unique way Alice tackled disability issues on her podcast, and I hope our own podcast brings our own unique flavor when talking about disability issues. I am indebted to Alice for being the podcaster that I am, and I miss her greatly.

THOMAS: I second that emotion.

Disabled Ancestors

CHERYL: Today, Alice is an ancestor. A disabled ancestor. She’s joined so many friends and fellow disabled activists. Many were guests on DVP, like Judy Heumann, Stacy Park Milbern, and Patty Berne.

JUDY: What makes a good mentor? A good mentor is someone who wants to listen and wants to help people work through something. And a mentor needs to be somebody who recognizes that it’s not just a giving, but it’s a sharing experience. So, I learn as much as the other person learns. I think you have to be a relatively patient person. I mean patient as an activist. I mean patient in recognizing that people move along at their own pace.

STACY: I think just naming it, naming becoming disabled or more disabled as a transition that happens in life and that it can be a life-changing transition or experience is really important. Because most people, or all people, go through that at some time, and if we can figure out how to really show up for each other during these times, then I think we could change the social experience of what it means to be disabled.

PATTY: I believe that when we’re born, we are fully aware of our beauty and power and that our relationships with ourself, our bodies get severed. Lots of things can do that: Violence—be it family violence or medical violence—messages from the world, from media and magazines. Demonstrating to my body, well, I’ll take good care of it. I’m not gonna let it get hurt. I’m not gonna deride it. Just like I would any friend, I would demonstrate that I love them, and I would tell them that I love them. So, I tell my body all the time how beautiful it is.

Audience Impact

THOMAS: At the conclusion of the Disability Visibility Podcast, Alice shared three voice memos reflecting back on 100 episodes of the podcast. First up, Sandy Ho, featured in Episode 34.

SANDY: Thank you for curating this incredible treasury of stories and conversations from disabled people. It means a lot to have been included in this collection, but also because I learn so much from every single episode that was produced. This collection became a resource that I would often refer so many students to. And it was always exciting to me to see what insights they gained because they were always different from the ones that I picked up on. And also, as someone who has always been very self-conscious about the way my voice sounds, being on the DVP podcast was really the first time that I felt confident in the way that my voice sounds and in the power that it carries. So, thank you so much, Alice, for all of the work that you’ve put in to making this absolute treasure happen.

CHERYL: We heard from guests and the production team, and Alice’s impact through DVP on the audience is vast and will continue.

QUDSIYA: My name is Qudsiya Naqui, and I host my own podcast called Down to the Struts. I want to hugely thank Alice Wong and Cheryl Green for their support as I was getting started. DVP was a huge inspiration to me. I’m so grateful to Alice and all the team involved for being trailblazers and for paving the way for other disabled creators in media and culture.

KATY: My name is Katy Caroll, and this message is for Alice Wong and the producers of the Disability Visibility Podcast. I’m a disabled person, and I love keeping up on all of the conversations that are happening in the disability community. I’m so thankful for your podcast, because every time I listen to it, I learn something new or hear from someone that I have yet to hear from but need to. Thank you so much.

[chill music plays]

CHERYL: For this tribute, we definitely want Alice to have the last word.

THOMAS: Here’s Alice from the last episode of DVP.

Wrap-up

ALICE: Well, you know, I think everything that’s worth doing, we should try to have as much humor and pleasure and enjoy, you know. I think that’s kind of one of the things about this podcast: It’s just been such a gift to me, but also a gift to one another and to the world. I feel like that’s really been the big thing. Maybe we should just end on that note, just a note of abundance and gratitude.

[music builds energy then fades]

Thanks for listening! And see you on the Internets! Byeee!

Watch

Check out the video version with Cheryl and Thomas on YouTube or watch the ASL video with Sarika below.

Episode 11: You Are A Success

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In this final episode of the series, hosts Cheryl and Thomas celebrate the success of d/Deaf and disabled podcasters around the world. They reflect on the journey from discussing the importance of including d/Deaf and disabled voices in podcasting to sharing practical tips on recording, editing, and branding.

Big thanks to all of our podcasters for sharing their time and expertise.

Our special guest:

Additional Voices:

POD Access encourages all d/Deaf and disabled podcasters to consider themselves on their way to success, no matter where you are in your podcasting journey.

Let us know how POD Access can further support you as you continue to move forward podcasting! Share in the comments!

Now, access your preferred method of consuming a podcast below. Then connect with POD Access:

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Introduction

CHERYL: We began this series discussing the importance and value of assuring our d/Deaf and disabled voices are included in podcasting. Literally and metaphorically.

THOMAS: From the philosophical to the practical, like recording, editing, branding and more. All with the desire to have more successful representation in podcasting.

CHERYL: Today’s episode, our last in this series, is a celebration of our success.

THOMAS: Wait, are we patting ourselves on the back?

CHERYL: [laughs] No! We’re not celebrating ourselves as in this POD Access podcast. We’re celebrating ourselves as in the success of d/Deaf and disabled podcasters around the world.

THOMAS: Welcome to POD Ask Us.

CHERYL: Isn’t it POD Access?

THOMAS: Can’t it be both?

CHERYL: Connecting d/Deaf and disabled podcasters to audiences and each other.

THOMAS: Ba-dum-dum bap-bah-dum.

CHERYL: [happy giggle]

Filling The Gap

THOMAS: Cheryl, do you know the name of the first d/Deaf or disabled podcast?

CHERYL: No! I don’t.

THOMAS: Same here. And that’s too bad. Ever since that podcast, whatever it was, first pressed “publish,” they began filling a gap, even if that gap still exists today.

CHERYL: Let’s hear from some of our podcasters about the gaps they were filling. First up, Qudsiya from Down to the Struts.

QUDSIYA: I think the gap that I was trying to fill is content that helps to demonstrate why centering disability or acknowledging disability even, in policies, processes, systems, physical structures makes them better inherently.

THOMAS: Endever* from AAC Town and Keith from Black Disabled Men Talk both help to fill specific voids.

ENDEVER*: The time we started out, we were the only podcast I knew of that was actually created by AAC users themselves. Perhaps that’s changed since then. I’m not positive.

KEITH: When we released the first episode, I think the void that we filled was nobody talked about us, Black men with disabilities, whether visible or non-apparent. And how it also reflects on Black disabled women who are also very much in that same kind of space where their issues and their topics are very much not included in the larger social justice movement.

Isolation is a real thing in the disability community. And particularly when you get into multiculturalism or multi-ethnic communities, isolationism and disability and ableism tend to put people in the space where they don’t see themselves, or they feel like they’re the only one. So this was our attempt to say you’re not alone, and your voices are being heard. And here’s how we hope we can help you raise and use yours better.

CHERYL: Working to increase representation in any space has its challenges. And as Antoine from DeafWoke says:

ANTOINE: Whoo. It’s a big responsibility, [laughs] you know! There was a big television show, and the show had Deaf people from a university. Many people interviewed white individual Deaf people and barely did interview the Black person in that show. And I felt that it was my responsibility to go out to him and say, “Hey, let me interview you, if you wanna be interviewed.” And he was really happy about that.

I think it’s just really important that we can find a space for our people to speak up. They have their own voices. I understand what it’s like to not feel like you have a place in the world. I grew up where I felt there was no place, and that I would take myself out from the world. And I’m grateful that I didn’t take myself out from the world. So, life is precious, and I want other people to understand that.

THOMAS: We’re still at a point in time that whatever content you’re producing, it’s probably still filling a void.

CHERYL: No matter the subject–fashion, politics, sports, whatever it is–producing from a d/Deaf or disabled perspective, or just the fact that we’re involved in the production, there’s some space for us to fill.

KENNEDY: I don’t see other disabled people as competitors, I see us as like building art in community. I think there’s only room to grow in terms of the disability podcast space.

[chill ambient music break]

Feeling

THOMAS: When you have an understanding of the gap you’re trying to fill, that can really help guide you throughout the process.

CHERYL: Defining your target audience, finding your specific style and voice, and even helping you determine who exactly is a right fit for your podcast.

THOMAS: We talked about all of these things in more detail, but the truth is, podcasting is about emotions.

CHERYL: [chuckles] We’re not talking about getting your guest to cry, as if that’s a big accomplishment.

THOMAS: [chuckles] Definitely not. We’re talking about the feelings associated with every part of the process. Cheryl, what’s your favorite part of the podcasting process?

CHERYL: [big-old sigh] I love taking an interview or a recorded story and finding the one or two ideas that I really wanna focus on, and cutting everything else away, everything, so it’s really focused. Thomas, what’s your favorite?

THOMAS: There’s this taking shape thing that happens at various moments throughout the process. I may start off with some inkling of an idea, and then it slowly starts to take shape. During the writing, editing, and mixing, all of a sudden, I’m even more attached to this episode. I love that feeling. It’s like a high!

CHERYL: For Proud Stutter’s Maya, it starts with the interview.

MAYA: After I record an interview, I feel amazing. Instantly bonding to those folks that have been on the interview is just such a powerful experience for me, and it’s very therapeutic too. Every time I do an interview, it’s like healing and transforming and accepting, and all that stuff. 

KEITH: There’s a myriad of emotions. 

QUDSIYA: Excited, nervous! A little bit of terror about how it’s going to be received.

KEITH: Relief. 

MAXWELL: Knowing that when I hit publish, this is gonna be something that helps at least one person. So, that’s a very awesome feeling for me. 

KEITH: Vulnerability. You are putting yourself out into the world with no shield. People are not necessarily beholden to be pleasant to what you’re putting out into the world.

THOMAS: The wide range of emotions can include frustration and self-doubt, but persistence will ultimately lead you to a great place.

MAYA: Every time I do an episode, I get more confident in my skills as a podcaster. I can do this.

MAXWELL: Oh, my gosh. It’s like the best feeling in the world.

[chill, syncopated percussion break]

What is Success?

THOMAS and CHERYL: What is success? [voices echo, echo, and fade]

QUDSIYA: For me, it’s a podcast that finds its audience and has an impact in mind and curates its content in furtherance of whatever that impact may be. And that impact might just be making people laugh or telling a good story, but it is curated and designed to meet its audience and to achieve whatever impact it wants to achieve.

ENDEVER*: [via AAC device] For me, I think for a disability podcast, say it only has one episode out and only a few listeners. Even then, if it’s challenged ableism or internalized ableism for just one of those people, I think that’s a success. Not that I think every disability podcast needs to address ableism directly in their content, but that I think there are plenty of people out there who it’s just never occurred to them that disabled people create podcasts. So, simply putting oneself out in itself, you can challenge ableism. Like with me and Sam. I mean, who goes on iTunes expecting to find podcasts with our type of voices? Probably not many people.

So, while there’s a lot we could do to grow and improve our process, right now, just existing in any way feels successful to me. I say all this because I hope other disability content creators feel the same way. While, of course, we all deserve recognition and compensation for our labor, podcasts don’t have to have certain stats or monetization or whatever other markers capitalism is prescribing we measure ourselves by to be a success.

KEITH: A successful podcast. Did it do what we’ve set out for it to do? Did that young Black mother who has this child who everybody’s pushing in special education, did she get a ray of hope that her son can grow up to be a man that he can be proud of himself and that she can be proud of? That’s how we measure success versus we had a million downloads, yet kids in St. Louis who are Black are still segregated from regular education.

MAYA: Hmm. A successful podcast is having an engaged listener base where you get a mix of email notes from listeners, engagement on social media, also reaching people that are harder to reach in your niche of a podcast. I think a successful podcast partners with other groups where it makes sense. I’ve partnered with the National Stuttering Association and other stuttering groups. And so, really, having an engaged listener base and strategically partnering with other groups so you can keep growing your listener base and find new people to join your community.

ANTOINE: Success, for me, doing my podcast, #DeafWoke show, is making sure my guest is happy, is feeling that they were able to express what they wanted to express. To give them a safe space to share their story. Success looks like having the audience be connected with my guests. It’s an amazing feeling. The interpreter feels supported, the cast, the guest feels supported.

After it’s done, I felt like I did a hour workout. And I feel sore in my body. Sometimes it means your body is growing. The muscle is growing in a different way. I hope that means I’m getting stronger while I’m doing this podcast. And I hope that’s, it’s another way to view just that I’m getting stronger, to ask the right questions, be smarter, to be connected with my guests.

My goal is to listen and find a way to make sure what the guest is saying is being understood to the audience. Sometimes, my guests, they sign, who are Deaf, they sign really fast. So, I understood them very well, but I say, “Oh, can you say that again, slower? Do it a little bit slower,” you know. And because I know my audience, some of them know sign or don’t know sign, or maybe they know sign, but their computer may be a little bit slow. I’m working to listen and make sure we capture whatever message they’re trying to put out. When I get that done, that is success for me.

THOMAS: I’m feeling inspired, energized, and yet…a little sad.

CHERYL: Okay, the first two sound like what I want our audience to feel, but not sadness.

THOMAS: It’s just that this is the last episode in this series, and I feel like we’re leaving them on their own now.

CHERYL: Oh, definitely not! Everyone can subscribe to our newsletter to get monthly tips, encouragement, maybe even some prompts to help ignite some creative ideas for future episodes of their podcasts. Plus, we’ve been talking about ideas for future episodes, so we’ll be back!  So whether we’re talking about PODAccess.net or d/Deaf and disabled podcasts, we have a lot to look forward to.

THOMAS: And if we support each other, understanding that we’re not in competition, and there’s room for all of our voices, then no matter how we measure success, we’ll achieve it!

CHERYL: [applause throughout] Big shoutout to Alice Wong and the Disability Visibility Project who not only had the initial idea for a project focusing on d/Deaf and disabled podcasters but also provided the funding to kick this off.

THOMAS: Shoutout to all of our podcasters who shared their experiences, insight, and lessons with us.

CHERYL: Ajani AJ Murray from ACTing Up With AJ & Crew.

THOMAS: Antoine Hunter From DeafWoke.

CHERYL: Endever* from AAC Town.

THOMAS: Keith Jones from Black Disabled Men Talk.

CHERYL:  Kennedy Healy from Crip Crap.

THOMAS:  Maxwell Joy Moore from Power Not Pity.

CHERYL: Maya Chupkov from Proud Stutter.

THOMAS: Qudsiya Naqui from Down to the Struts.

CHERYL: Rebecca Vallas from Off-Kilter (or now it’s called It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way).

THOMAS: I’m Thomas Reid from Reid My Mind Radio.

CHERYL: And I’m Cheryl Green from Pigeonhole.

THOMAS: If you haven’t already, please, head on over to all of these podcasts.

CHERYL: Give them a listen,

THOMAS: read or…

BOTH: Watch!! [applause fades]

Wrap-up

THOMAS: Wherever you are with your podcast, consider yourself on your way to success.

CHERYL: Did you determine who your target audience is, decide on a format, find an accessible way to create your podcast?

THOMAS: You’re on your way! Now, just keep moving forward!

CHERYL: How do you define success? What would be of help to get your podcast up and running or take it to the next step?

THOMAS: Let us know! We wanna continue to help you reach your goals and support the entire d/Deaf and disabled podcast community. Go to PODAccess.net and hit the Contact Us button.

CHERYL: And you can upload a voice memo or write a message.

THOMAS: And you might just hear it,

CHERYL: read it,

THOMAS: or see it in a future episode of the podcast or on social media.

CHERYL: Tell a friend and an enemy to follow or subscribe to POD Access wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram @ThePODAccess. That’s @ T H E P O D A C C E S S.

THOMAS: PODAccess.net.

CHERYL: Meow.

Watch

Watch the video with Cheryl and Thomas on YouTube or the video in ASL with Janez and Drew below.

Episode 10: Show Me The Money!

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In this episode of POD Access, hosts Thomas and Cheryl dive into the financial aspects of podcasting. They explore various motivations behind podcasting, from sharing ideas and branding oneself as an expert to the dream of making podcasting a full-time job.

Takeaways:

  • Financial costs of podcasting
  • Statistics and analytics
  • Funding options

Featured Podcasters:

What are you doing to make podcasting financially sustainable? Share in the comments!

Now, access your preferred method of consuming a podcast below. Then connect with POD Access:

Listen

Read

Show more...

Introduction

THOMAS: There are all sorts of motivations behind podcasting.

CHERYL: A chance to share ideas and opinions. Brand yourself as an expert in a given field.

THOMAS: For AJ Murray, host and producer of ACTing Up With AJ & Crew, it also includes more.

AJ: It would be my absolute dream for my podcast to be a job and a job that is sustaining. I can’t wait for my job to be to entertain and inform. I can’t wait for that day ‘cause it’s really hard trying to string together five and six jobs.

CHERYL: Whatever the reason or goal for producing your podcast, the fact is, there are financial costs. Production expenses like equipment and annual service provider fees are the most obvious, but time and energy are also an expense.

THOMAS: So it’s worth talking about ways to generate funds to, at the very least, cover the financial cost of production. Making money from your podcast doesn’t mean you have to consider it a full-time venture.

MAYA: I kind of go back and forth about this. I think in the beginning, I was like, oh, this would be so cool to do full time ‘cause I love doing it, and it doesn’t feel like work. But I really like my full-time job. So, let’s just keep things as they are because I can manage both.

CHERYL: But then Maya Chupkov, host of Proud Stutter, had a brief period where she really focused on the podcast full time and learned a valuable lesson for herself.

MAYA: It was great, but then I realized how all-consuming it can be. And if I’m just doing Proud Stutter all the time, I just feel it kind of takes away from the magic of it that I’m doing this because I care and not because it’s my full-time thing. So, I kind of like having two different projects that I’m working on that I really care about. And although I love stuttering and I love the work, it’s really nice to kind of get out of that and focus on something that I’m passionate about outside of stuttering.

I think what I’m starting to realize is I do want to strengthen Proud Stutter and take the show to the next level in terms of having it be more narrative and story based rather than just interviews, and trying to get resources where I can hire people to help me so I can balance both, and I can not feel so busy all the time.

THOMAS: Hiring people to help produce the podcast and ultimately free up more of your time, that’s a real benefit of funding your podcast.

CHERYL: That can go a long way to assure that you keep that excitement about your podcast, as Maxwell Joy Moore of Power Not Pity shared with us.

MAXWELL: When I was producing, I would wake up in the mornings and feel like, yeah, I’m ready to do this interview. When I would be finished with the interview, I would feel like I’m flying on cloud nine. I am the podcast, and the podcast is me.

THOMAS: And when you feel that connected to something you’re creating, well, you just can’t minimize the value of that feeling.

THOMAS: Welcome to POD Ask Us.

CHERYL: Isn’t it POD Access?

THOMAS: Can’t it be both?

CHERYL: Connecting d/Deaf and disabled podcasters to audiences and each other.

THOMAS: Ba-dum-dum bap-bah-dum.

CHERYL: [happy giggle]

Stats and analytics

THOMAS: I feel like I should apologize up front.

CHERYL: Apologize? Why?

THOMAS: I know everyone is ready to get to the money conversation, but we first have to talk about statistics.

CHERYL: Oh! Yes, we apologize! But if our group of d/Deaf and disabled podcasters are a representative sample of the community, there’s a wide range of thought around stats.

AJ: Right now we’re just trying to focus on the quality and putting out the content. Stats are important to me. It’s only important if we have viewership, or if people are listening to my podcast. Then that means we could have a community. I wanna have community engagement.

THOMAS: So a goal for AJ is community. Sounds worthwhile to me.

KEITH: What we’re concerned about is the quality of the content, the accuracy. And we understand the communities we are tapping into because we’ve done the work on the ground.  So in terms of hard numbers, did we get a million views this month? We don’t really focus on that. What we do focus on is the feedback. Did we address the topic the way people can embrace it, whether they agree with it or not? Did we do the diligent research to make sure that everything stated is accurate and then let it live organically. So, we understand that it may take two months or four months before somebody finds a podcast, but usually once they find it, they’ll tell somebody else. They’ll tell somebody else. Numbers tend to get people thinking differently about the content versus the integrity of the content.

CHERYL: That was Keith Jones from Black Disabled Men Talk. And for Maxwell, it’s more about improving the craft.

MAXWELL: Yeah, definitely. I’ve sat through multiple workshops about how to monetize and what signifies this in the podcasting industry. I do pay attention to statistics of my show because I think it’s important for us to be counted and a part of those statistics and diversifying those statistics. Most of the time, I want my competition to be me.

THOMAS: While Qudsiya from Down to the Struts sees impact as a goal.

QUDSIYA: We analyze stats at the end of every season, and we’re never quite sure how accurate things are. It’s not the most important to me. The most important to me is real-world impact. Once I got to speak in front of the California School for the Blind. Having people email me, which has happened a few times, where people are like, I listened to this, and it really had this impact on me, or it really helped me feel comfortable in my disability identity. Or from a non-disabled person, I listened to your podcast, and I changed x, y, z about how I do things, that is the real impact to me. That’s really what I made the podcast to do. 

MAYA: I have phases where I’m, like, constantly looking at my stats, and then I have phases where I just maybe check it once a week. Stats aren’t really that important to me. It’s always nice to get to a milestone: the 1,000 and then the 10,000, and then 20. Those are always fun, but I just feel like I don’t really know what the stats mean. I probably should look at my stats more and try to figure out where there were spikes. I kind of did that for a little bit, but I just don’t have the time. It’s something that I wanna hire someone to do eventually.

CHERYL: Maya, from Proud Stutter, obviously recognizes some value in the stats. Antoine Hunter of Deaf Woke points out some other ways to extract information from the stats.

ANTOINE: The numbers tell me how much work I’m doing to reach out to many people. It tells me what our community and audience are more interested in, how much I need to promote, or how sooner or how much further. Sometimes for some things in the community, it’s better to promote three days closer than a month before. Yeah, it’s just some people forget about it a month later.

When I look at the numbers, I see how many men, women, them/they, the ages and things. That helps me guide me to where I bring the audience who they would love to see. There’s people who are watching outside of USA. And that’s wow for me. Some people from Africa can watch the platform or UK or Columbia, Canada.

THOMAS: We heard some great motivation for podcasting, along with some of the ways statistics can assist. Ultimately, when it comes to statistics, Kennedy from Crip Crap probably sums it up for most people.

KENNEDY: We’d love to know more about how we could be using numbers. 

CHERYL: Whether your podcast is a passion project, side hustle, or a full-time venture, there’s a way to use statistics to aid in your goal.

THOMAS: Even if your goal is community building, increasing the integrity of your content, or improving your own skills.

CHERYL: If you’re considering ways to generate funds, you are going to need to know more about your audience.

THOMAS: Who makes up your audience? Where are they located geographically? How long do they listen to your podcast? How are they accessing your content? What are the demographics, the age, gender?

CHERYL: Some of these questions can be answered through statistics. How you access these stats depends on your podcast host.

THOMAS: Most hosting services offer access to varying levels of stats based on their packaged tiers. Other metrics such as specific demographic information will require additional research. This is often accomplished by asking audience members to complete a survey. [chill, pulsating ambient music break]

Types of Funding

CHERYL: It’s probably worth noting that neither one of us directly makes money from our podcasts.

THOMAS: I think that actually makes us more suited to discuss this topic in the context of d/Deaf and disabled podcasting.

CHERYL: That’s not to say that there aren’t people in this community making money from their efforts. Rather, it’s to be real and not approach this like an infomercial or some “influencer” telling you, “You can do it just by following these three simple steps!”

THOMAS: We wanna be encouraging, but real. So let’s dive into the various means of funding a podcast. [driving techno music break]

Advertising

THOMAS: One of the first sources considered for funding a podcast is advertising. It’s what we’re used to in media.

CHERYL: Makes sense. Television, radio, and newspapers all exist on advertising.

THOMAS: There are multiple types of advertisements, and some are probably more suited for certain types of podcasts.

CHERYL: There’s the ads or spot ads we’re very used to.

THOMAS: A 30 or 60-second insert that’s produced by the company looking to sell their product or service. It describes their product or service, gives details on how to purchase and why, and that’s it!

CHERYL: Sounds a lot like what we talked about in the episode on producing a promo for your podcast.

THOMAS: Exactly! Another form of advertising on podcasts is the host read ad. Instead of pre-producing a 30 to 60-second promotion, the advertiser and podcaster agree on some copy, and the host reads it in their own voice.

CHERYL: Often, the host has a personal connection to the brand and makes that known to their audience. The host may even share some of their personal stories about the brand.

THOMAS: The idea here is that the personal connection between the host and the brand, as well as the host and their audience, makes it less of a sell and more like a strong recommendation.

CHERYL: It’s perfect for podcasters with strong relationships with their audience or community.

THOMAS: For these two specific methods of advertising, spot ads and host reads, pricing is similar to that in other mediums.

CHERYL: CPM or Cost Per Mil or Thousand downloads. So, if a podcast has 20,000 downloads, at a $50 CPM, that ad costs $1,000.

THOMAS: I know what you’re thinking.

KENNEDY: I think we might need like a bit of a bigger audience than we have now.

THOMAS: Don’t worry, Kennedy, Crip Crap isn’t alone in this category. Podcast episodes with 20,000 downloads within 30 days of its release accounts for the top 2% of all podcasts.

CHERYL: Oof. According to Libsyn, if you’re getting more than 145 downloads, you’re in the top 50% of podcasts. 1,200 downloads, you’re in the top 20%.

THOMAS: Other forms of advertising include sponsored segments or even full episodes where the company’s brand is directly integrated with the content. It’s often transparent, but the vibe is less like a promo and more like that found in the podcast segments or episodes.

CHERYL: It’s sort of combining that trust factor found in the host read with the information included in the promos but extended and with a much different vibe.

THOMAS: So, we can talk more about advertising, but chances are, the majority of us indie podcasters won’t accumulate the number of downloads necessary to make advertising appealing to companies.

CHERYL: Plus, as many of the podcasters we’ve interviewed suggest, there’s often a larger goal to consider. Antoine Hunter, the host of Deaf Woke gives some real food for thought on what to consider when accepting ad dollars.

ANTOINE: I would love for anyone to advertise or to promote us. For who believe in what we doing, definitely. Sure. I’m like, yes, represent us and promote us and support us. But if it’s about tokenism, not even for $1,000,000, I won’t do it. I don’t wanna hurt my community. I asked someone, “Which one would you pick? $500 for a toxic space or $200, $300 for a peaceful space, for your mind, for your health and everything. Which one?” Someone was, like, you know, “‘$500, $1,000, I’m down!’” you know? And I said I can’t do that because…even if I get that much money, I’m gonna use all that money to heal my mental health, you know, to heal myself. So, I can’t enjoy it, because I’m busy healing from that. Mmhmm. So, I’m gonna take the 200. [big belly laugh]

[techno music break]

Grants

MAXWELL: I would love to have as much money behind Power Not Pity as possible, y’all. I don’t only wanna document community, I wanna cultivate community. I want us to thrive. Unfortunately, under evil, capitalist, transphobic, all the isms, amidst that whole world, we have to have money to survive. I want that to be possible for people to thrive. I’m actively very open to finding scholarships or grants. These are things that I’ve gotten in the past and continue to get because I not only do this podcast, I also facilitate workshops, and I also do presentations.

CHERYL: Yeah, like Maxwell said: d/Deaf and disabled podcasters, like others, deserve to not only survive, but thrive. It takes money to do that.

THOMAS: Which is why it’s important to find ways to support our podcasting efforts. Maxwell named a few, including grants and side hustles, that can result from your podcast.

CHERYL: Let’s start with grants or free funding, often provided by foundations, organizations, or government entities to applicants who create something within a focused area.

THOMAS: In most cases grant providers are offering financial support, but some offer support through mentoring, education, and other resources.

CHERYL: Grants are not loans and don’t have to be paid back. They range from micro grants of a couple hundred dollars to much larger financial support. In either case, this support may be considered income and taxed accordingly.

THOMAS: Acquiring grants can be as easy as a simple form to a more intensive application process. Most grants have very specific eligibility requirements, such as the type of content you create, where you live, and citizenship status.

CHERYL: Some grants require a fee with their applications. In most cases, grant providers have strict deadlines for applications, so it’s important to be aware of all requirements for applying and any other responsibilities that come with the funding.

THOMAS: Maya from Proud Stutter lets us know you don’t have to have a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization to receive grant funding.

MAYA: Proud Stutter is fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts and Media. What that means is I can apply to grants. And technically, I’m like a project of a non-profit, so I just call myself a non-profit. Eventually I do wanna make Proud Stutter its own 501(c)(3).

I’ve been working in non-profits for a while, so I kind of always knew fiscal sponsorship was a thing. I just Googled one day, “fiscal sponsors, San Francisco, podcast,” and Independent Arts and Media was one of the first websites that came up. I think I was really lucky in that way. Independent Arts and Media just so happens to be in the same city as me. They just so happen to already have a lot of podcasts under their fiscal sponsorship. So, I applied, and it was a pretty easy process.

What being fiscally sponsored means is that you can apply to foundations. You could get donations that are tax deductible. My fiscal sponsor, they do all the overhead. They kind of make sure that all the necessary paperwork is done, and they also provide a certain number of hours for different coaching services. For example, I hired a grants coach to help me apply to like two grants. They paid for that. And now I’m going through a different thing where I’m hiring a coach to help me set up my financial systems. It’s been so amazing because I’ve really been able to learn all this stuff for free.

CHERYL: Sounds like fiscal sponsorship may really be worth investigating, especially if you wanna focus on the production and other aspects of creating your podcast.

THOMAS: For the assistance in managing all of that administrative and tax stuff, the fiscal sponsor gets a percentage of the grant money. A pretty fair tradeoff, especially if you’re not familiar with managing the aspects of a non-profit.

CHERYL: Check out PODAccess.net for more resources on grants. [techno music break]

Grassroots, Patreon, GoFundMe, Tips

THOMAS: How about direct support from your audience as a source for funding?

CHERYL: You know, this isn’t a new concept. If you’re familiar with public television or radio, you’ve experienced a community support or membership drive.

THOMAS: Today we call that crowdfunding. It’s a way to raise money from those who truly feel a connection to your work and demonstrate that through financial support. This includes direct donations or offering tiered membership plans that provide perks or rewards based on a specified level of support.

CHERYL: Like tote bags!

THOMAS: Yeah.

CHERYL: Successful crowdfunding campaigns take some real planning and work implementing. From figuring out the right platform, creating marketing materials and support tiers, to distributing perks or rewards.

THOMAS: Platforms like: Kickstarter, Indiegogo, GoFundMe, Patreon.

MAXWELL: So, I set up this Patreon to offer people extended content, hidden content, new content, because I figured people are really latching onto this, so why not be even better of a advocate for community by offering more? See, the secret about Patreon is that you have to know how to repurpose your content! And that is a skill that I have yet to master ‘cause I love just doing new things! I don’t think about the old things and how awesome the old things are and can still be for someone who’s new to the show.

THOMAS: While some supporters aren’t necessarily seeking new content, others are very much attracted to supporting via Patreon because of the perks and extras. That could be early access, extra content, having their names included in the credits. Kennedy sums it up.

KENNEDY: If enough people will give $1 to $10 a month, a certain amount of that kind of support would be enough to get the next year to a new level. So, that’s what we’re hoping for.

CHERYL: In exchange for providing you with a platform to raise money for your project, crowdfunding sites charge a platform fee, a transaction fee, a payment processing fee, or some combination.

THOMAS: Check out PODAccess.net for more resources on crowdfunding. [techno music break]

CHERYL: Sponsorships or advertising, grants, and crowdfunding aren’t the only ways to raise funds to help you produce your podcast.

THOMAS: We’ve spoken with podcasters who found a way to make podcasting a part of their pre-existing nine-to-five job responsibilities.

CHERYL: That means the expenses are covered by their employer, plus they can use their work hours to get it done.

REBECCA: There’s a lot that goes into this show, and it’s a lot more than just me. I am extremely fortunate to have a lot of support, and so I know what it looks like to be doing it on a shoestring. And I also know what it feels like to be doing it with a team.

THOMAS: Rebecca Vallas of the podcast formerly known as Off-Kilter, and now titled It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way, does a fair amount of work on her own executive producing the podcast: finding guests, hosting, and setting the course. But she does get the support of her employer that includes access to an editor, producers, and a communications team.

REBECCA: And then he sends the show file in to the rest of the team. At The Century Foundation where I’m a senior fellow these days and where I have the good fortune of getting to produce this podcast as part of an organization’s larger work and mission. That means I get to benefit from the editorial team and the communications team and the production team, which includes designated people, each of whom has as part of their job, part of their full-time job working at The Century Foundation includes supporting Off-Kilter’s production every week when it’s in season. It includes a person who actually pulls all of the written content together and posts it online. And it includes another person who actually helps to get everything put out into the RSS feed through Libsyn. And then it includes another person who, because they’re on our communications team, does social media marketing. I wanna be clear, it’s not a full-time job for any of those people. It’s like a 5% or 10% of their time thing at most to contribute to the show.

CHERYL: That amount of support can be the difference between a sustainable podcast and one that eventually fades away.

THOMAS: Obviously, the theme of your podcast will have to align with your job responsibility.

CHERYL: There are some things to consider before approaching your employer with the idea.

THOMAS: Yes! Like, who owns and controls the direction of the podcast? Is the company or organization essentially just agreeing to sponsor the podcast through the support?

CHERYL: What happens when you wanna change employers? Who holds the right to the existing content?

Access to new streams from podcast

THOMAS: We talked about other benefits that can arise as a result from podcasting, like paid writing, consulting, public speaking gigs. This can be a way for some to financially support their podcasts.

CHERYL: It may seem like extra work, but for some people, getting the podcast out is that important.

THOMAS: But it’s also nice to not have to lose money, especially when you factor in all of the time that goes into producing a podcast.

Wrap-up

CHERYL: Whatever your motivation is for doing the podcast, have you found a way to make it financially sustainable?

THOMAS: Let us know! Go to PODAccess.net and hit the Contact Us button.

CHERYL: And you can upload a voice memo or write a message.

THOMAS: And you might just hear it,

CHERYL: read it,

THOMAS: or see it in a future episode of the podcast or on social media.

CHERYL: Tell a friend and an enemy to follow or subscribe to POD Access wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram @ThePODAccess. That’s @ T H E P O D A C C E S S.

THOMAS: PODAccess.net.

CHERYL: Meow.

Watch

Check out the video version with Cheryl and Thomas on YouTube or watch the ASL video with Janez and Drew below.

Episode 9: Getting the Word Out -Promo Sharing

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In this episode, the hosts Cheryl and Thomas dive into the world of promo sharing and cross-promotions. 

Takeaways:

  • What is a promo?
  • Promo ingredients
  • Why cross promote?

Featured Podcasters:

Thinking about creating your own promo? Interested in cross promotion? Share your experiences in the comments!

Now, access your preferred method of consuming a podcast below. Then connect with POD Access:

Listen

Read

Show more...

Introduction

THOMAS: Welcome to POD Ask Us.

CHERYL: Isn’t it POD Access?

THOMAS: Can’t it be both?

CHERYL: Connecting d/Deaf and disabled podcasters to audiences and each other.

THOMAS: Ba-dum-dum bap-bah-dum.

CHERYL: [happy giggle]

CHERYL: Even though we’re wearing these really dark shirts, I think we should be very transparent.

THOMAS: I thought we’d been doing that. So tell me, what color shirt should I have worn?

BOTH: [chuckle]

CHERYL: I’m not talking about your shirt! Yes, your shirt is black, and mine is dark gray with a turtleneck. But I’m talking about the other kind of being transparent. We need to be transparent about our take on today’s topic: social media.

THOMAS: Okay, here’s transparent for you. Yuck!

BOTH: [laugh]

CHERYL: Exactly! Ooh! There are some people who love social media and are great at using it. Wow! I think it’s important for anyone listening, reading, or watching this episode to realize, uh, not everyone is all excited about social media.

THOMAS: In fact, this episode is probably even more important for anyone who feels similar to you and I.

CHERYL: Why don’t we start there? What’s your beef with social media?

THOMAS: It’s really time consuming. So much of it doesn’t feel real. I know for me, it sometimes feels like the likes don’t equate to people actually consuming the podcast.

CHERYL: And it’s not just us. Qudsiya from Down to the Struts shared her feelings on social.

QUDSIYA: I personally have a lot of discomfort with social media, but I understand that it’s a really important way, particularly with the disability community, to communicate. It’s a very important vehicle to our community. And so, I do use it, but I use it very sparingly. I have a lot of trouble using it. Just the speed of it I find really overwhelming, especially with Twitter. Everything happens so fast, and I get tongue tied about what to say and how to say it and how to contribute to the conversation ‘cause it’s all moving so quickly. I have my own sort of hangups about it, which are very personal to me.

THOMAS: Good thing we have Sofia Webster returning to help us try to feel a little better or at least come to an understanding about social media.

CHERYL: If you missed the last episode on branding, you should probably pause this episode, check that one out, and then come right back.

THOMAS: I think we should wait for them.

CHERYL: Yeah, we can do that!

THOMAS: Pause here, and we’ll wait. [Jeopardy think music plays] Okay, great. Now that you’re back, let’s return to Sofia.

First things First

SOFIA: Social media is my favorite topic [delighted laugh] to talk about. I find branding to be a process that builds upon itself. To be able to give guidance around what to do on social media, for example, you first have to take a step back and answer those fundamental self-interview style questions. Because once you have the basis of that, you can start building something called a brand strategy.

THOMAS: Some of the questions include: What’s the goal of your podcast? What sets you apart from other podcasts?

CHERYL: What’s the vibe of your podcast? How could you sum up your show in one phrase?

SOFIA: So, deciding, okay, if this is our brand purpose statement, how does that translate into the type of work we put in the world? I can’t decide what’s on social media until first I decide what type of work I wanna put in the world.

THOMAS: When you put it that way, it makes a lot of sense.

CHERYL: So does having something to fall back on as a reminder or a way to orient yourself when things get off track or feel too complicated.

THOMAS: You’re talking about your lighthouse!

CHERYL: Exactly.

THOMAS: Identifying your vibe, your tone dictates your presence on social media.

CHERYL: If you have a serious, no-nonsense type of vibe on your podcast, then your social media presence should reflect that.

SOFIA: I would recommend that whatever branding aesthetics you have on your website also carry over to your social media or vice versa. Maybe you don’t have a website. You start with an Instagram, and then you’re like, okay, I wanna expand onto a website. The website and the social media should be consistent. The branding should be consistent across everything you do, including social media.

Personal vs. Podcast Presence

THOMAS: Now let me preface this next question by first acknowledging that I know it’s not grammatically correct. Who is the “you”?

CHERYL: Are you referring to the difference between someone’s personal presence on social versus the podcast having a separate presence or brand?

THOMAS: Yeah, exactly. I began promoting my podcast through my personal social media before I created a separate account for the podcast.

CHERYL: That could make total sense, especially if your personal vibe matches that of your podcast.

KEITH: Our social media is kind of built off of our individual social media presence. We do use our social media connections ‘cause we are plugged into various disability groups, hashtag groups, Facebook groups. We have a history, and we have a following. We have sort of a built-in base of listeners. We’re very active on social media. We usually start promoting the new podcast two weeks out. Once we record it, then we start promoting it. And then it ramps up.

THOMAS: That was Keith Jones from Black Disabled Men Talk.

CHERYL: Maya from the Proud Stutter podcast shows there are opportunities to switch social media profiles.

MAYA: I actually converted my personal account to [chuckles] Proud Stutter. I didn’t wanna lose all the people I already had. And so, I created a separate personal, private account, and that seems to be working well. I don’t really use Instagram except to promote Proud Stutter stuff anyway.

Platforms, templates, and aesthetics

THOMAS: No matter what you decide works best for you and your situation, as Sofia tells us, creating a consistent tone is important.

SOFIA: I find it a helpful order to do things would be to first establish what your brand strategy is. Then create a brand voice guide. Once you’ve identified the voice, it will be easier to decide what kind of language that you use that is in line with the voice.

THOMAS: I was ahead of the game. I immediately knew I was gonna use English for my social media!

CHERYL: I don’t think that’s what she meant?

THOMAS: Oh, no?

CHERYL: I’m pretty sure she’s talking about casual versus a more professional vibe.

THOMAS: Okay, that makes sense. So if your podcast is tackling serious subjects, you shouldn’t be all silly on social.

CHERYL: Exactly!

SOFIA: And once you have that, then you could start doing a social media plan with things like what type of platforms do I wanna be on?

CHERYL: Figuring out where your potential audience is most active.

THOMAS: If you’re not someone already active and aware of your potential audience on a given platform, this can take some significant research and time to familiarize yourself with the app itself.

CHERYL: The accessibility of the platform itself can, unfortunately, dictate what you can use.

SOFIA: Once you have your social media strategy down, then I would start doing things like thinking about aesthetics. One thing that I recommend is creating some social media asset templates for your graphics and whatnot. We have that for LaVant Consulting. If you really start studying our Instagram feed, for example, you’re gonna notice some patterns and some similar type of template after a while. That is by design to make our lives easier as social media content creators, but also, for the consistency of the branding and the story that we wanna tell. We try to incorporate a lot of disability community voices, issues that are important to the community, and trying to do that in an intersectional way that highlights that ableism is a social justice issue. That’s really critical to our brand, so we try to hit on that as much as we can.

It’s gotta be like a stepped process. Like, if you try to jump to the end of the book, you can, but it’s probably going to be tricky, and you may end up scratching your head in a few months like, “Oh, what should I post? I don’t know.” But if you had done the pre-work, it will become easier for you.

CHERYL: I can attest to the fact that if you get to the end of the book, and you’re like, “I’m just gonna post on Twitter,” but you don’t have a plan, you don’t have a voice and a strategy, you’re gonna do what I do, which is close Twitter without having posted anything.

SOFIA: [laughs]

CHERYL: So, I don’t have the positive example, but I firmly can attest to the negative example. That’s part of my barrier. And I didn’t know it ‘til I was today years old, and you just said all this.

SOFIA: Thinking through your goals is really gonna help shape what you end up posting. ‘Cause social media comes naturally to a lot of people, but it doesn’t for other people. It can be a really scary, scary place, especially Twitter.com is a scary place right now [laughs] because of all of the upheavals going on in that company.

THOMAS: Some of the upheaval I experienced around the app formerly known as Twitter was due to it blocking other applications from accessing its API. Basically, I once was able to automate my posts without paying for another application. When access to the API was removed, it changed my entire process.

CHERYL: Ugh! There are paid apps that allow you to plan and streamline your social media posting. And Sofia’s suggestion of creating templates can save a lot of time and energy that you can use on your strategy, or hey, on your podcast!

THOMAS: Another way to reduce the stress of social media: Bring someone on board to help manage the process.

CHERYL: That could work in various ways. Maybe you hire someone to develop a plan and some templates. It could become really manageable if you plan ahead and use templates with an app where you can pre-schedule posts.

THOMAS: Otherwise, you may wanna hire someone to manage the full process. Maybe you can find someone to barter with. You edit their podcast, and they post your social media content?

More than Likes

CHERYL: Wow, I have to admit this is starting to seem less daunting.

THOMAS: I just don’t see value in people “liking” social media posts if they’re not actually consuming the podcast.

SOFIA: That is called conversion rate! There are two types of analytics to track: engagement metrics, which includes things like likes and shares and follows and replies and retweets and all that. Which are good, but they don’t mean very much on their own. If you’re trying to have another purpose here, which it sounds like is to get people to listen to the podcast, that is what’s called a business metric. Every website has a way to track how much traffic is coming into the website and from where. So, if you could track on the back end of your website, where am I getting my traffic from, and it’s twitter.com, then that means that something is going well. But if Twitter or your other social platforms aren’t even on the top ten, it sounds like they’re not clicking through. Some of these social media platforms are, unfortunately, I hate to say it, a pay-to-play type of place. So, LinkedIn especially, I notice that a lot. Our content does so much better on LinkedIn when we put money behind it and run some ads.

You have a superstar guest. Oprah Winfrey is coming on the pod! Oh, my god! And we really, really want people to hear my conversation with Oprah. I would consider setting aside something of an ad budget to boost the posts, so they get in more people’s feeds. And then you can get more link clicks, and you could customize the ads to ensure that they are getting the type of traction that you want. You can make the ad geared towards link clicks. You can have it be subscribes or likes on your posts or follows. It’s kind of creepy, actually, [giggles] from a marketing perspective, like, oh god, I have a lot of very creepy power to influence my voice in other people’s feeds. But that’s the marketing game for you.

THOMAS: No disrespect to Oprah, but as I step into my lighthouse, it’s evident that she’s not the right guest for my podcast. My guests are just about always personally impacted by disability. But let’s be for real. If Oprah wants to come on the pod, I’ll consider making an exception. Oprah? Holla! [delighted laugh]

[dreamy electronic music break]

Wrap-up

CHERYL: So, how are you feeling about social media now, after Sofia helped shine a light on all that will make it more manageable?

THOMAS: I think planning can go a long way. Strategizing, creating templates, and automating where possible, that could be a real game changer. What sort of techniques are you using to make social media work for you and your podcast? Have you found a strategy that works well for you?

CHERYL: Let us know.

THOMAS: Go to PODAccess.net and hit the Contact Us button.

CHERYL: And you can upload a voice memo or write a message.

THOMAS: And you might just hear it,

CHERYL: read it,

THOMAS: or see it in a future episode of the podcast or on social media.

CHERYL: Tell a friend and an enemy to follow or subscribe to POD Access wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram @ThePODAccess. That’s @ T H E P O D A C C E S S.

THOMAS: PODAccess.net.

CHERYL: Meow.

Watch

Watch the video on YouTube of Thomas and Cheryl or below in ASL with Janez and Drew.

Episode 8: Getting the Word Out – Social Media

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In this episode, hosts Thomas and Cheryl welcome back Sofia Webster to discuss the importance of having a clear brand strategy before diving into social media.

Takeaways:

  • Consistency in branding across all platforms, including websites and social media
  • Personal vs. podcast presence
  • Platforms, templates, and aesthetics

Featured Podcasters:

What are your strategies and experiences with social media? Share in the comments!

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Episode 8: Social Media

Introduction

THOMAS: Welcome to POD Ask Us.

CHERYL: Isn’t it POD Access?

THOMAS: Can’t it be both?

CHERYL: Connecting d/Deaf and disabled podcasters to audiences and each other.

THOMAS: Ba-dum-dum bap-bah-dum.

CHERYL: [happy giggle]

CHERYL: Even though we’re wearing these really dark shirts, I think we should be very transparent.

THOMAS: I thought we’d been doing that. So tell me, what color shirt should I have worn?

BOTH: [chuckle]

CHERYL: I’m not talking about your shirt! Yes, your shirt is black, and mine is dark gray with a turtleneck. But I’m talking about the other kind of being transparent. We need to be transparent about our take on today’s topic: social media.

THOMAS: Okay, here’s transparent for you. Yuck!

BOTH: [laugh]

CHERYL: Exactly! Ooh! There are some people who love social media and are great at using it. Wow! I think it’s important for anyone listening, reading, or watching this episode to realize, uh, not everyone is all excited about social media.

THOMAS: In fact, this episode is probably even more important for anyone who feels similar to you and I.

CHERYL: Why don’t we start there? What’s your beef with social media?

THOMAS: It’s really time consuming. So much of it doesn’t feel real. I know for me, it sometimes feels like the likes don’t equate to people actually consuming the podcast.

CHERYL: And it’s not just us. Qudsiya from Down to the Struts shared her feelings on social.

QUDSIYA: I personally have a lot of discomfort with social media, but I understand that it’s a really important way, particularly with the disability community, to communicate. It’s a very important vehicle to our community. And so, I do use it, but I use it very sparingly. I have a lot of trouble using it. Just the speed of it I find really overwhelming, especially with Twitter. Everything happens so fast, and I get tongue tied about what to say and how to say it and how to contribute to the conversation ‘cause it’s all moving so quickly. I have my own sort of hangups about it, which are very personal to me.

THOMAS: Good thing we have Sofia Webster returning to help us try to feel a little better or at least come to an understanding about social media.

CHERYL: If you missed the last episode on branding, you should probably pause this episode, check that one out, and then come right back.

THOMAS: I think we should wait for them.

CHERYL: Yeah, we can do that!

THOMAS: Pause here, and we’ll wait. [Jeopardy think music plays] Okay, great. Now that you’re back, let’s return to Sofia.

First things First

SOFIA: Social media is my favorite topic [delighted laugh] to talk about. I find branding to be a process that builds upon itself. To be able to give guidance around what to do on social media, for example, you first have to take a step back and answer those fundamental self-interview style questions. Because once you have the basis of that, you can start building something called a brand strategy.

THOMAS: Some of the questions include: What’s the goal of your podcast? What sets you apart from other podcasts?

CHERYL: What’s the vibe of your podcast? How could you sum up your show in one phrase?

SOFIA: So, deciding, okay, if this is our brand purpose statement, how does that translate into the type of work we put in the world? I can’t decide what’s on social media until first I decide what type of work I wanna put in the world.

THOMAS: When you put it that way, it makes a lot of sense.

CHERYL: So does having something to fall back on as a reminder or a way to orient yourself when things get off track or feel too complicated.

THOMAS: You’re talking about your lighthouse!

CHERYL: Exactly.

THOMAS: Identifying your vibe, your tone dictates your presence on social media.

CHERYL: If you have a serious, no-nonsense type of vibe on your podcast, then your social media presence should reflect that.

SOFIA: I would recommend that whatever branding aesthetics you have on your website also carry over to your social media or vice versa. Maybe you don’t have a website. You start with an Instagram, and then you’re like, okay, I wanna expand onto a website. The website and the social media should be consistent. The branding should be consistent across everything you do, including social media.

Personal vs. Podcast Presence

THOMAS: Now let me preface this next question by first acknowledging that I know it’s not grammatically correct. Who is the “you”?

CHERYL: Are you referring to the difference between someone’s personal presence on social versus the podcast having a separate presence or brand?

THOMAS: Yeah, exactly. I began promoting my podcast through my personal social media before I created a separate account for the podcast.

CHERYL: That could make total sense, especially if your personal vibe matches that of your podcast.

KEITH: Our social media is kind of built off of our individual social media presence. We do use our social media connections ‘cause we are plugged into various disability groups, hashtag groups, Facebook groups. We have a history, and we have a following. We have sort of a built-in base of listeners. We’re very active on social media. We usually start promoting the new podcast two weeks out. Once we record it, then we start promoting it. And then it ramps up.

THOMAS: That was Keith Jones from Black Disabled Men Talk.

CHERYL: Maya from the Proud Stutter podcast shows there are opportunities to switch social media profiles.

MAYA: I actually converted my personal account to [chuckles] Proud Stutter. I didn’t wanna lose all the people I already had. And so, I created a separate personal, private account, and that seems to be working well. I don’t really use Instagram except to promote Proud Stutter stuff anyway.

Platforms, templates, and aesthetics

THOMAS: No matter what you decide works best for you and your situation, as Sofia tells us, creating a consistent tone is important.

SOFIA: I find it a helpful order to do things would be to first establish what your brand strategy is. Then create a brand voice guide. Once you’ve identified the voice, it will be easier to decide what kind of language that you use that is in line with the voice.

THOMAS: I was ahead of the game. I immediately knew I was gonna use English for my social media!

CHERYL: I don’t think that’s what she meant?

THOMAS: Oh, no?

CHERYL: I’m pretty sure she’s talking about casual versus a more professional vibe.

THOMAS: Okay, that makes sense. So if your podcast is tackling serious subjects, you shouldn’t be all silly on social.

CHERYL: Exactly!

SOFIA: And once you have that, then you could start doing a social media plan with things like what type of platforms do I wanna be on?

CHERYL: Figuring out where your potential audience is most active.

THOMAS: If you’re not someone already active and aware of your potential audience on a given platform, this can take some significant research and time to familiarize yourself with the app itself.

CHERYL: The accessibility of the platform itself can, unfortunately, dictate what you can use.

SOFIA: Once you have your social media strategy down, then I would start doing things like thinking about aesthetics. One thing that I recommend is creating some social media asset templates for your graphics and whatnot. We have that for LaVant Consulting. If you really start studying our Instagram feed, for example, you’re gonna notice some patterns and some similar type of template after a while. That is by design to make our lives easier as social media content creators, but also, for the consistency of the branding and the story that we wanna tell. We try to incorporate a lot of disability community voices, issues that are important to the community, and trying to do that in an intersectional way that highlights that ableism is a social justice issue. That’s really critical to our brand, so we try to hit on that as much as we can.

It’s gotta be like a stepped process. Like, if you try to jump to the end of the book, you can, but it’s probably going to be tricky, and you may end up scratching your head in a few months like, “Oh, what should I post? I don’t know.” But if you had done the pre-work, it will become easier for you.

CHERYL: I can attest to the fact that if you get to the end of the book, and you’re like, “I’m just gonna post on Twitter,” but you don’t have a plan, you don’t have a voice and a strategy, you’re gonna do what I do, which is close Twitter without having posted anything.

SOFIA: [laughs]

CHERYL: So, I don’t have the positive example, but I firmly can attest to the negative example. That’s part of my barrier. And I didn’t know it ‘til I was today years old, and you just said all this.

SOFIA: Thinking through your goals is really gonna help shape what you end up posting. ‘Cause social media comes naturally to a lot of people, but it doesn’t for other people. It can be a really scary, scary place, especially Twitter.com is a scary place right now [laughs] because of all of the upheavals going on in that company.

THOMAS: Some of the upheaval I experienced around the app formerly known as Twitter was due to it blocking other applications from accessing its API. Basically, I once was able to automate my posts without paying for another application. When access to the API was removed, it changed my entire process.

CHERYL: Ugh! There are paid apps that allow you to plan and streamline your social media posting. And Sofia’s suggestion of creating templates can save a lot of time and energy that you can use on your strategy, or hey, on your podcast!

THOMAS: Another way to reduce the stress of social media: Bring someone on board to help manage the process.

CHERYL: That could work in various ways. Maybe you hire someone to develop a plan and some templates. It could become really manageable if you plan ahead and use templates with an app where you can pre-schedule posts.

THOMAS: Otherwise, you may wanna hire someone to manage the full process. Maybe you can find someone to barter with. You edit their podcast, and they post your social media content?

More than Likes

CHERYL: Wow, I have to admit this is starting to seem less daunting.

THOMAS: I just don’t see value in people “liking” social media posts if they’re not actually consuming the podcast.

SOFIA: That is called conversion rate! There are two types of analytics to track: engagement metrics, which includes things like likes and shares and follows and replies and retweets and all that. Which are good, but they don’t mean very much on their own. If you’re trying to have another purpose here, which it sounds like is to get people to listen to the podcast, that is what’s called a business metric. Every website has a way to track how much traffic is coming into the website and from where. So, if you could track on the back end of your website, where am I getting my traffic from, and it’s twitter.com, then that means that something is going well. But if Twitter or your other social platforms aren’t even on the top ten, it sounds like they’re not clicking through. Some of these social media platforms are, unfortunately, I hate to say it, a pay-to-play type of place. So, LinkedIn especially, I notice that a lot. Our content does so much better on LinkedIn when we put money behind it and run some ads.

You have a superstar guest. Oprah Winfrey is coming on the pod! Oh, my god! And we really, really want people to hear my conversation with Oprah. I would consider setting aside something of an ad budget to boost the posts, so they get in more people’s feeds. And then you can get more link clicks, and you could customize the ads to ensure that they are getting the type of traction that you want. You can make the ad geared towards link clicks. You can have it be subscribes or likes on your posts or follows. It’s kind of creepy, actually, [giggles] from a marketing perspective, like, oh god, I have a lot of very creepy power to influence my voice in other people’s feeds. But that’s the marketing game for you.

THOMAS: No disrespect to Oprah, but as I step into my lighthouse, it’s evident that she’s not the right guest for my podcast. My guests are just about always personally impacted by disability. But let’s be for real. If Oprah wants to come on the pod, I’ll consider making an exception. Oprah? Holla! [delighted laugh]

[dreamy electronic music break]

Wrap-up

CHERYL: So, how are you feeling about social media now, after Sofia helped shine a light on all that will make it more manageable?

THOMAS: I think planning can go a long way. Strategizing, creating templates, and automating where possible, that could be a real game changer. What sort of techniques are you using to make social media work for you and your podcast? Have you found a strategy that works well for you?

CHERYL: Let us know.

THOMAS: Go to PODAccess.net and hit the Contact Us button.

CHERYL: And you can upload a voice memo or write a message.

THOMAS: And you might just hear it,

CHERYL: read it,

THOMAS: or see it in a future episode of the podcast or on social media.

CHERYL: Tell a friend and an enemy to follow or subscribe to POD Access wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram @ThePODAccess. That’s @ T H E P O D A C C E S S.

THOMAS: PODAccess.net.

CHERYL: Meow.

Watch

Watch the video on YouTube with Thomas and Cheryl or the video below in ASL with Janez and Drew.

Episode 7: Getting the Word Out – Branding

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In this episode of POD Access, hosts Thomas and Cheryl dive into the world of branding with special guest Sofia Webster, Lead Consultant of Content Marketing and Strategy at LaVant Consulting, Inc. Sofia, who humorously adopts the nickname “Lead Scooby-Doo” and shares her expertise on how branding can significantly benefit podcast creators.

Takeaways:

  • Branding as a lighthouse
  • Benefits of branding
  • Developing your podcast’s identity

Tune in to this insightful episode to learn how to make your podcast stand out with effective branding strategies!

What are your podcast goals? What sets your podcast apart from others? What’s your podcast tagline? Share in the comments!

Now, access your preferred method of consuming a podcast below. Then connect with POD Access:

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Introduction: Branding as a Lighthouse

CHERYL: Hi, Sofia!!! [laughs]

SOFIA: Hi!

THOMAS: How are you?

SOFIA: I’m doing great. I’m so happy to be here.

THOMAS: Yeah, let’s get into it, then. So, we’re here to talk about branding, your expertise.

SOFIA: Cool. Sounds great. My name is Sofia Webster. I use she/her pronouns. I am a light-skinned Ecuadorian American woman. And I’m coming to you from my closet [laughs] in Sacramento, California. Literally in the closet.

I work with LaVant Consulting, Inc., and my title with LaVant Consulting is Lead Consultant of Content Marketing and Strategy. So happy to be joining both of you today.

THOMAS: Happy to have you. And so, if it makes you feel any better, I am also in my closet.

CHERYL: I am surrounded, literally surrounded by sofas.

THOMAS: So, Cheryl’s at a sofa store, apparently. [guffaws]

CHERYL: I’m in a sofa store. [chuckles] We’ll get on script in a second. You know how we are.

You gave the title that you have at LaVant Consulting, Inc. Do you have any nicknames for your title? You know, like I’m the Lead Scooby-Doo or something?

THOMAS: [laughs]

CHERYL: Or something that you call yourself?

[recorded clip of Scooby-Doo laughing]

SOFIA: No! But I kind of wanna start calling myself the Lead Scooby-Doo. The Lead Scooby-doo. That’s so fun!

THOMAS: Lead Scooby-Doo. That means you have a follower Scooby-Doo.

SOFIA: Her name is Scrappy-Doo, and we are all part of The Mystery Machine.

CHERYL: The Mystery Machine that is branding! Would you typically refer to branding as a Mystery Machine or just with us?

SOFIA: Oh! Kind of. It can look like a Mystery Machine from the outside, but actually on the inside, it’s not a Mystery Machine. It’s a very well-oiled machine.

THOMAS: Welcome to POD Ask Us.

CHERYL: Isn’t it POD Access?

THOMAS: Can’t it be both?

CHERYL: Connecting d/Deaf and disabled podcasters to audiences and each other.

THOMAS: Ba-dum-dum bap-bah-dum.

CHERYL: [happy giggle]

[1960s pop-rock music break]

THOMAS: Our episode today is all about branding, featuring a special guest, Lead Scooby-Doo Sofia Webster from LCI. She tells us exactly what it is and how it can benefit podcast creators.

CHERYL: Sofia starts with this way of thinking about branding.

SOFIA: I like to think of branding as a big lighthouse. And the light of your lighthouse is going to be sending messages to everyone about who you are and what vibes you have and what vibes your podcast has. You can also think of your lighthouse as uniquely decorated, depending on the vibe you wanna display to other people. Maybe it’s a plain white lighthouse, or maybe it’s painted neon green and has a bunch of flowers on it. That would be a very pretty iconic lighthouse.

I know that branding can sound like some marketing mumbo jumbo, but it really is critical to think through because if you get stuck on questions like, “How do I talk about my podcast? How do I explain it to other people? What should my visuals look like? What type of voice do I use?” All those questions are addressed in branding. Branding’s gonna be helpful for you. 

Benefits of Branding

THOMAS: That’s such a great point that I think often gets lost. Branding is for you as the holder of the brand as much as it is a way for others to recognize and think about you or your product or service.

CHERYL: To start thinking of your podcast as part of your brand, Sofia encourages us to answer this question.

SOFIA: What do you want people to feel when they listen to your podcast?

THOMAS: Do you want your audience to think of your podcast as a source for serious news or opinion? Maybe it’s the opposite, and it should never be taken seriously.

CHERYL: How you answer that question should help you develop your presentation style, your artwork, and who you invite on as guests or co-hosts.

SOFIA: If the answer to that question is, “Oh! I want people to feel like they’re hanging out with their friends,” okay. Well, you can use your language and form your podcast around emulating that effect. If I was to make my podcast sound like the listener’s listening to a bunch of their friends, I would do things like avoid jargon, keep the tone really casual, maybe make some jokes, going on tangents. Maybe I would insert my personal life in some way.

As far as aesthetics go, maybe I would incorporate something playful or fun. Or if I’m thinking about a logo or the cover art for my podcast, maybe it’s me and my co-host laughing together into a mic! The type of cover art that you use is going to send messages about what type of tone, what type of voice people can expect while listening to the podcast.

It also covers other things like how to choose the guests.

THOMAS: I’m sure many listeners, especially those new to podcasting, are wondering how this impacts choosing guests.

CHERYL: For many new podcasters, finding guests can be such a challenge. Some podcasters end up inviting people on who aren’t a perfect fit because they feel kind of related, and they gotta get an episode or a story out, and this person’s available.

SOFIA: I know that there can be some questions about how to stay in line with your brand. What a podcaster should do if they don’t feel like someone who hits them up as a potential guest is really gonna fit the vibe of the show, I would go back to that lighthouse again. How would my listeners feel if I invited this guest onto my show?

Let’s say for this podcast that my guests are usually disabled adults who are trying to tell the story of the relationship that they have with their parents. And I try to keep the tone of my podcast really light and funny to kinda offset the heavy tone or nature of the topics that people are going to likely try to talk about. And that I want people who are listening to the podcast to feel seen and heard and to also offer a space to heal from these experiences that they had with their parents.

So, let’s say that I’m looking through my inbox one day, and I see a inquiry from a woman who is a parent of a disabled person, and they wanna come on my podcast to share their experience as a warrior mom of a disabled person. Okay, so let’s go back to our lighthouse! I want my listeners to feel heard. I want to create a space for those disabled people to heal from these experiences. Would having Warrior Mom on my podcast create that type of space for my listeners? No! My listeners are probably really tired of hearing from parents, and Warrior Moms is a really common trope that disabled people have to go through with their parents. So, having this warrior mom on my podcast would probably make my listeners feel frustrated and confused.

I’d be more interested in hearing from the adult disabled child in that scenario, not the warrior mom. So I would send a very polite but firm decline to that person, explaining this is a space for disabled people only, disabled people first, or something like that and give some rationale as to why I don’t think that her voice in this space would be appropriate for our listeners.

CHERYL: Even when a guest does appear to match your podcast’s vibe, you should make sure you’re both on the same page.

SOFIA: Consider prepping your guests beforehand with some sort of quick tipsheet on the overall vibe of the podcast and the tone. Sometimes when I’m listening to podcasts, I hear guests say things like, “Oh, can I curse on this podcast?” Because cursing is going to change that explicit label or not. I know some podcast hosts are very particular about whether they want that explicit label or not. So, prep your guests beforehand about the tone of the pod.

THOMAS: Branding not only helps with guest selection, it can also determine how much or little you edit.

SOFIA: So, if I’m doing something where I want the vibe to be like it’s a conversation between friends, maybe I’m not gonna do a lot of heavy editing. But if I want it to be more formal, a deep dive, and the guest goes on some random tangent, I would probably cut out the random tangent in editing [laughs] and try to slim it down to make the story really stick.

Let’s say my podcast is about disability justice, and I’m trying to get some sponsorships or have it be a ad-supported podcast, I probably don’t want Northrop Grumman to be a sponsor of my podcast! [delighted laugh] Because that’s very anti-disability justice. They are a weapons manufacturer. It’s something that you as a podcast are gonna have to reckon with is, what are your criteria for sponsorships? I know from other podcasts I’ve listened to the creative team doesn’t always have control over the advertising, which is really a bummer especially if you go with a podcast network, because then you don’t have say over that part of the listener experience. There could be a ad on there that you fundamentally disagree with. There’s a line between having to have brand partnerships and also have creative control over what the advertising space looks like. I know that it’s tricky for a lot of podcasters.

Taglines

THOMAS: I can’t help but think about how different my podcast would be if I had this information and acted on it before I began.

CHERYL: What do you think you would’ve done differently?

THOMAS: The biggest thing for me is the name of the podcast itself. Reid My Mind Radio says nothing about who my target audience is or the type of content you can expect.

SOFIA: That’s okay. Neither does LaVant Consulting, Inc. That doesn’t tell you anything about what we do, but it does include the name of our founder and leader. And her lived experience and her identity is absolutely critical to the work we do. Maybe something you could do is start thinking about a tagline that does incorporate disability somehow. Or you could choose not to have it in there and avoid the pigeonhole.

CHERYL: Which, by the way, is the name of my podcast!

THOMAS: And I think the name works well, especially with your tag line: “Don’t sit where society puts you.”

CHERYL: [chuckles] Thanks!

THOMAS: [laughs]

CHERYL: Okay. Let’s hear more about taglines from Sofia.

SOFIA: LaVant Consulting, Inc. has a tagline, and that tagline is “Speak disability with confidence.” And all the credit for that tagline goes to Andraéa LaVant. I think it’s an amazing tagline because it says so many things. “Speak disability with confidence.” Speak is a command. Okay, I’m not saying I strongly suggest that you consider talking about disability. No, I am commanding you to do it. Speak disability with confidence. It’s also a promise. Speaking is language, and we are a digital communications firm. So, naturally, we do a lot of speaking in our work. It’s also about speaking up and verbalizing a brand’s commitment to disability. We often encounter this myth that disability is impossible to talk about without being canceled, folks being afraid of saying the wrong thing and being canceled for it! They’re so scared. It’s not enough to just learn how to speak disability. You have to do it with confidence with the skills, the knowledge to back that up.

CHERYL: Wow, all that from four words, ten syllables?

THOMAS: And there’s more!

CHERYL: Yes! [both laugh]

SOFIA: We’re a 80% disabled team. Almost all of us are disabled, which we love. Disability really communicates a lot about our work. So when we put all those things together, “Speak disability with confidence,” it has a lot of power and zing behind it.

THOMAS: This is making me really think about updating my tagline.

CHERYL: Oh, do you have anything in mind?

THOMAS: I actually do. “Reid My Mind Radio with confidence!”

CHERYL: [big laugh] I don’t think you’re supposed to just copy and paste someone else’s tagline. It has to be unique and true to you and your podcast for it to work.

THOMAS: Hmm. Okay, that makes sense. But how do you know it works?

SOFIA: Sometimes we’ll get inquiries that say, “I really want your support because I wanna know how to speak disability with confidence.” [delighted chuckle] They use the tagline in their inquiry, which tickles me! And it means that it’s working and that it’s resonating with people.

As far as what advice I’d give to other podcasters who are in their early stages of, “what is my tagline?” I would spend some time in your lighthouse! The more time you spend in your lighthouse, the more likely certain things will come up over and over and over again. They’ll come out of the woodwork.

CHERYL: Well, that settles it. I’m headed to my lighthouse this weekend.

THOMAS: That sounds like a good idea. And even though Sofia didn’t mention it, I’m going to add in the importance of snacks.

CHERYL: Ooh! What kind of snacks would you recommend?

THOMAS: Scooby Snacks of course!

SCOOBY-DOO: Oh, boy! [laughs wildly]

[both hold back giggles as Cheryl crunch-crunches]

CHERYL: It’s a pickle!

[Thomas lets his laugh out]

THOMAS: Besides the snacks, what are some of the rules to creating a tagline?

SOFIA: Well, there’s not really any requirements for what a tagline should be. It just needs to communicate a message that you want to send to people. If you could summarize your brand in one phrase, what would that phrase be, is another way to prompt that question. But it’s not like there’s a word limit. It’s more about what feels right.

Resources

CHERYL: Well, first of all, I just wanna acknowledge that you’re not taking this lightly at all. You’re really giving us a ton! For folks who are not gonna hire a brand consultant or they’re gonna do it more informally, do you have any good ideas, websites, books, media you can point people to?

SOFIA: Yes, I find that branding does not have to be done with a professional consultant, although you can. And it’s probably gonna make your process easier. It also can be a very DIY process because it’s really just asking yourself a series of questions, interviewing yourself. Okay, self, what is the goal of my podcast? What type of podcast I wanna be? What sets me apart from other podcasts? Why would anybody in the world listen to me and what I have to say? Answering those questions are the first steps that you could take towards branding.

As far as resources go, I really, really like HubSpot. HubSpot is a resource for small businesses who want to grow their company but don’t necessarily have the resources to do it or the skillset. So, HubSpot has a lot of monetized resources, in other words, things you have to pay for. But a lot of their template library is free! HubSpot has a really good blog post called What Is Branding and Why is it important in 2023, which I think is a great primer for anyone who wants to start working on branding in a DIY setting.

Social Media

THOMAS: Is there anything that you could say about social media in terms of including that in the brand and how that incorporates with branding?

SOFIA: Yes. Social media’s my favorite topic [laughs] to talk about.

CHERYL: That’s coming up in the next episode! And if we’re being honest, social media isn’t our favorite topic to talk about.

THOMAS: And we would’ve gotten away without talking about it if it wasn’t for those meddling kids! [both laugh] Sorry, I couldn’t help it!

CHERYL: Yeah! Your Scooby-Doo and The Mystery Machine shirt sorta gives it away!

SCOOBY-DO: Thank you!

Wrap-up

THOMAS: So for now, we encourage you all to head on over to your lighthouse and answer some questions.

CHERYL: What’s the goal of your podcast? What sets yours apart from other podcasts?

THOMAS: What’s the vibe of your podcast? How could you sum up your show in one phrase?

CHERYL: Answer these questions for yourself whether you’re just starting out or you’ve had a podcast a long time. It’s always good to check in to make sure your show is aligned with your values and your vision for it.

THOMAS: Let us know. Answer one or all of these questions.

CHERYL: Or share your podcast tagline. [crunches the pickle]

THOMAS: Go to PODAccess.net and hit the Contact Us button.

CHERYL: And you can upload a voice memo or write a message.

THOMAS: And you might just hear it,

CHERYL: read it,

THOMAS: or see it in a future episode of the podcast or on social media.

CHERYL: Tell a friend and an enemy to follow or subscribe to POD Access wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram @ThePODAccess. That’s @ T H E P O D A C C E S S.

THOMAS: PODAccess.net.

CHERYL: Meow.

Watch

Watch the video on YouTube with Thomas and Cheryl or the video below in ASL with Janez and Drew.

Episode 6: The right tool for the Job – Hosting

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In this episode, hosts Thomas and Cheryl dive into the crucial topic of podcast hosting. Somehow they relate delivering newspapers to the convenience of podcast subscriptions.

Takeaways:

  • What is a hosting service?
  • Features to consider
  • Deciding on the best host

Featured Podcaster:

Share your experiences with hosting providers in the comments. How are they on accessibility and cost?

Now, access your preferred method of consuming a podcast below. Then connect with POD Access:

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Introduction

THOMAS: Throughout this series we’ve been talking about important things to know and consider when creating a podcast.

CHERYL: Starting from knowing your reason and goals, to actually hitting that record button and editing into the finished product. A podcast isn’t a podcast until someone can subscribe to it and receive it directly and automatically.

THOMAS: It makes me think of paperboys back in the day.

CHERYL: [laughs] Okay, you’re gonna have to explain that.

THOMAS: Newspapers were written and formatted. And while lots of people purchased the paper from a newsstand, reading the paper hit differently when you opened your front door in the morning, and it was there waiting for you.

CHERYL: Ah! So, you’re talking about the convenience of subscriptions!

THOMAS: Absolutely. And for a time, paper boys were the final leg of that subscription process for newspapers.

CHERYL: Today’s episode is all about paperboys! Extra, extra!

THOMAS: I wish!

CHERYL: Well, it’s all about an important aspect of distributing your podcast, which is called hosting.

THOMAS: [big sigh] We really should do an episode about paperboys. That was my best job ever!

[dreamy harp transition]

CHERYL: [laughs]

THOMAS: Welcome to POD Ask Us.

CHERYL: Isn’t it POD Access?

THOMAS: Can’t it be both?

CHERYL: Connecting d/Deaf and disabled podcasters to audiences and each other.

THOMAS: Ba-dum-dum bap-bah-dum.

CHERYL: [happy giggle]

What is a hosting service?

THOMAS: Podcast hosts provide a place for uploading your audio files in order for your audience to access, share, and subscribe. 

CHERYL: While you can upload audio to your own website, you have to think about storage space, bandwidth, cost, and more. These things impact how easily and quickly people can stream or download your podcast and how much content you can release.

THOMAS: These platforms provide you with an RSS feed, or a link, that podcast directories like Apple, Spotify, and others read to make your audio files available to their users.

CHERYL: There are lots of hosting services to choose from that offer a variety of features. Depending on your goal as a podcast creator, think about how you wanna prioritize them.

THOMAS: Some of the features that are often important: ease of use. You want a platform that is not only easy to use but also works with your assistive technology.

CHERYL: Storage: The more often you post and the longer your episodes are, the more storage you’ll need.

THOMAS: Bandwidth: The larger your audience, the more bandwidth you’ll need to enable more people listening at the same time. 

CHERYL: Podcast analytics: If you’re concerned with how many people listen, watch, or read your show and from where, you’ll need a platform that offers access to your stats.

THOMAS: Distribution: The platform you choose should make it easy to assure your podcast is available on major podcast directories automatically. This includes Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube, and more.

Deciding which is best for your needs

CHERYL: Those are just some of the things that will impact your choice of a podcast host.

THOMAS: Maya, host of Proud Stutter, offers an additional and very practical reason.

MAYA: I like Red Circle ‘cause I was one of their first people to use it. So I kind of got grandfathered in to their paid program, so now I get it for free. So that’s the main reason why I stayed, is I get a lot of the perks for a paid subscription, but I get it for free because I was one of the first users.

CHERYL: Oh, that sounds pretty reasonable to me!

THOMAS: Some other things to consider: If you’re producing a podcast as a team, perhaps you want multiple logins for one account.

CHERYL: Some host platforms even let you remotely record, use their automatic transcription services, and more.

THOMAS: Of course, budget is a real factor, and there are some free platforms available. Also, consider editing that auto-transcript so it’s more accurate, which can be another cost.

Some of the popular hosts platforms at the time of this recording include Libsyn, Buzzsprout, Podbean, Blubrry, Red Circle, and plenty more.

CHERYL: Remember, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and platforms like that are directories, not hosts. You need to host your podcast to get it into a directory so people can easily find it.

Wrap-up

CHERYL: What platform are you interested in or currently using? What are the important factors you require in a host?

THOMAS: Wait, Cheryl, I wore a jacket, shirt, and bowtie because I thought you said we were hosting.

CHERYL: Well, I also wore this black jacket and bowtie since it’s about hosting! But Thomas, we are hosting!

THOMAS: Hmm. Okay, I guess it works out. But that’s the last time you’re gonna see me in a shirt and tie! I’m done with that.

CHERYL: [chuckles]

THOMAS: Let us know what you like or dislike about your hosting service. Is it accessible?

Go to PODAccess.net and hit the Contact Us button.

CHERYL: And you can upload a voice memo or write a message.

THOMAS: And you might just hear it,

CHERYL: read it,

THOMAS: or see it in a future episode of the podcast or on social media.

CHERYL: Tell a friend and an enemy to follow or subscribe to POD Access wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram @ThePODAccess. That’s @ T H E P O D A C C E S S.

THOMAS: PODAccess.net.

CHERYL: Meow.

Watch

Watch the video with Cheryl and Thomas on YouTube or watch the video in ASL with Janez and Drew below.

Episode 5: The Right Tool for the Job – Editing

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In this episode, hosts Cheryl and Thomas dive into the world of podcast editing. They start with a humorous exchange about recording and reordering, setting a lighthearted tone for the episode.

Advantages of editing:

  • Clean up mistakes
  • Remove unwanted background noise
  • Craft a more concise and engaging story

What role does editing play in your podcast? Share with the community in the comments!

Now, access your preferred method of consuming a podcast below. Then connect with POD Access:

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Introduction

CHERYL: Okay, Thomas. Should I start? Are you reordering on your side?

THOMAS: Mm. I think you may have intended to say “recording”.

CHERYL: [scoffs] That is what I said! [painfully long pause]

THOMAS: [conspiratorial laughs]

CHERYL: [scoffs again]

THOMAS: Well, uh, take a listen, Cheryl.

CHERYL: [pfft] Okay.

[squeal of rewinding tape]

CHERYL: Okay, Thomas. Should I start? Are you reordering on your side?

THOMAS: [chuckles]

CHERYL: [laugh-cries]

THOMAS: Welcome to POD Ask Us.

CHERYL: Isn’t it POD Access?

THOMAS: Can’t it be both?

CHERYL: Connecting d/Deaf and disabled podcasters to audiences and each other.

THOMAS: Ba-dum-dum bap-bah-dum.

CHERYL: [happy giggle]

Why Edit

CHERYL: Editing!

THOMAS: A powerful tool not only for cleaning up mistakes, but for most of us recording outside of fancy studios, chances are you’ll experience uninvited additions to your conversations.

CHERYL: Loud sanitation trucks collecting the trash, barking dogs, cars that go by with their booming system! [PODCat cries] Hey! PODCat, get outta here!

PODCAT: [trill-meows]

CHERYL: [annoyed sigh]

THOMAS: Editing is also a tool that can help craft your story.

CHERYL: Your conversation could be edited down to the most concise responses. After you edit the responses, you can go back and record an introduction to each response, or even rerecord your questions.

THOMAS: Editing enables the stitching of the post-recorded introductions and the abbreviated responses into one smooth, flowing narrative.

CHERYL: You don’t have to stop there. Editing lets you include other sources, sound design, and/or music to even further enhance your story.

THOMAS: Whether you’re producing a chat or a free-flowing conversation style podcast, a narrative style where a narrator moves the story along, or a radio drama, editing will improve the end result.

CHERYL: And, Thomas, I see you too are ready to edit.

THOMAS: Yeah, that’s right. I’m dressed for comfort with my Fat Albert and the Gang sweatshirt. And of course I have my handy over-ear headphones.

CHERYL: Hey! I have my headphones too!

THOMAS: Cool!

CHERYL: Let’s talk about the difference in the editing software available today.

Single versus multitrack

THOMAS: There are two types of editing software available today: single file and multitrack editors.

CHERYL: Ooh! Let me guess. The single file editor only works with one file at a time?

THOMAS: Exactly! It’s a great name! If a podcast is recorded with one or more voices on one file, a single file editor will do the trick to remove unwanted sections, move sections around the timeline, or even insert other audio clips.

CHERYL: Single file editors are known as destructive editors. Not because they mess stuff up! It’s because they overwrite the file as you work, destroying the original. [crashing boom] If you use one, save a copy of your original before you start editing in case you wanna start over!

THOMAS: Multitrack editors, on the other hand, can simultaneously edit multiple files without overwriting the originals.

CHERYL: Instead of recording a conversation with multiple people on one file, if each person is recorded on their own track, there would be a separate file for each one.

THOMAS: So if there were three people in the conversation, a host and two guests, the result of the recording would produce three audio files.

CHERYL: Pulling those files into a multitrack editor lets you edit all three at the same time. In a multitrack environment you have more options to enhance the quality of the audio.

THOMAS: In the example of a host and two guests, suppose guest number two has a bad case of the sniffles. While guest one is responding to a question, guest two is constantly sniffing into the microphone. [Thomas clears throat and coughs while Cheryl talks]

CHERYL: In a multitrack environment, guest two’s audio could easily be muted or cut out, [Thomas is muted] effectively stopping their sniffles! At least in the recording.

THOMAS: [sniffles] In a multitrack environment, the original files are never altered. The edits are more referential, and new files incorporating the edits must be rendered as an entirely new file.

CHERYL: In a multitrack environment, adding new content is as easy as adding a new track and placing the new content where you want it on a timeline.

THOMAS: Even if you’re only gonna edit single files, personally, I suggest using a multitrack editor.

CHERYL: There are free options like Audacity and GarageBand, and low-cost and powerful options like Reaper that work on both Mac and PC.

THOMAS: As a screen reader user, these are accessible options. My personal preference is Reaper. It’s quite flexible, and there’s a community of screen reader users who’ve helped to make it even more accessible.

Whether you plan to edit yourself or in some way outsource the task, you should be familiar with what editing can do to help make your podcast the best it can be. If you do plan to outsource, be sure to check out the skill share directory on PODAccess.net.

Wrap-up

THOMAS: What role will editing play in your podcast?

CHERYL: What role will you play in your editing?

THOMAS: Let us know! Go to PODAccess.net and hit the Contact Us button.

CHERYL: And you can upload a voice memo or write a message.

THOMAS: And you might just hear it,

CHERYL: read it,

THOMAS: or see it in a future episode of the podcast or on social media.

CHERYL: Tell a friend and an enemy to follow or subscribe to POD Access wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram @ThePODAccess. That’s @ T H E P O D A C C E S S.

THOMAS: PODAccess.net.

CHERYL: Meow.

Watch

Watch the video of Cheryl and Thomas on YouTube or the video below in ASL with Janez and Drew.

Episode 4: The Right Tool for the Job! Recording

In this episode, hosts Thomas and Cheryl dive into the importance of being familiar with the tools we use, especially for d/Deaf and disabled podcasters. They share a humorous anecdote and discuss the lessons learned from that experience.

Takeaways:

  • Preparation is key
  • Become familiar with the tools
  • Accessibility is a significant part of the process

Featured Podcasters:

What’s your recording setup and process? Share in the comments!

Now, access your preferred method of consuming a podcast below. Then connect with POD Access:

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Read Transcript

Show more...

Introduction

[chill, funky music]

THOMAS: So the interview was done, and I really enjoyed the conversation. I think at the time I was recording by Skype. We said our goodbyes. I went to stop the recording and realized… [music ends] I never started it!

CHERYL: Ugh! Dagnabit! [sad, sad trombones]

THOMAS: Welcome to POD Ask Us.

CHERYL: Isn’t it POD Access?

THOMAS: Can’t it be both?

CHERYL: Connecting d/Deaf and disabled podcasters to audiences and each other.

THOMAS: Ba-dum-dum bap-bah-dum.

CHERYL: [happy giggle]

THOMAS: So, Cheryl, what would you say is the moral of the story?

CHERYL: Hit record? Hire an engineer? Oh! Check if you’re recording before getting into the conversation.

THOMAS: Mm. No! Well, yes, but no. I guess there are multiple lessons in this story. Your suggestions should definitely be a part of the process, but I’m thinking in general, we need to be familiar with the tools that we use.

CHERYL: For many d/Deaf and disabled creators, talking about process means talking about tools. It was clear, Thomas, when we talked to Rebecca Vallas of the Off-Kilter Podcast that our tools are vast.

REBECCA: I actually think that the tools and resources question is a really, really deep one, and one that is worth diving into in ways that include and center accessibility and also maybe get a little more personal than folks might expect in a question like this. [laughing] I wrote down 18 bullets for this one! In part because I think my brain went to a place that maybe was broader than what you guys were intending by asking the questions.

THOMAS: We were thinking about hardware, software, such as microphones, recording, and editing applications.

CHERYL: Rebecca reminded us that we use so many more kinds of tools to make a podcast.

REBECCA: I also really am very aware that my own well-being and creative energy and time are really core resources and tools for the show. I, as someone who lives with chronic illness, and I’m public about this on the show, how I’m doing and my well-being is actually really important to whether I can show up for the show and how I show up for the show.

The other things I put on the list then include my network. That’s generally the way that most of these episodes actually crop up is I’m having a conversation with someone I know and we go, “Oh my God, we should make this an Off-Kilter episode, and we should bring in So-and-so.” That’s often really where the ideas come from.

I include my lived experience on this list, as well, of tools and resources because it’s really easy to think that when you are doing something like a podcast or a radio show that you have to leave yourself at the door, and it’s just part of you that’s walking in. It’s just the professional you! In my opinion, the best conversations are ones that we bring our whole selves to. Bringing your whole self into the conversation always makes for a better conversation. And it allows for the people who are listening to understand that you’re actually a human just like them!

There is nothing like producing a podcast to bring out the worst perfectionist that anyone might have inside us. I will be the first to confess that I have quietly sometimes recorded an intro 20 times before I was happy with how it sounded! That’s not to say we shouldn’t hold ourselves to high standards for content. But when you’ve got the models out there for you showing you what perfect looks like, and that is the standard that you hold yourself to, it can quickly become something that’s actually really not in service of yourself or of the other people that are listening.

THOMAS: I get it. I used to edit out my own laughing until a listener explained that this conveys a connection between me and my guests.

CHERYL: Oh, yeah! Years ago, when I interviewed you for my podcast, I made an .mp3 just of all your laughs from the whole conversation! I don’t think I had a lot of fun doing interviews before that even though I liked doing them. The fact that you laughed so often, Thomas, really showed me that connecting and having fun can be part of the work.

Specific tools and resources for podcasting

THOMAS: So we acknowledge there are all sorts of tools and resources that go into podcasting, but in this series of episodes, we’re gonna focus on specific areas.

CHERYL: We’ll discuss hosting platforms, tools for editing, and of course, recording.

THOMAS: Even with all the right prep work, the best ideas and resources, creating a good podcast comes down to the recording.

CHERYL: The quality of the recording is important, and there’s still a lot to consider, like accessibility! Host of Down to the Struts, Qudsiya Naqui, reminds us of the importance of access.

QUDSIYA: I use Zoom to record because I find it very accessible, and it was really easy to set those up for other people because everybody was using Zoom. You know, it’s the height of the pandemic, and everyone was very comfortable with Zoom. It’s generally accessible to people with different types of disabilities. It’s very accessible with screen readers.

THOMAS: However you decide to record, you have to hit record! [laughs]

CHERYL: That’s true whether you’re recording using a dedicated recording device in person, via Zoom, or through some other online application, or on your phone.

THOMAS: True if you’re recording just audio or video.

CHERYL: Today we’re talking about some of the available tools to help you record your podcast.

THOMAS: Along with some things you’ll wanna consider to be sure you capture the moment.

Prerecording

Planning

CHERYL: Let’s first talk about some of the things to consider before pressing the record button.

THOMAS: I bet some would say, “But what if I just want my podcast to have that organic vibe? You know, listeners feel like they’re a fly on the wall.”

CHERYL: Even if you want the fly on the wall feeling, you can still at least consider where you want the conversation to go and come up with some questions in advance that can help guide you there.

THOMAS: Planning doesn’t eliminate room for an organic feeling or discovery. Planning assures you get what you need from the conversation. Chances are there will be opportunities to follow through in other directions, but at least you know how to get back on course.

Prepare Your Guests

CHERYL: One of the best things you can do to assure a good recording is to be certain you and your guests are on the same page.

THOMAS: Imagine you intend to talk about A, B, C, but your guest only wants to talk about X, Y and Z.

CHERYL: That could feel like a waste of time for everyone.

THOMAS: Some people like to send questions in advance. That can help guests prepare and understand the focus of the conversation.

CHERYL: That’s also about accessibility. Someone who uses Alternative or Augmentative Communication devices, or AAC, can program their answers in advance and be ready to record.

THOMAS: For some, prepared answers lead to a stale and inorganic delivery. If prepared questions aren’t an access request, I personally prefer to send a list of topics that I plan to discuss. This still gives guests a chance to prepare without feeling like a canned response. Also, I find that guests are more comfortable knowing that I edit, and they can stop during the conversation and rephrase their responses.

CHERYL: Outside of the actual conversation, there’s lots of other things to consider.

THOMAS: Chances are the majority of the interviews will be done remotely, so you won’t experience the guest’s environment.

CHERYL: Are there noises coming from their room? Air conditioners, fans, heaters, refrigerators, outside traffic. Maybe the acoustics are better in a different room? Is the microphone sitting on a table that might get bumped or banged? Which will sound like a really unnerving thud in the recording.

THOMAS: Do they have a microphone, headphones? Will they use a laptop or smartphone to record? Headphones and microphones are highly suggested for an improved sound. Headphones help eliminate feedback or an echo from the speakers.

CHERYL: Are they hydrated? Mouth noise can be annoying.

THOMAS: [chuckles]

CHERYL: Are they wearing jewelry that can jingle on your recording? Especially if you’ve got jingly-jangly earrings and using earbuds where those jingles will jangle right on the microphone!

Test Equipment

CHERYL: Of course, these same suggestions apply to the interviewer’s environment.

THOMAS: Unless you have a dedicated audio engineer, you’ll be responsible for the recording. Test your setup days before the interview. Be sure you listen back to a test recording to hear the quality of your sound and room environment. Test prior to the interview on the day of the recording. You can’t rely on everything remaining the same. You could have a new device in your room emitting a low or high-frequency hum that can be challenging and time consuming to remove after the recording. It’s much easier to identify and turn it off before recording.

The Tools

CHERYL: Today there are so many options for recording. From the smartphones a lot of us already use to dedicated hardware and software that lets you record and edit on your desktop computer, laptop, or tablet.

THOMAS: Let’s talk about the available options and the pros and cons associated with each.

Built-in microphones and headphones

CHERYL: Yeah, let’s do that! Well, whether you use an Android or iPhone or a tablet, each one comes with apps that can easily record using the built-in microphone.

THOMAS: The quality of these recordings aren’t quite on par with studio level, but they can be pretty good, especially with some forethought and planning.

CHERYL: For example, no matter what device you record with, you still have to be in the right room and eliminate background noise to get a good recording.

THOMAS: Listen to the sound quality in recording on an iPhone in two totally different environments.

APPLE VOICEOVER: Speech off.

THOMAS: [voice resonating and sounding far away] A large open hallway with other sounds…. [quiet voices talk nearby]

[now in a much quieter space with less echo] Even recording in a small room with no external microphone can make a big difference. [phone clicks]

APPLE VOICEOVER: Speech on. Stop button.

CHERYL: Headphones help to eliminate the feedback and help prevent the sound of your conversation partner getting recorded onto your track.

THOMAS: There are external microphones available, along with dedicated recording apps specifically for smartphones that can really improve quality.

Handheld recorders

CHERYL: If your plan is to record in-person interviews on the move in different locations, and you have a budget to invest in something more than your smartphone, there’s a range of recording devices available.

THOMAS: These dedicated recorders offer multitrack recording via one device. Meaning you can record yourself, and depending on the device, sometimes up to five additional people at once.

CHERYL: Through the one device, you can plug in multiple XLR microphones to get a separate recording for each person.

THOMAS: The result is one track or .wav file for each person recorded. Separate tracks for each person greatly improves your ability to edit and manipulate each individual recording. The result is a much cleaner sound and flexibility.

CHERYL: Multitrack recording devices range from around $300 to thousands based on the number of tracks and other bells and whistles. Some have built-in rechargeable batteries and can work on AC power, while others need external batteries.

THOMAS: There are devices specifically tailored to podcasting today that offer additional features such as sound banks for triggering jingles and on-board editing.

Computer

THOMAS: Computers today offer even more access to recording, both locally and remotely online.

CHERYL: Depending on your budget, your comfort with technology, how much space you have available, there are several options that can each improve your audio quality.

THOMAS: One of the simplest ways to get started with using your computer as a recording device is to purchase a USB microphone. As the name implies, the microphone simply plugs in via the computer’s USB port. Using free recording software such as Audacity can enable someone to quickly get started.

CHERYL: USB microphones range from $30 to over $100. Like the price, audio quality ranges as well.

Audio Interfaces and XLR Microphones

CHERYL: If you’re interested in improving quality and functionality even more, you might like to get a Digital Audio Interface. Similar to the hardware recording devices, these interfaces allow you to plug in XLR microphones for greater quality. Interfaces range from one to multiple inputs, so you can record separate tracks for each guest or add instruments or auxiliary devices. Interfaces require a little setup and specific external cables.

How to record

Online

THOMAS: If the majority of your podcast consists of interviews with remote guests, you’re gonna wanna explore online recording options such as Cleanfeed, SquadCast, Zencaster, Riverside, and others. Some of these services offer audio only, but several allow you to record both in audio and video. They can even separate audio tracks from your video and make a separate audio track for each person, which you can’t do with a Zoom recording. Recording locally improves fidelity by eliminating broken conversations due to poor internet connections. In general, these services offer higher quality audio and video compared to Zoom.

Recording studios

CHERYL: For podcasters with more of a working budget, a great option is finding a recording studio. Some studios have created specific recording environments for podcasts. These spaces can be quite nice, including conference style tables and microphones set up to record multiple people on individual tracks. Some spaces are set up to record video. Either way, you get to leave the recording to an experienced engineer, freeing you to focus on the content.

THOMAS: However you decide to record, make sure you back up your original recordings.

CHERYL: A failed hard drive or editing without saving a copy of the original file first could cause you to lose content or lose all your hard work.

Wrap-up

THOMAS: We’ll talk more about editing in the next episode, but for now tell us how you record. Go to PODAccess.net and hit the Contact Us button.

CHERYL: And you can upload a voice memo or write a message.

THOMAS: And you might just hear it,

CHERYL: read it,

THOMAS: or see it in a future episode of the podcast or on social media.

CHERYL: Tell a friend and an enemy to follow or subscribe to POD Access wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram @ThePODAccess. That’s @ T H E P O D A C C E S S.

THOMAS: PODAccess.net.

CHERYL: Meow.

Watch

Watch the video of Thomas and Cheryl on YouTube or the video in ASL with Janez and Drew below.

Episode 3: d/Deaf and disabled voices, literal and figurative

In this episode of POD Access, hosts Thomas and Cheryl dive into the world of d/Deaf and disabled voices in podcasting. They kick off the episode with a thought-provoking quote from Alice Wong, highlighting how radio enforces normalcy centered on the ability to hear and speak well.

The hosts speak with multiple d/Deaf and disabled podcasters who share unique perspectives and experiences, underscoring the importance of having disabled voices in every aspect of society.

Featured Podcasters:

Additional Voices:

Tell us why you think D/Deaf and disabled voices are important in podcasting. Share in the comments!

Now, access your preferred method of consuming a podcast below. Then connect with POD Access:

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Introduction

ALICE: “Like all cultural institutions, radio enforces normalcy. This normalcy is centered on the ability to hear and speak ‘well.’ With the exception of a few radio shows by disabled people such as Pushing Limits on KPFA, Disability Matters on VoiceAmerica, and podcasts, you don’t hear a lot of people that sound different due to disability on public radio aside from Diane Rehm.”

THOMAS: Welcome to POD Ask Us.

CHERYL: Isn’t it POD Access?

THOMAS: Can’t it be both?

CHERYL: Connecting d/Deaf and disabled podcasters to audiences and each other.

THOMAS: Ba-dum-dum bap-bah-dum.

CHERYL: [happy giggle]

CHERYL: Nice Wu-Tang Clan shirt, Thomas!

THOMAS: Oh! Thank you. I thought it was appropriate for today’s episode.

CHERYL: How’s that?

THOMAS: Well, the Wu-Tang consists of multiple MCs coming together as one. Our conversation today is about voices within d/Deaf and Disabled podcasting. There’s so many and they’re so different, but each has something to say.

CHERYL: Ok, I see where you’re going.

THOMAS: [chuckles] Plus, the Wu-Tang Clan, like POD Access, ain’t nuthing ta fuck wit.

CHERYL: Neither is ableism, which is why I’ve got my “suck it, ableism” pink star pin with the bubble tea.

[hip-hop music break: “Ain’t Nuthing ta Fuck Wit”]

Disabled voices

THOMAS: That voice you heard at the top of the episode was Alice Wong taken from Cheryl’s podcast, Pigeonhole.

CHERYL: Today’s episode is all about voices. We’re not just talking about the sound produced when the air from the lungs vibrates the small bands of muscles and other tissue known as the vocal cords, inside the larynx.

THOMAS: Uh, okay…. [chuckles] We’re talking about a perspective or a view based on lived experiences.

CHERYL: You and I both identify as disabled, but people probably wouldn’t recognize that solely based on our voices. So, we’re also talking about actual voices!

[funk music break]

THOMAS: So why exactly are d/Deaf and disabled voices important?

KENNEDY: I think we need disabled people in every position and room and aspect of society in order to make the world more accessible.

CHERYL: That’s Kennedy of the Crip Crap podcast.

KENNEDY: I see a lot of potential for us and young disabled voices that are, like, coming up in social media space.

THOMAS: These and other disabled voices are collectively adding to the public discourse on all sorts of topics.

CHERYL: Which is incredible considering how, like Maxwell Joy Moore of Power Not Pity says….

MAXWELL: There’s so many voices out there in podcasting. There’s what, like millions? [voice echoes]

THOMAS: Millions! And that’s not even considering the other platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

CHERYL: But that shouldn’t discourage anyone who has something to share.

THOMAS: Definitely. We can discuss what that means for marketing and monetizing if that’s a goal, but either way, disabled voices need to be heard.

KENNEDY: Your voice matters. We need your opinions. They’re important, even if it doesn’t always feel that way.

Actual voices

CHERYL: So what do d/Deaf and disabled voices actually sound like?

THOMAS: They sound like Maxwell, Kennedy, you, and me.

CHERYL: Yep, and there’s an even more variety.

[old-school record scratch]

LATEEF: [speaking via AAC] Hi. My name is Lateef McLeod. I am a Black man with cerebral palsy. I have a mustache and a thick beard. I use he and him pronouns. The disability affects my mobility and my ability for oral speech. As a result, I use a power wheelchair for mobility and an AAC device for my speech.

[old-school record scratch]

REID: As this is our final episode of the season and of the year, we’ll be switching things up a bit.

[old-school record scratch]

HABEN: “Suddenly, jab, jab. My arm gets stabbed by an angry finger. Milo looks up in alarm. The person furiously gestures at the ‘don’t touch’ sign. I don’t see them, of course, and turn back to the sculpture. A museum employee stops the raging sight-y, explaining that blind people are allowed to touch exhibits. Sadly, sighted people harassing blind people, grabbing and pushing us is not uncommon. If I may offer a suggestion, the museum should block entry to sighted people. They’re quite poorly behaved.

The lack of both in traditional media

THOMAS: When was the last time you heard a voice like these in the general media?

CHERYL: When was the last time you heard a disabled person providing perspective on politics, sports, or any other topic outside of disability?

THOMAS: Go ahead, we’ll wait! [cheery little waiting tune: doo-doo-doo-doo-doo]

CHERYL: Some people might say that since it’s getting easier to find tools to create media, it’s democratized the ability to share opinions and perspectives.

THOMAS: Maybe not as much when you consider how those with money and celebrity have even more access to attention, and therefore, affect the social conversation.

Podcasts to get these voices out in the world

CHERYL: That’s real, but also relative. Podcasts are personal, and sometimes affecting one person is really just the beginning.

THOMAS: That’s like the time Maxwell wrote an article that became part of the syllabus for a college course.

MAXWELL: And she tells me that all of her students really, really attach to what I’m saying. Even just thinking about that, I started something small that people resonated with so much that now it’s in even bigger arena, and then those people are gonna take it to wherever they might take it. So, it’s really important for my voice to be there, but it’s even more important for us to listen to all the voices that I bring forth with me too.

THOMAS: I love that! You just never know where something will lead.

CHERYL: Opportunities to do other things like start creative collaborations, find employment or career advancements, maybe meeting new friends, and I’m sure many other things.

THOMAS: I know many of us in the community have a negative relationship with categorizing things as inspirational.

CHERYL: Uh oh!

THOMAS: No, no, no, no, no. I’m not gonna use that. But I will say, sharing our perspectives and stories can be encouraging not only to others but ourselves as well.

MAYA: Hmm. I think my voice is important because for my whole life, I just never thought anyone would ever wanna listen to me because of my stutter.

THOMAS: This is the host of the Proud Stutter Podcast, Maya Chupkov.

MAYA: I would see people on stage speaking, and everyone would be in awe with them. And I’d be like, that’s never gonna be me. And that’s really heartbreaking, like, just thinking about it now. I think the reason why my voice is important is because I can help others kind of get out of that mentality. And the more honest I am about that journey, I think the better it is gonna be for other people who stutter.

I come to this work from, like, a very genuine place, and I feel like you can’t really fake that. And so, I’m hoping that people can see that in the podcast and really trust that this is a safe space. Because stuttering, there’s so much that is attached to it, like trauma and insecurity and shame and all these really intense emotions. And it could really be hard for people to ever talk about it ‘cause it’s just so painful. And so, I am lucky in that I’ve found this voice somehow.

Voices not one voice

THOMAS: Our individual voices need to be valued because they represent our points of view.

CHERYL: As Kennedy reminds us, a multitude of intersectional lived experiences.

KENNEDY: I think we bring a unique perspective. I’m queer and fat. Justin’s Black, and he’s 12 years older than me. Between the two of us, there’s a lot of different perspectives and experiences, and we can relate to different guests differently. There’s really no end to different topics and people, potential in this space.

THOMAS: Keith Jones of the Disabled Black Men Talk podcast brings it all home.

KEITH: It’s absolutely important that for the work that we do, particularly on the podcast, ‘cause it is a podcast that’s driven by current topics, social climate, issues that have faced Black Americans and people, to be quite candid, who are not white and well off on a daily basis.

Out of the hundreds of thousands or millions of podcasts, the issues that we talk about are quite specific and quite unique. And it’s key because we don’t talk about the intersectionality of multiple identities. And it’s not just your disability, it’s having a disability and mental health challenges, healthcare challenges, raising your kids, or being denied the ability to take care of your kids, and housing. So it’s all of these things. So, it’s critically important that we feel that at least those topics are elevated ‘cause the conversations are happening. And a lot of times when we hear from the community, it’s that, “We didn’t know this until you said it.” So it’s not about fighting a 100 million podcasts. It’s about responding to what the community has asked for.

Wrap-up

THOMAS: I’m so glad that when I started my podcast, I didn’t think about the others. I didn’t really think about getting heard as much as I did about expressing myself and finding my voice.

CHERYL: Yeah. It’s not to say that the other things don’t matter, it’s just finding value in your own voice is really worth the work.

THOMAS: I’d love to hear from others who are currently podcasting about some of the unexpected benefits gained from podcasting.

CHERYL: What are some things you’d like discussed from a disability perspective?

THOMAS: We wanna hear from you on these questions or anything regarding d/Deaf and disabled voices in podcasting. Go to PODAccess.net and hit the Contact Us button.

CHERYL: And you can upload a voice memo or write a message.

THOMAS: And you might just hear it,

CHERYL: read it,

THOMAS: or see it in a future episode of the podcast or on social media.

CHERYL: Tell a friend and an enemy to follow or subscribe to POD Access wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram @ThePodAcess. @ T h e P o d A c c e s s.

THOMAS: PODAccess.net.

CHERYL: Meow.

Watch

Watch the video of Cheryl and Thomas without ASL or the video below in ASL with Janez and Drew!