To Blur or Not to Blur? That is the podcast guest question.

Should you have a blurred background when recording a podcast interview? This is something that's on my mind because I have been watching people on LinkedIn posting really, really terrible fuzzy backgrounds and some people sitting in places that just aren't doing them any favors. So I want just to address this issue. Should you blur your background when recording a podcast? That's assuming of course that it's on video. The same is true, by the way, if you are doing a video for a social media channel. Well, I want to just take you through some thoughts. Now, what should you consider when deciding to blur or not blur the background for a video recording? How you present yourself on camera plays a really critical role in shaping how your audience perceives you. One often overlooked aspect of this is your background, which can significantly influence trust and engagement. I'm going to tell you why. So whether you choose a blurred or a clear background can affect the psychological signals that you send to your listeners, helping them to either connect with you or to question your authority. Now the impact of these choices is explained by two key psychological concepts. One is cognitive schemas and the second is contextual clues. First of all, let me just talk to you about cognitive schemas. Now these are mental frameworks which we all develop over time to help us to quickly categorize and interpret information. When we see someone in a familiar role or setting, brain activates a pre existing schema to make sense of the situation. For example, seeing a doctor in a lab coat instantly activates our doctor schema, making us associate with them with knowledge, professionalism and care. Similarly, when you your podcast background align with your professional role, such as a business expert appearing a well organized office, it helps the audience to quickly place you in the expert category, reinforcing your credibility. You might see that's why I've got my logo for example behind me in some audio foam up on the walls. Now these are the external environment specific signals that help clarify or reinforce the situation. So for instance, the presence of certificates, books or industry specific items in the background of a podcast interview provides visual clues that support the guest expertise. You can see, for example, I have a microphone just visible on the desk behind me. In contrast, a cluttered or irrelevant background might confuse the audience or or detract from the message. The contextual cues are the real time environmental signals that help the audience make sense of what they're seeing and connect it to the information being shared. The key difference between these two concepts, I.e. the cognitive schemas and the contextual cues, is that cognitive schemas are internal. We already have them. Preformed mental structures that help us to categorize people and roles. Contextual cues are external. They're the immediate signals in the environment that reinforce or challenge those categories in others. A number of schemas and when I see you and how you're positioned and where you're positioned, it's going to validate what I already understand about you, or it's going to challenge what I have already come to to think about you. But what we want to do is to leverage both. Through thoughtful background choices, you can guide your audience perception of you, helping them to trust your expertise and engage with your message more effectively. Now, blurring your background can be a bit of a band aid solution Many podcast guests and hosts choose to blur their background to hide what's going on behind them.

On an Apple device, it's called Portrait.

Mode, and in Zoom, it's called blur my background. Well, blurring your background certainly offers a fast and easy way to hide clutter or an unprepared environment. It really creates a temporary fix when there's no time to create an organized and professional setting. In this case, the blur effect says more to conceal than to enhance the viewer's experience. In my view, it hinges on the quality of the blur. If the blur effect is poorly executed, it can cause a visual distortion or a technical glitch, and it can end up having the effect of drawing attention to the blurring effect more than to the clutter that it's meant to inhib. So the portrait effect on the Apple devices is quite good. The virtual background in Zoom and on Microsoft Teams, for example, really distort the person badly. So to get the best results possible, it is best to start with the best background. In other words, something that's clean or a green screen, because then the camera and the computer don't have to work too hard at literally trying to etch out those lines. Blurring your background can help manage distractions in the short term, but it doesn't necessarily etch contribute to building a deeper connection with your audience, because it may. In other words, playing into someone's thoughts already, for example, like the doctor's surgery and the clues that you can give.

About what you do through, for example, signage or as I've got a microphone.

The goal should be to use blur only when necessary, ensuring that it's will execute. In other words, that the camera and the platform you're using enable the blur.

Effect to not be a distraction.

That way the audience remains focused on you. The speaker without Being distracted by the poor fuzzy blurry now the potential distractions.

Of a clear background in a podcast.

Interview A clear background can offer authenticity. It can also present challenges if not handled properly. Visible can inadvertently draw attention away from the conversation, especially if it's a cluttered chaotic or contains items unrelated to the.

Topic, like laundry or unrelated decorations and.

Even movement in the background. So pulling focus from the podcast and you and from everybody's attention. So a cluttered background is really where the problem starts. It not only distracts the audience, but it can also trigger those judgments, those schemas and judgments about your professionalism. People tend to assert tidiness with organization, attention to detail, maybe a Swiss quality, reliability. And if your visible background doesn't align with these expectations, it can cause listeners to question your expertise or your focus even if the content of your message is strong. Just as cognitive schemas guide our perceptions, a messy background can activate the wrong.

Schema, making it harder for the audience to place you in a role of authority.

Sometimes even a clean and well decorated.

Background can be distracting if it's visually too stimulating.

Busy wallpaper, bright colors, busy shelves with things like family photographs, toys, books can divert attention from the conversation. Because the audience mentally is actually processing your environment more than you.

It's impossible not to see if they've left their washing up undone or maybe they've got laundry on the couch.

So my recommendation is to try and create a contextual background. In other words, one that helps to create a visual setting. It serves as part of how your audience perceives you. During a podcast, the environment behind you can reinforce who you are, what you represent, and the message that you're delivering. In podcast guesting, this is crucial as your background can either support your credibility or detract from it.

Now, as we discussed earlier, with cognitive schemas and contextual cues, your audience is.

Going to naturally look for visual signals to help them place you in the right category. So well chosen background supports this process by activating the right schema and providing cues that reinforce your authority and your expertise. So for example, if you're an entrepreneur appearing on a podcast business strategy, a tidy professional home office with industry related books or awards subtly communicates your competence. This creates a cohesive experience for the audience. Contextual backgrounds help the audience to focus on you and your message without any unnecessary distractions. Busy or irrelevant background can send the mixed signals, causing the audience to question whether they should trust your instincts. So your environment can either enhance or confuse the audience. So for example, imagine meeting a doctor in a Fully equipped clinic or in a car garage. In one scenario, the surroundings reinforce the professionalism. In the other, you'd be wondering if they come to get their car fixed. So think about the narrative that you want to share when you are going onto a podcast. Elements like books, certifications, props can really, really help. Now, I'm using here the blur effect on the Apple computer and you can see it still allows me to sit out front. If you want to know how TV studios create this perfect background, they have a depth of field and green screens. They create a depth of field, but by and large that is done through not your standard webcam or even most mobile phones, but through digital single Lens reflex cameras, DSLRs. So these cameras allow the person being filmed to remain in sharp focus in the foreground, while the background is usually placed several feet behind the subject and can be blurred gently. So this blurring effect is far more natural. It replicates really what happens when we see someone. We focus on their face and the background goes into a blur. So what should you consider when creating a background for your brand? Well, think about some of the schemas that people are going to meet you with. For example, if you are a professional, if you're a doctor, could you be seen in your clinic? If you are a chef, could you be seen in a kitchen or in a restaurant environment? For example, if you need to use a blurred background, it still needs to be tidy and clean. And as you can see from my background, I still have some imaging and I keep it clean and tidy because I still want to have a sense that I'm helping you to focus on me rather than what's going on in the background. When you look at tv, the characters.

Are in the front and they have a slightly blurred background of, for example, a city skyline.

The next time you think about being on a podcast and with video, think about should you be with a blurred background or a clear background. If it's a clear background, think about how tidy it is and whether it's contextual or not. I've written a blog about this, showing examples of me with a blurred and a clear background. The key point that I'm going to make for you here is just that your background does count. Don't take it for granted. In other words, something helps anchor you into the story that you're telling the audience. Then make all efforts to do that. Thank you for joining me on this solo episode of the Unnoticed Entrepreneur. This is all part of the podcast guest blueprint that I've launched is really to help entrepreneurs like you to get.

Noticed for all the good that you do. If you'd like more information about that, it's at Academy Theunotice cc and I'll include that in the show notes. I just do encourage you to keep on communicating.