Tracy Hazzard explains why podcast hosts should nod silently instead of saying "yeah" or "mm" while guests talk. On video platforms, those small sounds shift focus away from the speaker. Save your voice for real follow-up questions that move the conversation forward.
Chapters
Want your podcast and videocast to be seen, heard, found and rewarded in this noisy digital world, you are not alone. Join the nonprofit community at Podcasters United and podcast industry experts Tom Hazard and Tracy Hazard as they debunk all that outdated and bad advice you've been getting from the podcast gurus and find out what actually works today. Get ready to feed. Feed your brand with smart cut tactics proven to cast your original voice to the world.
So I listen to a lot of startup video, right? Like people who are just starting their show for the first time. They've got their video running, they've got their audio going, and they're starting their shows and they're doing interviews and they're doing it for the first time. And I get to hear that. And in it, I'm seeing a pattern of some things that I want to point out to you that that might be something for you to think about first, is that I know we all want to be in agreement. We really want to, you know, in our normal conversation, we say things like, yeah, mm. And yes, definitely. Like, you know, we want to encourage our guest to continue the conversation, to keep going with what they're doing. The problem with doing that is if we're doing video, we have a flip going on of the video. So in other words, sometimes we have our videos side by side in what they call gallery view, and our video will be highlighted every time we say something. So if our guest is speaking and then we interject and say, yeah, then our video all of a sudden highlights and the eye is drawn across and away from our guest to us. If we're doing a speaker view and lots of us do it, that's the format that I personally use. And when we do a speaker view, it means whoever's speaking at that time is getting highlighted. So if the person is speaking and all of a sudden I go, yes, then I will be. I will interject. And even though they're still speaking, you're looking at me at that moment and then it goes back to them again, right? So it's kind of disruptive on the video, on the audio side of things, of course, if you're doing two track recording and everything, it can get cut. And especially if you're a potatoes customer, you know, we're doing all of that for you. And it's not as distracting in the audio version of it, but in the video version it is. And so I highly recommend, and it is actually good podcasting practice for you to just be nodding and to take out those yeses and affirmations that we do when our guest is speaking, that if we truly have something to say, we need to have a more elaborate sentence, something that we're going to comment on and say, I absolutely agree with you and I want you to dive a little bit deeper. Tell us about this. So now we're extending that conversation and we're giving that agreement, but we're also asking for more. That's a great way to do it and interject and bring more to the conversation. And now there's a good reason for you to have highlighted it. It' encouraging that further conversation. But if it's just to say, yeah, mm. And agree with them, stop doing that in an audible way. Right? Just do it with the nods, do it with the encouragements that are there. And that way, visual encouragement. It's still being seen by your audience and it's still being seen by your guest, but it's not distracting in terms of featuring your video and changing the viewpoint of that and changing the focus off of your guest, which is something that I don't think you really want to do. If you're really agreeing with them, you just want them to continue. So suggestion for those of you who might be doing video for the first time or combining your video and audio, or for those who are not editing your audio like you're going just straight from your live streams or straight from your, you know, your interviews, doing straight from that, that's something you want to start cutting out and take and breaking your habit of doing. So hope that helps everyone. I'm Tracy Hazard here at Feed. You'd brand with tips at any time. Send us your questions. Thanks.
Heard something valuable today, but didn't get a chance to write it down. No worries, we've got you cover. We partnered up with podcasters united.org where podcast hosts like you can get free resources, free masterclasses, the largest podcast tip library assembled, and free promotion opportunities While you're there. Don't forget to follow us on YouTube and on social unitedwepod so you can get feed your brand live. Until next time, keep podcasting.
