The Socialize Strategy - Diversify Your Social Media
Welcome to The Socialize Strategy. Happy Friday. It's always a happy day for me when I get to record the podcast. And I have some really fun unsponsored by products to talk to you about today. And also, I'm going to share what we're going to tackle in the studio next because I do think it might be relevant to many of you if you are considering diversifying into other areas.
Helen:So sit down, sit tight, stick around, and let's get started. The first thing is my microphone. I want to talk about it. I feel like I might have talked about this brand before, but, for a while I was very, very into the Saramonic brand. So I'm going to tell you I was.
Helen:But their microphones are so big and I found that their wireless ones just, they weren't small and they just were not easy to hide or just like a low profile. They were just too much for me. So I switched over to this brand called Hollyland. And I do love the size of it. I love that it comes in a case like this.
Helen:I do feel like I have talked about this before, so I'll keep it brief. But I do like this brand a lot. So I wanna make sure that if you're looking for a wireless microphone and you're doing those ones from the TikTok shop or that you see on Instagram and they're like $20, a lot of them make you sound like you're underwater. And I don't love the sound. I've heard it on so many of my studio creators who had them.
Helen:And I'm like, listen, I hate to be mean, but your video sounds like you're like recording with a muffler on or something or underwater. It sounds crazy to me. And this one is clean. I also love they come with black stickers because there is a logo on the front that normally looks like that. And even that was bothersome to me because it would be on my shirt like that this way.
Helen:It's all black. Usually, I'm wearing black, it's pretty well hidden. So I just like that they're simply black. I like that they magnetize on to your shirt so you can put it anywhere. You don't have to be looking for a collar to clip it.
Helen:You can literally put it anywhere. You can also put it under your shirt. So you can put it on your underneath shirt and it still picks up the sound really good. So since I have two layers here, I can put it on my underneath shirt and you wouldn't even see it. And what you need that goes with it is the thing that plugs into your phone.
Helen:It comes with it, of course. But it comes with the kind for the 16, the Android, and it also comes with the original iPhone. I'm holding it up to the camera. Okay. So you do need that.
Helen:Unfortunately, the case when you get two of the microphones, it gives you this other piece. So you're gonna if you're gonna record with a DSLR camera, it gives you this other piece, this receiver. And you don't need that when you're recording an iPhone. I would much prefer to have a slot for the this thing. But this case doesn't have that.
Helen:So I've been weirdly using this case to carry all the things. So I'm using the Ceremony case for my Hollyland brand. So Hollyland is what you're looking for if you're looking for wireless. Hollyland. Like cute, right?
Helen:Because my granddaughter's name is Holly, so now everything I call about her is like we're in Hollyland. Anyway, Hollyland is the microphone brand. And what was the other thing I was going to say about it? But if you do want a wired one, Saramonic makes a really nice wired one. So I do use that one when I'm quickly just needing to record and I'm going be close to the camera.
Helen:I will put that wired one on sometimes, use that on the go, especially if I'm traveling. Okey doke. So that's my microphone recap. Now let's talk about another product I use every flipping day. And I love that I seem to I always think I'm going to run out of things and I'm like, oh, nope, here's something I use every single day.
Helen:I'm going to talk about it. And my husband bought it for me. So I'm going to give him total credit for picking out a very cool brand. And I'm going to preface this by saying I travel a lot and I've always been looking for the perfect, you know, you have the carry on bag, which I use my away, but then I need a backpack or some kind of a thing to carry with my computer and other stuff. And I don't and I've used a computer backpack for the longest time.
Helen:And I don't know. He got me this for Christmas and he said, don't know. I just think it fits a computer, but it also has this shoulder strap and it has the backpack straps and blah, blah, blah. Let me move my microphone away for a second so I can pick it up. Hold on.
Helen:All right. Here it is. I'm holding it up and it is Eastpac. That is the brand, E A S T P A K. They have a flagship store in New York City and that is where he got this.
Helen:And it's, look, it's got this, what do you call it? It's got the shoulder strap. So if you want to carry it like a briefcase or just a sack where you put it over your shoulder and it has the backpack straps. And the, why can I not think of what you call the strap, just the shoulder strap can be removed? So I don't usually have the shoulder strap out.
Helen:I usually use it as a backpack solely when I'm traveling. And then I put the shoulder strap on if I'm just going to use it like, I don't know, in and out of the car or whatever if I'm packing to go from place to place, and I just want to grab it and put it over my shoulder instead of wear it as a backpack. I love this brand. I cannot say it enough. I I really have to tell you.
Helen:It's it fits the right amount of things. It fits under the seat in an airplane perfectly, whereas my backpack sometimes didn't fit. So it's the width that actually works because it's everything spreads out a little and it goes flat. I I love everything about it. It's got a zipper compartment inside.
Helen:It's got the protection for the laptops, like a laptop sleeve built right into it, and it's just shocking. I actually somebody stopped me and said, oh, how do you like your East pack? I was gonna get one of those, and I said, I love my East Pack, literally. It is just my best travel backpack. There is one thing missing from it.
Helen:I always have to be honest, and I have to give you my unfiltered review. I wish it had the little slot where you can slide it onto your carry on. You know that thing where you can slide it over the handle of the carry on? It doesn't have that. And if they would just add that I was trying to figure out how I can make one for it myself and attach something because it really needs that.
Helen:Because I did have one time where I wasn't holding onto the handle and the handle, the two handles, and I I thought I was and the backpack fell off, but it's fine. My computer was fine because it's protected in the sleeve in there. But I was just like, it needs that thing where it slides over the suitcase handle. It doesn't have that. But I bet you on the next one, they're gonna get that right on the upgrade.
Helen:So I'm gonna speak to them. Anyway, love the brand, Eastpac. Okay. Those are my two unsponsored by things. And if you're looking for something to travel with a computer but being able to take other stuff, it always fits.
Helen:It's funny because I carry a little purse that's just, small cross body, tiny small, and that fits right in there. And I've always struggled with that when I go to get on the plane and they want you to take the the purse and put it inside the backpack, and I'm always struggling, this one always has room for it. Just the way it's designed. Bingo. That's that.
Helen:Okay. Now before I carry into what's happening on this podcast, I wanna just say that in the studio, we're gonna cover how to do a podcast very simply and inexpensively. So if you don't have a big budget and you wanna dabble in the podcasting world and you don't wanna book a studio and you don't wanna buy a fancy microphone and you don't wanna do the things, you wanna test the waters and record a couple of episodes and see if it hits, or just play around with it on YouTube. Like, I'm gonna make a YouTube podcast and then just put it on the YouTube, podcast section and see if it hits. I'm telling you, I have the ticket for you on how to do it inexpensively, and I am gonna teach that in the studio only though.
Helen:That is where I'm gonna teach it because I'm gonna put a nice long lesson. I'm gonna attach like my process, the tools to use. If you don't wanna buy this fancy microphone when I travel on the go, I use my little portable microphone. I'm gonna give you all the tips on how to do it, and then how to upload it, what how the platforms work, how to make sure that when you put it on YouTube, it goes into the podcasting YouTube section and not just as a regular as a regular YouTube video because if you put it as up as a regular YouTube video, it's not in the podcasting world on YouTube, so that doesn't help you. So there's all these things you need to know, and I am thrilled to be able to teach this because one of the studio people asked me, and I was like, oh, you know what?
Helen:I will will teach a lesson. Like, this is great. So that is the plan. So if you want in on the studio, I'm that is what's coming right away. That's my next task for the studio folks.
Helen:I'm really excited about it. And we have lot we have had such a fun time in there. Even on the the meetings are evolving differently. We have our next meeting is very beginner focused, but our previous meeting, we talked a little bit about this, and it was more of a brainstorming session. We were talking about the TikTok ban.
Helen:So the minute something comes up, I address it with my folks in the meetings so that they don't have to feel worried. They have things to think about. They can start to make a plan. And that's the biggest thing that I love is the sense of community that we have. So when we get on these meetings, everybody's sharing their thoughts, and it becomes more collaborative, and it's it's excellent.
Helen:So I'm gonna moving forward, our meetings are they're evolving. It always is like that with something. Like, you realize something works well and people liked it, so the next time we're gonna do a little more of that. So really pumped on that. And then that brings us into the topic for today, which is really how to diversify and think about what you wanna do if TikTok goes away and you decide you don't wanna go to The US version of TikTok.
Helen:So I wanna address that for a second. There's so much talk about it on TikTok right now about, like, this new version of TikTok that's gonna be US only people, which is really a bummer, I must say. It's my least favorite thing. It's almost like separating us from from the rest of the world. That's just wrong.
Helen:I don't know. It's wrong on so many levels. So I don't I do think a lot of people are not gonna just make that leap. They say that your followers are gonna come with you, and how is that possible? Because how can your followers come if they haven't joined that app?
Helen:You know what I'm saying? You know what doesn't make sense about that? I was thinking about it. I'm like, how are they gonna bring your following over there? How do we know for me that one the 1,100,000 people who are following me are gonna join that app?
Helen:So they can't it can't bring your followers. That makes no sense. Okay? So whoever said that is cuckoo crazy or they're just talking out their boot booty. I'm being nice.
Helen:Alright. So that oh, Cara, did you hear that one? So now I'm really getting I have to say, Cara, I'm speaking to you now. I hope you're listening. I'm so happy that you enjoyed the podcast.
Helen:I like when my studio folks mention in the meetings that they listen here, and then I know, okay, that's who's listening to me because I never know who's really listening to the podcast. So I'm here for it, and I'm excited about it. But, yeah, and more speculation about it and how it's gonna evolve and how you're gonna be able to migrate doesn't make sense to me because the people who are following me may not join that app. Also, PS, of the people who are following me, many are not from The US, so they're not gonna be able to go on that app, so of course they're not gonna able to follow me over there. So that's a little bit of, a lie.
Helen:Little bit of a lie, that's probably a big lie. So there's that. And then there's the idea that the algorithm's gonna be different, so it's not gonna have that same sense of community. And, honestly, the community that I have built on TikTok is so varied and worldwide that that also bothers me. I feel like we're now gonna be segregated.
Helen:Oh my god. That's the word. Yeah. Not a good word. Yikes.
Helen:I hadn't even thought about it like that until now. Actually gets me a little sad and emotional. Oh my goodness. Okay. So that's another reason why right now I'd say it's a no from me.
Helen:So if you're listening to this now and the date is July 11, you can you can pretty much know that a lot is gonna have to change about it or what I learn about it before I take the leap over there because it doesn't feel right. It just doesn't feel right. So, this is why I think what to do in the meantime. Think about what other channel you might enjoy and start putting a little bit of focus there. Thinking about think about a way to build community, and Julie and I are thinking about this now, how we can build socialize to have a free section where there's a free chat so at least the people that are connected with me on TikTok that might wanna stay connected and be able to, comment.
Helen:And maybe, oh my god, I just had a great idea. I love when this happens. Because we were talking about this in the studio this week, and I said I'll make a free section of the studio. And I suddenly realized I can make a free section of the studio with all of the tutorials that I post publicly, and make that the free section of the studio. So I'm gonna work on that, and I'm gonna let you know how that goes, because I think that's gonna be an important thing to build community with the content that I like to create and the teaching that I like to do and put that into a free section.
Helen:So it's free anyway because it's on my public facing page. And inside the studio on my paid subscribers, they're getting dedicated lessons. They're getting meetings with me. They're getting a lot more than that because we're doing challenges, and it's also they have a Q and A, so at any point they can ask me questions and I make them videos. It is more interactive with me directly on the paid part of the studio, and they know they can reach me anytime.
Helen:And I really kinda like that. So I I wanna that's always my priority, but I think that if I can create sort of my own, I will say, like my own TikTok channel inside the studio which is like a free area. I think that's what I'm gonna try and focus on. So that's something for you to think about, food for thought. And now with all this news and everybody's talking about it, like what should we do, it's it's always helpful to realize that a ban there's always gonna be change.
Helen:So when a ban when a ban happened the first time, people started paying more attention to Instagram, and maybe they built an Instagram following. Maybe people went over and started a YouTube channel. I've been trying to I'm talking to you now, Amber, but I'm trying to suggest to people to try a YouTube channel. Just post a few vities up videos up on YouTube and see if you can grow an audience. The difference between YouTube and TikTok is what we talked about, on in the studio too, and it it came to me.
Helen:With in with YouTube, you're more like on stage. With TikTok, you're with people. So that's how I look at the difference. I feel like I don't have as much connection with the people who comment on my YouTube videos. Sometimes I do because I know who they are.
Helen:They're from TikTok, so I know them, you know, their usernames. But a lot of times it's just random people commenting, and it doesn't feel as community based. So TikTok community, YouTube, the stage. But if you're a perf you're on TikTok already, you are sort of on stage for your audience even though you're more personal about it. So you can really do the same thing and start to build over there if that's something that interests you.
Helen:What I also loved, this is new news by the way, oh my god, is that on July 15, there is a thing where on YouTube they are not gonna monetize any videos on YouTube that were created with AI. They are only, they are a real people focused channel to or platform. And if you think about that, listen, YouTube has always been the forefront. It's been the steady. It's been it's like even with TikTok being so popular, YouTube has always been the cons a constant.
Helen:You always knew what you were getting. You can count on it. And so if I'm gonna say somebody doesn't really love Instagram, fine. Don't do Instagram. Like, lean to YouTube because I feel that they always seem to be ahead of the curve.
Helen:The fact that what just what they're doing with this AI rule the rule, they're not gonna pay people for AI videos. Freaking great. That is clutch. I am so happy about that. It was like the best news of the day when I saw that this morning.
Helen:I was like, hell yeah. Because they're just valuing real people, and they're, they're setting their their statement, they're setting the bar, and they're prioritizing creators, and they have always done that. So I really, really appreciate that. Okay? So that's what we're gonna focus on.
Helen:We're gonna, if you want to, join on and focus on YouTube. Oh, and by the way, I already have a YouTube 101 lesson inside the studio. If So you wanna try the studio for seven days and watch that lesson and see what we do inside there, you that could be really beneficial if you don't have a YouTube channel yet or you wanna understand how YouTube works. So YouTube one zero one inside the studio. I think that the creators who are gonna succeed the most if TikTok goes away are the ones that have the loyal committed fan base.
Helen:They have loyal followers that are gonna look for them anyway. They have created connection, and maybe they've built a newsletter, another great thing to do. If you haven't done it, you still have time because in theory, TikTok's not going away until March. That's a lot of months. But we have almost like a half a year.
Helen:And I know September well, what's March? March is when it's not gonna be available. September is when the new app's coming. I don't know what the timeline is. But in any case, you still have time, even if it's September.
Helen:You still have time. Start building another start building your newsletter list. Start or it doesn't even have to be a newsletter. Just get the emails so that you can reach people. And eventually, when you're, you know, you create a thing where you say, if you want to download this PDF about fashion or how to reinvent your style or how to create healthier hair or download my free PDF, blah blah blah, you'll get people's emails, and then at least you'll have people that you can reach if you decide to move somewhere else.
Helen:Okay. Getting that connection with your audience in another way is really how you want to evolve moving forward. Now I'm not gonna reiterate everything I said in the newsletter because there's no point in me coming on here and just saying the same things, but I think what we've gotta think about as creators is what our next, what our what we're gonna lean into. And we here's here's an example. Let me see how I can say this.
Helen:Because somebody like me, I wanna lean more into my community and my teaching, and so if I don't have TikTok to amplify my voice by getting that message out there, I will find other avenues to get my message out there, but I'm gonna, my priority is going to be my community. And other people might say, hey, my priority is now gonna be building a podcast, and so you can learn that in the studio how to do it. Somebody else might say, okay, now my thing is gonna be blogging. I'm gonna pay more attention to my blog, and how can I monetize my blog? I have, someone in the studio, Amber, hello, other Amber, who is very she's been an Amazon associate from the beginning.
Helen:So guess what? Maybe she'll lean more back into her Amazon associates thing. So depending on what your, what your focus or your passion or your joy is, that's where you're gonna lean. And if you're somebody like Kara who has, the the corgi and she's hi Kara again. I mean, she's got the corgi.
Helen:So she can really decide, like, I'm gonna build and I'm gonna try and maybe now monetize more on Instagram, and she's gonna lean more into she's got an Instagram audience, she's got a YouTube audience, and figure out what what matters to her. And maybe it's just, building and maybe it is building a community of of, you know, corgi besties. I mean, there's some there's you don't have to build a paid community. You can go onto these networks. Mighty Networks is what we use for our community.
Helen:You could go on there and you can build a free one. And then that's so easy to talk. When it's free, people are like, why wouldn't they sign up for it? So you could start with a free community and then evolve into something. But it's like finding your outlet to what you like the most.
Helen:That is the point of what you should use this TikTok band nightmare situation as a catalyst for, to really decide what you love the most and what you wanna lean towards if this changes. Anyway, that's it for today. It's a little, it's heartfelt, but it's also let me say it again. Anyway, that's it for today. I really have been thinking a lot about it and what my priorities are gonna be, and believe it or not, I'm going lean into doing ads soon.
Helen:I think I'm going to try going down the path of advertising and see, I mean, I do it for other, for the brands I'm working for. So I'm going to take my skillset and move into that area potentially. Hold on. Anyway, that's it for today. I think that hopefully I've given you things to think about and a way to process it.
Helen:Instead of looking for the other TikTok, it's looking for what you wanna do next. Like what part of TikTok did you like the most, and therefore where can you then take that to build on it? So using the part that you liked to decide what your next focus is. Have a great weekend. I hopefully have given you some things to think about, and take your time, and don't be stressed, and always know that I'm here for it.
Helen:So if you join the community and you wanna come into the chat and feel support, I'm always in there trying to help everyone with whatever their concerns are and allay the fears about things. I think that if we're all in it together, we are stronger. Alright. Have a great weekend. Thanks for listening.
