Jan 17, 2019
Brent Hand – S2E2 New Media Lab with Rob Southgate
On this episode, Rob’s special guest is Brent Hand from the Hysteria 51 Podcast.
Learn more, subscribe, or contact us at www.southgatemediagroup.com. You can write to Rob at southgatemediagroup@gmail.com and let us know what you think. Be sure to rate us and review the episode. It really helps other people find us. Thanks!
Brent's Twitter @Hysteria51Pod
Brent's Website Hysteria51.com
Rob Southgate’s Twitter @RSouthgate
Email southgatesmallbusiness@gmail.com
Website www.southgatemediagroup.com/newmedialab
Patreon www.patreon.com/newmedialab
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/SMGPods/new-media-lab/
SHOW HOSTS: Rob Southgate
SHOW EDITOR: Rob Southgate
PRODUCER: Rob Southgate
#NewMedia #Podcasting #Business #YouTube #Blogging #Vlogging
00:00:00
This is a really difficult question. Oh, that's a great question.
That's a good question. That is a great question. It's a really
good question. I love this question. And I think this really is
going to help me kind of meditate and grow on it. Want to hear the
answers checkout season two of new media lab with Robert Southgate
new episodes every Tuesday available on Spotify. I tunes. Google
hod Cass and wherever you subscribe to your favorite podcasts.
Welcome back to new media lab. I am rob Southgate your host. And I
am so happy you've decided to join me on this journey last week's
interview with Dave Jackson sparked a lot of questions I messages
and emails about specific points that David made. I hope the
answers I provided offered a little insight please keep writing in
with DA's and questions. The Email here is Southgate small business
at g mail dot com. And that's exactly what Kevin long did he wrote
in asking about the value of getting on platforms other than I
tunes? This started a conversation that resulted in a second show
on this feed on Tuesday, we launched our first creators lab, we
made it up on the spot basically because there was way more getting
asked by Kevin than a couple of simple sentences on Facebook
messenger, would've answered it's really cool. Kevin came on and
asked a bunch of questions. He's had his show the Kevin long show
for a while now. But like all of us.
00:01:38
Us. He still has a lot to learn each week will address concepts to
build and strengthen his podcast. Plus, I'll answer the questions
that came up for Kevin after listening to the latest episode of the
show, it's such a cool project. And I am really excited about it.
As we progress will track his downloads and other data to see if
our experiment is having an effect. I encourage you to listen and
try some of these concepts for your own shows. So this is a great
time to give my social media information. So you can get in
conversation with me too. You can find new media lab on Facebook by
searching at new media lab show. You can follow me on Twitter at
our Southgate or an Instagram at rob Southgate. Our networks
website is Southgate media group dot com where you can find this as
well. As over a hundred other podcasts, and blogs and videos.
There's just so much there. Finally, follow our newest endeavor on
Twitter at Indy podcast project and be sure to use the hashtag.
Support indie podcasts when post in your own shows or sharing
anything podcast related. Did you know that we have a patriot page
for those of you that don't know patriot. As a way for you to
support artists and content creators directly I've set one up for
the new media lab to help offset the cost of doing this podcast. I
don't see patriot as like a tip jar. It's a lot more than that in
order to provide value to the new media lab, patrons I asked
another question of each person, I interviewed that I'm not sharing
on the free version of the show only supporters on patron will get
those answers the question. How do you monetize?
00:03:19
Yeah. I know the big question that we all asking that. We get asked
all the time the answers, I got back were incredible. You don't
wanna miss out on these each week? I plan to post the answers to
the question by the guest featured on the free show exclusively for
supporters on patriot. I also plan to post unedited versions of
some of the. The interviews occasionally as well. My suggestion.
Pause this podcast, go to patriot dot com slash new media lab and
become a patron right now. After you've done that come on back and
listen to this episode. This week's guest is Brent hand from the
hysteria. Fifty one podcast. It's a great show. That is absolutely
killing it. I know Brent because he's a member of the Facebook
groups, Chicago, podcasters unite and Chicago podcasters both of
which I add men we met when we and his producer and wife. Lisa came
to a podcast or meet up that we had put on since then Brent ni- run
into each other constantly on the various podcast or groups that
were members of Brenton is co host John Goforth are building a
solid following. And have created a podcast. That is entertaining.
As it is unique. I am honored that Brent offered. His wonderful
insights to my thesis. And that he joined me for this interview.
Why don't you? Describe your podcast. Yes. I am the co host of
hysteria fifty one we've been doing it. We actually just had our
two year anniversary in September. We are a comedy.
00:04:48
I show we talk about conspiracy theories and the paranormal and the
strange and anything weird that we can think of we cover that. And
you can find us anywhere with Bod catchers, just look up hysteria
fifty one. We also have a Facebook page as everyone podcast
hysteria nation is a Facebook group and hysteria fifty-one dot com.
If in case you forget any of that stuff where easy to find. Okay.
So so Brent win. Did you start podcasting? So I started podcasting.
We started in late twenty fifteen my current show hysteria fifty
one we started in September of twenty sixteen. I had two shows
previously that didn't take off the show that it lasts the longest
before this was one called Radyr fad. And we went about six months
on it and hysteria fifty-one kind of took off. But so coming up on
three years for for solid podcasting. And how many episodes are you
posting in a month four we you wanna week we released a new episode
every Monday excellent. And is that consistent is at year round.
Yeah. Yeah. Every week. Yeah. Yeah. So so far we've never missed a
week fingers crossed stays up. Are you? I'm gonna ask another
question here and interpret this the way you want, right. Are you a
celebrity or is anyone associated with your podcast a celebrity?
I'm not even a household. Name of my own household now, I have not
as liberty. You know, people at the podcast and CUNY my know me
because I'm active, but no, I'm not a celebrity in any way, shape
or form.
00:06:28
And and your partner is not either. No, no, not at all. Not at all.
I wish I wish we would have because we we sure wouldn't of had to
of fought and clawed. And Doug to get to where we are. But no, no,
no, we are not. So that actually negates the next question, which
is where you celebrity when you're starting s. No, I was not I was
not do you feel like you're gaining celebrity at this point. We do
you know what? So my wife, and I we always judge that as far as
like, how many Facebook friends requests. So my wife is she helps
produces show we actually had to make her a fake Facebook page
because she got so many friend requests and stuff like that not a
fake one. But we made her like page, so I guess the more downloads
and the more publicity. We get we get a lot more people wanting to
reach out and talk to us and things like that. But I I definitely
wouldn't call it celebrity when you do show people wanna talk to
you people want to interact people wanna get to know you because I
think. I think that the difference between, you know, a lot of
things in podcasting is people feel that they really get to know
the person. And and because of that kind of leads into I want to
know this person, I want to be friends, I want to interact with
them. That's my own opinion.
00:07:43
I guess sure. Sure. Okay. Now, we're going to get into some of the
meat here. Sure. Do you think that gaining audience today is the
same as when you started this? We've been lucky in finding an
audience it's very vocal, and they love to share us. And that's
been one of our biggest things are audiences been big supporters.
That's something we'd locked into. We've tried as I said, you know,
I had ratified and we had a couple of shows before and we tried to
reproduce that. And didn't have the best. And and in ways, I guess
you could say it's easier because podcasting and podcast is so much
easier. Find and are a much bigger piece of the cultural zeitgeist,
I guess, you could say the flip side is there so many shows that's
hard to gain attention attraction, because you're you know, you're
in a sea of other shows. So it's kind of a double edged sword. But
you know, you go out and buy yourself a new car right now. And now,
they're putting podcast apps built into the stereos and stuff. So
that's not a that's not a bad thing. I'm so it's definitely easier.
At least you find podcasts. But it's still a lot of of them out
there. So yeah, I know that that I was reading a thing recently
that that most cars on the road or about twelve years old, which
means pod catchers or not there, which is one of the problems as it
becomes more prevalent in the automotive industry. It's going to
make it easier. It's going to be trouble for mainstream radio.
00:09:12
I have a feeling which we've already seen trouble for satellite
radio as well. Because they've got to change their game somewhat to
to adapt to this. As far as getting that attention. So so now,
we've got it. So it's easy to get in the hands of the listener.
Okay. The pipeline. Is there? How do we get their attention? So
that they know hysteria. Fifty one is there. So we have been.
Grassroots have people say, you know, we we have been when we
started. Let me let me preface this with with something when I
started I went to I'm in Chicago. I went to second city, and they
had a you wanna be a podcast. This is in two thousand fifteen that
a class like it's so easy. All you. Gotta do is ask your friends
and family there's hundreds of downloads in and of itself. So
really we start our podcast. We asked her friends and family. They
didn't listen they didn't give crap you know. And so, and so it's
such you know, everyone's got their own opinion of it. But we
started are one of the biggest things we've done in social media.
We're on Reddit. We're on Facebook Twitter on Instagram, Snapchat,
everywhere, and we just try to interact I try to interact every
day. And our Facebook page has been our Facebook group has been one
of the biggest things for people to be able to find us and talk
about us and we've done contests and giveaways and just really
trying to get the few people that we get in the beginning to
tell.
00:10:42
And they tell to friends, and they tell to friends, and that's
that's a big thing where we tried to make sure that we were
interacting with those people as much as possible kind of goes back
to what I was saying about people wanna know, you they want to get
to feel like they have, you know, interaction, and we give them
that. And I that's been a big thing for us. At least on our show is
the the back and forth interaction and asking ask people to do it.
We asked them all the time give us review tell a friend do this and
that and they do it. And that's been helpful for us. The other
thing that I know John, and I did that that a lot of people John
John Goforth by co host a lot of people have maybe don't do or
don't have the means to do enough as we've traveled to a lot of
different podcast movement. We went to podcast move in. And and.
Different promotions. We went on podcast cruise twenty seventeen
inches meaning other shows and trying to talk to other hosts and
people in the industry and get our name out there. So that they go.
Hey, didn't we talk to some guys from hysteria fifty one we're
wanting to do it an article, let's let's talk to them and we've
gotten written up in some things because of that. And that's been a
big help for us.
00:11:56
What are the three key things that you've done to grow your
audience? I think making it seem and making this true. Not just
seem that they're missing out if they are participating in social
media kind of like I talked about there's so much more there as far
as being able to talk to one another. And so but not just making
seem like I said making a true. So that you know, we're doing extra
things, and we always talk about the end of our episodes. They
we're going to be talking about this talking about that on our our
Facebook group or this and that the other, and I think that helps
us out a lot you know, is making it worthwhile for them to want to
interact outside of just the show. The other consistency. Once you
have an out an online community don't retreat, and it's not like
it's mission accomplished. You're just you're there to your fans.
Like, you said, we're not celebrities, but to them you are in a way
because they wanna talk to you. And that gives them a sense of
interaction and people love interaction. I think that's one of the
biggest things and make sure I guess third one. This is kind of
silly. But it's been in the the news lately. Make sure your
followers are real don't buy followers. Don't buy listens and stuff
because that's just an genius. And then you can see these people
that you know, when they have a group, and they have, you know, a
few thousand dollars, and they post something they get three likes
you like, you know. And I think that people in the industry that it
reached out and looking at other shows notice those things and
go.
00:13:28
Yeah. That doesn't that doesn't jive to me. And I think other
people do that to our notice it do you pay attention to things like
listen tie. Time general download numbers like fluctuation. There
is there as far as the data goes stuff. Like that. Is that stuff
that you guys pay attention to your you just keep going? We just
wanna go up there very much. So we always do we release on on a
Monday and on Thursday, we pull numbers I know that's a whole week.
But we just see that gives you know, you've had four days we always
look at those numbers and see. Outside of listen time. But you
know, how many gallons we have what we're at for thirty days for
the week. You know all-time listens. And then the other thing is
on. I have we have. And we haven't as far as checked listen time as
far as how many people kind of fluctuates. That's not something
that we would on our I keep a spreadsheet. So on every Thursday. I
I keep track of all the numbers and we've done that since we
started. And listen time isn't as much from the we go back and look
at because I don't wanna be seen people. Listen to two minutes of
the show and don't so we are losing. But the last time we were like
seventy eight percent of the show. So that's pretty good. I think
the, you know, if you're getting at least three quarters of the
show, you're you know, you're getting through.
00:14:48
What are three key social media practices to build an audience? So
number one is just asking the people to be part of the social
media. I know that sounds silly. But I know so many people, and I
talked I, you know, I'm in groups with other broadcasts, and they
go well and didn't want to inundate people. I don't wanna make them
feel weird. It's not making them feel weird. You're asking your
audience to grow help them. Do it. You know, ask them to be a part
of it. And give them a reason why you know. So, you know, join our
X Y group because we're gonna be talking about this that or the
other. The second one would be I, you know, make it worth while
outside stuff. We've done a lot. I went back and forth in this with
a lot of people. But we've done giveaways, just stickers shirts and
stuff. We do it all the time. Coloring contests for Halloween. You
know, silly things like that people go crazy about because they
really like it and is interacting with them. And the other thing
that I do because I love podcasting. And I think it helps us is I'm
on a lot of other pages. And I don't talk about hysteria fifty one,
but I go to other people's pages than I interact, and I tried to to
help them and talk and things like that. And I think that that
makes them go.
00:16:03
Hey, you know, this this Brenes Mystere fifty one you should check
them out. I'm not doing it because of that. But I think it does
come through, you know, and I think just being active in the
community, not just your own community grows your community. Do you
have a social media strategy that you work with or is there is it
just kind of like, hey, here the places we're gonna put stuff, and
we wanna make sure we post every day. So you don't simple like
that. Or do you go Monday Tuesday Thursday? We post polls
Wednesdays we do when we started out. We very much had a, you know.
Okay. So. A new episode comes out on Monday than we do. A we make
her own me mon-, Tuesday and Bubba blonde Wednesday. And and we did
that. But now since I can spend so much more time on there. I think
it comes off more organic when I'm just on there every day, and I'm
adding to it, and it probably in the back of my head and not
realizing it, but I'm posting similar things every week. But it's
not done on purpose. We very much did in the beginning. I don't
think that's a bad thing. Because it gets you used to using your
social media because a lot of people have a page, and there's
nothing on there. I was just recently on on another shows page, and
I said, hey, when you post a show how about you posted a link here.
So people can listen to it. They said that's a great idea. It's
crazy to think that you gotta do that. But you gotta do that for
some people, you know. And and and there's nothing wrong. You don't
know when you start out you might not know what you're supposed to
do. So I think that having a strategy in the beginning. He should
always have a strategy. The having any strategy in the begin.
00:17:37
Inning of you know, I should post this that and the other we'll
help you Intel becomes habit. You know, and the ones that's your
habit than this your go to and this is I know I'm going to do this
every day now with your social media presence right now, you
mentioned you're on red at you're on Facebook, can you lay out
basically? So what platforms what is getting original content? So
the reason I ask that is some people use Instagram, they put it
behind the scenes picture, and they let to everything else. I know
read at your starting conversation. I know your Facebook group
because I'm a member of of of your group. You're putting original
things. How is that broken down kind of? And what firms are you
going across? So the biggest one that we probably neglect is our
regular Facebook page because we post our stuff to their when I
post on Instagram, I post original, photos, Instagram. I let them a
lot of times. Go to our Facebook page. So I'm definitely on
Instagram on read at we're just usually more for we post, our
episodes. If we get in an article or a new source, we we post
things like that on their hysteria nation, which is our Facebook
group is definitely the one that we do the most original content.
That's you know, outside of just are episode and stuff. That's
where if I'm finding articles and things I I'm posting it there
more than anywhere else. Because that's where we have. You know, a
lot of a lot of participation.
00:18:58
So I would say Instagram and our Facebook group get the most
original content, and we try to post photos on Instagram that we
don't post on don't always share on Facebook our Facebook page and
definitely not on our discussion group just so that they have a
reason to want to go there. What about Twitter to use that at all
we are on Twitter? And I am I I'm very active as far as reach weedy
and commenting and stuff like that. We don't get we have a few
thousand followers. I don't get a ton of traction on there. And I
talked to a lot of other shows, and that's their go to maybe it's
my age. I don't know. I think. Just pop stuff on. Yeah. I do. I pop
exactly I pops up on there. And I try to do it. You know, a couple
of times a day or to be active stuff like that. But we don't get
the interaction that that we get on Facebook that a lot of people
say they love, and they get tons of interaction on there. It's
escaped us at least so far. But yes, I am on there. And we do use
it. Do you do any video elements to what you do? So we used to and
we posted to YouTube quite a bit just, you know, we we would always
just your show. Well, so we did both just the show every every week
on the show we would use. We would we would convert it into a just
a video, then we did, you know on boxing, videos, and behind the
scene tours and things like that. And we got decent numbers. But
also got a lot of trolls. You know, we got a lot of people that
have nothing, you know, to do with the show we're talking and now
since we've went onto the new network that we've joined.
00:20:43
We had to take down our our whole channel, you know, everything
that we had on there that wasn't just original behind the scenes,
and we took everything down at this moment. What is the secret of
your podcast success? I would say probably one of the best things
is John. And I have known each other for thirty plus years, you
know, we've been friends for a long time. And we're doing something
that we both like we're not we always like to say that we're skept
skeptically optimistic about the things we talked about. But we
also love what we're talking about. We have a lot of fun with it.
And so because we know each other for thirty plus years, we've got
a pretty good back and forth. And I think that comes out in the
show because we've been friends for so long and be able to rely on
another and there were the others going, especially in the show,
that's mostly improvised. We have an outline we know we're going to
talk about, but we make sure that we know the topic. And we just
see kind of where it leads us. That's a huge key to us and a lot
of. People always say, you know, or one of the things I like
hearing from people when they tell us is like, oh, you know, you
guys you can see you guys really know each other and you're very
comfortable talking to one another. And I think that that comes
through and helps helps quite a bit. But that's not something
that's easily. You know, not everyone's going to know their hosts
for you know, for that long. And that's not some hasta take that
long. We're just lucky in that. And then aspect in your opinion.
What's the next big thing? And podcasting. I think that the big
thing that's coming outside of just what's in our control is better
tech from better apps. You know, better you I and recommendations
for more advanced metrics more advertising opportunities. It's time
for them to shoot a grow up, and it is slowly. But I think that's
the next big thing. As far as I don't know. Exactly, what that
looks like, you know, but you know, better metric, so we can
breakdown shows, you know, I wish that all hosting companies use
the same.
00:22:46
What is it called them metrics or whatever, you know, not metrics,
but they use the same form ZOA. Download with this host counts as a
download with that. Right. The same compliance, and they don't, but
hopefully that we can get that in the future. Apps. You know,
there's no great every app that's out. There has a fault. I tunes
is really fallen behind. And you know, we're we're having issues
with iheartradio. Not not always updating a Google their new app
has been not updating us, you know, things like that and the search
function and a lot of them is very much lacking. So I think and if
someone could come out with an fantastic app, I think it would
really help out. And the other thing is finding advertising
doesn't, you know require the show to have, you know, fifty
thousand dollars a month one hundred thousand dollars a month that
the that they can work in that. If that means, you know, more shows
if you want that not ever show wants advertising, but if you want
that ability outside of like advertise cast or something like that.
I think that's something that's gonna come in the future. And how
about some shows be able to do it? There shows longer. You know,
part is, you know, not getting burnout because the money dries up,
you know, in your in your hobby pocket stuff like that. I told you
brand had a lot of great ideas. I encourage you all to subscribe to
hysteria. Fifty one to follow him across social media. There's a
lot more to this interview. But like I stood before I'm only
sharing the answers to the questions for my thesis on this show as
with each of these interviews, I try to leave with three key
takeaways. The three that stood out to me from Brant, our number
one interact on social media, everyday to add real value to the
content you offer outside of the show and three consistency.
00:24:44
Yeah. We hear that constantly. Don't wait. I love this quote. He
said don't retreat once you're there. So what are your takeaways?
What it Brent say that affected your business and content creation
going forward? Share your thoughts on the Facebook thread for this
episode. I would love to read your insights, you can find Brent and
his website hysteria. Fifty one dot. Dot com. Make sure to follow
hysteria fifty one on Facebook and join their Facebook group
hysteria nation, it's a blast. Find his show on your favorite
podcast app. Be iheart radio. I tunes Google podcast, Stitcher.
Tune in radio be sure to subscribe and give his show a great review
while you're at it. Please subscribe to new media lab with Robert
Southgate wherever you listen to your podcast. You can Email the
show at Southgate small business at gmaiLcom. New media lab is on
Facebook. Simply search for new media lab xo our networks website
is Southgate media group dot com where you can find this as well as
over a hundred other podcasts, plus blogs, videos information about
our live events are more and just so much more. If you wanna follow
me, personally, I'm on Twitter at our Southgate or on Instagram at
rob Southgate, support this show and get awesome extra content by.
I becoming a patron go to patriot dot com slash new media lab and
choose your tier please rate and review this show on whatever
service. You subscribe to podcasts on it really helps others find
the show and tells me if you like what I'm doing here, and please
share the show on all your social media. Tell your friends tell
your family tell your enemies, we'll take care of them too. You can
find new media lab on June's, Google podcasts Stitcher Spotify tune
in radio and really hopefully anywhere else that distributes
podcasts. If you can't find us, let me know. And I'll rectify that
situation all this plus more links will be in the show notes and on
our website. So don't worry if he didn't have a pen to write this
all down. Thank you again to Brent hand for helping me on my thesis
and for being such an incredible guest. That's it for this week's
show everyone. The next episode of creators lab will drop on
Tuesday. And we'll be back with our next guest.
00:27:07
On new media lab on Thursday until then get out there and create
something.