Prologue
How Did You Get That Voiceover Gig?
In podcasting and voiceover work, sometimes good things happen when (and where) you least expect them.
For example ... I know a guy who was one of the Budweiser frogs and got that gig because he was walking down the hall when somebody in the recording studio at his ad agency pulled him inside to record "Bud."
The infamous "You've Got Mail!" tag from AOL was recorded to cassette and the guy got that gig from his wife, who was working for AOL's predecessor at the time. More info on that story below ...
The guy whistling in this Corona Beer commercial was going over the melody he was about to play on guitar, whistling to himself, when the engineer said, "Do that again!"
That guy is the producer for my radio show, by the way.
There are many interesting stories like this in the world of podcasting and voiceover.
Do you have one? Let me know via Mastodon, Bluesky, or Threads.
Don't have one, but want one? Keep showing up! The more you do, the more opportunities you have.
By the way, I have a similar story about my voiceover with Steve Martin. For that story, get the audio version of this newsletter.
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Podcaster Opportunities
Bluesky adds 1,000,000 new users in a week
Bluesky was created by the same guy who created Twitter.
If you're not on Bluesky yet, now is a great time to sign up. In the last week, over a million people have joined and engagement is at an all-time high.
Join Bluesky and let's connect.
And while you're joining new social networks, sign up for Mastodon.
Twitter loses users this week ...
Austrian Airlines left Twitter earlier this week, leaving behind a witty photo of a cabin crew member with the caption, "We took a moment to locate our nearest X-it."
Other companies, like the Guardian made similar moves.
I get it—Twitter isn't what it was. Engagement, for most, is at an all-time low and there are far more bots.
If you're interested an "X-it" yourself and don't want to leave a digital footprint, Tweet Deleter can handle everything for you.
But should you? I share more thoughts and what I did on the audio version of this newsletter.
The quick and dirty ... Keep the account, but make it "private." Leave a message like "Link in bio for the podcast, books, and up-to-date info" with a the link to something like this.
Podcasting News
How Many Voters Did Trump and Harris Reach via Podcasts?
I know, I know. The election is over and most people are sick of hearing about it. Still, because we work in podcasting, I think it's important to look at how effective the candidates' podcast interviews were, now that we know the results of the election.
Less than 30% of voters were reached.
But reaching overall voters wasn't the point, because most people made up their minds about whom to vote for long ago and weren't going to switch teams. The candidates went on podcasts to reach undecided and unlikely voters, not just people who were eligible to vote.
Podcasts reach a specialized audience that's difficult for other media to reach. Remember this when you're selling sponsorships and price them accordingly.
With this said, the general numbers were substantial. Estimates are that Trump reached 23.5 million Americans 18+ in an average week and Harris reached 6.4 million Americans.
Podcast Humor
The Best Microphone for Podcasting
If you're ever feeling lonely and want to meet other podcasters, get on Facebook and make a post about the mic you use. Within a few seconds, podcasters will come from everywhere to let you know your mic sucks and recommend something else.
But the truth about microphones is ... The best mic is the one you use.
A couple of weeks ago, I shared 3 Ways to Make a Cheap Mic Sound Better. If you don't like the quality of your audio, start there, before buying another mic.
More tips to make the mic you have sound better on the audio version of this newsletter.
Podcaster Spotlight
The Voice of AOL's "You've Got Mail" Greeting Has Passed
The man who voiced America Online’s famous “You’ve got mail” greeting has died at age 74. Elwood Edwards died Tuesday at his home in New Bern, North Carolina.
He was also the voice of AOL’s “Welcome,” “Goodbye” and “File’s Done” messages.
He made $200 from the recordings, which he captured on cassette. A few years ago, a video of Elwood driving for Uber went viral.
But there were a lot of non-monetary payoffs ...
- At AOL's height, 35 million people heard his voice each day
- He made an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2015
- He added his voice to an episode of The Simpsons in 2000 (where he provided the voice of a virtual doctor, saying "You've got leprosy.")
How He Got the AOL Gig
In 1989, Edwards's wife, an employee for online service Q-Link, overheard company CEO Steve Case (founder of AOL) describe how he wanted to add a voice to its user interface. She recommended her husband for the job.
Do you have a good "how I got the gig" story? Let me know via Mastodon, Bluesky, or Threads.
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The Wrap Up
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