In a world of doom scrolling and quick fixes, how do you get someone to actually stay on your content long enough to turn them into fans or listen to what you have to say?

One element that makes a huge difference is the music that you use in your content.

Music creates the vibe. It immediately gives the viewer or listener something to grab onto, and it sets them up for the experience that they’re going to have with your content. 

But here's the problem: finding music that elevates your content rather than making it sound like everyone else's is genuinely challenging.

"Do I really sound like that?" 

After editing thousands of hours of podcast content at Bamby Media, I can tell you this reaction is universal. It’s so common to have that moment of vocal horror when you hear your recorded voice for the first time. The way you think you sound can often be very different to how you actually sound, and it can be really confronting.

After producing thousands of hours of podcast content and working with content creators at every level, I can tell you this: most vocal problems in recordings are completely preventable. That throat clearing, those relentless ummms, the weird clicking sounds and mouth noises that make you cringe during playback - they're all symptoms of skipping a few simple warm-ups before hitting record.

Professional voice artists never record cold. Neither should you.

Joe Rogan's $250 million Spotify deal and Smartless' $100 million Sirius XM contract aren't just industry anomalies - they're proof of podcasting's massive revenue potential. In fact, the podcasting industry is now a 7.2 billion dollar industry and counting. Here’s my snapshot breakdown just for you.

Let's cut straight to the point: the Shure MV7 Plus positions itself as the Swiss Army knife of microphones. With both XLR and USB capabilities in one sleek package, it's targeting everyone from podcast beginners to audio professionals. But after putting it through rigorous testing at Bamby Media's production studio, I can tell you exactly where it shines and where it falls short.

To audio podcast or video podcast…that is the question.

It is in fact, the question that I get the most during consultations with potential (or existing) clients. 

They’re trying to make a decision as to whether an audio only podcast fits their needs, or whether they need to invest in video and it’s all a bit confusing.

I will say straight up - there is no one size fits all answer to this as every show is different, and their goals are different. But there are a few key points that are worth taking into consideration when you’re trying to make this decision for yourself.