The Communicate Influence Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Sheelagh Caygill and Mariya Delano, CEO of Kalyna Marketing, explore the evolving role of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing and creativity.

Mariya discusses how she integrates AI into workflows. Kalyna Marketing uses AI for streamlining admin tasks, automating repetitive processes, and enhancing efficiency in areas such as data analysis, scheduling, and customer segmentation.

But Mariya warns that marketers and content creators who rely too heavily on AI for content creation are taking huge risks with their own or a client's business.

Mariya uses the Greek framework of the types of persuasionin her analysis of the current state of gen AI: logos and pathos. Logos was logic, facts, and information while pathos was emotion and feeling.

Mariya sees so many marketers missing the value of the pathos, which makes content worthwhile. Gen AI can make content look and feel good, but nobody remembers it. It feels empty.

AI content, she says, is missing the heart, the pathos, and the feeling.

AI is never going to get the best results or deliver the things that truly make an impact. You can't have brand recognition, brand authority, or long-term brand trust with AI, because it's regurgitating information from everybody else,  whether it be a Nabokov novel in the 50s or Joe Smith writing a blog post three months ago in your competitor's blog.

Mariya explains that gen AI lacks cohesive emotion driving the creative process. With a human heart is behind creation, the creative process is tied together through the emotion of the writer, the artist, or the editor.

Resources & links from Mariya:

From Alex Birkett on the business and SEO impacts of AI use and what will matter in content going forward.

By Julie Angwin, breaking down hype around AI and common myths promoted by AI vendors.

MIT Tech Review article by Scott J Mulligan about how AI output quality reduces when it's trained on poor quality materials, and that as time goes on and more of the internet becomes AI generated, the quality of AI tools will likely go down .

Research from Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR). DAIR looks at AI a lot more critically and holistically in terms of harms to marginalized populations, impact on human lives, and imagining more ethical, alternative frameworks for AI. 

ThreatLabs AI Security report with good stats about the amount of cybersecurity issues from common AI tools, and the second section detailing how AI use can be security threats is extremely interesting for any marketer.

Mariya sees this trend playing out over and over - namely the ways that authenticity on the internet (specifically on YouTube) got commodified and emulated to the point of losing the initial spark and connection with creators that made this kind of content effective to begin with. This video is an older essay on the subject.

"No One Makes Good Video Essays Anymore" - a video about commodification of educational content, the point of an essay, and how artistic sensibilities and taste can get harmed while chasing algorithms.

A masterful short YouTube video on a conservative Twitter cartoon and DOGE, but it actually makes one of the most profound points about AI - as the video goes on, the creator strips more and more parts of it that are "inefficient", stripping it down to the laziest, simplest to produce version by the end. Mariya got chills seeing how much the quality dropped and how much the magic disappeared. "When we automate things because they don't seem essential, this is the kind of appeal our work loses," she observes.

A LinkedIn article from Mark Stouse, noting how our current AI technology reflects what is easiest to make, not what might be most helpful and that trying to make computers approximate human intelligence is limiting, thinking about what we can get computers to do to COMPLEMENT humans instead is much more interesting and valuable.

The AI Quality Coup - by Julie Zhuo asks what constitutes quality work in the age of AI.

In the first full episode of season two of the Communicate Influence podcast, I have an engaging conversation with Bob Pickard, public relations counsel to names in the news and leadership communication authority, on the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in PR and communications.

Bob, a seasoned PR professional, shares insights from his lecture late last year at Boston University, emphasizing that while AI is revolutionizing PR practices with tools like ChatGPT, the core principles of the profession remain unchanged.

Bob highlights how AI enhances PR work by enabling faster and more strategic decision-making. For instance, he uses ChatGPT as a "PR muse" to generate ideas, refine strategies, and assist in crisis management by providing actionable insights. However, he stresses that AI should not replace human judgment. He advises against relying on AI for final edits or public-facing content, as it lacks the nuanced understanding of tone, ethics, and human connection essential in PR.

We delve into the dichotomy between AI’s potential and its limitations. Bob notes that while AI can amplify creativity and efficiency—helping PR professionals craft smarter campaigns—it cannot replicate the depth of human relationships or the experience accumulated over decades. He underscores the importance of maintaining a "human voice" in corporate communications and ensuring rigorous fact-checking to avoid errors or "hallucinations" in AI-generated content.

Bob also explores the ethical challenges posed by AI. They express concerns about the misuse of generative AI for spreading misinformation or propaganda, particularly by malicious actors. Bob calls for stronger ethical governance to address these risks, warning that technology is advancing faster than the frameworks needed to regulate it.

We touch on how AI is reshaping industry dynamics. Bob predicts that commoditized PR services will diminish as organizations increasingly use AI internally for routine tasks. However, agencies and professionals who prioritize relationship-building and deliver bespoke, high-value services will thrive. He emphasizes that human connections remain irreplaceable in PR, as they foster trust and understanding that technology cannot replicate.

Finally, Bob reflects on the evolving media landscape, likening AI’s integration into search engines and social media to previous media revolutions like television and radio. He concludes with a hopeful message: while AI is a powerful tool, the essence of PR lies in human creativity, ethical practice, and meaningful relationships—qualities that technology cannot replace.

In this week's episode, we have an incredibly valuable conversation with Kim Scaravelli, about how to manage your Twitter account in just 30 minutes a day.

Kim, a communications pro and owner of trust communications in Halifax, Canada, is an expert when it comes to social media. She shares tremendous value in this episode. In fact, it's almost like a free Twitter management class!

If you're new to social media, or feeling overwhelmed, and spending too much time on Twitter, you'll definitely get a lot out of this episode.

Key points from Kim:

• If your ideal audience isn't on Twitter, you don't need to be there
• Twitter has a voracious appetite. So there's really no point in taking your brand onto Twitter, if you are going to tweet once or twice a week
• Understand your brand voice before tweeting
• Use a content calendar, such as Buffer
• Tweet at least eight times a day
• Offer your followers value, don't keep tweeting ads for your product or service
• At least four times a day, retweet something by someone else, and don't just retweet, comment on it so your followers understand why your retweeting the content
• Timeless tweets often give more value.

Kim also covers other points about doing impactful shoutouts, and be sure to interact with those who have interacted with you.

Says Kim: "At the end of the day, it's social media, it's not torture media. If this is the most stressful part of your day, you spend, you know, two hours a day doing social media and six hours a day complaining about it, stop!

"Once you actually get that hang of it, and you're actually talking to people, you're having conversations with people, then it's fun," she explains. "It's just like a coffee date. Or it's just like saying 'Hi' to somebody in the bank lineup. Relaxing is one of the keys to success on any kind of social media."

You can find Kim on Twitter at twitter.com/KimScaravelli, and at Trust Communications.

This episode is sponsored by the Published Author Podcast. If you're an entrepreneur who wants to publish a nonfiction book to grow your business, then this is the podcast you've been waiting for. The Published Author Podcast will help you become an author and show you how to build a thought leadership system around your book. With this, you can grow your business land speaking gigs, grow your tribe, and lots more. Go to Published Author for more details!

Despite the pandemic, the podcasting industry had a good year in 2021, with lots of new content, and a record in advertising spend.

Podcasting and radio industry expert James Cridland is today's guest on this episode of The Communicate Influence Podcast. He takes a look at some of the emerging trends already visible in the first few weeks of this new year, and looks at what may lie ahead. 

He foresees a robust year, with more exciting and diverse content on the horizon.  Key areas of focus in this episode:

• The impact of Amazon's purchase of Wondery 
• Amazon will make more acquisitions in 2021
• Spotify's growth, and competitor attempts to keep pace
• Why privacy will be a growing issue in the coming year
• Podcast advertising revenue's continued growth
• Growth of other revenue streams, such as pod merch
• The types of shows people will probably want to listen to in coming months
• QR codes have had a resurgence in that they are a simple way of letting people subscribe to a podcast show
• Why podcasts that are no longer updated aren't a concern. Known as 'podfade', this can be due to the fact that it's a limited series.

Be sure to check out James' newsletter/podcast Podnews, and his new podcast show Podland.news , hosted by James and Sam Sethi.

It's hard to believe that not every leader is a good communicator.

Our guest Nick Meir explains that this is because we think of communication as mostly spoken. But in Nick's view, communication is essentially the "movement of information" and so body language and micro-expressions are part of that movement of information.

With this definition, it's easy to see how a leader's body language can impact a workplace culture and even subjugate people.

Leaders have to be aware of their blind spots and micro-expressions. Employees will notice everything about a leader, because they are always looking for information. And if there is an absence of information or a vacuum, employees will fill in the gaps.

"Leadership is about great communication, that movement of information, and that always has to be positive," explains Nick. "That doesn't mean it always has to be good news, but it should be a positive exchange, regardless of the message."

Nick explains that this is partly due to the way the brain is wired. Humans are wired to detect subtle clues, especially from first impressions.

The second important takeaway from this episode is that leaders must be aware of their audience. Everyone who has achieved success in the world has understood their audience, what makes them tick, and how to engage them. That's what successful businesses and leaders do as well. They then talk about what their audience cares about.

Nick believes leaders should always ask themselves "Why should they care?" before they speak, and if they can answer that question, they will be successful. As well, be who you are, be yourself, and be pragmatic, be honest and be open.

Leaders who are autocratic tend to create a culture of fear. So becoming self-aware is a process that leaders have to want to be. If leaders put on a persona when they arrive in the office, or behave differently in different situations, then employees will detect this.

Blame culture is one of the worst manifestations of a dysfunctional workplace culture. "When you see hundreds of people being copied in on an email, you know that there is a real problem of fear and blame in that work environment."

Being a leader is a very lonely job, Nick adds. There are only a few people who a leader will trust, and that's just part of the job. So in that sense there is a distance between the leader and their team.

Communication is all about sitting back and relaxing, and delivering information in your way, in your words, and in your style. Good leaders also have to be great listeners, because again, listening is communication as it is moving information from one place to another. Bill Clinton is a memorable example of great listening, because people always remember how attentive he was when he listened.

If comms people try to map a leadership style onto a leader, it often doesn't work. Leaders have to establish their own voice.

About Nick Meir:

Nick moved from being a journalist at the BBC into communications. He held various roles before launching his own agency, A House Called Alice, based in London, UK. Nick delivers executive coaching, training, and corporate journalism for several high-profile global clients.

You can find Nick on LinkedIn.

This episode is sponsored by the Digital Assistant Academy - Setting the Standard in Voice Technology Learning

Every year across the world, hundreds of journalists move from the newsroom or the classroom into the world of PR, communications, or marketing.

The good ones possess great storytelling skills, and know how to get information out of people.

However, communications and marketing are very different worlds form journalism, and journalists must develop a whole new set of traits to succeed in these industries. For example, patience, diplomacy, likability, and teamwork are highly valued in comms and marketing.

If you're a journalist thinking about making the move, Nick Meir has a lot of guidance and pointers for you in this episode.

He also discusses current issues in communications, working with the c-suite, and employee engagement.

Nick moved from being a journalist at the BBC into communications. He held various roles before launching his own agency, A House Called Alice, based in London, UK. Nick delivers executive coaching, training, and corporate journalism for several high-profile global clients.

You can find Nick on LinkedIn.

Influencer marketing is fast replacing many marketing tactics. It's such a flexible option that can be used on many levels. Small and large agencies can employ it, as can businesses and individuals.

In fact, the chances are that you've already used influencer marketing and don't realize it. For example, having a contact share your content with their Twitter following of thousands, or receiving a LinkedIn recommendation from someone with a greater profile than yours, are both forms of influencer marketing; in effect, you're using someone's influence to lift your profile.

Neal Schaffer explores the depth and breadth of influencer marketing in his new book, The Age of Influence. Neal is a social media marketer, corporate trainer, educator, keynote speaker, and author of three other books.

The Communicate Influence Podcast show connected with Neal last week to discuss his impressive new book. 

This is a meaty episode, running for 52 minutes. But not a word is wasted! Neal discusses so much of value in this episode, including:

• The role of social media in influencer marketing
• The power of word of mouth
• Employees as influencers
• Email marketing
• Influencer marketing and SEO
• Why influencer marketing works.

Connect with Neal at nealschaffer.com or on LinkedIn. 

Podcasting is significantly changing journalism, which has been affected a great deal by lack of investment and a declining audience in recent years.

In this episode we speak with Toronto podcast producer and journalist Kathleen Goldhar on the impact podcasting continues to have on journalism

"I don't think you can do anything without a podcast anymore," Kathleen observes. "Every news organization has one, CBC has one . . . whether it's an original podcast where they do a lot of an amazing work or all the shows are sent out on a podcasting format.

"So podcasting is as much a part of journalism has print, as digital storytelling, and as TV news is like, there's just no separating it now."

She adds that a lot of people don't read a lot online, and so this makes podcasting an essential part of journalism.

Kathleen says that there is no one thing that makes a journalistic podcast stand out.

But the intimacy that a podcast allows for between host and listener is a key aspect of a good podcast.

"What podcasting and what audio does is it just goes straight into your brain because it's so intimate. So it's a chance to hear the people, it's a chance to hear them interact with the journalists a lot of times, which is really nice."

Kathleen says that it's essential to pay attention to your audience and think their information needs.

"Most people are listening to podcasts while they are doing something else. If you make me stop and ask who's that character? or What did he do again, or Who's this person, then you've lost me. And if that happens too many times, I'm going to turn off the podcast.

"So, as complicated as podcast stories can be, and nuanced and smart, they also have to be quite straightforward and simple. We're not reading, so we can't go back. We're not having the extra advantage of a visual reminder like you do in television," Kathleen explains. "I'm not going to make notes while I'm listening to a podcast. So I need the story itself to unfold in a very practical and a very simple way."

She adds that this doesn't mean that a podcast has to be dumbed-down. Instead, podcasters have to really think about the listener and how prepared they are to be joining you on the story.

"This is a big part of the quality for me, that's when I know that it's produced well . . . when I never have that problem (of losing the thread of the story), and the podcaster is always helping me if I do need to go back in my mind to a character that was introduced a few episodes ago," she adds.

Kathleen recommends that if you want to be a podcaster or podcast producer, the best thing you can do is listen to as many podcasts as possible.

"You should listen to a lot. I think there's a lot of people who don't listen to podcasts and then say they want to make a podcast," she notes. "And then when you're listening, spend some time thinking to yourself, why did that work for me? Why didn't it work for me? What are the pleat places that I can find inspiration? What do I want to stay away from? Is that kind of thing?"

You can find Kathleen on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

This episode sees host Sheelagh Caygill talk to branding pro Jack Fussell. He's worked with hundreds of businesses on brand strategy, and knows what makes a brand great.

Branding is so much bigger than a logo, website, or business card. Jack says at the end of the day, the most simple version of understanding what a brand is, is what your customers feel about you.

"When they, when you say the name of your company, or you say the name of your brand, or you say the name of, you know, if your individual, you say your own name, what do people think?

"Are they like, 'Oh my gosh. Yes. That's amazing!'."

The work of brand building, the work of branding in and of itself is really just building up all of that.

"Visual identity is a part of that. I mean, you, there, you know, if your, if your logo looks outdated or, you know, it looks, you know, you're some cool like motorcycle company, but if you're logo looks like a tech logo from the 1990s then it changes the way people perceive you.," says Jack. 

Branding is very much a feeling thing. We develop our feelings about a brand based on our experiences with an organization. It's not a rational thing.  

Jack says that a brand strategy session is different with every organization. He says the first thing is to understand the customers, whey they are thinking, their views, and preferences. 

"When that customer is sitting there looking for something online or they're searching through an app or whatever, what are they thinking? What are they feeling? What do they experience amazing?"

The secret of a brand is understanding what makes the company unique and understanding what the biggest needs and values of the customers are.

For companies with reputation issues, a new logo, new website, new letterhead is not going to fix this problem.

Jack says empathy is actually the heart of branding. Brands that do really well - it is all about empathy. It's all about putting yourself in the place of the other person. It's understanding how they feel.  Empathy is actually like wearing someone else's emotions.  

"If they're excited, we become excited. Like we really do! We really do put ourselves in the place of that customer.

"And, you know, one of our favorite brands is Disney. We love to go to the parks. It's just, I get to be a kid again.

"You can tell that they've built their entire brand around empathy, that they understand when someone, you know, Well, just every part of it from the moment you call in to the way that they, um, you know, they just explain everything so carefully."

Jack Fussell is a brand strategist with Campfire Social. Find him on Linkedin. Listen to his podcast, Onward Creatives. 

Many podcast transcripts are uploaded to podcast websites with the belief that they benefit search engine optimization.
But is this true? Carl Robinson, founder of Tizz Tech and host of the Voice Tech podcast, has used and then removed transcripts, and saw no difference in traffic figures. I had a similar experience.
The issue could come down to the quality of transcriptions generated by platforms such as Otter and Descript. They need improvement - a human has to remove errors while adding speaker names, subheads, and pull-out quotes.
Paying someone to do the work adds a cost for independent podcasters, who often podcast without a budget.
However, there is a reason to add transcripts or closed captions to episodes - for the hard of hearing. A recent class action lawsuit against Gimlet Media has brought this issue back into focus.
In the complaint, filed last week in New York, plaintiff Kahlimah Jones argues that Gimlet violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide closed captioning on various podcasts.
In this episode we explore the use of transcripts, and whether every podcaster should include them with their episodes.
Carl Robinson's agency is Tizz Tech, and his Voice Tech Podcast is here: https://voicetechpodcast.com/. And you can find him on LinkedIn and Twitter.