Matt shares his experience using capabilities of Google's Notebook LM to generate a podcast episode based on his book, "PEERtainment," in just minutes.
The generated podcast delves into his book's insights on the evolving landscape of social media and content creation, emphasizing the shift towards "PEERtainment"—professional quality content created by everyday people. And you won't believe it wasn't written by human hands.
The hosts discuss the democratization of media and how creators no longer need millions of followers to make an impact. They highlight the importance of audience retention, watch time, and session time in the new content world, offering practical tips on how to hook viewers and keep them engaged. The episode also covers the role of AI in content creation, suggesting that AI can enhance rather than replace human creativity.
Listeners are encouraged to embrace their unique voice and connect authentically with their audience. Matt provides actionable advice for content creators, including knowing your audience, leveraging curiosity, comedy, and connection, and using AI tools to expand reach. The episode concludes with a reminder that consistency and authenticity are key to success in the purtainment era.
Everybody, welcome back to digital marketing masters. I'm your host, Matt Rouse. And we have a special AI episode today. I was checking out notebook l m. And if you haven't tried this yet, it's pretty amazing technology. So you just go to notebooklm.google.com or just type notebooklm into Google. I went in and it does a bunch of stuff but the the interesting part, that I'm gonna show you today is that you could drop in, you can use websites or you can use other materials, PDFs, you know, documents, that kind of thing. What I did is I dropped my entire puretainment book that I wrote last year, And then I clicked audio overview and it generated a almost 10 minute podcast based on the book. And I listened to it and the digital voices, I mean there's there's a little bit of of weirdness when they laugh or something like that, but for the most part they're pretty good. But that's not the impressive part. The impressive part is the actual script that it created from the book and this took me minutes.
I I went to it. I logged in just with my Google account. Right? I uploaded the book. I clicked the button and this is what it generated with no editing. So today's podcast is made about my book, PEERtainment, by notebook l m from Google Labs. So check it out.
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Okay. So you've sensed it too. Right? Social media just feels
[00:01:59] Narrator AI:
different. Different how? Like it's not dead or anything. Yeah. Not dead but not the same game either. It's like Yeah. Everyone's figured out the old tricks. Like that whole go viral thing. I feel like that's practically vintage internet at this point. Totally. And this book, PEERtainment,
[00:02:13] AI Narrator #1:
it digs into that shift, argues it's not just a phase, it's a full on transformation.
[00:02:18] Narrator AI:
A transformation,
[00:02:20] AI Narrator #1:
Like blockbuster to Netflix level change. Exactly. One minute you're rewinding VHS tapes, the next you're binge watching whatever you want, that kind of shift. But for the whole online content world. Makes sense. Everything's on fast forward these days.
[00:02:34] Narrator AI:
So what's this new world order? What do they call it? They call it, get this, PEERtainment. PEERtainment. Okay. I kinda like it, but what's it actually mean?
[00:02:41] AI Narrator #1:
Basically, it's professional quality content,
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but made by people like you and me. For people like you and me. So it's like that whole democratization of media thing, but leveled up. Exactly.
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And here's the kicker. You don't need millions of followers to make a splash anymore. Really? Because that was always my biggest hang up. Like, who has time to build an audience that big? Right. But the book says, just having a 100 subscribers on YouTube puts you ahead of, like, 75% of other channels. A 100. Get out. Seriously. See, now that feels doable. But how do you even stand out? Yeah. With everyone and their grandma making content these days, what makes someone stop scrolling and actually press play on your video?
[00:03:24] Narrator AI:
That's the $1,000,000 question, isn't it? And luckily, the book dives deep into this thing called audience retention. Audience retention.
[00:03:31] AI Narrator #1:
Sounds important. So, like, how long people actually watch your stuff? Well, bingo.
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It's basically the metric that matters most in this new PEERtainment world. Okay. But why? Why is it such a big deal? Imagine you pour your heart and soul into this amazing 10 minute video. Lights, camera, the works. Now imagine people clicking away after 60 seconds.
[00:03:54] AI Narrator #1:
Oh, shit. My ego would be bruised. But I guess it's more than just that. Right? Way more. The longer people watch, the more the platform's algorithms love you. And the more people those platforms show your content to. Exactly. It's like a snowball effect. More watch time, more visibility, more watch time. So it's not enough to just get people to your video. You gotta keep them hooked. Precisely.
[00:04:14] Narrator AI:
And this is where PEERtainment gets really tactical. They give you a sort of road map for making it happen. Hit me with it. What's the secret sauce? First up, you gotta hook viewers instantly. I'm talking
[00:04:24] AI Narrator #1:
first 5 seconds, Max. 5 seconds. That's brutal.
[00:04:28] Narrator AI:
It is what it is. Short attention spans are just the reality these days. Okay. So you gotta grab them fast. Then what? Then keep that momentum going. You do that by building curiosity. Make them need to know what happens next. Exactly. Like a good cliffhanger, but for every video. Okay. So suspense,
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intrigue. Got it. Anything else? What about humor? Humor is huge.
[00:04:50] Narrator AI:
But, honestly, any emotion works. Laughter, awe, nostalgia, even a bit of outrage if that fits your style. We connect with stuff that makes us feel something. Alright. So we've hooked them. We've got them on the edge of their seats. Now what? Now here's the thing. Get to the point.
[00:05:06] AI Narrator #1:
Don't drag it out. Keep it snappy. Exactly. Remember those short attention spans we talked about? Deliver the goods, end strong, then get out. This is super helpful for, like, you know, people making those super cut videos or whatever. But what about those of us with, well, let's say, less inherently exciting jobs? You mean, like, if you're not a professional cupcake decorator or a parkour expert? Exactly. Like, what if I'm a plumber?
[00:05:30] Narrator AI:
Mhmm. Or an accountant? Can this whole PEERtainment thing really work for businesses that aren't already, you know, set up? Absolutely. In fact, the book tackles this head on. They give this great example of, get this, Zendesk.
[00:05:43] AI Narrator #1:
Zendesk as in customer service software. The one and only, not exactly known for their viral video prowess. Right? Not exactly the first thing that comes to mind, though. Yeah. So how'd they crack the puretainment code? They made this hilarious sketch
[00:05:58] Narrator AI:
about this grumpy old couple trying to run a business. Pure genius, actually. Okay. I'm intrigued. What's so genius about that? Think about it. You expect corporate blah blah from a company like that. Right? Dry, boring stuff. Yeah. Pretty much. Exactly. But this sketch, it completely flips the script. It's funny, relatable, shows they don't take themselves too seriously.
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So even if your product isn't inherently glamorous, you can still make it entertaining. A 100%. It's about being creative,
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finding that angle, you know, the thing that'll connect with people emotionally. Because let's face it. If everyone's just googling plumber Yeah. And picking the cheapest option You become a commodity. Just another name on the list. Invisible, basically. Right. But if they've seen your videos, funny ones,
[00:06:43] AI Narrator #1:
informative ones about fixing leaky faucets, whatever Suddenly, you're not just any plumber. You're the plumber, the one they remember. Exactly. You've built that trust before they even pick up the phone. Okay. That makes a ton of sense. So we get this whole audience retention thing down. But the book also mentions watch time and session time. Those seem important too. Oh, they're huge.
[00:07:04] Narrator AI:
Watch time is pretty straightforward. It it's the total time people spend watching your stuff. So more is better, obviously. You got it. Platforms see high watch time. They know you're making content people actually want to see. Makes sense. What about session time? How's that different? Session time is all about how well you can, like, glue someone to their screen. So if someone watches 3 of my videos back to back, that's good session time. Bingo.
[00:07:29] AI Narrator #1:
Your content is so binge worthy, they can't tear themselves away. This is all starting to click now. We've got audience retention, watch time, session time. You know what's coming next. Right? Oh, yeah. Big ol' elephant in the room. We gotta talk about AI. Had to address it sooner or later. Right. It's like everyone's biggest question. Is AI gonna make content creators obsolete? $1,000,000
[00:07:50] Narrator AI:
question for sure. And PEERainment actually has some really interesting things to say about it. Okay. Lay it on me. They say there are, like, 2 possible futures when it comes to AI and content creation. 2 futures. Okay. I'm listening. One future is where we double down on being human. Like, really human, authentic connection, real stories, all that. So AI just takes over the boring stuff. More like enhances it. Think of AI as your superpowered sidekick,
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not replacing you, but helping you level up. K. I like the sound of that. Give me an example. What does that look like in practice? Imagine using AI to edit your videos,
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transcribe your podcasts Mhmm. Even translate them into different languages. Woah. So you could reach a global audience without breaking a sweat? Exactly. It frees you up to focus on the good stuff, connecting with your people, being creative. Working smarter, not harder. Exactly. And using AI to honestly
[00:08:44] AI Narrator #1:
make even better content than you could alone. That's a much more optimistic take than I've been hearing from some folks. Mhmm. But what about the human element? Will AI ever be able to truly replicate that? That's the $1,000,000 question. Right? Philosophers will be debating that one for centuries, I'm sure. Probably. But what's the answer now? Like, what should people be doing with that knowledge? Here's the thing. No matter how good AI gets, people crave authenticity. Real stories, real emotions, the stuff that makes us human. So even in this AI powered future, the human touch is still essential.
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A 100%. And that's why PEERtainment stresses building a brand around you, your personality, your voice, your unique perspective.
[00:09:24] AI Narrator #1:
Being relatable, being vulnerable even. Yeah. Letting people see the real you. That's it. Because people connect with people, not robots, not algorithms. This is all great stuff, but let's get practical. Say I'm sold on this whole PEERtainment thing. I'm ready to dive in. Where do I even begin? So much good stuff to unpack here. But let's get down to brass tacks. Say I'm ready to dive into this whole PEERtainment thing. What's step 1? 1st things first. You gotta know your audience. Right. Like, who am I actually trying to reach with this stuff? Exactly. What are they into? What keeps them up at night? What makes them laugh? It's like marketing 101. But for content, right, know your audience. Exactly. Once you've got that nailed down, then you can start brainstorming content ideas that'll really resonate. And I guess that's where those 3 c's come in. Right? Curiosity,
[00:10:11] Narrator AI:
comedy, connection. Bingo. You gotta hit on at least 1, preferably all 3.
[00:10:16] AI Narrator #1:
So, like, if I'm that plumber we keep talking about Mhmm. Maybe I make a series answering those common questions everyone has. Love it. But you gotta spice it up. Give it some personality. Instead of just being, like, here's how to fix a leaky faucet. It's more like, Instead of just being like, here's how to fix a leaky faucet. It's more like Here's how to fix a leaky faucet and avoid a plumbing disaster that'll make your hair stand on end. Okay. See, now you're talking. Ugh. And maybe I throw in a funny story about a time I didn't avoid a plumbing disaster. Now you're getting it. You're providing value but you're also making it entertaining. And this is where AI could come in. Yeah. Like I could use it to help me edit those videos, add subtitles,
[00:10:53] Narrator AI:
maybe even translate. There you go. Suddenly, you're reaching a global audience with your plumbing wisdom. This is all making so much more sense now.
[00:11:01] AI Narrator #1:
I gotta say, this whole puretainment thing, it's not as intimidating as I thought. That's what we like to hear. And remember, consistency is key. So it's not just about
[00:11:11] Narrator AI:
creating one amazing video and then kicking back, Nope. You gotta keep at it. The more you create, the more chances you have to connect with your people, refine your voice,
[00:11:21] AI Narrator #1:
grow that audience. It's about building relationships, not just racking up views. A 100%. Show up consistently, be yourself, and the rest will follow. This has been such an eye opening conversation. Seriously, I feel like I walked in here clueless Yeah. And now I'm ready to go make some peer tainment magic. That's what we like to hear. And remember, it's a journey, not a destination. Have fun with it. You got it. Experiment, learn, connect and don't be afraid to get creative. This is puretainment, folks. The future of content is here and it's looking pretty darn exciting.
[00:11:55] Narrator AI:
This voice over used to be done by a human, but now it is synthetic. Oh la la. If you want to know if your job or business is safe from disruption, read Matt's new book, Will AI Take My Job? Predictions about AI in corporations, small business, and the workplace. Available now on Amazon. Trust me, it'll
[00:12:20] Narrator AI:
be worth it. Nothing's already seen. Masters of the screen.
[00:12:26] Narrator AI:
My bros leads the team. Digital marketing dreams. Algorithms whisper secrets of the trade. Navigate the network's