Between2Beats aka Between 2 Beats aka Between Two Beats | A PopticsTV Podcast Production

With so much content being published every day, you need to be ahead of the curve when it comes to content marketing. Do you know how to repurpose your content in order to drive more traffic? If not, don't worry! The Between2Beats podcast has got you covered.

You've heard it before, but nobody's told you what it really means to repurpose your content. Grab your pen and paper, this episode is all about making your content work for you.

S01E17 of the Between2Beats podcast discusses the Fundamentals of Content Publishing.

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!  Rob & Ariel

Learn about how to Get Your Message Heard!

S01E16 of the Between2Beats podcast discusses the Fundamentals of Email Marketing & SPAM.

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!  Rob & Ariel

Are you looking for the secrets to successful email marketing? To get your business stand out, you need a strategy. Listen to S01E16 of "Between2Beats" and start crafting your email marketing strategy with tips from Ariel Cherewka and Robert Lavigne!

Do you have a business that needs to reach out to potential customers? With email marketing, you can reach your audience whenever and wherever they are. S01E16 of the "Between2Beats" podcast features Robert Lavigne and Ariel Cherewka discussing the Fundamentals of Email Marketing & SPAM. 

Fundamentals of AODA and ADA Compliance

The Accessibility for Ontarians Disability Act (AODA) was created by the Government of Ontario to identify any possible access barriers for Ontarians with disabilities, as well as implementing practices and procedures to prevent future barriers. This does not only apply to physical disabilities, but any limitations involving senses or comprehension as well. The main objective of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act is accessibility, which applies to both the outside world as well as the internet. To comply with the AODAs requirements, all aspects of the internet (sites, browsers, apps, etc) must prevent any access barriers that could occur.

While this is something that site owners can do voluntarily if possible, the enforcement of AODA makes these changes mandatory. One of the benefits of AODA is that certain practices such as accessibility training for employees become mandatory, but this also brings penalties for those who ignore or refuse to address these policies. The goal of this disability act is to make the accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities improve much faster. Making the penalties more severe is a way of allowing all forms of accessibility to be immediately addressed and changed.

AODA and Liability

Digital accessibility may not have previously been a priority for many websites and companies, but people ignoring those mandates can now be sued. Websites and web content are not the only functions of the internet that need to be AODA compliant, browsers do as well. If anything, browsers are more important since they serve as an access point to reach a desired website. In the case of mobile accessibility and apps, they need to be coded individually for accessibility, and many are not. People who create apps can easily see all their work removed if these digital accessibility requirements are not taken seriously.

In many ways, these web content accessibility laws have changed the way websites are presented. For example, a link labelled “click here” is vague and unhelpful, and is now given a more descriptive label to be AODA compliant. Images are also limiting without a thorough description; this is so important that you should understand the image via the description without looking at it. Use of colors must also not make reading any more difficult for some individuals, and text size cannot be too small.

AODA and Websites

AODA is needed for companies now more than ever. Sites can immediately become liable if these policies are not adhered to, and even opportunistic people can sue for their own advantage. AI tools can also scan for accessibility issues, making them much easier to find and much riskier for those who have not made changes. Now that persons with disabilities have a legal recourse, web accessibility has created a far more significant barrier of entry for website creators.

This will result in less sites existing overall, since only the largest sites can afford to adhere to all compliances. Independent sites are now struggling because of these expensive policies, and some companies are abandoning certain parts of their sites since the cost to prevent liability is not worth it. There will likely be less websites overall in the future.

S01E15 of the Between2Beats podcast discusses the Fundamentals of AODA & ADA Compliance.

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!  Rob & Ariel

This week's episode covers the basics of AODA & ADA compliance. Tune in now to learn more about how to comply with these regulations.

Listen to Robert and Ariel discuss Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) compliance fundamentals in S01E15 of this podcast. You won't want to miss it!

Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence

To understand artificial intelligence (AI), it is important first to define what “intelligence” is, and how it is gained through humans and AI. Intelligence is essentially having a goal and being able to form a trajectory to that goal through analysis. People can be seen as intelligent in certain areas if they perform well on specific tests (such as exam scores), but people primarily have general intelligence; having knowledge about multiple topics. Ai differs because it is often programmed to have a high amount of knowledge about a specific topic or function, depending on what task it was built to perform.

However, the reach of intelligence for AI has become far greater due to the amount of knowledge that is readily available (via the internet, for example). Modern artificial intelligence has access to so much more data, it can even learn from the information it processes. This is seen in Google searches, for example. The AI for Google searches can use applied machine learning to form predictive analytics from the data it gathers (in other words, search suggestions).

AI in content creation?

AI was quite small a decade ago, with limited, focused knowledge for one specific task. With both recent developments in technology and larger companies owning all the AI, the databases of those companies now possess a substantial amount of knowledge for the AI to use, and its access is uninhibited by legal rights. Modern applications of AI are not only able to replicate text onto the page, they can accumulate data based on the information they’ve been exposed to, and use that deep learning to predict and place the writing in its proper context. AI cannot just replicate language, it can write in the natural language of the dialect it is replicating.

Intelligent writing is writing that flows through one sentence into the other with clear cohesion. This was once a limit of AI, but now with the proper parameters set, AI can follow a story through a logical path of events via its neural network the same way the human brain can. AI has even gotten to the point where it can learn from itself. An example of this is the AI called AlphaGo, which was programmed to beat the best human players of the complex game Go. Not only was the AI able to beat even the most skilled human players, the second model of AlphaGo was able to learn only from the first AI with no other external knowledge, and beat version 1 within a day. Finally, version 3 was able to beat both previous versions of Go, along with other games without even learning the rules. This AI and machine learning leads version 1 and 2 (limited intelligence AI) to become version 3 (superintelligence AI). Google owns AlphaGo, so their AI is superintelligent, expert systems as well.

Are there limits to what AI can do?

AI is far more capable of data and information retrieval than humans are. There is a nearly limitless amount of information that can be collected on the internet, but humans do not have the energy to collect so much because they can get tired. AI does not have that problem, and can perform unsupervised learning at a vastly accelerated rate. AI can even replicate 3-D models, creating an avatar through wire mesh. Humans will usually generate models through green screens, but AI can replicate humans through all the image processing and data it has collected.

An example of this is the Tupac simulation at Coachella, which simulated his movements and voice through the AI data mining body and speech recognition. Creating a 3-D model of Tupac took a great deal of effort, but as technology advances and data becomes increasingly easier to acquire, replications of singers can be done in real time. Even now, AI can scan objects and make a painting out of it, so the limits of AI and AI concepts seem smaller as time goes on.

S01E14 of the Between2Beats podcast discusses the Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence.

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!  Rob & Ariel

Fundamentals of Voice Recognition

Voice recognition is something that has been around for a couple of decades now and yet people still wonder about some aspects of it. If you are wondering about certain aspects of voice recognition, such as its origin or how it can simplify how we use our technology, this article will answer those questions, among other aspects.

The Origins of Voice Recognition

Voice commands are a means of accessing a back-end process. The back-end process can be on the internet, in the Cloud, on your smartwatch, or on your phone. The process really is the money maker. The more we incorporate that process into an automated command, and the more we use automated commands, the more that will become how we do it.

You have means now to issue auditory commands with such devices as a Google Home or an Amazon Echo. But that’s just an auditory command. We are at a point now where back-end systems have done enough processing and analysis to get a better understanding of what we’re trying to do.

How has the technology changed over the years from simple commands to voice texting?

With voice, what’s really changed in the last 20 years, is that the systems have opened up. All of the local usage goes to a large database that allows us to make sense of it and make it easier.

It’s interpreting what you’re saying as a mix of a million people saying the same thing, and saying that you’re in the range. You’re in that sweet spot of the command, for example, that includes, “text Mom.” However, it could also include, “text Momma,” or “check Mom.”

The A.I. and big data come in behind the scenes with all of these examples over time. It has categorized it by saying this grouping of variations of this command all go “here.” When you start stripping that tech down, your phone or your smartwatch has just made it easier for you to access that backend Cloud interface with millions of interpretations.

In the early days, all of that processing was done on the phone. It wasn’t connected to a backend Cloud. All it could figure out was all you could cram intelligence-wise on a little chip on that device. Now that processing and database that makes up all of those variations exists somewhere else.

If you’re logged into your device, now all of a sudden your profile knows when you’re asleep, it knows when you’re awake, etc. It incorporates that into the vocal command, so it now has context. If you have a set schedule, the assistant layer will go through your profile and your data usage and it figures out patterns. When you ask for something, it may know that you may want something different in the morning or at night.

Is sending all of our commands to the Cloud better, having the option of big data, than local usage directly from our devices?

We need it. Over the last five to 10 years has drastically improved voice recognition. The improvements in A.I., avatars and even Siri, have only been possible because of big data. We could not achieve big data, if we did not send all of our data to multiple systems.

The difference between Voice Command and Voice Search

Everything is a command, or series of commands, whether it’s a voice command or voice search. The big difference is searching is more conversational and uses more natural language than a command. Voice search is less about the technology and more about how everything comes together to say “what is your natural way of asking for this information?” It’s not typing it. It’s asking for it. At the end of the day, voice search is issuing a voice command using natural language as well as a larger pool of data to curate the result due to the many more variations of the words spoken into the device.

S01E13 of the Between2Beats podcast discusses the Fundamentals of Voice Recognition.

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!  Rob & Ariel

Fundamentals of Virtual Reality

To understand more about virtual reality, it is important to first further compare the similarities and differences between virtual and augmented reality. Both realities contrast the real world in many ways, but the increased use of virtual reality may indicate our experience of the world in the future.

Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality

If we think of reality as being defined by the senses (touch, smell, etc.), then adjusting those senses through augmented and virtual reality can incorporate content into the brain that is not necessarily real, but perceived as real. The brain processes these realities as it would any other, through the senses. Since the process of perception is the same, it cannot determine augmented or virtual reality from actual reality. The biggest difference between the two is the way they interact with reality. Virtual reality separates the real and the virtual completely, whereas augmented reality remains in reality but augments the senses by providing additional information through ar devices (a map screen in a car, for example).

The primary aspects of reality that augmented reality affects is experience, such as smart glasses, and information, like a Google search. Senses that are altered from an AR device are primarily audio and visual, such as headphones or tablets. However, it can also create motion senses, roller coasters being an example. While augmented reality enhances your current reality, virtual reality creates its own world that you enter through its devices. The virtual environment creates total immersion, and shifts reality. If you are staring at a device, you are experiencing AR technology. However, if what you are experiencing is all encompassing and separating you from the real world, that is VR technology. One example of this is the HTC Vive, a virtual reality headset which allows you to fully embody a virtual world through an oculus rift.

S01E12 of the Between2Beats podcast discusses the Fundamentals of Virtual Reality.

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!  Rob & Ariel

Basics of Augmented Reality

To get started, it is important to trace the origins of augmented reality. While the concept of augmented reality began in science fiction concepts, it became reality around the same time as the invention of QR codes. QR codes were initially appeared and activated on a smart phone to trigger an action when the code interacted with the intended source. Now the data structures are held by the applications; the code is just a signal for the phone to recognize.

Augmented reality and virtual reality both originate from the same concepts and data science, but they still differ in some ways. Both are essentially the virtualization of all texts, or leveraging all texts to virtualize. In the case of augmented reality, the texts are meant to be an extension of the senses. Reality here means a person’s facets of reality, such as the brain or the five senses.

Difference between augmented and virtual reality

One key difference between augmented and virtual reality is the ways in which your senses interact with the technology. In a virtual reality, the user interacts in ways that are still physical, not too far removed from the real world. The virtual world acts as an extension of the senses as a means to create immersion from a computer generated world. Video games and films are examples of a virtual environment; interacted with through technology, but used physically without direct changes to the self. It’s an experience of being in a different world, but in the space you are still in.

Augmented reality still exists in the space you live in, but the user experience changes because the technology is different. Augmented reality presents its world through an oculus, which brings the television closer to the screen (as opposed to virtual, which does not alter your physical space). This augmented reality can be presented as anything from entertainment to education. This reality overlays any current technology, smartphones in the present case, to create its own reality in the form of AR applications.

There are many types of AR, but one example of an AR app is Google Glass, which takes the form of glasses to augment your vision. More specifically, it embodies and expands the functions of the human eye. This reality does more than just help you see; it also can transmit reality applications (such as the weather or driving directions) directly into your sight for added convenience.

Difference between QR scanner now and then

The QR code started as a unique registry. It was a call to action to a certain link, app or web page. Now the QR is just a small piece of code, and the scanner is incorporated into most apps. The difference came about because AR apps are always based on current technology, and the app developers have made phones that can scan an image from database to database. It can do what the QR code used to, so the code becomes less necessary. Instead of relying on the code, you interact with apps directly on your device.

The user experience becomes more personal, because it creates more of an experience of you finding the information yourself through triggering an action through your augmented device. The augmented world combines with the real world because you interact with both. This can also be seen as augmented reality and mixed reality. Mixed reality brings together real world and digital elements. When you purchase something in the real world through an augmented device such as a phone, the addition of a real world element makes the experience more personal.

5 Steps to Success Using GMB

GMB (known as “Google my Business”) has become an effective method for promoting your content beyond just a personal website or social media links. It is a means of owning and controlling your own presence by telling Google exactly what content of yours it should be looking for. Using methods such as geo-coordinates, GMB acts as an extension of Google Maps, giving potential viewers far easier access to your content than they would have had before. To use GMB successfully, you need to know how to properly capitalize on it. Here are methods of utilizing GMB that lead to success.

Use GMB like voice recognition

Algorithms such as voice recognition software will often become more polished as they gain more information. As the software creates, updates and deletes new data it forms a more accurate impression of what it is supposed to replicate. GMB works the same way insofar as it filters information until its geo-coordinates find the best information it can.

GMB likes to take the path of least resistance to find and filter the information that it’s looking for, which is why interacting with GMB directly is far more effective than waiting for it to parse everything on its own. When a voice recognition software says, “did you mean this?”, it’s trying to find the information you want it to find. Do the same with GMB, send it on the right path so it connects your content and business to the right geo-location.

Pay attention to the right reviews

If reviews are important to you, they will also be a priority for the GMB algorithm. Positive and negative reviews are both weighted, however algorithms are getting better at detecting fake reviews, and those ones can be removed quickly. Attention should also be given to reviews from people who have established experience at reviewing. However, be mindful of the difference between a thoughtful bad review and a “revenge review”. If someone seems to have a certain motive for giving you a bad review beyond just the site itself, keep in mind the possible bias.

Find a proof of source with bad reviews, but don’t use this as a reason to filter out all bad reviews. That will send a message that you are removing any possible criticism, which will appear dishonest to viewers of your site. To track the success of your site and GMB, look out for feedback but also know when to spot a fake or biased review.

Use your product section properly

A product section should not be used as an e-commerce site, as the existence of GMB has made it far less common for people to actually search and visit your site directly. Instead, use your product listing as a link to your site from the GMB. Combine the link with advertisements and information about the product, and from there you can give GMB the contextual information it needs. This can vary from price of the product, availability, information, description and name.

Use this information as a call to action for the GMB. Use photos and links to give the GMB as much information to collect as possible. That way it will know exactly how to categorize and locate your product. This may lower direct traffic to your website, but GMB provides a far better exposure to your product than relying on potential customers finding your content through a Google search.

Link building is the process of getting other websites to link to yours. It may seem simple, but in an environment where everyone wants to drive traffic to their site, there are certain strategies that need to be implemented to stand out among the fierce competition. Not only do you need to find ways to grow viewers, but you need methods to keep those viewers onboard. Here are 5 steps to not only use link building, but to use it to become successful.

Building a community

When building links between people and trying to find success with your site, obviously you will want to reach a large audience to find success. However, a good way to start is to focus on what your specific brand is, and find other who have a similar brand. The main goal of these connections is to get people who are fans of the people you connect with, and eventually draw those people to you. Talk about other people to get them talking about you, and that two-way feedback will grow your site traffic. The more your name is seen, the more visible your website, information and personal brand is visible to your target audience.

Have a clear motivation

There are many ways to expand your link building, and some work better than others. However, there is more to link building strategies than how effective they are. Some methods are perceived as honest, pure and respectful, while others are considered dubious, dishonest and perhaps completely immoral. This concept of “black hat” and “white hat” give a clear picture of link building strategies being good or evil, but that might be an overly simplistic way of looking at things.

Buying numbers to increase attention might be considered “black hat”, but it can be effective as well when helping other sites. “White hat” strategies such as communicating honestly and not coaching people on what to say can be effective as well, because it seems genuine. Ultimately, your motivation is what matters. If you want to increase your traffic or help others get a quick site boost, sometimes white and black hat strategies can be used without tipping too far on one side. Don’t lose sight of your motivations, you will do what needs to be done for success without compromising your integrity.

Directory links

Directory links may seem like an outdated idea from a different era, but the concept still has a lot of potential. Modern directory links are essentially facets of the internet that you can utilize to drive users to your site and content. Google searches are a form of directory links because they can guide people to your site. You can utilize this potential through methods such as search engine optimization. Implementing this successfully will ensure that when someone is looking for a topic related to your site, they will be taken to your site specifically instead of someone else with similar content.

Every topic and niche has its own directory, so keeping track of directories related to your topic is also an effective way to contact communities similar to you. Again, you can write about them, and give a spotlight to your topic while linking to your site. Keep your links loaded with the necessary information about your brand; what your product is, your social links, anything that can sell you to your audience.

For those wanting to pursue streaming, whether as a fun hobby or a serious career, there are certain things that are needed before you can begin properly. Anyone can just film themselves or speak into a microphone, but certain tools will give a streamer a sense of professionalism, and allow them to reach a potentially large audience. Here are some essential tools that a streamer can utilize to find success.

Computer

A streaming computer essentially needs to perform the functions that you need it to perform. Since you need to stream a video, whether it be a game, a video or anything else, you need a computer that is able to consistently project that footage live while staying connected to the internet. The biggest limiter for a computer is memory, since that determines how much your computer is able to store. While you don’t need to spend the entirety of your funds on the most expensive computer you can find, you at least need one that has enough memory to fulfill your needs as a streamer. Keep in mind that for gaming, streaming can be done from the game system itself. For example, the PlayStation 4 has a “Broadcast” function that allows you to link your Twitch channel and stream from the machine.

Microphone

A high quality microphone is important for projecting clear and consistent sound to your viewers. However, what’s even more important is choosing a mic that does not pick up background sounds that happen around you when you stream. Streaming in a quiet space obviously helps, but a poorly made mic will still pick up everything, no matter how minuscule. A Yeti microphone is a good choice because of its high sound quality and adjustability in terms of placement and what sounds it picks up. Headsets as opposed to headphones are another effective method of blocking out background noises. Monitoring audio at all times is also important; you don’t want to find out after completing the recording that none of your content is usable.

Camera

Just one camera is often not effective for streaming. Ideally, you would want at least two, both at different angles to give you a larger scope of your vision and the vision of the audience watching you. One camera helps you to see, and the other is to broadcast with. The camera focused on you should be positioned in a way that lines up with your eyes. Typically, a standard laptop webcam will line up below or above your eye line, since you often look at the laptop screen rather than the camera itself. However, positioning the camera so your eyes line up with the screen gives the stream a much more personal feel. It gives audience the sense that you are directly engaging with them.

Software

When choosing a software, keep in mind that if you become familiar with one, you can more or less understand how most of them function. The differences between software for streaming are not that significant. For that reason, it is best to start with a software such as Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) since its freemium options offer more than enough for a streamer. If you are a beginner at streaming, there is no reason to needlessly spend money before you have started making money, especially when free options such as OBS are available. You can switch to a premium software later on if you wish, but when learning the basic tech of streaming software, is best to start with a free option.

S01E11 of the Between2Beats podcast discusses the Fundamentals of Augmented Reality.

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!  Rob & Ariel

S01E10 of the Between2Beats podcast discusses the Fundamentals of Google My Business (GMB).

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!  Rob & Ariel

https://anchor.fm/between2beats

The "Between2Beats" podcast features Robert Lavigne and Ariel Cherewka.  The educational and entertaining series follows an Ask Me Anything (AMA) format focussing on the Digital spectrum.

If you would like to book your own private Digital AMA Session with Robert Lavigne, click here https://braagle.com/digitalama

S01E09 of the Between2Beats podcast discusses the Fundamentals of Link Building.

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!  Rob & Ariel

https://anchor.fm/between2beats

The "Between2Beats" podcast features Robert Lavigne and Ariel Cherewka.  The educational and entertaining series follows an Ask Me Anything (AMA) format focussing on the Digital spectrum.

If you would like to book your own private Digital AMA Session with Robert Lavigne, click here https://braagle.com/digitalama

S01E08 of the Between2Beats podcast discusses Living in a Mobile First World.

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!  Rob & Ariel

https://anchor.fm/between2beats

The "Between2Beats" podcast features Robert Lavigne and Ariel Cherewka.  The educational and entertaining series follows an Ask Me Anything (AMA) format focussing on the Digital spectrum.

If you would like to book your own private Digital AMA Session with Robert Lavigne, click here https://braagle.com/digitalama

S01E07 of the Between2Beats podcast goes through the Fundamentals of User Experience (UX). 

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!

Rob & Ariel

https://anchor.fm/between2beats

The "Between2Beats" podcast features Robert Lavigne and Ariel Cherewka.

The educational and entertaining series follows an Ask Me Anything (AMA) format focussing on the Digital spectrum.

If you would like to book your own private Digital AMA Session with Robert Lavigne, click here https://braagle.com/digitalama

Between2Beats S01E06: Streaming 101

S01E06 of the Between2Beats podcast goes through the fundamentals of streaming.   

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!  

Rob & Ariel  

https://anchor.fm/between2beats 

The "Between2Beats" podcast features Robert Lavigne and Ariel Cherewka.  

The educational and entertaining series follows an Ask Me Anything (AMA) format focussing on the Digital spectrum.  

If you would like to book your own private Digital AMA Session with Robert Lavigne, click here braagle.com/digitalama

Between2Beats S01E04: Podcasting 101

"You are a pebble in an ocean on content." ~ Robert Lavigne, Brantford Podcaster

"There is the Art of Podcasting and the Business of Podcasting." ~ Robert Lavigne, Brantford Podcaster

Between2Beats S01E03: SEO on a Timeline / Search Engine Optimization 101

Alright today we explore search engine optimization or SEO as it is more commonly referred to. It is the buzzword of 2020. Most people are unsure of what SEO actually is. Our POPTICS AMA today covers the origins of SEO, where it is today, and where we see it going. This is a bit of a deep dive into SEO and how SEO and optimization works with Google. Whether you are new to having a website and are trying to optimize for better ranking or you know a little bit about SEO and want to know more, this topic is for you.

We're going to talk about how Google works, we're going to get you to understand that Google really does not care about your website but rather cares greatly for the Searcher and providing them with the best answer. Google also cares about learning more, once you understand these fundamentals then you will start to understand how SEO and optimizing your site can get you near to the top as well as get you the exposure that your website needs.

Sit back, relax and let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help. Enjoy!

Rob & Ariel

When you get to a cliff, you can either jump, turn around, or build a bridge.

That is what Robert Lavigne did over a decade ago when he left the safety net of a corporate life.

Learn More by listening to this Digital AMA on how SEO and Social have changed in the last decade.

In this, the inaugural episode of Between2Beats, 

Rob and Ariel discuss the journey that led to the creation of this Podcast Series.

How did the series get its name? (see below)

Are we open to Sponsorship Opportunities with Beats by Dr. Dre? (well duh...)

Are we Ready for Prime Time? (we shall see)

Where are we on the state of Audio, Video, and overall Quality? (listen to find out)