Imagine spending less time sitting in traffic.

That’s what Google is trying to do with a program called Project Green Light. 

It uses data from its Map app, combined with AI, to reduce traffic jams.

In the areas where it’s active, they’ve seen a 10-20 percent REDUCTION in fuel consumption and idle time!

Currently, the program is active in a dozen cities, including Rio de Janeiro, Manchester, and Jakarta. In 2024 Google plans on expanding it into more cities around the world.

Here’s the rundown for today…

• AI-Translated Podcasts - Coming To Spotify

• YouTube Pushes Text Posts - New Mobile Features

• Threads Adds Key Feature - Attempt To Reverse Decline

• Business Partnerships - What To Look For

• Create A Podcast - 5 Key Steps

Lurn Bytes: Your Daily News Download

Spotify Partners With OpenAI - The company that created ChatGPT is working with Spotify to automatically translate podcasts into foreign languages WHILE maintaining the speaker’s voice. If you have a podcast on Spotify, this new partnership could help you reach new overseas audiences…

YouTube Tests New Community Notes Feed in Mobile App - YouTube continues to encourage creators to create more written posts. They’re testing a new "posts-only" feed on its mobile app for users to easily find Community posts from creators they follow or might like. This feature aims to enhance engagement and keep viewers updated with more than just video uploads…

Instagram Threads preps a Trending Topics feature in battle with X - This will show trending topics and discussions. Despite rapid growth after its launch, Threads' usage has declined, and the platform is working on new features to remain competitive and attract users…

How To Find The Right Business Partner

There’s an old African proverb that goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.”

Business partnerships can help you go far… but only if they’re with the RIGHT person. Finding the right business partner could be one of the most important decisions you make as an entrepreneur.

TLDR - 3 Key Signs That A Business Partnership Will Succeed

In the video, Anik talks about 3 signs he’s noticed over the years that determine whether or not a business partnership will actually work out.

Sign #1: Values Alignment

It's essential that partners have shared values. For instance, if one values free time highly while another is very ambitious, the partnership might be strained.

Likewise, how each partner values giving back, treating people, and work-life balance can significantly impact the partnership.

Sign #2: Avoiding Constant Rebuttals 

A successful partnership shouldn't have every idea or suggestion met with opposition or debate.

Partners should "pick their battles" and recognize areas where one might have more expertise or insight. Continual disagreement can be mentally exhausting and detrimental to the relationship.

Sign #3: Equitable Roles and Expectations

There needs to be a feeling of equity in roles and contributions. If one partner feels they are doing more work or contributing more value than another, it can lead to resentment.

It's essential to outline expectations from the start and be transparent about roles and contributions to prevent disputes later on.

Anik goes into more detail and shares some of his experiences in the full video, so check it out!

Daily Hack - How To Start Your Own Podcast

Great podcasts create an interesting phenomenon.

They make the listener feel like they’re virtual best friends with the host of the podcast. And with podcast interviews, listeners feel like they’re listening to a couple of friends having an awesome conversation.

Think about your favorite podcasts. Don’t you feel like those people are your friends?

The long-form content of podcasts, combined with listening to someone’s voice anywhere you want, builds relationships like no other content medium.

With a podcast, you’re able to share detailed, intimate stories and step-by-step information that builds incredible rapport with your audience. Plus, you can always record the podcast via video too, and give people that option as well if they want to watch it.

If you want to build a highly engaged following, with people who relate to you on a deep level, podcasting is the way to go.

Now, let’s look at how you can start a podcast. The good news is that it’s actually pretty simple, although it will take some work.

Step 1: Come Up With Your Idea 

Step 1 is about planning and setting yourself up for success.

First, you need to decide on a niche, which is the main topic of your podcast. Think about things you love talking about or what people ask you about.

To set yourself up for success, narrow down your niche so that you’re speaking about a topic where you have an “UNFAIR ADVANTAGE,” something that’ll distinguish you from others.

The name and logo of your podcast are super important. They should grab people's attention and clearly say what your podcast is about.

If you need a logo and can't make one, try using Fiverr for cheaper options or 99 Designs for more professional ones.

Step 2: Get Your Tools 

Starting a podcast needs some basic tools. The main ones are:

1. A Microphone: Blue Yeti is good for beginners while the Shure MV7 is even better if you have more money to spend.

2. Recording/Editing Software: Audacity is a solid free program. If you insist on getting something more advanced, we like Adobe Audition, which can be bought as part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud.

3. Hosting: This is where you store your podcast online. Some good options are SoundCloud, Libsyn, Buzzsprout, and Podbean. With these tools, you can record, edit, and share your podcast with the world.

Step 3: Record Some Reserve Episodes 

Before you start your podcast, it's smart to have some episodes ready to go. You should aim to record 4-5 extra episodes before you launch.

This way, you won't feel rushed and can keep a STEADY schedule.

But first, decide on your podcast format. Do you want to do it alone, with a group, interview guests, or mix it up?

Think about how long you want each episode to be, how much research you'll need, and if you want it to sound super professional or more relaxed.

Remember, there's no right or wrong way. Just do what feels right for you and your audience!

Step 4: Launch 

Launching your podcast isn't just about putting it online and waiting. You want to get people excited before it even starts!

This is called a pre-launch.

A pre-launch helps in several ways: it makes people aware of your podcast, it gets them excited about your brand, creates a BUZZ, and helps you start off with a good number of listeners.

A successful pre-launch might even land your podcast in the "New & Noteworthy" section of iTunes, which can give you even more listeners!

Some ways to do a pre-launch are:

1. Leveraging your existing audience

2. Influencer shout outs

3. Appearing as a guest on other podcasts

Step 5: Create Your Process 

To keep your podcast going strong, you need two things: a clear recording process and a consistent SCHEDULE.

First, decide where and how you'll record. If you're doing interviews, will they be face-to-face or online?

If online, tools like Skype and Zoom are great.

Next, decide on your podcast schedule. Think about how often you'll record and release episodes. Consider the length of your episodes, how much editing you'll do, and other factors.

These 5 steps lay out a simple, straightforward path to starting your podcast. You need to do some work, but if you break it up and try to take a step forward each day, you can quickly get into the podcast game!

ICYMI - The Biggest Stories You May Have Missed

X Is Considers Big Changes - Elon Musk announced that X, formerly known as Twitter, is considering removing all engagement counts and buttons from posts, leaving only 'views' visible. This change could reduce user engagement, similar to when Instagram tested hiding ‘like’ counts in 2019. This change could lower the platform's overall activity and affect its revenue.

Reddit Launches New Ad Certification Program - Reddit isn’t the most popular ad platform. However, some marketers have found success on Reddit. To attract new advertisers, they’ve launched a free certification program to help you become successful marketing on the platform…

Big Day For Amazon Shoppers - Amazon is having a second Prime Day sale called "Prime Big Deal Days" on October 10-11. Amazon Prime members can get deals on items like tech, beauty, and fashion. We’ll see if it’s as big as their July sale because Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming soon…

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