Why I Don’t Chase Trends (And What I Learn When Everyone Else Does)
Playing with viral formats taught me the rhythm of clarity and visibility.
As many of you know, I wear a peculiar crown.
I am the King of DIFF (Do It For Free).
I live in a just-over-broke world that rarely allows me to partake in paid programs. It is a reality that many people live with. So when it comes to paying for tools, I usually don't. That doesn't mean that I am falling behind; it just means I look in different places.
Trends Are Loud
I’ve watched everyone dabble in talking giraffes, lip-synced baby avatars, and AI-generated reels that could make a creative director blush. Chasing trends has never been my style. But what sparked this trend? That is where the real story lies. Keeping up with technology is my strong suit. Everyone from a twelve-year-old to grandparents is creating talking heads.
The technology is now freely available. The people of DIFF rejoice!
Boomer History 101
Were you aware that for just about every paid app, there is a free and usually better open-source version? This was a lesson I learned when Microsoft wanted you to start paying for "Office". Open Office (openoffice.org) was the path many people took. Today, the open-source library is stronger than ever. There is something uniquely "Boomer" about being contrarian. We are built differently.
Quiet Power
This distinction gives us a force that people recognize. I call it Quiet Power. This is the kind of presence that enters the room without fanfare but leaves a mark you remember.
“We have done so much for so long with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.”
In a digital age where everyone’s dancing to the latest meme or filter, I’ve found value in standing still, watching the tempo, and learning the rhythm beneath the noise.
This is my entrance into the "The Baby Podcaster" world. Built entirely free. It is not 8 seconds in length either.
The Secret
I started with a photo of myself, yes, I am sporting a beard these days. No, I do not have a pic decent enough to add to my profile lineup. I took my camera-breaking selfie to ChatGPT and gave it this prompt:
"Baby Podcasters are the rage. Can you turn this photo into a baby podcaster in a podcast studio. Aspect should be 9:16.
Nothing fancy, no enhanced prompts. And I got this cute kid
Now I needed something to say. Hey Chatty
Create a script for my podcaster using - How AI tools streamline blogging even if you’re not tech-savvy
May as well put Mini-Me to work!
Chatty gave me an entire podcast script. I may be working on this today for an entire video. The outtake was from one of my latest posts. AI Influencer on the horizon?
Hey hey, welcome back to The Amazing Niche Mastermind Show — where the beard is old, the tools are new, and the blog posts basically write themselves. I’m your host, the world’s youngest old soul and your favorite AI-assisted niche whisperer.
Script in Hand
I have my script. Most of you would head over to Eleven Labs I have created many voicovers over there. The biggest drawback for me is that the same voices are now EVERYWHERE! It is even more noticeable when you have created hours of voiceovers for your YouTube Channel only to hear the same voiceover over and over again elsewhere. Yes, you can clone your own voice; that would mean finding a decent mike and a quiet closet. Put yourself out there!
Google AI Studio - On the other hand, you can find a great tool that fewer people use. I prefer the voices here. Script given, I have the audio file within a minute.
Audio & Image Files in Hand
I have the pieces in hand, now I need to put them together. There is a free service that does all of this very well.
The site is called Lip Synch Video - I am not a sponsor and will not be paid for your using this link. This is what they say.
Use our AI Lip Sync tool for free. Whether you're a creator, educator, or marketer, you can start making talking photo videos for free, with no subscription required.
From beginning with my photo to the end with this video, this took maybe 10 minutes to create. Use your imagination. What can you do with these free tools?
How many images are you going to get to talk? I am on my 4th!
I love holidays! Happy 4th of July. This wonderful experiment we call The United States of America is 249 years young. Happy Birthday!
Recent Comments
27
I like your video. I thought it was really cute, and the introduction was great. It just made me smile. Thanks for mentioning some of the free tools that are just as good as paid tools.
I appreciate your taking the time to watch. Finding Free tools is like asking about things that you don't know that you don't know.
They may be out there, but until you find them, you are in a pickle.
Don
I love the News Whisperer.
Great post with reminders that being just over broke does make certian strategies better than others.
The free tools have been there all along. We often find ourselves falling for pie-in-the-sky ideas.
Yes, the free tools are usually there.
Sami
How do you get the picture from your phone to the ChatGPT open page? To use in Google Ad Studio (first)?
I use WhatsApp and send the selfie to "My Profile".
When I do that, I have WhatsApp on my laptop as well. I open the "new Chat" from me and download the photo to my laptop,
Hope this helps.
MrDon
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That's funny Don! I enjoyed it very much.
Mel
Thanks, Mel, humor on a holi-workday...
Don