The Visual Lounge

Creating great instructional videos doesn’t start when you hit record. For the best success during production and beyond, good planning is essential. Planning and following a set process are key to producing consistently high-value tutorial videos. From scripting to research and analysis to drafting, the better foundations you can lay with your work, the easier it is to scale your videos and achie...

A good SEO strategy can help make sure your videos get found and watched. But if you’re not an SEO expert it can feel overwhelming. In this episode,  Matt Pierce ,  Andy Owen , and  Justin Simon  talk through 5 ways you can quickly optimize your videos for search engines. You can easily watch and search past episodes  here . You can also find us on  Apple Podcasts &nb...

Instructional videos are a cornerstone of many training programs, onboarding processes, and team communication. But if you have never produced your own videos, it can be a bit of a daunting project. There’s producing, editing, camera equipment, audio equipment, and then distributing the content to think about. In this episode, we’re focusing more on the steps you need to take before you start roll...

Videos are everywhere. But, there are some things that we can do better. One of them is composition. In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon talk about the principles that you can use to get better video composition, from the rule of thirds to headroom, talkspace to foreground/background and more. Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and search past ep...

So, you’ve mastered the basics of producing video training content. What now? The work isn’t over just yet. After creating videos, it’s essential to measure their impact and effectiveness. Only by doing so will your videos improve, become more engaging, and have a great impact on your audience. For tips on how to do this, Cara North, Operations Training Manager at Silfex, joins this episode of The...

Here are our answers to your most frequently asked video production questions. We wanted to compile all of the frequently asked questions into one place and give straight answers about how to make better videos. In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon answer questions that people wrote in with, from YouTube, social media, and everywhere else. Do you want more tips on creating v...

Do you want to start creating tutorial videos like a pro? If you’re new to the world of video creation, it can feel a bit overwhelming. Where do you even start? The good news is that it doesn’t have to be too complicated. You don’t need a big fancy setup or Hollywood director skills. Often, simpler is better. Ashley Chiasson is the Senior e-Learning Developer at Traliant, a compliance training pro...

Many people are intimidated by the thought of having to be in front of a camera. But you don't need to be in front of the camera to create videos and help other people learn. In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon break down seven different types of videos you can make without showing your face. Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and search past epi...

So you want to create instructional videos...but where do you start? Instructional videos come in many different forms, meaning there’s a style that suits almost every creator (and learner!). There’s plenty of opportunities to get an instructional video right – but as there’s such a wide scope for what makes a good instructional video, knowing what to begin with can be a real sticking point. Jonat...

Today we're going to cover the format and structure of a good tutorial video by breaking down one of our own. In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon go through the basic elements of a good tutorial video. They break down a tutorial for TechSmith Audiate so you can see exactly how to level up your next tutorial video. Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily wat...

The main aim of customer education content is often to help customers overcome the odd hiccup or knowledge gap. But a truly successful customer education strategy does so much more than that. Customer education is also a business strategy focused on keeping customers happy so that they return to your products again and again. Simply put, good customer education can be instrumental to scaling your...

We get a lot of questions from folks who are just starting out about how to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to video equipment. It can be very hard to know what to spend money on. In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon go over where they each would invest in gear. Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and search past episodes here . You c...

When it comes to team communication, sometimes speed is the most important factor. A busy organization can save hours and hours of working time collectively by hosting a simple 30-minute meeting. Email and instant message solutions like Slack are the go-to options for internal communication day-to-day, but even those have their downsides. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, Sherri Powers, VP of...

Lighting can make or break a video. It's crucial to get good lighting for videos, especially when it comes to being on camera. In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon talk about the different lighting options we use when we record a video - and walk you through how you can do the same! Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and search past episodes here...

Have you ever thought about the best ways to communicate with your team? Many businesses put their heart and soul into crafting the best ways to get their message across to customers. But when it comes to internal communications, it’s often overlooked. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, Austin Norton (Project Manager) and David Patton (Partnership Marketing Specialist) from TechSmith join to di...

Transitions are one the most important effects to know how to use. They let you seamlessly move from one video clip or image to another and bring annotations and other graphics on or off the screen. But when used poorly, they can absolutely destroy your video. In this episo de, Matt Pi er ce, Andy Owen, and Justin S imon go over how to effectively use transitions so help, and don't hurt, your vide...

Want to learn how to master YouTube? Creating video and pushing it out into the world can be a massive challenge – especially if you’re an educator who needs to create engaging and informative videos. Valerie Pennington of The Penguin Prof YouTube channel joins this episode of The Visual Lounge to share her tips and tricks for mastering YouTube. She explains the lessons she’s learned to overcome c...

Trying to add music to a video can be more challenging than you think. And while the right music enhances the experience for your viewers, while the wrong music can send the wrong message entirely. In part 2 of a 2-part episode on music , Matt Pier ce , Andy Ow en, an d Justin Sim on talk about how you can effective use music in your videos to make it strength rather than a weakness. Want to learn...

The latest Camtasia release is now available, but which of its new features will help you create better videos? In this episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce guides you through his favorite new features from Camtasia 2021. He guides you through how to use them and gives his expert advice on how to add that extra spice to your videos. Matt is also joined by TechSmith Trainer, Jason Valade, who...

Background music can add more interest to your videos, and make them even more engaging and entertaining. But where can you find music? And how do you pick the right music for your video? In part 1 of a 2-part episode on music, Matt Pierc e, Andy Owe n, and Justin Simo n go over the best ways to find and choose music for your videos. Want to learn exactly HOW to add music to your video? Here's a f...

Are you ready to harness the power of video for your business? Video content can be a huge driver of revenue, but many people don’t know where to start. Or they start and get stuck on how to make their videos more impactful and valuable. Owen "Video," YouTube Channel Producer of Owen Video, joins this episode of The Visual Lounge to share his tips on creating video content to boost your business r...

There's just so much video content on the internet, how do you find the unique ones? How do you find something that no one else is doing? In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon break down the top ways to find great video ideas. Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and search past episodes here . You can also find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify .

You may not be creating videos for the same reasons as the top YouTube creators, but they know what makes a good video. Many of the same principles that make their content so successful apply to your videos too – no matter whether you’re creating training, customer education, instructional design, or any other type of video. If you want to get more comfortable on camera, streamline your video crea...

Ever wonder why Hollywood movies are so successful? Or why a commercial can go viral? The answer is story. In this episode , Matt Pier ce , Andy Ow en, an d Justin Sim on talk through how to tell stories that capture attention -- including some ideas they use every single day. Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and searc h past episodes he re. You can also find us o n A...

Are you educating your customers effectively? Video tutorials, blogs, and technical documentation are just some of the different ways you can provide users of your product with the help they need to be successful. But truly empowering your customers goes beyond the material you provide. Joining Matt Pierce in this episode of The Visual Lounge is TechSmith’s Customer Education Manager, Doug Brunner...