The Visual Lounge

What makes great educational content? We dig into the anatomy (quite literally) of what makes a successful video in this episode with Taim Dawod, a recently graduated medical doctor who found success on YouTube. Taim began his channel as a way to learn and remember information in med school, but quickly realized that he wasn’t the only one benefiting from his videos… The Taim Talks Med YouTube channel has built a following of over 150k subs with hundreds of videos on anatomy. What started as a channel of humble presentations for his own benefit has grown into a library of engaging and helpful animated medical lectures. We hear about his journey from med school to media and the process he uses to craft each video. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: https://www.instagram.com/taimtalksmed/ https://www.youtube.com/@TaimTalksMedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZx5UWhkHaI

It’s no news that our attention spans are tiny in the modern world of online content, social media, and everything else on the internet. For video creators, this means it’s a constant battle to grab attention and share information that people absorb. You might think you’re safe in the L&D space. After all, workplace educational content means you have a somewhat captive audience. But is that audience really engaging with and absorbing the content? Or is that content competing for brain space with the latest MrBeast video? In this episode, we welcomed Matt Gjertsen, Founder of Better Every Day Studios, a learning and development consultancy that teaches people how to create better content. We explore the challenges that L&D creators are up against, how we can create better videos, and the lessons we can take from successful content creators on YouTube. He explains how L&D creators can scale their efforts, speed up content iteration, and develop a pre-planning strategy for videos. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewgjertsen/https://www.bettereverydaystudios.com/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6sHpKEkdnD0-VKOIBAxcMAhttps://www.bettereverydaystudios.com/making-better

If you want to level up your content creation game and make the best videos possible, grab a pen and take some notes from this episode. We sit down with the Co-Founders of Millbrook Studios, Carl Lechner and Tripp Green, to hear about what makes a great video and how you can improve the performance of your content. Carl and Tripp share tips on how creators can battle with audiences’ dwindling attention spans to get the message across and how to keep people engaged with your content. They also explain why the best way to learn is to learn from the best. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carllechner4/https://www.linkedin.com/in/trippgreen/https://www.linkedin.com/company/millbrook-studios/https://www.millbrookstudios.com/

New ways of working, besides being in the office all day, have been a huge talking point since the pandemic pushed many of us into remote or hybrid work. But is this trend dying down in 2024? We published the 2024 Workplace Flexibility Trends Report recently to dig into what the data says about workplace flexibility today. To talk through the findings, we welcomed two experts on workplace flexibility and analytics – Nida Mehtab, the CEO and Founder of Caryatid, and Kate Lister, President of Global Workplace Analytics, to the podcast. We explore what the data says about workplace trends around remote and hybrid work, flexible hours, how different generations of workers prefer to work and take part in meetings, and much more. Download the report today to learn more. You can find the link in the resources section below. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: https://www.techsmith.com/research-2024-workplace-flexibility-trends-report.htmlhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nida-mehtab-26499672/https://www.linkedin.com/in/klister/https://www.caryatid-space.com/https://globalworkplaceanalytics.com/https://twitter.com/FutureWorkforce

At first glance, it might seem that marketing and Learning and Development (L&D) are very different. But if you dig a little deeper, they both have similar goals – to grab attention, raise awareness, and spread a message to the audience. So, what can L&D creators learn from marketing? It turns out a lot! In this episode of The Visual Lounge, we speak with Bianca Baumann, VP of Learning Solutions & Innovation at Ardent, and Mike Taylor, Learning Consultant at Nationwide, to get their thoughts on using marketing tools and techniques to create great educational videos and eLearning materials. We look at some of the lessons we can take from marketing around getting audience attention and building audience personas to drive your message home. We look at tools and tactics commonly used in marketing that can be applied to anyone creating learning content and why, like in marketing, we need to think about the audience’s thoughts and feelings. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miketaylor/https://www.linkedin.com/in/biancabaumann/

By now, many of us are content connoisseurs. With millions of videos out there in all different shapes and sizes, we need to be selective with what we consume vs. scroll past. So, is your imagery – whether that’s images or videos – resonating with your audience? We invited Leanna Pham, Director & Executive Producer of the widely popular Social Pros Podcast, to The Visual Lounge to share her insights and expertise on creating imagery that engages audiences. In this episode, she shares some great advice for using images and video to reflect your brand more effectively and how brands can get started with visual content. We hear her thoughts on creating content that fits the platform and audience rather than trying to post everything everywhere and what the seven-second rule means for video content. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanna-pham/

Times have changed in the world of video creation. The “rules” of the past have been broken, issuing a new age of how we make and watch videos. Whether you’re a content creator, an influencer, or are creating videos in a corporate setting, you should still aim to master the basics of what makes a good video. After all, the goal of your video is to deliver value and solutions to your audience. But how we approach shooting, scripting, editing, and everything in between is ripe for experimentation. In this episode, host of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce, looks at the evolution of video and breaks down the best practices today. Tune in to hear about the latest video trends and how you can run with them to create engaging videos your audience will love. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: Connect with Matt on LinkedIn

Getting content out there fast is more important than ever. You don’t want to keep people waiting for your content, after all. But getting faster at video creation is no easy thing, and the last thing you want is to push out low-quality content just in the name of speed. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, we hear from Brandon Burtner, the Senior Director of Learning Strategies and Solutions at Scaled Agile, on his approach to accelerating workflows in video creation. A big takeaway from this episode is to not just focus on the production side of things but to also be mindful of the planning process, project management, file management, and everything that needs to happen before you hit record. Brandon takes us through some steps in the agile work method and explains how you can accelerate your workflows and collaborate with stakeholders and contributors more efficiently. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-burtner/https://scaledagile.com/

With millions of videos at our fingertips, what is it that makes you stop scrolling and click on a video? Aaron King, an entrepreneur and filmmaker of the DeepSnap YouTube channel, joins this episode of The Visual Lounge to give his take on what makes scroll-stopping videos. We hear about how he got started in content creation, coming in from the world of entrepreneurship, and what he’s learned about content in the past few years. Aaron talks about the power of video in helping to build his brand and why he thinks that being yourself and true to your brand will help you forge a deeper connection with your audience. This episode marks 200 and counting of The Visual Lounge! It was great to hear that Aaron shares the TechSmith philosophy of leveling up your skills with every video you create. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepsnap/https://twitter.com/deepsnaphttps://deepsnap.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@deepsnap

Whether you’re in training, in learning development or you’re a creator making videos for your own YouTube channel, learning and understanding are key, which is why it’s great to welcome Dr Clark Quinn PhD back onto The Visual Lounge to talk about cognitive media. Dr Quinn provides learning experiences and design strategy to corporations, higher education government, and not-for-profit organizations. He joins this episode to take a deep dive into the idea of cognitive properties as it relates to media, how to translate this knowledge into the media you create and why no one should be creating video for video’s sake. Join us for this episode to get a deeper understanding of how to integrate thinking and learning with technology to improve organizational execution, innovation and ultimately performance. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: Quinnovation.comLearnlets.com

Content creation is no walk in the park. While many underestimate what creators do all day, there’s a lot of work and necessary skills that go into producing content week in, week out. Joining this episode of The Visual Lounge is Britt Carter, the Creator Success Manager at GigaStar and one-half of the duo behind The Betting Belle YouTube channel. Britt’s career has seen her work with big-name content creators, including MrBeast and Ryan Christopher Slots. Now, she runs her own YouTube channel featuring casino and gambling content. Fully immersed in the world of content creation, Britt has some great advice for creators on video creation, networking, using analytics, and learning to use video editing tools. Tune in to hear why she believes that building solid relationships in your industry and consistency are the keys to success. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyjocarter/https://www.instagram.com/thebrittc/https://www.instagram.com/bettingbelle/http://bettingbelle.comhttp://youtube.com/@bettingbelle

How do you become a better video creator? Sometimes, other creators make the best teachers. Who better to learn from than those who have been in the same boat? In this episode of The Visual Lounge, we speak with Rob Balasabas, the Head of Partnerships & Community at Uscreen, whose top tip for creators is to surround yourself with other creators. Rob explains why collaboration, not competition, is key to succeeding in the creator space and shares stories of how he’s managed his own creator journey. We also hear his advice on working with brands as a creator and then, on the flip side, how brands can hire creators themselves. He also breaks down the top two trends that he’s seen grow in the video space. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbalasabashttps://twitter.com/rob_balasabas?lang=enhttps://www.instagram.com/robsotheraccount/https://www.youtube.com/c/socialmediaclub

Script or no script – which side are you on when creating videos? It’s one of the top debates in the video creation world, and there’s no clear-cut answer. After some recent experiments where we tossed out the script, we weigh up the pros and cons of scripting your videos in this episode. Joining the debate are TechSmith’s Ryan Knott, Marketing Content Strategist, and Andy Owen, Video Producer, to share their thoughts on whether scripts are necessary and the best times to use one. As a video producer, Andy shares his experience of editing videos without a script, and Ryan explains why sitting in on recordings as a writer can help you reshape your scripts to sound more natural. While Andy and Ryan are firmly team script, they explain that it depends on the type of video you want to make, how much time you want to spend on it, and why you should always consider your viewer when deciding. Key Moments: Key Links: YouTube Reaction Videos Made Easy with Camtasia RevLearn more about Camtasia

Whether you’re a B2B or B2C brand, grabbing and holding your audience’s attention is everything. So could YouTube be the ideal place to build a dedicated, long-term following? On this episode of The Visual Lounge, Finn McKenty, founder of Punk Rock MBA and Head of Product at URM Academy, shares the benefits to creating YouTube content. He talks about how it’s less competitive than other social platforms and how it could help build rapport with your peers before meetings and talks. But how do you get started? Well, Finn says a little experimentation is OK! It doesn’t matter if your first video doesn’t explode, so long as you’re providing something valuable to your audience. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: Connect with Finn on LinkedInFollow Finn on InstagramFind Finn’s websiteSubscribe to Finn on YouTube

Adding videos and GIFs to your customer learning strategy can add a brand-new dimension to your content. But what role do they play and how do you know which to choose? Videos are useful during the onboarding process and for evergreen content, whereas GIFs can be helpful to explain advanced concepts, says Greg Mead, Senior Instructional Designer at ClickUp. Greg joins The Visual Lounge to share how he creates content to engage thousands of learners with learning tool, ClickUp University. He tells us his top tips for defining and generating engagement, the advantages of visual content over text and how customer feedback shapes the path his content takes. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: Connect with Greg on LinkedInFollow Greg on Twitter/XFollow Greg on InstagramVisit ClickUp UniversitySubscribe to Greg on YouTube

If you’re a creative, pitching ideas to stakeholders can be stressful! So how can you adapt your strategies, control your variables and form ideas you’re proud to pitch? Guy Bauer, Founder and Creative Director of B2B video marketing agency Umault, tells us his tips and tricks as he joins The Visual Lounge. He says your first step should be to form a strong, clear idea that you’re happy with and that won’t be misunderstood by your management. Asynchronous communication is his go-to method to communicate ideas, as it allows you to combine the energy of live calls with the clarity of emails. Plus, hear Guy’s top tips for growing your creative tastes…and why Weezer is still a great band! Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: Follow Umault on LinkedInFollow Umault on Twitter/XFollow Umault on InstagramVisit the Umault websiteSubscribe to the Umault YouTube channel

On The Visual Lounge, we often talk about getting better, leveling up, and improving how we make and use video by 1%. It's great to talk about, but what's the secret to that happening? Pretty easy; you have to do something. However, for that to work, you need to not just talk about it but make the time available to play, experiment, to try new things with the videos you create. Thanks for being a viewer of the channel. From all of us at TechSmith & The Visual Lounge podcast, we want to wish you a wonderful and successful 2024! Key points from this episode: Important links and mentions: Want to get better at video? Check out TechSmith Academy - free learning about creating and using video. Looking for video editing software? Try Camtasia #podcast #videocreation #learnin

Creating video content can be a highly effective way to spread the word about your brand and build authority in your industry. But the toughest thing can often be just getting started… So how can professionals fight their fears and take those all-important first steps towards growing their business through video? On this episode of The Visual Lounge, we ask someone who has been there and done it – Texas master plumber, entrepreneur and YouTuber Roger Wakefield. Roger is a plumber by trade but chose to expand his marketing strategy by creating simple, direct videos that help out his audience. Roger shares the lightbulb moment that prompted him to start making videos and how we went from knowing nothing about video to becoming the go-to guy for DIY and plumbing tutorials on YouTube. If you’re thinking about creating video content, but have a list of reasons why you shouldn’t – this episode is for you! Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: Subscribe to Roger’s YouTube channelSubscribe to TheTradeTalks on YouTubeFollow Roger on LinkedInFollow Roger on Twitter/XFollow Roger on InstagramVisit Roger’s website

Whether or not you have a brand-new camera or premium microphone, you are missing a trick if you don’t unlock the power of storytelling. But what makes it so important? And how can video creators reap the benefits? YouTuber and video marketing course creator Amanda Horvath joins this episode of The Visual Lounge to share why storytelling should be the beating heart of your content. She explains how to showcase your authentic self on camera, align your personality with company values on brand channels and reminds us of something super-important…aim to improve your videos 1% every single time. Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: Subscribe to Amanda’s YouTube channelConnect with Amanda on LinkedInFollow Amanda on InstagramVisit Amanda’s website

Creators can gain traction and build a dedicated following without hair and make-up, expensive cameras or top-of-the-range microphones – as long as they provide value to their audience. Sharing valuable messages in a friendly, informative and engaging way is more than enough to start seeing success, says YouTuber, food blogger and cookbook author Lisa Childs. Lisa joins this episode of The Visual Lounge to share her recipe for success, detailing her introduction to video creation and how she built her YouTube channel to reach 250,000+ subscribers – plus the challenges in between! Learning points from the episode include: Important links and mentions: Connect with Lisa on LinkedInFollow Lisa on InstagramVisit Lisa’s websiteSubscribe to Lisa on YouTube