Lo-fi and authentic works. Just look at the best short-form creators, they’ve figured out engagement. They know how to be authentic, intentional, and drop hooks that make people actually want to watch. No matter what kind of video’s you make, what can you learn from how short-form creators do it?

In this episode of The Visual Lounge, host Matt Pierce explores how creators, educators, and businesses can borrow the best parts of short-form video to make any kind of video more effective. Matt unpacks why lo-fi, authentic content often outperforms polished production, how to apply short-form storytelling techniques to training and learning videos, and what it means to create “content like short-form” rather than “for short-form.”

He also shares practical insights on hooks, energy, experimentation, and repurposing, plus how AI tools are helping teams create faster without losing their human touch.

Learning points from the episode include:

• 00:00 – 02:14 The rise and impact of lo-fi, authentic short-form video
• 02:14 – 03:08 Why short-form video matters for all creators 
• 03:08 – 05:05 Make content like short-form, not for short-form
• 05:05 – 07:01 How to make any topic engaging
• 07:01 – 07:27 Keep things moving to keep viewers engaged 
• 07:27 – 08:20 Why energy makes your videos more engaging
• 08:20 – 09:13 Experiment often and use feedback to improve
• 09:13 – 12:31 Hook your audience early with curiosity and story
• 12:31 – 16:04 Batch produce and repurpose your videos  
• 16:04 – 16:59 How AI can help you create and edit faster
• 16:59 – 18:23 Choose the right video length for your audience
• 18:23 – 18:48 Keep learning from short-form creators as trends evolve  
• 18:48 – 20:17 Lo-fi and authentic content builds real connection 
• 20:17 – 21:27 Outro 

Important links and mentions:

• TechSmith Unlocked: https://discover.techsmith.com/techsmith-unlocked-2025/   
• Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/