The quality of your audio in your video is critical. It’s the first thing people will notice. And if it’s bad, people will stop watching.

We've collected our top strategies and tips for recording better quality audio for your videos.

In this episode, Matt Pierce, Andy Owen, and Justin Simon talk through how to improve the sound quality of your videos without needing to go buy a bunch of new equipment.

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.

When you create instructional content, which media do you use? Perhaps you have a favorite type of media that you turn to time and time again, or maybe certain media types resonate better with your audience.

But, with new innovative technologies working their way into our media, how can these be used for learning and development? And, which ones are best for your audience?

Betty Dannewitz has over 18 years’ experience in the learning and development field. She’s a talented instructional designer, training creator, and host of the “ifyouaskbetty” podcast, where she discusses a wide variety of learning and development topics.

She joins Matt Pierce in this episode of The Visual Lounge to discuss using innovative technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality, and even podcasting to deliver instruction. Betty also shares why these new media are a great way to instruct your audience and help them move forward.

Learning points from the episode include:

• How to decide the most appropriate media to deliver information in
• Why animated videos and augmented reality are the go-to media for delivering information
• Advice for anyone looking to learn more about different media
• Betty and Matt’s top Camtasia and Snagit tips
• The difference between distributing media internally vs. externally
• How media can help bring your learning materials to life
• Where to look for inspiration

Important links and mentions:

• Betty’s website
• Betty’s podcast

Learn more about the TechSmith Academy.

To read the blog post on the topic or watch the video, click here.

If you're regularly making videos, it's never a good idea to skip the prep work.

But organizing video files can be a nightmare and there are lots of different options to do it. 

In this episode, Matt Pierce, Andy Owen, and Justin Simon walk you through what's involved in the process before you hit record.

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.

How effectively are you communicating with your remote workforce?

Remote communication is now more widespread than it’s ever been. Many people now have to communicate digitally, using virtual tools enabling written communication such as email, and audio and visual communication like video calls.

But remote communication can bring new challenges. Ideas can get lost in virtual translation, and people can be indifferent to taking action. So, how can you ensure that your communication is clear, motivates your audience to act, and helps you reach your desired outcome?

In this episode, Matt Pierce is joined by Jesse Lahey, a consultant speaker and author with over 25 years of experience in leadership and workforce communication. Jesse explains how to better your communication to achieve business objectives and shares the tools and frameworks he uses.

Learning points from the episode include:

• Why effective communication requires a strategic approach
• How to use the 5M Framework to structure your thinking
• How an empathy map can refine your communication
• How to design better communication using the Simple Visual Stories (SVS) method

Important links and mentions:

• Why You Need to Understand the Business Outcomes when Making Videos with Ajay Pangarkar
• Workforce Communication
• Engaging Leader Podcast

Learn more about the TechSmith Academy.

To read the blog post on the topic or watch the video, click here.

Do you ever feel like you're just winging your way through the video creation process?

One way to solve this is to set video goals and objectives before you start making your video.

In this episode, Matt Pierce, Andy Owen, and Justin Simon take a look at how to set clear video goals, define objectives, and what the best practices are for planning your videos before you press record.

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.

Are you looking for a video workflow to streamline your video creation process?

Creating videos can be overwhelming – especially if you’ve never made one before. But building a video workflow can help you understand how to complete each part of the process and help you on your way to making better videos.

In this episode of The Visual Lounge, TechSmith’s Video Producer, Andy Owen, and Global Content Manager, Justin Simon, join Learning and Video Ambassador Matt Pierce to share their video workflow experience. They also announce the launch of their new series, "Video Workflow," where they share tips and advice from their years of experience in all areas of the video creation process.

Learning points from the episode include:

• Why build a video workflow
• How to streamline your creation process
• What to prioritize and what to avoid when designing a video workflow
• The advantages and disadvantages to multi-camera videos

Important links and mentions:

• The Visual Lounge Episode 17: The Best Script Writing Strategy When You’re Just Getting Started With Andy Owen and Justin Simon
• The video workflow series

Learn more about the TechSmith Academy.

To read the blog post on the topic or watch the video, click here.

Facing your first time in front of the camera can be scary.

If you’re looking to create internal communications, social media clips, or professional-looking YouTube videos, getting in front of the camera is the best way to connect with your viewers.

In this episode, Matt Pierce, Andy Owen, and Justin Simon walk through exactly what to do to get comfortable in front of the camera.

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.

Creating great educational content is one thing. However, creating videos that contribute to improving an organization's performance is a different ball game entirely.

So, how can educators create better videos and educational content that contribute to business outcomes?

This is the main topic of this episode of The Visual Lounge, where award-winning author and Workplace Performance Strategist, Ajay Pangarkar, joins Matt Pierce for a deep dive discussion about understanding the business outcomes when making videos.

Learning points from the episode include:

• Why learning professionals need to understand the business of learning
• Why learning professionals struggle to grasp the business side of learning
• How learning from others can improve your learning content and business knowledge
• How to convince leaders to say yes
• What LinkedIn Learning is and why it’s so useful
• How to write a conversational script

Important links and mentions:

• The Trainer's Balanced Scorecard by Ajay M. Pangarkar and Teresa Kirkwood
• Ajay’s Twitter
• Connect with Ajay
• LinkedIn Learning

Learn more about the TechSmith Academy.

To read the blog post on the topic or watch the video, click here.

For a lot of people, they want to make a video, but don't have a clue how to start.

The best way to create videos is to develop a simple, repeatable workflow.

In this episode, Matt Pierce, Andy Owen, and Justin Simon talk through video workflows that will let you create videos faster.

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.

When you hear the word “comic”, do you think of your favorite cartoon strip, superheroes and graphic novels, or instructional content?

Thinking outside of the box can often help instructional design content connect more successfully with users. Kevin Thorn advocates bringing external inspiration into designs and using creativity to communicate. His preferred educational visual is the instructional comic.

Kevin is an award-winning eLearning designer and founder of NuggetHead Studioz. He joined Matt Pierce to share his thoughts on having fun with design principles, how to find inspiration, and what you can do to get more creative with your visuals.

Learning points from the episode include:

• What is an instructional comic?
• How to create an instructional comic
• The importance of characters and narrative in instructional visuals
• How to design instructional visuals
• How to improve your creativity
• Where to find inspiration

Important links and mentions:

• Kevin’s Twitter: @LearnNuggets
• Kevin’s Instagram: @nuggethead
• Kevin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinthorn/
• NuggetHead Studioz: https://nuggethead.net/

Learn more about the TechSmith Academy.

To read the blog post on the topic or watch the video, click here.