The Visual Lounge

This is a special episode of the Visual Lounge podcast featuring tips and ideas from a variety of team TechSmith about our products, including Camtasia, Snagit, and Audiate. We discuss topics such as asynchronous communication, connection over perfection, hotkeys, and editing out mistakes. There is also a special opportunity for a few folks - listen for Emmie Musser - who has an exceptional opportunity for the first 5 individuals to follow her instructions. Find tips including: Keep it up—asynchronous communication is associated with a 29% increase in workplace productivity.Remember it's about connection, not perfection.Set a bigger goal that matters to you, perhaps increasing the number of people you can reach with video or decreasing the number of meetings you need to attend.Use Option-Z to zoom the canvas to 100% and Command-Zero to fit the video into the canvas.Set up hotkeys with Snagit to save time.Use the search in Audiate to find keywords and points in the video that need to be cut.Make big motions with your hands when making mistakes to flag for yourself.Use the pause button while recording in Snagit or Camtasia.Use the Snagit blurring feature to show employees steps without sharing private information.Wishing all of our listeners the best of the holidays and a wonderful 2023 so that you can level up and continue to make the most of all of your opportunities to use images and videos. And a special shout out to all of the TechSmithies featured in this episode who answered the call to record themselves and share.

Do you want to save time in the editing chair? Who wouldn’t?A lot of our video editing time is spent tidying things up. Getting rid of “ums,” “ahs,” and little pauses can feel tedious and time-consuming.But there is a better way – using Audiate. Rather than editing with waveforms in Camtasia, you can use Audiate’s handy text-based editor to clean up your videos much faster.In fact, we recently put Audiate to the test and found that it could save up to 40% extra time while editing! Hear all about it in this episode of The Visual Lounge. From our brand new studio, Matt Pierce speaks with Joe Dearman, Sr. User Experience Designer, and Erin Cloutier, User Experience Researcher at TechSmith. We take a closer look at our research, how we tested Audiate, and we also get a practical demo of Audiate at work.Learning points from the episode include:0:00 – Introduction 1:53 – What is Audiate?2:36 – Erin explains what a UX researcher is 3:22 – A little background on the research we did 6:33 – How our participants saw a 20-40% time saving while editing with Audiate 8:47 – Building a successful workflow between Camtasia and Audiate12:53 – How Camtasia and Audiate’s integration makes editing faster 13:51 – How to tweak your workflow to save time15:17 – What differences the research participants saw when they tested Audiate 17:44 – A demo of the Camtasia-Audiate integration. (Watch the demo on YouTube)18:58 – How to edit your video faster with text23:44 – How much time you can save editing a long webinar 27:06 – Speed round questions 32:54 - OutroImportant links and mentions:Learn more about Audiate: https://www.techsmith.com/audiate.html Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.html Connect with Erin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-cloutier-msuxd-6571a5a1/ Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joedearman/

Everything needs a refresh eventually…and that includes e-Learning! Jonathan Hill, Head of E-Learning at Entain, believes it’s personality and humor that e-Learning often lacks. But why is it so important? Jonathan joins Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s Learning & Video Ambassador, in this episode of The Visual Lounge to discuss challenging traditional workplace learning. He explains the benefits of adding humor to your educational content, what defines success in L&D for him and provides a ton of expert advice for anybody creating educational video content. A true must-listen! Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – Introduction 1:05 – Introducing Jonathan Hill 2:28 – How he started using video 6:05 – What success in workplace learning means to Jonathan 8:59 – One tip to improve using video for workplace learning 10:34 – TechSmith Academy ad break 11:42 – Defining workplace learning 15:00 – How to create a good workplace learning culture 20:57 – The role of multimedia in workplace learning 23:55 – Introducing non-L&D experts to workplace learning 28:47 – Using humor in workplace learning 32:57 – How to convince leaders to allow you to use humor 40:04 – Jonathan’s favorite dad joke 41:13 – Speed round questions 46:33 – Final take! 47:18 – Outro  Important links and mentions: TechSmith Academy: Learn how to use and create better images and videos (for free): https://academy.techsmith.com  Follow/connect with Jonathan Hill on LinkedIn Follow Jonathan on Twitter 

If you want your learning content to have the best possible impact on your audience, there’s only one thing for it...you need a solid strategy in place! Whether your go-to learning method includes videos, images, or something else entirely, starting out with a strategy is the best way to ensure you’re choosing the right medium to deliver training.  Treion Muller, CEO and Founder of The Modern Learning Architect, is on The Visual Lounge to share his strategy secrets and frameworks for delivering the best learning content. He explores the power of video, why your content should be problem-led, not solution-led, and how to measure success and tie metrics to wider business goals.   Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 Intro00:59 Matt introduces Treion Muller02:48 How Treion got started using images in videos04:25 Defining success for learning content06:26 Why less descriptive text is more on slides09:00 What does a Chief Learning Architect do?18:35 Innovation in the L&D space20:14 Criteria for the modality of a piece of learning26:16 Ask the right questions when creating your content32:01 Treion’s C.A.R.E.S framework35:01 Speed round questions 40:26 OutroImportant links and mentions: Connect with Treion on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/treionmuller/  The Modern Learning Architect: https://modernlearningarchitect.com/  The C.A.R.E.S. framework: https://blog.elblearning.com/who-c.a.r.e.s.-how-learning-got-its-bad-rap-what-we-can-do-about-it 

It happens to the best of the best, even those people who have been making videos for years. A creative slump can feel impossible to get out of sometimes.  You might lack inspiration or motivation, or self-doubt might have crept in, making any creative work an uphill battle. If that sounds familiar, then this episode of The Visual Lounge is for you. Host Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s Learning & Video Ambassador, explores what it means to be in a creative slump, how you can kickstart your motivation again, and why perfectionism is the enemy of progress. He explains why taking baby steps is the best way to escape a creative funk because, from there on, you can only progress more and more.  Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – 1:09 Introduction 1:09 – 2:46 Why the creative slump is so common 2:46 – 5:31 Why it’s so important to reduce barriers in your creative process 5:31 – 15:21 Top tips for getting out of a creative slump from video experts 15:21 – 18:16 How to avoid perfectionism   18:16 – 20:12 Why you should aim to make small improvements before big changes  20:12 – 22:16 How to spark ideas with the power of Google Docs 22:16 – 23:09 How to kickstart inspiration 23:10 – 25:05 The power of positive psychology 25:05 – 27:54 Why the best way to get out of a slump is to start (anything) 27:54 – 28:44 Outro Important links and mentions: Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.html

How do you ruin a tutorial video? More importantly, how do you fix it? We’ve got you covered by providing strategies to fix common tutorial pet peeves in this episode of The Visual Lounge!We have an awesome panel of experts, including Andrew DeBell, Senior Learning Experience Strategist at Atlassian, Cara North, Founder & Chief Learning Consultant at The Learning Camel, and our Instructional Designer Lead at TechSmith, Chandra Owen.  Andrew, Cara, and Chandra join forces to break down their top pet peeves for instructional videos and their best tips for avoiding them while improving the effectiveness of your visual content. We cover the best use cases for video, why pre-work is an essential step, common visual/audio mistakes, and why feedback is key.  Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 – 3:27 Intro 3:27 – 7:43 The best use cases for video  7:43 – 11:00 Tips for improving images or videos  11:00 – 11:51 Mid roll 11:51 – 14:42 Pet peeves that ruin an otherwise good video 14:42 – 20:48 Small things that can hold a video back 20:48 – 25:22 The importance of audio25:22 – 29:55 Should you use music in tutorial videos? 29:55 – 33:27 Should you use picture-in-picture in your videos? 33:27 – 38:28 The common mistakes Andrew, Cara, and Chandra are still working on 38:28 – 43:19 Speed round  43:19 – 45:19 Final takes on how to avoid ruining a good video 45:19 – 46:16 OutroImportant links and mentions: Connect with Andrew DeBell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewdebell/  Connect with Cara North on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caranorth11/  Connect with Chandra Owen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandraowen  

Instructional design is not easy and, for that reason, getting feedback is essential. Making sure you’re on the right path and proving the efficacy of your work is so important in working towards a successful career.Ask fellow professionals, follow your customers and watch them use what you create. Gauging people’s opinions on what you build can sure be uncomfortable, but it’s worth it in the end.That’s the opinion of Julie Dirksen, Learning Strategy Consultant at Usable Learning, who joins Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s Learning and Video Ambassador, on this episode of The Visual Lounge. Julie explains how she got into the instructional design game, how she defines success in the industry and reveals what trips folks up when they first enter instructional design.Plus, she takes a deep dive into her book and tells us what resources inspire her.Learning points from the episode include:0:00 – 2:43 – Introduction2:43 – 5:33 – How Julie got started in instructional design5:33 – 9:35 – Defining success in learning design9:35 – 17:00 – One tip for image and video in learning design17:00 – 17:56 – Ad break 17:56 – 21:06 – Julie explains her book21:06 – 25:01 – What trips people up in learning design?25:01 – 32:01 – Simple vs cursive fonts and keeping learning design clear32:01 – 35:17 – What learning design pros need to improve on35:17 – 39:25 – The resistance to practice design 39:25 – 45:56 – Learning styles – not a thing?45:56 – 50:34 – Where Julie turns for self-development50:34 – 55:45 – Julie’s speed round55:45 – 56:39 – Final take56:39 – 57:26 – Outro Important links and mentions:TechSmith Academy: https://academy.techsmith.com Book by Clark Quinn: https://www.amazon.com/Millennials-Goldfish-Other-Training-Misconceptions/dp/1947308378Julie’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Design-People-Learn-Voices-Matter/dp/0134211286 Usable Learning: https://usablelearning.com/What Viewers Want: 2021 Video Viewer Study Deep Dive: https://www.techsmith.com/blog/what-viewers-want-2021

How effective are your videos? There’s only one way to find out – by digging into the numbers. Video metrics can tell you if your video is effective, reaching the right people, and performing how you want. That way, you’re not left guessing if your video strategy is on the right track. Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s Learning and Video Ambassador, talks us through the importance of different metrics and how you can gather this all-important data. As you look at video metrics and data, you'll notice that each platform has its own way of displaying them, and this episode of The Visual Lounge will look at both YouTube and Wistia's analytics. Learning points from the episode include: 0:00 Introduction1:08 – How Matt got started with video metrics1:50 – How to define success with video metrics3:47 – Matt’s one tip for improving your images and videos5:44 – Midroll6:45 – An introduction to YouTube metrics8:14 – Why Views is one of the most important metrics10:22 – Why you need to look at Watch Time11:40 – What View Duration tells us about the content13:06 – Pay attention to Retention rates18:33 – What Reach, Impressions and Clickthrough rates tell us about audience behavior22:50 – Other metrics that are useful to check out24:09 – How to use metrics on Wistia28:39 – How Wistia’s Heat Maps reveal more about viewers30:05 – How to look at analytics on different platforms32:20 – Speed round36:30 – Final take on video metricsImportant links and mentions: TechSmith Academy: https://academy.techsmith.com 

Drumroll…Snagit 2023 is here!And with it comes a host of intuitive new features and some new and improved fan favorites. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce sits down with Paul Donahue, Senior Technical Product Manager, and Emmie Musser, Senior Portfolio Marketing Manager at TechSmith, to get the latest.Emmie and Paul take us behind the scenes of Snagit 2023 to share details of the new release, their top features, and how Snagit helps you perfect workplace communication with images and videos.Tune in to see what’s new or download Snagit 2023 today.Learning points from the episode include:0:00 - Introduction2:43 – How Emmie and Paul first got started with Snagit5:09 – What workplace communication should look like6:11 – One tip to improve your use of images or video in the workplace8:35 – Ad break9:56 – New features to expect in Snagit 202311:56 – What the Snagit development team wanted to achieve this time round16:09 – Paul explains how Screen Draw works21:12 – Use cases for Screen Draw23:38 – A simpler option for sharing videos with your team25:34 – What a new and improved Screencast looks like29:38 – How Screencast makes collaboration easier30:46 – How you can use Screencast for free as a Snagit user32:16 – Paul explains how your data is safe in Snagit 202333:44 – The features Paul and Emmie are most excited about35:42 – Overlooked Snagit features38:20 – Features that Paul’s most proud of working on39:57 – How Snagit can help improve workplace communication41:43 – Speed round questions47:53 – Paul and Emmie’s final take on Snagit 202348:54 - OutroImportant links and mentions:Download Snagit: techsmith.com/download/snagitLearn more about Snagit: https://www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.htmlTechSmith Screencast: https://www.screencast.com/

Before you start creating video content, there are a few things you need to know.Whether you are starting at the beginning, or have plenty of experience behind you, this is a must-listen for anybody creating educational video content. TechSmith’s Learning & Video Ambassador, Matt Pierce, is joined by Tiffany Taylor, Director, EDU Success & Education at Handshake, on this edition of The Visual Lounge. She shares what led her to create video, how she defines success and why keeping things simple and small is key.Plus, Tiffany shares her definitive 6 R’s to consider before creating video content. Learning points from the episode include:1:18 – Introducing Tiffany Taylor2:26 – How did Tiffany start using video?4:57 – Defining a successful video7:25 – Make sure video is the right medium for your content10:27 – Introducing Tiffany’s 6 principles for video content11:08 – Reiterating your design formula13:47 – The beauty of pausing videos17:51 – Why repetition is key20:33 – Keeping things simple and small23:14 – Are organizations nervous about choice?25:20 – Audience trust and change based on feedback31:36 – Diversity of Learning and Accessibility34:23 – Why collaborate on content?39:01 – Tiffany’s Speed Round43:16 – Tiffany’s final takeaway for the audienceImportant links and mentions:Tiffany on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-taylor-learner/Handshake: https://joinhandshake.com/Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.htmlSnagit: https://www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.html TechSmith Academy: https://www.techsmith.com/academy.html