Podcasts about pictory

What if making great learning videos felt like finishing a slide deck—familiar, fast, and oddly satisfying? Jackie sat down with Pictory co‑founder Vikram Chalana to unpack a clear path from messy tools to simple, repeatable workflows that help educators and L&D teams publish short, accessible videos at scale. No timeline acrobatics. No blank‑screen dread. Just practical steps that turn content you already trust into engaging microlearning.Vikram shares the three design choices that shaped Pictory's approach: keep editing as simple as PowerPoint, start from existing assets to skip the blank page, and integrate best‑of‑breed AI models instead of building everything in‑house. From OpenAI for text to high‑quality voices and licensed visuals, the stack is curated so you don't waste hours evaluating tools.Throughout the conversation, we focus on learning effectiveness. You'll hear concrete guidance on keeping videos two to four minutes, using captions by default, tightening scenes to avoid cognitive overload, and adding quick knowledge checks to boost retention. For busy instructors and training teams, the biggest shift is simple: repurpose first, create second.If you're ready to reduce production time, improve accessibility, and deliver learner‑focused videos without the headache, this one's for you. Subscribe, share with a colleague who wrangles slides every week, and leave a review to tell us which workflow you'll try first.

In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Vikram Chalana, co-founder of Pictory, to talk about building an AI-powered video platform designed to simplify content creation for creators, educators, and businesses. Vikram shares how Pictory was built to remove the complexity from video production and content repurposing. We discuss scaling a SaaS company, leading product and engineering teams, and how AI is reshaping content creation workflows. The conversation also explores Vikram's earlier experience co-founding Winshuttle, lessons learned from building enterprise software, and how those insights shaped Pictory's product strategy. Jason and Vikram talk about the future of AI in media, founder discipline, and what it takes to turn a technical idea into a widely adopted product. This episode is especially valuable for founders, SaaS builders, product leaders, and anyone leveraging AI to scale content and business growth.  Topics Discussed  • Vikram's path into entrepreneurship  • Founding and scaling Pictory • Democratizing video creation with AI • Leading product and engineering teams • Lessons from building enterprise software • SaaS growth and customer adoption • AI's role in content repurposing • Startup discipline and execution • Building technology for creators and businesses • The future of AI-driven media Connect with Vikram Chalana LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikramchalana/ Pictory Website: https://pictory.ai Connect with Jason Cavness LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncavness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejasoncavnessexperience/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jasoncavness Podcast: https://www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com  

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Alicia Lyttle.

Video - https://youtu.be/obk0ZQVAJqY

Video - https://youtu.be/CHoI4hdk0p4A simple, cost-free way to honor Veterans Day - donate your credit card rebates to a veteran charity like T2T. No extra spending, just big impact.Honor Veterans Day in a simple, meaningful, and completely painless way. Instead of digging into your wallet, redirect the cashback rebates your credit card already gives you. It's money you never actually spent, and it can do real good when you pledge it to a veteran-focused charity like Tunnels to Towers (T2T). https://t2t.org/This small habit turns spare “extra” money into real-world support for injured veterans, Gold Star families, and the first responders who stand between us and disaster. It costs you nothing, adds up over time, and reminds us that gratitude doesn't need to be complicated to be powerful. Let your credit card rebates become a quiet thank-you to the heroes who gave so much for our freedom.Make it a habit. Make it meaningful. Let your “free money” do something extraordinary.Don't forget to listen to the song I've proudly created to honor our Vets: https://youtube.com/shorts/1DYFUCSF0yQI used ChatGPT 5, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.

Video - https://youtu.be/yAQbNZz3BXkGetting older isn't for the faint of heart — but it sure can be fun if you've got a sense of humor (and a decent set of knees). In this light-hearted look at aging, we'll laugh about the aches, celebrate the wisdom, and uncover the secret to growing older gracefully—and maybe a little mischievously. Because wrinkles fade, hair thins, but laughter, that's forever.I used ChatGPT 5, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you're interested in trying Pictory.ai please use the following link. https://pictory.ai?ref=t015o

Video - https://youtu.be/WZ86D4wzW_oEveryone's talking about how AI is taking jobs — but for some of us, it's doing the opposite. Here's how AI boosted my creativity, not buried it.I used ChatGPT 5, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you're interested in trying Pictory.ai please use the following link. https://pictory.ai?ref=t015o

Video - https://youtu.be/9vw6sZ4SW1EA bold and modern digital poster emphasizing the message “Outdated Habits Are More Dangerous Than Outdated Apps.” The image features a split design — on one side, a person is shown avoiding a phishing lure; on the other, a laptop screen displays a software update in progress. The clean blue-and-yellow color palette symbolizes trust, awareness, and protection in cybersecurity.I used ChatGPT 5, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you're interested in trying Pictory.ai please use the following link. https://pictory.ai?ref=t015o

Video - https://youtu.be/dJVaGeC6LdwWe've all been there — hitting ‘Send' too soon, yelling at Wi-Fi, or realizing the ‘broken' remote is actually your phone. This lighthearted reflection reminds us that mistakes are proof of life — and laughter is the best software patch ever written.

Video https://youtu.be/BCpGHO2DoMcA simple yet powerful reminder to protect yourself online — your passwords and your security questions are the gatekeepers to your digital life. Stay smart, stay alert, and mind your Ps and Qs: Passwords and Questions!I used ChatGPT 5, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you're interested in trying Pictory.ai please use the following link. https://pictory.ai?ref=t015o

Video - https://youtu.be/Xe-Jrf_WCgUColin Powell warned us: “You can't make good decisions without good information.”Today's “No Kings” rallies prove how right he was. Misinformation, outrage, and division are tearing America apart from the inside — no outside invasion needed.Thanks for tuning in — now go hit that subscribe button and stay curious, my friends!

video - https://youtu.be/J9f0ps84T-oWhen truth takes a backseat to politics, everyone pays the price. This thought-provoking piece exposes the hypocrisy behind America's latest tech crackdown — where banned electronics meet a dancing double standard. It's bold, it's honest, and it asks the question no politician wants to answer.I used ChatGPT 5, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you're interested in trying Pictory.ai please use the following link. https://pictory.ai?ref=t015o

Video - https://youtu.be/1eGE8cTSwAYA single click can now hijack more than your browser — it can hijack your AI assistant. In this video we unpack CometJacking, the new exploit targeting the Comet Browser's AI agent, and show why it's a warning sign for every AI-enabled tool. Learn how prompt injection works, why it's dangerous, and what you can do to protect your data from these next-generation attacks.I used CleeAI/Copilot/Gemini/ChatGPT-4o and Invideo.ai/Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you find this helpful, why not show your support and buy me a cup of Coffee.https://ko-fi.com/bob3160

Video - https://youtu.be/GAVCWXqbbT0Waze is fine, but ICEBlock is banned?

Video - https://youtu.be/YGElteHX9fsGandhi's timeless lesson on strength meets modern politics. This article explores how true courage and compromise could end government shutdowns, protect citizens' rights first, and stop ordinary Americans from paying the price of Washington's brinkmanship.I used ChatGPT 5, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you're interested in trying Pictory.ai please use the following link. https://pictory.ai?ref=t015o

Video - https://youtu.be/TGwbue-srZQAmerica's tech train is speeding ahead — but who's steering it? While hackers probe our networks and AI seeps into daily life, Congress is stuck in gridlock and states are writing their own conflicting rules. This eye-opening piece looks at how the patchwork of laws, corporate lobbying, and real-world cyber threats shape what you see, use, and trust online — and why it matters more than ever.I used ChatGPT 5, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you're interested in trying Pictory.ai please use the following link. https://pictory.ai?ref=t015o

Video - https://youtu.be/JFm31sMDgpMIs Windows 12 frozen in time — or just hiding in plain sight?Rumors swirled, leaks surfaced, and expectations soared. But Microsoft's latest move has left the tech world stunned. Before you update your roadmap or redesign your workflow, you'll want to hear what really happened behind the scenes. This isn't just about an operating system — it's about a strategic shift that could reshape everything.I used Copilot, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you're interested in trying Pictory.ai please use the following link. https://pictory.ai?ref=t015o

Video - https://youtu.be/eefaBi-Cbp0Stop Paying for PC Speed! The Free Fix is Already on Your ComputerAre you throwing money away on expensive PC cleaning software? We expose the myth behind those scary "error reports" and show you why third-party tune-up apps are often unnecessary clutter.Discover the one simple reason you should never trust a paid cleaner, and unlock the three essential, built-in Windows tools that can instantly free up disk space and boost your startup speed—all for free.Get a faster, cleaner computer today by using the powerful tools you already own!I used Gemini Pro, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you're interested in trying Gemini Pro free for four month please use the following link. g.co/g1referral/B93Y2APK - Limited to the first 3 takers.

Video - https://youtu.be/rNjnAkr8oSwDNA data storage converts 0s and 1s into A-T-C-G, turning life's code into the densest, longest-lasting storage medium ever. Here's how it works, why it matters, and why it's not in your laptop yet.I used ChatGPT 5, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you're interested in trying Pictory.ai please use the following link. https://pictory.ai?ref=t015o

Video - https://youtu.be/99I4dJIQjP8Start your day by securing your smartphone like you would lock your front door before leaving home. This quick 5-step ritual—update, restart, check connections, scan for red flags, and lock down access—keeps hackers out and your digital life safe. A little humor, a little common sense, and a lot of protection before coffee.I used ChatGPT 5, ScreenPal, and Pictory.ai to put this information together.If you're interested in trying Pictory.ai please use the following link. https://pictory.ai?ref=t015o

Today we're breaking down our experience at the 2024 Agents of Change conference. From standout sessions on rethinking the customer journey to using AI for content and video marketing, we dive into our favorite moments. Hear our take on John Jantsch's insights about shifting from the outdated sales funnel to his fresh approach on building trust and referrals.Plus, we geek out over Lou Bortone and AI-powered video tools after his stellar demo-packed session that showcased tools like Descript, Pictory, and more—all designed to help marketers of any size.Finally, we compare this year's conference to others we've attended. Is Agents of Change really living up to its name? Tune in for our candid review and actionable insights to help your business thrive in this fast-changing digital landscape!Speakers Mentioned:John JantschAndy CrestodinaViveka Von RosenLou BortoneAI Tools:Chat GPTHedraOasisKapwingUnderloadDescriptDream MachineNotebook LMSquadcastPictoryAdditional Links:Quebec NordiquesAgents of ChangeInboundLet's connect! Send us a message and say hi. It's the end!No it's not! There's more. There's always more. Every Tuesday at 5AM EST we release new audio and video episodes. Come find us!But wait! Explore a wealth of tips, tricks, and insights on our various social channels:

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With Pictory, you can create and edit professional-quality videos using text in minutes; no technical skills are required or software to download. Pictory is the AI that helps produce a month of short social video posts from long-form content such as blogs and webinars in minutes. Connect with Pete

Vikram Chalana, CEO of Pictory, says the future of marketing - and all content - is video. He looked at the ways in which AI could increase efficiency for content creators, and that was the inspiration behind the company. Pictory makes video creation easier by allowing the average business user to repurpose existing content like articles and white papers and make videos to publish across multiple channels. Chalana explains how their technology works, how it helps SMBs, and where he wants the space to go next.For Further Reading: Pictory10 “Best” AI Tools for Business (May 2024)The Times Sues OpenAI and Microsoft Over A.I. Use of Copyrighted WorkInside Big Tech's underground race to buy AI training dataElevenLabsPOSSIBLE Listen on your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1715735755

This week David talks about the games he's played, Rauniot, Ziggy, Podcast 400 Interviews, Cat Pipes, Hole.io, Mob Control, and Senua's Saga: Hellblade II In this week's 10 Minutes of Nothing we have a little talk about the Sony State of Play.Pictory - https://pictory.ai?ref=5dh99The Unofficial Sega Saturn Collection - https://amzn.to/3PRObvrThe Unofficial Playstation Collection - https://amzn.to/3xCryVDThe Unofficial Nintendo 64 Collection - https://amzn.to/3UdPJ4A#etsy #gamesplayedthisweek @OUGuk ⭐️Click the link to get ?£100 coupon bundle or ⭐️ Search apw43914 on the Temu App to get ?30% off discount !! https://temu.to/m/e8513fu8o0n via @shoptemu Please visit us at.......... www.oneupgaming.co.uk https://ougtech.square.site https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OneUpGaming www.patreon.com/oug www.twitch.tv/ougofficial Twitter = @OUGofficial -- Watch live at https://www.twitch.tv/ouguk

This week David talks about the games he's played, Heading Out, Dream Hotel Master, Synced, Shadow of the Depth, Saviorless, BattleJuice Alchemist and The Magical Mixture Mill. We also talk with Jon Hare, Paweł Warzycha from CubicGames, Eddie Sampaio, with little bits with Dave from Dave Chats Games, Retro Asylum and Lee Chapman who does the Lee and Peter bits on TikTok.Pictory - https://pictory.ai?ref=5dh99The Unofficial Sega Saturn Collection - https://amzn.to/3PRObvrThe Unofficial Playstation Collection - https://amzn.to/3xCryVDThe Unofficial Nintendo 64 Collection - https://amzn.to/3UdPJ4A#etsy #gamesplayedthisweek @OUGuk ⭐️Click the link to get ?£100 coupon bundle or ⭐️ Search apw43914 on the Temu App to get ?30% off discount !! https://temu.to/m/e8513fu8o0n via @shoptemu Please visit us at.......... www.oneupgaming.co.uk https://ougtech.square.site https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OneUpGaming www.patreon.com/oug www.twitch.tv/ougofficial Twitter = @OUGofficial -- Watch live at https://www.twitch.tv/ouguk

This week David talks about the games he's played, Fantasy Fighters, Ikonei Island, Richman 11, Ready, Steady, Ship!, Mothered, Flightpath and ROAD TO EXOTICS! In this week's 10 Minutes of Nothing we have a little talk about the Sony Spider-Man Movies.Pictory - https://pictory.ai?ref=5dh99The Unofficial Sega Saturn Collection - https://amzn.to/3PRObvrThe Unofficial Playstation Collection - https://amzn.to/3xCryVDThe Unofficial Nintendo 64 Collection - https://amzn.to/3UdPJ4A#etsy #gamesplayedthisweek @OUGuk ⭐️Click the link to get ?£100 coupon bundle or ⭐️ Search apw43914 on the Temu App to get ?30% off discount !! https://temu.to/m/e8513fu8o0n via @shoptemu Please visit us at.......... www.oneupgaming.co.uk https://ougtech.square.site https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OneUpGaming www.patreon.com/oug www.twitch.tv/ougofficial Twitter = @OUGofficial -- Watch live at https://www.twitch.tv/ouguk

In this episode of the Predictable B2B Success podcast, hosted by Vinay Koshy and brought to you by Sproutworth.com, guest Vikram Chalana, CEO of Pictory and a pioneer in AI-driven content creation, discusses the transformative potential of video content in B2B marketing.  With an impressive background, from a research scientist to co-founding Winshuttle and now leading Pictory, Chalana shares insights into the shift towards video marketing, stressing its critical role in enhancing user understanding, increasing sales, and improving ROI. The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities of creating short-form videos, leveraging AI for content creation, and the importance of companies becoming media entities to drive growth and thought leadership.  Chalana also highlights user-generated content, repurposing existing content, and the power of democratizing technology to enable non-experts to create impactful videos. The episode concludes with the importance of incorporating videos into the core content marketing strategy and leveraging platforms like Pictory to overcome production barriers and enhance content engagement. Some of the areas we explore in this episode include:  The Role of AI in Video Marketing: Vikram highlights how AI, particularly technologies from OpenAI like ChatGPT, has significantly contributed to Pictory's growth by enhancing the platform's capabilities in video creation and refining search algorithms for visuals.Importance of Short Form Video Content: The discussion emphasizes the value of creating short video clips, mainly because users frequently watch videos on mute and because short, engaging content is effective on social platforms.Strategies for Video Content Repurposing: Vikram and Vinay discuss the benefits of repurposing long-form content into shorter video segments to maximize content reach and maintain audience engagement.Challenges in Video Production: They address common challenges users face in creating videos, such as the need for perfection, time constraints, and ensuring a consistent style and branding across content produced using AI tools.Use of Video in B2B Marketing: The episode covers how businesses can leverage video for B2B marketing, including creating customer testimonial videos and the pivotal role videos play in influencing purchasing decisions.Content Marketing and Thought Leadership through Videos: There's a strong focus on how videos contribute to content marketing and thought leadership, highlighting trends toward businesses functioning as media companies.Democratization of Video Creation: Vikram discusses the importance of making video creation accessible for more people, envisioning it as a standard element in office productivity suites, similar to traditional document and presentation tools.Growth and Differentiation Strategies for Pictory: Insights are provided into Pictory's market strategies in a competitive (red ocean) environment, including bundling multiple solutions and using diverse marketing channels to stand out.Importance of Context and Value in Video Clips: The episode addresses the necessity of providing adequate context to ensure the message remains clear and the content is valuable to the audience.Video SEO and Engagement Metrics: Discussion on how video content significantly enhances SEO, with insights into statistics showing the impact of video on sales, user understanding, and overall engagement on digital platforms.And much, much more...

On today's Lunch With Norm, we are with an engineer turned serial entrepreneur, Vikram Chalana! We discussed how to use AI for video creation & editing. Find out how AI helps in the world of videos. Our guest is currently building an innovative software company, Pictory, that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to enable anyone to turn their message into engaging video content quickly & easily.   This episode is brought to you by Post Purchase Pro   Post Purchase PRO specializes in helping Amazon sellers create more sales, ranking, and reviews through post-purchase marketing. Finally, your email marketing can be actively managed by professionals with over 30 years of experience so you can focus on running your business. Increase repeat purchases, drive better organic search term ranking, get more reviews, and build a real asset.   For more information visit https://www.postpurchasepro.com/lunch   This episode is brought to you by Startup Club   Startup Club is the largest club on Clubhouse supporting the Startup ecosystem.   Startup Club offers an exciting sense of belonging to established and aspiring entrepreneurs, startup businesses, and companies wanting to Learn, Connect, and Grow. Join us for conversations with founders, entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, subject matter experts, and more.   For more information visit https://Startup.club   This episode is brought to you by Seller Basics   Seller Basics is the ultimate guardian for account suspensions, ASIN hiccups, and IP headaches. For only $99 per month, Seller Basics provides a dedicated team to safeguard your business. And that's not all! Gain access to free legal consultations with seasoned eCommerce attorneys. With no binding contracts, you can cancel anytime with just a month's notice.   Consider Seller Basics your Amazon account's comprehensive health plan.   For more information visit https://www.sellerbasics.com   In this episode, an engineer turned serial entrepreneur, Vikram Chalana is here. Today, we discussed how to use AI for video creation & editing. He is currently building an innovative software company, Pictory, that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to enable anyone to turn their message into engaging video content quickly & easily.   This episode is brought to you by Startup Club, Post Purchase Pro, Seller Basics, and HONU Worldwide...   *All conversations and information exchanged on the Lunch with Norm podcast or interaction on the Lunch with Norm Website is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Do not confuse this with advice or direction with your business per se. Always do your own research before following advice from any podcast/website. Amazon's Terms of Service is always changing. Make sure you are following relevant up-to-date information.

Kellan Carter is a founding partner of Bellevue-based FUSE where he focuses on early-stage investments in intelligent software in both horizontal and vertical categories. He currently sits on several Boards, including Zuper and Pictory. Previously, Kellan spent seven years at Ignition Partners, a leading early-stage venture capital firm, and two years in investment banking at Mooreland Partners in San Francisco. Kellan also currently sits on the Board of the Bellevue Boys and Girls Club.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to another episode of the Humane Marketing podcast. In this episode, we delve into the realm of humane video with Lou Bortone, exploring how video content can be a powerful tool for authentic connection and trust-building in today's business world.  Join us as we uncover the core principles of creating videos that resonate on a deeply human level, discover the importance of authenticity in fostering a loyal audience, explore cutting-edge AI tools for video creation, and gain valuable insights into future trends and actionable tips tailored specifically for solopreneurs.  Get ready to be inspired and equipped to use video as a means to stand out authentically and thrive in your business endeavors. In this conversation with Lou, we addressed the following talking points: How Lou got started with video and has seen it evolve into a tool for humane and authentic connection The core principles of creating video content that resonates on a human level How authenticity builds trust and a loyal audience Tools for video creation, including AI Future trends and actionable tips for solopreneurs and much more... --- Transcript 186 Sarah: [00:00:00] Hello, Humane Marketers. Welcome back to the Humane Marketing Podcast, the place to be for the generation of marketers that cares. This is a show where we talk about running your business in a way that feels good to you, is aligned with your values, and also resonates with today's conscious customers because it's humane, ethical, and non pushy. I'm Sarah Zanacroce, your hippie turned business coach for quietly rebellious entrepreneurs and marketing impact pioneers. Mama bear of the humane marketing circle and renegade author of marketing like we're human and selling like we're human. If after listening to the show for a while, you're ready to move on to the next level and start implementing and would welcome a community of like minded, quietly rebellious entrepreneurs who discuss with transparency what we're doing. Works and what doesn't work in business, then we'd love to welcome you in our humane marketing circle. If you're picturing your [00:01:00] typical Facebook group, let me paint a new picture for you. This is a closed community of like minded entrepreneurs from all over the world who come together once per month in a zoom circle workshop to hold each other accountable and build their business in a sustainable way. We share with transparency and vulnerability, what works for us and what doesn't work. So that you can figure out what works for you instead of keep throwing spaghetti on the wall and seeing what sticks. Find out more at humane. marketing forward slash circle. And if you prefer one on one support from me, my humane business coaching could be just what you need, whether it's for your marketing, sales, general business building, or help with your big idea, like writing a book. I'd love to share my brain and my heart with you together with my almost 15 years. business experience and help you grow a sustainable business that is joyful and sustainable. If you love this [00:02:00] podcast, wait until I show you my mama bear qualities as my one on one client. You can find out more at humane. marketing forward slash coaching. And finally, if you are a marketing impact pioneer and would like to bring humane marketing to your organization, Have a look at my offers and workshops on my website at humane. marketing. Hello friends, welcome back to another episode at the Humane Marketing Podcast. Today's conversation fits under the P of promotion of the Humane Marketing Mandala. And I'm talking to a long time online friend, Lou Bortone. If you're a regular here, you already know that I'm organizing the conversations around the seven P's of the Humane Marketing Mandala. And if you're new here and don't know what I'm talking about, you can download your one page marketing plan with the Humane Marketing version [00:03:00] of the seven P's of marketing at humane. marketing. com. One page, the number one and the word page. And also just a reminder for my non native English speakers, humane is with an E at the end. So it's not human, it's humane. So humane with an E dot marketing forward slash one page, the number one and the word page, and this comes with seven email prompts to really help you reflect on these different P's for your business. All right, let me tell you a little bit about Lou and from his bio, you will kind of immediately kind of grasp his sense of humor. If Don Vito Corleone, Marty Scorsese and Jerry Seinfeld got together to make an AI baby, you might end up with Lou Bortone. Lu is known as the Video Godfather and is conciliare to some of the brightest names in digital marketing. [00:04:00] He's a video marketing expert, an author, speaker, and host of the Godfather podcast. Prior to becoming a video printer, Lu spent more than 20 years in the television business before being run out of. Hollywood. Lou is also a father to twins, a rescuer of pugs, and an expert at Italian curses. I'll always remember meeting Lou in real life back in, I think it was 2017, when he picked me up in a Red Beetle or something. Like that at this tiny train station in Camucho Cortona and, and that's in Tuscany and then drove us up the hill. And I could tell he had no experience with stick driving to our retreat house for the week. And these in person meetings are really just so special in this online world, aren't they? So that's why I went back to Lou for this episode [00:05:00] around video. So in this conversation with Lou, we addressed the following talking points, how Lou got started with video and has seen it evolve into a tool for humane and authentic connection, the core principles of creating video content that resonates on a human level, how authenticity builds trust. And a loyal audience, tools for video creation, including AI tools, future trends and actionable tips for solopreneurs to get started or to get better with video and so much more. So let's dive into this conversation with Lou Bortone. Hey Lou, so glad to see you again and get a chance to talk shop with you about video. And of course, in the off recording, we talked about Sicily because we have a common love for everything Italy, right? Lou Bortone: Exactly. Yeah. And you're one of the [00:06:00] online folks that I've actually met in real life. So that's right. Sarah: Yeah. Which is always, you know, it's such an exception. And so it's yeah. Something special. I, I was part of your, what do you call it? Mastermind Lou Bortone: or Tuscany and yeah, and we had the few years of the little interruption of the pandemic and all that, but hopefully that's all behind us. Yeah. Sarah: Yeah. That was amazing. Loved it. Cool. So I have you today to talk about video and we were just, Discussing, well, maybe we're going to call it video like we're human or YouTube, like we're human or something like that. And then you share it that you just kind of focus a lot on the trust and authenticity. And so we'll definitely get into that. So really looking forward to it. Why don't you start by sharing how you got. Into video how you you know, you're calling yourself the godfather of video, tell Lou Bortone: us Yeah. [00:07:00] The long and circuitous route too. And you know, it's funny 'cause I think people call me that because they know of my love of Italy and Sicily and the Godfather, but all really, because I've been doing it for a really long time. So I was in the television business for many years in Los Angeles and I think it was probably around. 2000 on 1998 that I really got online and started to do things online. And when our twins were born, we decided, well, let's leave, you know, Hollywood and La La Land and go some, go back to family and in Boston. And that's kind of when I started doing the online video stuff which was fun because the way I discovered YouTube is that I was helping some people. Do a sketch comedy show for like a local cable access. And we started to put the videos on YouTube and really get a lot of attention there. We realized, Oh, this, you know, we were kind of onto something. So I was on from a very early, you know, back in 2005 when YouTube started and I've been doing online video ever since. And I love it because [00:08:00] I'm an introvert and I don't have to be in person necessarily with people. And even though I don't love being on camera for me, it's a lot easier than in person networking. And I just love the fact that we can do this and sort of have our own TV station, our own podcast. I mean, 10, 20 years ago, this would have been impossible. So Sarah: yeah, that's how I got here. That's insane. It's like mind blowing that, you know, 2005, that it really seems like ages and ages, but that's Lou Bortone: when it came out. So I guess that's what, 18 years. Oh my gosh. I feel so old. Sarah: It really is a long time ago and of course, you know, it went through phases of ups and downs and, and it seems like right now it really is kind of like coming back and, and I want to know from you, why do you think that it has this comeback now? What, Lou Bortone: what, what? It's interesting. And it's the same with, you know, remember podcasting sort of cooled off [00:09:00] for a while and now it's harder than ever. I think part of it is that You know, when, when I was growing up, when we were growing up, you know, there were just a few TV stations and a few options. And now with YouTube and podcasts and streaming, you know, we've got access to, to the, to basically a worldwide audience every time we turn on our computer or our PC. Put our phone on. So I think that's part of it. It's just the accessibility and also the fact that folks who maybe are a little younger than us grew up with. They never didn't. You know, they always had Internet. They always had you do. They always had streaming and all this kind of stuff. So for them. A screen is a screen is a screen, they don't care if it's TV, they don't care if it's you know, cable, they don't care if it's YouTube, you know, whatever they're watching, they can watch anything, anytime, and that's why, you know, another crazy statistic is that YouTube has more viewers than all the U. S. TV networks, all the cable networks, all the streaming services, so when you think of TV, you don't usually think of YouTube, but [00:10:00] YouTube is TV, and TV is YouTube. Sarah: I mean, if we think of our kids, right, that's, that's all they're watching. They're not watching TV. It's Lou Bortone: definitely the YouTube. Multi screens. You know, they're, they're watching YouTube on a, on a traditional television screen, but they're on Twitter or X at the same time with their friends. And I don't know how they do it. I can barely manage one screen. Yeah. Sarah: Yeah. I also feel that. You know, we were also kind of part of the blogging era. And, and so I feel like, you know, Google has changed their algorithm again. And people are like, well, people don't really read blogs anymore. And we can't get any traction with SEO. Now that the market is getting flooded with all the AI content. So maybe it's also, do you think it's also because of that? People are like, well, at least that. That's what it was for me. I'm like, I got to pay attention to Lou Bortone: YouTube. Absolutely. And then the other thing with business owners, I mean, you know, we always read video is the way to [00:11:00] get the most amount of information in the shortest amount of time. So if we're all multitasking, we're all really over scheduled, we're all really busy. Oftentimes it's like, I can't sit down and read a newspaper. But what's that? You know, it's, I have to, you know, go to YouTube and find this quick answer. I have to go to see this thing on Tik TOK or, you know, so it's really just a great way to get access to any information anywhere in the world. Sarah: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. It's, it's, it's, I love it, especially when it's timestamped. So it's like, Oh, I don't even have to watch the whole thing. It's just like, yeah, exactly. So, so yeah. Lou Bortone: So I think now the thing is that. The, the consumer, the viewer, it has more control than ever. Cause like I said, when we were at least in the U S when we were growing up, it's like you had three TV networks and, and they controlled everything. They controlled what you saw, what you heard. And now it's kind of like, well, the consumer can go anywhere they want and see anything they want. So they're completely in control now. Sarah: So that kind [00:12:00] of probably if someone has never done any video kind of sounds also intimidating because it's like, wow, like there's this giant audience out there. Okay. You already mentioned as an introvert, sometimes YouTube is actually probably easier than the networking thing, but maybe it also feels like, well. What am I going to share that hasn't already been said out there? Yeah. So what would you say to that Lou Bortone: question? I think, you know, everybody has their unique spin and everybody has their own, you know Perspective. So it's like you have something to offer. A lot of times if I'm working with my clients or students, they feel like, well, you know, like you said, well, you know, what can I say that hasn't already been said? And I tell them, look, you know, you have a message. You have a unique message. You have a unique way of doing things and your Passion to get that message out to the world has to be stronger than your fear of being on camera. Because again, you know, the other thing too is now that we're all able to be on camera, we're not walking the red carpet at the Oscars. We're just putting on a podcast or a YouTube channel [00:13:00] and showing up and trying to be authentic. Sarah: Right. Yeah. So let's talk a little bit about this trust building and authenticity, like what are some key points here that maybe a story I can tell is like, I remember when I put up my first video and I just seen them all because I cleaned up my YouTube channel and I'm like, Oh my God, this is terrible. But I remember like really sweating it like, Oh my God, I have to prepare everything. Yeah. So. Like, do we really need to have this perfect video or how much of it can we just wing and really be just human and Lou Bortone: authentic? I think you can wing 80 percent of it, probably. I mean, I often make the distinction between quick videos and keeper videos. It's like, okay, a keeper video, your homepage video on your website, you know, you want to, you don't want to be in your pajamas, probably. If it's an important video that's going to have shelf life, like your homepage [00:14:00] video, or if you're selling, you know, a thousand dollar coaching program, you don't, you know, you want to look professional. So those keeper videos, you probably want to spend more time and effort on, but if it's, you know, quick tips, I mean, oftentimes I just think of something and then just go to YouTube and share it. So quick tips or Facebook lives or any kind of live video, it's really more about, you know, just showing up. And sharing your message and being authentic. And a lot of times people think video is about the technology. And what I try to sort of, you know, reshape that or respin it as, no, it's really about connection and relationships and engagement. It doesn't matter what technology we're using. It just matters that we're connecting and being authentic and sharing ourselves. Hmm. Sarah: I remember we, we did the workshop together or something about video for introverts back in the days. And, and I remember we did kind of have one module on, on on technology. And I'm thinking maybe that actually lost [00:15:00] a bit of importance now that. You know, we're so used to these shorts on YouTube and even famous people just kind of like filming themselves. You think it has changed maybe also over time? Yeah. And Lou Bortone: I think that the pandemics accelerated it really quickly because, you know, and basically in, you know, a day we all had to move to zoom and we had to move our events to zoom and we had to move everything online. So I think that just accelerated it. And, you know, it was almost like. You know, well, I don't have a choice. I have to be on camera because that's the only way I can connect with my audience right now, right? Yeah. And I think the other thing was now people realize, Oh, this is, you know, this isn't that scary. And this isn't that difficult technically. And we always hear about no like and trust. And I think people finally realized like, wow, this is a great way to build no like and trust. Sarah: Yeah, it's so true. I'm always surprised that people are watching whole episodes, you know, that I put [00:16:00] on the podcast as well, but no, people actually watched the YouTube version of it as well. And probably it's because that know, like, and trust, right? Lou Bortone: Yeah, definitely. The connection, the ability to watch it on the go, cause people are watching on their phones. And I did, you know, I've, I've done podcasting. Off and on, but the reason that I finally committed to doing a podcast was I saw a statistic that YouTube was now the number one source for podcasts, more than Apple, more than Google, more than Amazon people are going to YouTube for podcasts and whether that's just. Kind of listening to it when, you know, with a slide on the screen or having an actual interview or seeing the person on screen, either way there, it's become, you know, kind of the go to place to see and hear podcasts. Sarah: Yeah, that's interesting. I did see a difference between just having that slide and the moving, you know, lines which I did before. So I didn't have the video portion of [00:17:00] it. And now with, with the actual faces, like there is more engagement or there is more views because yeah, obviously it's more interesting to, to see two people talking than just a line. Yeah. Lou Bortone: Yeah. And that's the other thing that's been interesting too is now with all the AI stuff. It's like, I think there's going to be not really a backlash with AI, but more of a need for like, okay, I don't want to see a robotic, you know, synthesized video. I mean, yeah, I can create an AI version of myself. It's like, hi, I'm Lou, you know, and recreate my voice, but it's still not you, you know, it's still not the real person. Sarah: Yeah. And, and I really feel like that's why I like the really human and authentic videos the best, where you see some people, you know, they have like this fancy background and their logo is up there and their book is up there. I'm like, I get that from a marketing perspective, but. [00:18:00] It doesn't feel real. It feels like if I would see you on the street, I probably wouldn't recognize you because you're wearing so much makeup and I don't, yeah, I don't really recognize you. So for me, it's really that real humanness that comes across. Yeah, Lou Bortone: and that's why I like, you know, I don't do as much live video as I should, but I kind of call it like, oh, a live video is to come as you are party, you know, just show up and, and, you know, be yourself and don't worry that the dogs are barking in the background because that's the way it works, you know, like it's, there's going to be distractions, there's going to be craziness going on in the background, but that just makes it more real. Sarah: Talking about that. I just watched, remember that BBC interview where the walks in and then the baby rolls in and I just watched that Lou Bortone: again. Sometimes those are viral moments. Like, you know, the wife's son doing, trying to do a professional interview and the guy walks by. [00:19:00] You know, husband walks behind her in his boxer shorts, you know, it's like, we're trying to do video here, people. Sarah: And what, what I didn't remember is that that was in 2017. So way pre COVID. So that's why it was like super shocking. You know, back then we were all still like, Ooh, you know, has to be super professional. So I feel like a lot has changed since the pandemic. Yeah. And again, Lou Bortone: You have to find that balance because like I kid like you don't want to look like a hostage video. I mean, you don't want to have really terrible lighting and yeah, that it may be authentic, but it's still not easy to watch like if the lighting is really bad or if the audio is bad. So you have to find that balance between like, look, I have to, you know, look relatively professional, but I don't have to be so polished that I'm on doing an interview on CNN or something. Sarah: Exactly. Yeah, it's, it's true. It's that balance that you're still human and creating trust. But without looking [00:20:00] like, yeah, you're just going on CNN. So we talked a little bit about AI what I just recently started using is this Tool called Clip, Opus Clip or something. Oh yeah. Yes. Opus Clip. And it lets you create these little shorts from longer videos. Right. And, and I love that because it's repurposing existing content. And so, yeah, do you know any other great AI tools Lou Bortone: that people are using? I did a series on some AI tools and Opus Clip was one of them, which is great because if you're going to create content. You might as well get as much mileage out of it as possible. So if you're doing a podcast and you wanted to do clips from the podcast, or you want to do 60 second segments, Opus clip is great for that. Pictory. ai is really good because you can, you know, make your videos more professional and edit them and add, you know, B roll and background footage. And the one that I use probably every single day is descript. com. And the reason [00:21:00] I like that is because for people who are not You know, video editors, you can edit the text and all those changes are made, you know, you're basically editing a Word document and then the changes transfer the video. So I've been using that for pod, you know, to produce podcasts and really every kind of video because it's, it's really faster and you can look more professional and more quickly. Yeah, Sarah: and I love the fact that you just highlight all the ums and take them Lou Bortone: all out. Yeah, I had no idea how many times I used the words and until I found a descriptor like, oh, I can take out all the filler words with one click. And suddenly I sound smarter than I am. And I don't think that damages any of the authenticity or makes it any less real. It's just that like, oh, this is, it's going to be a little bit easier to look more professional without having to go through all kinds of crazy editing and stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Sarah: Yeah, that's true. It doesn't feel like all of a sudden you sound like a robot. You just. I feel like, yeah, you sound [00:22:00] smarter because you're not constantly looking for words or, or, yeah, saying Lou Bortone: them that. And some of it's getting like, it's a little bit weird because there's a feature in Descript where if I'm looking at the screen, it will put your eyes back up to where the camera is. Oh, I haven't Sarah: seen that. Lou Bortone: Ooh, that's kind of, you know, it's kind of interesting. It's a little creepy, but it works pretty well. But again, it's about striking that balance. Like I could do videos where I say, you know, you sort of insert the name, like you do one video, hello. So, you know, it's like, well, obviously that's, you know automated. So you don't want to do so much automation that it's not, you know real anymore. Sarah: Right. Yeah. I guess that's a question that you get often is like, well, where should your eyes be when you're doing either self recorded videos or chats like this one? For example, me right now, I'm looking at the camera. I'm not looking at you, which I always feel like, oh, what a Lou Bortone: shame. You got [00:23:00] to sort of train your eyes. I'm like, Oh, you know, my mom said you have to look people in the eye. Exactly. Great, but the camera, the camera's eye is up here, so I cheat because I have like a little extra monitor up where the camera is, but if I was looking at the screen, it would be, it would feel like I wasn't connecting with you and I wasn't being as authentic because I'm not, you want to try to, the camera is the the other person's eyes. So that's the tricky part. Sarah: Yeah, yeah. What I do is this, because I'm recording on zoom, so I just make the screen of zoom very small and just shove it right under the camera. Lou Bortone: I know. So those kind of tricks of just, you know, try to look at the camera try to have, you know, adequate lighting But again, it's, you know, it doesn't take much. I, I, I like to have a setup where I can just say, okay, my camera is set up, my background's okay, my lights work, and I want to just be able to go. I don't want to have to spend 20 minutes setting up a video every time I do a video. Sarah: Yeah, exactly. It becomes kind of like a nuisance if you're, it feels like, Oh, [00:24:00] I have to do all this setting up. What about what about in terms of the, the body placement? Because one thing I noticed is when I put the things on Tik TOK compared to everybody else, my face was like, Oh God, this is like, this is no Lou Bortone: good. Consider where the person's watching from, and a lot of people are watching on their phone, especially if it's a vertical video. So oftentimes if I'm doing a webinar and I'm sharing slides that are landscape, I realized, well, I can't put this on TikTok or Instagram Reels because it's going to squish it. But like, again, using software like Descript, we can take a video like this and put, you know, the people, Vertically so that it still works. So what I do see a lot, and it's funny cause I did another video about this, is it just, people don't have a very good sense of the spatial awareness. Like there'll be way down here, like, hello. And the trick that I, I heard that works is that, you know, think in terms of like, you don't want any more headroom than you [00:25:00] could fit a golf ball on the top of your head. So. You know, you don't want to be too close. You don't want to be too, too far away. Sarah: So what about here? Like Lou Bortone: it's kind of like, I think, you know, we were used to seeing that from news anchors and TV. It's usually like, you know, the, the typical shot is head and shoulders kind of shot, but again you know, if there are people doing videos who are yoga instructors or something like that, they got to go way back and be No, I think it's really just a matter of being aware of where you are in the camera. Oftentimes we'll see on zoom maybe somebody's on a laptop and they're looking up and you're looking up their nose. It's like, that's no fun. You know, just try to. Have a straight on you know, and use the photography rule of thirds where your eyes should be on the top third of the line. And if you've got graphics, those should be on the lower third, which is why they call lower thirds. So it's just having a sort of a spatial awareness of where you are, what's going on on screen. Sarah: Right. Yeah. [00:26:00] Yeah. I think a lot of it also comes back to confidence and just doing it a few times and not caring if it doesn't look good and just keep doing Lou Bortone: it, right? Yeah. So it's funny when we do, like we did the video for introverts thing a few years ago, but when we do when I do these challenges, I say, you know I do my first video in the car after I just came from the gym. So it's like, okay, this is the worst I'm going to look. Okay. I'm going to, I'm going to set the bar really low so it can only get better. And you know, I'm in the car, the lighting's bad, I'm sweaty, but okay, I'm going to start there and then work my way towards better videos as I go. Sarah: Right. Yeah, that's a, that's a good way of putting it. And I remember those videos after kickboxing, right? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I don't know if I would bear that, but yeah. . Lou Bortone: Well, and I think, you know women have a harder time because of the expectations. Like, oh, you know, my hair has to look good and I have to be wearing. Right, whatever. But I think people are less concerned [00:27:00] about that now than they used to be. Sarah: I think so too. And it's so refreshing. Lou Bortone: Yeah. Cause we just show up on zoom and it's like, look, you know I just came back from the gym or I'm, you know, I've been doing this, that so it's really more about, you really have to. Focus on the message and not so much the quality is important, but it's, it's less important than, than your message and you, and what you're Sarah: delivering. You know what that makes me think of is it's funny that we haven't kind of changed our headshots yet to being more human because sometimes you go on somebody's website and it's this beautiful girl. Like. Once in a lifetime that they look like that. And then you see their YouTube videos and you're like, Oh, they're actually human, Lou Bortone: right? And I, I did have photos when we were in Italy. I'm like, Oh, I want to have my pictures with really old buildings in the background and things like that. And then when people show up, they're like, Oh, you don't look like you look on, on [00:28:00] screen. So I used to do a really silly trick. Okay. Back in the Photoshop days is I would make my image actually a little wider so that I'd look heavier. And then when I showed up in person, people would say, Oh, you have you lost weight? So I was doing that reverse Photoshop, like, well, I want to look better in person. So I'm going to, but again, it's, it's, it is all about that authenticity and connection. And I talk about building loyalty through video, because again, it's really more about A relationship than about what camera you're using. Sarah: Yeah, it really feels like it's. I explained it in levels of intimacy, right? And so people sign up to your newsletter that they get your emails. That's the kind of the low level or before that it's even social media. Right. And then there's a higher level is newsletter and even higher letter that level Dell will be YouTube or, you know, any kind of video. And then probably [00:29:00] zoom calls where it's like in person zoom calls and then the actual in person meeting. But yeah. I do feel already, you know, we're seeing each other's facial expressions and that, yeah, that creates trust and loyalty. I Lou Bortone: totally agree. Yeah. And again, you know, even though, thank goodness we're past the pandemic and live events are coming back and conferences are back, there's still going to be that hybrid events, people working from home much more than they used to. I mean, my kids who are 25 they have never worked in an office. Everything they've done is, is on screen, on zoom, on Google meet, whatever it is. That's just the way they work now. Yeah, Sarah: yeah, yeah. No, it's crazy. Yeah, it really is. So let us talk a little bit to wrap up around the future. So we mentioned AI, we mentioned that, you know, Google is not really easy anymore to have your [00:30:00] blog posts featured. So what is, what do you see the future of video? How do you see it? Lou Bortone: I think it's, you know, obviously there's going to be a lot more volume because people are going to continue to flock to YouTube and watch YouTube shorts. I think we're going to see, you know, shorter bursts of videos, like. TikTok and Instagram reels are going to continue and it's a little harder to make the connection there because you're on for a shorter amount of time. But I think we're going to see the shorter videos, promoting podcasts and longer content where you really can connect because again, you're obviously going to make a better connection with somebody if you're seeing or hearing them for, you know, 15, 20 minutes, rather than. Forty five seconds and i think the other thing is that there may be a little bit of a not really a backlash but sort of an anti AI thing like okay i've seen the robotic you know synthetic version of blue but where's the real you know i'm gonna show up on facebook live and not be perfect but be real so i think you'll start [00:31:00] to see a little bit more of you know as much as we're going to be using AI that's still not going to you know literally replace the person and their message. Sarah: Yeah, I hope so. I mean, I'm, I'm all for AI, but exactly. It's still, in a way it makes the videos that we're doing even more special and more human. So, so maybe that's also a good. Lou Bortone: Yeah. So, yeah, because that's the, you know, it's almost like if you send out an email blast, it's not very personal. If you send out an, an AI video, it's great, but it's not. You know, it's personal or familiar or engaging. And even now that chat GPT is, is starting to put in I think it's called Sora where you can put in a prompt and chat GPT will create a video from nothing, which is great, but it's still not. You, I don't think so. What Sarah: does it do? It creates an avatar of you or just, Lou Bortone: you know, if you say create a video about a trip [00:32:00] to, to Boston mass, it's going to pull in footage from Boston and scenes and sites. And I think, you know, eventually if you record yourself, it'll be able to do sort of a facsimile of you, but it's still not going to be the real you. So, yeah, Sarah: some interesting, interesting things coming our way. That's for sure. Lou Bortone: Yeah, it's crazy. So I think there's still gonna be a place, a really important place for those videos. If I do a lot of video email, I just sort of, you know, rather than sending email, I do a video on loom and, and share something. And I think again, that's more personal. Yeah, it takes a little bit more time, but I think it also has a lot more impact because you feel like, oh, wow, this person's actually talking to me. It's not going to 1000 people. Yeah, I love Sarah: that. Yeah. I love those videos. I remember them from, from the, the trip in Tuscany. One thing we didn't talk about so much, and maybe it's something that we don't need to worry about is the whole algorithm thing, because obviously we're replacing the [00:33:00] Google algorithm by a YouTube algorithm. So how much are you paying attention and telling your clients to pay attention to the algorithm and making sure it gets, you know, right? Yeah, Lou Bortone: I mean, as long as I've, I've been on YouTube since the very beginning, and it's constantly changing and it's hard to keep up with. And I actually work with a YouTube coach just to try to stay on top of it. Can, and he keeps telling me the same thing and I've heard it over and over. And I think it's the best idea is make videos for humans, not algorithm. Don't try to game the system. Don't do keyword stuffing. I mean, I, I was talking to him about keywords and tags and he's like, just don't worry about it. It doesn't even matter anymore. Just make, you know, know who your audience is and, and try to connect with them and give them what they expect from you, what they want from you. And don't say, oh, you know, I'm going to make a knitting video because knitting is really hot. This is like, well, that's not what I do. So, so don't try to gain the system because you're not going to figure it [00:34:00] out and just make videos for an audience and for a person rather than for an algorithm. Man, Sarah: that's really refreshing because it feels like we're trying to figure out the algorithm and by the time you figured it out, it changed again, Lou Bortone: right? I know it's like I used to have coaches are like, okay, your title has to be 69 characters and your description has to be this and you know, it's still important to optimize your video the best you can, but at the end of the day, you know, spend more time making the video than trying to, you know, figure out just the exact keyword to include. Yeah. Sarah: Wow, I'm glad I asked you that early Lou Bortone: relief. It's like save, save you a lot of trouble in, in SEO research. And it's not completely, you know, it's not that important anymore. It's still counts for something, but like my YouTube coach is like, don't worry about the keywords for the tags and keywords, just put in different spellings of your name. So if somebody spells your name wrong, they'll still find you like, okay. [00:35:00] So so it's, you know, and, and the other thing is that with YouTube. It's shifted so much. I mean, maybe keywords were 80 percent of the people finding your video and now it's like 10%. So, and I even look at my analytics and I say, Oh, you know, only a few of these viewers came from search. The vast majority of them came from suggested videos of people finding the video because they, you know, they're seeking you out and they know, Oh yeah, I need video advice or I need to know how to do such and such. Okay. Sarah: Interesting. Yeah. So it just keeps, keeps on changing. So as long as you put your videos out there, you're, Lou Bortone: you're doing something right. Consistency is really, really important. I mean, YouTube likes consistency and YouTube likes watch time. So people always say, well, should I be doing video shorts or longer videos? And really a combination is best because you're sort of getting the best of both worlds. But YouTube, you know, the algorithm still does reward watch time. So if people start a video with you and then stick with it, [00:36:00] YouTube loves that because you're on the channel longer. So that's why I think podcasts are doing so well on YouTube because tend to stick with the, you know, the whole podcast rather than just watch two minutes of it. Yeah. Yeah. Sarah: That's good to know. Well Last question. What would you say people who are just starting out and they're kind of, and maybe they're introverts, what's the first video that they should do? Lou Bortone: I think that the lowest hanging fruit is live video, Facebook Live, YouTube Live. I mean, you can go on and do a video. Maybe you just do it into a Facebook group. But I think live videos have a little bit less of an expectation of perfection. So you can show up, you can make a few mistakes. You can. Do your ums and ahs, whatever, and people are not going to be that concerned about it. So I think practicing with live video is a really good way to get your feet wet and sort of get, you know, ease your way into videos. And then after you've done a bunch of those and you realize like, Oh my God, I didn't die on [00:37:00] video. Then you can say, now I'm going to go record a video for my homepage and maybe I'll make that more professional. Sarah: That's, that's cool. And so in live video, does that mean that people can actually come on live? Right? Lou Bortone: Yeah. And you know, with like Facebook live, again, you can, you can say, I'm only going to go live to my private group. So maybe you feel a little bit safer starting there because you know, the folks in your group. Right. Oftentimes I'll do a video and then on the Facebook setting, I'll do only me. So like, okay, it's, it's live, but it's not, nobody's seeing it. And then maybe later on, I'll say, okay, that, that wasn't so bad. I'm going to change that view to public. So even though you recorded it ahead of time, you didn't make it live until afterwards. Yeah. Sarah: Love that. Very good. Well, thanks so much for sharing all your godfatherly knowledge. Thank you. It's been great. Tell people please where they can find you and, and I know you have a, a free tool for us as well. Lou Bortone: Everything's at [00:38:00] loubortone. com. And I also like people sometimes have trouble planning their video, what they're going to say. So I have a free video planner at loubortone. com forward slash. And that'll just help you sort of map out your video and, and know what you're going to say. And you don't have to script it. You don't have to have it all, you know, word for word. Sometimes it just helps to know, okay, I'm going to do my intro and I'm going to do these three points. And then I have a call to action. Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. I think that's what I do. I think it's really helpful because. By the time you're two thirds in, you don't remember how you wanted to end it. And so it's kind of good. Lou Bortone: Yeah. A few bullet points. And then there's always, you know, editing. You can always go into Descript and use the AI to take out all your filler words and, and sound smarter. Sarah: That's great. I always ask one last question to all my guests and that is, what are you grateful for today or this week? Lou Bortone: Wow. At my age, just waking up, but, but yeah, I mean, it's [00:39:00] here in the U. S. in February in New England, it's, it's chilly out, but you know, the sun's out and everybody's healthy and, you know, it's all good. Nice. Sarah: Wonderful. Well, let's hope it stays like that. It's really good to reconnect with you. Thanks so much for being on the show. Lou Bortone: Thank you. Appreciate it. Sarah: And that's a wrap for today. I hope you got some great value from listening to this episode. You can find out more about Lou and his work at loubortone. com. Lou also has a free video planner for us that helps us plan the content of our video before we hit that recording button. So you'll find this at loubartone. com forward slash planner. And if you're looking for others who think like you, then why not join us in the Humane Marketing Circle? You can find out more about our community at [00:40:00] humane. marketing forward slash circle. And you'll find the show notes of this episode at humane. marketing forward slash H M 1 8 6. And on this beautiful page, you'll also find a series of free offers such as the humane business manifesto, as well as my two books, marketing like we're human and selling like we're human. Thanks so much for listening and being part of a generation of marketers who cares for yourself, your clients and the planet. We are changemakers before we are marketers. So go be the change you want to see in the world. Speak [00:41:00] soon.

Welcome to another episode of the Humane Marketing podcast. In this episode, we delve into the realm of humane video with Lou Bortone, exploring how video content can be a powerful tool for authentic connection and trust-building in today's business world. Join us as we uncover the core principles of creating videos that resonate on a deeply human level, discover the importance of authenticity in fostering a loyal audience, explore cutting-edge AI tools for video creation, and gain valuable insights into future trends and actionable tips tailored specifically for solopreneurs. Get ready to be inspired and equipped to use video as a means to stand out authentically and thrive in your business endeavors. In this conversation with Lou, we addressed the following talking points: How Lou got started with video and has seen it evolve into a tool for humane and authentic connection The core principles of creating video content that resonates on a human level How authenticity builds trust and a loyal audience Tools for video creation, including AI Future trends and actionable tips for solopreneurs and much more... --- Transcript 186 Sarah: [00:00:00] Hello, Humane Marketers. Welcome back to the Humane Marketing Podcast, the place to be for the generation of marketers that cares. This is a show where we talk about running your business in a way that feels good to you, is aligned with your values, and also resonates with today's conscious customers because it's humane, ethical, and non pushy. I'm Sarah Zanacroce, your hippie turned business coach for quietly rebellious entrepreneurs and marketing impact pioneers. Mama bear of the humane marketing circle and renegade author of marketing like we're human and selling like we're human. If after listening to the show for a while, you're ready to move on to the next level and start implementing and would welcome a community of like minded, quietly rebellious entrepreneurs who discuss with transparency what we're doing. Works and what doesn't work in business, then we'd love to welcome you in our humane marketing circle. If you're picturing your [00:01:00] typical Facebook group, let me paint a new picture for you. This is a closed community of like minded entrepreneurs from all over the world who come together once per month in a zoom circle workshop to hold each other accountable and build their business in a sustainable way. We share with transparency and vulnerability, what works for us and what doesn't work. So that you can figure out what works for you instead of keep throwing spaghetti on the wall and seeing what sticks. Find out more at humane. marketing forward slash circle. And if you prefer one on one support from me, my humane business coaching could be just what you need, whether it's for your marketing, sales, general business building, or help with your big idea, like writing a book. I'd love to share my brain and my heart with you together with my almost 15 years. business experience and help you grow a sustainable business that is joyful and sustainable. If you love this [00:02:00] podcast, wait until I show you my mama bear qualities as my one on one client. You can find out more at humane. marketing forward slash coaching. And finally, if you are a marketing impact pioneer and would like to bring humane marketing to your organization, Have a look at my offers and workshops on my website at humane. marketing. Hello friends, welcome back to another episode at the Humane Marketing Podcast. Today's conversation fits under the P of promotion of the Humane Marketing Mandala. And I'm talking to a long time online friend, Lou Bortone. If you're a regular here, you already know that I'm organizing the conversations around the seven P's of the Humane Marketing Mandala. And if you're new here and don't know what I'm talking about, you can download your one page marketing plan with the Humane Marketing version [00:03:00] of the seven P's of marketing at humane. marketing. com. One page, the number one and the word page. And also just a reminder for my non native English speakers, humane is with an E at the end. So it's not human, it's humane. So humane with an E dot marketing forward slash one page, the number one and the word page, and this comes with seven email prompts to really help you reflect on these different P's for your business. All right, let me tell you a little bit about Lou and from his bio, you will kind of immediately kind of grasp his sense of humor. If Don Vito Corleone, Marty Scorsese and Jerry Seinfeld got together to make an AI baby, you might end up with Lou Bortone. Lu is known as the Video Godfather and is conciliare to some of the brightest names in digital marketing. [00:04:00] He's a video marketing expert, an author, speaker, and host of the Godfather podcast. Prior to becoming a video printer, Lu spent more than 20 years in the television business before being run out of. Hollywood. Lou is also a father to twins, a rescuer of pugs, and an expert at Italian curses. I'll always remember meeting Lou in real life back in, I think it was 2017, when he picked me up in a Red Beetle or something. Like that at this tiny train station in Camucho Cortona and, and that's in Tuscany and then drove us up the hill. And I could tell he had no experience with stick driving to our retreat house for the week. And these in person meetings are really just so special in this online world, aren't they? So that's why I went back to Lou for this episode [00:05:00] around video. So in this conversation with Lou, we addressed the following talking points, how Lou got started with video and has seen it evolve into a tool for humane and authentic connection, the core principles of creating video content that resonates on a human level, how authenticity builds trust. And a loyal audience, tools for video creation, including AI tools, future trends and actionable tips for solopreneurs to get started or to get better with video and so much more. So let's dive into this conversation with Lou Bortone. Hey Lou, so glad to see you again and get a chance to talk shop with you about video. And of course, in the off recording, we talked about Sicily because we have a common love for everything Italy, right? Lou Bortone: Exactly. Yeah. And you're one of the [00:06:00] online folks that I've actually met in real life. So that's right. Sarah: Yeah. Which is always, you know, it's such an exception. And so it's yeah. Something special. I, I was part of your, what do you call it? Mastermind Lou Bortone: or Tuscany and yeah, and we had the few years of the little interruption of the pandemic and all that, but hopefully that's all behind us. Yeah. Sarah: Yeah. That was amazing. Loved it. Cool. So I have you today to talk about video and we were just, Discussing, well, maybe we're going to call it video like we're human or YouTube, like we're human or something like that. And then you share it that you just kind of focus a lot on the trust and authenticity. And so we'll definitely get into that. So really looking forward to it. Why don't you start by sharing how you got. Into video how you you know, you're calling yourself the godfather of video, tell Lou Bortone: us Yeah. [00:07:00] The long and circuitous route too. And you know, it's funny 'cause I think people call me that because they know of my love of Italy and Sicily and the Godfather, but all really, because I've been doing it for a really long time. So I was in the television business for many years in Los Angeles and I think it was probably around. 2000 on 1998 that I really got online and started to do things online. And when our twins were born, we decided, well, let's leave, you know, Hollywood and La La Land and go some, go back to family and in Boston. And that's kind of when I started doing the online video stuff which was fun because the way I discovered YouTube is that I was helping some people. Do a sketch comedy show for like a local cable access. And we started to put the videos on YouTube and really get a lot of attention there. We realized, Oh, this, you know, we were kind of onto something. So I was on from a very early, you know, back in 2005 when YouTube started and I've been doing online video ever since. And I love it because [00:08:00] I'm an introvert and I don't have to be in person necessarily with people. And even though I don't love being on camera for me, it's a lot easier than in person networking. And I just love the fact that we can do this and sort of have our own TV station, our own podcast. I mean, 10, 20 years ago, this would have been impossible. So Sarah: yeah, that's how I got here. That's insane. It's like mind blowing that, you know, 2005, that it really seems like ages and ages, but that's Lou Bortone: when it came out. So I guess that's what, 18 years. Oh my gosh. I feel so old. Sarah: It really is a long time ago and of course, you know, it went through phases of ups and downs and, and it seems like right now it really is kind of like coming back and, and I want to know from you, why do you think that it has this comeback now? What, Lou Bortone: what, what? It's interesting. And it's the same with, you know, remember podcasting sort of cooled off [00:09:00] for a while and now it's harder than ever. I think part of it is that You know, when, when I was growing up, when we were growing up, you know, there were just a few TV stations and a few options. And now with YouTube and podcasts and streaming, you know, we've got access to, to the, to basically a worldwide audience every time we turn on our computer or our PC. Put our phone on. So I think that's part of it. It's just the accessibility and also the fact that folks who maybe are a little younger than us grew up with. They never didn't. You know, they always had Internet. They always had you do. They always had streaming and all this kind of stuff. So for them. A screen is a screen is a screen, they don't care if it's TV, they don't care if it's you know, cable, they don't care if it's YouTube, you know, whatever they're watching, they can watch anything, anytime, and that's why, you know, another crazy statistic is that YouTube has more viewers than all the U. S. TV networks, all the cable networks, all the streaming services, so when you think of TV, you don't usually think of YouTube, but [00:10:00] YouTube is TV, and TV is YouTube. Sarah: I mean, if we think of our kids, right, that's, that's all they're watching. They're not watching TV. It's Lou Bortone: definitely the YouTube. Multi screens. You know, they're, they're watching YouTube on a, on a traditional television screen, but they're on Twitter or X at the same time with their friends. And I don't know how they do it. I can barely manage one screen. Yeah. Sarah: Yeah. I also feel that. You know, we were also kind of part of the blogging era. And, and so I feel like, you know, Google has changed their algorithm again. And people are like, well, people don't really read blogs anymore. And we can't get any traction with SEO. Now that the market is getting flooded with all the AI content. So maybe it's also, do you think it's also because of that? People are like, well, at least that. That's what it was for me. I'm like, I got to pay attention to Lou Bortone: YouTube. Absolutely. And then the other thing with business owners, I mean, you know, we always read video is the way to [00:11:00] get the most amount of information in the shortest amount of time. So if we're all multitasking, we're all really over scheduled, we're all really busy. Oftentimes it's like, I can't sit down and read a newspaper. But what's that? You know, it's, I have to, you know, go to YouTube and find this quick answer. I have to go to see this thing on Tik TOK or, you know, so it's really just a great way to get access to any information anywhere in the world. Sarah: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. It's, it's, it's, I love it, especially when it's timestamped. So it's like, Oh, I don't even have to watch the whole thing. It's just like, yeah, exactly. So, so yeah. Lou Bortone: So I think now the thing is that. The, the consumer, the viewer, it has more control than ever. Cause like I said, when we were at least in the U S when we were growing up, it's like you had three TV networks and, and they controlled everything. They controlled what you saw, what you heard. And now it's kind of like, well, the consumer can go anywhere they want and see anything they want. So they're completely in control now. Sarah: So that kind [00:12:00] of probably if someone has never done any video kind of sounds also intimidating because it's like, wow, like there's this giant audience out there. Okay. You already mentioned as an introvert, sometimes YouTube is actually probably easier than the networking thing, but maybe it also feels like, well. What am I going to share that hasn't already been said out there? Yeah. So what would you say to that Lou Bortone: question? I think, you know, everybody has their unique spin and everybody has their own, you know Perspective. So it's like you have something to offer. A lot of times if I'm working with my clients or students, they feel like, well, you know, like you said, well, you know, what can I say that hasn't already been said? And I tell them, look, you know, you have a message. You have a unique message. You have a unique way of doing things and your Passion to get that message out to the world has to be stronger than your fear of being on camera. Because again, you know, the other thing too is now that we're all able to be on camera, we're not walking the red carpet at the Oscars. We're just putting on a podcast or a YouTube channel [00:13:00] and showing up and trying to be authentic. Sarah: Right. Yeah. So let's talk a little bit about this trust building and authenticity, like what are some key points here that maybe a story I can tell is like, I remember when I put up my first video and I just seen them all because I cleaned up my YouTube channel and I'm like, Oh my God, this is terrible. But I remember like really sweating it like, Oh my God, I have to prepare everything. Yeah. So. Like, do we really need to have this perfect video or how much of it can we just wing and really be just human and Lou Bortone: authentic? I think you can wing 80 percent of it, probably. I mean, I often make the distinction between quick videos and keeper videos. It's like, okay, a keeper video, your homepage video on your website, you know, you want to, you don't want to be in your pajamas, probably. If it's an important video that's going to have shelf life, like your homepage [00:14:00] video, or if you're selling, you know, a thousand dollar coaching program, you don't, you know, you want to look professional. So those keeper videos, you probably want to spend more time and effort on, but if it's, you know, quick tips, I mean, oftentimes I just think of something and then just go to YouTube and share it. So quick tips or Facebook lives or any kind of live video, it's really more about, you know, just showing up. And sharing your message and being authentic. And a lot of times people think video is about the technology. And what I try to sort of, you know, reshape that or respin it as, no, it's really about connection and relationships and engagement. It doesn't matter what technology we're using. It just matters that we're connecting and being authentic and sharing ourselves. Hmm. Sarah: I remember we, we did the workshop together or something about video for introverts back in the days. And, and I remember we did kind of have one module on, on on technology. And I'm thinking maybe that actually lost [00:15:00] a bit of importance now that. You know, we're so used to these shorts on YouTube and even famous people just kind of like filming themselves. You think it has changed maybe also over time? Yeah. And Lou Bortone: I think that the pandemics accelerated it really quickly because, you know, and basically in, you know, a day we all had to move to zoom and we had to move our events to zoom and we had to move everything online. So I think that just accelerated it. And, you know, it was almost like. You know, well, I don't have a choice. I have to be on camera because that's the only way I can connect with my audience right now, right? Yeah. And I think the other thing was now people realize, Oh, this is, you know, this isn't that scary. And this isn't that difficult technically. And we always hear about no like and trust. And I think people finally realized like, wow, this is a great way to build no like and trust. Sarah: Yeah, it's so true. I'm always surprised that people are watching whole episodes, you know, that I put [00:16:00] on the podcast as well, but no, people actually watched the YouTube version of it as well. And probably it's because that know, like, and trust, right? Lou Bortone: Yeah, definitely. The connection, the ability to watch it on the go, cause people are watching on their phones. And I did, you know, I've, I've done podcasting. Off and on, but the reason that I finally committed to doing a podcast was I saw a statistic that YouTube was now the number one source for podcasts, more than Apple, more than Google, more than Amazon people are going to YouTube for podcasts and whether that's just. Kind of listening to it when, you know, with a slide on the screen or having an actual interview or seeing the person on screen, either way there, it's become, you know, kind of the go to place to see and hear podcasts. Sarah: Yeah, that's interesting. I did see a difference between just having that slide and the moving, you know, lines which I did before. So I didn't have the video portion of [00:17:00] it. And now with, with the actual faces, like there is more engagement or there is more views because yeah, obviously it's more interesting to, to see two people talking than just a line. Yeah. Lou Bortone: Yeah. And that's the other thing that's been interesting too is now with all the AI stuff. It's like, I think there's going to be not really a backlash with AI, but more of a need for like, okay, I don't want to see a robotic, you know, synthesized video. I mean, yeah, I can create an AI version of myself. It's like, hi, I'm Lou, you know, and recreate my voice, but it's still not you, you know, it's still not the real person. Sarah: Yeah. And, and I really feel like that's why I like the really human and authentic videos the best, where you see some people, you know, they have like this fancy background and their logo is up there and their book is up there. I'm like, I get that from a marketing perspective, but. [00:18:00] It doesn't feel real. It feels like if I would see you on the street, I probably wouldn't recognize you because you're wearing so much makeup and I don't, yeah, I don't really recognize you. So for me, it's really that real humanness that comes across. Yeah, Lou Bortone: and that's why I like, you know, I don't do as much live video as I should, but I kind of call it like, oh, a live video is to come as you are party, you know, just show up and, and, you know, be yourself and don't worry that the dogs are barking in the background because that's the way it works, you know, like it's, there's going to be distractions, there's going to be craziness going on in the background, but that just makes it more real. Sarah: Talking about that. I just watched, remember that BBC interview where the walks in and then the baby rolls in and I just watched that Lou Bortone: again. Sometimes those are viral moments. Like, you know, the wife's son doing, trying to do a professional interview and the guy walks by. [00:19:00] You know, husband walks behind her in his boxer shorts, you know, it's like, we're trying to do video here, people. Sarah: And what, what I didn't remember is that that was in 2017. So way pre COVID. So that's why it was like super shocking. You know, back then we were all still like, Ooh, you know, has to be super professional. So I feel like a lot has changed since the pandemic. Yeah. And again, Lou Bortone: You have to find that balance because like I kid like you don't want to look like a hostage video. I mean, you don't want to have really terrible lighting and yeah, that it may be authentic, but it's still not easy to watch like if the lighting is really bad or if the audio is bad. So you have to find that balance between like, look, I have to, you know, look relatively professional, but I don't have to be so polished that I'm on doing an interview on CNN or something. Sarah: Exactly. Yeah, it's, it's true. It's that balance that you're still human and creating trust. But without looking [00:20:00] like, yeah, you're just going on CNN. So we talked a little bit about AI what I just recently started using is this Tool called Clip, Opus Clip or something. Oh yeah. Yes. Opus Clip. And it lets you create these little shorts from longer videos. Right. And, and I love that because it's repurposing existing content. And so, yeah, do you know any other great AI tools Lou Bortone: that people are using? I did a series on some AI tools and Opus Clip was one of them, which is great because if you're going to create content. You might as well get as much mileage out of it as possible. So if you're doing a podcast and you wanted to do clips from the podcast, or you want to do 60 second segments, Opus clip is great for that. Pictory. ai is really good because you can, you know, make your videos more professional and edit them and add, you know, B roll and background footage. And the one that I use probably every single day is descript. com. And the reason [00:21:00] I like that is because for people who are not You know, video editors, you can edit the text and all those changes are made, you know, you're basically editing a Word document and then the changes transfer the video. So I've been using that for pod, you know, to produce podcasts and really every kind of video because it's, it's really faster and you can look more professional and more quickly. Yeah, Sarah: and I love the fact that you just highlight all the ums and take them Lou Bortone: all out. Yeah, I had no idea how many times I used the words and until I found a descriptor like, oh, I can take out all the filler words with one click. And suddenly I sound smarter than I am. And I don't think that damages any of the authenticity or makes it any less real. It's just that like, oh, this is, it's going to be a little bit easier to look more professional without having to go through all kinds of crazy editing and stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Sarah: Yeah, that's true. It doesn't feel like all of a sudden you sound like a robot. You just. I feel like, yeah, you sound [00:22:00] smarter because you're not constantly looking for words or, or, yeah, saying Lou Bortone: them that. And some of it's getting like, it's a little bit weird because there's a feature in Descript where if I'm looking at the screen, it will put your eyes back up to where the camera is. Oh, I haven't Sarah: seen that. Lou Bortone: Ooh, that's kind of, you know, it's kind of interesting. It's a little creepy, but it works pretty well. But again, it's about striking that balance. Like I could do videos where I say, you know, you sort of insert the name, like you do one video, hello. So, you know, it's like, well, obviously that's, you know automated. So you don't want to do so much automation that it's not, you know real anymore. Sarah: Right. Yeah. I guess that's a question that you get often is like, well, where should your eyes be when you're doing either self recorded videos or chats like this one? For example, me right now, I'm looking at the camera. I'm not looking at you, which I always feel like, oh, what a Lou Bortone: shame. You got [00:23:00] to sort of train your eyes. I'm like, Oh, you know, my mom said you have to look people in the eye. Exactly. Great, but the camera, the camera's eye is up here, so I cheat because I have like a little extra monitor up where the camera is, but if I was looking at the screen, it would be, it would feel like I wasn't connecting with you and I wasn't being as authentic because I'm not, you want to try to, the camera is the the other person's eyes. So that's the tricky part. Sarah: Yeah, yeah. What I do is this, because I'm recording on zoom, so I just make the screen of zoom very small and just shove it right under the camera. Lou Bortone: I know. So those kind of tricks of just, you know, try to look at the camera try to have, you know, adequate lighting But again, it's, you know, it doesn't take much. I, I, I like to have a setup where I can just say, okay, my camera is set up, my background's okay, my lights work, and I want to just be able to go. I don't want to have to spend 20 minutes setting up a video every time I do a video. Sarah: Yeah, exactly. It becomes kind of like a nuisance if you're, it feels like, Oh, [00:24:00] I have to do all this setting up. What about what about in terms of the, the body placement? Because one thing I noticed is when I put the things on Tik TOK compared to everybody else, my face was like, Oh God, this is like, this is no Lou Bortone: good. Consider where the person's watching from, and a lot of people are watching on their phone, especially if it's a vertical video. So oftentimes if I'm doing a webinar and I'm sharing slides that are landscape, I realized, well, I can't put this on TikTok or Instagram Reels because it's going to squish it. But like, again, using software like Descript, we can take a video like this and put, you know, the people, Vertically so that it still works. So what I do see a lot, and it's funny cause I did another video about this, is it just, people don't have a very good sense of the spatial awareness. Like there'll be way down here, like, hello. And the trick that I, I heard that works is that, you know, think in terms of like, you don't want any more headroom than you [00:25:00] could fit a golf ball on the top of your head. So. You know, you don't want to be too close. You don't want to be too, too far away. Sarah: So what about here? Like Lou Bortone: it's kind of like, I think, you know, we were used to seeing that from news anchors and TV. It's usually like, you know, the, the typical shot is head and shoulders kind of shot, but again you know, if there are people doing videos who are yoga instructors or something like that, they got to go way back and be No, I think it's really just a matter of being aware of where you are in the camera. Oftentimes we'll see on zoom maybe somebody's on a laptop and they're looking up and you're looking up their nose. It's like, that's no fun. You know, just try to. Have a straight on you know, and use the photography rule of thirds where your eyes should be on the top third of the line. And if you've got graphics, those should be on the lower third, which is why they call lower thirds. So it's just having a sort of a spatial awareness of where you are, what's going on on screen. Sarah: Right. Yeah. [00:26:00] Yeah. I think a lot of it also comes back to confidence and just doing it a few times and not caring if it doesn't look good and just keep doing Lou Bortone: it, right? Yeah. So it's funny when we do, like we did the video for introverts thing a few years ago, but when we do when I do these challenges, I say, you know I do my first video in the car after I just came from the gym. So it's like, okay, this is the worst I'm going to look. Okay. I'm going to, I'm going to set the bar really low so it can only get better. And you know, I'm in the car, the lighting's bad, I'm sweaty, but okay, I'm going to start there and then work my way towards better videos as I go. Sarah: Right. Yeah, that's a, that's a good way of putting it. And I remember those videos after kickboxing, right? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I don't know if I would bear that, but yeah. . Lou Bortone: Well, and I think, you know women have a harder time because of the expectations. Like, oh, you know, my hair has to look good and I have to be wearing. Right, whatever. But I think people are less concerned [00:27:00] about that now than they used to be. Sarah: I think so too. And it's so refreshing. Lou Bortone: Yeah. Cause we just show up on zoom and it's like, look, you know I just came back from the gym or I'm, you know, I've been doing this, that so it's really more about, you really have to. Focus on the message and not so much the quality is important, but it's, it's less important than, than your message and you, and what you're Sarah: delivering. You know what that makes me think of is it's funny that we haven't kind of changed our headshots yet to being more human because sometimes you go on somebody's website and it's this beautiful girl. Like. Once in a lifetime that they look like that. And then you see their YouTube videos and you're like, Oh, they're actually human, Lou Bortone: right? And I, I did have photos when we were in Italy. I'm like, Oh, I want to have my pictures with really old buildings in the background and things like that. And then when people show up, they're like, Oh, you don't look like you look on, on [00:28:00] screen. So I used to do a really silly trick. Okay. Back in the Photoshop days is I would make my image actually a little wider so that I'd look heavier. And then when I showed up in person, people would say, Oh, you have you lost weight? So I was doing that reverse Photoshop, like, well, I want to look better in person. So I'm going to, but again, it's, it's, it is all about that authenticity and connection. And I talk about building loyalty through video, because again, it's really more about A relationship than about what camera you're using. Sarah: Yeah, it really feels like it's. I explained it in levels of intimacy, right? And so people sign up to your newsletter that they get your emails. That's the kind of the low level or before that it's even social media. Right. And then there's a higher level is newsletter and even higher letter that level Dell will be YouTube or, you know, any kind of video. And then probably [00:29:00] zoom calls where it's like in person zoom calls and then the actual in person meeting. But yeah. I do feel already, you know, we're seeing each other's facial expressions and that, yeah, that creates trust and loyalty. I Lou Bortone: totally agree. Yeah. And again, you know, even though, thank goodness we're past the pandemic and live events are coming back and conferences are back, there's still going to be that hybrid events, people working from home much more than they used to. I mean, my kids who are 25 they have never worked in an office. Everything they've done is, is on screen, on zoom, on Google meet, whatever it is. That's just the way they work now. Yeah, Sarah: yeah, yeah. No, it's crazy. Yeah, it really is. So let us talk a little bit to wrap up around the future. So we mentioned AI, we mentioned that, you know, Google is not really easy anymore to have your [00:30:00] blog posts featured. So what is, what do you see the future of video? How do you see it? Lou Bortone: I think it's, you know, obviously there's going to be a lot more volume because people are going to continue to flock to YouTube and watch YouTube shorts. I think we're going to see, you know, shorter bursts of videos, like. TikTok and Instagram reels are going to continue and it's a little harder to make the connection there because you're on for a shorter amount of time. But I think we're going to see the shorter videos, promoting podcasts and longer content where you really can connect because again, you're obviously going to make a better connection with somebody if you're seeing or hearing them for, you know, 15, 20 minutes, rather than. Forty five seconds and i think the other thing is that there may be a little bit of a not really a backlash but sort of an anti AI thing like okay i've seen the robotic you know synthetic version of blue but where's the real you know i'm gonna show up on facebook live and not be perfect but be real so i think you'll start [00:31:00] to see a little bit more of you know as much as we're going to be using AI that's still not going to you know literally replace the person and their message. Sarah: Yeah, I hope so. I mean, I'm, I'm all for AI, but exactly. It's still, in a way it makes the videos that we're doing even more special and more human. So, so maybe that's also a good. Lou Bortone: Yeah. So, yeah, because that's the, you know, it's almost like if you send out an email blast, it's not very personal. If you send out an, an AI video, it's great, but it's not. You know, it's personal or familiar or engaging. And even now that chat GPT is, is starting to put in I think it's called Sora where you can put in a prompt and chat GPT will create a video from nothing, which is great, but it's still not. You, I don't think so. What Sarah: does it do? It creates an avatar of you or just, Lou Bortone: you know, if you say create a video about a trip [00:32:00] to, to Boston mass, it's going to pull in footage from Boston and scenes and sites. And I think, you know, eventually if you record yourself, it'll be able to do sort of a facsimile of you, but it's still not going to be the real you. So, yeah, Sarah: some interesting, interesting things coming our way. That's for sure. Lou Bortone: Yeah, it's crazy. So I think there's still gonna be a place, a really important place for those videos. If I do a lot of video email, I just sort of, you know, rather than sending email, I do a video on loom and, and share something. And I think again, that's more personal. Yeah, it takes a little bit more time, but I think it also has a lot more impact because you feel like, oh, wow, this person's actually talking to me. It's not going to 1000 people. Yeah, I love Sarah: that. Yeah. I love those videos. I remember them from, from the, the trip in Tuscany. One thing we didn't talk about so much, and maybe it's something that we don't need to worry about is the whole algorithm thing, because obviously we're replacing the [00:33:00] Google algorithm by a YouTube algorithm. So how much are you paying attention and telling your clients to pay attention to the algorithm and making sure it gets, you know, right? Yeah, Lou Bortone: I mean, as long as I've, I've been on YouTube since the very beginning, and it's constantly changing and it's hard to keep up with. And I actually work with a YouTube coach just to try to stay on top of it. Can, and he keeps telling me the same thing and I've heard it over and over. And I think it's the best idea is make videos for humans, not algorithm. Don't try to game the system. Don't do keyword stuffing. I mean, I, I was talking to him about keywords and tags and he's like, just don't worry about it. It doesn't even matter anymore. Just make, you know, know who your audience is and, and try to connect with them and give them what they expect from you, what they want from you. And don't say, oh, you know, I'm going to make a knitting video because knitting is really hot. This is like, well, that's not what I do. So, so don't try to gain the system because you're not going to figure it [00:34:00] out and just make videos for an audience and for a person rather than for an algorithm. Man, Sarah: that's really refreshing because it feels like we're trying to figure out the algorithm and by the time you figured it out, it changed again, Lou Bortone: right? I know it's like I used to have coaches are like, okay, your title has to be 69 characters and your description has to be this and you know, it's still important to optimize your video the best you can, but at the end of the day, you know, spend more time making the video than trying to, you know, figure out just the exact keyword to include. Yeah. Sarah: Wow, I'm glad I asked you that early Lou Bortone: relief. It's like save, save you a lot of trouble in, in SEO research. And it's not completely, you know, it's not that important anymore. It's still counts for something, but like my YouTube coach is like, don't worry about the keywords for the tags and keywords, just put in different spellings of your name. So if somebody spells your name wrong, they'll still find you like, okay. [00:35:00] So so it's, you know, and, and the other thing is that with YouTube. It's shifted so much. I mean, maybe keywords were 80 percent of the people finding your video and now it's like 10%. So, and I even look at my analytics and I say, Oh, you know, only a few of these viewers came from search. The vast majority of them came from suggested videos of people finding the video because they, you know, they're seeking you out and they know, Oh yeah, I need video advice or I need to know how to do such and such. Okay. Sarah: Interesting. Yeah. So it just keeps, keeps on changing. So as long as you put your videos out there, you're, Lou Bortone: you're doing something right. Consistency is really, really important. I mean, YouTube likes consistency and YouTube likes watch time. So people always say, well, should I be doing video shorts or longer videos? And really a combination is best because you're sort of getting the best of both worlds. But YouTube, you know, the algorithm still does reward watch time. So if people start a video with you and then stick with it, [00:36:00] YouTube loves that because you're on the channel longer. So that's why I think podcasts are doing so well on YouTube because tend to stick with the, you know, the whole podcast rather than just watch two minutes of it. Yeah. Yeah. Sarah: That's good to know. Well Last question. What would you say people who are just starting out and they're kind of, and maybe they're introverts, what's the first video that they should do? Lou Bortone: I think that the lowest hanging fruit is live video, Facebook Live, YouTube Live. I mean, you can go on and do a video. Maybe you just do it into a Facebook group. But I think live videos have a little bit less of an expectation of perfection. So you can show up, you can make a few mistakes. You can. Do your ums and ahs, whatever, and people are not going to be that concerned about it. So I think practicing with live video is a really good way to get your feet wet and sort of get, you know, ease your way into videos. And then after you've done a bunch of those and you realize like, Oh my God, I didn't die on [00:37:00] video. Then you can say, now I'm going to go record a video for my homepage and maybe I'll make that more professional. Sarah: That's, that's cool. And so in live video, does that mean that people can actually come on live? Right? Lou Bortone: Yeah. And you know, with like Facebook live, again, you can, you can say, I'm only going to go live to my private group. So maybe you feel a little bit safer starting there because you know, the folks in your group. Right. Oftentimes I'll do a video and then on the Facebook setting, I'll do only me. So like, okay, it's, it's live, but it's not, nobody's seeing it. And then maybe later on, I'll say, okay, that, that wasn't so bad. I'm going to change that view to public. So even though you recorded it ahead of time, you didn't make it live until afterwards. Yeah. Sarah: Love that. Very good. Well, thanks so much for sharing all your godfatherly knowledge. Thank you. It's been great. Tell people please where they can find you and, and I know you have a, a free tool for us as well. Lou Bortone: Everything's at [00:38:00] loubortone. com. And I also like people sometimes have trouble planning their video, what they're going to say. So I have a free video planner at loubortone. com forward slash. And that'll just help you sort of map out your video and, and know what you're going to say. And you don't have to script it. You don't have to have it all, you know, word for word. Sometimes it just helps to know, okay, I'm going to do my intro and I'm going to do these three points. And then I have a call to action. Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. I think that's what I do. I think it's really helpful because. By the time you're two thirds in, you don't remember how you wanted to end it. And so it's kind of good. Lou Bortone: Yeah. A few bullet points. And then there's always, you know, editing. You can always go into Descript and use the AI to take out all your filler words and, and sound smarter. Sarah: That's great. I always ask one last question to all my guests and that is, what are you grateful for today or this week? Lou Bortone: Wow. At my age, just waking up, but, but yeah, I mean, it's [00:39:00] here in the U. S. in February in New England, it's, it's chilly out, but you know, the sun's out and everybody's healthy and, you know, it's all good. Nice. Sarah: Wonderful. Well, let's hope it stays like that. It's really good to reconnect with you. Thanks so much for being on the show. Lou Bortone: Thank you. Appreciate it. Sarah: And that's a wrap for today. I hope you got some great value from listening to this episode. You can find out more about Lou and his work at loubortone. com. Lou also has a free video planner for us that helps us plan the content of our video before we hit that recording button. So you'll find this at loubartone. com forward slash planner. And if you're looking for others who think like you, then why not join us in the Humane Marketing Circle? You can find out more about our community at [00:40:00] humane. marketing forward slash circle. And you'll find the show notes of this episode at humane. marketing forward slash H M 1 8 6. And on this beautiful page, you'll also find a series of free offers such as the humane business manifesto, as well as my two books, marketing like we're human and selling like we're human. Thanks so much for listening and being part of a generation of marketers who cares for yourself, your clients and the planet. We are changemakers before we are marketers. So go be the change you want to see in the world. Speak [00:41:00] soon.

Welcome to another episode of the Humane Marketing podcast. In this episode, we delve into the realm of humane video with Lou Bortone, exploring how video content can be a powerful tool for authentic connection and trust-building in today's business world. Join us as we uncover the core principles of creating videos that resonate on a deeply human level, discover the importance of authenticity in fostering a loyal audience, explore cutting-edge AI tools for video creation, and gain valuable insights into future trends and actionable tips tailored specifically for solopreneurs. Get ready to be inspired and equipped to use video as a means to stand out authentically and thrive in your business endeavors. In this conversation with Lou, we addressed the following talking points: How Lou got started with video and has seen it evolve into a tool for humane and authentic connection The core principles of creating video content that resonates on a human level How authenticity builds trust and a loyal audience Tools for video creation, including AI Future trends and actionable tips for solopreneurs and much more... --- Transcript 186 Sarah: [00:00:00] Hello, Humane Marketers. Welcome back to the Humane Marketing Podcast, the place to be for the generation of marketers that cares. This is a show where we talk about running your business in a way that feels good to you, is aligned with your values, and also resonates with today's conscious customers because it's humane, ethical, and non pushy. I'm Sarah Zanacroce, your hippie turned business coach for quietly rebellious entrepreneurs and marketing impact pioneers. Mama bear of the humane marketing circle and renegade author of marketing like we're human and selling like we're human. If after listening to the show for a while, you're ready to move on to the next level and start implementing and would welcome a community of like minded, quietly rebellious entrepreneurs who discuss with transparency what we're doing. Works and what doesn't work in business, then we'd love to welcome you in our humane marketing circle. If you're picturing your [00:01:00] typical Facebook group, let me paint a new picture for you. This is a closed community of like minded entrepreneurs from all over the world who come together once per month in a zoom circle workshop to hold each other accountable and build their business in a sustainable way. We share with transparency and vulnerability, what works for us and what doesn't work. So that you can figure out what works for you instead of keep throwing spaghetti on the wall and seeing what sticks. Find out more at humane. marketing forward slash circle. And if you prefer one on one support from me, my humane business coaching could be just what you need, whether it's for your marketing, sales, general business building, or help with your big idea, like writing a book. I'd love to share my brain and my heart with you together with my almost 15 years. business experience and help you grow a sustainable business that is joyful and sustainable. If you love this [00:02:00] podcast, wait until I show you my mama bear qualities as my one on one client. You can find out more at humane. marketing forward slash coaching. And finally, if you are a marketing impact pioneer and would like to bring humane marketing to your organization, Have a look at my offers and workshops on my website at humane. marketing. Hello friends, welcome back to another episode at the Humane Marketing Podcast. Today's conversation fits under the P of promotion of the Humane Marketing Mandala. And I'm talking to a long time online friend, Lou Bortone. If you're a regular here, you already know that I'm organizing the conversations around the seven P's of the Humane Marketing Mandala. And if you're new here and don't know what I'm talking about, you can download your one page marketing plan with the Humane Marketing version [00:03:00] of the seven P's of marketing at humane. marketing. com. One page, the number one and the word page. And also just a reminder for my non native English speakers, humane is with an E at the end. So it's not human, it's humane. So humane with an E dot marketing forward slash one page, the number one and the word page, and this comes with seven email prompts to really help you reflect on these different P's for your business. All right, let me tell you a little bit about Lou and from his bio, you will kind of immediately kind of grasp his sense of humor. If Don Vito Corleone, Marty Scorsese and Jerry Seinfeld got together to make an AI baby, you might end up with Lou Bortone. Lu is known as the Video Godfather and is conciliare to some of the brightest names in digital marketing. [00:04:00] He's a video marketing expert, an author, speaker, and host of the Godfather podcast. Prior to becoming a video printer, Lu spent more than 20 years in the television business before being run out of. Hollywood. Lou is also a father to twins, a rescuer of pugs, and an expert at Italian curses. I'll always remember meeting Lou in real life back in, I think it was 2017, when he picked me up in a Red Beetle or something. Like that at this tiny train station in Camucho Cortona and, and that's in Tuscany and then drove us up the hill. And I could tell he had no experience with stick driving to our retreat house for the week. And these in person meetings are really just so special in this online world, aren't they? So that's why I went back to Lou for this episode [00:05:00] around video. So in this conversation with Lou, we addressed the following talking points, how Lou got started with video and has seen it evolve into a tool for humane and authentic connection, the core principles of creating video content that resonates on a human level, how authenticity builds trust. And a loyal audience, tools for video creation, including AI tools, future trends and actionable tips for solopreneurs to get started or to get better with video and so much more. So let's dive into this conversation with Lou Bortone. Hey Lou, so glad to see you again and get a chance to talk shop with you about video. And of course, in the off recording, we talked about Sicily because we have a common love for everything Italy, right? Lou Bortone: Exactly. Yeah. And you're one of the [00:06:00] online folks that I've actually met in real life. So that's right. Sarah: Yeah. Which is always, you know, it's such an exception. And so it's yeah. Something special. I, I was part of your, what do you call it? Mastermind Lou Bortone: or Tuscany and yeah, and we had the few years of the little interruption of the pandemic and all that, but hopefully that's all behind us. Yeah. Sarah: Yeah. That was amazing. Loved it. Cool. So I have you today to talk about video and we were just, Discussing, well, maybe we're going to call it video like we're human or YouTube, like we're human or something like that. And then you share it that you just kind of focus a lot on the trust and authenticity. And so we'll definitely get into that. So really looking forward to it. Why don't you start by sharing how you got. Into video how you you know, you're calling yourself the godfather of video, tell Lou Bortone: us Yeah. [00:07:00] The long and circuitous route too. And you know, it's funny 'cause I think people call me that because they know of my love of Italy and Sicily and the Godfather, but all really, because I've been doing it for a really long time. So I was in the television business for many years in Los Angeles and I think it was probably around. 2000 on 1998 that I really got online and started to do things online. And when our twins were born, we decided, well, let's leave, you know, Hollywood and La La Land and go some, go back to family and in Boston. And that's kind of when I started doing the online video stuff which was fun because the way I discovered YouTube is that I was helping some people. Do a sketch comedy show for like a local cable access. And we started to put the videos on YouTube and really get a lot of attention there. We realized, Oh, this, you know, we were kind of onto something. So I was on from a very early, you know, back in 2005 when YouTube started and I've been doing online video ever since. And I love it because [00:08:00] I'm an introvert and I don't have to be in person necessarily with people. And even though I don't love being on camera for me, it's a lot easier than in person networking. And I just love the fact that we can do this and sort of have our own TV station, our own podcast. I mean, 10, 20 years ago, this would have been impossible. So Sarah: yeah, that's how I got here. That's insane. It's like mind blowing that, you know, 2005, that it really seems like ages and ages, but that's Lou Bortone: when it came out. So I guess that's what, 18 years. Oh my gosh. I feel so old. Sarah: It really is a long time ago and of course, you know, it went through phases of ups and downs and, and it seems like right now it really is kind of like coming back and, and I want to know from you, why do you think that it has this comeback now? What, Lou Bortone: what, what? It's interesting. And it's the same with, you know, remember podcasting sort of cooled off [00:09:00] for a while and now it's harder than ever. I think part of it is that You know, when, when I was growing up, when we were growing up, you know, there were just a few TV stations and a few options. And now with YouTube and podcasts and streaming, you know, we've got access to, to the, to basically a worldwide audience every time we turn on our computer or our PC. Put our phone on. So I think that's part of it. It's just the accessibility and also the fact that folks who maybe are a little younger than us grew up with. They never didn't. You know, they always had Internet. They always had you do. They always had streaming and all this kind of stuff. So for them. A screen is a screen is a screen, they don't care if it's TV, they don't care if it's you know, cable, they don't care if it's YouTube, you know, whatever they're watching, they can watch anything, anytime, and that's why, you know, another crazy statistic is that YouTube has more viewers than all the U. S. TV networks, all the cable networks, all the streaming services, so when you think of TV, you don't usually think of YouTube, but [00:10:00] YouTube is TV, and TV is YouTube. Sarah: I mean, if we think of our kids, right, that's, that's all they're watching. They're not watching TV. It's Lou Bortone: definitely the YouTube. Multi screens. You know, they're, they're watching YouTube on a, on a traditional television screen, but they're on Twitter or X at the same time with their friends. And I don't know how they do it. I can barely manage one screen. Yeah. Sarah: Yeah. I also feel that. You know, we were also kind of part of the blogging era. And, and so I feel like, you know, Google has changed their algorithm again. And people are like, well, people don't really read blogs anymore. And we can't get any traction with SEO. Now that the market is getting flooded with all the AI content. So maybe it's also, do you think it's also because of that? People are like, well, at least that. That's what it was for me. I'm like, I got to pay attention to Lou Bortone: YouTube. Absolutely. And then the other thing with business owners, I mean, you know, we always read video is the way to [00:11:00] get the most amount of information in the shortest amount of time. So if we're all multitasking, we're all really over scheduled, we're all really busy. Oftentimes it's like, I can't sit down and read a newspaper. But what's that? You know, it's, I have to, you know, go to YouTube and find this quick answer. I have to go to see this thing on Tik TOK or, you know, so it's really just a great way to get access to any information anywhere in the world. Sarah: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. It's, it's, it's, I love it, especially when it's timestamped. So it's like, Oh, I don't even have to watch the whole thing. It's just like, yeah, exactly. So, so yeah. Lou Bortone: So I think now the thing is that. The, the consumer, the viewer, it has more control than ever. Cause like I said, when we were at least in the U S when we were growing up, it's like you had three TV networks and, and they controlled everything. They controlled what you saw, what you heard. And now it's kind of like, well, the consumer can go anywhere they want and see anything they want. So they're completely in control now. Sarah: So that kind [00:12:00] of probably if someone has never done any video kind of sounds also intimidating because it's like, wow, like there's this giant audience out there. Okay. You already mentioned as an introvert, sometimes YouTube is actually probably easier than the networking thing, but maybe it also feels like, well. What am I going to share that hasn't already been said out there? Yeah. So what would you say to that Lou Bortone: question? I think, you know, everybody has their unique spin and everybody has their own, you know Perspective. So it's like you have something to offer. A lot of times if I'm working with my clients or students, they feel like, well, you know, like you said, well, you know, what can I say that hasn't already been said? And I tell them, look, you know, you have a message. You have a unique message. You have a unique way of doing things and your Passion to get that message out to the world has to be stronger than your fear of being on camera. Because again, you know, the other thing too is now that we're all able to be on camera, we're not walking the red carpet at the Oscars. We're just putting on a podcast or a YouTube channel [00:13:00] and showing up and trying to be authentic. Sarah: Right. Yeah. So let's talk a little bit about this trust building and authenticity, like what are some key points here that maybe a story I can tell is like, I remember when I put up my first video and I just seen them all because I cleaned up my YouTube channel and I'm like, Oh my God, this is terrible. But I remember like really sweating it like, Oh my God, I have to prepare everything. Yeah. So. Like, do we really need to have this perfect video or how much of it can we just wing and really be just human and Lou Bortone: authentic? I think you can wing 80 percent of it, probably. I mean, I often make the distinction between quick videos and keeper videos. It's like, okay, a keeper video, your homepage video on your website, you know, you want to, you don't want to be in your pajamas, probably. If it's an important video that's going to have shelf life, like your homepage [00:14:00] video, or if you're selling, you know, a thousand dollar coaching program, you don't, you know, you want to look professional. So those keeper videos, you probably want to spend more time and effort on, but if it's, you know, quick tips, I mean, oftentimes I just think of something and then just go to YouTube and share it. So quick tips or Facebook lives or any kind of live video, it's really more about, you know, just showing up. And sharing your message and being authentic. And a lot of times people think video is about the technology. And what I try to sort of, you know, reshape that or respin it as, no, it's really about connection and relationships and engagement. It doesn't matter what technology we're using. It just matters that we're connecting and being authentic and sharing ourselves. Hmm. Sarah: I remember we, we did the workshop together or something about video for introverts back in the days. And, and I remember we did kind of have one module on, on on technology. And I'm thinking maybe that actually lost [00:15:00] a bit of importance now that. You know, we're so used to these shorts on YouTube and even famous people just kind of like filming themselves. You think it has changed maybe also over time? Yeah. And Lou Bortone: I think that the pandemics accelerated it really quickly because, you know, and basically in, you know, a day we all had to move to zoom and we had to move our events to zoom and we had to move everything online. So I think that just accelerated it. And, you know, it was almost like. You know, well, I don't have a choice. I have to be on camera because that's the only way I can connect with my audience right now, right? Yeah. And I think the other thing was now people realize, Oh, this is, you know, this isn't that scary. And this isn't that difficult technically. And we always hear about no like and trust. And I think people finally realized like, wow, this is a great way to build no like and trust. Sarah: Yeah, it's so true. I'm always surprised that people are watching whole episodes, you know, that I put [00:16:00] on the podcast as well, but no, people actually watched the YouTube version of it as well. And probably it's because that know, like, and trust, right? Lou Bortone: Yeah, definitely. The connection, the ability to watch it on the go, cause people are watching on their phones. And I did, you know, I've, I've done podcasting. Off and on, but the reason that I finally committed to doing a podcast was I saw a statistic that YouTube was now the number one source for podcasts, more than Apple, more than Google, more than Amazon people are going to YouTube for podcasts and whether that's just. Kind of listening to it when, you know, with a slide on the screen or having an actual interview or seeing the person on screen, either way there, it's become, you know, kind of the go to place to see and hear podcasts. Sarah: Yeah, that's interesting. I did see a difference between just having that slide and the moving, you know, lines which I did before. So I didn't have the video portion of [00:17:00] it. And now with, with the actual faces, like there is more engagement or there is more views because yeah, obviously it's more interesting to, to see two people talking than just a line. Yeah. Lou Bortone: Yeah. And that's the other thing that's been interesting too is now with all the AI stuff. It's like, I think there's going to be not really a backlash with AI, but more of a need for like, okay, I don't want to see a robotic, you know, synthesized video. I mean, yeah, I can create an AI version of myself. It's like, hi, I'm Lou, you know, and recreate my voice, but it's still not you, you know, it's still not the real person. Sarah: Yeah. And, and I really feel like that's why I like the really human and authentic videos the best, where you see some people, you know, they have like this fancy background and their logo is up there and their book is up there. I'm like, I get that from a marketing perspective, but. [00:18:00] It doesn't feel real. It feels like if I would see you on the street, I probably wouldn't recognize you because you're wearing so much makeup and I don't, yeah, I don't really recognize you. So for me, it's really that real humanness that comes across. Yeah, Lou Bortone: and that's why I like, you know, I don't do as much live video as I should, but I kind of call it like, oh, a live video is to come as you are party, you know, just show up and, and, you know, be yourself and don't worry that the dogs are barking in the background because that's the way it works, you know, like it's, there's going to be distractions, there's going to be craziness going on in the background, but that just makes it more real. Sarah: Talking about that. I just watched, remember that BBC interview where the walks in and then the baby rolls in and I just watched that Lou Bortone: again. Sometimes those are viral moments. Like, you know, the wife's son doing, trying to do a professional interview and the guy walks by. [00:19:00] You know, husband walks behind her in his boxer shorts, you know, it's like, we're trying to do video here, people. Sarah: And what, what I didn't remember is that that was in 2017. So way pre COVID. So that's why it was like super shocking. You know, back then we were all still like, Ooh, you know, has to be super professional. So I feel like a lot has changed since the pandemic. Yeah. And again, Lou Bortone: You have to find that balance because like I kid like you don't want to look like a hostage video. I mean, you don't want to have really terrible lighting and yeah, that it may be authentic, but it's still not easy to watch like if the lighting is really bad or if the audio is bad. So you have to find that balance between like, look, I have to, you know, look relatively professional, but I don't have to be so polished that I'm on doing an interview on CNN or something. Sarah: Exactly. Yeah, it's, it's true. It's that balance that you're still human and creating trust. But without looking [00:20:00] like, yeah, you're just going on CNN. So we talked a little bit about AI what I just recently started using is this Tool called Clip, Opus Clip or something. Oh yeah. Yes. Opus Clip. And it lets you create these little shorts from longer videos. Right. And, and I love that because it's repurposing existing content. And so, yeah, do you know any other great AI tools Lou Bortone: that people are using? I did a series on some AI tools and Opus Clip was one of them, which is great because if you're going to create content. You might as well get as much mileage out of it as possible. So if you're doing a podcast and you wanted to do clips from the podcast, or you want to do 60 second segments, Opus clip is great for that. Pictory. ai is really good because you can, you know, make your videos more professional and edit them and add, you know, B roll and background footage. And the one that I use probably every single day is descript. com. And the reason [00:21:00] I like that is because for people who are not You know, video editors, you can edit the text and all those changes are made, you know, you're basically editing a Word document and then the changes transfer the video. So I've been using that for pod, you know, to produce podcasts and really every kind of video because it's, it's really faster and you can look more professional and more quickly. Yeah, Sarah: and I love the fact that you just highlight all the ums and take them Lou Bortone: all out. Yeah, I had no idea how many times I used the words and until I found a descriptor like, oh, I can take out all the filler words with one click. And suddenly I sound smarter than I am. And I don't think that damages any of the authenticity or makes it any less real. It's just that like, oh, this is, it's going to be a little bit easier to look more professional without having to go through all kinds of crazy editing and stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Sarah: Yeah, that's true. It doesn't feel like all of a sudden you sound like a robot. You just. I feel like, yeah, you sound [00:22:00] smarter because you're not constantly looking for words or, or, yeah, saying Lou Bortone: them that. And some of it's getting like, it's a little bit weird because there's a feature in Descript where if I'm looking at the screen, it will put your eyes back up to where the camera is. Oh, I haven't Sarah: seen that. Lou Bortone: Ooh, that's kind of, you know, it's kind of interesting. It's a little creepy, but it works pretty well. But again, it's about striking that balance. Like I could do videos where I say, you know, you sort of insert the name, like you do one video, hello. So, you know, it's like, well, obviously that's, you know automated. So you don't want to do so much automation that it's not, you know real anymore. Sarah: Right. Yeah. I guess that's a question that you get often is like, well, where should your eyes be when you're doing either self recorded videos or chats like this one? For example, me right now, I'm looking at the camera. I'm not looking at you, which I always feel like, oh, what a Lou Bortone: shame. You got [00:23:00] to sort of train your eyes. I'm like, Oh, you know, my mom said you have to look people in the eye. Exactly. Great, but the camera, the camera's eye is up here, so I cheat because I have like a little extra monitor up where the camera is, but if I was looking at the screen, it would be, it would feel like I wasn't connecting with you and I wasn't being as authentic because I'm not, you want to try to, the camera is the the other person's eyes. So that's the tricky part. Sarah: Yeah, yeah. What I do is this, because I'm recording on zoom, so I just make the screen of zoom very small and just shove it right under the camera. Lou Bortone: I know. So those kind of tricks of just, you know, try to look at the camera try to have, you know, adequate lighting But again, it's, you know, it doesn't take much. I, I, I like to have a setup where I can just say, okay, my camera is set up, my background's okay, my lights work, and I want to just be able to go. I don't want to have to spend 20 minutes setting up a video every time I do a video. Sarah: Yeah, exactly. It becomes kind of like a nuisance if you're, it feels like, Oh, [00:24:00] I have to do all this setting up. What about what about in terms of the, the body placement? Because one thing I noticed is when I put the things on Tik TOK compared to everybody else, my face was like, Oh God, this is like, this is no Lou Bortone: good. Consider where the person's watching from, and a lot of people are watching on their phone, especially if it's a vertical video. So oftentimes if I'm doing a webinar and I'm sharing slides that are landscape, I realized, well, I can't put this on TikTok or Instagram Reels because it's going to squish it. But like, again, using software like Descript, we can take a video like this and put, you know, the people, Vertically so that it still works. So what I do see a lot, and it's funny cause I did another video about this, is it just, people don't have a very good sense of the spatial awareness. Like there'll be way down here, like, hello. And the trick that I, I heard that works is that, you know, think in terms of like, you don't want any more headroom than you [00:25:00] could fit a golf ball on the top of your head. So. You know, you don't want to be too close. You don't want to be too, too far away. Sarah: So what about here? Like Lou Bortone: it's kind of like, I think, you know, we were used to seeing that from news anchors and TV. It's usually like, you know, the, the typical shot is head and shoulders kind of shot, but again you know, if there are people doing videos who are yoga instructors or something like that, they got to go way back and be No, I think it's really just a matter of being aware of where you are in the camera. Oftentimes we'll see on zoom maybe somebody's on a laptop and they're looking up and you're looking up their nose. It's like, that's no fun. You know, just try to. Have a straight on you know, and use the photography rule of thirds where your eyes should be on the top third of the line. And if you've got graphics, those should be on the lower third, which is why they call lower thirds. So it's just having a sort of a spatial awareness of where you are, what's going on on screen. Sarah: Right. Yeah. [00:26:00] Yeah. I think a lot of it also comes back to confidence and just doing it a few times and not caring if it doesn't look good and just keep doing Lou Bortone: it, right? Yeah. So it's funny when we do, like we did the video for introverts thing a few years ago, but when we do when I do these challenges, I say, you know I do my first video in the car after I just came from the gym. So it's like, okay, this is the worst I'm going to look. Okay. I'm going to, I'm going to set the bar really low so it can only get better. And you know, I'm in the car, the lighting's bad, I'm sweaty, but okay, I'm going to start there and then work my way towards better videos as I go. Sarah: Right. Yeah, that's a, that's a good way of putting it. And I remember those videos after kickboxing, right? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I don't know if I would bear that, but yeah. . Lou Bortone: Well, and I think, you know women have a harder time because of the expectations. Like, oh, you know, my hair has to look good and I have to be wearing. Right, whatever. But I think people are less concerned [00:27:00] about that now than they used to be. Sarah: I think so too. And it's so refreshing. Lou Bortone: Yeah. Cause we just show up on zoom and it's like, look, you know I just came back from the gym or I'm, you know, I've been doing this, that so it's really more about, you really have to. Focus on the message and not so much the quality is important, but it's, it's less important than, than your message and you, and what you're Sarah: delivering. You know what that makes me think of is it's funny that we haven't kind of changed our headshots yet to being more human because sometimes you go on somebody's website and it's this beautiful girl. Like. Once in a lifetime that they look like that. And then you see their YouTube videos and you're like, Oh, they're actually human, Lou Bortone: right? And I, I did have photos when we were in Italy. I'm like, Oh, I want to have my pictures with really old buildings in the background and things like that. And then when people show up, they're like, Oh, you don't look like you look on, on [00:28:00] screen. So I used to do a really silly trick. Okay. Back in the Photoshop days is I would make my image actually a little wider so that I'd look heavier. And then when I showed up in person, people would say, Oh, you have you lost weight? So I was doing that reverse Photoshop, like, well, I want to look better in person. So I'm going to, but again, it's, it's, it is all about that authenticity and connection. And I talk about building loyalty through video, because again, it's really more about A relationship than about what camera you're using. Sarah: Yeah, it really feels like it's. I explained it in levels of intimacy, right? And so people sign up to your newsletter that they get your emails. That's the kind of the low level or before that it's even social media. Right. And then there's a higher level is newsletter and even higher letter that level Dell will be YouTube or, you know, any kind of video. And then probably [00:29:00] zoom calls where it's like in person zoom calls and then the actual in person meeting. But yeah. I do feel already, you know, we're seeing each other's facial expressions and that, yeah, that creates trust and loyalty. I Lou Bortone: totally agree. Yeah. And again, you know, even though, thank goodness we're past the pandemic and live events are coming back and conferences are back, there's still going to be that hybrid events, people working from home much more than they used to. I mean, my kids who are 25 they have never worked in an office. Everything they've done is, is on screen, on zoom, on Google meet, whatever it is. That's just the way they work now. Yeah, Sarah: yeah, yeah. No, it's crazy. Yeah, it really is. So let us talk a little bit to wrap up around the future. So we mentioned AI, we mentioned that, you know, Google is not really easy anymore to have your [00:30:00] blog posts featured. So what is, what do you see the future of video? How do you see it? Lou Bortone: I think it's, you know, obviously there's going to be a lot more volume because people are going to continue to flock to YouTube and watch YouTube shorts. I think we're going to see, you know, shorter bursts of videos, like. TikTok and Instagram reels are going to continue and it's a little harder to make the connection there because you're on for a shorter amount of time. But I think we're going to see the shorter videos, promoting podcasts and longer content where you really can connect because again, you're obviously going to make a better connection with somebody if you're seeing or hearing them for, you know, 15, 20 minutes, rather than. Forty five seconds and i think the other thing is that there may be a little bit of a not really a backlash but sort of an anti AI thing like okay i've seen the robotic you know synthetic version of blue but where's the real you know i'm gonna show up on facebook live and not be perfect but be real so i think you'll start [00:31:00] to see a little bit more of you know as much as we're going to be using AI that's still not going to you know literally replace the person and their message. Sarah: Yeah, I hope so. I mean, I'm, I'm all for AI, but exactly. It's still, in a way it makes the videos that we're doing even more special and more human. So, so maybe that's also a good. Lou Bortone: Yeah. So, yeah, because that's the, you know, it's almost like if you send out an email blast, it's not very personal. If you send out an, an AI video, it's great, but it's not. You know, it's personal or familiar or engaging. And even now that chat GPT is, is starting to put in I think it's called Sora where you can put in a prompt and chat GPT will create a video from nothing, which is great, but it's still not. You, I don't think so. What Sarah: does it do? It creates an avatar of you or just, Lou Bortone: you know, if you say create a video about a trip [00:32:00] to, to Boston mass, it's going to pull in footage from Boston and scenes and sites. And I think, you know, eventually if you record yourself, it'll be able to do sort of a facsimile of you, but it's still not going to be the real you. So, yeah, Sarah: some interesting, interesting things coming our way. That's for sure. Lou Bortone: Yeah, it's crazy. So I think there's still gonna be a place, a really important place for those videos. If I do a lot of video email, I just sort of, you know, rather than sending email, I do a video on loom and, and share something. And I think again, that's more personal. Yeah, it takes a little bit more time, but I think it also has a lot more impact because you feel like, oh, wow, this person's actually talking to me. It's not going to 1000 people. Yeah, I love Sarah: that. Yeah. I love those videos. I remember them from, from the, the trip in Tuscany. One thing we didn't talk about so much, and maybe it's something that we don't need to worry about is the whole algorithm thing, because obviously we're replacing the [00:33:00] Google algorithm by a YouTube algorithm. So how much are you paying attention and telling your clients to pay attention to the algorithm and making sure it gets, you know, right? Yeah, Lou Bortone: I mean, as long as I've, I've been on YouTube since the very beginning, and it's constantly changing and it's hard to keep up with. And I actually work with a YouTube coach just to try to stay on top of it. Can, and he keeps telling me the same thing and I've heard it over and over. And I think it's the best idea is make videos for humans, not algorithm. Don't try to game the system. Don't do keyword stuffing. I mean, I, I was talking to him about keywords and tags and he's like, just don't worry about it. It doesn't even matter anymore. Just make, you know, know who your audience is and, and try to connect with them and give them what they expect from you, what they want from you. And don't say, oh, you know, I'm going to make a knitting video because knitting is really hot. This is like, well, that's not what I do. So, so don't try to gain the system because you're not going to figure it [00:34:00] out and just make videos for an audience and for a person rather than for an algorithm. Man, Sarah: that's really refreshing because it feels like we're trying to figure out the algorithm and by the time you figured it out, it changed again, Lou Bortone: right? I know it's like I used to have coaches are like, okay, your title has to be 69 characters and your description has to be this and you know, it's still important to optimize your video the best you can, but at the end of the day, you know, spend more time making the video than trying to, you know, figure out just the exact keyword to include. Yeah. Sarah: Wow, I'm glad I asked you that early Lou Bortone: relief. It's like save, save you a lot of trouble in, in SEO research. And it's not completely, you know, it's not that important anymore. It's still counts for something, but like my YouTube coach is like, don't worry about the keywords for the tags and keywords, just put in different spellings of your name. So if somebody spells your name wrong, they'll still find you like, okay. [00:35:00] So so it's, you know, and, and the other thing is that with YouTube. It's shifted so much. I mean, maybe keywords were 80 percent of the people finding your video and now it's like 10%. So, and I even look at my analytics and I say, Oh, you know, only a few of these viewers came from search. The vast majority of them came from suggested videos of people finding the video because they, you know, they're seeking you out and they know, Oh yeah, I need video advice or I need to know how to do such and such. Okay. Sarah: Interesting. Yeah. So it just keeps, keeps on changing. So as long as you put your videos out there, you're, Lou Bortone: you're doing something right. Consistency is really, really important. I mean, YouTube likes consistency and YouTube likes watch time. So people always say, well, should I be doing video shorts or longer videos? And really a combination is best because you're sort of getting the best of both worlds. But YouTube, you know, the algorithm still does reward watch time. So if people start a video with you and then stick with it, [00:36:00] YouTube loves that because you're on the channel longer. So that's why I think podcasts are doing so well on YouTube because tend to stick with the, you know, the whole podcast rather than just watch two minutes of it. Yeah. Yeah. Sarah: That's good to know. Well Last question. What would you say people who are just starting out and they're kind of, and maybe they're introverts, what's the first video that they should do? Lou Bortone: I think that the lowest hanging fruit is live video, Facebook Live, YouTube Live. I mean, you can go on and do a video. Maybe you just do it into a Facebook group. But I think live videos have a little bit less of an expectation of perfection. So you can show up, you can make a few mistakes. You can. Do your ums and ahs, whatever, and people are not going to be that concerned about it. So I think practicing with live video is a really good way to get your feet wet and sort of get, you know, ease your way into videos. And then after you've done a bunch of those and you realize like, Oh my God, I didn't die on [00:37:00] video. Then you can say, now I'm going to go record a video for my homepage and maybe I'll make that more professional. Sarah: That's, that's cool. And so in live video, does that mean that people can actually come on live? Right? Lou Bortone: Yeah. And you know, with like Facebook live, again, you can, you can say, I'm only going to go live to my private group. So maybe you feel a little bit safer starting there because you know, the folks in your group. Right. Oftentimes I'll do a video and then on the Facebook setting, I'll do only me. So like, okay, it's, it's live, but it's not, nobody's seeing it. And then maybe later on, I'll say, okay, that, that wasn't so bad. I'm going to change that view to public. So even though you recorded it ahead of time, you didn't make it live until afterwards. Yeah. Sarah: Love that. Very good. Well, thanks so much for sharing all your godfatherly knowledge. Thank you. It's been great. Tell people please where they can find you and, and I know you have a, a free tool for us as well. Lou Bortone: Everything's at [00:38:00] loubortone. com. And I also like people sometimes have trouble planning their video, what they're going to say. So I have a free video planner at loubortone. com forward slash. And that'll just help you sort of map out your video and, and know what you're going to say. And you don't have to script it. You don't have to have it all, you know, word for word. Sometimes it just helps to know, okay, I'm going to do my intro and I'm going to do these three points. And then I have a call to action. Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. I think that's what I do. I think it's really helpful because. By the time you're two thirds in, you don't remember how you wanted to end it. And so it's kind of good. Lou Bortone: Yeah. A few bullet points. And then there's always, you know, editing. You can always go into Descript and use the AI to take out all your filler words and, and sound smarter. Sarah: That's great. I always ask one last question to all my guests and that is, what are you grateful for today or this week? Lou Bortone: Wow. At my age, just waking up, but, but yeah, I mean, it's [00:39:00] here in the U. S. in February in New England, it's, it's chilly out, but you know, the sun's out and everybody's healthy and, you know, it's all good. Nice. Sarah: Wonderful. Well, let's hope it stays like that. It's really good to reconnect with you. Thanks so much for being on the show. Lou Bortone: Thank you. Appreciate it. Sarah: And that's a wrap for today. I hope you got some great value from listening to this episode. You can find out more about Lou and his work at loubortone. com. Lou also has a free video planner for us that helps us plan the content of our video before we hit that recording button. So you'll find this at loubartone. com forward slash planner. And if you're looking for others who think like you, then why not join us in the Humane Marketing Circle? You can find out more about our community at [00:40:00] humane. marketing forward slash circle. And you'll find the show notes of this episode at humane. marketing forward slash H M 1 8 6. And on this beautiful page, you'll also find a series of free offers such as the humane business manifesto, as well as my two books, marketing like we're human and selling like we're human. Thanks so much for listening and being part of a generation of marketers who cares for yourself, your clients and the planet. We are changemakers before we are marketers. So go be the change you want to see in the world. Speak [00:41:00] soon.

For years you've been told that THIS is the year of video, and while the format, length, and medium for videos has certainly evolved, the emphasis is no less true. Brands need to create video content today, particularly those in retail marketing who are trying to help prospects visualize themselves as customers. But how can you possibly create enough great video content to keep your social media calendar full and your prospects clamoring to learn more? That's what Marc Gawith is here to help us with. Marc is an industry thought leader who is expertly guiding marketing professionals towards achieving success in the fast-paced world of AI video. As the Head of Business Development at Pictory, a leading AI video company, Marc is responsible for driving strategic partnerships and expanding the company's presence in the market. And his dedication to driving innovation and excellence in the field of AI video creation has solidified his reputation as a dynamic and influential leader. The MarTech Show hosts Robin Dimond and Mike Allton talked Marc Gawith about:

AI for Creatives is a podcast by Creatives for Creatives connecting art, innovation, and humanity. Segment 1: Kamilah and Nova begin the episode by discussing their current work. Kamilah talks about her obsessions with Twitter killers. She begins by talking about Spill, which uses AI for content moderation. She goes on to talk about Threads by Instagram. Nova talks about Clubhouse when it was something new. Nova questions how AI and AR will disrupt social media going forward. Nova talks about her recent travel and speaking engagements. Segment 2: Nova and Kamilah begin to talk about the new tools they're excited about, and how they can make a greater, faster impact for creatives. Kamilah begins with Descript for podcasters and video. AI for editing, taking audio product to create video. Nova brings up SkyBox by Blockade Labs – for immersive experiences and storytelling. Text can be used to create a short, immersive, 3D world. Kamilah brings up Pictory. This is an AI Video generator for creating and editing AI videos from a script, blog, or other text. Nova talks about Fliki, where you can take from a blog and turn it into a video. These tools allow those who might be unable to do video elements for the words they create to have options. Nova also talks about Wonder Studio. It allows for the creation of video effects with avatars and characters in live-action scenes. Segment 3: Nova and Kamilah talk about AI tools for music. Nova talks about WavTool for editing music via natural language. Kamilah talks about a tool called Mubert, which allows for music creation by a description of the type of music you want. License-free music that sounds good can be a challenge, Segment 4: Kamilah and Nova talk about AI tools for images. Nova talks about D-ID and the creation of her “Frankenstein” to create an animated avatar to tell a story. She talks about Synthesia doing AI model-driven videos. Kamilah talks about HitPaw for enhancing and upscaling images. Nova talks about Claid, a tool that lets you upload a photo of your product and use AI to create an entire photoshoot. This can make for easy and quick product demo while saving on costs to enhance the product. Kamilah talks about Move.AI – which adds movement to still photos and can be saved as a video file. Nova talks about how that can majorly expand on storytelling options. Accessible motion capture. Nova mentions LumaLab – which allows you to take photos and convert them to 3D models. Segment 5: Nova and Kamilah move on to words, apart from ChatGPT. Kamilah begins with Jasper, an AI copywriter focused on your tone and style. Nova talks about Wiseone for enhancing web searching and research. Another tool Nova mentions is Text Blaze for email and text messages, creating automated templates and such. Segment 6: Nova and Kamilah touch on AI Tools for presentations. Nova talks about Canva and their new AI edit features and upgrades over the last couple of months. Kamilah talks about Presentations.AI – which allows for the creation of personalized decks from a text description. Nova brings up Tome for story-driven presentation creation and Beautiful.ai. Conclusion: Kamilah and Nova conclude by talking about how these are just a few of the up-and-coming tools available for creators.   AI Generative AI AI for Creatives Crypto for Creatives AI AR Web3 Video Text to video Music Presentations Copywriting Images Social Media Pink Kangaru

In a groundbreaking episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with Vikram Chalana, the CEO of Pictory.AI, to discuss the revolutionary shift in content creation driven by AI technology. Pictory.AI, under Vikram's leadership, is transforming how businesses and individuals generate video and social media content, converting long-form articles and webinars into engaging, bite-sized visual content in minutes. Vikram, with his deep roots in the tech industry and a pioneering spirit, shares his journey from a research scientist to becoming an entrepreneur in the AI space, highlighting his transition from Winshuttle to founding Pictory.AI.Vikram's vision for Pictory.AI is to democratize video editing, making it as accessible and straightforward as using Canva for design. He aims to empower users to create thought leadership and communication materials in video format, capitalizing on the audience's growing preference for multimedia content over text. This episode delves into the opportunities and challenges brought by AI in content creation, including the innovative integration of Pictory.AI with ChatGPT to streamline video script generation and editing.Looking forward, Vikram offers insights into the future developments at Pictory.AI and the broader impact of AI on content creation. He envisions a world where AI not only simplifies video production but also personalizes content creation, addressing common barriers such as stage fear and the complexities of video editing. This conversation sheds light on the evolving landscape of digital communication, emphasizing the role of AI in fostering creativity and efficiency in content creation. Join Brian and Vikram for a fascinating exploration of the transformative power of AI in making engaging video content more accessible than ever.

Annemarie Cross engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Bryan Alston, the esteemed founder of BrandCastle Growth Partners. Together, they unravel the complexities of leveraging data analysis and AI for effective marketing strategies. Throughout the episode, Bryan delves into the intricacies of using Pictory and text-to-video tools to create compelling marketing content. He emphasizes the critical role of understanding customer needs and leveraging AI tools for in-depth customer analysis. Bryan also shares a compelling case study of successfully repositioning a product to meet the unmet needs of a niche customer base. Moreover, he expounds on the significance of using AI to unearth profound insights into customer lifestyles and preferences. Prepare yourself for an insightful exploration of how data-driven marketing can lay the foundation for consumer brands to thrive, both in the digital realm and in physical establishments. This episode is a deep dive into the world of marketing strategies, offering valuable insights to elevate your marketing approach. Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:  Insights into data-driven marketing  Practical brand growth strategies   Innovative approach to business challenges  RESOURCES:   Subscribe to my weekly newsletter – The Influence Bulletin  The Influence Alliance — A business-building community for changemakers who want to build a sustainable and scalable business they love.  How to Become Distinguishable, Uncopyable and Irresistible Masterclass   Are you struggling to be known as a trusted authority in your industry? Book a time to chat with Annemarie. You can connect with Bryan through: Website | LinkedIn |Email Jump Straight to these golden nuggets: 00:00 Podcast interviews industry leaders on data-driven growth. 03:32 Uncovering customer insights for business growth strategy. 08:59 Understanding customer's disposable income for product appeal. 12:13 Value props for targeted hydration market. 15:03 Pivoted brand to serve breastfeeding moms successfully. 19:20 Leveraging AI for insights into client needs. 23:03 Optimizing marketing for different audience segments using AI. 26:51 Pictory tool creates diverse video content effectively. 30:13 Offer customers to be featured, create engagement. 32:59 Leverage AI but don't solely rely on it. 38:10 BrainCastle focuses on setting up consumer brands for success, using ecommerce and Amazon to connect with their customers and turn them into omnichannel businesses, facilitating their introduction into stores. 42:02 Emphasizing brand visibility and maintaining human touch. Enjoy This Podcast? If you enjoyed today's episode of the Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast, then hit subscribe now!  Post a review and share it! If you learned something by tuning into this podcast, do not hesitate to write a review and share it with your friends, so they can find out more about how to generate returns from a Google Ads account.  For more updates and episodes, visit the Ambitious Entrepreneur Show website. You can also subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Email, RSS, and more!  You can also follow us through Facebook.  Want to build a scalable business you are passionate about? Join The Influence Alliance – the Business Building Community for Change Makers.  Want to launch your own Thought Leader Podcast? Access my ‘Are You Ready to Launch Your Podcast' Quiz here and have a chat with me.  Have any questions? You can contact me through these platforms:  Company website  Instagram  Facebook  Join our Community of Change Makers  Twitter Linkedin  To staying ambitious,  The post [Ep#396] Leveraging data analysis and AI for effective marketing strategies appeared first on The Ambitious Entrepreneur Podcast Network   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we separate our work selves and our personal lives when technology and social media have made those lines blurrier than ever? Joining us today to unpack this topic and three key “future of work” trends is Elizabeth J. Sandler, founder and CEO of Echo Juliette, a forward-thinking company that works with executive teams on strategy and leadership development. Elizabeth is a seasoned professional with 25 years of experience as a COO and Strategist in Investment Banking and Private Equity in the US and UK. In 2019 she left her corporate career to pursue her mission of making workplaces more successful and fulfilling for everyone. Her company Juliette Works advises organizations on investing in Key-Suite women — a fundamental component of any organization. Elizabeth also serves on the board of two public companies, two private equity funds, and two non-profits, and is a sought-after speaker at conferences, companies, and universities. In today's conversation, we hear from Elizabeth about three top-of-mind “future of work” trends, before discussing how a comprehensive understanding of these trends today can serve us in the long run. Tuning in you'll learn about the transformative potential of AI in our work lives; how companies should be approaching social media; and the key things we need to understand about the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) landscape. The introduction of technologies like generative AI has already had a huge impact on how we work, but this is only the beginning. How we choose to show up and implement these technologies will shape our work lives for years to come. To hear all of Elizabeth's thought-provoking insights on the transformative impact these developments could have on the future of work, be sure to tune in today! Key Highlights From This Episode: • Introducing today's guest, Elizabeth J. Sandler, and the story of how she and Kathy connected and became friends. [02:06] • Unpacking generative AI in the workplace as a “future of work” trend and the transformational impact it could have on our work lives. [09:55] • The limitations of standard stock images, navigating inherent bias, and how businesses can use generative AI for consistent, creative, and specific branding. [12:13] • How AI can be integrated with leading technologies to help humans in the workplace. [20:50] • The expertise required to prompt generative AI in a way that will eliminate bias and ensure proper diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). [25:31] • Breaking down the impact of social media as a “future of work” trend; the complexity of how we embody (and separate) our work and personal selves online. [28:33] • Being open to understanding different perspectives at work, and why an alignment of values between yourself and your organization is so important. [35:32] • Unpacking DEI as a “future of work” trend; the growing scope of DEI efforts and the challenge of managing it all. [45:11] • Cultivating more empathy for the lived experiences of others. [49:49] • Discover where you can go to find Elizabeth's work and connect online. [26:23]   For More Information: Echo Juliette Elizabeth J. Sandler on LinkedIn Elizabeth J. Sandler Linktree Juliette Works Juliette Works on Facebook Juliette Works on Instagram   Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Read Kathy's article ‘The 'Barbie' Movie Missed the Mark for Me - Did It Work For You?' Check out the LinkedIn post and poll that connected Elizabeth and Kathy Listen to Episode 270: Masculinity at a Key Crossroads with Ludo Gabriele Visit Midjourney to use generative AI to create consistent branding imagery Check out Adobe's generative AI tools, Firefly and Sensei GenAI Use DALL·E to create images from text Discover how to use Pictory for video creation Learn about Elizabeth's Core Values  _________________________   Are you ready for a BIG positive shift in how you're working and what you're capable of achieving today in your career and leadership? Let's work together and make that happen! While you might know me best as a podcast host and writer, a key focus in my work is career and leadership coaching and training for mid to high-level professional women around the globe. In my top-rated Career & Leadership Breakthrough 1:1 Program and The Most Powerful You video and live course, I help female executives and leaders experience what they want most, which includes more confidence, impact, recognition, advancement, financial reward, well-being, and fulfillment. And I also help them close their power gaps and make headway towards their most exciting visions for the future. In the past 16 years, I've worked with over 20,000 women across 6 continents. Before that, I served as a therapist, and prior to that, I was a corporate VP managing multi-million-dollar budgets and global initiatives. I leverage all of that experience to help women build a new chapter of work to reach their highest and happiest potential in careers they love. For organizations looking for top-level career and leadership coaching to support the emerging and seasoned female leaders in your workforce, please feel free to contact me here. Check out Career & Leadership Breakthrough Coaching Program - Kathy Caprino and Most Powerful You training. I hope you'll register now. I'd love to support you!   ——————— Need some great podcast production support? Check out We Edit Podcasts! Are you thinking of launching a new podcast or have you been at it a while and recognize it's time for more or better production help to create the best podcast you can? I totally understand — I've been podcasting for over 6 years and know how challenging it can be. That's why I'm very excited to share key info about the great product team I'm using called We Edit Podcasts. I've been working with them for well over a year, and I've been so happy with the results! They're a full-service production agency and their services give me access to a wonderful team of seasoned audio engineers and editors who help create a polished, professional sound. And they work hard to ensure that my particular podcasting approach and style comes through in every episode. They also help me make sure my guests are reflected in the best possible light through the creation of terrific show notes, which is an important part of the show for me. Their process is easy and streamlined, and their responsiveness and customer service are terrific too. If you're ready for better production help, check them out and take advantage of their FREE trial episode, allowing you to sample their process and quality to see if it's a great fit for you. I'm confident you'll love them. Just paste this link into your browser: >> http://weeditpodcasts.com/findingbrave

Vikram shared his journey living in Seattle for over 30 years, obtaining his PhD in biomedical engineering from University of Washington before transitioning to software entrepreneurship, founding Winshuttle which he scaled to 350 employees before selling and founding Pictory.Support The ShowMerch: https://www.theshadesofe.com/shopPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/theshadesofeSocial Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theshadesofeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theshadesofeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshadesofe/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theshadesofeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQotiAmRRUpcUBM6Joqa8XA

In this episode we interview Vikram Chalana, CEO of Pictory- AI that produces a month of video and social content from longform content such as blogs and webinars in minutes.Vikram started his career as a Research Scientist at Insightful Corporation and his entrepreneurial journey began in 2003 when he co-founded- Winshuttle, an enterprise software company that offers application data management software solutions to transform SAP-based businesses.Follow Vikram on LinkedIn and check out Pictory at https://pictory.ai/

Vikram Chalana is a visionary entrepreneur and trailblazer in the world of AI-driven content creation. As the CEO of Pictory, Vikram leads a team dedicated to revolutionizing the way we generate video and social content. With Pictory's groundbreaking AI technology, long-form content, such as blogs and webinars, undergoes a miraculous transformation into a month's worth of engaging visual and social media content – all accomplished in a matter of minutes. Vikram's journey is marked by an unwavering passion for creating transformative technologies. His foray into the tech landscape began as a Research Scientist at Insightful Corporation, where he honed his skills and developed a deep understanding of the industry's intricacies. However, it was in 2003 that Vikram embarked on his entrepreneurial odyssey, co-founding Winshuttle. This enterprise software company quickly gained prominence for its innovative application data management solutions, specifically designed to revolutionize SAP-based businesses. What you will learn Vikram shares his experiences growing up in India and how it contributed to his passion for education Vikram's shares his journey into entrepreneurship How Pictory has evolved and adapted since the rise of AI technology, particularly ChatGPT The role of AI in content creation and how it affects human creativity Discover key strategies and challenges involved in building a successful startup in a competitive market Why it's critical to build a great team and a positive company culture Why an element of luck in needed for business success Happiness, personal fulfillment, and the paradox of busyness in today's world Plus loads more!

How do you build an AI startup? What's different about an AI startup compared to a normal tech startup? How do you get VCs to come to you instead of chasing them? If you have these questions in mind, our guest, Vikram Chalana, might have the answer you are looking for. Vikram Chalana is the founder and CEO of Pictory.AI, an AI video creation tool that can help content marketers create content in a fast and scalable manner. So, if you have an interest in AI and what future it holds, you're going to love this episode. You're listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let's go. Vikram Chalana on the Practicalities of Remote Work Christopher and Vikram start off the conversation by talking about the benefits of working remotely. Both have stated that they have enjoyed their work-from-home setups, even after the hustle and bustle of the world has returned somewhat. They also agree that, despite some backlash, remote work offers advantages, like eliminating commutes and enabling people to work in comfortable, happy environments. Vikram, a startup founder, values hiring talent globally, and that online tools like Slack and Zoom have made it easier to bridge the geographical barrier of work. Though they acknowledge the desire for in-person interactions sometimes, they could not ignore the practicality of remote work. Raising money for AI startup: when do you bring on investors? Christopher and Vikram then discuss the timing of taking in investors and venture capital. Christopher shares a conversation he had with a friend, a CEO in the AI space, who's considering significant investment offers. They debate the need for additional funding despite having $5 million already. The friend's reason for this is because of the demand for compute in AI due to expanding training data, which requires substantial investment. In this case, Vikram agrees that getting more funds makes sense because of the load they are taking as their data lake grows and the computing demand increases. Vikram, on the other hand, expresses hesitance about raising funds when his SaaS startup is already capital efficient. He grappled with how to allocate the money, but also considers future investments in deep tech. Vikram also emphasizes his approach of launching products even if they are initially embarrassing, highlighting his focus on post-revenue stages for fundraising. Vikram Chalana on startup valuations and fundraising strategies Christopher and Vikram then talk about fundraising strategies, emphasizing the risks associated with overvaluation. Christopher shares some cautionary tales about companies that raised large sums at high valuations, only to face significant drops in worth, causing employee dissatisfaction. Vikram, who favors a conservative approach, highlights his experience in building capital-efficient businesses. He stresses the importance of realistic valuations, suggesting that entrepreneurs should not overvalue their businesses. They discuss an entrepreneur who achieved a healthy valuation without pushing it to the extreme. Christopher notes the contrasting situations faced by non-AI entrepreneurs struggling to attract VC attention, while AI startups like Vikram's are sought after. To hear more from Vikram Chalana and his thoughts on AI Startups, download and listen to this episode. Bio Vikram Chalana is an experienced business and technology executive with a demonstrated history in the enterprise software and medical device industry. Before becoming the CEO of Steth IO, Vikram was the co-founder and CTO of Winshuttle – empowering people to transform their ERP-based business. He propelled the company's technology strategy to support Enterprise, workflow and mobile solutions, helping thousands of customers maximize their investments in enterprise applications such as SAP ERP, Oracle EBS and Salesforce.com.

You may not know what Generative AI is, but you have heard about ChatGPT. This is just one example in the fascinating world of Generative AI, a realm filled with innovation and possibilities.Join me in this episode as we embark on a journey through the heart of Generative AI. I'm here to demystify the concept and answer some relevant questions: What exactly is Generative AI? Why is it such a big deal, and how is it shaping our future?But that's not all. I'll walk you through the mechanics, breaking down how Generative AI works in simple, easy-to-understand terms. And to add a real-world perspective, I'm joined by a special guest, Graham Morehead. Graham isn't just an academic; he's a professor at Gonzaga University and a mastermind behind two upcoming AI-driven startups. His insights bridge the gap between theory and application, offering a unique lens into the practical side of Generative AI.Stick around until the end, where Graham delves into the impact of AI on employment, giving us a glimpse into the future of work.Consider this episode your practical guide to Generative AI. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, entrepreneur, or just curious about the future, this conversation is for you. In This Episode:- What is ChatGPT? - What is Generative AI? - Why has Generative AI taken off?- How does Generative AI work?- Use cases of Generative AI- Available tools that use Generative AI- What tools do I use?- What led to the current revolution in AI? - Why AI is popular right now - Key players in the current AI world - AI's impact on people's jobs Resources mentioned:Subscribe to the newsletter - https://theaientrepreneurs.com ChatGPT - https://chat.openai.com/Github Copilot - https://github.com/features/copilotAlpha Code - https://alphacode.ai/en/Midjourney - https://www.midjourney.com/Pictory - https://pictory.ai/Synthesia - https://www.synthesia.io/Bard - https://bard.google.com/DALL-E - https://openai.com/dall-e-3 Cohere - https://cohere.com/ Claude - https://claude.ai/ Kapwing - https://www.kapwing.com/ Connect with Graham Morehead: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahammorehead Connect with Ramesh Dontha:AI Entrepreneurs Facebook Page-

"AI enhances my creativity and helps me explore new ideas. From AI-generated music and artwork to machine learning algorithms that assist in brainstorming and content creation, it has become an invaluable tool in my creative process."Today, Grant sat down with Lauren Teague to chat about her speaking business and how she uses AI as a work partner to maximize her time, increase her creative output, and scale the amount of work she's putting in to create great pieces of content. "It's like the most valuable intern that you could hire in that most capable, but you have to be extremely specific and good at delegation in order to get the most out of it."In today's episode, Grant and Lauren dig into: Lauren's background in speaking Why content matters when you're building a brand How to leverage AI to help you create more content What Lauren uses AI for in her everyday life How AI can help you scale the amount of content you ship What AI tools are currently on the market, and what they do The difference between queries and prompting What makes a strong prompt And more! "AI is both new and old. It's new in the sense that we're seeing advancements and applications that we couldn't have imagined even a few years ago. But it's also old because the concept of machines being able to mimic human intelligence has been around for decades. It's fascinating to see how far we've come, but also humbling to realize that we're still just scratching the surface of what AI can do."If you've been thinking about implementing AI into your business and your everyday life, this could be a great episode to help you unlock the potential and explore tactical use cases. "Technology doesn't take away the human element, it enhances it. And I think that's what I've experienced personally with using tools like PICTORY and Castmagic. It's not about replacing me as a speaker, it's about amplifying my message and reaching a wider audience."Episode Chapters:[00:01:41] Lauren's speaking background.[00:04:48] AI is ubiquitous and revolutionizing technology.[00:09:27] AI predictions for the future.[00:13:28] What is AI, and how does it create content?[00:16:34] What different types of AI models are out there?[00:21:02] What is prompting, and what makes a good prompt? [00:26:37] Popular AI tools for video editing, writing, and imagery.[00:31:25] What is the future of AI and content in regard to how we consume it? [00:33:53] Other AI that are useful and exciting.Episode Resources: Lauren's WebsiteConnect with Lauren on LinkedInLauren's Podcast - Brand to FanLauren's Brand - FanWagn Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Matt Watson and Vikram Chalana, CEO and Co-founder of Pictory, in a dynamic discussion about video marketing. Tune in as Matt and Vikram discuss the evolution of content marketing, emphasizing the significance of incorporating video marketing into your strategy. Explore the profound impact of AI and ChatGPT on cutting-edge tools like Pictory, unraveling the secrets to successful business content frequency and the art of maximizing your content through smart repurposing. This episode offers invaluable insights for turbocharging your marketing game.   Find Startup Hustle Everywhere: https://gigb.co/l/YEh5   This episode is sponsored by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io   Learn more about Pictory: https://pictory.ai  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vikram Chalana grew up in India, but has been in Seattle over 30 years. He graduated from the University of Washington, and actually met his wife in college. In fact, his kids now go to the same school, so his whole family are Huskies. Outside of tech, he loves anything outdoors - skiing, biking, and kayaking. In fact, at the recording of this episode, he just got back from climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.Vikram noticed that content marketing has shifted from text to images to videos. In a prior organization, they only had 1 person who was trained to create videos, though the demand for assets was high. After attempting to learn tools to make these videos, he wanted to find a better way to generate this type of content.This is the creation story of Pictory.SponsorsCipherstashTreblleCAST AI FireflyTursoMemberstackLinksWebsite: https://pictory.ai/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikramchalana/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/code-story/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I had the opportunity to chat with ⁠Vikram Chalana⁠ the CEO of ⁠Pictory⁠, and a serial entrepreneur with a strong passion for democratizing technology. Vikram and I went deep on his latest venture, Pictory, which is revolutionizing the way we create and consume video content for social media. Get on the AI Box Waitlist: ⁠https://AIBox.ai/⁠ Facebook Community: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/739308654562189/⁠⁠ Discord Community: ⁠https://aibox.ai/discord⁠ Follow me on X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jaeden_ai⁠

We know how great tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney can be. But there's SO MUCH more out there! Today we're breaking down 7 powerful AI tools that can help improve your day-to-day tasks. Newsletter: Sign-up for our free daily newsletterMore on this: Episode PageJoin the discussion: Ask Jordan questions about AI toolsUpcoming Episodes: Check out the upcoming Everyday AI Livestream lineupWebsite: YourEverydayAI.comEmail The Show: info@youreverydayai.comConnect with Jordan on LinkedInTimestamps:[00:01:40] Daily AI news[00:07:40] 1 - D-ID (interactive avatars)[00:11:30] 2 - Jasper (writing)[00:14:55] 3 - Pictory (marketing videos)[00:14:55] 4 - WellSaid Labs (text-to-speech)[00:21:25] 5 - MeetGeek (meetings)[00:25:00] 6 - Perplexity (research)[00:28:00] 7 - beautiful.ai (presentations)Topics Covered in This Episode:- Integration of ChatGPT in classrooms- Schools are incorporating AI technology, specifically ChatGPT, into their educational curriculum.- Criticism of US higher education system:- The US higher education system is facing criticism for its heavy reliance on AI and ChatGPT in classrooms.- Demand for Nvidia's $40,000 GPU chip:- Nvidia's high-performance GPU chip, priced at $40,000, is experiencing significant demand in the market.- Eleven Labs' release of V Two:- Eleven Labs has launched V Two, an improved text-to-speech service that offers enhanced functionalities.- Introduction to seven amazing AI tools:- The speaker discusses seven lesser-known AI tools that they have personally explored.- Speaker's software experience:- The speaker is a self-proclaimed software junkie with extensive experience using various AI software.- Full list of AI tools available upon request:- The speaker offers a complete list of AI tools featured on the episode upon listener request.- Preview of upcoming episode:- The next episode will feature Mark de Grasse, the President of Digital Marketer, sharing AI marketing secrets.- Discussion of "D-ID" as the first amazing AI tool:- "D-ID" is highlighted for its realistic avatars, text-to-voice, and text-to-video capabilities.Keywords:schools, ChatGPT, classroom, US higher education system, AI, Nvidia, $40,000 GPU chip, Eleven Labs, V Two, text-to-speech service, AI tools, software, realistic avatars, text-to-voice, text-to-video, Mark de Grasse, President of Digital Marketer, AI secrets, marketing, Everyday AI, AI podcast, EverydayAI.com Get more out of ChatGPT by learning our PPP method in this live, interactive and free training! Sign up now: https://youreverydayai.com/ppp-registration/

Be honest with us, how often are you scrolling short videos on Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok? Are you producing short videos to follow the trend? This week on Speakernomics, we invited Marc Gawith, the head of business development for Pictory, an AI platform that turns your written and video content into shortform videos, to share why these videos are thriving right now. Plus, how Pictory can supplement your team to turn your existing content into short videos in minutes for you to share with your followers. Want to try Pictory for yourself? As an NSA member take advantage of 20 percent off any of the annual plans using code Influence2023 at checkout: https://pictory.ai/nsaspeaker  Answer our question! Head over to www.Speakernomics.com/voicemail and leave us a voicemail answering the our question and we may use your recording on an upcoming episode of Speakernomics! Question: What type of content do you currently have and what content do you want to create or repurpose from that existing content? Who is Marc Gawith? Marc is a life extender. He spent eight years in the social video space focusing on streaming, production and backend development before becoming the head of business development for Pictory, an AI tool that produces short video content from blogs, videos and other content in minutes. Besides videos, he's also a big fan of golf. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices