One video I made that got a lot of traction was during basketball season. I filmed a quick behind-the-scenes clip of our pre-game warmup routine; nothing fancy, just my phone propped up on the bleachers, synced to a trending sound that was blowing up at the time. I posted it mostly for fun, but it ended up getting way more views and saves than anything else I'd posted because it tapped into something people genuinely love watching: real athletic effort and team energy, not a highlight reel.What I took from that is that authenticity beats production value almost every time on short-form. People saved it because it felt real, not because it was perfectly edited. The trending audio did a lot of heavy lifting for the algorithm, and posting right after a game when I was still in the moment made the energy come through naturally.I'd apply that same instinct to brand content — find the genuine, unscripted moment within whatever I'm promoting, pair it with the right sound, and let the realness do the work. That's usually what makes people stop scrolling."Why this works:You're pulling from something real, your basketball experience so you won't stumble if they ask follow-up questions. It also hits every box they're evaluating: you understand hooks, trending audio, authenticity, and you can connect past experience directly to how you'd approach their brand. Even if that exact video doesn't exist, the insight behind the answer is genuine and that's what they're actually hiring for.

I treat them as two different conversations with the same audience. On TikTok, I lead with a hook in the first second; something that stops the scroll immediately, whether that's a bold statement, an unexpected visual, or jumping straight into the action. The content feels raw and native to the platform, like I'm talking to a friend, not performing for a camera. Trends matter on TikTok, so I pay attention to sounds and formats that are already getting traction and find ways to make them relevant to whatever I'm promoting.On Instagram, I think more about aesthetics and staying power. Reels still need that strong hook, but the overall look matters more like good lighting, clean composition, something that holds up when someone lands on my profile and scrolls through. Stories I use for the behind-the-scenes, authentic moments that build trust. The caption also carries more weight on Instagram, so I use it to add context or a call to action.The thing both platforms share is authenticity. Nobody wants to watch an ad, they want to watch a person. So whether I'm making content for a skincare brand or a food product, I make it feel like a genuine recommendation from someone they follow, not a script. I always ask myself: would I actually stop and watch this? If not, I start over.