[FAQ]

I’m from Auckland and have gotten super into the ASMR videos on TikTok lately, and I’m keen to give it a go myself. I’ve bought a decent microphone because I know the audio quality is the most important thing.

But now I’m a bit stuck on everything else. The visual styles vary so much. What kind of lighting works best? How close up should the camera be? Is it better to just have trigger sounds or should I be whispering? I want to make sure the whole video feels as good as it sounds.

I’m just wondering if there are any best practices for creating ASMR videos that work well on a platform like TikTok.

[Jeff Bullas]

An excellent topic. ASMR is a craft that blends art and science to be effective.

Quick Answer: The best ASMR videos are built on a foundation of pristine, high-fidelity audio that is perfectly synchronised with stable, close-up video. The visuals must directly and deliberately correspond to the audio triggers to create a fully immersive sensory experience.

The key is to understand that you are not just making sounds; you are building a calming and predictable world for your audience.

First, your instinct about audio is correct. It is the most critical element. Your goal must be clean, intimate audio with absolutely no background noise. This requires using a quality microphone positioned very close to the sound source to capture every detail. Whether you choose to whisper or to have no talking at all, you must control your microphone technique to avoid any harsh sounds like plosives (‘p’ sounds) or sharp sibilance (‘s’ sounds), as these will instantly break the spell for the listener.

Next is the video, which must serve the audio. Your camera must be stable, so use a tripod. The movements within the frame should be slow, deliberate, and predictable. Fast, jerky motions are jarring and counterproductive. The visual focus should be a close-up on the object or image creating the sound. If the audio is the crinkle of paper, the video must be a tight shot of that paper crinkling. This perfect sync between sight and sound is non-negotiable.

While the experience is mostly non-verbal, your use of text is vital for discoverability. Your video’s description and hashtags must clearly state the specific triggers being used. For example, use text like #woodtapping, #pageturning, or #softspoken so that fans of those specific sounds can find your content.

Finally, for a platform like TikTok, ASMR videos with a satisfying process or transformation perform exceptionally well. Think of formats like ‘ASMR unboxing’, ‘ASMR product restoration’, or ‘ASMR packing an order’. These concepts provide a short, compelling narrative arc that is perfectly suited to holding a viewer’s attention.

Cheers,
Jeff

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