The best demos do two things: solve a real need and are genuinely entertaining. The difference between a forgettable entry and one that wins prizes (and goes viral) comes down to a handful of decisions you make before you start building.
The #1 mistake
Most people spend 90% of their time on the code and rush the video at the end. Flip that. AI has made building faster than ever. Your code is table stakes. Plan to spend at least half your time on the submission video, if not more. A brilliant project with a bad video loses to a decent project with a great video.
Before you think about videos or social posts, start here: the project itself has to be genuinely compelling. Judges are looking for submissions that are creative, original, and well-executed. A polished video of a boring idea won't win.
We're particularly excited by projects that push the limits of what ElevenLabs and the week's sponsor technology can do. Don't just use the APIs at their most basic level. Dig into the advanced features, combine them in unexpected ways, and build something that makes people rethink what's possible.
Go beyond the tutorial
Every API has a getting-started example. Don't submit that. Explore the docs, find features most people overlook, and build something the API creators themselves would be impressed by.
Combine tools creatively
The most memorable projects chain multiple APIs together in ways nobody expected. The weirder the combination, the more memorable the demo.
Make it real
Toy demos are forgettable. Build something you or someone else would actually use. If your project solves a real problem for a real audience, it shows.
Virality isn't random. Projects that spread tend to share a few traits:
Solve a real pain point
The best demos make people think “I need this.” Pick a problem your audience already complains about (email overload, language barriers, tedious editing) and show it vanishing in 30 seconds.
Be extremely visual
Even if your project is deeply technical, spend time thinking about how to demonstrate the outcome in the real world. Don't just show a terminal. Show what happens when a real person uses it. If people can see the magic, they'll share it.
Surprise people
The most shared tech demos have a “wait, that's possible?” moment. Push the boundary of what the APIs can do. Combine tools in unexpected ways. Make the viewer's jaw drop.
Ride the moment
If there's a trending topic, meme, or cultural event during the hackathon week, build something that ties into it.
The video is a very important part of your submission. It's the first thing judges watch, and they'll form an opinion before they ever open your project or read your description. A strong video doesn't just show what you built, it sells the idea. Think of it as a pitch: you have under 90 seconds to make someone care about your project. If the video is compelling, judges will want to dig deeper. If it's not, they'll move on.
You have roughly five seconds before someone scrolls past your video. In that window you need to communicate exactly what your project does in a single sentence. Not your tech stack, not a greeting. The outcome.
Good openers look like this:
Here's a real example of a submission that nails the hook. Clear value proposition in the first few seconds, visual demo immediately after:
Watch an example of a good viral videoYour hook is the first 3-5 seconds of your video. It determines whether someone watches the rest or keeps scrolling. Three patterns that work:
Keep it short
60-90 seconds is the sweet spot. Under 60 seconds is even better for social media reach. Cut ruthlessly. Every second should earn its place.
Script it (loosely)
Write 3-5 bullet points, not a word-for-word script. You want to sound natural, not robotic. Practice once or twice, then hit record.
Show, don't tell
Spend 80% of your video showing the product in action. Minimize slides, talking heads, and text screens. The demo is the content.
Take it outside
The best demos show the tech working in the real world, not just on your laptop at home. Film yourself using it on the street, in a coffee shop, with friends, or in a real scenario where it solves an actual problem. It's more compelling and way more shareable.
Mention ElevenLabs and the partner
Make sure your video includes a clear mention of how you used ElevenLabs and the week's sponsor technology. Judges are looking for creative, meaningful integration, not just a logo flash. Show the API call, the generated audio, the workflow.
Use good audio
Viewers will tolerate mediocre video but bad audio kills engagement instantly. Use a decent microphone, record in a quiet room, or use ElevenLabs to generate a clean voiceover.
Record at 1080p or higher
Social platforms compress video heavily. Starting at higher resolution ensures your final output still looks sharp after upload.
You don't need professional editing software. CapCut is free, works on desktop and mobile, and has everything you need to turn a raw screen recording into a polished submission.
Adding captions in CapCut
Why captions matter: most social media video is watched on mute. Captions make your demo watchable everywhere: in a meeting, on a commute, at 2 AM with the sound off. They also boost engagement and watch time on every platform.
The right background track turns a screen recording into a story. A fast, upbeat track says “this is exciting.” A minimal, atmospheric beat says “this is elegant.” Pick a vibe that matches your project.
Generate your own soundtrack
You can create background music in seconds with ElevenLabs Music. Describe the mood you want (“upbeat tech demo, synth, 90 bpm”) and drop the generated track under your video in CapCut.
Keep the music subtle. It should support your voiceover, not compete with it. Drop the volume to around 15-20% so the viewer focuses on your words.
The description in the submission form is what judges read alongside your video. Keep it concise. Cover three things:
Don't repeat your video script word-for-word. The description should complement it. Add context a judge can skim in 10 seconds.
When you submit, you can upload a cover image for your project. This image is what people see when browsing submissions and voting for the Most Popular award. A good cover image makes your project stand out in the gallery. Without one, your submission blends into the background and is far less likely to get clicks or votes.
Make it count
Use a clean screenshot of your project in action, a stylized graphic, or a frame from your video that captures the “wow” moment. Avoid generic stock images or blank placeholders.
Think thumbnail
The image displays at card size. Bold visuals and readable text work best. Small details and tiny fonts will be lost. If your project has a UI, a full-screen capture of the most impressive view is usually the best choice.
You earn +50 points per platform (X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok). Posting on all four gets you +200 points, nearly as much as winning a placement prize. Post on as many as you can. A few platform-specific tips:
X (Twitter)
Lead with the one-liner hook as your tweet text. Upload the video natively (don't just paste a YouTube link). Tag @elevenlabsio and the partner. Use #ElevenHacks.
Frame it as a story: “This week I built X in Y hours for #ElevenHacks. Here's what I learned.” LinkedIn rewards text + native video posts. Keep the text under 200 words.
Instagram Reels
Vertical format (9:16) performs best. Re-export your demo cropped for mobile. Captions are essential here since most Reels autoplay muted.
TikTok
Same vertical format as Reels. TikTok's algorithm favours high watch-through rates, so front-load the most impressive part of your demo.
Questions? Jump into the ElevenLabs Discord and ask in the #elevenhacks channel.