Building Lore: Inside Jokes With An AI Audience

What "Lore" Means For Short-Form Creators

Lore is the ongoing story your audience follows across your Shorts, Reels, and TikToks.

It’s the recurring bits, characters, phrases, and situations that make people say,
“Oh, I know this creator. That’s the guy with the cursed microwave.”

Lore turns your content from random clips into a universe.

For AI-shaped feeds like YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels, lore does two big things:

1. Gives viewers a reason to watch more than one video
2. Sends clear patterns to the algorithm about who should see your content

You’re not just trying to go viral once. You’re trying to build a repeatable story world that humans love and algorithms can recognize.

Inside jokes are the glue.

Why Inside Jokes Work So Well With Algorithmic Audiences

Inside jokes feel human, but they’re also perfect for AI-driven platforms.

Here’s why they hit so hard:

• They reward repeat viewers
  When viewers recognize a recurring bit, they feel smart and “in the club.” That emotional hit keeps them watching longer.

• They create hooks across multiple videos
  A running gag or character gives you an automatic intro in every new video. Viewers know what to expect and are more likely to stop scrolling.

• They’re pattern-rich, which AI loves
  Repeated phrases, visuals, settings, and formats are easy for recommendation systems to pick up. Consistent patterns help your content find the right audience again and again.

• They invite comments and co-creation
  People love adding to the joke, correcting “lore,” and onboarding new viewers in the comments.

You’re not just being funny. You’re training both people and the platform on what your universe looks like.

Step 1: Choose Your Core Lore Pillars

Before you start forcing jokes, pick 1 to 3 “pillars” your lore will orbit around.

Think of these as your recurring building blocks:

A. A character or alter ego

• The “too honest” version of you
• A mascot (pet, plushie, drawing, AI avatar)
• A stereotype you exaggerate (the tired editor, the overconfident coach)

B. A recurring problem

• You always fail at something simple
• You’re always chasing an impossible goal
• You always break something off camera and blame it on a “curse”

C. A signature object or setting

• The broken chair in the background
• The same hoodie every video
• The “forbidden drawer” you never open

Pick one main pillar to start. It should be:

• Easy to repeat across many videos
• Visually obvious within 2 seconds
• Flexible enough for lots of situations

You’re not scripting a movie. You’re setting up a small universe you can visit over and over.

Step 2: Design Inside Jokes That Survive The Algorithm

Your jokes need to work for two types of viewers:

1. People who’ve never seen you before
2. People who know the lore and want more of it

To do that, build “tiered” jokes.

Tier 1: New viewers still get the joke

Even if someone has zero context, the video should be funny or interesting on its own.

Examples:

• You’re “arguing” with your editor about cutting a cringe moment
• Your blender explodes every time you try a healthy recipe
• Your chat bot always gives terrible advice

A new viewer should understand the situation in 3 seconds.

Tier 2: Returning viewers feel extra rewarded

Now layer on the inside joke:

• The editor is always late and blames their cat
• The blender has a name and a fake backstory
• The chat bot is treated like an unqualified “intern”

You don’t need to explain everything. A small recurring detail is enough:

“If you’re new here, yes, the blender’s name is Derek. Don’t ask.”

That one line pulls in new viewers and winks at the regulars.

Step 3: Make Your Lore AI-Friendly

You’re not talking to the algorithm directly, but your patterns are.

Help the system recognize and distribute your lore by keeping a few things consistent.

Use repeatable hooks

Start multiple videos with similar openers:

• “Day 27 of trying to fix this cursed microwave”
• “Welcome back to the world’s laziest cooking show”
• “If you’re new here, this is Derek. He ruins everything.”

Those opening lines:

• Anchor the viewer quickly
• Give the AI a text pattern to connect across videos
• Create a sense of continuity

Reuse visual elements

Visual repetition is powerful:

• Same corner of your room
• Same color hoodie
• Same text label for a recurring character (like “Editor-in-Chief: My Cat”)

You’re teaching both people and machines to recognize your universe at a glance.

Thread your lore in titles and captions

Without getting spammy, repeat key elements:

• “The Blender That Hates Me - Episode 5”
• “My Editor vs My Ego - Part 3”
• “AI Intern tries to teach me how to cook”

Consistent language helps the platform cluster those videos together and recommend them as a series.

Step 4: Invite The Audience To Help Write The Lore

The best lore isn’t top-down. Your audience should feel like co-writers.

Here are practical ways to do that:

1. Ask specific lore questions

Instead of “What do you think?”, try:

• “What should we name this AI intern?”
• “What’s the official backstory for this cursed microwave?”
• “Is Derek the blender evil or just incompetent?”

Use comments as story seeds for future videos. Screenshot or highlight replies and turn them into content.

2. Promote comments into canon

When a viewer has a good line, treat it like lore:

• “User @Sam basically wrote the season finale for us.”
• “Shoutout to the person who decided the microwave is haunted by a former chef.”

That viewer feels seen, and everyone else sees that participation matters.

3. Use polls and duets/stitches

On Shorts and TikTok, you can:

• React to top comments in new videos
• Split your screen with viewer theories
• Run A/B options: “Is the editor right or am I?”

When the audience sees their ideas impact the story, they stick around longer.

Step 5: Structure Episodes So New People Aren’t Lost

Your lore should invite people in, not confuse them.

A simple three-part structure works well for Shorts:

1. Reset the premise in 1 sentence

   • “If you’re new, my blender Derek has ruined 6 recipes in a row.”

2. Advance the story with something new

   • New attempt, new failure, new twist, new character

3. End with a callback or tease

   • “Derek’s getting replaced next episode.”
   • “Comment if you think my AI intern is sabotaging me.”

That way:

• New viewers get a quick onboarding
• Regulars get a fresh beat in the story
• The algorithm gets a self-contained piece that still connects to a series

Step 6: Use ShortsFire-Style Systems To Track & Scale Lore

If you’re posting across YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Reels, your lore can get messy fast unless you treat it like a system.

Here’s a simple way to manage it:

Create a "Lore Bible"

Nothing fancy. Just a shared doc or note that tracks:

• Main characters or bits
• Their “rules” (what they always do or never do)
• Key phrases or hooks you repeat
• Ongoing series names

Update this as your audience adds to the story.

Plan content in small arcs

Instead of random posts, think in 3-5 video arcs:

• “Derek Tries To Make Breakfast” Parts 1-4
• “AI Intern Gives Me Life Advice” Episodes 1-3
• “Fixing The Cursed Microwave Before It Explodes” Saga 1-5

Short arcs give viewers a reason to binge, which boosts watch time across your channel.

Repurpose with lore in mind

When you re-edit for Shorts, TikTok, or Reels:

• Keep the recurring visual or phrase visible early
• Keep the same series naming where possible
• Maintain your in-jokes in captions and on-screen text

You’re not just reposting. You’re exporting your universe to multiple feeds.

Common Lore Mistakes To Avoid

A few traps to watch for:

• Inside jokes that need long explanations
  If you need 20 seconds of backstory, it’s not a good short-form bit. Simplify it.

• Changing the rules too often
  If Derek was evil yesterday and a hero today with no reason, viewers stop caring. Evolve your lore, but don’t flip it at random.

• Forcing callbacks every single time
  It’s fine to have “clean” videos with no deep lore. Not every post needs a reference. Think consistent, not constant.

• Ignoring new viewers
  A short line like “If you’re new here…” can save you from losing confused people.

Your Next Steps: Start Small And Repeat

You don’t need a Marvel-level universe to start building lore.

Here’s a simple 7-day action plan:

1. Pick one core pillar

   • A character, object, or recurring problem

2. Write one recurring phrase or hook for it

   • “If you’re new here, this is Derek. He ruins my recipes.”

3. Film 3 short videos that use that pillar in different ways

4. In each video:

   • Reset the premise in 1 line
   • Advance the story
   • End with a tease or viewer question

5. Read comments and pull out any good additions to the lore

6. Feature one commenter in the next video as “canon”

7. Update your simple lore doc so you can keep building

Over time, your “inside jokes” stop being random bits and start being the reason people stick around.

You’re not just chasing views. You’re building a world that humans remember and algorithms recognize, one short at a time.