7 Tips for Your Next Virtual Presentation

Virtual presentations have become a regular part of life. And if you or your company are content marketing, you want the option to use footage from these presentations on your social channels and website.

Here are seven simple tips and tricks for nailing your next virtual presentation so your message gets crystal clear to both your live audience and content consumers. 😊

1. Declutter your background. Your environment sends subconscious signals about who you are to your audience. Virtual meetings have become so common that most of us have stopped curating the perfect backdrop for our daily calls, but a nice background goes a long way for important events and presentations.

2. Lighting goes a long way. It may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many business leaders and subject matter experts forget to get out of the dark when presenting virtually. A large window with natural light is excellent, but it’s not always possible when dealing with multiple time zones. So, if you’re working with light fixtures, ensure that the most robust light source in the room is in front of you, not behind you.

3. Fill the frame. Position yourself so that you're right in the middle, and leave yourself as little headspace as possible. If you’re using a laptop, you might need to put in some books to be at eye level with the camera.

4. Plan to record your audio locally. If you plan to post segments of your presentation to social channels or your website later, you won’t want to use audio from video conferencing apps like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Hopin. Your post-production team will thank you profusely if you record your audio locally. Even an iPhone Voice Memo will do! Remember to change your audio quality from “compressed” to “lossless” in Settings.

5. Keep your slides simple and clean. It's a good rule of thumb for all presentations but non-negotiable for virtual presentations. Having fifteen clean, 15-second slides is better than having five crowded, 45-second slides. Keep your text large enough so those tuning in on mobile devices won't have a hard time.

6. Be quiet! Make the mute button your best friend. If you're not actively presenting, mute yourself. When presenting, minimize paper shuffling, leg shaking, clapping your hands for emphasis, and anything else your microphone might pick up. What seems like a slight noise to you will be amplified into a highly annoying disturbance for your audience, even more so if they are listening through headphones.

7. Make (fake) eye contact. It's counterintuitive, but while speaking in a virtual setting, you want to look at the webcam, not the actual faces on your screen. This small adjustment projects confidence and increases your likability and credibility. Pro tip: draw eyes on a Post-it and tape it above your webcam to remind yourself to look there.