The internet offers tremendous opportunities to experience presentations that would otherwise be inaccessible. Whether dropping in on a lecture at a far-off university or attending a sold-out TED show, anyone with an internet connection has countless opportunities to join virtual audiences near and far. Speaking online can also be a great way to take your message to a wider audience, indeed, a global audience. Virtual meeting platforms allow teams and classes to work together from far away, and enable a greater sense of presence in online interviews and webinars.

To communicate effectively online, you’ll need to adjust some of the strategies you would use in person. We’ll cover some of these strategies here. You’ll also need some equipment:

• A laptop, desktop computer, phone, or tablet with a camera that you can use to record your speeches. A webcam may already be built into your device or computer. If not, or if you’d like something with better video quality than your built-in webcam, you can opt for a separate web camera plugged into your device. Another camera option is a stand-alone digital video camera or camcorder. If you go this route, consider also using a tripod.
• A microphone, which may already be built into your device, computer, camera or it can be a part of a separate headset.
• An internet connection. You’ll need reliable, high-speed internet service. This is especially crucial if you are speaking in real time to your audience.

Test everything several times before you give your actual speech to make sure your device and software are working. Practice by recording yourself to check that your camera and microphone are working correctly.

Here are some additional aspects to be aware of when recording an online video:

Environment and Background

Awareness of the environment you are speaking in. What does the room you are speaking in look like? It’s best to choose a quiet room where you won’t be interrupted by friends, family, or pets. Be aware of objects that will appear in the video frame with you. If things look messy or cluttered behind you in the frame they may detract from your effectiveness as a speaker. You might consider using a backdrop to hide the contents of the room from which you are speaking.

Appearance and Body Language

Be aware of how what you wear will look online. Generally when speaking to a camera online it is best to avoid clothes with stripes or busy prints as they can be distracting. Instead, stick to solids as they tend to show up better. White is generally not recommended as it tends to be the brightest thing on screen.

Make eye contact with the webcam and not to the screen. Try and talk through the camera to your audience. To do this, focus your eyes on the camera rather than the screen. If you look at the screen, you won’t actually be looking at your audience! Also try to place the camera at eye level rather than above or below your face.

Use planned-out and deliberate hand gestures. Try to avoid too much hand movement as it can be distracting. When you do use gestures, try to make them intentional but as natural looking as possible.

Vocal Considerations

Even if you feel like you’re talking to yourself when you speak online, remember that you’re there to connect with an audience!

When you speak online, your voice is crucial to keeping your audience engaged. When you’re speaking into your webcam, particularly if you’re explaining something on the screen (such as a slide deck), it can be easy to speak too fast or to slip into a monotone delivery. After all, without the cue of a live audience in front of us, it’s easy to forget to enunciate, use pauses, and vary vocal pitch. Don’t be fooled! Just because you might feel like you’re talking to yourself, don’t forget that there is an audience waiting to hear what you’ll say.

The University of Melbourne has developed some tips to help students succeed when speaking online. When it comes to verbal communication online:

• Vary the pace of your speaking. It is better to speak a little slower than you usually would rather than faster that you usually would.
• Pause occasionally. Use short, half-second stops between phrases to help the audience keep up with you.
• Vary your tone of voice to keep the attention of your audience. Vary your tone more than you generally do in daily conversation and stress key words for emphasis.

Additionally, the University of Melbourne also suggests you practice by recording yourself doing your presentation and then watch it to get a sense of your voice.

Lighting

Backlighting obscures your face and turns you into a silhouette.

How light is the room in which you are speaking? Avoid having windows or a light source behind you as they will lighten the background but place your face in shadow. If possible, speak in front of a window to or another light source so you have light on your face. Natural light is best if you have it. If not, use a light source like a lamp placed in front of you.

Camera

If you are using a camera that is built in to your computer or mobile device, sit at eye level to the camera with your face in the middle of the frame so you can make eye contact to your audience through your camera. If you are using a stand-alone video camera instead, place it on a tripod or other solid, steady surface so it stays stable. If you are using a phone or tablet to record yourself, consider using a tripod so it stays stable. Also, place your device so it records in horizontal or landscape mode rather than in vertical mode.

Sound

All it takes to speak online is a computer (or mobile device). An external microphone or headset isn’t always necessary, but it can help ensure better sound and eliminate background noise.

For best sound quality, either use a headset or earbuds with a microphone or a wired or wireless microphone to better capture your voice and also dampen background noises. If you cannot do that and are using the microphone in your computer or mobile device, make sure you are close enough to your computer so you can be heard clearly. Be sure to double-check the input volume settings for your computer microphone to be sure your voice is sufficiently audible.

Test your system out by recording a couple practice speeches. Make sure your voice is loud enough to be heard, you are making good eye contact, and your face is well lit.

Remember: sound is actually more important than image in most online speaking situations. This is something that documentary filmmakers have known for a long time. As nearly any documentary filmmaker will tell you: “If you must choose between a visually pleasing interview set-up and a good-sounding one, always chose good sound. The audience will forgive a flawed shot, but will tune out if it can’t hear the dialogue.” (Irving)