Remember the days when you used to deliver presentations, meet with your co-workers, and attend events in-person? Although (masked) get-togethers are slowly making a comeback, most opportunities to “get in front of people” are still happening on camera.

You may be feeling Zoom fatigue, but that’s no reason not to do all you can to look, feel and sound your best anytime you’re on camera – be it for personal or professional reasons. After all, video is a critical component to successful branding and promotion.

While everyone has off days, there are strategies you can implement to improve the image you project whenever you’re on camera. Follow the five tips below to improve the overall flow of your videos and look good while you’re doing it:

1. Prepare, prepare, prepare

Create an outline or a script for your video and practice it until you feel comfortable with all of your main points. If you have more than two points to cover, number them in your script to ensure your presentation is structured and tells a concise story.

Place a large mirror a few feet behind your camera so you can monitor your body language. If you are able to record yourself practicing so you can review and critique the recording before your actual presentation, even better. These actions will help you become more aware of any nervous tics you may inadvertently be displaying while on camera: swaying back and forth, tapping your fingers or foot, crossing your arms, saying “um”, “uh”, or “like” too often, and more. If you feel nervous or tense, take deep breaths and drink a sip of water – which you should have next to you throughout your video presentation.

2. Grab your audience's attention early

The stronger your video or presentation begins, the more likely it will be that people will want to keep watching. Start with a personal story or a compelling statistic that leads into your overall message and is of interest to your audience. In order to do this, you need to understand who is tuning in and what is important to them.

3. Make your topic easy to understand

If you have ever heard a keynote where the speaker used lots of big words and jargon, you know how important it is to keep your speech simple. There is a high probability that the majority of your audience won’t understand a presentation full of industry-specific references and will lose interest if they can’t follow what you’re talking about. Double this probability when your audience is watching you on screen, when they may be multitasking behind the scenes.

If you’re not sure whether your message is clear and concise, schedule a Zoom call to test it out on someone from outside your industry or area of expertise, and ask them for their feedback.

4. Be energetic, and remember to smile

If you’re presenting on camera, it is likely that you’re covering a topic you are passionate about. Let that enthusiasm show. Low energy is magnified in a video presentation that has fewer experiential elements than an in-person presentation would have.

If you like coffee, you could drink a cup before your presentation to perk up or jog in place to get your heart rate up. And don’t forget to smile in a natural way. If you have concerns that you may look like a deer in headlights or worse yet, the Joker, refer back to step 1 and record and review your presentation ahead of time.

5. Look directly into the camera

Speaking on camera is very different from speaking in front of a live audience. It’s hard to take cues from your audience if you can’t see their reactions, and your range of motion is more limited.

Keeping your eyes on the camera lens will help you remain focused and steady. Think of the camera as a person you’re speaking to. And test the positioning of your camera before your presentation to ensure you’re framed correctly and positioned at a flattering angle.

Taking these steps will help your presentation seem more natural and conversational. If you feel like you need additional support to up your video presentation game, contact me today. I'm happy to put my media relations experience to good use, and offer valuable tips and coaching.