tips for online presentation

How to Give a Great Online Presentation: 11 Pro Tips

Giving a presentation online is much more difficult than presenting in front of a live audience.

People get distracted easily. You can’t read the room. Often, you can’t even see your audience.

Because of this, it’s hard to engage and captivate your participants.

Hard, indeed. But not impossible.

I put together these 11 tips that will help you turn your online presentation from good to great.

And don’t just take my word for it.

Among these tips, you’ll also find the wisdom of  Nathan Gold , high-stakes presentation coach, and seasoned keynote speaker, and Gibson Biddle , former VP of Product at Netflix, now a teacher, speaker, and workshop host.

Ready to take your online presentation to the next level?

#1. Cut the number of your slides and simplify them

Don’t overwhelm your online audience with too many slides or they may easily zone out. In case you have more material, consider splitting the presentation into two sessions.

Also, make your slides minimalistic. One idea, one quote, or one number per slide is ideal. This will make the information more digestible and draw attention to what you’re saying instead of forcing people to read.

#2. Use the rule of three

A good structure helps people follow your story and understand your presented content better. Gibson Biddle recommends following the rule of three because:

• 3 items are easy to remember
• They help you minimize your text
• 3 chapters provide guideposts for the content of your presentation

The rule of three will help you hold the message of your talk together nicely.

Apply it in the design of your slides (3 bullet points a slide), or use it to structure your whole presentation (three main takeaways).

#3. Fail to rehearse at your own peril

Improvisation has a certain appeal, for sure. But don’t leave your online presentation to a chance. Take your time and rehearse your talk well. Otherwise, your online gig might come across as unprofessional and messy.

I usually give as much as one hour of rehearsal time for every minute of my talk before any large presentation that I give.

Nathan Gold goes even beyond that. In this webinar, he says that whenever he trains TED and TEDx speakers, he asks them to commit to around two hours of out-loud practice for every minute of their talk.

Of course, the length and intensity of your preparation is entirely up to you. What’s important is that you’re confident about how you’re prepared. At least, though, run through your slides and content about an hour before your talk and rehearse your opening well so that you start strong.

#4. Start with a strong hook

Speaking of starting strong. Captivate your audience right from the start of your presentation. Open your talk with a powerful statement, story, thought-provoking question, or an eye-opening number.

See our new vlog below where I share 5 types of hooks to open your presentation with.

Another great practice is to actively involve your audience in your talk right from the beginning. Let the tech aid you there.

In his webinar on how to captivate an online audience, Nathan Gold kicked things off with an interactive word cloud : Using one word, describe how you feel about presenting online.

This way, he learned something more about his audience and was able to address their concerns throughout his presentation.

To make it more impactful, he repeated the same word cloud at the end of his webinar to see how his participants’ feelings changed after his presentation. The result was remarkable. Watch it here at 31:30 .

#5. Quiz your audience

A quiz is another brilliant way to start (or finish) your online presentation. Running a quiz is fun for your participants and allows you to connect and “talk” with your audience even if you can’t see them.

Prepare a short, four to six-question quiz on the topic of your presentation and let your participants guess away. You can even motivate your audience to participate by giving away some small treats for the winners.

Tools such as Slido allow you to create your online quiz in a couple of minutes and run it during your online speech, webinar, or workshop.

Read also: Step-by-Step Guide for Hosting a Great Online Quiz

#6. Use a backdrop or a virtual background

Even if the situation forces you to give your presentation from your home, avoid letting your audience peek into your kitchen or living room. You will appear much more professional against a plain wall or a special backdrop that you can install easily in your room.

If your video conferencing tool allows you to set up a virtual background (such as Zoom ), choose one that’s pleasing but not disturbing for your audience to look at.

Canva put together an awesome virtual background library, you can pick one from here .

#7. Position your web camera at eye-level

Even if you can’t always see your audience, that doesn’t mean you can’t be looking them in the eyes.

Nathan Gold advises moving your laptop/phone camera up so it’s approximately your eye level. This way, it will appear as if you’re looking right at your audience which feels much more natural.

You can also play around with tripods and stands to achieve the most comfortable position for you. For example, Nathan has his web camera mounted on a tripod in front of his computer screen which allows him to look at his slides while still being glued to the camera.

#8. Prepare secret notes

Here’s another great hack from Nathan Gold that will help you keep an eye-contact with your online audience.

If you want to keep notes to remind you about some important things you want to mention during your presentation, write them down on sticky notes and stick them behind your camera, close enough for you to read through them comfortably.

This way, your audience won’t even notice that you’re glancing at your notes (as opposed to looking down when reading from your notebook).

#9. Keep engaging with your participants

Throughout your presentation, space out several interaction points that will bring your attendees back in case they tuned out. Take inspiration from Gibson Biddle who likes to break the dynamic of his webinars and workshops by asking his audience questions through live polls .

Live polls offer you a great chance to open a conversation with your audience, get their instant feedback on your presented material, and collect their opinions.

Since people tend to lose attention when attending a presentation online, re-engaging them throughout your talk is even more important. When I present online, I space out live polls every about 5-7 minutes, as opposed to every 7-10 minutes in the live setting.

Another great way to interact with your audience is to let them ask you questions. Collect your participants’ questions using Slido Q&A and then answer their questions at the end of your online presentation.

#10. Have a wrap-up slide to summarize your points

By the end of your presentation, conclude your talk by summing up all the important messages and key lessons on a separate slide. You’ll draw the full circle and your audience will get a nice overview of what they learned.

Or, end your presentation with a call to action or a tangible next step for your audience to do. Encourage your participants to try practices that you shared, provide actionable steps they should follow, and share ways for them to keep in touch with you.

#11. Ask for feedback

Feedback is the best gift your attendees can give you in return for the learnings that you shared throughout your talk. Without it, you don’t know what your audience liked or disliked. In other words, you can’t improve.

Create a simple feedback survey and ask your participants to fill it out at the end of your talk.

Make it easy for your audience to participate in the survey. For example, during his webinar, Gibson had a QR code displayed on the screen and described in detail how the participants should scan the code and take the survey.

The feedback form can be really simple – three questions will do.

Try something like:

• On a scale of 1-10, how did you like this presentation? (Rating)
• What is the one thing that you liked about today’s talk? (Open text)
• What’s the one thing that could have been better? (Open text)

To sum it all up

I hope that by now you’re more confident about presenting online and that the above tips will make you a better online speaker.

See how Slido can help you make your next online talk more engaging for your audience. Try live polls, quizzes, or Q&A and take your online presentation from good to truly great.

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10 Tips For Giving Effective Virtual Presentations

What to know before you go live.

September 26, 2016

Presenting online? Try these suggestions to improve your results. | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

As audiences go global and you need to reach more people through technology (including webinars, conference calls and teleconference), you must consider the challenges to connecting with a virtual audience. Here I pinpoint 10 valuable best practices to ensure you communicate successfully.

1. Be Brief

Audiences begin to lose attention after roughly 10 minutes of hearing from the same presenter. If you have more than 10 minutes of content, use interactive activities to keep your audience engaged (for example, take a poll, give quizzes, or ask audience members for their opinions via chat).

2. Be Simple

Keep slides simple — avoid too many words, graphics and animation features. Less is definitely more!

Light yourself well | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

3. Be a TV Personality

Look straight into your camera, not the screen. Wear clothing that is neutral in color (no plaids or stripes). Light yourself well and from above. Be mindful of what appears behind you in the background. Invest in a good microphone.

4. Be Standing

Even though your audience cannot see you, stand when you present. This allows you to stay focused and use good presentation delivery skills such as belly breathing, vocal variety, and pausing.

5. Be Prepared

Practice delivering your presentation with your technology in advance of your talk. Make sure all of the features of the technology work. Record your practice using the recording feature of your tool. Watch and listen to learn what works and what you can improve.

6. Be Assisted

Have someone available to deal with technical issues and to field email/text questions. Also, if you have multiple remote audience members in one location, be sure to pick one of them to be your “eyes and ears.” Ask them to queue up questions and facilitate discussion on your behalf.

7. Be Specific

Ask pointed questions to avoid too many people answering at once. For example, rather than ask, “Are there any questions?” try “Who has a question about the solution I provided?” Set a ground rule that people state their names prior to speaking.

Imagine your audience | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

8. Be Synchronized

Transitions are critical. You must connect what you just said to what is coming next when you move from point to point. Transitions between topics and slides are good opportunities to get people reengaged to your talk.

9. Be Connected

Imagine your audience even though you can’t see them. You can place pictures of audience members behind your camera so you can look at people as you present.

10. Be Early

Encourage your audience to access your call or webinar in advance of the start time so you can iron out any technical issues in advance and get them familiar with the technology.

Matt Abrahams is a Stanford GSB organizational behavior lecturer, author, and communications coach.

For media inquiries, visit the Newsroom .

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November 19, 2014 Matt Abrahams: The Power of the Paraphrase An expert on public speaking shows how paraphrasing can help you navigate tricky communication situations.

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12 virtual presentation tips to get your audience’s attention

Delivering an effective virtual presentation is no easy task. 

Whether it’s for pitching to potential clients or discussing project goals with your team, you’ll have to compete for your audience’s attention and ensure your message gets through.  

In this article, we’ll cover the top 12 virtual presentation tips and best practices for your next virtual meeting. We’ll also look at some of the key benefits of virtual presentations.

This article contains: 

(Click on the links below to jump to a specific section)

• Research your Audience Well in Advance
• Be Vigilant with Technical Checks
• Embrace the Use of Technology and Visual Aid Tools
• Start with an Agenda in Mind
• Reduce and Eliminate Distractions
• Stick to Short, Punchy Sentences
• Interact with your Audience
• Pace Yourself and Plan for Delays
• Incorporate Back-Up Systems
• Allot some time for Q&A Sessions
• Know When to Stop
• Reach Out for Feedback and Reflect
• 3 Useful Benefits of Virtual Presentations

Let’s begin! 

12 practical tips for your next virtual presentation 

Virtual presentations can be intimidating for someone just starting out with them. 

But don’t worry. 

Here are some practical tips and best practices to ace your next virtual presentation. 

1. Research your audience well in advance

With virtual presentations, you need to do a little more research than you’d usually do. It’s best to know your audience and their expectations from the presentation. 

For a webinar or similar events, you can create a registration page or an electronic submission form a week in advance. 

Collect general information about who’s attending the event; ask questions about what they expect to gain from the meeting, or if they have any pressing questions. 

If you’re giving an office presentation, you can set an agenda for the concepts you’ll be covering. For example, think about what your keynote will be.  

Seek input from team members about your presentation structure and prioritize the action items that need to be addressed. If possible, send your meeting agenda in advance and have your managers/seniors glance through the key points. 

2. Be vigilant with technical checks

You cannot control an unexpected power-cut or internet connectivity issue no matter how much you prepare. So, your best bet is to be super precise with technical checks. 

Here are some things you should consider: 

• Is your camera working? Can the audience see you clearly?
• Do you have a proper mic and speaker installed? 
• Are you well-versed with the tools you’ll be using? For example, can you switch between google slides or enable screen sharing? 

These are some questions you should ponder over.

Most importantly, make sure you have solutions for any last-minute technical glitches. Prepare to have a backup or appoint someone who can handle the IT. 

3. Embrace the use of technology and visual aid tools 

The entire concept of a virtual presentation is based on the premise of technology. So naturally, you want to make good use of as many tools as possible.

You can use Canva to create a Canva QR code , Microsoft Powerpoint, Google slides, etc., to create an interactive presentation . 

You can also integrate your virtual meeting software with various tools for better audience engagement during the presentation. For example:

• Tools like Zoom , WebinarNinja, etc, let you conduct virtual polls and quizzes during video conferencing.
• You can also use a tool like Poll Everywhere to create word clouds in real-time. 
• Online game tools like Kahoot are great for creating group quizzes.
• Zoom or ClickMeeting can be useful as a whiteboard tool .

Another advantage of being well-equipped with the right tools is having better control over your audience. Virtual presenter tools can help with audience engagement. You can also monitor any distractions and eliminate them. 

For example, virtual presenters can mute an audience member due to disturbances or pin an important comment for everyone to see.

4. Start with an agenda in mind

In virtual meetings, if you do not start out with an agenda in mind, you’re setting yourself up for distractions. 

A good rule of thumb is to prepare a chronological list of things to be achieved during the presentation. What’s the most important concept you need to cover? Take notes, and make sure that all your other points transition back to your main concept and flow with the structure. 

Next, try to simplify your data points. Use visual imagery, gifs, videos, or animations to attract attention to the key points. 

Define the outcomes of your presentation, and set a time limit for each goal. For example, if the schedule has four points in total, don’t spend more than 30 minutes on each. 

5. Reduce and eliminate distractions

A remote audience is always multitasking between work, so there are bound to be some distractions. 

You can brief your audience about these best practices to minimize distractions: 

• Everyone stays on mute while the presenter is speaking.
• Instead of directly interrupting the host, people can ‘raise’ their hand on the virtual platform if they wish to speak.
• Request your audience members to limit any distraction on their end. This could be due to background noise, kids, pets, social media, or another family member.

Apart from this, make sure that you run technical checks and prepare for any possible problems. For example, close down all unnecessary tabs if you’ll be using screen sharing features. 

On your part, your chats will probably be filled with queries, doubts, or suggestions while you’re interacting with the audience. Instead of getting side-tracked by these chats, it’s a good idea to let a colleague or co-host moderate them for you.

6. Stick to short, punchy sentences 

When explaining concepts to a remote audience, you should always stick to shorter, more humorous sentences. That’s because most audiences often tune out after 10 minutes . 

Especially in a remote work environment, you have to capture and re-capture your audience’s attention while talking. Shorter sentences are easier to understand. But if it’s your first time being a virtual presenter, you can try these tips: 

• Maintain eye contact with the audience (through the webcam).
• Use appropriate hand gestures , facial expressions, and body language. 
• If possible, the person presenting should stand up. Set up your webcam accordingly.
• Ensure that your lighting is bright and lively. Make use of natural light for a better virtual background.

Moreover, keep your content prompt and precise. Avoid repetition of points, and do not over-evaluate any concepts. Ideally, do not speak for more than 10 minutes without some form of audience engagement (a story, quiz, or question).

7. Interact with your audience

According to a 2019 Duarte survey , over 68% of people believe that an engaging virtual presentation is more memorable than traditional one-way presentations. 

That’s because virtual users have a very limited attention span. It’s fairly easy for them to get distracted, especially if they have to sit through a presentation without any form of interaction. 

Interacting with the audience also makes you more ‘human’ in their eyes; you become more relatable. You can also plan your interaction activities in advance. 

For example, you can host a quiz or poll or use a whiteboard session every 10 minutes to encourage virtual participation. You can also encourage the use of breakout rooms for audience discussions. 

8. Pace yourself and plan for delays

There are little to no social cues to rely on from your audience in a virtual environment. You’ll need to practice and maintain a good pace to not speed through your presentation. 

Ideally, rehearse with someone virtually. Take notes of any delay in response you may experience or points that come across as confusing to the attendees. 

A remote audience often takes more time to respond. This could be due to technical issues, network delays, or unfamiliarity with the tool. But on your part, you can pace yourself according to your audience. 

For example, you’ll need to incorporate longer pauses after questions or slow down your talking speed for better clarity. These changes can be observed during your practice run so that you’re better prepared for your live presentation. 

9. Incorporate back-up systems

It’s important to plan for a worst-case scenario while presenting virtually, i.e., if you lose access to the meeting or content. In this case, it’s handy to share your presentation material with a co-host or a moderator. 

If you’re giving a video presentation, your co-host can have access rights to the meeting if you accidentally go offline. They can interact with the audience or present the video slides while you go back online. 

It’s also a good idea to be well-versed with your content. If you ever face a delay or glitch in your tools, you can always continue presenting the points with the help of a whiteboard. 

10. Allot some time for Q&A sessions

When conducting a virtual presentation, it’s good to allot a specific time slot for all the doubts and queries. You can do this before or during the event. 

In addition to having your own set of potential questions, inform your audience that you’ll be solving all the queries towards the end of the session. 

This serves two purposes:

• Your attendees can pay full attention to the presentation, knowing that their doubts will be cleared towards the end. 
• You do not get distracted by stopping and answering questions after every concept. 

A Q&A platform like Tribe or BoostHQ can be useful for noting down everyone’s questions. Participants can even ask anonymous questions. This way, all your queries are stored in a single database, and you can run a more organized, distraction-free Q&A session. 

11. Know when to stop 

Knowing when and how to close a presentation is one of the most important virtual presentation skills you could pick up. 

In a virtual event, you are bound to get distracted or carried away, so much so that you may lose track of your points. In that case, you should be precise with how much time you spend on each topic and when you should stop. 

Towards the end of the presentation, it’s more productive to be brief and to-the-point and conclude with an informative synopsis. You should properly summarize the conference proceedings, highlight key points, and create a lasting impression on your virtual audience. 

Here’s how you can do that:

• Prepare a clear and concise closing statement.
• Include a summary of your main agenda.
• Include a call to action.
• Include a powerful quote/message.
• Allow your audience to stay in touch with you. Consider adding a QR Code linked to your business card to your presentation.

12. Reach out for feedback and reflect

When you’re done with your presentation, a great practice is to reach out to the participants or attendees for any feedback. 

If you’re presenting to your office colleagues, you can ask for feedback on your talk. Note down how you can improve, including your content, speech, engagement, or presentation structure.

You can also provide post-presentation support. This could include: 

• Extra materials/data to support the topic you covered.
• A brief recap or summary of your presentation.
• Recordings of the online presentation.
• A link to a survey to note the material you could cover in the next presentations, ways you could improve, etc. 

Now, let’s take a look at some of the advantages of virtual presentations.

3 useful benefits of virtual presentations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual presentations have been the norm for most organizations and companies. They’re more accessible and can accommodate a larger audience. 

Here’s how you can benefit from an effective virtual presentation. 

1. Higher inclusivity 

Virtual presentations offer more room for individuals to collaborate and learn. 

In a traditional presentation, most of the audience is limited by their geographical location. Only people who can access the location, and manage the time, can attend. 

In contrast, a virtual presentation has no bounds. 

People from all over the world can join in at the same time. It’s also highly accessible for people who otherwise wouldn’t attend physically due to health, childcare, or disabilities. 

2. More flexibility

Virtual presenters often offer recordings of the event for those who can’t attend. Moreover, you can also choose to keep your camera off while still attending. 

This makes it easier to participate in meetings. You also save more time by hosting shorter, more effective presentations. 

3. More economical 

When you’re virtually connecting with an audience, you use fewer resources than regular presentations. Organizers incur fewer electricity/venue costs, while participants have no travel costs at all. 

Virtual presentations also lower the company’s carbon footprint by lowering the number of unnecessary travel trips. They’re a great way to practice sustainable business practices.

Final thoughts

Virtual meetings and webinars often test your public speaking and presentation skills. 

You need to plan your presentation design and slide structure, manage distractions, and effectively deliver the content to the audience. You can also make good use of online presentation software to engage your audience better.

Use the tips and tools we covered here to understand how you can deliver effective virtual presentations today.

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Liam Martin is a co-founder of Time Doctor which is software to improve productivity and help keep track and know what your team is working on, even when working from home.

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Tips for Virtual Presenting, with Video Examples

November 8, 2022 - Dom Barnard

There has been an unprecedented rise in  flexible working practices , with remote working becoming the norm for millions of people around the world. Businesses have adopted this approach to cater for not only the global workforce, but also staff who wish to maintain social distancing recommendations.

As online presentations become part of everyday working life, Zoom has established itself as the leading software, but other platforms have also seen  massive growth , such as Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Webex.

Presenting virtually is a very different experience to presenting in-person. This article explores tips to ensure you communicate effectively through these virtual presentations.

1. Dial-in before the meeting starts

Dial into your call ahead of time. You should have enough time to set everything up and be able to greet everyone in a relaxed manner as they dial-in. Beware that you may need a few extra minutes to set up your microphone or camera correctly.

If you are hosting the meeting, consider having the first slide of your presentation up on the screen with the topic visible, to reassure people that they have dialed into the correct meeting.

2. Prepare your technology

Ensure your laptop or computer is plugged in or fully charged – the last thing you want is to run out of power mid-way through your presentation (you wouldn’t be the first person this has happened to).

Test out your microphone and camera before you start to make sure they are working:

• Test your webcam and position
• Test your microphone

Raise your computer so that you are looking slightly up at your screen (you may have to put your computer on some books to get the right height). This is much more flattering than having the camera below you looking up at you.

3. Dress appropriately

This is one that people often overlook – just because you are home doesn’t mean you are not at work. Dress as you would in the office, not only will this create a good impression, but you’ll feel more confident as well. If in doubt, err on the side of the professional – you want people to focus on your message, not your clothes.

For additional information, visit these links:

• What to wear for video conferences
• What to wear for a presentation: 10 tips
• What to wear (and avoid) when presenting on camera

4. Professional surroundings and background

Eliminate any distractions – turn off any devices that could interpret you, such as alarms on your phone, and tell anyone else in the house that you are about to start a video meeting.

Examples of good and bad setups for video-based presentations. Compare the lighting, audio quality, video quality, what people are wearing, and surroundings across the clips.

Which setups look the most professional to you? Do they have anything in common?

Good lighting will make a huge difference to your appearance and make you look much more professional:

“Shadows, dark patches, and uneven lighting obscure facial expression. In the absence of body language, people on video calls rely on facial expressions for complete meaning. Lighting can make or mar your message.” –  How to look good with better lighting .

Check what is in the background of your camera shot, ideally keep things pain and neutral. Another option is to use a virtual background. These can usually be set up using your video conferencing software.

• How to use Zoom backgrounds
• Custom backgrounds in Microsoft Teams
• Virtual background for Google Meet / Hangouts
• 4 tips for choosing the best virtual backgrounds

Practice Online Presentations

Perfect your virtual presentation skills by practicing them in a realistic online exercise that mimics Zoom, Webex, and Microsoft Teams. Learn More

5. Manage your audience

If it’s your presentation, decide how you would like to manage the participants / audience. For example, are you happy to take questions as you go along, or would you rather wait and have a Q&A session at the end? How will you field questions? Via a chat feature or verbally?

Practice muting and unmuting participant microphones. Set out the ground rules at the beginning so that everyone is clear.

6. Eye contact with the camera

This is a simple tip that can make all the difference to how you are perceived by the audience. Make sure that throughout your presentation you periodically look at the camera. Try to relax your face and smile. This gives the impression that you are looking into the eyes of the participants and helps to keep them engaged during the virtual presentation.

It can be difficult to actually maintain eye contact this way – this article discusses why it can feel uncomfortable:  I Feel So Uncomfortable Making Eye Contact in Work Video Calls

This video demonstrates how important eye contact is during a virtual or video based presentation. Watch the different executives (including CEO Reed Hastings) talk and think about which one comes across the best on camera and why.

7. Know your slides

Most presentations include some visuals to complement what you are talking about. Traditionally Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides and Apple Keynote have been the go-to tools. Whatever software you decide to use, make sure you know how to use the features on it.

Software to help you create presentation visuals:

• Envato Elements

Prepare yourself, so you know how to navigate through your slides and share your screen. Generally, try to keep your slides light on text, as you don’t want to overload people with information. It’s usually better to expand and elaborate on the slides verbally.

8. Practice your virtual presentation

Practice your presentation with a virtual presentation simulator, so that you’re better prepared.

The VirtualSpeech  virtual presentation simulator .

9. Keep everyone engaged

Before you start, try to find out who will be on the call. During your virtual presentation you can then ask them specific questions,  addressing individuals by name .

There are also other tools that you can use, such as giving control of the screen to a participant, so that they can share a document with the group, if necessary. Beyond this, you can use videos, infographics and even host quizzes, polls or surveys.

• 18 Ways to Make Your Presentation More Interactive
• How to run a Zoom quiz: Tips for quizzing success
• Start a Poll in Cisco Webex Meetings
• Create a poll in Microsoft Teams

10. Be enthusiastic

Remember that sounding confident and happy to be there is the key to success. Your participants will note your mood from your voice, so get into the right frame of mind before you start. As you speak, try to alter the speed and tone of your voice so that you avoid sounding monotonous.

Here are some more ideas to  add enthusiasm to your presentation .

This short video shows two examples of enthusiastic speakers. Notice how they use their eye contact, hand gestures and vocal range to appear enthusiastic over video.

11. Body language

Body language helps keep participants engaged. Move your camera away from you a little so that everyone can see your hand gestures.

Many regular tips about body language can be applied to the virtual environment. For example, eye contact can be achieved by looking into the camera (see tip 5). Try pausing and adding a small, subtle nod after you finish making a point. This will add emphasis to what you are saying. This article covers more on how to  project leadership presence .

If you are standing up, do not lock your knees as this can look very rigid. You can lightly clasp your hands when you are not making hand gestures, this will help to not distract your audience.

Time your presentation beforehand, so you know roughly how long it will take you. Make sure you have just the right amount of content for your time slot and factor in time for any questions. You don’t want to run out of things to say or stay on the call too long either.

Less is more – try not to include too much information, as it is better to stick to a few key messages. The beginning and end of your presentation need to be strong as that is what people will remember the most. You should be clear on your aims at the start and recap everything at the end.

14 Expert Tips for Online Presentations

What’s the best tip for giving an online presentations? To help you give an online presentation, we asked CEOs and business leaders this question for their best tips.

From setting up a practice run to citing your sources, there are several strategies that may help you give an effective and engaging online presentation.

Here are 14 tips for giving an online presentation:

Give Your Audience a Role

There’s nothing worse than having to sit through a long online presentations that’s not very engaging. To avoid this, try giving your audience small questions throughout your presentation. This way, you’ll keep them engaged and they’ll be able to retain information better.

It also gives your presentation a bit of an edge since you’re involving your audience instead of having them listen to you throughout the whole thing. Not to mention, it can create great talking points and make your presentation much more powerful and memorable.

Ebnu Sudarso, Milkwhale

Set Up a Practice Run

Be sure you’re in a room with great acoustics and a great background. If you’re doing an online presentation from a room that has a distracting background, and bad acoustics, you’ll likely find yourself distracted and your audience even more distracted.

Try setting up test calls, or recording yourself in advance to see which rooms work best for your presentation. Once you know you look good and sound good, you’ll be much more confident speaking and presenting to your online audience.

Saneem Ahearn, Colorescience

Keep It Simple for a More Effective Presentation

For many of us assigned to giving a presentation, we feel it is necessary to get out as much information as possible; however, that can lead to data overload, so it is best to keep it clean and simple.

Studies have shown that over 50% of an online presentations is non-verbal, meaning that slides and other visuals will be a large part of filling in the gaps. Therefore, minimizing the amount of slide text, using clear fonts, bullet pointing reminders and important information, and keeping it below four relevant items per slide, will go a long way in keeping your audience clear and engaged.

Online presentations are best when they are concise, clear and quick. By following these guidelines, you will avoid overloading and confusing your audience, and will make your presentation much more effective.

Yuvi Alpert, Noémie

Use Storytelling to Engage Your Audience 

While reporting is a data-driven process that quantifies your results, storytelling is essential to qualify your efforts when it comes time to present your report.

Every story has a main character- the hero, a conflict- the challenge, and a resolution- how the challenge is overcome. And using a similar framework in your presentation will tell a story that informs why the numbers are the way they are.

The high-performing area of your sales strategy is, of course, the hero of your story and represents the robust portion of your sales revenue. 

The conflict of your story concerns where you are underperforming and how it is affecting your overall growth. And the resolution to your story involves making recommendations that will help you get the results you want.

Though you may not make the final call on strategic vision, explaining your ideas and your reasoning behind them will show accountability and ownership. It may even help you achieve your desired results.

Chris Gadek, AdQuick

Adopt Interactive Tools

Since the pandemic forced many businesses to accommodate remote work for the first time, many innovative tools have emerged that help with online presentations.

My favorite tool to use in this area is Apple Keynote. It allows me to present seamlessly with my team when we can’t be together in person.

It includes dozens of features, but a few of my favorites are turning handwriting into text instantly, creating gorgeous charts and editing objects with precision.

Jae Pak, Jae Pak MD Medical

Give a Quick Overview Before Presenting

To avoid any confusion, as well as the awkward transition between introducing yourself and beginning the presentation, try to provide your audience with a quick overview of the topics you will be covering in your presentation and why they are important.

It goes without saying that it is essential to rehearse your presentation before it is time for your actual meeting, however, too much rehearsal might actually hinder your presentation.

You may find yourself rushing through your slides or reading from your notes while not considering your audience.

To ensure that the audience is following along from the beginning, take some time to provide them with a short summary of what you will be presenting to them.

Not only does this help your audience stay in the loop, but it will also ensure that you are connected and present with them throughout the presentation.

Himanshu Agarwal, WorkBoard

Start with a Story and End with Something Memorable 

Psychology tells us that people have a tendency to remember the beginning and the ending. The longer something lasts the stronger this effect is.

There is a reason why we all know and say to each other “first impressions count the most” and “end with a bang”. So, instead of jumping right away into the weeds, tell an interesting story, share an anecdote or an applicable statistic.

The more unexpected the story (although still topically relevant) the better. So while everyone is expecting you to monotonously start reading off the slides, here you shake them out of their slumber.

Similarly, towards the end, don’t finish with the stale “So…any questions?”. Instead, tell a joke, outline the next steps, pose an important question or offer a “digital freebie”.

You’ll want to succinctly wrap up your most important points so that upon leaving everyone is still invigorated and motivated to act upon the information just presented.

Peter Bryla, ResumeLab

Nail Your Backdrop and Lighting Setup

Though sad to say, people form initial impressions of others within seconds of meeting or seeing them for the first time. Something as small as your clothes, backdrop or camera appearance can actually affect your credibility and authenticity.

As such, my absolute best advice is to make sure your backdrop and appearance are on point. Dress smartly, and ensure your backdrop is professional, but not pretentious.

In addition, invest in a photography studio lighting kit to place you in the best light (no pun intended). Simple softbox lights can make a world of visual difference, and can be purchased for less than $100 on Amazon.

For camera position, place the camera just above eye level, so you’re looking slightly up at it. And more importantly, invest in a high quality webcam that’s at least 1080p.

You can find these on Amazon for less than $40. If you can nail these things, you’ll be way ahead of the curve before you even speak a word in your online presentation.

John Ross, Test Prep Insight

Turn off Screen Sharing when Engaging with People

If you’re using PowerPoint, don’t do a full screen share or share your whole PowerPoint window, tools and all. Instead, run your slideshow and then share the presentation window so the slides on the left and toolbars at the top aren’t visible.

Importantly, turn off the screen share when you’re answering a question or otherwise engaging with people, other than for very quick questions.

Look straight in the camera when listening and answering, so it looks like you’re looking directly at the person.

Adam Goulston, MBA, MS, Scize Group

Use Microsoft Whiteboard

The whiteboard feature on MS teams is highly underrated.

You can add energy to your presentation by switching over to the whiteboard to allow for some real-time explanations or collaboration with the rest of the team, depending on the settings you use.

It’s a great way to engage your audience, even if you just bring up the whiteboard for a few fun minutes.

Stewart Guss, Stewart J. Guss

Maintain an Illusion of Eye Contact

When giving an online presentation it can be tempting to keep your eyes locked on your screen, whether it’s to read from your notes and slides or to study your audience’s reactions.

However, it’s absolutely crucial to make a conscious effort to look up from your screen and lay your eyes on the camera instead.

That gives your listeners the illusion of maintaining eye contact with you, which can tremendously improve their engagement as well as the reception of your presentation.

If you have trouble looking away from other participants’ thumbnails, try to at least glance into the camera from time to time!

Maja Kowalska, Zety

Cut the Number of Your Slides and Simplify Them

Giving a presentation online is much more difficult than presenting in front of a live audience. People get distracted easily. You can’t read the room.

Often, you can’t even see your audience. Because of this, it’s hard to engage and captivate your participants. Hard, indeed, but not impossible.

Ready to take your online presentation to the next level? Less is more! People can’t retain or process much info at once. Make your slides minimalistic.

One idea, one quote, or one fact per slide is ideal. Even if your slides look plain, it’s better to have 100 simple slides than 10 super dense slides. And it’s best to have a presentation video .

Don’t overwhelm your online audience with too many slides or they may easily zone out. In case you have more material, consider splitting the presentation into two sessions.

This will make the information more digestible and draw attention to what you’re saying instead of forcing people to read lots of content.

Nick Robb, design hero

Stand Up So Your Online Presentation Stands Out

Standing is the secret to online presentations. You instantly have more confidence when you breathe easier. Your gestures will be more natural and standing gives you an energy boost that’ll give you a more powerful delivery.

Try right now! Deliver a presentation sitting, then standing. No comparison! The only downside is you can’t wear sweatpants. If you absolutely cannot stand, lean forward in your seat, don’t slouch and always look at the camera when speaking!

Nirav Sheth, Anatta Design

Cite Your Sources

Know your stuff and cite your sources when giving an online presentation. Nothing is worse for your credibility than giving out inaccurate information or not being able to back up your statements with evidence.

It’s alright if you don’t recite a quote perfectly, as long as you let your audience know where to find the precise information; better yet, provide a simple resource list as a follow-up.

Not only will this boost your confidence when you deliver your online presentation, but you’ll build trust with your audience in that you’ve done your research and made it easy for them to do theirs.

Russell Lieberman, Altan Insights

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6 Tips for Giving the Best Virtual Presentation

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world to shut down in-person activities and connect primarily online, the desire to engage online-only continued to grow.

This opened up the door to so many new, incredible opportunities, including more chances to become a virtual presenter and public speaker.

Previously, a field where standing on a physical stage in front of an in-person audience was the norm, today, giving a virtual presentation is one of the most common and effective ways to speak to your audience.

Like many new opportunities, though, presenting virtually also comes with its own challenges. For example, while it may be easier to gather an audience virtually, keeping their attention online can be extremely difficult.

Before you start your virtual sessions on topics you’re passionate about, make sure you use these tips to keep your audience entertained and wanting to come back for more.

Virtual Presentations vs. In-Person Presentations

While you may not have a captive audience in the same way you do with in-person presentations, virtual presentations have quite a few benefits.

For instance, they’re convenient for both the presenter and the audience to attend. Neither you nor your attendees need to make travel arrangements to connect with each other. 

This vastly increases your potential to reach a much wider audience. Since the limitations of geography are removed, you can reach a worldwide audience who simply needs an internet connection to tune in to your speaking engagement.

Virtual presentations are also more cost-effective. They don’t require sophisticated AV equipment, venue fees, decor, furniture rentals, or food and beverage costs.  All they need is you, the audience, and your presentation skills .

You might find your fear of public speaking dissipate through virtual presenting, too. If presenting in front of an in-person crowd makes you feel intimidated, you may have a better time finding your confidence and comfort behind a screen and virtual audience.

Speaking to the camera in the comfort of your familiar surroundings can help you feel like you have an intimate audience of one instead of many.

Master the Art of Online Speaking & Presenting Download My Top 5 Tips for Virtual Public Speaking

6 Successful Tips for Your Next Virtual Presentation

Preparing well for your virtual presentation ahead of time will give you confidence and poise once you’re in front of your audience. Use these six tips to master your public speaking skills before you launch your next virtual presentation. 

1. Set Up a Clean Shot

Even though you don’t have to worry about booking a venue for a virtual presentation, you should still plan to set up in a quiet, well-lit area.

Make sure the place where you’ll be doing your presentation is clean and free from distractions. Let your coworkers, family, or roommates know you’ll be giving a presentation so they know not to disturb you. 

If your background is messy or loud, your audience will be more focused on what’s going on behind you than what you’re actually saying. Keep it clean, simple, and pleasing to the eye.

To help see what your audience will see, set up your camera so that you’re not too close or too far from it. The ideal shot frames your face, neck, and shoulders. If you are able to stand for your presentation, it could also help you maintain good posture and give you the opportunity to use hand gestures when appropriate. 

Good lighting will also ensure your online presentation keeps your audience engaged. Cast lighting on your face instead of behind you.

If available to you, natural lighting is best. Consider opening the blinds and facing the window for your presentation, and pay attention to any shadows your lighting casts to eliminate distractions. Just don’t stand with a window behind you. Having a light source behind will make it difficult for your audience to see you.

Now that your shot is all set, practice making eye contact with your online audience. Speaking into a camera instead of in front of people can be difficult and awkward. Practice speaking and looking into your camera lens to ensure your audience sees you as if you’re looking right at them on their screen.

Ensure you’re framed the right way and place your camera at eye level. To make online public speaking even easier, try putting a picture of a person or two eyes staring back near your lens if it helps.

Once your shot is set up, you can also turn off any self-view you have set up so you’re not tempted to look at yourself while presenting. 

2. Get Familiar With Your Technology

When giving online presentations, you rely on fast, reliable internet to carry your message and voice all around the world. So make sure you have a good internet connection.

If your internet is slow or cuts in and out, you run the risk of frustrating and losing your audience due to a poor user experience.

Another technology tip to consider is to ensure you mute your audience upon entry to the presentation. This will prevent distracting background noises and accidental conversations or noise during your important talk.

With that said, also be sure your own distractions and noises are removed.

Put your phone on vibrate, turn off notifications on your phone and computer — except for those pertaining to your meeting — and place your technology on a surface away from your setup so your audience won’t hear it if it happens to make a sound.

Becoming familiar with the features your hosting software offers will help you eliminate technology distractions faster, as well as improve your presentation experience.

Knowing how to share your screen, read comments, unmute participants, break participants into discussion groups, run polls, and so on will make your presentation run smoothly and keep your audience engaged.

Additionally, consider having a co-presenter run the technical aspects of your presentation so you can focus more on presenting. 

3. Set Expectations for Questions Early 

Audience participation is a key part of successful public speaking. It’s important to answer questions the audience may have, but timing is also essential.

Have a plan for answering questions that are set up ahead of time. Before jumping right into your virtual presentation, explain how your audience can ask questions and how they should expect them to be answered. 

Again, co-presenters can be very helpful in this regard, since they can be answering questions in the chatbox for you. Make sure your ground rules specify what types of questions will be answered and when. 

Technical issues, however, such as not being able to hear or not receiving a download should be addressed immediately. Other questions can wait for breaks or pauses to be answered so your audience is still listening to you instead of reading the chatbox.

Don’t forget to ask your audience questions as well, and let them respond in the chat!

This is an important way to keep participants engaged during a virtual presentation, where losing their focus is much easier than during a live presentation.

4. Practice, Practice, Practice

Know your material and have your presentation well planned out so you can give a confident, impactful presentation. An important element of this is to speak about something you’re passionate about. 

Put your camera on video and take some practice runs speaking into the camera. Then, go back and watch your recorded sessions to critique yourself and improve for the live presentation. Consider asking a friend, family member, or colleague to give you honest, constructive feedback, as well.

Remember to check the following while you practice:

• How’s the lighting?
• Are you looking at the audience?
• Are you smiling and relaxed?
• Do you show that you care about your audience?
• Are you an expert on your topic?

Don’t forget to practice the technical aspects of virtual public speaking too. Know how to split your screen or use two screens so you can have your presentation software open, the chatbox and participants in view, and your documents or slides accessible at the same time. 

5. Close with a Bang!

At the end of your presentation, deliver a powerful, memorable closing to help further gain trust as a presenter and drive your points home.

As an online presenter, your goal is to deliver valuable information, engage your audience and motivate them to take action — which includes coming back for more of your content. 

Ways to end your virtual presentation

The opening and closing lines of your speech will often be the ones your audience will remember most. Make sure your main points don’t get lost with a closing that falls flat. Here are three of the best ways to close your virtual presentation with a bang:

• Close with a story. Recap your talk by telling a story that illustrates what you’ve shared with your audience. This will give them a tangible example of how to apply your principles. Likewise, you can end with an inspirational quote to motivate your audience to take action.
• Always end your speech with a call to action. Make it clear what you want your audience’s next steps to be, and deliver your request with enthusiasm and confidence.
• Make it apparent that you’re done. Avoid ending with, “Well that covers it, thank you for coming.” After you deliver your call to action, make a bold statement that your presentation has ended instead of allowing it to drag on. 

Let your audience know you’ll follow up with any lingering questions by email. Smile warmly into the camera as you end your speech. Allow some silence and discipline yourself to refrain from fidgeting, then disconnect the presentation software.

6. Provide a Follow-up Destination

The beauty of giving a virtual presentation is that your audience is already in front of a computer. Utilize that and point them to your website or another follow-up to continue reaping the benefits of your talk. 

You can also take the opportunity to open up a future Q&A session on your social media page or group.

Follow up by sending a recording to those who signed up to attend your speech. This will help you establish your reputation and grow your audience as you become a motivational public speaker .

Start Your Best Virtual Presentation Yet!

Use these tips to give your best virtual presentation yet and connect with more people online, anywhere in the world. 

To learn more about how to succeed as a virtual public speaker, check out my free guide !

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How To Ace Your Virtual Presentation: Our Top 10 Tips

Table of contents, what is a virtual presentation.

A virtual presentation is a demonstration, lecture, informational session or speech meant to inform, persuade, motivate, build goodwill , or present a new concept through a digital medium such as a web video conferencing software where the host, presenter and attendees are convening remotely.

Virtual presentations have gained popularity over the last decade due to the advancement of video web conferencing software such as Zoom and Google Meets as well as the convenience virtual presentations have afforded us. Virtual presentations have also helped break down challenges experienced in different fields of work and study.

How Are Virtual Presentations Different From Regular Presentations?

On the surface, it might seem that the only difference between a virtual, online presentation and an in-person presentation is the method in which it is delivered.

In reality, however, the two require different approaches to keep viewers engaged in the presentation. Here are two major differences between virtual and regular, in-person presentations you should consider when deciding if your next meeting should be held online or in-person:

Audience Members – Is The Audience Engaged?

Participants viewing a virtual presentation are far more easily distracted than a typical meeting participant would be when viewing the content in the same room as the presenter. With in-office presentations, participants are typically in the conference room, which is a controlled environment with fewer distractions competing for attention, making it easier to pay attention to what the speaker is saying.

Self-surveillance is also less prominent in a virtual meeting rather than in a physical meeting. When you’re in a room with other individuals, you subconsciously start to self-regulate your behaviour thinking others are watching you. For example, you will not find yourself looking at your phone and you will maintain eye contact with the speaker.

With virtual presentations, on the other hand, the attendee has the ability to turn off their video and microphone allowing them to easily switch their attention to other distractions like their phone or carry on side conversation without anyone else ever knowing.

Scalability & Flexibility

Unlike an in-person presentation where the host, presenter and attendees are physically present at a singular location in the real world, virtual presentations allow for greater scalability which is not bound by the physical environment they are held in.

An in-person meeting would have you bound to the limitations of the room or venue space and the flexibility of other people to attend the presentation at a singular location. On the other hand, a virtual presentation allows you to present to more people at the same time, aided by group video conferencing services, which allows for hundreds of participants per meeting. With a virtual presentation, you are not restricted to the physical capacity of a venue space or the challenge of traveling distances for people.

Either virtual or in person you need a visual presentation that captures the attention of your audience before you tell your story.

Here's One We Did For SalesForce

When the most dynamic CRM sales tool in the industry reaches out for help, we couldn’t resist joining forces. We worked with their team to develop a concept that aligned with their branding and allowed their “Sales Force” to share their value proposition with potential customers in an engaging way.

Why Are Virtual Presentations Important?

Virtual presentations are important because they help break down barriers when it comes to bridging time zones, connecting remote regions and keeping one another safe as we have recently seen with COVID-19.

Remote teams working in space or up north in remote regions are able to share their research and findings far more quickly and easily by being able to connect with other researchers around the world and discuss in real-time. Although it may seem like this could have been done with phone calls, fax machines or even videos, virtual presentations allow for a consolidated, streamlined process that allows for spur-of-the-moment conversations with multiple people in a live presentation format.

As globalization continues to impact our everyday lives, virtual presentations are another way we are connecting with one another around the world. With remote work on the rise , learning about virtual presentations and the nuances that come with them is an important skill to know as more companies, government agencies and cultures adopt virtual presentations and communication.

How Do You Create A Virtual Presentation?

With any other project you decide to take on, to make it excellent, knowing where to start and setting up a good foundation is key to its success. The same applies to virtual presentations. If you don’t have a solid plan in place or create a solid foundation on which to build your presentation upon, your presentation won’t be as successful as it could be.

We’ve put together our top four virtual presentation tips to bring your virtual presentation to life.

1) Start with your content

First, you need to start with your content and understand what message you want to share with your audience. You need to fully understand the topic and content at hand so you’re confident in your delivery.

Start by asking yourself some questions.

• What are the key takeaways you want everyone to leave with?
• What is the purpose of sharing this content?
• Is this content relevant?
• What questions might the audience have and do I know the answer to those questions

It might help to create a story around your topic with a beginning, middle and end to help guide you and your audience through the content.

2) Think about your slides

You want your slides to be engaging. Without engaging slides, you’ll lose the interest of your audience. Remember to keep slides colorful. Use an image or a graphic to help tell the story of the slide. Don’t go overboard though. Keep it simple and follow a 1:1 ratio. One image per slide.

3) Focus on your audience

Throughout your career, you’ll be presenting material to different audiences. Not every audience is the same. For younger audiences, you’ll want to use more visuals and use more vocal energy to keep the audience’s attention. For an older demographic, you might want to keep things more succinct, to the point and talk at a slower pace. It’s one thing to know the content and create a great presentation but it’s useless if you’re not sympathetic to how your audience gathers information.

4) Be dynamic

Keep the attention of your audience by being dynamic and not static. If you’re able to present with a webcam, then do so. Take advantage of as many tools and features as the video web conferencing software you decide to use will allow. For example, some software allows you to have the audience interact with your screen and slides. Depending on the content you’re delivering, you can even have the attendees break out into smaller groups. This will keep the presentation lively, unique and encourage audience participation. Ultimately, you want to keep it fun.

Get inspired with slide ideas from our portfolio

Our Top 10 Best Virtual Presentation Tips

Before you deliver your next virtual presentation , be sure to review these ten tips to help you prepare.

1) Proper Webcam & Lighting

First, check your webcam and lighting. Before you present, turn on your webcam and make sure you’re visible. Even if you think you have sufficient lighting, it’s always best to double-check as some webcams aren’t calibrated correctly. If you’re using a ring light, it may appear like a harsh, blue light is being used. Use this time to also check your microphone and audio source. You’ll be able to check the sound quality and ensure the audio pick-up levels are correct.

2) Familiarize Yourself With The Technology

If you’re not used to presenting virtually or you’re using new software, try practicing your delivery with the technology you’ll be using. If you run into any technical issues, you’ll be able to resolve them beforehand.

3) Check Internet Connection

This is absolutely critical . A virtual meeting or presentation is only possible with an internet connection. If you don’t have a proper internet connection, you won’t have a presentation. It’s also a good idea to practice presenting with all the technology you’ll be using as more software usage requires more internet bandwidth. If you plan on presenting with your webcam on, test your internet connection with your webcam on so you have an accurate measurement.

4) Talk To The Camera

When you’re delivering your message, make sure you keep eye contact with the camera . This will allow the audience who is watching your presentation to feel more connected and engaged. If you’re simply reading from a screen, it makes the presentation feel inauthentic, unpolished and it makes it seem like you’re not confident in the content you’re presenting.

5) Present As You Would In-Person

If you have the ability to stand up while presenting, you should . Standing is beneficial because it allows your airways to be fully open. While you’re sitting, your core is typically tight and you might find yourself hunched over. This will restrict your diaphragm from moving to its fullest potential. If you stand, you’ll have a much clearer voice when speaking.

6) Use Body Language

Keep your presentation dynamic. Your body is a communication tool. Use hand motions to emphasize key points. Use facial expressions to deliver emotion . The combination of body language with your words will help connect the audience to your message on a much deeper level.

7) Engage Your Audience Members

Keep your audience engaged and allow them to participate. Some ways you can keep your audience engaged is by using polling software to ask the audience questions. You can host a Q&A at the end of your meeting , or you can have them play games like Kahoot! to win prizes.

8) Have A Moderator

Having a moderator helps you stay focused. A moderator can help monitor the chat and gauge audience engagement. If you’re conducting a Q&A session, depending on the software you use, a moderator can help filter questions that might be inappropriate. They will screen questions before they are made public to the rest of your audience.

9) Use Evaluation Tools & Learn

This is a tip not many presenters take advantage of that will help you stand out amongst the rest and will make your next presentation even better. At the end of your presentation, consider sending out a poll. Ask for feedback from your audience to see how well you did . You might want to ask their opinion on the visuals, see what information they retained or see how you presented as a whole. If done correctly, for your next virtual presentation, you’ll know if you need to slow down if you’re a fast talker or if you need to add more visuals.

10) Be Yourself

The most important tip of them all is to be yourself . When you’re yourself, you’ll have fun. Presenting and everything will appear natural.

Are You In Need Of A Custom Presentation? We Can Help

Now it’s about you! Are you in need of a fresh, engaging presentation that captures your audiences attention? Whether you need a clean up, a re-design or a completely custom build we have you covered. You can find our presentation packages and pricing options here . Want to speak to a geek, click the button below.

Author:  Ryan

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Related Content

How to give an effective online presentation from home.

Published: April 21, 2023

Looking to improve your presentation skills for online meetings? Check out these tips on how to make yours effective and professional from home.

Online presentations are the norm now that more people are  working from home . For many, moving from in-person to online presentations may bring a new set of challenges to overcome.

Are you concerned you might fumble with new technology or appear unprepared when  presenting  in an unfamiliar digital arena? You’re not alone. These eight tips can help you deliver an effective online presentation like a pro.

1. Simplify Your Slides

Each web conference platform has its own unique way of displaying slides. Avoid technical hassles by designing simple, easy-to-read slides.

Place text in the center instead of at the edges of the slides because they may not display correctly on your audience’s screens. Also, consider creating high contrast slides – they are easier to read for your virtual audience.

Remember, online listeners may multitask or get distracted. To prevent them from missing your main points, arrive quickly at key messages. To do this, use a sentence headline for your slide titles that states the main point of your slide. You can then include the evidence for each of your key points in the body of the slide. It seems simple, but it can be an effective way of organizing information for an online presentation.

2. Prepare Beforehand

Technology keeps us connected, but its complexity creates additional avenues for potential disruption. One way to prepare before giving an online presentation is to look at technology through the lens of Murphy's Law, which states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Focus on what you can control.

Check Your Internet Connection

Use the most reliable internet connection you can. Web conferencing providers generally consider a wired connection to be more optimal than wireless (Wi-Fi) connections. And Wi-Fi connections are considered better than cellular connections.

Have a Backup Computer

Have another laptop (or emergency tablet or phone) at the ready in case you encounter a problem.

Save Your Presentation

Download a PDF version of your presentation to pull up in case there's a technical mishap with your slides (You do this by selecting “Save As” or "Print" and choosing “PDF.”) When saving your presentation as a PDF, remember to delete your hidden slides first as they will not remain hidden when you display your PDF presentation.

Close Your Tabs

Close any unnecessary applications to ensure they don’t interfere with your web conferencing software. Also, shut off any other background activities requiring substantial memory or bandwidth, such as downloading or uploading large files or instant file synchronizations. Even an inactive browser can eat up your computer's memory, so consider exiting out before your online presentation. 

Practice Using the Web Conference Platform

Get familiar with the platform you're using in advance. Practice muting and unmuting your microphone. If you're the host, practice muting and unmuting one or all other participants. Follow the instructions in the help center of your video conferencing app so that you don’t fumble during the event.

Arrive Early

Online presentations to potential customers, investors, or even executive leaders are usually scheduled at given dates and times, and can be sent through your web conferencing software. Arrive to the meeting a few minutes early to make sure your connection works and the web conferencing software is working, especially if you are the host of the meeting. You can also test the screen-share function as part of the program to ensure it's in good working order for your online presentation. 

3. Eliminate Distractions

Eliminate any visual clutter behind you. Clutter includes plants, boxes, piles of books, food, toys, laundry, and pets. An ideal background is a plain wall to eliminate distractions and look professional.

Remember, online listeners may multitask or get distracted. To prevent them from missing your main points, arrive quickly at key messages.

If you can’t tidy up your space, you can create a sophisticated virtual background. Canva offers free virtual backgrounds, and you can upload these designs to any video conferencing system that allows customized backgrounds. Not sure how to do this? Providers such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Webex, to name a few, give you step-by-step instructions.

4. Dress the Part

It may be tempting to wear your usual work-from-home attire like your PJs or your favorite hoodie, but providing an effective presentation requires that you dress the part. Wear your regular workplace casual clothes. When picking out an outfit, avoid distracting patterns or multi-colored shirts, as well as shiny fabrics such as satin or silk, as they may shimmer when you move your body on camera. Solid colors are best – you want people to focus on your message, not your clothes.

5. Use the Right Lighting

If the lighting in your room isn’t optimal, set up a desk lamp behind your laptop, centered right over the camera to light up your face. For this to work well, minimize the lighting from other parts of the room by lowering the shades to prevent light from coming from the side or the back.

Avoid sitting with a bright window behind you as it will make you appear dark and foreboding. Switch positions to sit with the bright window in front of you.

6. Present in a Quiet Space

Ideally, an online presentation should occur in a quiet room. However,  working from home with a partner or kids  can make it less of an ideal setting for controlling background noise. You can mitigate this challenge by investing in a good headset with a built-in microphone that cancels or neutralizes outside sounds and turning off your phone and any noisy computer notifications.

7. Make Eye Contact

One of the best ways to provide an effective presentation is to make eye contact with your audience. Raise your laptop so your camera is at eye level. You can do this quickly by placing a box or a stack of books underneath your laptop. Practice speaking to the camera, not the screen. You can also angle the laptop screen to be centered in the frame, and your head is not cut off.

You may also need to move back a little. If you sit too close to your laptop, your face may look blown up. That’s often not the most flattering angle. Either sit with your back resting comfortably on your chair or push the laptop back. Ideally, it would help if you sat at an arm’s length from the screen. Sit up straight, smile. Make an effort to look good in your online presentation. It will show.

8. Keep Your Audience Engaged

An audience’s attention can flag, especially during a long online presentation. One way to judge your listeners’ attention level is through the attention tracking feature that is available in some web conferencing applications. Attention tracking features are indicators next to each attendee’s name on your attendee pane that show you if the person has an app other than the web conference at the forefront of their screen.

An effective presentation is all about being prepared. Simplify your presentation slides so they’re easy to follow, test out all your tech, and have backups for any unexpected mishaps. It’s also helpful to provide your online presentation in a quiet space and limit the distractions around you. Don’t forget to make eye contact and keep your audience engaged. Whether in the office or at home, following these simple tips will help you provide a flawless online presentation that informs and engages your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. what should you know before giving an online presentation.

Simplify the slides of your online presentation.  Think about what the priority points are that you want to get across. Too much information on presentation slides can be overwhelming and distracting for viewers. Keep it simple by using less text and more visuals.

Save your presentation.  Send it to yourself or a friend before the presentation to have a backup in case of technical difficulties.

Practice using the web conference platform.  Get familiar with the platform you will be using, which will help you avoid any technical issues and make you more comfortable during the presentation.

2. How do you start an online presentation?

When starting an online presentation, engaging your audience from the beginning is essential. You can ask questions, tell a story, or provide an overview of what you'll be discussing. Additionally, ensure your introduction is clear and concise so your audience knows what to expect.

3. What are the skills required for online presentations?

The most important presentation skill required for an online presentation is being able to engage with your audience and hold their attention throughout.

A version of this article was originally published on April 16, 2020.

Photo: Getty Images

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14 effective presentation tips to impress your audience

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Anete Ezera July 15, 2022

An effective presentation can communicate key ideas and opinions, save time, and contribute to your overall success as a business, but good presentation skills don’t come naturally to everyone. In this blog post, you’ll find 14 effective presentation tips you can implement in your next presentation to make it a success. 

Whether you’re preparing for an important presentation at work or school, or you’re looking for ways to generally improve your presentation skills, you’ll find these presentation tips useful. We’ve gathered a list to help you impress your audience from the get-go. You’ll find tips for creating and presenting your slides, talking in front of an audience, and other effective presentation techniques to help you stand out. 

Most common presentation mistakes

Before we list our top effective presentation tips, let’s explore the most common presentation mistakes. If you’ve made one or more mistakes in this list, you’re not alone. Most people have made at least one mistake. However, what’s important is to be aware of these errors and try avoiding them next time.

#1 A poor start

One of the most common mistakes people make is undermining the importance of the first few minutes or seconds of their presentation. 

Let’s say you’ve practiced your key talking points meticulously and gone over your slides a million times, but when you’re in the spotlight and need to say your first line, do you know exactly what to say to wow the audience? 

The start of your presentation is crucial. Not only because how you start sets the tone for the rest of your presentation, but also because people generally require around 8 seconds to decide whether they find the subject interesting enough to keep listening. Starting your presentation with a captivating intro is even more important than you think. To ensure you start off right, read our guide on how to start your presentation . 

#2 Lack of preparation

Yes, even though it’s clear that you should prepare before giving a presentation, it’s still a common mistake amongst presenters. Preparing content and talking points is an obvious start, but there are other steps that you might be overlooking.

Before you even join a meeting or walk into a room where you’re going to present, consider the technical requirements and get familiar with the equipment. If you’re presenting online, make sure to test-run your presentation and the visual aids you’re going to use. The last thing you want is a broken video link, poor audio, or a weak connection when you’re presenting. 

Also, consider the questions your audience might want to ask you about the topic. Think about how you’d answer those questions, or do even further research to really impress the audience with your answers. 

Explore other ways to prepare for a presentation to feel even more confident when presenting.

#3 Losing track of time

It’s great to feel passionate about your topic. However, you’ll have to consider your audience’s level of interest and knowledge. Some details might seem fascinating to you, and you’d like to talk about them for hours, but for your audience, too much information will drain their energy and lose their attention. 

Therefore, make sure to keep track of time. Also, consider your audience’s interests. A concise presentation is always better than a long one with a ton of information. Plus, you’ll have a higher chance of keeping your audience’s attention throughout the presentation. 

Effective presentation tips

Now that we’ve looked at some of the most common presentation mistakes – let’s dive into effective presentation tips that’ll help you excel in future presentations. 

#1 Tell a story

Stories connect, inspire, and empower people. Telling a story can entice action, help understand an idea, and make people feel connected to the storyteller. It’s also one of the most effective presentation tips. A study by organizational psychologist Peg Neuhauser found that a well-told story is easier to remember than facts, which makes it a highly effective learning technique. 

With that in mind, telling a story when you’re presenting can engage your audience and make it a more memorable experience. You can either share a personal story or a historical event, just make sure to have a clear connection between the story and the topic you’re presenting. 

#2 Work on your body language

Body language can make a huge difference in how your presentation is perceived. It’s one of the presentation tips you definitely shouldn’t overlook. 

Body language says a lot about a person’s confidence level, emotions, state of mind, and even credibility. For the audience, it’s a way to understand what the person is saying and how interested they are in the topic. 

Therefore, work on your body language to better convey the message you’re trying to communicate. Practice in front of a mirror before your presentation and be conscious of your hand gestures and facial expressions. 

#3 Understand your audience

Before crafting your presentation, you must know who you’re speaking to. Understanding the interests, demographics, professional background, and other valuable information of your audience is crucial in making your speech successful. 

If you’re speaking at an event, contact the organizers to get more information about other speakers and the audience. If you’re presenting at work, you may already know your audience fairly well. Use this information to your advantage and create content you know they’ll resonate with.

#4 Use high-quality visuals

What’s one of the most effective presentation techniques? Use of visuals. They play a crucial role in your presentation. However, only high-quality visuals will make a good impression and effectively communicate your message. Use high-quality visuals like images, videos, graphs, maps, and others to really land your point. 

Using visuals is a great way to convey your ideas as they’re easier to process than text. If you’re not sure where to find great visuals, check out our blog post on presentation visuals for five free resources.

P.S. the Prezi library holds a variety of images, videos, GIFs, stickers, and other visuals, including different charts and maps to spice up your presentation. It’s all available in your dashboard .

#5 Use data visualizations

Do you want to showcase statistics or other datasets in your presentation? Use data visualizations to make your data stand out and impress your audience. 

There’s nothing more boring than a bunch of data presented in a flat way. If you want to tell a story with your data, use interactive infographics or slides enriched with eye-catching visuals. Showcasing data will make your ideas appear more trustworthy and credible. 

Prezi Design offers a range of templates to choose from. You can start creating data visualizations from scratch or choose a template and edit the data there. 

#6 Make it engaging with interactive elements

It’s not easy to deliver an engaging presentation. People can easily get distracted or try to multitask, especially in the virtual environment. Sometimes, it’s difficult to focus on the speaker and the written text. Other times, the content just isn’t impressive enough to hold the audience’s attention. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

You can make your presentation more engaging for everyone by including interactive content like graphs and charts. With interactive data visualizations, you’ll make the data discovery process more engaging and exciting for your audience. 

Your audience will be able to hover over data points and click on certain icons or datasets to discover information on their own. Interactive visualizations will make the presentation more memorable and impressive. 

As you can see in the example below, you can discover different data by engaging with the infographic. 

#7 Stay consistent with fonts and color styles

You want your presentation to look visually appealing and highlight essential information. To make that happen, stay consistent with font styles and color schemes throughout your presentation. 

Use one or two fonts max to make the text easy to read and understand. Also, use a carefully selected color scheme that’s not too distracting. If you’re using Prezi Design, you can easily copy and paste styles by right-clicking on your data visualizations and selecting “copy styles.” This makes it easier to stay consistent and saves time when picking matching colors. 

#8 Structure your presentation properly

Before creating your presentation, think about its structure. What’s the main idea you want to convey? Use that as your starting point, and only include information that adds value to the narrative. 

Plan out the first topics carefully to properly introduce your argument. Add the essential information in the middle part of your presentation. Lastly, close your presentation with a summary of the main points and leave your audience with an afterthought. Also, plan when you’re taking questions and for how long. 

For more insight, watch this tutorial on how to structure your presentation:

#9 Practice your public speaking skills

Public speaking may not be your forte, but you can get better with practice. Don’t decline a great opportunity to share your ideas with a larger audience just because you feel nervous speaking in front of a group of people. 

One of the best ways to improve your public speaking skills is to practice in front of your family or friends – people you feel comfortable with. Also, focus on the topic you’re presenting and get excited about the idea you want to convey. This way you’ll appear more confident and feel less nervous about public speaking. 

Explore other public speaking tips from Jessica Chen, the founder, and CEO of Soulcast Media: 

#10 Show your slides next to you on-screen

If you’re presenting on Zoom or in a virtual meeting , think twice before you share your screen. The days of hiding behind slides are over. People want to see and connect with other people, not sit through another run-of-the-mill screen share. To do that, use Prezi Video to showcase all your content right next to you in your video feed. 

As a result, your presentation will look more engaging than a traditional virtual presentation . Also, your audience will have the chance to read your body language and follow along with what you’re saying even better. 

If you already have your slides prepared, don’t worry – you can easily integrate them into Prezi. 

See Prezi Video in action and check out our video templates to get started.

#11 Calm down before presenting

Being in front of an audience can feel nerve-racking. However, there are ways to calm down before presenting that will make you feel more centered and confident. The last thing you want is all your hard work to go to waste just because of stress. 

Try breathing exercises or a five-minute guided meditation before presenting. The trick is to remove all distractions and focus on the present moment so you’re not overthinking right before starting your presentation. Also, be fully prepared and know exactly what to say and when which will help you feel more collected. If you want to discover other ways to feel and look more confident, read how not to be nervous before a presentation . 

#12 Use transitions and animations 

Add movement to your slides with transitions and animations. You’ll make your presentation more visually appealing and engaging. However, be careful not to overwhelm your audience with your choice of transitions and animations. 

Choose a transition that matches your presentation visually and use it throughout your presentation. Consider what animations will be relevant to your audience and select a few to add to your slides. Don’t overdo it. Keep the focus on the message you’re trying to convey, and use animations to only support that message. 

#13 Be enthusiastic 

When you’re in a room with a positive and enthusiastic person, you can’t help but feel uplifted as well. High-energy people have this effect on others. Most importantly, a lot of people tend to mimic people’s behavior and mirror their energy when they feel a connection or relate to them. That’s called the chameleon effect . 

When you’re presenting, you want your audience to feel curious about what you’re presenting. You may also want to leave your audience feeling uplifted, interested to know more, or inspired. To have that effect on others, try to convey those emotions when presenting. Practice your speech, slow down your narration at times, or take a pause after you’ve delivered a statement, and use different presentation techniques to present your project and really drive your points home. 

#14 End your presentation in a memorable way

The first few minutes of your presentation are crucial for captivating your audience’s attention. However, don’t underestimate the importance of ending your presentation as powerfully as you started it. 

The way you end your presentation will play a crucial part in how your audience will remember it. You want to make a memorable impression by closing your presentation with a summarizing statement, a rhetorical question, a call to action, or another impactful way. Discover 10 ways you can end your presentation in our guide.  

There are a lot of factors to consider when creating and delivering a presentation. You want your slides to look professional and visually appealing while conveying your main points. You also want to look and sound confident even if you’re nervous about public speaking. Whatever your concerns may be, remember that preparation is essential. Practice and dedication are the keys to giving a successful presentation . Make sure to follow these effective presentation tips to excel in your future presentations. If you’re interested in creating a captivating presentation with Prezi, contact us to learn more or try it for free . 

Elevating presentations with Prezi AI

Embrace the innovation of Prezi to bring your presentations to life. With its unique platform, Prezi AI offers more than just visually appealing templates; it provides an immersive narrative experience, engaging your audience with a story-driven approach. By integrating Prezi AI , our platform’s capabilities are further enhanced, offering intelligent design suggestions and optimizing content layouts to ensure your presentations are not only beautiful but impactful. This integration is a perfect example of effective presentation techniques in action, using technology to create a more engaging presentation.

Interactive elements: transforming passive listening into active engagement

Prezi revolutionizes the way information is presented by incorporating interactive elements that invite audience participation. With Prezi AI, these features become even more accessible, suggesting ways to make your presentation more engaging through clickable areas, zoomable images, and dynamic visualizations. This level of interaction encourages exploration, making your message more memorable and transforming a standard presentation into an effective presentation.

Adding a personal touch in digital presentation with video

Prezi Video stands out by seamlessly integrating your content alongside your video feed, bridging the gap between traditional presentations and personal engagement. This feature is crucial for those looking to follow presentation tips that emphasize the importance of connecting with your audience on a more personal level. Prezi AI enhances this experience, ensuring your content is displayed in the most effective way possible, making your virtual presentations feel as though you’re directly conversing with your audience.

Mastering presentation artistry with Prezi

The journey to becoming a skilled presenter involves continuously refining your approach and embracing tools that elevate your ability to communicate effectively. Prezi, enriched with Prezi AI, is one such tool that transforms ordinary presentations into captivating experiences. By leveraging these advanced features, you can deliver presentations that are successful, memorable, and truly unforgettable, embodying the essence of tips for presentation mastery.

Whether you’re an experienced speaker or preparing for your first presentation, Prezi equips you with the tools to succeed. Engage your audience, tell compelling stories, and deliver your message with confidence and creativity. Following effective presentation tips and exploring how Prezi AI can transform your next presentation is a step towards mastering the art of impactful communication. Delve into the features and begin your journey to presentation mastery today.

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How to Give a Virtual Presentation: Tips, Challenges, and More

For many, virtual presentations are an acquired taste. But, with remote teams becoming increasingly popular—especially now due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic—virtual presentations are not only to be expected, but they are also rapidly becoming the norm in our day-to-day professional lives. In addition to helping colleagues stay aligned on major projects, virtual presentations are a useful sales tool that helps you improve your profit margins and are also a staple of customer or client engagements, whether in the form of quarterly business reviews, new feature introductions or providing regular reporting.

How Do Virtual Presentations Differ From Regular Presentations?

It’s tempting to think that the same rules that apply to in-person presentations would apply to virtual presentations as well. In reality, however, the two require different approaches to keep viewers engaged in the presentation. Here are two major differences between virtual and regular presentations:

Virtual presentations are competing with more distractions

Participants viewing a virtual presentation are far more easily distracted than a typical meeting participant would be when viewing the content in the same room as the presenter. With in-office presentations, participants are typically in the conference room, which is a controlled environment with fewer distractions  competing for attention, making it easier to tune into body language and what the speaker is saying. With virtual presentations, the context is very different.

Often, viewers are on mute (video or audio), making it much more difficult for presenters to understand who is engaging with the content. At any moment attendees may be answering a phone call, checking email, browsing social media or simply multitasking due to lack of interest, to all of which the presenter would be none the wiser.

Virtual presentations offer greater scalability

Virtual presentations allow you to present to more people at the same time, aided by group video conferencing services such as Lifesize, which allow for hundreds of participants per meeting . To participate, all that meeting attendees need is a device with an internet connection, greatly simplifying logistics when compared to a traditional in-office presentation, which often requires making travel plans, blocking a few days to travel and booking a conference room. Even then, you can’t be sure that everyone will show up on the agreed date and time until the meeting begins.

While virtual presentations are convenient, that doesn’t necessarily make them easier for you or your audience members. We’ve all experienced the pains of failed virtual presentations plagued by poor audio or video quality or presenters who don’t feel fully comfortable navigating controls to share content. Additionally, when you’re not physically presenting to an audience face to face, you have to work that much harder to establish a connection and sustain their attention. Here’s how to do it.

4 Virtual Presentation Tips for Your Next Meeting

Great content, preparation and practice speaking in public are key factors for every presentation, but if you can’t keep your audience engaged by getting rid of all distractions, your presentation is likely to flop. Here are four presentation tips that will help you minimize distractions next time you’re in the meeting spotlight.

1. Keep it short

When presenting virtually, your audience has a near-infinite supply of distractions at their fingertips, from email to instant messaging to social media feeds. So if you’re doing a virtual presentation, keep it concise and straightforward. Even if you’re committed to a longer presentation like a webinar , staying focused and not meandering is critical.

The average attention span when listening to a presenter is between 5 and 10 minutes. Even elite, experienced speakers struggle to hold an audience’s attention for longer than 20 minutes. In order to avoid listener fatigue and hold the attention of the (virtual) room, you want to pack a punch in your presentation, condensing content to no more than five key points along with a succinct summary of the action you want the audience to take after the presentation.

One way to do this is by starting with the end in mind. For example, if you’re giving a presentation on how to be productive working from home , your goal may be to have the audience put the advice into practice and provide feedback on their experience. Having identified this, you will know the amount of information you need to provide that will lead them to take that specific action you want them to take.

2. Close out windows you don’t need

Before you share your screen, make sure you have the content you want to present already prepared. The first few moments of your presentation are critical to establishing a connection with the audience, and no one enjoys watching a speaker scramble nervously to find their presentation on a cluttered desktop or, worse, inadvertently sharing sensitive or personal information that may be displayed from another application.

Additionally, if you’re using the same presentation for different audiences, make sure you evaluate every slide to ensure it’s relevant and tailored to the room. Distracting your viewer by having to go through a bunch of generic slides that haven’t been tailored to their organization, job function or priorities makes you seem unprepared, giving the audience the perfect excuse to tune out what you have to say. Whenever you do this, you break the flow of your presentation and their willingness to stick around till you’re done.

3. Ask the audience to commit to a distraction-free meeting

Many remote companies have an unspoken rule: mute your mic if you’re not presenting. It’s easy for an ambulance passing by to throw a presentation off track, so before you start, ask participants to mute their mics until you’re ready for Q&A. Luckily, many video conferencing platforms allow meeting hosts to mute participants’ mics to better control the meeting experience. As an additional benefit, muting helps presenters hold the attention of meeting participants by establishing when it will be their turn to speak.

For fully remote and distributed teams, it’s also common to ask meeting participants to avoid multitasking and mute phones for the duration of the meeting. This creates a meeting environment that more closely resembles an in-office meeting with minimal distractions competing with the speaker for attention.

4. Test your equipment beforehand

If you’re reading this, you’ve likely participated in an online meeting where someone presented for several minutes without knowing that their microphone was muted or that their content wasn’t showing on the screen. It’s an uncomfortable experience for both the presenter and the audience and, luckily, very easy to avoid.

Before your next virtual presentation, make sure to test your mic, screen sharing and camera 5-10 minutes before you go live. This helps you identify what’s working and what isn’t and rectify it. This is also a great opportunity to check your lighting to ensure your video feed is clear and ready for prime time.

Besides, knowing that your tools are in good condition boosts your confidence because you’re sure they won’t interrupt your presentation.

How to Virtually Present on Lifesize

Lifesize is a high-definition, secure video conferencing solution for online meetings that helps you hold uninterrupted presentations and deliver an exceptional experience for meeting participants across different devices. Here are a few steps to help you use Lifesize for your next virtual presentation:

1. Have your presentation ready

Compelling visuals and copy make any presentation better. Don’t worry if your design chops are lacking; use content from your company’s website, blog or social media feeds.

Great copy helps back up your slides and persuades your audience to take action. You want to talk about the benefits of taking action, overcome objections and provide irresistible calls to action to make it easy for your audience to get involved.

For your most critical presentations, consider hiring a copywriting service to help you create compelling slides that leave a lasting impression in the minds of your audience so that when you ask them to take action, they’ll be ready to do so. Interactive presentation development tools like Visme also simplify the process of building unique, immersive content that will show great during meetings. The company also regularly publishes presentation best practices  to help users avoid overly cluttered or text-heavy layouts.

2. Click “Present”

Once you’re ready with your presentation, join your Lifesize meeting from the desktop/web app, confirm that your attendees are present, then click on the “Share your screen” icon to start your presentation. You’ll then be prompted to select which display or application you want to share.

3. Share your slides or the entire screen

Once you’ve made your selection, click on the “Share” button to show your slides. Remember, you can’t share slides at the same time as another presenter, so make sure any other speakers have ended their presentation before you try to share your slides.

What to Do After the Presentation

Great news — you crushed the presentation. Now what do you do? The best presenters don’t stop once the meeting ends. After every presentation, take a few minutes to evaluate yourself, or ask colleagues for feedback, to see how well you did and whether you achieved your objective. In addition, here are a few ways to ensure the presentation translates to business impact.

1. Send out your recorded meeting link

Depending on the material, your audience might need to rewatch the meeting to help them get hold of crucial details in your presentation. Lifesize allows you to record and share your presentations so that once you’re done, all you need to do is share a link of the recording with your attendees for later reference. You can also use a video editor to stitch different videos together to use for added material in any future webinars, meetings or presentations.

2. Schedule a follow-up meeting if necessary

When is the appropriate time to reconvene and discuss progress? In a week? Two weeks? All great virtual meetings result in some type of action, so don’t wait to schedule and send a meeting invite for your next Lifesize call. Follow up meetings are great way to stay top of mind with customers, move projects forward or course correct if there is any misalignment concerning next steps.

Your next presentation won’t suck because of one thing: keeping your audience engaged. You’ve got excellent presentation skills and great content, but distractions are your biggest enemy.

By implementing the ideas we’ve discussed above, it’s possible to get rid of these distractions to help you focus on getting the most out of your presentations.

Virtual Presentation FAQ’s

How do you create a virtual presentation.

You’ll need some sort of visual medium to create a virtual presentation (such as PowerPoint) and a teleconferencing solution like Lifesize that allows you to share screens. With the visuals in place, you just have to come up with a speech or speaking plan to accompany your presentation.

How do you engage the audience in a virtual presentation?

To create an engaging virtual presentation, make sure that the presentation flows smoothly with no awkward pauses, and that you have a number of things to say for each slide or visual reference. From there, you have to speak in a lively and engaging manner, and ask the audience questions if possible to keep them engaged.

What are some of the challenges you need to consider when presenting in an online environment?

The wild card is technical difficulties: lag time, poor video/audio quality, or connectivity issues can ruin a presentation. If you have an integrated video conferencing solution in place, then the main challenge is keeping the audience’s attention (which can easily be lost).

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Improving the Video Conferencing Experience in the Era of Remote Work

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past six months, it’s clear that remote work and distributed teams are here to stay, even after the pandemic recedes. While some workers will gradually find their way back to in-person (office or otherwise) workplace settings, this is just the on-ramp to the highway of working from anywhere for many others.

10 Tips to Improving Your Virtual Presentations

When presenting and speaking in front of an audience, you have a wide range of virtual presentation tips and tricks to take into account. However, it’s also crucial to keep in mind what challenges or obstacles are associated with this kind of presentation. As convenient as a remote meeting can be, creating an effective virtual presentation is difficult.

Whether you’re speaking to new clients or to your team about a project plan, you must put a lot of effort into grabbing their attention and ensuring they get your message. Virtual presentations might be scary for someone who’s just starting, but don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. This blog will discuss the best practices and top virtual presentation tips for your upcoming virtual meeting.

Vibe Boards provide a simple way to make your virtual presentation captivating and intriguing. Use these tips to ensure that your upcoming virtual presentation receives the respect it merits.

Research Your Topic Ahead of Time

You need to do a little more research than usual when making virtual presentations. It’s smart to start with what you know about your audience. Knowing your audience and what they hope to get out of the session is the best way to charm them.

Here’s what you do: A week before a webinar or similar event, set up a way for people to RSVP to your event electronically.

This way, you can find out some basic information about the people who will be there. You don’t have to be shy, either. Ask them what they hope to get out of the session and if they have any critical concerns.

You can plan what you’ll talk about in an office presentation by outlining. Think about your keynote speech, for example.

Ask your coworkers what they think about how you set up your presentations and rank the actions you need to take. If you can, send the meeting agenda ahead of time and ask your supervisors and senior staff to review the essential points quickly.

Keep An Eye Out for Technical Tests

No matter how well you plan, you can’t control things like power outages or problems getting on the internet that you didn’t expect. The best thing to do is to do detailed technical inspections or host the meeting in a space that’s reliable and consistent (e.g., from your desk vs. at a coffee shop with unpredictable WiFi).

Here are some things you should think about:

• Is your camera functional? Can the people watching you see you well?
• Have the right microphone and speaker been put in?
• Do you know how to use the tools you’ll be using? Can you, for example, share your screen or switch between Google Slides?

The most important thing is to ensure you have backup plans for any last-minute tech problems, whether that’s having the IT team at the ready or being proactive about your connectivity.

Get Hyped about High Tech

If you know how to use the equipment you’ll be using for your virtual presentation well before you give it, you’ll be less likely to hesitate or have problems. Whether that means knowing how your favorite video conferencing software works or making sure your presentation set-up is the best it can be, this small amount of planning ahead of time could add an essential touch of professionalism and class.

Crafting a multimedia presentation can be impactful—which is why many expert speakers are turning to smart whiteboards to craft an interactive and memorable presentation. You don’t even need to learn any new presentation tools to get started. You can use Canva, Microsoft Powerpoint, and Google Slides on a Vibe Board.

Having the right tools at your disposal also lets you have more control over your audience. Presenting with smart whiteboards can make it easier for people to get involved. You can also use your virtual meeting software with various other technologies to get the audience more involved in the presentation. For example, you can lean into Zoom’s virtual polls and tests during a presentation to get updates and info from your participants throughout the session. 

You can also keep an eye out for and get rid of any distracting things. For example, a virtual presenter can pin a crucial point so that everyone can see it or silence an audience member who is making too much noise.

Set A Plan Before You Begin

When you start a virtual meeting without a plan, you set yourself up for interruptions. A good rule of thumb for presentation skills is to list the tasks that must be done during the presentation. What are the most important things you need to talk about? Who is your audience? Write it down, and make sure that all of your other points fit nicely into the framework and lead back to your main point.

Next, try to make your essential data easier to understand. The Vibe Board, with its massive touchscreen and annotation features, makes using visual graphics, gifs, movies, or animations to draw attention to the essential facts easy and fun.

Get Rid of Distractions

Remote audiences are typically more distracted than in-person audiences. That’s because remote participants are often multi-tasking or working from more distracting environments.

You can tell your audience about the following best practices to cut down on noise:

• Everyone stays quiet (or muted) when the presenter talks.
• If someone wants to talk, they can “raise their hand” on the digital platform instead of interrupting the presenter.

For engaging with your audience , ask the people in your audience to stay as focused as possible. When you talk to your audience, you should expect them to ask questions, have doubts, and give you ideas. It’s a good idea to have a coworker or co-host take charge of these conversations, so they don’t distract you. You can request that your audience hold their questions until the end of the session, or have them write down any questions on a shared canvas that you can address at a later time.

Use Brief, Impactful Sentences

People’s attention spans are shorter than you might think. To keep the spotlight on you, always use shorter, funnier lines when explaining ideas to participants far away.

When sentences are short, they’re easier to understand. But if this is your first time giving an online presentation, you might try the following:

• Face the audience (through the webcam).
• Use gestures, body language, and facial expressions.
• If possible, the person giving the presentation should stand up. Set up your webcam the right way.
• Make sure your lights are bright and clear. Use daylight to make your virtual set-up look better.

Keep your information up to date and correct. Don’t use the same points of view more than once, and don’t say too much about any one idea. Don’t talk for more than 10 minutes without giving the audience something to think about (a story, quiz, or question).

Engage Your Audience in Dialogue

People are more likely to remember a compelling virtual presentation than a traditional one-way presentation. 

Since it might be harder to hold your remote audiences’ attention, make sure your participants aren’t bored, especially if they have to sit through a presentation without doing anything.

Slow Down When You’re Delivering

In a virtual setting, it’s hard to read your audience’s body language. To ensure you don’t rush through your speech, you’ll need to work on it and keep it moving at a good pace.

Try to practice with a virtual partner if you can. Note any delays in responses or things that don’t make sense to the audience.

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Utilize Backup Systems

When giving an online presentation, it’s essential to be ready for the worst-case scenario, like losing access to the session or presentation. In this situation, sharing your presentation materials with a co-host or supervisor makes sense.

If you go offline by accident while giving a video presentation, your co-host can take over the meeting using your shared slides or materials while you focus on getting  back online.

It’s a good idea to know everything there is to know about your subject. If there is ever a delay or a problem with your equipment, you can always keep making your case.

Know When to Stop

One of the essential virtual presentation skills you can learn is when and how to end a presentation.

In a virtual presentation, you must be very careful about how much time you spend on each topic and when to stop.

At the end of a presentation, it’s better to keep things short and to the point and end with an educational summary. To leave a lasting impression on your virtual viewers, you must carefully summarize the events of the conference and highlight important themes.

Here’s what you should do:

• Make your last sentence short and precise.
• Add a summary of your main goals.
• Put in a “call to action.”
• Add an inspiring quote or message.

Another great way to keep your presentation in your audience’s mind is relatively straightforward: Remember to share your presentation materials after the fact, so your audience can reflect on certain slides or figures whenever needed.

Final Thoughts

Virtual meetings and webinars can challenge even your most basic presentation skills. They test your ability to speak and present in a way that motivates people.

That’s why tools built for virtual meetings and remote collaboration , like smart whiteboards for business , are now essential to delivering a successful presentation . 

Use the virtual presentation tips and tricks we’ve given here to start building your next great presentation—and don’t forget that adding a Vibe Board to your presentation toolbox can be the biggest game-changer of all.

Interested in learning more about Vibe? Vibe Boards were created to be user-friendly and compatible with the tools your team already knows and loves.. With innovative smart whiteboard technology at the center of your pitch, your upcoming virtual presentation will be different from anything you’ve ever given before.

How do you engage people in virtual presentations?

Creating engagement in virtual presentations is very tricky, especially with body language and non-verbal communication not as easy to see or experience. Engage people in virtual presentations with technology like the Vibe Board that can make presentations more interesting and interactive for your audience.

How can I improve my virtual presentation?

Typical presentation tips like knowing your topic and rehearsing beforehand can still make a big impact, just as in in-person presentations. For virtual presentations, make sure your tech (video conferencing, speakers, presentation aids) are working ahead of time, and use multimedia presentations to keep your audience engaged and interested.

What makes a great virtual presentation?

Interactivity is absolutely key. Ask participants for feedback several times throughout the presentation. Make sure that they are dialed in. Use videos and animations to keep your audience’s eyes on your presentation, and not wandering on to a different tab.

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5 Virtual Presentation Tips for Better Online Communication

Sandy Keeter is a Professor in the Information Technology Department at Seminole State College in Florida.

Much of our current communication is happening online, whether it’s with family, friends, students or colleagues.

Communicating “virtually” doesn’t mean anything goes, just because you’re not face to face. On the contrary, it’s more important than ever to present yourself professionally so whoever you’re communicating with will take you seriously.

As the world shifts to virtual communication, being able to express yourself online is a necessary skill; there are certain “ netiquette ” rules and standards that should be followed, along with some basic online communication tips.

How you speak to friends or family is most likely not how you speak to colleagues, faculty, co-workers or supervisors. It’s important to know your audience and be aware of your communication context.

Read on for five tips for efficient online communications, no matter who you’re talking to.

Tip 1: Prepare and Practice Your Content

Whether you’re presenting for school or for work, it’s important to know your content, to make it clear and concise and to convey the proper tone. Be sure to practice beforehand to organize your thoughts or ideas.

Also be aware of your tone and persona in virtual meetings by videotaping yourself to see how you look and sound. Professors should prepare for online lectures just as they would on campus and try to find ways to liven them up even more online.

Pause often to be sure everyone understands what you have presented and ask if there are any questions. Poll your students or do an icebreaker to ensure everyone’s following along and staying engaged.

Students should also be prepared by knowing the professor’s expectations. By reviewing the content ahead of time, they can understand the material and stay focused.

Tip 2: Stay in Control

There are certain levels of environmental control to be aware of during your virtual conversations. Depending on your audience, you should present as formally as suggested by the circumstances and assuming they can see everything, unless you have turned your camera off. If communicating with family or friends, perhaps this won’t matter as much, but it’s good to remember.

Consider muting the audience if you’re the main speaker, otherwise mute yourself to keep background noise to a minimum while others are talking. While video chatting has helped us get closer to face-to-face interaction, it isn’t perfect. We often aren’t as attuned to the non-verbal communication that occurs during a conversation.

Set your phone somewhere out of sight, so you aren’t distracted by it and be aware of your hand movements and facial expressions to avoid making odd movements or gestures. Controlling your non-verbal cues helps keep the attention on you and your message. It also helps show you’re engaged with your audience.

Again, practicing ahead of time and checking in with your audience often will help keep things flowing and give you good control of the meeting.

Tip 3: Consider Your Clothing

Whether you’re presenting in person or online, your credibility depends, in part, on your appearance, especially in a professional meeting.

If you’re chatting with friends or family, you can wear athleisure or PJs. But, if you’re talking to your students, teachers, colleagues or employer, consider your clothing a bit further.

Putting effort into your presentation and appearance shows your dedication and respect for your audience. Your entire outfit, from head to toe, should still appear professional because you can never be sure what others may see on the other end. Decide before the meeting what would be appropriate (casual, conservative, classy) and dress for success!

Tip 4: Clear Out the Clutter

It’s important to be aware of your surroundings when setting up a live presentation or call. Find a place that’s quiet, comfortable and has good lighting and a simple background. Not only will your audience be less distracted, but you’ll be more focused as well.

Although we all see animals appearing in Zoom meetings periodically, barking dogs or tweeting birds or other distractions can impede a good presentation or meeting. In any type of communication, you want to be able to focus on both form and content.

Put animals in another room and alert household members that you’re not to be disturbed so there will be fewer unwanted interruptions. If your meeting place is visually unappealing or looks too chaotic, change the location or choose a virtual background as your setting.

Tip 5: Recap & Discuss in Your Closing

  Online or virtual communications don’t have to be impersonal or robotic. One of your primary goals as an online instructor should be to build a sense of community within your online class.

Communicating with students (or others) in an online environment requires a little more thought and planning than communicating in person. Keep in mind that less is more (no one likes sitting in a meeting for hours!) and follow the tips above to make virtual communications more efficient.

At the end of your meeting, offer a brief recap of what was discussed, when you’ll meet again and how they should prepare.

Looking for simple tweaks you can make to improve your online instruction? Check out our webinar, “Life Hacks” to Enhance Your Online Course Today.

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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How to Convert PDF to Google Slides Presentations

PDF files have long been a staple for sharing documents, but when it comes to dynamic presentations that engage audiences, Google Slides offers a wealth of interactive features. Whether you’re repurposing existing content or seeking a more collaborative platform , knowing how to convert PDF files to Google Slide presentations is a valuable skill. In this article, we’ll explore various methods and tips to seamlessly transition your static PDF documents into dynamic presentations that captivate your audience.

Why Convert PDF Files into Google Slides?

Google Slides allows you to create an interactive presentation with embedded videos, transition effects, and animations. If you already have material in PDF form, you don’t want to waste time creating the same or similar material in Google Slides. Instead, you can just implement your PDF file into the Google Slide presentation.

Another reason why you might want to convert PDF into a Google Slide is the ease of sharing. PDF files can be large and it can take quite some time to send them as an attachment via email. But if you create a Google Slide presentation you can simply share a link to it.

Google Slides also allows other people to join your work, or leave notes and feedback directly in the presentation you’re making. This way ideas can be shared in real time, in a dynamic way. Although PDF files allow you to leave comments, it’s a more static environment not suitable for collaboration.

If you’re looking to convert PDF files into Google Slide presentations, you should understand that you’ll be working with two different file formats. That’s what makes it difficult to convert PDFs to Google Slides. Essentially, they’re not compatible. So what you need to do is convert your PDF file into a file format that can be easily implemented into Google Slides Presentation such as PowerPoint or Jpeg files. Let’s see all the ways in which you can convert your PDF to Google Slide Presentations.

1. Convert PDF to PowerPoint With Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat is a PDF editor which contains some very powerful tools. You can use it to create new PDF files, edit the existing ones, convert them to different file formats, sign, and share your PDFs. The best part is that it supports both native and scanned PDF files.

You can use Adobe Acrobat to convert your PDF files to PowerPoint which can then easily be implemented into your Google Slide presentation. Here’s how:

• Open your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat.
• In the Tools section of the Ribbon located at the top left corner of the screen, select Convert .

• Select Microsoft PowerPoint from the offered file extensions.

• Finally, click the blue Convert button and wait until Adobe Acrobat finishes the task.

Now you can upload this newly made PowerPoint file into your Google Slides. Here’s how:

• Open Google Slides and create a blank presentation, or open the one you previously worked on.
• Select Files in the top left corner, and then select Import Slides .

• In the Import dialog box, select the Upload tab.

• Click the Browse button to select the PowerPoint file you previously created and import it. Alternatively, you can just drag and drop it into the import dialog box.

• Select all the slides you want to import, and then click on the Import Slides button.

And that’s it. You can now continue making your Google Slides Presentation with converted PDF files.

2. Convert PDF to PowerPoint With a Free Online Tool

If you don’t use Adobe Acrobat, some free online tools can convert your PDF into a PowerPoint file. The most popular ones are Zamzar and ilovePDF . Both these websites will convert your PDF files to high quality.

Another great thing about Zamzar and ilovePDF is that they don’t have a bunch of distracting advertisements on their web pages. Instead, they’re pretty straightforward online converters. Let’s see how online converters work taking Zamzar as an example:

• Go to the Zamzar website .
• Select the Choose Files button and select the PDF file you want to convert. This will upload the file to the website.

• In the Convert To drop-down menu, select PPT or PPTX as an output.

• Select the Convert Now button to start the conversion process.

• Once the process is finished, Download the converted file to your device.

You can import converted PPT files into Google Slides by using the same method as described in the previous section.

3. Convert PDF to an Image

You can convert your PDF files into images and then implement them into the Google Slides presentations. There are several ways you can convert a PDF into an image. Let’s check them out

1. Use Adobe Acrobat to Convert PDF to JPEG

If you decide to use Adobe Acrobat to convert your PDF into an image:

• Open your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat and go to Convert in the Tools menu.

• Select the Image Format and then choose JPEG from the drop-down menu. Select the Convert button.

2. Use an Online Tool to Convert PDF to JPEG

Zamzar and ilovePDF let you convert your PDF files into multiple file extensions, not just PowerPoint. Instead of selecting PPT or PPTX, you’ll just need to select the JPEG file format to convert to. Here’s how:

• Go to Zamzar.com.
• Upload the PDF file you want to convert to an image by selecting the Choose Files option.

• From the Convert To drop-down menu, select JPEG under the Image File section.

• Select Convert Now .

• Download the converted file to your device.

3. Take Screenshots of Your PDF to Convert to Images

If you don’t want to use Adobe Acrobat, or you prefer not to use the conversion websites, you can take screenshots of your PDF file to convert them to images. This will require some manual work on your part, but it’ll get the job done. The images you create by screenshotting your PDF file can then be used in Google Slides just like any other images.

• Open your PDF file in the Web Browser or in the PDF viewer application.
• Take a screenshot of each PDF page (or part of the page you want to use in the Google Slides presentation) by pressing the Print Screen button on your keyboard. Make sure you know where your device will save the screenshots you just took.
• If using Windows 11, pressing the Print Screen button will open up the Snipping Tool which you can use to modify the screenshot and decide where to save it on your device.

• Insert the newly created images into your Google Slide presentation.

5. Share Your PDF as a Link Within Google Slides Presentation

Google Slides lets you implement clickable links within the presentation. This can be a great way of sharing your PDF file with the audience without converting it. However, you’ll have to upload your PDF file into Google Drive first, and then share it as a link in Google Slides. But the process is very simple. Here’s how:

• Go to Google Drive and Sign in with your Google account.
• Select New from the Tools Menu in the top left corner.

• Select File Upload .

• Find and Open the PDF file you want to upload to Google Drive.

• Find the uploaded PDF file and right-click it. Select Share from the menu, and then Copy Link .

• Now go to the Google Slides presentation where you want to share the link to this PDF.
• Make sure you click the mouse cursor where you want to implement the link in the presentation. Paste the link by simply pressing Ctrl+V (Cmd + V on Mac) shortcut on your keyboard.

Converting PDF files to Google Slide presentations opens up a world of possibilities for sharing information in a more engaging and interactive manner. By following the steps outlined in this article and leveraging the power of Google Slides, you can breathe new life into your presentations, making them more dynamic, visually appealing, and impactful for your audience. So, don’t hesitate to explore the possibilities and elevate your presentation game with the seamless conversion of PDF files to Google Slide presentations.

Nicolae is a Jack of all trades technology writer with a focus on hardware, programming languages, and AI image-processing software. Over the last five years, he has ghostwritten numerous tech how-to guides and books on a variety of topics ranging from Linux to C# programming and game development. Nicolae loves everything that has to do with technology and his goal is to share his knowledge and experience with others. Read Nicolae's Full Bio

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1. Start Each Lesson with a Personal Check-In

2. use real-world examples to explain concepts, 3. optimize content for online learning, 4. leverage multimedia tools, 5. incorporate game-based learning, 6. track student progress with technology, 7. utilize formative assessments, 8. personalize your teaching, 9. foster a strong classroom community, 10. offer flexible learning paths.

Have you ever thought about how to make your online teaching better? As more classes move to virtual spaces, it’s important to learn some online teaching tips . In this blog, we’ll look at practical ways to improve your teaching skills in the digital world. Let’s dive in and discover how to excel in online teaching!

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13 Online Teaching Tips for Educators

When you’re figuring out how to teach online, one of the best online teaching tips is to kick off every session with a quick personal check-in. Ask your students how they’re doing or if they have anything interesting to share. 

This not only warms up the virtual classroom but also strengthens the bond between you and your students, creating a supportive and connected learning environment . It’s a simple yet effective tip for online teaching that makes students feel valued and ready to engage.

One of the top tips for online teaching is to anchor your lessons in the real world. By weaving real-world examples into your teaching, you make complex or abstract ideas more tangible and easier for students to grasp. 

This method not only aids understanding but also shows students the relevance of what they’re learning, making the educational experience more meaningful. Whether it’s math, science, or literature, showing how concepts apply in real life can significantly enhance students’ comprehension and interest.

It’s crucial to tailor your course material specifically for digital platforms. This means breaking down your lectures into shorter, more digestible pieces that fit the online medium perfectly. 

Such structuring not only makes the learning process more manageable for students but also boosts their engagement and retention rates. This approach is one of the best online teaching tips for creating an interactive and engaging online course.

By integrating various types of content, such as instructional videos, podcasts , and interactive simulations, you cater to different learning styles and preferences. This diversity in teaching materials not only keeps the course interesting but also helps in conveying complex concepts more clearly, ensuring that your students remain hooked and learn effectively.

Game-based learning is a powerful strategy to boost student engagement and motivation. Platforms like SplashLearn take this to the next level by transforming math and reading lessons into interactive games. This method not only makes learning more enjoyable but also allows students to understand and apply complex concepts in a fun, engaging environment. SplashLearn’s curriculum-aligned games ensure that while students are having fun, they’re also receiving a quality educational experience.

In today’s digital age, tracking student progress has become more straightforward and efficient with technology. SplashLearn offers a robust platform where educators can monitor their students’ progress in real-time. This feature is incredibly beneficial for identifying students who may be struggling with certain topics, allowing educators to provide targeted support promptly. 

Additionally, the platform facilitates the provision of timely feedback, enabling educators to quickly address students’ questions and assignments, further enhancing the learning experience. SplashLearn’s detailed reports and analytics make it easier to customize teaching strategies to meet the individual needs of each student, ensuring that every learner receives the attention and guidance they need to succeed.

Regularly integrating formative assessments like quizzes, reflection journals, or discussion prompts is crucial. These tools offer immediate feedback to students , helping you identify areas where they might be struggling. Early intervention can then be made to address these issues. It’s one of the most impactful online teaching tips and techniques, ensuring that the learning process is continuous and adaptive to student needs.

Leveraging data and analytics from your Learning Management System (LMS) is among the top online teaching tips for tailoring your approach to each student’s unique learning journey. By understanding each student’s progress, strengths, and areas for improvement, you can adjust your teaching methods to meet their individual needs, making teaching online a more personalized and impactful experience.

Creating a welcoming and inclusive online environment is crucial for building a strong classroom community. Start with ice-breaker activities, encourage ongoing group discussions, and facilitate peer feedback sessions. These strategies not only make students feel more connected but also enhance their learning experience.

One of the best ways to teach online classes is by offering flexible learning options. Allow students to dive deeper into subjects with additional resources, choose their assignment topics, or participate in optional discussions. This approach empowers students to take charge of their learning, making education more relevant and engaging for them.

11. Stay Updated on Online Teaching Practices

Continuously seeking professional development and staying abreast of the latest online teaching tools , trends, and methodologies are vital online teaching tips for educators. By dedicating yourself to lifelong learning, you ensure that your teaching strategies remain effective and innovative, providing your students with the highest quality online education possible.

12. Use Student Feedback to Adjust Teaching Methods

A crucial tip for teaching online classes is to actively seek and use student feedback. Asking your students how they feel about the teaching methods and materials gives you invaluable insights. Be ready to adapt and change your strategies based on what they tell you. This approach ensures that the learning experience is continuously improving, making it more engaging and productive for your students.

13. Promote a Growth Mindset

Encouraging a growth mindset is fundamental in teaching online effectively. Motivate your students to see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Remind them that effort leads to improvement and mastery over time. Celebrating their progress and efforts, instead of focusing solely on the outcomes, helps build resilience and a love for learning . This strategy is not just a tip for teaching online classes; it’s a powerful approach to education that empowers students to become lifelong learners.

Pros and Cons of Online Teaching 

Conclusion .

Embracing these teaching tips for online teaching can make a significant difference in your digital classroom. By incorporating student feedback, fostering a growth mindset, and adapting your teaching methods, you’re not just teaching online effectively; you’re also creating a supportive and dynamic learning environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the biggest challenge in online teaching.

The biggest challenge in online teaching is maintaining student engagement and motivation in a virtual environment, where physical cues and in-person interaction are limited. Overcoming this requires creative teaching strategies and effective use of digital tools.

Is online teaching stressful?

Yes, online teaching can be stressful, especially when adapting to new technologies, managing student engagement remotely, and balancing the demands of online lesson planning . However, with proper support and resources, this stress can be managed effectively.

Why online teaching for teachers?

Online teaching offers teachers flexibility in scheduling, the ability to reach a broader audience, and opportunities to utilize innovative teaching tools and techniques. It also challenges educators to continually adapt and improve their teaching methods, enhancing their professional growth.

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DHS partners with Meta, NFL, Boy Scouts and more to stop child sexual exploitation online

by GEOFF HARRIS | The National Desk

WASHINGTON (TND) — According to The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children , last year alone, there were more than 36 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation. That's a 12% increase from 2022.

The Department of Homeland Security is working to reduce those numbers with a new initiative.

"They're reaching them through social media. They're reaching them through online games. They're reaching them in the digital space," said Andrew Selepak, a social media professor at the University of Florida.

To try and combat child sexual exploitation online, the Federal Government created its first-ever prevention and awareness campaign called Know2Protect.

A big part of this campaign is to try and help parents, give parents resources, give schools resources, give young people resources on how to protect themselves, on how to protect their children, Selepak said.

Partnering with DHS on the campaign are Google, Meta, NASCAR, The National Football League and Boy Scouts of America along with various law enforcement officials.

Anywhere online where there are children, there will be criminals looking to target those children. Looking to connect with them," said Glen Pounder, the Youth Protection Executive for Boy Scouts of America.

But prevention is only one tier of this campaign. Pounder said making sure children know they have someone they can trust is crucial to keeping them safe online.

"It's also important for kids to know that if they make a mistake online, the parents and other adults have their back and that message is not said enough to kids," Pounder said.

The campaign will also provide both adults and children with opportunities to speak with law enforcement agents who have experience in the field to help them better understand how it starts.

"Those in-person briefings and conversations with agents that have dealt with real cases, I think that's where this, this is really powerful," said Pounder.

To report an incident, call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTipline .