Best practices for online presentations
Nowadays, online presentations are becoming more and more common, partly because of current technologies and developments in society over the last few years. The purpose of your presentation is usually to get your opinion across well and to convince people. Of course, this can be more difficult online than a normal presentation where you are in the same room as your audience. To make an online presentation as successful as one given in real life, there are a few things you can consider.
Make sure you prepare properly
These best practices for online presentations start first of all with the tip to have a good preparation, which is the first step for a successful online presentation. As with a regular presentation, this obviously includes having a good running story and a goal you want to achieve after you give the presentation. But with an online presentation, preparation involves even more. With an online presentation, you also need to make sure your internet connection is stable, as well as your microphone and camera. A convincing and inspiring PowerPoint is also important for a good online presentation. The best practice for a PowerPoint presentation is to arrange your slides so that everything is easy and clear for people watching on a small screen. For example, minimize the number of small images and the number of bullet points. Proper preparation of a PowerPoint is therefore also an important aspect.
Make sure to maintain interaction with the audience
The second best practice for online presentations, interaction is also very important when it comes to delivering a message convincingly through a presentation. Of course, what is different with an online presentation than with a physical presentation is that there is no direct contact with the audience. However, what is a good way to come across as convincing and engaging during a presentation, is interaction with the audience. Therefore, try to maintain this during your online presentation. For starters, it can help to ask everyone to turn on their camera. This way, engagement is higher and the more active attitude of the audience makes it more likely that your presentation will leave a good impact. Another way to create more interaction with the audience is to ask questions or provide a statement for discussion, for example. You can also give the audience a chance to respond to the topic and to the things you are saying.
Ensure proper time management and structure
The best practices for online presentations are completed by one last important aspect. The length and structure of your presentation is also important to keep your audience engaged and persuaded. It is important that your presentation is not too long. People’s attention span during an online presentation is generally shorter than during a physical presentation. Surely there are more distractions with the audience when they watch a presentation online. Therefore, keep your online presentation short and sweet. Therefore, also make sure your planning is well prepared because after all, you have less time to get your story across. You can also think about taking a break so that people can then go back to watching your presentation with new energy.
Hopefully, with this best practices for online presentations, you can move forward again with creating and preparing your online presentation.