Tip of the Month
February 2012
written by Marya Danihel
Tools for Getting Acquainted
3 tips for using webcams and photos in online sessions
When computers started having built-in webcams, many people were eager to use them in online sessions. Wouldn’t online meetings and trainings be more like the real thing if people could see the facilitator and each other? Well, yes and no. Here are some tips for adding human interest with live video and photos while keeping an online session on track.
Turn on your webcam only at designated times
Broadcasting video is effective only when you look directly at the camera. T.V. newscasters never take their eyes off it, but they’re rarely on for more than a few minutes at a time, plus they have teleprompters! So, if you want to use a webcam, decide when you can use it without losing “eye contact” with your audience: when you’re welcoming people at the start of a session or during Q&A, for example. Rehearse these moments until you’re comfortable, and make sure that everything in the camera frame looks neat and professional.
Don’t pressure participants to broadcast their images
Even if you know that they have webcams, let people use them voluntarily, if at all. They haven’t had the advantage of rehearsing, they may be attending from home or a hotel room and not be presentable, or they may just be camera-shy.
Ask people to send you photos before the session
If your webinar is small (25 or under), you can put participants’ pictures on a slide and display it at appropriate times during the presentation. Again, introductions and Q&A sessions are probably the best times. For more impact when you’re showing photos, use an annotation tool to highlight or point to the picture of the person speaking.
To learn more tips for successful online presentations, click here.
