There are increasingly more reasons to choose online presentations today: greater distances, faster processes, or special circumstances, such as the recent global Covid-19 pandemic. Today's globalized business world operates internationally and in real time.
Once the initial technical hurdles are overcome, a new way of presenting opens up, offering endless possibilities. Here, we'll show you how to professionally stage your online presence independently, and how PowerPoint can help you do so.
Giving an online presentation: What is different compared to an in-person presentation?
Regardless of the content, presentations, both offline and online , encompass three key components: the presentation location, the audience, and the presenters. However, the function and behavior of each group change depending on whether all participants are physically present in the same location or joining remotely from home. We'll show you what you need to consider in detail here:
Online vs. Offline: Venues during the presentation
In a traditional presentation setting, you, as the presenter, usually know in advance exactly where your presentation will take place. Ideally, you already know the size of the room, the number of seats, and what technical equipment will be available. This allows you to prepare yourself and your presentation effectively for any situation.
An online presentation from home or the office works somewhat differently. Usually , the speaker will be alone in the room. The size of the room therefore becomes almost irrelevant – as does the number of seats.
It's more about a stable internet connection and whether you can even see your audience digitally. You should also test beforehand how to share your presentation slides on your audience's screens.
While headsets offer freedom of movement at in-person events, this aspect is usually completely lost when giving online presentations. However, the camera is a new element: Make sure to position yourself close to the center of your camera's view. Additionally, ensure adequate lighting. We'll provide further technical tips later in this article.
Online vs. Offline: Interaction with the audience
The audience also takes on a new role in online presentations . Simply raising a hand to ask a question is often difficult online. Furthermore, the presenter usually has to forgo emotional reactions or other direct feedback from the audience. This makes the smooth running of such an online presentation all the more important.
The goal should be to tell compelling thematic blocks within a dramatically structured storyline.
Pauses in speech, which are usually filled with questions, applause, or criticism, must be replaced by skillful transitions in an online presentation. Thorough preparation is therefore essential. In any case, the presenter is even more in the spotlight during a digital presentation than in a traditional offline one. The audience pays particular attention to body language and voice.
Online vs. Offline: The Speaker
The format of your online presentation resembles a video on your viewers' screens. Therefore, there are clearly defined screen boundaries . Everything you display within these boundaries is visible to the audience. Anything outside the screen boundaries is not only irrelevant to the presentation but is intentionally hidden.
In a traditional offline presentation setting with large halls and many attendees, eyes and the resulting attention tend to wander. In an online presentation, such external influences are eliminated – the focus is solely on you and the content being presented.
Beforehand, you should decide where you will give your presentation, what background you will choose, and how you yourself can contrast with it . Many options are possible for the background. The golden rule here is "less is more."
Of course, you don't want to simply present a blank white wall, but busy backgrounds can quickly distract from you. You are the focus of the presentation and should simply avoid distractions such as cluttered shelves, documents lying around, or folders. You can also stand out through your choice of clothing , and you should do so. Wear dark colors against a light background and vice versa . Above all, however, your personal comfort is paramount: The speaker's discomfort is always contagious to the audience.
Summary:
The biggest differences between in-person events and online lectures:
1. The focus is more on the content of the online presentation.
2. Interaction with the audience is significantly reduced.
3. Body language, and especially the voice, are gaining additional relevance.
4. The preparation process varies greatly.
Preparation in advance of your online presentation
This chapter provides a checklist of tips for preparing your online presentation. It focuses not on creating the PowerPoint presentation itself, but rather on adequately preparing the external circumstances of your presentation. You can find step-by-step instructions on how to create an online PowerPoint presentation here .
Avoid external sources of interference
Phone on silent? This rule is number one in the rulebook for all types of presentations. A ringing phone looks unprofessional and inconsiderate. With a simple click, your phone is muted, quickly avoiding this nuisance.
Especially if you're not alone in the presentation room, you should also make an effort to ensure quiet – ideally beforehand. Let your colleagues or roommates know before your online presentation that you need quiet.
Technical requirements
Unlike in-person presentations, online presentations require a microphone and, in most cases, a camera or webcam . Thoroughly test your equipment before the event. Technical problems can be disruptive and throw you off track. Avoid this hassle! More detailed tips on technical equipment are provided later in this blog post.
The presentation in PowerPoint
When giving your online presentation, ensure your slides are easy to read and logically structured. The most important keywords are often sufficient; provide the necessary context verbally – less is more. Alternatively, provide the most important background information in written form, such as a script or handout.
The speakers' outfit
If the presenter is visible during the online presentation, choosing appropriate clothing is also advantageous. While glittering or chaotically patterned clothing can quickly be distracting, more understated outfits can create a sense of visual calm.
Pay attention to your background as well. If your background is light, you should opt for darker colors, and vice versa. This creates a stronger contrast between you and the background , which is beneficial since you are the focus of the presentation.
Another trend is the use of digitally generated backgrounds that depict the speaker on Caribbean beaches, in outer space, or in a stylish office. Their use should be avoided as much as possible, especially in serious business presentations .
If so, the golden rule of high contrast applies here as well: the more you stand out from the actual background in the lecture hall, the easier it is for the software to separate you from the background and change it. Otherwise, hair or even entire limbs of the presenter may disappear when they move.
The venue for your online presentation
You should ensure that the room where you will be giving your presentation is quiet . Close the windows if there is a lot of traffic, turn off any noisy equipment that is not needed before the presentation, and inform other people in the room about your upcoming online presentation in advance.
The area behind the speaker should also be visually calm . For your own comfort, you should also pay attention to a pleasant room atmosphere. You should feel comfortable at all times during the presentation.
On your desk
Keep the desk where you sit during your presentation as clean as possible. Unnecessary objects can be distracting. Therefore, you should only have documents relevant to your presentation in front of you . You will also need a glass of water and tissues for dry, scratchy mouths and runny noses.
Giving an online presentation: Valuable tips & tricks
Basic tips for giving an online presentation
A structured presentation follows a well-thought-out storyline. It serves as a guiding thread, connecting all the key messages and added value of your presentation. Beforehand, you should ask yourself:
What do you want to achieve with your presentation? Who is your target audience? What information is absolutely essential, and what is not? How do you present all the information in a logical order and within the given timeframe?
All content in your presentation should serve your core message and intention . Anything that doesn't support your statement should be omitted. Always keep your audience in mind. Who is listening to you, and what do you want to achieve with your online presentation? The benefit to the listeners should always be the focus of your presentation.
Clearly articulating a core message is especially important for online presentations. Since all participants are usually alone at home and therefore often feel unobserved, the audience's attention often wanes more quickly than at in-person events. This makes it all the more crucial to formulate a clear call to action and emphasize it repeatedly. By the end of your presentation, the audience should know exactly what they need to do next.
The right body language for online presentations
Paradoxically, online presentations bring you much closer to your audience than a face-to-face presentation. The speaker's facial expressions and gestures are far more visible on their home screen than from the back row of a packed auditorium. Therefore, visual emotions conveyed through the face and overall body language are all the more important.
Maintain good posture and try to appear friendly and attentive . This is easiest to do at home while standing. An upright posture conveys a sense of presence and attentiveness – including to yourself.
Hectic body language not only makes the audience nervous, but also creates genuine inner restlessness in the speaker. This will sooner or later be transmitted to the listeners. Furthermore, rapid movements can lead to choppy transmissions, depending on the quality of the camera and internet connection.
Calm movements, on the other hand, help with nervousness and ensure a smooth speaking voice . Another important aspect of presentations in general is eye contact. Eye contact not only builds a connection with your audience but also increases their attention.
Establishing eye contact via camera without visual feedback can initially feel awkward. You'll occasionally glance into your webcam lens, creating a sense of familiarity and personality, even online. For self-monitoring, we recommend recording a test presentation and observing your own delivery and impact.
You can find more tips on correct body language during presentations "here" on the blog.
Giving an online presentation: Your voice, your most important instrument
To maintain your audience's attention, you should tell a compelling story in your presentation. This will be all the more convincing if you use the right tone of voice and emphasis. Monotonous presentations quickly become soporific and often don't do justice to their content.
Instead, you should use your voice as a natural instrument to your advantage: Lively speech, an appropriate speaking pace, and consciously used pauses help your audience better understand your personality. Especially in online broadcasts, speaking slowly and clearly is of utmost importance. You can find more tips on rhetoric "here" in our blog.
Involve the audience
Maintaining the audience's attention is particularly challenging during online events. Distractions are plentiful on home computers, and most are just a mouse click away. Therefore, you should involve your audience in the presentation right from the start .
A lively dialogue often generates new and even better results. Encourage your audience to ask questions in the chat or participate in quick online polls. This allows you to address new input or clarify any points of confusion during your online presentation. Active audience participation increases engagement and fosters a sense of inclusion.
If you want to address all questions that arise without interrupting your flow of speech and thought, it's best to enlist the help of moderators. Another person from your team can, for example, monitor the live chat during the online presentation or pre-sort questions from the audience and incorporate them into the presentation at appropriate points.
An alternative without a moderator is to address all questions together at the end of the presentation. This way, you avoid the risk of being thrown off track during the presentation. In any case, you should actively interact with your audience and be able to give them clear instructions.
Extra tip: Use interactive tools
To make audience interaction more varied during online presentations, a wide range of software is now available . Here, we would like to introduce you to some helpful tools that you can incorporate into your online presentation.
“Slido” : In addition to voting and surveys, it also offers live questions from the audience.
SlideLizard: Suitable for presentations, meetings, workshops, or seminars. As a subsidiary of PowerPoint, SlideLizard can be integrated into your PowerPoint presentation without having to open another application simultaneously.
"Tedme" : Specializes in conferences, lectures, and seminars. It offers interactive Q&A sessions, surveys, polls, and quizzes to engage the audience.
“Mentimeter” : Focuses on presentations and workshops and functions as a web-based service with a simple login code.
"Glisser" : For events and workshops. Interactive slides, surveys, and a social wall focus on audience interaction.
“td:wrk”: As an online voting tool, it offers the possibility to use and integrate the results of votes directly live.
"VoxVote": Free and available in numerous languages. Results can be displayed and integrated directly into your presentation slides.
“OMBEA” : The tool works closely with Microsoft, so all results can be displayed in real time on your PowerPoint slide.
"VoxR": Offers real-time polls and additional information for your audience during your presentation. All participants can click on information you have pre-defined during the online presentation – such as an agenda, maps, or other supplementary information about the event.
“feedbackr” : Real-time surveys.
"OnlineTED" : The focus is on voting in universities and other educational institutions. Free and web-based.
POLYAS : Voting, elections, and other online live voting. Suitable for analyzing the results, not for use during a live presentation. Offers a high level of security.
"Backchannel" : Offers various web-based survey options.
“Wooclap” : Focuses on school and university students. Can be used for remote learning and promotes interaction among all participants.
Socrative : Focuses on school and university students. Supports online lectures by teachers and professors. Offers surveys, interactive quizzes, tests, games, and more.
"eduVote ": Popularly used in universities and other higher education institutions. Offers several survey options.
"AhaSlides" : Used in both the business world and the classroom. Includes surveys, Q&A sessions, and other interactive features.
"Kahoot" : This is a game-based learning platform focused on schools, universities, and businesses. Content can be quizzed in a playful way, and new topics can be introduced in an engaging manner.
Giving an online presentation: Please keep it relaxed and engaging!
These days, communicating visually is commonplace: emojis and GIFs on smartphones, traffic signs, or cartoons in newspapers. Often, they are more expressive than any textual description. In presentations, the targeted use of visual media can not only help to simplify content but also to maintain attention .
Switching between different media formats within your presentation is crucial for maintaining attention. However, you should definitely avoid overdoing it: using too many visual media can eventually lead to content chaos. Therefore, every use of digital media should serve a specific purpose. It should reinforce your content, not distract from it.
You can find more tips on using and designing digital media (images, videos, animations) in our blog:
"Proper use of images in presentations"
"Inserting video into PowerPoint - Tutorial including 4 tips for creative video presentations"
"Add highlights to your presentation with a PowerPoint animation!"
Technical tips for your online presentation
Unlike in-person events, online presentations require a much greater focus on the staging of your presentation. The audience should be able to concentrate solely on your content and not be distracted by avoidable technical glitches. A solid set of basic equipment is therefore essential.
To ensure you are always clearly and distinctly understood during your online presentation, it's essential to understand the different types of microphones. You should absolutely avoid using any kind of built-in microphone on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Your voice will sound echoey or quiet, and ambient noise can easily cause unwanted background static. Therefore, you should at least use a headset, or better yet, an external microphone. External microphones include freestanding desktop microphones, like those commonly used for podcasts or radio.
There are also small clip-on microphones that allow you unrestricted mobility during your presentation. The shorter the distance between the microphone and your mouth, the lower the risk of distracting background noise.
While giving your online presentation, make sure to maintain a constant distance to avoid unpleasant fluctuations in volume. The easiest way to do this is with a lavalier microphone. Test your sound quality before the presentation by making a test call with colleagues.
To ensure your viewers can see you clearly, you should also pay attention to the type of camera you use and how you position it . These days, there are many high-quality webcams available for a reasonable price. Additionally, there are exciting apps that can transform your smartphone into a webcam when needed. Therefore, online streaming in HD resolution should be expected nowadays.
Even more important than the camera's resolution is the positioning of the presenter within the frame. You want to be the focus of the presentation, but also at eye level with your audience. Therefore, position the camera lens at your eye level .
You should position yourself as close to the center of the frame as possible, ensuring the camera angle is perpendicular. If the camera is looking down at you, you may appear smaller or "lost"; if it's looking up at you, you might seem strange or too authoritarian.
Another indicator of better image quality is proper lighting . Avoid rooms with dim lighting and low contrast. Your face should be fully illuminated. Pay attention to the intensity and warmth of the light source.
Ordinary room lamps usually produce light that is too warm, almost yellowish, while office buildings often only have harsh halogen lights. Simple photo lamps and ring lights are now widely available in a variety of designs. Dimmable lamps help you to properly regulate the intensity of your light source, thus easily avoiding overexposed faces.
Make sure to position your lamp at roughly eye level, similar to how you would position a camera. This will prevent unwanted shadows on your face and make you look motivated and refreshed. For an even more professional look, we recommend a second light source positioned slightly to the side, also directed towards you. This will minimize any remaining risk of unflattering shadows on your face.
Tip for all glasses wearers: Be careful to avoid strong reflections in your glasses. Using broad, indirect lighting is preferable to direct face lighting. Find a bright room with large reflective surfaces to illuminate – white walls, for example.
Conclusion: Shine in your online presentation!
In our article, you received a detailed introduction to the topic of digital presenting. Specifically, we examined the concrete differences between online presentations and traditional in-person events. Essentially, this focused on three key factors: the location of the presentation, the presenter(s), and the manner of interaction with the audience.
Today, flexibility is essential when presenting. Presentations often need to be spontaneously moved from large conference rooms to digital platforms in home offices. If you follow our tried-and-tested tips and tricks, you'll never break a sweat.
Throughout this article, you've received technical advice on setting up your space, background, equipment, and yourself. With the right lighting, the right microphone, and engaging, multimedia interaction with your audience, nothing stands in the way of a successful next online presentation.
Should you require further tips or personalized content and advice, please don't hesitate to contact us! We are happy to assist you with any other PowerPoint-related matters. Please feel free to email us at becker@presentationload.de . We look forward to hearing from you!