Presenting over the Web, instead of in person, can offer many benefits – reduced travel costs and increased convenience for participants, just to name a few.  But, effectively conveying information to a remote audience can be a challenge for even the most seasoned presenters.  What works well in face-to-face sessions may be ineffective in a Web venue and you should think about altering your presentation style accordingly.

Great online presentations.

Here are some things to consider when delivering presentations to an online audience.

1. Keep it Short and Sweet

When you’re presenting in person, you’ve got a captive audience.  But, Webcast participants are either at home or in their offices, leaving room for many distractions like ringing phones, knocks at the door, or the temptation to perform other work while they’re listening to you speak.  Therefore, your discussion should be shorter than usual, 30 minutes maximum plus time for questions and answers, to avoid potential interruptions. If you find you can’t cut down your presentation then think about employing some of these other techniques to keep your audience engaged.

2. Use Stronger Voice Inflections

Remember, your audience can’t see you.  You won’t be able to use hand gestures, facial expressions, or body language for emphasis.  All you’ve got is your voice.  So, use a stronger tone and more prominent inflections than you normally would, to make sure key points get across.

3. Keep It Interactive

It’s harder to keep your audience engaged when everyone is scattered across multiple remote locations, so speaking non-stop for a half hour, then saving Q&A until the end may not be the best approach.  Take polls or surveys, ask questions, or solicit input at various points throughout the presentation.  This type of ongoing interaction will keep attendees interested until the end of your session.

4.  Eliminate Background Noises

Your cell phone rings.  An email or pending appointment alert sets off a loud chime.  A colleague enters your office, without knocking, and begins speaking.  Day-to-day background noise in your office can be annoying and distracting to your audience – and your microphone will pick up all of it.  Be sure to turn of any phones, intercoms, alerts, or other noise-making mechanisms, and hang a “do not disturb” sign on your door, before you start presenting.

5. Check Your Equipment Ahead of Time

If your equipment fails while you’re presenting in person, you’ve got other ways to communicate.  But when you’re hosting a Webcast, your options are limited in the event of a technical disaster.  That’s why its so important to do a “test run” of your presentation several hours before your session, to ensure that your slides have uploaded properly, and that your microphone and other equipment are all in working order.

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