How to present to camera

One of the most challenging and perhaps daunting elements of creating video content is appearing on camera, particularly if you haven’t worked on any projects like this before. Venturing into video content creation can be difficult if you don’t know where or how to begin. Through your video production you want to make sure that you communicate the right message in the right way and come across as confident and knowledgeable. While you communicate what you want to say you also have to work to differentiate your business from your competitors, even more so if they are also delivering high quality video content. There are lots of things that you can do as a presenter to strengthen your message, enhance the way you communicate and improve how your intended audience understand and receive your content. Above all you should try to create video content that your audience will enjoy.

Whether you are an experienced presenter, or you are just getting started, you can take a number of steps to instantly improve your presentation skills while increasing your confidence too.

#1 Dress Correctly

There are so many places that your video may appear. Perhaps it is for your website or maybe you want to post it on social media, wherever you decide to publish your content, first impressions are formed within the first few seconds. Therefore, an important step in the planning of your video content is to decide how you will dress and style yourself to make an impact with the audience. Your appearance can determine how difficult or easy it is for people to watch your content. Work with your video production company to determine what backgrounds will be used and then dress accordingly.

#2 Poise and Calmness

Even the most experienced presenters become tired after attempting a number of takes on the same piece of content. If you would like to remain as engaging as possible for your audience, it is important to take regular breaks between takes to refresh and renew your energy and enthusiasm. The more relaxed and confident you are, the more effectively you will come across. One of the best things that you can do to boost your confidence is to know your script inside out. The more you know your script, the less robotic you will seem and the more natural you will come across. Being completely comfortable with what you are saying also allows you to add a little of your personality into the content.

#3 Work on your Script

Presenting to camera well depends on a strong script. One of the most important elements of your video is the content of your script. Whether this means practicing it frequently before you take the video or memorising it word for word, there are lots of techniques that you can use to work on your script. When it comes to the day of production, it is very important that you can adapt your script to reflect a more relaxed and natural tone. As you deliver the information on your video you want to come across as being authentic as possible.

#4 Think Small

People will lose interest if your video production turns into a lecture. When you are preparing your material, it is important to divide it into small segments. This will not only help to strengthen your message, but it will provide your viewers with shorter, more valuable pieces of content.

#5 Body Language

When presenting on camera, non-verbal communication is also important. As you present, consider your facial expressions, gestures and posture can all have an impact on how you are conveyed. Think about how you will position yourself as you speak, will you sit or stand? Slouching or leaning don’t really convey the right impression. There are lots of creative ways that can help your posture such as sitting on a stool or walking. When reviewing the footage look specifically at any unintentional gestures that are awkward or any that confuse the meaning of what you are trying to communicate.

#6 Presentation Material

Once you have your script polished and perfected, a mistake that many people make when recording, particularly those who are new to video production is to read their presentation material. This can seem awkward, unnatural and won’t come across as being professional. It also leads to disengagement with your audience. Make sure that you know your script well before the video so that you can communicate what you want to say naturally and in a conversational tone rather than it coming across as though you have memorised, and you are reciting what you have learned word for word. It also helps to be familiar with the topic that you are discussing.

#7 Positivity

When presenting on camera it can be all too easy to become very aware of your flaws. Over time self criticism can result in lack of confidence and less enthusiasm. Get into the habit of looking for at least one positive in each take. Reflecting on what you have done well often produces a better end product and it will allow you to enjoy the process a little more.

Whether you are an experienced presenter or someone completely new to the world of video production, it can be difficult to put yourself out there and publish video content that your audience will love. By following the above techniques and strategies you will develop your confidence and build a level of trust in your audience that they will understand what you are trying to communicate. Above all you have to be confident with the material that you publish whether it is a brief explainer video or an in depth guide or tutorial. The way in which you present can communicate a lot about a business. A confident presenter with a well developed script, combined with lots of energy and enthusiasm will deliver a much better final video than someone who simply reads from a script and shows little enthusiasm about what they are discussing.

How to present to camera