Are you uncertain if you are doing a good job when it comes to your ‘to camera’ videos on Instagram and Facebook?  If you do these ten things below, people will listen to you for longer, enjoy your videos more and you’ll begin to build a reputation for being a great speaker.  You may even have your followers demanding more of your videos!

After several years of doing TV presenting for an international design brand, here are a few of my tips and tricks to make sure you’re connecting well with your audience.

 

 

1. Smile

Start your video with a smile!  Everyone is attracted to a positive and confident energy, so make sure you start off with a winning grin to win over your audience in seconds.  Banish any negative self-talk and choose to be optimistic about yourself and what you have to share with the world!

 

2. Look into the camera

Don’t make the mistake of looking at yourself on your phone’s screen while you’re filming a video where you’re addressing your audience directly.  Looking directly into the lens will help you focus more on what you’re saying and you will avoid getting distracted by your own appearance.

Eye contact is extremely engaging and will help your viewers feel like you are speaking directly to them.

3. Start with the problem

Our brains are wired to scan our environments for information that will help us survive or thrive.  If your first sentence states the problem you are going to address, you will immediately light up your viewers’ brains and keep them watching for longer as they wait for you to deliver the solution!

 

4. Get to the point

People’s time is precious. Make yourself valuable to your viewers by getting to the point quickly! State the problem you’re solving, then explain the solution to that problem and the benefits they will enjoy by solving it the way you’ve recommended.

5. Speak clearly

Be aware that your accent may make it difficult for a diverse audience to understand you. Speak slightly slower if you usually speak quickly and try to enunciate your words a little more clearly so people can easily understand what you’re saying.

6. Vary your pitch and tone

Next time you listen to the radio or a television news anchor pay attention to how they vary their pitch and tone.  Good presenters understand that creating musical highs and lows with their voices while they deliver information makes them easy to listen to and far more engaging.

The volume of your voice can also be useful to emphasise key points (a louder, more forceful volume) and to draw people in (a quieter voice or a whisper).  Using emotive tone in your voice also helps to engage your audience.

 

7. Vary your words

Avoid repeating the same words too frequently while you’re speaking: words that are repeated too often in a presentation become distracting to your listeners and break their brains’ ability to focus on your message.

8. Use your facial expressions to emphasise your words

Just like a monotonous voice is boring to listen to, a deadpan face is equally boring to look at!  Use your eyes, eyebrows and your smile – or a more serious facial expression – to help tell the story of what you’re sharing in your video.

9. Increase your gestures and movement

Studies show that speakers who use their hands frequently while speaking are rated as better speakers than those who gesticulate less often.  Try changing the position of your head slightly every now and then, too – after all, you’re not a statue!

Our brains love movement and are naturally more attracted to moving objects.

10. Groom yourself

Before you get in front of the camera, pop in front of a mirror and check your makeup, your teeth, your hair and make sure that your clothing matches the brand you’re representing.

 

Did you find these tips useful?  Share this article on your social media platforms and tag us to get a conversation started!