Displaying items by tag: presenting online

Mastering the Art of Presenting to Camera: Media Training Tips for Confidence & Impact

Presenting to camera can feel intimidating, but with the right techniques, you can own the screen with confidence. Whether you're giving a media interview, recording a corporate video, or hosting a webinar, camera presence is a skill you can master. At The Presenter Studio, we specialize in media training that helps professionals communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact.

Here’s how to present to camera like a pro:

1. Think of the Camera as Your Best Friend

The biggest mistake people make? Seeing the camera as a cold, intimidating lens instead of a trusted friend. Shift your mindset—imagine you're talking to someone who genuinely supports and listens to you.

This simple trick helps with nerves, energy, tone, and pace. When you feel relaxed, your delivery becomes more engaging and natural.

2. Interviews: Who Are You Talking To?

In an interview setting, there are always three people in the conversation:

1. The interviewer – the person asking the questions.
2. The audience – the viewers at home or online.
3. You – the expert delivering the message.

Where Should You Look?

• Looking at the interviewer? This makes the conversation feel intimate and authentic.
• Looking at the camera? This creates a direct connection with your audience, making them feel spoken to personally.

Decide before the interview which approach works best for the format and your message.

3. Don't Shout! The Mic is Doing the Work

A common mistake in presenting to camera is over-projecting. If the camera is far away, you might instinctively raise your voice—but remember, if you’re mic’d up, you don’t need to.

Speak at a natural volume—your mic will capture every word. ✔ Focus on tone and clarity rather than volume. ✔ Avoid sudden changes in pitch that can sound unnatural on playback.

Check out the media training courses we run here:  https://www.presenterstudio.com/business-presenter-training/media-training

Over the last couple of years we have done a lot of coaching for clients on how to present online, for zoom presentations, online events, hybrid events or simply work meetings and catch ups.  

So here are 5 top tips and tricks on how to come across more confident and professional when presenting online.  

1 Eyeline is hugely important.  Make sure you look down the lens and not at the other people on the screen.  If you look down the lens it will make your audience think you are looking at them. If you look at the other people on the screen your eyeline will be off, and so if can come across cold and disengaged – often without you even realising it.   And think of the camera as a friend – not the camera – it will help with your pacing, choice of language, tone, script…

2 Make sure your camera is at a height where you are looking straight forwards.  You don’t want to look down at your audience which makes you come across as self important, and you don’t want to look up at your audience as this gives them the power.  You want to look straight ahead.  So get some books.  Or a stand and elevate your laptop so you can look directly at your audience.  

3 Look at your background – plain works best as you don’t want something that will detract from you – and wear an outfit that contrasts the background, so you pop on screen. 

4 Energy – the camera always dilutes what you do – so connect with your presentation, bring your words to life, and smile – if you want to be engaging you need to be engaged with what it is you are saying.  So watch your energy.  Be you on a good day.  

5 And finally once you go live remember you are indeed live.  So have a script and a plan for that.  If you need to let people know you are waiting for everyone to log on etc be clear with your language.  Once you are in vision your presentation has started!   Too many people fumble around at the top – can you see me, can you hear me, checking their camera height etc…this can create a really amateur impression, and first impressions are so important.  

Hope you’ve found this useful.  I’ve been Gareth Davies from The Presenter Studio.

To find out more information of what we do, and how we can help you get in touch. 

Check out our website - www.presenterstudio.com 

Email us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Or give us a call. 0208 677 7143

We loved working with the guys at SEGA this week – looking at their monthly meetings and how to make them work online.  Like so many companies lots of communications has turned to the likes of Teams or Zoom. 

It’s great to see the guys at SEGA wanting to make sure these sessions feel as dynamic as when they were in person.   So we workshopped lots of ideas around how these sessions can be shaped and we also put the ideas into practise.  

It was so great to see the ideas come to life, and the guys at SEGA embracing change and wanting to make their monthly meetings the go to event for all of their staff.  

Congratulations guys on some great learning.  We look forward to hearing about all the results. 

If you are presenting online in whatever form and want to be better – give us a shout.  We can help!  

Presenting online can be very different to presenting in person.  And there are lots of additional factors to consider...

We've been helping our clients in lots of different online situations - how to present and produce their monthly meetings; how to deliver a presentation online; how to pitch for business online; how to speak at an event onlne...

Everything we do is tailormade to each client, and the type of work you are doing.  But if you are looking for some general tips and tricks to presenting online on platforms like ZOOM this will help:  

1.  PERSONALITY:  Don't think of yourself as a presenter.  Think of yourself as a personality.  This is your presentation.  Your speech.  Your event.  So think how do you want to come across - it's what we call finding your personal brand.  

2.  YOUR SCRIPT:  Getting your ingredients right is crucial to any presentation.  Write in your voice and avoid corporate jargon.  

3.  DON'T HIDE BEHIND SLIDES:  You want to be full screen.  Don't hide behind slides - they detract from you and will pull focus. Use visuals for impact only - and use them wisely.  

4.  YOUR SHOT: It's what we call in TV 'a medium close up'.  Or an MCU.  You want to be looking down the lens.  Front lit.  And speaking to the viewer.  

5.  FORMAT:  All content needs shape.  Structure.  So think of your presentation as something you can divide up into sections.  Create an impactful intro - no more than 30 seconds.  Then section things out into timed segments to you take your viewer on a journey.

And lastly have fun!  Presenting is an excting opportunity.  It's a great opportunity to communicate.  So think 'how can I bring my content to life' so you engage the viewer.  

And if you want to find out how we can help you drop us an email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.