Tips for Giving an Engaging Virtual Presentation

December 10, 2024 by Valerie Kirk

7 min to read

An online student watching a virtual presentation

It’s estimated that 77% of the adult population experiences glossophobia, or the feeling of some level of anxiety when it comes to public speaking. Despite this, public speaking and giving presentations is common for people in the working world. Being able to develop and give effective presentations is a soft skill that many employers look for in job candidates. Many colleges also require students to take a public speaking course as part of their general education requirements.

For students who attend school online, they too come across moments where they will need to give a presentation in front of the class, glossophobia or not.

In-Person vs. Virtual Presentations

Giving a presentation, whether virtual or in-person, is like giving a performance. The speaker must not only convey information, but they also need to engage their audiences.

The speaker leads the audience through their presentation, expressing ideas, delivering key messages, and including any calls to action in logical, memorable, and inspiring ways.

But whether a speaker is giving a virtual presentation or one in front of an audience, there can be just as many similarities as differences.

Audience Focus: Content vs. Speaker

In a virtual presentation, the audience focuses more on the content of the presentation, as they usually can only see the slides or other visual aids rather than on the speaker themselves. During in-person presentations, the audience focuses more on the speaker. Audiences may not read a lot of content on the slides, as they could be caught up in watching the speaker’s gestures or facial expressions.

Distractions

Audiences in virtual presentations have more distractions that can take them away from the presenter. It’s easy to multi-task or walk away from a computer screen when listening to a virtual presentation.

In-person presentations are not without their own distractions. Audience members may speak to each other while the speaker is presenting, pass notes, or look at something else in the room. Unlike in a virtual presentation, in-person presentations run the risk of distracting the speaker as much as the audience.

Speaker Confidence

Giving a virtual presentation can be less intimidating than giving an in-person presentation, especially for students who have a fear of public speaking, because they are usually presenting from an environment where they feel safe and comfortable. Students often have a bit more control when presenting virtually, such as having their notes and research at hand or creating their own backdrop.

During in-person presentations, the audience primarily looks at the speaker, which could cause more anxiety for people who aren’t comfortable with public speaking since they can see exactly how many people they are speaking in front of. The environment could also be a factor, especially if they are speaking in an auditorium or on a stage where they need to be aware of how loud their voice is, or if they need to present without notes to help them stay on track.

Tips for Online Students Giving Virtual Presentations

1. Organize the content in a logical way.

Students can approach building a presentation the same way that they write a research paper or other writing assignment-- with an outline.

A presentation outline typically includes an opening statement, the goals of the presentation, supporting points and key messages, a conclusion, and a call to action. By approaching the presentation this way, students can remember to include all of the information they would like to convey.

2. Practice, practice, practice.

The old saying that practice makes perfect is also true for giving presentations. Students should practice their presentation several times before the big day. Running through the presentation beforehand—even if it is just to themselves—can help them feel comfortable with the topic and the virtual presentation platform.

Practicing can also help them deliver their content in a way that doesn’t sound like they are reading off of a script, which can be boring for the audience. Students can practice voice inflections and learn how to remove repetitive filler words like “um” and “you know.” They can also hear how their words sound and work on any words or phrases that may be hard to pronounce.

If a student does not have a friend or family member to practice with, they might want to try recording themselves giving the presentation. That way, they can keep an eye on their mannerisms and vocal inflections as well as their camera and microphone quality. That way, they have time to make adjustments, if needed.

3. Keep track of time

It’s easy to read through slides quickly, especially when students just want the presentation to be over. But speaking too fast can lead to audiences missing crucial information or not having enough time to fully absorb what they are hearing.

To keep from speaking too fast, students could keep a timer or a clock nearby to watch how much time has passed for each section. If they are meant to give a ten-minute presentation and are halfway through at the two-minute mark, they can slow down and take their time with the rest of the presentation.

Conversely, a student may present too slowly by spending too long over-explaining each point they want to make. While practicing their presentation, students can make notes to themselves for how long each slide should take for one less thing to worry about.

4. Dress for success.

Even if the audience will only see the speaker’s head and shoulders, dressing for success helps students feel more confident and professional, which will shine through in their presentation.

Instead of wearing a hoodie and pajama bottoms, students should consider wearing a nice top, remove any hats, and brush their hair. When students look professional, they feel professional, which can boost their self-esteem. Dressing professionally also helps build trust with the audience, who are more likely to listen and engage when the speaker looks professional.

5. Choose a nice background.

Audiences in virtual presentations see the speaker – and their background. Many virtual platforms offer the ability to create a digital background to hide personal spaces. Presenters can also blur their background, which helps the audience focus on them instead of whatever is behind them.

If the platform doesn’t have these features, then students should look at what shows in the background while they are practicing. They can then remove anything that is too personal or distracting or change locations to a more neutral presentation place.

6. Eliminate distractions.

Students can eliminate distractions by putting phones and other devices on mute. If they have pets, they should find a place to present where the pet won’t be a distraction. It can also be helpful to hang a sign on the front door asking delivery drivers and other visitors not to ring the doorbell.

7. Get the audience involved.

Getting the audience involved can keep them engaged in a virtual presentation. Students can ask questions during their presentation, then select a user to answer or have audiences answer in the chat.

If they know who will be attending their presentation in advance, they can send a survey related to their topic and share the results in their presentation. They can also use fun online games or quick audience survey tools like Kahoot to get the audience involved.

8. Have someone available in case technical issues arise.

It’s hard to prepare for technical issues that could arise while giving a virtual presentation. Learning Coaches or other trusted adults should try to be available during the student’s presentation to help them if technical issues arise. They can also monitor the chat if the student uses it to engage the audience during their presentation.