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Just a ‘talking head’ on screen is often boring to look at. A webinar takes too long for that static formats. It’s therefore a good idea to use more presentation tools. Which ones work well and how do you apply them?

The presenter

Of course, without a good presenter, a webinar is an ordeal to watch. The good news is: you can learn how to present. That’s why at Online Seminar we always offer presentation training to new speakers. Not everyone naturally feels comfortable in front of the camera. But when you get used to it, most people will do pretty well. Practicing helps a lot, as does good preparation. Know what you are going to say, what kind of questions you can expect and how the webinar is structured. And don’t be afraid to make mistakes, that’s human. Just admit the mistake and move on.

Your slide deck

Many companies opt for a slide deck. A good choice, because a slide deck gives the viewer something to hold on to during the webinar and extra clarification. But make sure the slides are clear. We see that many companies often use far too much text on their slides. This creates the risk that a participant no longer focuses on your story, but reads the text on the slide instead.

That’s a pity, because the slides are only meant to support the story. The strength of the message lies in the spoken presentation.

Therefore, keep the following options in mind when creating the slide deck:

• A slide with bullet points. Do not use more than 3 bullet points per slide. Each bullet point should have a maximum of five words.
• OR show a quote
• OR use an image that supports the message

It’s a good idea to alternate these options. This way, you create dynamics in the presentation.

Video in the presentation

We see more and more companies use videos. They are often used to introduce a topic or as an additional source of information. Please make sure that the video is not too long. It is also a good idea to keep the presenter in the picture while showing the video. This ensures that the viewer is not confused as to whether the webinar is still going.

The extra webinar tools

The value of a webinar compared to a video is that you can communicate directly with the viewer. This can be done via chat, polls or a call to action. Make sure you use these tools. A viewer appreciates that and it makes him or her feel involved. Webinars with a relatively high level of interaction get better evaluation figures, according to our data. Moreover, these extra tools also generate important insights. As a company, you can use them for future webinars or in marketing.

Our advice is to insert an interaction moment every 5 minutes. This can be a poll question or a test. Participants like to be activated. This makes the presentation more lively and emphasizes the fact that everything is live. It also ensures that as few people as possible drop out during the broadcast.