28 Elements All Professionals Should Consider to Help Master the Art of Virtual Presentations

In the digital age, mastering virtual presentations is crucial, so we've gathered insights from founders, CEOs, and other experts to elevate your next online meeting. From facilitating conversations instead of monologues to explaining platform basics and practicing accessibility, explore these 28 diverse strategies to enhance your virtual presentation skills on platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts.

Facilitate Conversations, Not Monologues

Think of your presentation as a discussion. How well you deliver a virtual presentation is not dependent on having the perfect script or rehearsing over and over. It lies in your ability to facilitate a conversation. Presentations come with a lot of pressure, and if you consider yourself leading a discussion, the presentation will flow more naturally. You will become more confident and make others comfortable as well.

Allow people to ask questions and voice their agreement or hesitation. The audience wants to understand, to be heard, and to share their thoughts. The longer you continue presenting without allowing feedback, the more you risk deviating from what your audience wants to hear. With time, you will enhance your skills and find presentations to be less stressful.

Tanya Slyvkin, Founder & CEO, WhitePage

Adopt a "Less is More" Slide Approach

"What's the point of this slide?" is my guiding mantra for the 21,000+ pages of executive presentations I've designed over the past seven years. Almost every client gives me overcrowded pages because everything seems important to them at first.

People do not want more information; we are practically drowning in a digital sea of information every single day. Stripping down each page to its core components shows care for the time and focus of your audience, and they can feel it.

After I discuss core messages, goals, and the audience with a client, I clean up the deck slide by slide: breaking down busy slides into two or three pages, editing titles to make them concise and bold, highlighting one to four key data points in large font, and adding high-quality images for visual engagement and retained attention. The rest of the content can be in a much smaller size or, better yet, turned into verbal notes.

The audience doesn't read big paragraphs during live meetings; they are listening to you, so don't distract them with visual noise. Dare to cut down your content for maximum impact on the people on the other side of the screen.

Anastasia Bachykala, Sr. Presentation Specialist, The New York Times

Use Green Screen for Professional Visuals

To enhance your virtual presentation skills, use a green screen to seamlessly integrate your slides, creating a polished and professional appearance that is visually compelling and easier for your audience to follow. Presenting while standing is more impactful than sitting at your desk, plus you won't end up in a small window next to your slides.

Also, aim for more dynamic gestures compared to physical presentations. The limited frame of a webcam can make your movements appear less noticeable, so slightly exaggerated gestures help convey your enthusiasm and keep the audience engaged. However, balance is key; avoid being overly animated to prevent distraction. Use clear, deliberate movements to emphasize key points and maintain a natural, engaging presence.

Maria Papacosta, Co-Founder, MSC Marketing Bureau

Bring Intentional Energy to Virtual Rooms

One tip that I often share with my clients regarding improving their presentation skills, particularly on virtual platforms, is being mindful of the energy that they bring into the room. They need to be intentional with picking how they want to leave the audience feeling. For example, if they want to leave the participants feeling inspired, then the energy they bring needs to be anchored in something uplifting, which needs to be matched by their body, voice, and gestures.

Another component that builds on the energy is involving the audience. Following the example of inspiring the participants, you might ask them to give you a virtual high-five, share an emoji, or give you their most excited face to the camera. It's not only about how you show up in the virtual space but how you engage the participants in a way that aligns with your intention for the meeting, which should be clear and predetermined.

Carolina Caro, CEO, Conscious Leadership Partners

Embrace Authenticity Over Perfection

Remove the pressure of seeking perfection from presenting, and you'll find yourself focusing more on what matters: your ability to reach and ultimately win over your audience. Connections happen best when you're just being yourself and permitting yourself to fail.

Technology will ultimately fail you, so expect that something wonky will likely happen whether you're in person or giving a virtual presentation on Zoom, Teams, or Hangouts. Put your best imperfect foot forward and let the content, your authenticity, and your personality do the rest of the legwork. There's no point in trying to control the uncontrollable.

Mia Fanning, Chief Content Officer, UGC Creator & Brand Strategist, House of Bequest

Design Slides With Focus in Mind

Good presentation skills on virtual platforms actually begin with compelling slide design. A good presenter must design for focus first. Slides are even more important now that the presenter is visually sidelined. Without a physical presenter in the room, and with the presentation closer to their faces, audience members are likely looking at your slides much more carefully.

Edmund Monk, CEO, The Learning and Performance Institute

Learn From Diverse Virtual Presentations

Go to a ton of virtual presentations. You can learn so much about what works and what doesn't by watching other presenters, especially those who use platforms besides the common Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts. I have learned many audience-engagement tricks and ways to improve how I present from other speakers and trainers.

Our LinkedIn feeds are filled with offers for free and low-cost webinars and talks—sign up for ones led by various people on different topics. Not only will you learn more, but you'll also be exposed to tips and tactics that other presenters use to engage their audiences.

Cecilia Gorman, Management Training Consultant, Manager Boot Camp

Choose Aesthetic, Real Backgrounds

The power of a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing background that's actually real goes such a long way. I've had so many comments on my fireplace background. It provokes a feeling of luxury, but is timeless and approachable, and it puts others at ease. I'm a big proponent of real backgrounds.

Please, please, please don't have a bed in your background, no matter how nice your bedroom may be.

Claudia Fulga, Founder & Executive Coach, Claudia Fulga

Connect With Your Camera

My tip for boosting your virtual presentation skills is to really connect with your camera.

For our company, where every detail in communication matters, I've learned that engaging directly with the camera as if it were a room full of people changes everything. Instead of just talking to a lens, envision that you're having a conversation with each person watching.

This tweak enhances your eye contact and personalizes your presentation. Through regular practice of this technique, I've noticed a dramatic improvement in how audiences receive and react to our messages—it feels more like an in-person interaction. This small adjustment has actually significantly elevated the quality and effectiveness of our virtual meetings.

Ruth Jennifer Cruz, Product Manager, Wolf King USA

Incorporate Interactive Elements

One effective way to improve your virtual presentation skills is to engage your audience with interactive elements such as polls, Q&A sessions, and breakout rooms. This helps maintain attention and encourages participation, making your presentation more dynamic and engaging.

Sanjana Thakur, Content Specialist, QASource

Strategize Your On-Camera Appearance

Pay very close attention to your appearance when on camera in virtual presentations. Your image is a credibility builder and can be an impactful way to stand out and be memorable in virtual spaces. Studies show that the brain processes visual cues 60,000 times faster than what you say in your presentation, so your hair, makeup, grooming, and clothing color choice need to be strategically chosen. These factors also communicate silently to the viewer about your care and attention to detail in your work. It's human nature to judge visually. Make it an asset instead of a distraction to boost whatever message you are presenting.

Michele Charles Gustafson, Certified Image Consultant & Confidence Coach, Hue And Style Image Consulting

Exude Executive Presence With Body Language

Make sure you exude executive presence by ensuring you are positioned properly. Body language accounts for 55% of the initial impression one makes. Nonverbal communication is a great tool to help you stand out from the crowd. When listening, nod thoughtfully to show you are engaged. Position yourself so that you are centered in the frame and visible from just below your shoulders to the top of your head. For the most flattering shot, make sure your camera is not looking up at you from below. Don't forget to sit up straight; slouching will make you seem unprofessional, sloppy, and overly casual.

Think about taking up one-third of the screen (1/3 on the left side, 1/3 on the right side).

Sit up tall, face the camera, and focus your eyes on the camera. In virtual communication, "eye contact" is achieved by looking directly into your camera, not at your audience. Looking at your screen will make you appear as though you are looking down, making your listener feel disconnected. While it may be necessary to look at your screen intermittently, try to focus your gaze on your camera the majority of the time.

Additionally, good diaphragmatic breathing is impossible to achieve if you're slouched over. Imagine a string running from your tailbone, through your spine, and out the top of your head, with a gentle force pulling from above. Keep your shoulders relaxed, and your chin level with the floor. When you sit tall and allow adequate breath support, you will be able to exude good vocal presence, which will show confident communication.

Nonverbal communication is harder to read through a computer screen. Use expressive, yet natural, facial expressions as you speak, and use gestures to highlight your point. Of course, don't forget to smile! Smiling and using gestures when speaking will help you to appear enthusiastic and pleasant.

The shift to working remotely was sudden, but now that we've had time to adjust, we can have fun with it. Virtual communication allows us to connect with people all around the world.

Jayne Latz, President, Corporate Speech Solutions, LLC

Make Virtual Events Interactive

Because it's so easy for people to tune out during online meetings and presentations, taking the "I talk, you listen" approach doesn't work well. Improve your virtual events by making them more interactive. Consider taking breaks for audience reflection and questions, polling the audience, and hosting quizzes with prizes (or bragging rights). Trust me, it'll make a world of difference!

Laura Foley, Executive Presentation Specialist, ISC2

Integrate Quality Audience Interactivity

Don't be a "sage on a stage"; involve your audience and limit your talk time by incorporating quality interactivity with your virtual audience! Don't rely solely on chat or emoji reactions. Find an excellent interactive program to integrate with your presentations. Several good interactive-building programs are available, and finding one that works for you and your team could be a big key to making the presentation more impactful and enjoyable for the audience.

My team uses Slido in our presentations to enhance engagement and effectiveness. Slido allows presenters to incorporate real-time polls, which can instantly gauge audience understanding and opinions on the discussed topic. This immediate feedback helps presenters tailor their content on the fly, ensuring it remains relevant and engaging to their audience.

Slido's Q&A feature can democratize audience participation by allowing attendees to ask questions anonymously. This often leads to a higher volume of questions and more candid discussions, as participants may feel more comfortable voicing their thoughts without the spotlight on them.

Additionally, Slido can facilitate more significant interaction through fun, live quizzes; creating word clouds; long-text answers; ranked-choice answers; and ratings, making long-distance learning more dynamic and helping memorably reinforce key presentation points.

Jim Biggs, Lead Instructional Designer/Virtual Trainer, Resident

Solicit Feedback on Presentation Elements

Is your virtual presentation distracting? Get honest feedback on your background, tech, and attire. We're all a little nosy—so don't tempt us with your extensive book collection or that shiny trophy from high school. As for your pets, keep Fido and Fluffy off-screen. They'll steal our hearts and attention.

Aim for an appealing, simple, real-life background when possible so the focus is mainly on you!

Finally, don't show up as if you are going to be playing pickleball! Dress the part, be authentic, and match your message.

Carol Ann Small, International Stress & Life Balance Expert, Motivational Humorist, VMP Virtual Master Presenter, CarolAnnSmall.com

Establish Virtual Eye Contact

Looking directly at your camera lens instead of the video frames on the screen establishes eye contact with your audience. Complement this with expressive hand gestures and intonations to make your presentation more dynamic and personable, and feel less like a talking headshot on screen.

Additionally, familiarize yourself with the meeting platform and use interactive elements like polls, private group discussions, Q&A, closed captions, etc., to enhance accessibility and participation.

Jefflin Persis, Communication Consultant

Make Presentations Conversational

Consider the attendees' perspectives and make the presentation a conversation. Since it's challenging to know if you are holding an audience's attention, take frequent breaks and ask if anyone has questions or feedback on the content just presented. Call on people to ensure they understand your subject matter by asking open-ended questions that allow them to contribute to the conversation and engage with others. This creates a more intimate presentation that mimics a coffee chat or roundtable.

Catherine Calame, Marketing and Communications Strategist

Invest in Quality Presentation Tools

Your presentation and appearance matter significantly in virtual presentations on platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts, even more so than in standard in-person meetings, since virtual presentations can be recorded and rewatched again and again in the future. Because of the heightened importance of visual and oral presentation, speakers must invest in a ring light and a high-quality audio-capturing device.

In addition, hair and makeup must be prepared, planned, and applied in advance of the presentation. Being fully prepared means having a filmed rehearsal in advance of the presentation and reviewing the film with a colleague to ensure a clear delivery with well-lit visuals.

Robert Conner, Manager, Media Relations Lead, Scott Circle Communications

Create Memorable Visual Aids

In any presentation, virtual or in-person, it's easy for people to forget what you talked about. To combat this, focus on creating at least one visual that will stick in your audience's mind.

Visual aids are powerful tools for reinforcing your message and making your presentation memorable. They help break down complex information and make it easier for your audience to understand and retain key points.

Some of the visuals I tend to use are one of the following:

• Charts and Graphs – I use these when I want to illustrate data and trends clearly.
• Images and Infographics – I've found that a well-designed infographic or a striking image can convey concepts quickly and effectively.
• Videos and Animations – These can add dynamic elements to your presentation, making it more engaging.

Lisa Frank, Marketing Specialist, AM Industrial Group

Practice Key Points and Anticipate Questions

To enhance your virtual presentation skills, one essential tip is to practice beforehand. Even as someone who regularly presents, I always take time to rehearse my key points and anticipate questions I might face. For example, before sharing a detailed dashboard report with a client, I make sure to thoroughly review the data to present it accurately and prepare for any questions they might have.

Paula Glynn, Director of Search Marketing & Digital Strategy, Pixelstorm

Manage Vocal Variety for Engagement

Unfortunately, many people neglect the influence of vocal variety—of tone, timbre, and variation—in keeping people engaged on Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts.

Think of a first-aid instructor giving lifesaving instructions in a flat monotone—it's hard to listen and even harder to remember the details. It's the same with presentations. A lack of vocal variety entails a flat, draggy delivery that has the power to put your audience straight to sleep, diminishing the impact of your content. Actively managing your vocal pitch, volume, pace, and tone is a great way to ensure that your audiences stay alert, and your main points are remembered.

Bringing some vocal variety into your presentation is actually quite easy. First of all, change your pace. Don't speed through your presentation. Be natural with each sentence's pauses, using them to emphasize important content. Secondly, play with your volume. Speak up when you have a key message and lower your voice when you have a dramatic point, or something that is confidential. But, probably the most important way to bring more vocal variety into your presentation is by changing your pitch. Adding an inflection to your voice will give more emphasis or feeling to what you're saying.

Derek Bruce, HR, Operations Director, First Aid at Work Course

Prioritize Engaging Presentation Material

Regarding virtual presentation skills, there are many things to consider, such as appearance, the material, body language, technical aspects, background, and more. Virtual presentations are more challenging than in-person presentations due to the difficulty of keeping the audience's attention and ensuring good audio and visuals. Of all the crucial aspects of a virtual presentation, the one that needs the most improvement is the material presented.

I focus on the material because it is the reason for the entire virtual presentation. The audience is always one click away from changing tabs. They can listen to you, and at the same time, they can surf the web and order takeout or something from Amazon. If the content doesn't interest them, they'll skip it, and all your hard work goes to waste.

To keep the audience engaged, one should not use the rules of a physical presentation, which is a static presentation, but rather include animations or manipulate the content in such a way that it keeps the audience's attention. It could include practices like having points appear sequentially on one slide rather than displaying all of them at once. Similarly, for graphs, the focal point should stand out compared to others, using bold colors and varying image sizes while keeping things readable and concise.

Abdullah Ahmed, Digital Marketing Strategist, Reactree

Record and Review Your Virtual Presence

One of the key ways to improve your virtual presentations is to record yourself on those platforms to see how you show up. Conduct a short presentation and then go back to review it to see what type of message you're portraying to your audience.

First, review it with the sound off. How is your body language? Is it portraying confidence, and are you sending the right message to your audience that you're an expert? Check that you're framed in the camera correctly, that all of your head and face is showing up. Check to ensure you're centered and when you speak that you're looking at the camera so it appears you're looking directly at the other person.

Then turn the sound on and close your eyes. How do you sound? Again, are you coming across as someone who is confident and sounds like an expert, or do you hear something else? Is your sound crisp, or is it choppy, which could mean you're either too far away or need a different mic.

Then watch with sound on, and if you're sharing a slide deck or something else, how smooth are the transitions you're making, and does your voice tone match up with them? Are you highlighting the benefits of the features to tell your story or to engage the audience?

Finally, have you tested all the platform features you might want to use? For example, with the Zoom whiteboard, do you know how to write, erase, etc.? If the platform is something you will be using for the first time, it's a smart move to get in there and practice. That way, when you are on, you aren't getting distracted by the tech and can focus on delivering the most powerful message you can to your audience.

Blake Baumann, Founder, Life & Executive Coach, ASPIE-R

Engage Audience With Instructional Videos

To improve virtual presentation skills on online platforms, use videos to engage the audience. Videos will engage visual and aural learners. They also change the pace and tone of the presentation. In addition, videos from credible presenters can add authority to what is being taught. Videos can be added to PowerPoint presentations through the Insert > Video > Movie from File/Link menu pathway. They can be added to Google Slides and other presentation software similarly. Best practices suggest adding one video per half-hour of instruction.

Jamar Cobb-Dennard, Business Broker & Attorney, Indiana Business Advisors

Practice Pacing and Use Graphics

One of the best things you can do to improve or "style" your virtual presentation skills is to practice pacing with someone else before you present to a client. We tend to speed up our words when nervous or under pressure, but pauses are powerful! You can keep your presentation sharp and interesting by eliminating rambling and getting straight to the point. I have also found that having incredible graphics to support the story you are trying to tell can make your presentation that much more exciting to share!

Jacqueline Ball, Digital Marketing Consultant & Strategist, Sozoe Creative

Analyze Practice Sessions via Recordings

One effective way to improve your virtual presentation skills on Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts is to record your practice sessions. By rewatching these recordings, you can analyze various aspects of your performance, such as facial expressions, tone of voice, posture, and body movements. This self-review process helps you identify areas for improvement and make adjustments to enhance your delivery, ensuring a more engaging and polished presentation.

Bernice Chao, Author, Visibility Mindset

Invest in Effective Communication Skills

Invest in communication. You can have the best webcam, microphone, and beautiful slideshow, but at the end of the day, it's about your ability to communicate. This may sound strange because everyone knows how to talk, but not everyone knows how to tell an interesting story or keep the conversation engaging. Your tonality, volume, speed, and pitch are vital, especially during Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts meetings, where participants face numerous distractions both on and off their screens. Your ability to communicate becomes even more important in these virtual settings. So, don't overlook the basics.

Sam Savat, Wedding Photographer, Sam Savat Photography

Explain Platform Basics and Practice Accessibility

While it's easy to assume that participants understand how to utilize the platform, take time at the beginning of your presentation to explain the basics of how to turn on closed captioning, how to "react," and how to use the chat box. Additionally, to model accessibility, always begin your virtual presentation by verbally describing your identity and appearance for anyone who has visual impairments.

It's always good to practice your presentation ahead of time and understand the different nuances of each platform (since screen sharing on Zoom is different than screen sharing on Teams).

Keeping your presentation minimal in nature benefits the participants, even though we tend to try and fill each slide with as much text as possible. Opting instead for a few key takeaways for each point you are making, as well as quotes that you want the participants to walk away with, can be more influential than too much text. And, if you do nothing else, make every effort to not simply read your slides.

Naomi Hattaway, Founder and President, 8th & Home