Webinar Wire

Punch Up Web Conferences with Visuals

When it comes to Web conferences, one challenge many presenters have is keeping their audience engaged.  Part of this is because it’s difficult to gauge eye contact, gestures, and interaction in a virtual environment.  But what it all comes down to the presentation. 

Most presenters focus on messaging and the delivery, but the visual story is just as important.  It’s the key to a successful Web conference.  In fact, visuals can make presentations more than twice as effective (67% vs. 33%), according to communications training company Decker Communications. 

The most important consideration is whether the visual plays to the audience, and the content of the presentation.  Visuals should help you tell a story without numbing the audience with heavy facts and figures.  Most presenters find that photos, dramatic audio, video, and simple flowcharts help them make a lasting impression. Another way to keep your audience in the mix of the discussion is to use advanced conferencing features like collaborative whiteboards and document sharing.  A 2005 Frost & Sullivan shows that participants are 20 times more likely to retain info when they write it themselves than when they are just hearing it.  Both these technologies allow presenters and participants to share and prove ideas.  It also generates discussion, interest, and involvement. 

What are the kind of visuals that don’t work?  If the visual doesn’t support the story, then it should be left aside.  This means that some of the “fun” features like animations and patterned text transitions can actually slow down the presentation.  Some participants think of them as distractions.  Others may even find them annoying.  Also, overly detailed flowcharts can be difficult to read and follow on the small screen. 

The best presenters know that the appropriate use of visuals can add a lot of punch to a Web conference.  It’s best to keep the audience in mind, though, and remember that the other rule of thumb is to create interest, not distractions.