Presenting Online with Zoom: Home

Zoom Presentation Pointers

Looking your best

Before the meeting:

• Make sure you are in a well-lit area. Shoot for even, consistent illumination. A bright window directly behind you makes it hard for the camera to see you. Also, if your primary front light comes from your computer screen, your image will change as the screen changes.
• Place your camera at face level. If you are using a laptop, try setting it on a stack of books.
• Explore Zoom setup options. Select 'Settings' and consider using a virtual background or 'Touch up my appearance' under the Video segment
• Dress appropriately. You aren't standing behind a podium or next to your research poster but you should still dress to fit the occasion. Attending to your personal appearance will also help get you in the right mindset for the presentation. 
• Have your content open and ready to share! If this is a PowerPoint, have that app running and have your opening slide selected.

During the meeting:

• Look directly at your camera while speaking. It helps to position the active speaker window directly under the camera so that it's more natural for your eyes to be looking toward the camera.
• Don't be afraid to speak naturally. Hand gestures and slight body movement helps engage your audience.
• When sharing content, don't forget to maximize the image. For example, if sharing a PowerPoint presentation, it helps if you use the Presentation mode. 

Sounding your best

Before the meeting:

• Try to find a quiet area. If you can't minimize background sounds, using some type of external microphone can be helpful. Headset, or earbuds, with a built-in mic can make all the difference in the world. If you have hardware options, try them out before your presentation!
• You don't want a loud email chime to interrupt you so remember to turn off notifications
  • PC: Press Windows key + I > Notifications & Actions > toggle Notification button to Off
  • Mac: Hold the Alt/Option key and click the Notification Icon (top right of menu bar)

During the meeting

• As long as you have a somewhat decent internet connection, the best audio option will be 'use my computer' for audio
• Mute your microphone when not presenting!