Review ON24's best practices for presenting by webcam. We cover wardrobe, pre-webinar rehearsals, lighting, and how best to set up your webcam feed, so attendees receive the best possible webcam produced experience.

Important: A PowerPoint Presentation must be uploaded to your event. All events must have a minimum of one slide pushed immediately after Start Live is pressed.
 

Wardrobe

In addition to having your PowerPoint presentations prepared in advance, it's a good idea to start thinking about your wardrobe before the live webcast.

• Avoid solid black clothing. Details on black clothing are very difficult to render on the video of a webcast.
• Avoid solid white clothing. White reflects a great deal of light and can cause the camera to wash out your video; in effect, you will look overexposed.
• Be aware of the color of your webcam background. Wear a complementary color so that you don't blend in with the background.
• Avoid tight patterns. Pinstripe and herringbone patterns can cause an effect that creates strobing and can't be adjusted on camera. 

Pre-Rehearsal Connections

We strongly recommend that you conduct a technical rehearsal with all of the presenters at least two days before the live webcast. We recommend the presenters use the computers and webcams they would use on the live event date.
Below are some troubleshooting tips when connecting to the presenter tool via webcam.

• Video Source and Audio Source - Ensure the video source and audio source are set to the same video source and audio source you intend to use for the live webinar.
  • When connecting a laptop to a docking station, be sure to connect any external USB Webcams or Mics to the docking station's USB ports, rather than the laptop's USB ports.
  • ON24 Supports physical webcam devices. 
    • Note: While virtual webcams are not blocked, they are not a part of our supported test matrix.  ON24 cannot guarantee or predict outcomes.  If issues arise, please be prepared to switch to supported physical webcams.
• Computer Volume - If you cannot hear the other presenters speaking through the presenter tool, please check your computer speaker volume. If your volume is adjusted correctly, you may need to ask the other presenter to increase the gain on their microphone.
• Connectivity - We strongly recommend a high-speed and stable connection for webcam presenters. Wired connections using an Ethernet cable are encouraged. Congestion and excessive traffic with Wi-Fi connections can cause instability, connectivity drops, and technical issues
• Close Other Applications - To conserve bandwidth, we recommend closing all applications except for the presenter tool while presenting. 

Video Framing

• During the rehearsal, presenters should only have the presenter tool open in their browser. If you are using the audience view to frame your shot, either the Audience Console or the presenter should be muted to prevent an audio feedback loop. Once you have the appropriate framing, you MUST close the audience view.
• While you will be managing slides within the presenter tool and glancing at your screen to advance slides or content, be sure to look into the camera to connect with the audience.  
• Position the camera right in front of you and at eye level. Engage with your audience by looking naturally into the camera.

Background and Lighting

• Avoid sitting in front of a window with bright sunlight shining directly into the camera. This can cause the webcam to auto-adjust and will make the presenter's face look very dark.
• A solid dark background works best. If you do not have a solid colored background, you can position yourself in front of a wall with a clean background (whiteboards, busy artwork, and bookcases can be distractions within your video window).
• A well-lit room will provide for better video quality and a contrast between the background and the speaker. If you have an additional table lamp, you can use that to highlight your face. Place it at a 45-degree angle in front of you.

 Audio Settings

• If you hear an echo effect, verify that you only have one instance of the presenter console open, and you do not have the audience console open.
• You should conduct a microphone check during the technical rehearsal to check your audio levels.
• Webcam microphones will pick up room noise and echo. Rooms with reflective surfaces like windows and hard floor surfaces are not ideal. Please try to find a location with carpet and curtains, which can deaden the room noise and improve overall audio quality. 

Logistics

• You may consider a dedicated slide pusher so the presenters can focus on the presentation.
• We suggest you work on the verbal handoff from presenter to presenter. Verbal cues are vital in managing these transitions.
• Also, the Q&A will need to be orchestrated so that each presenter will know when to transition his/her webcam video to answer questions. We recommend having one person moderate questions and verbally queue the questions for the appropriate presenter.
• Please coordinate a backup plan just in case you are unable to present, or you lose Internet connection during the presentation. 

Presenting on the Live Webcast

Once you have completed the technical dry run, we ask that you log in 60 minutes in advance of the live start time to work on the framing of your video and testing your audio.

• Maintain the positioning of your video frame. Try not to rock in your seat or move drastically outside of your video frame.
• Turn off any cell phones, tablets, or alarms that may sound off in the middle of your presentation.
• Please be aware of your speaking volumes.  If you speak softly, the audience won't be able to hear you, and if you talk too loudly, the audio will be over modulated.
• Conserve bandwidth by closing all nonessential browser tabs, email, and other applications.  It's essential you reserve that bandwidth for your webcam transmission.
• Review the backup plan if you or your co-presenters lose connection.
• Keep any other distractions at bay. Unlike audio events, with a webcam, we can see and hear what's happening in your environment. Pets, family, and friends may not realize you are presenting and could easily steal the show.