A Podcast Conversation with Rob Jolles

Technology changes communication. Obviously.

But for those of us who present online, it’s not enough to know this, we have to adapt to it. As my favorite theorist Neil Postman says, the medium is the message. When your audience is watching you on a small screen while sitting in their private office, bedroom, or living room sofa, all while reading email, playing Candy Crush, or cooking dinner, the entire communication context changes.

What works on a stage doesn’t always work on Zoom. High energy, big gestures, and pacing the room don’t automatically translate through a webcam. To truly connect, we have to rethink how we engage, relate, and hold attention.

Here are 5 tips to more effectively present on a digital stage:

1. Don’t talk straight for more than 7 minutes.
   • Tell a story
   • Create a poll
   • Toss out a chat question
   • Leverage breakout rooms
2. Boost your camera energy
   • Smile more
   • Remember to use your face
   • Up your volume just a bit
   • Don’t read
   • Don’t come across like you are boring yourself. (it’s easier than you think when you watch yourself)
3. Be authentic
   • Online, closeness beats status.
   • People connect with presenters who feel real, relatable, and human.
   • Share stories that show you understand their world. Referent power is more influential here than title or authority.
   • Authenticity (even with small mistakes) builds trust faster than flawless polish.
4. Keep visuals simple
   • One idea per slide. On a small screen it is easy to get distracted or disengaged with too much information all at once.
   • Minimal text. If the audience is reading, they’re not listening.
5. Remember the technology
   • Lighting, framing, background all make a difference.
   • Keep your face on screen even when you share slides.
   • Practice transitions to slides, polls, breakout rooms, and muting. Convince your audience you know what you’re doing.

In the end, online presenting isn’t harder, it’s just different. When we understand how technology reshapes attention, energy, and connection, we can design moments that truly engage people on the other side of the screen.