Working remotely has become a part of modern life. Working remotely will likely continue to rise. Unfortunately, many people are still unfamiliar with many remote working tools including webinars. This includes controlling your video feed during a presentation.
A present can be seen on a webinar if they desire to. The default for webinars is that the presenter nor the audience can be seen, only the presentation itself. However, the presenter can change the settings of a webinar to be seen during the presentation.
I will explain how to change your settings for the webinar so you can control whether you can be seen during your presentation.
Platforms to Host Webinars
There are many, almost countless platforms people can use to host webinars. These include:
- Skype
- Slack
- Google Hangouts
- Zoom Meeting
- GoToMeeting
- Microsoft Teams.
Each has its benefits, but these are among the most popular platforms with broad versatility that can give you the control you desire during a webinar.
How to Set Up the Camera
Many computers have an integrated camera, but it may not be connected nor recognized by the app you want to use. If you want to connect your camera so you can show yourself:
- Make sure your computer is not disabled. (You may need to troubleshoot this).
- From start, screen type in Device Manager and select it from the Search programs and files list.
- Check Imaging Devices, right-click Integrated Camera, click Enable.
- Go to Windows Device Manager.
- If you want to use a different web camera, plug in the camera as per the instructions from the manufacturer. You can activate it similarly to enabling the integrated camera.
How to Be Seen in Skype
If you want to show yourself on a skype webinar, you need to change your settings so you can be seen. You can change the settings as follows:
- Click options (could show up as a gear icon)
- Select Tools
- Video Device Settings.
This will show you what camera(s) you have on your computer. It will even show you screenshots of what your camera sees.
By default, a Skype video call will show your video, but not for business meetings. You will need to click the Start My Video icon (looks like a video camera).
You should see yourself show up on your screen and your audience will see you. If you are sharing a presentation, the screenshots of yourself should show up as a thumbnail while your presentation takes up most of your screen so you can work with it. You can also change some settings to allow your presentation or your camera to take center stage.
How to Be Seen in Slack
Much like Skype you need to be sure your camera is integrated with Slack.
- Click the gear icon in the top left corner.
- Check Video settings to be sure the camera is integrated.
- You should see a small screenshot of yourself as a thumbnail.
After this, your camera should be set. Then after you set up the meeting you can click the Enable/Disable Video icon to allow yourself to be seen during the presentation.
How to Be Seen In Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts tends to stick with either messaging or video calls. Messaging is straight forward. You select the person you want to message from a contact list, and you can start messaging.
If you want to be seen using Google Hangouts you need to click the Video Call button. After that, select your desired contacts. A green invite button will show up. After that, the call will start, and the invitation recipient can choose if they want to answer. You can add more people to the call.
Google Hangouts does allow you to share your screen so you could make a presentation on your device. To do this, you can click the Share Screen option. Therefore, Google Hangouts is more of a way to video call with the option to share a presentation. You do not really have too much of an option to chose whether you can show yourself or not. As far as seen, there appears to be no function to hide your video feed in Google Hangouts.
How to Be Seen in A Zoom Meeting
Zoom simplified the matter of hiding yourself during a Zoom Meeting, even if you are the presenter. To do this:
- Start a video call.
- Right-click on the screen.
- Click Show Yourself.
To undo this:
- Right-click on the screen.
- Click Hide Yourself.
And people wonder why Zoom exploded in value and popularity so suddenly.
How to Be Seen in A GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting may not be user friendly, but it is more designed to optimize your presentation, including how you present. Having too many web cameras active can lower the quality of your presentation. Therefore, GoToMeeting has you optimize the settings before the presentation.
This includes previewing and optimizing your own camera. GoToMeeting even allows you to change the camera settings during the presentation. To set up your camera before the presentation click the green video icon. After that, it will show you the preview and some optional settings you can try to find your best look. After that, you can click the Webcam icon to start sharing.
To test the webcam:
- Right-click on the gear icon (also called the daisy icon).
- Click Preferences.
- Click Webcam on the left.
- Use the drop-down menu to change cameras or even settings.
- Click Advanced if you want to check the camera’s software or advanced settings.
- Click OK.
How to Be Seen in A Microsoft Teams Meeting
You can control your video feed by clicking the show video icon. Much like the others, except this time the icon is purple.
Microsoft Teams not only allows you to control when you can be seen but how you can be seen. You can blur your background or even add a professional office background even if you are in the middle of the woods. Oh, and you can add a forest background if you are in the office.
To do this:
- Click audio and video settings.
- Click “…” to select more options.
- Click Blur my background.
If you want to use a customized background like a forest or an office:
- Start a meeting.
- Go to the menu.
- Click Show device settings.
- Click Show background effects.
- You can choose from stock photos.
This can allow you to not only control when you are seen but amplify the experience. Other platforms now include these features. But they are still catching up to the same degree as Microsoft Teams.
Why Should You Try To Show Yourself During A Presentation
With the world more separated than ever physically, we are seeing the importance of face-to-face interaction. Even if the interaction is not physically face-to-face, there are many benefits to seeing someone’s face.
Most of our communication is in your facial expressions. They show excitement, fear, determination, and much more even when you are trying to hide it.
Removing your face and presenting with little more than a disembodied voice will not capture the attention you want from your audience. Adding a face reminds people there is a human that created this presentation.
Presenting via camera can add so much to a presentation. It encourages people to interact and ask questions during and after the presentation. It also helps to exemplify certain points when you want to.
Concluding Thoughts
You may not have showered in a while. Your bathrobe may be a part of your skin. It is time to show the world your best face, even if your face is over a thousand miles away.
You can and should control when people can see your face. Every platform gives you control that ranges from simple to a little more complicated than simple. Furthermore, these platforms allow you to control your backgrounds.
However, you should note that a presentation is not always enriched when people see your face. You may have much to show on a single slide, and your camera may just get in the way.
You should learn when showing your video feed is beneficial for your presentations. In the meantime, you now know how to control what is going through your video feed and you can master how to use it as a tool.
