You can already feel your palms getting sweaty and your heart pounding as you contemplate being on camera in front of an audience. Don’t worry – we’ve all been there! Being confident on camera is something that can be taught.
As marketers, it’s no surprise that being on camera is becoming increasingly important for making a connection with our audiences. Especially when creating short-form content on Reels or TikTok.
For example, brands like Later Media and TLDV have been known for using their team as spokespeople on social.
One of the simplest ways for us to build trust and create video content that truly connects, is to make sure that we are successfully communicating with our audiences and being the standout face of our brand.
Doing this means that we are able to speak in a way that connects with those we are targeting with honesty and authenticity, letting them see who is behind the brand, finding out why it’s been created in the first place and how it goes about serving the community.
People’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that seem right? That means to the average person, if you have to go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.
Jerry Seinfeld, 1993
With the rise of online events events, short-form content, live streaming and beyond- how on earth are we ever going to begin combating those nerves and pressing that ‘Start Live Video’?
Use scripts to help you keep on track
If you are just getting started, a simple tool to help you feeling more confident when you’re in front of a camera is to use scripts. Sure, learning your lines can be intimidating, but having your words scripted out during your next video can give you the confidence of knowing exactly what you want to say, and keeping things to the point.
Apps like BigVu can help you record faster with a one-step solution acting as a teleprompter, script and beyond. Make sure you practice enough to get familiar with the tool, and adjust the speed to match your normal speaking flow.
At first, your videos don’t have to be long and drawn-out either. Just write a few main points that you want to get across. Then look the camera right in the eye and own it like a total boss.
Embrace your power pose
When that fight or flight response kicks in, our body language can also change to protect us from a perceived threat. We may find ourselves crossing our arms and/or legs, putting our hands in our pockets, rocking from side to side or even fidgeting.
Crossing our arms in front of our chest is a survival technical to protect our vital organs and nerves tend to come through rocking and fidgeting.
You may have heard of Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk on Power Poses.Iif you haven’t you can check it out here. Amy found that by unfurling our arms and legs and posing in certain shapes for two minutes feelings of power and confidence rose.
For example the wonder woman – feet hip width apart and stood with hands on hips can help with being more confident on camera. Testosterone levels increased and cortisol (the stress hormone) levels decreased.
When speaking itself, unwrapping our arms, having feet hip width apart and our hands directly in front of us allows us to come across as physically confident and gives you the opportunity to use hand gestures in order to emphasise what we have to say even further.
Don’t forget to smile
Even if we’re absolutely bricking it on the inside, smiling helps to release endorphins which in turn help to relax us and make us feel more confident.
It also helps to show our audience that we’re happy to be on camera or on stage talking to them (always a good thing!) and makes them feel like we know what we’re saying and we feeling confident… even if we’re not!
Smiling is the best way to boost your confidence in front of a camera while recording for social media.
Not only will it give you a warm and friendly glow, but it’ll also make it easier for your followers to relate to you. So go ahead and crack a big smile before your next video- trust me you won’t regret it!
Engage with your audience
Using language that our audience can relate to is essential when speaking to a wider audience, especially if you cannot see their faces or get immediate feedback. If you’re talking about marketing KPIs and how to define metrics to marketers, then great. Go ahead and use acronyms and specific language.
However, when we’re speaking to those who might have an interest in it but may not necessarily understand the technical terms, we need to break it down into layman’s terms and translate it in a way that is understandable and relatable to them.
Don’t forget to allow for moments of reflection by asking questions your audience can answer to as they are consuming your content. A powerful question also doubles up as a hook at the beginning of your online streaming or video.
Bring pathos to the mix
Quite simply, the most important thing we can do when speaking is to do it with passion and enthusiasm. More often than not, to be confident on camera we first need to pat into our emotions.
You are the first one who has got to believe in themselves
Passion catches – it’s authentic, it’s honest and technique aside, it’s what is most likely to connect with our audience.
Hey friend, do you struggle with confidence on camera when it comes to creating social media content? You’re not alone! A tip I have for cultivating some swagger when the lens is rolling is to focus on highlighting what makes YOU unique. Put a spotlight on the things that set you apart from everyone else like your sense of humor, emotions, interests and passions – give ’em something to talk about!
The truth is, there isn’t anything special about being “perfect” or “polished” – that only exists in our minds. Instead, why not be YOU, embrace all the quirks and nuances that make you uniquely special and rock that feature on your biggest digital stage?
Reconnect with your breath
One of the best ways to help us relax is to breathe. We’ve all heard of the ‘fight or flight’ response and one of the ways that our bodies will try to get us out of a situation we feel is threatening is to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system (which raises heart rate and releases adrenaline) in order to either fight the threat or get us out of there… quick!
However, our physiological systems can’t distinguish between a perceived threat or an actual threat.
Breathing is one way we can start to calm the nervous system and activate the parasympathetic nervous system before speaking, which helps to calm us down.
As opposed to breathing into our chest as most of us have learned to do, try breathing into your diaphragm by placing one hand on your stomach. Breathe in and focus the breath into your hand and push it away from your body. As you breathe out, your hand comes back towards you.
Remember, nerves are natural
Putting ourselves out there can be exciting and scary at the same time. When thinking about it as a way to connect with your audience, everything changes.
That’s where the breath work comes in to help slow the heart rate down, relax the body and open out those pesky hands and feet. Where we connect with those around us. Remember, practice makes perfect so keep shooting and sooner than later, you’ll be slaying those videos. Go ahead and show off those show-stopping shots and own that ‘gram game like a pro.
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