One Simple Trick To Boost Your Video Presence – Clear Audio
Awkward pauses or the sorry I can’t hear you, moment on video calls is the worst. It cuts off the flow of your conversation and potentially damages the perception of your professionalism.
Often times we hit audio problems because our internet connection is bad or because we are in an area that is loud. Sometimes we aren’t able to completely control our surroundings. However, we have to do the best we can to troubleshoot because how your communications is perceived is key to developing your executive presence on video.
To avoid these awkward situations, we’ve put together a few strategies to help you achieve crisp and clear audio. This is important to consider if you’re preparing a high-stakes meeting where impressions count!
1. Preparation
Like all good presentations and meetings, preparation is key to success and good audio! There are so many unexpected things that can happen while you’re speaking. So try and control the things you can with preparation beforehand. For example:
Test Run – The best thing you can do is to test your connection with someone prior to your important meeting – about 10-15 minutes before. Have them check your audio by asking them:
- Can they hear you clearly?
- Is there a delay or lag?
If there is a problem, you will have time to restart your internet or system. You can also move locations if that helps your audio. By doing this test, you are troubleshooting early so you won’t have to interrupt your meeting flow.
Limit Distractions – To make sure the other parties can hear you clearly, turn off your music and close any unnecessary windows. Keep your phone on silent so it doesn’t make noise while you are talking.
Location – Where will you be sitting while on your video call? Will you be in a quiet room or in a loud co-working space? Sometimes you can’t control where you are. However, preparing yourself will help ensure that everyone can hear you and you can hear everyone else. If you know you are going to be somewhere loud, do your test run there. Further below we have some tech ideas to help you if you are in a loud space.
2. Tech
Preparing your message for your video call is very important. However, you can help yourself by choosing to invest in a few tech gadgets that can ensure your audio is crisp and clear too. Items under $30 can transform how you sound. For example:
Built-In Mic Headphones – If you are doing a video conference in a room where there is a lot of noise, such as a co-working space, the best thing you can do is to use headphones with a built-in microphone so everyone can hear you. Wearing a headset will allow you to hear what other people on the call are saying. Be sure to bring the built-in mic closer to your mouth so you’re speaking directly into it too.
Noise Cancelling – Keeping your focus while working remotely can be a big challenge. Investing in high-quality noise-canceling headphones can help you focus on the task at hand. These headphones can also help you hear more clearly during meetings by canceling the outside noise.
Microphone – What you say is important. You want to make sure everyone can hear what you are saying. While some computers or laptop microphones work fine, considering a true microphone can be a video call game-changer. People often lose interest if they can’t hear you, a dedicated microphone can help ensure everyone can hear your message.
3. Setup Checklist
Your audio can be impacted by several different factors. Your goal is to have clear crisp audio at all times.
When you set up your call, consider the following setup checklist:
Bandwidth – It’s okay if you don’t know what bandwidth is, or understand it. The thing to remember is that if you have multiple applications open on your computer, such as several internet tabs, music playing, word docs, etc – all of these applications can eat up your computer’s bandwidth. And when your computer doesn’t have enough bandwidth, it can reduce the quality of your video in order to keep all of the applications running. The quick and easy fix is to close out all of your unnecessary programs for your important video call.
Physical Distance – As you set yourself up for your call, you’ll want to keep a healthy physical distance between you and the camera too – about 2-3 feet. If you are too far away from your microphone, you will sound far away and often times too quiet. Your audience won’t be able to hear you. If you are too close to your microphone, your breathing can be heard and your face can take up a majority of the screen. Not the most pleasant viewing experience for others and your video executive presence.
Taking 20 minutes beforehand to check your connection, your set up, and investing in affordable but quality gadgets can make a huge difference. Making sure your audio is crisp and clear is essential to having an effective meeting.
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