When we’re recording ourselves on a smartphone or webcam, we all have a habit of staring at ourselves on the screen to monitor our performance. When you do that, it appears to your audience like you’re looking down and not making eye contact. This becomes a missed opportunity. The best way to build trust with your audience is by having good eye contact.
The same holds true for when you are doing a video call. If you don’t look at the lens when you are delivering a key point, your message will not land with the same level of impact.
The best practice is to look at your audience through the lens. If you want to see how your message is resonating, then you can look at your screen. But focus the majority of your attention on your audience who you can only reach through your camera lens.
Learn More: On-Camera Coach
If you found this information valuable, check out my book, On-Camera Coach: Tools and Techniques for Business Professionals in a Video-Driven World, now available from Wiley Publishing. On-Camera Coach aims to take the mystery out of communicating through the camera and provides specific tips and techniques that can make your message sing—and you, the messenger, feel confident in a job well done.
