The ``four differences'' between good and bad impressions in online conferences | au web portal economy/IT news

Online communication needs to know the tricks of the online age, not just vaguely speaking as before. If you keep that in mind, you can make a difference in “online communication,” which many people are not good at.

Let's focus on four points: (1) how the screen is displayed, (2) how to use audio equipment, (3) how to speak, and (4) hospitality.

① First of all, be mindful of your appearance

I always tell my clients, "When communicating online, please tell them that you intend to appear on TV."

In the world of television, "audience rating" is still the standard of evaluation. In the industry of "Please watch", we have made various efforts to keep viewers watching.

Online is the same as television in terms of communication through the screen. There is no such thing as "I don't care what it looks like if it's good inside!" By all means, it would be a good idea to check your own “how to be reflected” as if you were a TV director. There are three points.

1. What is important is the ``position of the camera''

First, the ``height'' of the camera lens that reflects the speaker. On news programs, the announcer sits facing the camera. make this shape.

If you use your laptop on a normal desk, the camera lens will be well below your eye level. This may give the impression that the other person is looking down on you. In addition, since the lower half of the face appears large, it may appear slightly puffy.

To prevent this, you can place a book under your laptop or use a special stand that tilts the camera so that the camera is at the speaker's eye level. It's a small thing, but it makes a difference.

You also need to pay attention to the ratio of the face size to the screen.

We recommend a size called a bust shot. It's a way to create a space about one fist above the chest and above the head. It is also a good idea to refer to how the announcer is reflected on TV news.

2. "How to use light" determines the impression

The next important thing is "light". Anyway, "Don't let your face appear dark." Even in online meetings, the background of the person speaking is often bright, making the person's face appear dark and blurry. What if you could see the announcer's face vaguely on TV news? It can also affect the content and persuasiveness of your speech.

If the room you're speaking in has a window with outside light, it's a good idea to sit facing that window if possible. The outside light naturally illuminates your face.

Lighting is necessary when there is not enough light, not only at night, but also during the day. Lighting should be placed at a distance, preferably slightly above eye level. If you place it directly in front of your face, the light may be too strong and make your face look shiny.

Also, the color of the lighting is slightly warmer than the bluish light, and the complexion looks better.

3. Look at the camera, not the computer screen

Look at the camera and talk. Simple, but most important.

Many people tend to look at "the other person's face reflected on the PC screen" instead of the camera.

I know how you feel. Looking at the face of the person you are talking to is the basis of face-to-face communication. However, it is common sense to pass because it is a face-to-face meeting. Online, when you look at the other person's face on your computer screen, it looks like they aren't looking at you properly. With this, you can't appeal what you want to convey to the other party.

Occasionally, of course, it's okay to look at the PC screen to see the other person's reaction. But otherwise, make looking at the camera lens the basic form. The camera lens is the person's face and eyes.

② Don't neglect audio equipment!

In an online conference, the other party's voice is recorded through a microphone and played back through speakers or earphones. Have you ever felt stressed because you can't hear your voice well or you can't hear what the other person is saying? "It doesn't matter how good your conversation is if you can't understand each other." The cardinal rule is not to neglect the entrance and exit of the sound.

Should I use the microphone and speakers that came with my PC or not? There is a difference here.

First of all, about the entrance of the sound, the microphone. Place the mic as close to your mouth as possible. Recently, the number of high-quality microphones attached to PCs has increased, but if the voice is low, it will be far from the mouth, so there will be parts that cannot be heard clearly.

I use a mic that is used by singers for ease of hearing. In addition, if you use earphones with a microphone, such as those used with smartphones, and position the microphone closer to your mouth, you can deliver a clearer sound to the other party.

Next is the sound exit. Use headphones or earphones to hear what the other person is saying as accurately as possible. Headphones with a microphone already attached, called a headset, are an excellent product that solves the problem of the entrance and exit of sound at once.

③Points of "speech style" that are more important than beautiful voice and smooth tongue

It is often difficult for the other person to hear you online compared to when you speak face-to-face. Therefore, you should try to speak more slowly and clearly than usual. If you try to speak clearly while checking the meaning of each word you speak, instead of speaking slowly, your speed should be moderately slow.

Many people think of speaking as improving "smooth tongue and vocalization", but rather than practicing how to speak smoothly, it is much more effective to speak "slowly" and "clearly". There is

Online, you also lose a lot of nuance in speaking volume and nuances of expression. If you speak in such an environment as you would in real life, you won't feel the sharpness, and if you listen to it for a long time, it will often sound boring.

Therefore, try to speak with more variation than in real life, such as speed, pauses, and pitch of your voice. The important part should be chewed especially slowly and included. The pitch of your voice should not be the same all the time. Try to use a slightly higher pitch when talking about episodes and other light topics, and speak in a lower, thicker voice when talking about important content.

④The last key is hospitality to listeners

Lastly, the most important thing. It is whether or not there is consideration for the listener, so-called hospitality. It makes a big difference here.

In the online age, the listener is not in front of you. Naturally, it becomes difficult to feel their reaction. That's why try to imagine the listener's feelings more than in real life. Always be aware of what you look like and what you hear.

Also, don't just talk when you speak, try to "speak harder" than usual so that your words reach people who are far away. When I was an announcer, what I was most conscious of was this "speaking".

Don't forget "imagination" and "consideration" to convey to invisible people. This is the key to the success or failure of communication in the online age.