HYBRID EVENT SPEAKING: 10 TIPS FOR GIVING A GREAT ONLINE KEYNOTE SPEECH

Speaking successfully at a hybrid event, with both in-person and virtual attendees, requires adjustments from an fully online or offline talk. Bring energy and connection to this blended audience by planning well, leveraging multimedia capabilities, and honing your flexible delivery style.

1. Logistically, understand the event’s hybrid format. Will you present on-stage to a live gathering while being simultaneously broadcast? Or speak from a remote studio to remote and gathered guests? Match your speech length, structure and content scope appropriately.

2. Develop relevant content with resonating key messages that address shared priorities and interests of the collective, hybrid group. Sprinkle in some customized details and examples to recognize the dual experiences.

3. Use engaging visuals and multimedia like polls, videos, slide presentations and document sharing to stimulate the audience across venues. Equip producers to display multimedia smoothly.

4. Connect physically to those present by moving around the stage rather than remaining static behind a podium. Make steady eye contact with as many people as possible.

5. Connect verbally to virtual participants through welcoming remarks, personalized anecdotes and periodic prompts inviting remote folks specifically to unmute for discussion.

6. Avoid overtly favoring one audience through overly localized comments or exclusively addressing just those on-site or remote. Comments should shift evenly between both segments.

7. Speak slowly, clearly and loudly enough for both audiences, on-screen captioning and recording purposes. Modulate vocal inflections to sustain the energy coming through.

8. Choose professional, non-distracting attire complementing both the live venue’s atmosphere and the web camera’s eye. Light tops over dark bottoms display best on screen.

9. Visit the presentation venue and use the actual hybrid equipment in advance to grow comfortable managing multi-screens, camera angles, mic volumes, standing positions and other logistics.

10. Finally, overprepare your hybrid speech content to flow flexibly according to the drifting attention, inevitable tech snafus or engagement fluctuations that hybrid events often incur.

With extra coordination and dually-inclusive content, speakers can powerfully unite geographically separated yet technologically converged attendees during hybrid events.