What do you do if your virtual audience isn't connecting with you?

Along with ease of access, virtual audiences also pose a set of threats including boredom, existing work on the table and so on. Once a speaker senses that the audience is drifting away; it is important to take immediate steps: 1. Check if there are any in control aspects or out-of-control aspects that are causing trouble. for example- the wifi, technical glitches or the content. 2. Change content to suit audience. Allow the use of stories or virtual icebreakers that allow the audience to freshen up. 3. Encourage a lot of interaction. Every individual has a lot to share. Prioritizing the listener endures they are heard and helps them get involved. These little things are sure to add value

I would quickly evaluate the situation if I sense a disconnect with my audience as a motivational speaker. First, I would assess whether technical difficulties are interfering with my performance. I would pause and address them immediately if this were the case in order to ensure a smooth experience for my audience. In the event that the issue arises from the content, I will pivot and introduce more relatable examples or stories to better resonate with them. By adapting on the fly, I am able to retain the attention of my audience and demonstrate my commitment to providing value. To maintain meaningful connections with your audience, you need to continually

Assess the Situation: Pay attention to visual cues such as facial expressions and body language. Are people looking bored, distracted, or disengaged? Are they actively participating in any way? Change Your Approach: Adapt your speaking style or content delivery method. If you've been speaking for a while, try switching to a more interactive format such as asking questions, conducting polls, or initiating discussions. Ask for Feedback: Encourage audience participation by asking for feedback or questions. This not only helps gauge their level of engagement but also involves them directly in the conversation.

One of the best ways to assess what is going on with the audience and why they may not be engaging is to address the dissconnect - ask questions in the chat: Do you want to save questions for the end or keep it open? I'm going to take a look at the chat to see. Then look at the chat - no one engages? Then you make the quick decision to say "OK great! We will save them till the end!" Then you adjust your sails, rock through your presentation, and keep going. You must be able to adapt quickly - sometimes people do not like to engage in the chat and if you planned for that, you have be able to switch tactics. It isn't easy, but with practice, you can do it!

Start by engaging your virtual audience with an on-target appropriate but simple question that can help make your connection. Make the question about them because the bottom line is, if you want your audience to connect with you it needs to be all about them. They need to know you understand and can meet their needs.

Speaking virtually to 10K employees of a global company and by 10 minutes in, realized how many of them were multitasking and just not there. Questions and comments coming from the same 15 people. At that point in the talk was a slide with a picture of my dog. I stopped and said, "Okay, I want to see your dogs. Drop them in the chat! Cutest dog gets a free gift from me." The chat lit up with dog pics. I found 2-3 more places in the talk where I could add really fun engagement - name of your grade school, how many siblings you have, favorite song (bonus if you include a link to the video). When we got to Q&A, there were almost 100 questions and at the end, more than 1,000 "Thank you/Great job!" comments. Oh, and the content was good, too.

One quick engagement tool I love is asking everyone to answer a question in the chat, but tell them not to hit enter until you count down. So everyone types at the same time, then they all hit enter at the same time, and a rapid stream of responses emerge all at once. People are excited to read one another's responses, you can get an amazing pulse check on your audience as a presenter, and it can all be done in just 1-3 minutes.

My goal as a motivational speaker is to foster a sense of connection and community with my audience through direct engagement. In order to ensure that everyone feels seen and heard, I ask thought-provoking questions and use polls to involve everyone in the conversation. By doing so, I am not only able to re-engage the audience, but I am also able to gain valuable insights into their thoughts and feelings, which allows me to tailor my message to resonate more deeply with them. My ultimate goal is to create a two-way dialogue where everyone feels like an active participant, contributing to a shared experience of growth and empowerment.

I was once trainning some network marketing professionals and they were all too quiet, looking their mobile, multitasking, so I choosed some of them and start making direct questions, then I would ask other participants to start answering the comments of their co-participants, then I would ask someone else to comment or to widen the subject, suddenly I was almost overwhelmed with the tide of comments and questions, the whole audience was excited and we were back to the trail.

Make sure to maintain eye contact with the camera to create a sense of connection with your audience and your voice must be audible enough to your audience.

It is key to keep it spicy and interesting in the presentation, not just through the TYPES of content, but the emotional feel of the content. I have found that varying your story with different emotions - humor, vulnerability, happy, and proud moments, keeps the listener engaged. Be sure to vary your emotional content, and take people on the story ride of their life!

while on a virtual session your energy plays most important role along with your content. Since in a offline seeion you may engage more with your body language, movements-moving on stage, in audience; whereas in virtual session you have to keep your energy high and if you feel, audience are disconnecting/ not engaging, you may add some interesting poll questions or ask some thought provoking simple questions and then keep your communication interesting and energetic, energy should reflect from your tone, words and expression, this will certainly keep audience engaged!!!

Body language is a great way to adjust energy. I always try on a virtual conversation to project extra high levels of energy. Yes, this can feel weird behind a screen, but you must bring so much more energy when you are distanced by the virtual screen. You can do so by playing energizing music at the beginning - asking people to 'stand if they are able' and take a deep breath -all unite the same level of energy and brings everyone together. One trick is to make sure you are wearing bright colors which helps portray a positive energy!

In South Africa, where we have 11 official languages and a wide range of cultural backgrounds, simplifying communication to its simplest form is incredibly important. Whether it’s in a professional presentation or a community meeting, clarity breaks down barriers, making your point not just heard, but understood. I'm sure this is also true in many other countries where the audience varies greatly in background and culture. Working closely with our team in the UK really opened my eyes to how tricky it can be to get a grip on subtle cultural differences, especially when we're talking about education.

These are very good suggestions, and I would use all of them myself. That said, sometimes, not often, you bomb, and it does not matter what you do; the audience remains disconnected. Just continue doing the work to the best of your ability and swallow your pride. Tomorrow is another day.

One thing I have found helpful is to vary your tone of voice to keep your audience engaged and interested. Adjust your speaking pace and volume to maintain their attention Sharing personal anecdotes or stories can help your audience relate to you and create a stronger connection.

I conduct online lectures and find that students participate more when the cameras are on. Members cannot then "hide behind the camera thats off." The audience finds it more uncomfortable to stay mute when you call upon them and they know that everyone can see them.