Three Tested Tips to Make Your Online Audience Switch Their Webcams On (Without Begging)

"Speaking into the void" is hard, exhausting, and annoying.

In online meetings, it is also inevitable.

You can't force others to switch their webcams on.

Or can you?

Today I'm sharing Three Tested Tips that will drastically increase your chances to have a webcam-on audience.

For me, giving my energy to a group and not getting any back through audience reactions was always exhausting.

Since March 2020, I was looking for different ways to solve this problem - and today, most of my audiences have their webcams on, when I want them to.

So can you.

An important thing to realize before we start:

People have valid reasons to keep their webcams off.

The reasons can range from a "bad hair day" or kids running in the background to concerns about the CO2 produced by the data centers processing their video stream.

When they have a GOOD reason to keep their webcam off - you need to provide a BETTER reason to switch their webcam on.

But enough philosophizing.

Here are the Three Tested Tips:

Tip #1: Give them a warning

If I join an online training with bad hair, bad clothes and in a bad mood, even the most convincing presenter won't make me switch my camera on.

Give your participants a heads-up that you will be expecting them to "show their face".

This will make them the extra nudge to "make themselves presentable," even when they're just working from their sofa.

Two or three days before the training, send a "warm-up" email.

You will make them excited about your session - but you will also give them tips on how to prepare.

Tell them you expect them to be on camera. Invite them to make "arrangements needed to be comfortable on camera."

Tip #2: Give it a meaning

In the ideal world, I would want my audience's undivided attention.

I would ask them to switch off their Outlook, Teams, and phone.

Look, I still suggest them to do all these things - but I acknowledge that it might not be possible.

Why not?

An urgent request from their boss might come up. A package delivered at their door. A cat jumping on their keyboard.

I give them a way out: "It's OK when that happens, but in such case, please switch your webcam off, so that we know you're not 'here with us.'

"When your webcam is on, you are ready to interact."

This changes the reason for the "webcam on" from being a "whim of a controlling facilitator" to an "indication of presence."

Webcam on = You're here with us.

Webcam off = You're not here with us.

Makes sense, doesn't it?

Tip #3: Make them use it

I like doing little icebreakers to put everyone in a relaxed mood.

They can also be little gentle nudges for switching the webcam on.

For a group of 8 people or less, my favorite is: "What's on your desk?"

Instructions: Pick an item you have on your desk. Show it on camera. Say a couple of sentences about it.

Why is it there? What does it mean to you?

You connect the physical world with the virtual one.

For a group of 8 people or more, you can do a quick round of "Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down."

Come up with 5 items you will let your audience vote "Like or dislike" and ask them to do it by showing Thumbs up or Thumbs down on camera.

Question examples:

• "Justin Bieber"
• "Pineapple on pizza"
• "Tarantino Movies"

Yes, you could do it without the camera using virtual reactions.

But when you try, you will agree - doing it on a webcam is easier, quicker, and more clear.

Recap

And here's your recap of the Three Tested Tips:

• Tip #1: Give them a warning
• Tip #2: Give it a meaning
• Tip #3: Make them use it

Once you take the three steps above, the percentage of people with their webcams on in your meetings will increase - by a lot!

Once you start getting the energy back from your audience, your online presence will improve.

Enjoy the results!