How to Navigate The Course Creation Process For Overwhelmed Entrepreneurs Wanting Clarity Without Feeling Lost

by with No Comment Course CreationEdupreneurMarketingTools & Technology

Creating an online course can be a daunting task, especially for coaches who are experts in their field but may feel overwhelmed by the technicalities and logistics of course creation. The desire to share your knowledge and passion with others is there, but where do you start? How do you turn your expertise into a structured, engaging, and profitable online course? This guide is designed to provide overwhelmed entrepreneurs with a clear, step-by-step path to course creation without feeling lost. 

1. Identify Your Target Audience 

Before diving into content creation, understand who your course is for. What are their needs, pain points, and goals? By identifying your target audience, you can tailor your content to resonate with them, ensuring that your course is both relevant and valuable. 

2. Define Your Unique Value Proposition 

What sets your course apart from others in the market? Your unique value proposition (UVP) is what makes your course special. It’s the reason why someone would choose your course over others. Focus on what you can offer that others can’t, and make sure to communicate this clearly in your marketing materials. 

3. Outline Your Course Structure 

Break down your course into manageable sections and modules. Outline the key topics, subtopics, and learning objectives for each section. This will not only help you stay organized but also provide your students with a clear roadmap of what they will learn. 

4. Choose the Right Tools and Platforms 

Selecting the right tools and platforms for your course can make or break the learning experience. Consider factors like user-friendliness, customization options, and pricing. Platforms like Mavenzeal, with expertise in learning design, can provide tailored solutions to fit your needs. 

5. Create Engaging Content 

Your content should be engaging, informative, and aligned with your learning objectives. Use a mix of videos, quizzes, assignments, and interactive elements to keep your students engaged. Remember, quality over quantity is key. 

6. Test and Iterate 

Before launching, test your course with a small group of users. Gather feedback and make necessary adjustments. Iteration is a crucial part of the process, ensuring that your course is polished and ready for a wider audience. 

7. Launch and Promote 

Once your course is ready, it’s time to launch and promote. Utilize social media, email marketing, and partnerships to reach your target audience. Offer early-bird discounts or exclusive access to create buzz. 

8. Provide Ongoing Support 

After launching, continue to support your students through forums, Q&A sessions, or personalized feedback. Building a community around your course can enhance the learning experience and foster loyalty. 

Conclusion 

Creating an online course doesn’t have to be an overwhelming process. By following these clear and actionable steps, you can turn your expertise into a successful online course without feeling lost. Remember, the journey of course creation is not a solitary one. Collaborating with experts like Mavenzeal can provide the support and guidance needed to make your course a success, allowing you to focus on what you do best: teaching and inspiring others. 

At Mavenzeal, we understand the challenges of designing, launching, and promoting online courses. We’re here to help you confidently communicate your unique value proposition, attract your ideal clients, and achieve lucrative course sales. Together, we can create meaningful personal, societal, and global impact through education. Feel free to reach out to us to explore how we can support your course creation journey. 

Essential Tech Tools for Online Teaching Success

by with No Comment Course CreationLearning FacilitationMarketingTools & Technology

In today’s digital age, technology has become an integral part of education, especially in the online teaching experience. With the rise of remote learning, educators and instructors need to adapt and incorporate various tech tools to ensure their students’ success. The use of technology not only enhances the learning experience but also makes it more engaging and interactive. However, with so many tech tools available, it can be overwhelming for educators to choose which ones to use. That’s where the Maven’s Toolkit comes in handy. This toolkit is designed specifically for online teaching success and includes essential tech tools that every educator needs in their arsenal. In this blog post, we will explore the Maven’s Toolkit and its key components in detail, providing you with tips on how to maximize its effectiveness in your online teaching practice.

The Maven’s Toolkit 

In today’s digital age, technology has become an integral part of the education sector. With the rise of online teaching, it is essential for educators to have a toolkit that can help them deliver effective and engaging virtual lessons. The Maven’s Toolkit is a comprehensive set of tech tools designed to enhance the online teaching experience. In this section, we will provide a detailed explanation of each tool in the Maven’s Toolkit and its benefits.

Video Conferencing Software 

One of the most critical tools in the Maven’s Toolkit is video conferencing software. This tool allows educators to conduct live virtual classes with their students. Video conferencing software enables teachers to share their screens, use whiteboards, and interact with students in real-time. It also provides an opportunity for teachers to record sessions for future reference or for students who missed the class.

The benefits of using video conferencing software are numerous. Firstly, it promotes engagement and interaction between teachers and students, making learning more enjoyable and effective. Secondly, it creates a sense of community among learners who may be geographically dispersed but still feel connected through live video sessions. Thirdly, it allows teachers to personalize their teaching style by adapting to individual student needs.

Learning Management Systems 

Learning management systems (LMS) are another crucial component of the Maven’s Toolkit. LMS platforms are designed to manage and deliver educational content online. They provide educators with tools such as course creation, assessment management, and progress tracking.

The benefits of using an LMS are significant. Firstly, it provides a centralized platform where educators can upload course materials such as videos, presentations, quizzes and assignments that can be accessed by students anytime from anywhere in the world. Secondly, LMS platforms allow teachers to create personalized learning paths for individual students based on their strengths and weaknesses. Thirdly, they provide real-time feedback on student performance that can help instructors modify their teaching strategies.

Content Creation Tools 

Content creation tools are essential components of any online teaching toolkit as they enable educators to create visually appealing presentations or videos that capture student attention effectively. These tools include graphic design software such as Canva or Adobe Creative Suite that allow you to create stunning visuals without any design skills required.

The benefits of using content creation tools are numerous. Firstly, they enable educators to create engaging educational content that enhances student learning outcomes significantly. Secondly, these tools provide flexibility when creating content; you can customize templates according to your requirements or start from scratch if needed. Thirdly, these tools promote creativity among teachers who may not have considered themselves creative before.

Collaboration and Communication Tools 

Collaboration and communication tools are crucial elements in the Maven’s Toolkit as they help facilitate communication between teachers and students outside traditional classroom settings effectively.

These tools include instant messaging apps like Slack or Microsoft Teams that allow instructors to communicate with their students instantly from anywhere at any time while keeping track of all communications easily.

The benefits of using collaboration and communication tools are significant because they promote engagement among learners who may feel isolated due to distance learning environments’ nature while allowing easy access between instructors’ support staff members when necessary.

Tips for Maximizing Effectiveness 

To maximize effectiveness when using the Maven’s Toolkit in online teaching environments effectively here are some tips:

Integrate Tools Seamlessly: Ensure all your tech tools work together seamlessly without causing any technical difficulties.

Provide Clear Instructions: Provide clear instructions on how your tech stack works so that everyone involved understands how things work.

Encourage Participation & Engagement: Encourage participation by creating interactive activities such as quizzes or polls during virtual classes.

Regularly Assess & Adjust: Evaluate your tech stack regularly by getting feedback from both learners & other stakeholders involved in your program regularly.

Final Thoughts 

In conclusion, the Maven’s Toolkit provides a comprehensive set of essential tech tools for online teaching success. As technology continues to play an increasingly important role in education, it is crucial for educators and instructors to leverage these tools to maximize their online teaching experience. The Maven’s Toolkit offers a user-friendly and efficient way to manage various aspects of online teaching, from content creation and management to communication and collaboration with students.

By using the Maven’s Toolkit, educators can streamline their workflows, save time, and improve the quality of their online courses. Whether you are new to online teaching or an experienced instructor, the Maven’s Toolkit can help you achieve your goals and enhance your students’ learning outcomes.

7 Popular Lead Magnets to Increase Conversions

by with No Comment Course CreationTools & Technology

How do you get people to sign up for your email list? By offering a high-value lead magnet in exchange for their name and email address. Here are the most popular types of lead magnets that convert. 

eBooks

eBooks have remained popular for a long time because they’re easy to produce and publish. An eBook is a PDF file with a cover and table of contents. It can be as short or as long as you’d like it to be, from a short report to a full A-to-Z guide. You can create free content related to the eBook and then offer it for free as a download.  

Assessments or Quizzes

Whether you call it an assessment or a quiz, these engaging tools are highly effective lead generators. A quiz is a tool that can help determine that person’s current level of mastery and where they have knowledge gaps. On completion of the quiz you can provide them with a personalised report to provide further information. It also provides you with an opportunity to tailor your offers to their unique needs. 

Webinars

Hold a webinar based on a topic that’s interesting to your target market. Teach them how to solve a problem or overcome a challenge they’re facing using your expertise. Make it interactive so they get the most out of it. The webinar is free to attend in exchange for signing up for your list.  

Video Training Course

Another idea for offering something educational is a free video training course. Take some long-term tasks that you can cut into bite-sized pieces and produce a video for each piece. You can send the videos in installments or give the subscriber access to the whole course at once when they sign up. 

Free Newsletter

Frame your email list as a free newsletter. Create a schedule for sending out your newsletter and pack it full of helpful tips, articles, interviews, and exclusive deals. Make sure you explain clearly to your potential subscribers exactly what they can expect from your publication. Offer a sample so they can see what they’ll get.  

Free Trial

If you have a membership site, software program, app, or other subscription-based services, offer a free trial in exchange for the person’s contact information. This serves a double purpose by getting them on your list and also offering a sample of your product. 

Toolkits

A toolkit takes a variety of media and puts it all together in one place, usually a zip file. It might include a workbook, checklists, a calculator, and video tutorials to show the subscriber how to use the tools, all related to a certain task or topic. 

Anything is fine as a lead magnet as long as it offers unique value to your audience. It should be something enticing enough for them to offer their name and address, and high quality enough to start off your relationship on the right foot.  

Your Ideal Customer Profile Needs More Than Just Demographic Data

by with No Comment Course CreationTools & Technology

Your learning program’s ideal customer profile needs more than just demographic information. It’s valuable to know your target’s age, marital status, education level, and geographic location – the ‘who, what, where, and when. But you also need to know the ‘why’. Psychographics can help. They give your data some depth, providing you with a clear picture of who your target customer is and how they feel about the products they buy and use.  

Just simply relying on demographics and you may end up targeting completely different people. Take the demographic profile below as a classic example. 

1665306919106

Why Your ICP Needs Psychographics

Psychographics focuses on your customers’ attitudes, values, personality traits, and interests. These are just as important as demographic information.

For example, imagine that you’re selling organic honey. It makes sense that you’d want to market your honey to people who care about health and wellness. When you advertise your product, you can highlight the fact that it’s good for health and good for the environment.

The following are the key types of psychographic data your ICP should include.

Personality

Define the personality traits your target customer exhibits when they interact with the world around them. There’s a good chance you’ll discover common patterns in your research. For example, are they introverted or extroverted? Are they concerned about tiny details or are they the type of person who doesn’t sweat the small stuff?

Lifestyle

Lifestyle refers to how your target customer lives their everyday life. This includes hobbies and interests and how they spend their leisure time. Understanding your customer’s lifestyle can help you identify the types of products and services they use and how they use them.

Buying Behavior and Attitudes

An important part of your ideal customer profile is your target market’s attitudes and behaviors toward the products they buy. This includes their budget, how and where they buy, and how they use the products they purchase. It is important to understand their decision-making process and what prompts them to purchase. This will help you to set prices and streamline the sales process.

Pain Points

It is crucial that you understand your customer’s pain points. These are areas where they’re struggling and looking for help. Your products should offer solutions to these problems. Understanding pain points will also help you figure out how to best communicate your products’ unique value to your audience.

Using Psychographic Data

Understanding the psychology of your target audience gives you the ability to focus on what they need and powerfully communicate with them. It’s not about using this information to manipulate people. Rather, you’re trying to know them well so you can help them make the right purchase decisions and improve their life. This data also helps you figure out where to reach them and how to speak to them.

Creating Your ICP

Once you’ve conducted research on your target market, you can start creating your ICP. This is a profile that describes your ideal customer as an individual who would best benefit from your products. 

6 Tips to Learn More about Your Customers

by with No Comment Course CreationTools & Technology

Does your business have an ideal customer profile? Your ideal customer profile (ICP) describes your target audience as an individual. It also tells you where you should focus your sales and marketing efforts for the best results. An ICP incorporates objective data to help you develop a clear picture of your ideal customer and streamline your marketing efforts.  

With all the resources available online, creating an effective ICP is easier than it’s ever been. Here are some tips to help you source the data you need to develop your ICP. 

Monitor on Social Media

Social media offers a wealth of opportunities to learn about your market. You can look at your own followers to gain insight into their demographic information and attitudes. Check out their profiles and listen in on their conversations. You can also post questions to generate conversations for marketing purposes. 

Go beyond your own followers and you can learn even more. Use hashtags to search for keywords related to your audience and your products. Follow the competition and see how they’re marketing to your audience.  

Customer Reviews

Check out customer reviews of your own and similar products. Often, people will explain in the reviews why they liked or didn’t like a product. This is valuable feedback you can use to learn about their tastes and attitudes. Respond to comments with further questions and you can start a dialogue that can yield even more insights 

Review Website Analytics

You can also learn about your audience by observing their behavior. Look at website analytics and see what pages people spend the most time on. Where do they take action and click? Which traffic sources are sending the most traffic and why? There are a number of free analytics programs available like Google Analytics.  

Ask Questions

At every touchpoint with your customers, ask questions and take note of their answers. Social media listening and other passive forms of data gathering are valuable, but the opportunity to directly ask your audience questions is priceless. Through these kinds of interactions, you will uncover their needs more efficiently and effectively.  

Steer Clear of Assumptions

Never make assumptions. Assumptions are the enemy of a good ICP. Each piece of information in your profile should be backed by verified data. You may be surprised by some of the discoveries you make when researching your market. Keep an open mind and you’ll reap the rewards. 

Use Your Competitors

Your competitors offer a great deal of insight into your target market. Follow them, and see how they market to their audience. What’s their position in the market? Why do people buy from them? How much do they charge and how much are people buying? What do their customers say about them?  

Getting Started with Your ICP

The first step is to look at the products and services you offer and decide who’s the perfect customer for them. Then, you can start researching and expanding your ideal customer profile.  

Want to learn more about how you can create an ideal customer profile? Check out our upcoming course “Nail Your Niche” at Mavenzeal Academy. 

Cut Your Content Creation Time in Half with Repurposing

by with No Comment Course CreationTools & Technology

Content marketing requires a great deal of effort and constant content creation. This can easily be the area where you spend the bulk of your time, especially if you’re a slow writer. But there’s a handy shortcut you can take to reduce your content creation time: it’s called “repurposing.” 

What is Repurposing?

Repurposing means taking some content and changing it in some way so that it’s unique from the original. It’s not just copying, rewriting, or rearranging, but a deeper change that creates something entirely new. 

Switch Up the Format

One way to repurpose your content is to change its format. Take a piece that’s in one format and change it to another. For example, you can adapt a blog post into the script for a video. Alternatively, you can take a video and transcribe and edit it into a blog post.  

Other examples include turning video into an audio podcast, turning a press release into a social media post, or cutting up a webinar into a video series. 

Expanding and Enlarging

You can also take one section of a piece of content and expand it into its own standalone piece. For instance, if you have a blog post outlining ten tips on a topic, you could turn each tip into its own standalone post. This gives your audience a deeper dive and clearer instructions on how to do something specific. Another idea is to turn a blog post into a full report or digital information product.  

Contracting and Summarising

You can also take a piece of content and do the opposite. For example, take 7 blog posts with advice on how to do something and create one article that gives the reader 7 quick tips. Each post is shortened into 2-3 sentences. Or, take a long video and make a shorter version that just covers the main points. This offers a piece of content that’s shorter and easier to digest.  

Change the Angle

Take a piece you created before and offer a different angle. Present it from an entirely new point of view. For example, you can take an article with 4 tips and reverse them into negative “mistakes to avoid.” Another idea is to take a piece that teaches people how to do something and reframe it as a step-by-step guide so it’s easier to understand. 

Change the Audience

Rewrite your content for another segment of your audience or for a whole new audience. For example, if you have content creation tips for online entrepreneurs, you can rewrite so that you’re writing to brick-and-mortar businesses just getting started online. 

For the best results, mix and match all the ideas from above. Expand while switching the format and rewriting for a new audience. This way, you’ll create completely fresh content that will help you get more miles out of your existing material. 

Remember that repurposing isn’t about cutting corners. It’s not only a shortcut for you to create more valuable content, but a way to offer alternate formats for your audience to consume your content. Focus on delivering value and don’t be afraid to get creative. 

Three graphic design tools to help you create superb learning assets

by with No Comment Course CreationTools & Technology

If you are looking for the best graphic design tool, you will have a number of different options to select from. This can make it a little bit overwhelming, as it’s hard to know which tool is going to be right for you without trying them all.

Luckily, we have done all of this hard work for you, so you don’t have to. Read on to discover more about the main graphic design tools – Adobe Spark, Visme, and Canva.

superb-e1601447007511-pm1bnablc42vjqip2q9790tad7ylqk95k3p69agipk

Canva

Let’s begin with Canva, which is a powerful drag and drop editor. If you’re looking for a simple design solution that will enable you to create impressive, professional-quality graphic designs, this is a good choice. You will have more than one-million fonts, graphics, and photographs to choose from, and the tool itself is pretty user-friendly.

The main benefits of choosing Canva

Canva is a robust and simple online design platform, which means it is suitable for all skill levels. It gives anyone the power to turn an idea into a stunning graphic with ease. If you are not graphically inclined, Canva is a good option to consider.

Canva is also budget-friendly, yet this does not mean that it has compromised in the feature department. You can achieve a lot on this platform.

What features does Canva have?

These are some of the main features you will be able to make the most of should you decide to opt for Canva:

  • Speech bubble maker
  • Image cropper
  • Add texture
  • Stickers
  • Photo frames
  • Design grids
  • Photo blur
  • Photo enhancer
  • Badges
  • Web wireframe
  • Free icons
  • Photo vignette
  • 8,000 templates
  • Image transparency tool
  • Add text to photographs
  • Photo straightener

User Experience

You need to create an account on Canva to get started. This ensures your projects are saved so you can go back to them at a later date.

superb2

You will be asked what type of user you are, for example, a non-profit, business, personal, teacher, or student. This will impact the design types you are presented with and potentially the promotions you see.

Canva is largely based around templates, so you will pick a category and then be presented with plenty of options to select from. It’s a straightforward process, so you should find Canva pretty easy to use.

Canva plans and prices

Canva has a free plan available, as well as two paid SMB and enterprise pricing packages, ensuring different user demands are met. There is a free trial available, which is always great news.

With the free plan, you are going to get access to millions of photos, which cost $1 each. You can also upload your own images, access more than 8,000 templates, get 1GB of storage for assets and photos, add up to 10 team members for free, and use two folders for the organization of your designs.

Canva for Work will cost $12.95 per month. You get everything in the free plan, yet you can add up to 50 team members and use an unlimited number of folders. Storage is also unlimited. There are plenty of extra features too, including uploading custom fonts for your brand, setting color palettes, magically resizing designs, priority support, and much more.

If this is still not sufficient, you may want to consider Canva Enterprise. You will need to contact the company for a quote. Some of the main features of this include 99.9% uptime SLA, a dedicated account manager, advanced analytics, team administrative controls, and more.

Visme

If Canva is not the graphic design tool for you, you may want to consider Visme instead. Visme is an all-in-one content creation solution, which enables you to create and share stunning content, including graphics, videos, documents, infographics, and presentations. Like Canva, you don’t need to have any design skills to use this tool, so it really is suitable for all.

superb3

Benefits of Visme

There are a number of benefits that stand out when using Visme. You can create animated graphics and there is a big focus on interactivity, enabling customers to interact with your content through the likes of hover-overs and pop-ups.

Graphs and charts also make up a big part of what Visme has to offer. These visuals are great for anyone seeking to communicate the latest news, studies, and stats. You also have the power of publishing projects and sharing them via URL, which is a handy feature.

The platform also comes with rich analytics, which is ideal for project managers looking to measure how their content is performing so that they can improve future output.

What features does Visme have?

These are some of the main features you will be able to make the most of should you decide to opt for Visme:

  • Graphics and charts
  • Access management
  • Animations
  • Lead generation
  • Content database
  • Drag and drop functionality
  • Offline mode
  • Project templates
  • Microsoft Office integration
  • Customer activity reports
  • Collaborative interface
  • Video and streaming support
  • Social media marketing
  • Privacy and safety
  • User interface
  • Document templates
  • Data visualization

Visme plans and prices

Visme also has a free plan available, as well as a number of paid plans. You can make considerable savings on the paid plans should you choose to pay per year, rather than per month. For example, the Standard Plan for Individual use is $25 per month, yet this reduces to $14 per month if you pay for a year upfront.

The free plan comes with public projects, a number of widgets and charts, download as JPG, limited templates, 100 MB of storage, and the ability to do up to five projects.

You then have the option of a Standard Plan for Individual Use, Single Plan For Business Use, and a Student Plan.

The Standard Plan comes with color palette creation, all charts and widgets, no Visme brand on projects, all premium assets and templates, 250 MB storage, and up to 15 projects.

The Single Business Plan boasts all of this, yet you get 10 GB of storage and unlimited projects. Other extras include being able to record audio, a brand kit, organization with folders, collecting and storing leads, privacy control, slide library, and download as HTML5.

The Student Plan is very similar to the Standard Plan, yet it is charged at $30 per semester instead.

Adobe Spark

Finally, we have Adobe Spark. This merges three Adobe properties: Adobe Voice, Adobe Slate, and Adobe Post.

User experience

It is really straightforward in terms of getting started with Adobe Spark. All you need is an account with Adobe.  Alternatively, you can log-in with your Google or Facebook credentials. There is nothing to install or download. In terms of the apps, these can be downloaded with ease from the app store.

The interface is easy-to-use. Once you have logged onto the website for Adobe Spark, you will have three simple options to select from, which are represented by big, colorful buttons. These options are Video, Page, and Post.

Each option will be presented with a short description and a plus sign.

So, what does each feature offer?

  • Video– This is for presentations and tutorials.
  • Page– This is for info pages, catalogs, and portfolios.
  • Post– This tool is designed to help you create a social meme.
superb4

Adobe Spark Benefits

Adobe products tend to have a big learning curve, but we are pleased to say that this is not the case with Adobe Spark. The solution is accessible to complete beginners, which is quite a feat for this brand.

You can also build unique web projects quickly using Adobe Spark. From creating a landing page to turning an idea into a simple story; you can get your message you there with ease. It is a three-in-one solution, enabling you to make pages, images, and videos.

One advantage that Adobe Spark has over the competition si that it is completely free to use. You don’t have any premium parts to pay for. However, we must make it clear that Adobe branding will be included on the output, which can be a big drawback for a lot of people, especially those looking for a graphic design tool for business purposes.

What features does Adobe Spark have?

These are some of the main features you will be able to make the most of should you decide to opt for Adobe Spark:

  • Content management
  • Content permissions
  • Email integrations
  • E-commerce
  • Site analytics
  • Hosting
  • Marketing tools
  • SEO
  • Domain name
  • Drag and drop
  • HTML input
  • Templates

Final words

So there you have it: an insight into three of the best graphic design tools on the market today. We hope that this review has helped you to understand the differences between the three tools so that you can easily figure out which one is going to be the best for you.

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing a graphic design tool. It is all about figuring out what is most important to you and then selecting a tool that aligns with this.

Kickstarter-mage-1060x263-1-1024x263

THE EDUPRENEUR'S EXCELERATOR KICKSTARTER: HOW TO CREATE YOUR LEARNING EXPERIENCE BLUEPRINT

REGISTER NOW

Absolutely Essential Tips for First Time Webinar Hosting

by with No Comment Course CreationTools & Technology

If you are hosting your webinar for the very first time, you are probably dealing with a bad case of nerves right about now. A webinar is over the internet, but that doesn’t make it any less daunting than standing up in front of people and giving a presentation.

Even though you can’t see them, you know they are out there, waiting for you to dispense wisdom like a monk on a Bangladesh mountaintop. With that in mind, here are some absolutely essential things that you should do (and don’t) on your very first webinar.

  • DO conduct a dress rehearsal. Have a friend, family member or colleague sit through your webinar presentation and write down anything that went wrong or needs to be improved. Also, it would be helpful to know when they were bored so you can spice things up.

  • DO have a tech expert on standby on webinar day. Just because everything went right on the tech side on the dress rehearsal doesn’t mean it will when you actually present your webinar. In fact, it probably won’t. NOTE: You can solve this by choosing a webinar platform that offers customer service with your session.

  • DO remind your participants (and then remind them again). People are forgetful and some of them will forget until the very last minute.

  • DO spend five minutes explaining how the webinar will work. Talk about how people can ask questions; explain if there will be a recording that they can review and anything else they need to know.

  • DO dress for success. Maybe young Steve Jobs could get away with dressing in jeans in a t-shirt, with bare feet propped up on his desk, but you need to dress like you are presenting a grant proposal for money you really need.

  • DO set up your lighting, camera, backdrop and audio properly. Make sure that you aren’t washed out or in shadow, that your backdrop is neutral and consistent (not your untidy living room), that your camera angles are good and that your mic is positioned properly.

  • DON’T record your webinar on the same machine you are presenting on. You’ll probably have lag problems and sometimes this can result in lost audio, video or other elements.

  • DON’T use budget equipment. If you are using a cheap microphone and webcam your presentation will have much less value to your participants.

How to use a virtual background when in Zoom

by with No Comment Learning FacilitationTools & Technology

One great Zoom feature is the ability to place a virtual background for your meetings and events. This is an opportunity for you to provide a really professional-looking background that portrays the best image of you and your business. When you sign up for a Zoom account there are a number of virtual backgrounds that you can choose from to replace your existing backgrounds. These tend to be images of oceans, cityscapes, and nature which are OK but you can do better than this. 

Professional Bright Office Zoom Virtual Background

Image or Video

With the Zoom virtual background feature, you can choose an image or a video as the background to your Zoom events. We do not recommend the use of video as this can be really distracting for your audience. To get the best results from virtual backgrounds, Zoom recommends that you use a green screen and that your lighting is uniform. This allows Zoom to identify the difference between the background and you. We recommend that you create your own virtual backgrounds that include the branding of your business. It is a good idea to add your logo to your background as well as your name and website address. You need to create an image that reflects your camera type. So if you are shooting in 16:9 then the minimum image size should be 1280 by 720 pixels.

Best Setup for a Virtual Background

To get the best results from virtual backgrounds it is recommended that you use a green screen (or another solid color background). You can get these green screen backgrounds online pretty cheaply. The quality of your background depends on the quality of your camera. It also depends on the lighting in the room you are using for your Zoom event. You can get inexpensive ring lighting from Amazon that will improve things significantly for you. One important tip when setting up your virtual background is not to wear clothes that are the same color as your background. This will make it a lot harder for Zoom to identify you from the background and it will look really weird.

Enabling Virtual Backgrounds

You will need to enable virtual backgrounds in your Zoom account first. Log in to your Zoom web portal as an administrator and then select “Account Settings”. Find the option “Virtual Background” under the “Meeting” tab and then enable the setting. You can setup the virtual background feature on a group or user basis and also for Zoom rooms. The process is the same for all of these. Go into the settings for the group or user and make sure that the virtual backgrounds feature is enabled.

Using the Virtual Background Feature

You will need to install the Zoom client on your desktop or mobile device to use virtual backgrounds. For a desktop, you just need to click on your profile image and then select “Settings”. If you have the virtual background enabled in your web portal then you will see the option to use a virtual background here. You will be asked to choose if you have a green screen in place or not. It is not essential to use a green screen but it does produce the best results. If you are using a green screen then select the right color. If you have added your own virtual background image then select this now. Now you are all set and you can save your settings.

Tips for presenting during Facebook Live

by with No Comment Learning FacilitationTools & Technology

Facebook Live is a platform that should appeal to anyone who is trying to build a personal brand and establish themselves as a thought leader in their niche. This will encompass a very large proportion of digital marketers and make this a platform that a lot of people start making use of.

What this also means is that some of the people reading this and planning on creating live content won’t have much experience with creating video content. So if you’re not an experienced YouTuber, read on to learn some of the tips of the trade that will help you to create more engaging and professional video.

Video Quality

Video quality makes a huge difference on YouTube. On Facebook Live of course this isn’t such a big issue (seeing as everyone is recording from their phones) but you can nevertheless make a big difference if you invest in a high quality camera phone.

What’s arguably even more important meanwhile is that your videos be bright. Even a low quality video will look much clearer crisper if the room has lots of light! Either invest in a light box, or try to use natural light strategically. Aim for ‘Rembrandt lighting’ which means lighting your face from one side more than the other.

Audio

Your audio is equally important. Make sure that you record your sound using a lapel mic or a phone with a clear built in microphone. Speak slowly and clearly and think as well about the acoustics of the room you’re in: this can make a surprisingly big difference! Avoid echoing spaces where possible and think about your background noise. If people can’t hear what you’re saying, they’ll leave quickly!

Presenting

Being a good presenter is about being engaging and clear. It’s also about being charismatic and smart. Try to dress for the occasion but likewise don’t look overdressed as this will just make you look desperate – which is never a good look! Go for ‘effortlessly smart’ and try watching your favourite YouTubers for tips.

Set

Finally, think about your ‘set’. The area you film in is very important and will make a big difference. In particular, try to avoid filming anywhere where there’s too much activity behind you that could be distracting. Likewise, avoid filming anywhere that looks untidy or unprofessional. Your living room is not a good choice if there is lots of rubbish strewn around the place!