Category: Remote Work

How to Create a Productive Workspace at Home

What makes a productive workspace? Most people tend to yield better results when they are in an environment they can feel relaxed in. So, how can you organize the area you have to increase your potential? Perhaps surprisingly, it is not necessarily the latest trends and Insta-worthy set-ups that will win out. Instead, nailing the basics of light, noise and space can be far more important when it comes to creating a place to help maximize your output.

A productive workplace to call your own

Some of us work better in absolute silence, while others need some background noise to help them focus. Whatever the environment you work best in, it’s important to make sure you can move around easily. When you become tired or hit a productivity wall, taking a physical break to move around can help you gain a new perspective.

For those with the right space and budget, a standing desk can be a great solution. But, there are other things you can do to build opportunities for movement into your workspace. For example, try placing the photocopier or filing cabinet on the opposite side of the room.

Moving your entire workspace can also help. If you are primarily based in an office, adopting a hybrid working model by clocking in some hours from home can be beneficial for a productive workspace. Also, reshuffling your space can just make things feel fresh and help shake your brain up a little, and get you working!

A productive workspace that includes a laptop on a riser, a light some potted plants and a keyboard on a simple desk with a comfortable chair.
Photo by Nathan Riley on Unsplash

Minimizing distractions

Keeping a tidy desk can help enhance productivity and taking some time to organize your files, gadgets, and paperwork will pay big dividends later on. The same goes for your computer desktop and email. If it’s crowded with folders, pictures, and apps to the point where you cannot navigate easily to what you want, your work – and output – will suffer.

Another way to help eliminate distractions is to turn off your notifications and dedicate just a few minutes each hour to checking and answering messages. Tidying everything away at the end of the day also allows you to draw a mental line under your work. This can help you can really enjoy your time off. Because, you know, a big part of a productive workspace is you being productive! Without turning off you can burn out and lose even more productivity!

Getting the furniture right in your productive workspace

An uncomfortable work environment can impact not only productivity but also your health. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a top-of-the-line desk and chair. It’s more important that everything is adjusted properly for your body. The best work-from-home setup is one that allows you to type on a keyboard with your arms and hands roughly parallel to the floor with your feet flat and your legs fitting comfortably under the desk.

When it comes to choosing a chair, look for one that offers lumbar support with adjustable height armrests. You may also want to think about the fabric – mesh chairs tend to be less hot and sweaty. In addition to moving around and taking breaks, you can also improve your productivity by practicing proper posture. Rolling your shoulders back and sitting up straight and tall will minimize pain and distraction – and ultimately help you to maintain optimal productivity.

Creating a productive workspace is a combination of understanding how you work best and taking practical considerations into account. Design your space in line with both your physical comfort and personal working style and you won’t go wrong. Also, if you’re looking to get more time back our suite of apps can make your work life a little easier from creating better presentations to capturing and sending quick thoughts!

The Future of Working from Home

As work culture continues to shift from being tethered exclusively to a physical office, what will work from home look like? Will we continue to move more towards remote working, or will companies and employees shift back to the office? Just as importantly, how can we improve the work from home culture to make the future of work more efficient for everyone?

Hybrid is the way forward for working from home?

The number of people working from home is expected to remain high, especially in the tech and media fields. One recent survey of 2,000 UK companies found that post-pandemic, most are planning to allow employees greater flexibility on where and when they do their jobs. This may mean that hybrid workplaces, where employees spend part of their time in the office and part working remotely, are likely the way of the future. This creates flexibility not only for employees but also employers. They can downsize expensive rental spaces to accommodate the lower numbers of staff.

To adapt to hybrid working, employees and managers will need to adjust their work styles to get the most from both office and home. Options include scheduling all in-person meetings for certain days of the week. Or, reserving in-person meetings for brainstorming sessions, team building, and other creative activities that are best done face to face. This could also involve redesigning offices to create more collaborative meeting spaces. As well as, redesigning home offices to focus on work that requires quiet.

Someone holding their phone, sitting down, while using a laptop on their desk with a notepad on the table and glasses on top of that while working from home.

Improving engagement

In a physical office, personal relationships can open the door to advancement. Employees who work remotely will need to put extra effort into highlighting their engagement to develop these relationships and have access to new opportunities. Some ways to do this include: participating in virtual events, taking an active part in online meetings. Workers could also demonstrate engagement by organizing virtual activities and working virtually in groups.

Remote work has also changed performance management considerably. As organizations focus increasingly on what work gets done, rather than how it get done. Tools and apps that help manage and keep track of remote performance will be essential.

Some recent examples of remote employee management tools include platforms like Time Doctor and TransparentBusiness. Large organizations may soon find it necessary to create new positions, such as Director of Remote Work, to oversee collaboration and ensure efficiency. Another change in the future of work could be in moving to continuous feedback, rather than annual reviews. Employees and employers will both need to rethink how they set and keep track of goals and performance metrics.

A person sat on their kitchen table on a zoom call on their laptop while working from home.
Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

Making meetings count

In a remote or hybrid setting, video conferencing will become a vital tool not only for collaboration but for casual conversation as well. These could include informal but regular “water-cooler” chats, virtual book clubs, or even virtual team socials.

The increased use of video is humanizing working relationships by allowing colleagues into our homes, but it is also placing more emphasis on making each meeting count. When a remote meeting drags on, people are more inclined to tune out and drift off. To prevent this, meetings need to be professional and well-organized and feature live presentations.

Rather than replicating in-person meetings, complete with stuffy meeting rooms and stale donuts, remote meetings should embrace their unique setting. This could include preparing the shared space in advance, including breakout rooms, graphics, green-screen, video, notes, and slides.

This is an area where XSplit Presenter could be a game-changer. It allows you to create exciting presentations to keep your audience engaged. Because XSplit Presenter works with a huge variety of video call platforms, it is the perfect tool for adding personality and interactivity to remote presenting.

For many of us, the future of work is already here. No matter whether you are full-time remote, very occasionally remote, or in a hybrid office, make sure you are prepared to make the most of it.

Sending Video Messages for Better Work Communication

There are lots of different ways to communicate with your colleagues, but one that doesn’t often get considered is video messaging. This can make for better work communication because videos can be quick to make and to watch, and have the potential to be more engaging than other types of communication. Alternatively, the creator can opt to put a bit more time into making their video message, resulting in a lot more detail than with a basic spoken or text-based message.

When would a video message be useful? Building better work communication.

People can generally talk much more quickly than they can type, even when talking relatively slowly to ensure that they are being clear and specific. This means that as long as you already know what you want to say, recording a video message will be quicker than typing an email. It’s also much easier to get across tone of voice and context in a video – emojis can help in text, but they can be easy to misconstrue, especially between generations! Think of a video message as a voicemail for the 21st century. 

Unlike chat and email, video communications make use of your voice, face and screen to guarantee your message’s purpose is met. A video message can also feel more personal than a text-based email. So, if you’re delivering an update on a project or a company review, a ‘vlog’ approach can go a long way towards making the recipient feel involved and valued. 

During busier times (when deadlines are looming, for example), sending a quick video instead of using other, more long-winded communication methods respects your colleagues’ time. It’s also a lot easier to take in. Thanks to video messaging, teams can reclaim valuable lost time while getting more work done. This is by replacing unnecessary meetings, phone calls and emails.

Better work communication is possible anywhere, seen in this person using a laptop in a cafe with their messenger bag on the stool in front of them.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

How can I send a video message?

Using XSplit Capture, sending a video message is easy! Simply select what you want to record and go! You can even add voice over easily! Once you’ve recorded your message, XSplit Capture will automatically upload your video to its cloud storage. You’ll be given a private link for the video which you can then send to your colleagues, giving them access to your video, but without that link nobody else will be able to find it. 

Once you’ve got your link, it can be sent via email, Slack, Teams or any other system your company uses. The video message will stay secure on the XSplit Cloud so you could send the same link to multiple people. Perhaps everyone in your team as a product update, or to multiple potential customers as a quick introduction to your product and an invitation for a more in-depth demo at a later date.

Want to make a more complicated video? XSplit Presenter lets you add your camera, Google Slides, websites, videos and even guests! This is perfect if you want to send a lot of information that would normally involve attachments. Now, you can just send a complete video and get everything across easily!

Tips for better work communication

Even if you’re confident delivering speeches or presentations, there’s always room for improvement. 

  • Think about what you’re going to say in advance. You don’t need to write a script (in fact, a script is likely to make you sound stilted and distract you from the camera), but it’s useful to have a good idea of what you want to say in advance. 
  • Talk slightly more slowly than you normally would. In normal conversation, you can judge whether you’re being clear enough from the reaction of the person you’re talking to. In the absence of this feedback, it’s worth erring on the side of caution.  
  • If you realise that you flubbed a line or missed out a word, simply pause briefly, then start again from the beginning of the sentence. This will make it easy to find the mistake, select it and cut it out later without it sounding unnatural. Our instinct from talking to people live is to correct ourselves, perhaps slightly more loudly, but this makes segments harder to edit out. 
  • Avoid distractions – try to deliver your message with a reasonably plain background behind you. You don’t want your recipient to be busy trying to make out book titles on a shelf instead of listening to you! You could either use XSplit VCam AI powered background removal or the background removal built in to XSplit Presenter if you’re using that!
  • Add relevant details – don’t go overboard, but take advantage of the medium to add some annotations or figures to keep your content engaging.
A man looking down at his laptop screen with headphones in, laughing, better work communication can be fun!
Photo by Emilio Garcia on Unsplash

Examples of video messages

Perhaps you’re testing a piece of software and you’ve found a problem. Rather than listing the steps you’ve gone through in an email, it’s much easier to record your screen while you run through and recreate the problem. You can then send the video to the developers as a simple, clear bug report. This is really going to lead to some better work communication!

Or similarly, perhaps you’re having some computer problems. Sending a video to IT allows them to see exactly what you’re doing, shows them any error messages that appear and may allow them to see details that you didn’t realise were important – which all speeds up finding a solution.

Maybe you’re an office manager and want to send out regular updates to your team. Doing a piece to camera feels far more personal and is more likely to get their attention than sending out a bulk email. 

A video message could also be used in a report to your manager. You could include a graph with some annotations – maybe arrows that move around to point to the bits you’re talking about. Think of this video message as a shorter and simpler version of a Powerpoint presentation, but one where you can tweak the voiceover to make sure you’re saying exactly what you want to say as you’re not live.

Video messages have great potential in business situations, as they can be quicker and more engaging than trying to explain something with words. Check out how to go even further with your videos with our blogs – the sky’s the limit!

Is the Hybrid Office the New Normal?

A recent survey by the Office for National Statistics found that 85% of employees currently working from home wanted to keep a hybrid model of remote and office work in the future. Siemens is even calling its hybrid option ‘The New Normal Working Model’ and many global brands are working towards a ‘remote first’ structure. However, the UK Government has indicated that it expects a complete return to the office. Here, we take a closer look at hybrid office advantages, disadvantages, and what you can do to implement changes that work for you and your team!

Hybrid office advantages

There are many benefits to adopting a hybrid work model, here are some hybrid office advantages:

  • It’s inclusive. Barriers such as disabilities, childcare, and transport can be at least partially overcome with this more flexible approach.
  • Employers have access to a wider talent pool. Not only does home working help break the barriers we mentioned above, it also means that employers can recruit the best candidates from any location.
  • The ONS survey reported that home-working employees enjoyed an improved work-life balance. Four out of five employers stated that “improved staff wellbeing” was the best reason for continuing with home working.
  • Productivity can increase thanks to fewer distractions, no wasted commuting time, and employees having more freedom to choose the hours that suit them.
  • As we now all know, keeping away from the office prevents the spread of viruses and bugs. In 2020, the absence rate among homeworkers was 0.9%, compared with 2.2% among their office-working counterparts.
  • The lower overheads involved are great news for companies trying to keep their running costs down.
  • It’s greener – by cutting the amount of daily commuting, companies are helping to reduce carbon emissions. As hybrid office advantages go, this is a big one!
  • Your facilities manager will tell you that company expansion is a logistical nightmare, impacting everything from parking spaces to fire safety. Hybrid-working employees share onsite facilities, making this a practical and cost-effective way to grow a company.
Three people sat at a desk, two facing another who has two large pieces of paper they have used for brainstorming hybrid office advantages.
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

Disadvantages of a hybrid set-up

As with any model, there are also disadvantages.

  • Communication isn’t as easy. Even a tried-and-trusted platform like Slack isn’t as simple as popping across to someone’s desk.
  • The UK Office for National Statistics reported that employees found collaboration more difficult while working remotely.
  • Similarly, there’s a fear that relationships could suffer, whether they’re your informal friendships, your mentorships, or your head-hunting.
  • It’s not as easy to manage the protocols around working hours, internet security, and the personal use of company equipment.
  • There are also potential practical problems. For example, how are software and hardware issues fixed? 
  • It could create ‘two classes of employees’ according to Forbes – those who have and have not got the facilities and space to WFH.
  • Problems such as work-related stress could be harder to spot and support.

Find the best hybrid work method for you

With so many companies already using hybrid working methods, there are plenty of models to learn from. Here are a few suggestions for hybrid-friendly policies and practices that some consider hybrid office advantages:

  • Microsoft offers all employees the option to work remotely for up to 50% of their hours.
  • US company Dropbox has a Virtual Tool Kit for its WFH teams.
  • Lockheed Martin trained all their managers in running a remote workforce, aiming to have 45% of the staff on hybrid contracts.
  • You could try setting aside different tasks for home and office days. For example, write reports on home days and arrange meetings for office days.
  • Make use of remote tech, such as XSplit Presenter, which can help you create and annotate a live presentation in the same way that you would in person.
  • Keep the workplace culture going on home days by allowing for virtual coffee breaks and chances to chat with colleagues.
  • Explore the range of software designed to help teams collaborate from afar – try XSplit Capture for easy sharing of screenshots and videos.

Do you think a hybrid model could be the future for your workplace? Would it suit your team? Find out more about a hybrid office from an employee’s perspective in our recent blog.

How to Ace Your Virtual Job Interview

If you’re job hunting at the moment, you should be prepared for remote interviews. While there are some advantages to this – no worries about being late due to traffic – there are also risks, including technical problems or accidentally having a cat filter on. Here, we discuss some best practices for having a successful virtual job interview.

Prepare your space for a virtual job interview

While you don’t need to have a dedicated space for the virtual job interview, you do need to make sure that the space you are using shows off your best side and reflects your personality. This means finding, or creating, a spot that is clean and uncluttered. You can then “dress” the space to create a lasting impression. For instance, if you have a hobby that’s relevant to the position you’re interviewing for, you might discreetly place evidence of this in view. You could even go the extra mile and use XSplit VCam to create a background that relates to your work or interests. How about a virtual conference room to demonstrate your professional outlook, or producing your own bespoke image to showcase your creativity?

You also want to make sure the interviewer can see you clearly. Light yourself from the front to avoid displaying as a faceless silhouette. If you have pale or plain walls, you can soften their effect by lighting them with lamps rather than overhead lights. Try to use cool as opposed to warm lighting, as this will give a cleaner, brighter look.

A person sat on their sofa at home using a laptop to take part in a virtual interview.
Photo by Surface on Unsplash

Prepare your technology

There’s nothing more annoying than lagging internet or getting cut off just as you’re making a brilliant point. You can minimize the risk of this by doing a speed test ahead of time and asking other people in the house to stay offline during your interview. If you have trouble with your WiFi, it can be worth plugging your device directly into the local area network via an ethernet cable.

High-quality audio is another key factor in having a successful virtual job interview. If your built-in microphone isn’t great, consider buying a separate one. It’s fine for this to be in the shot during the interview, but it’s a good idea to make sure it doesn’t obscure your face. Opting for a dynamic microphone will also help you filter out background noise.

When conducting a remote interview or using another communication platform for the first time. Try a test run first to make sure you know all the ins and outs of the app beforehand. You can practice using the features by doing some mock calls with a family member or a friend. XSplit Presenter is compatible with platforms including Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Skype. So, you can use it no matter which one your interview is being conducted on! Plus, you can record your test run and watch it back if you know your questions in advance!

Prepare yourself

Finally, you want to make sure that you are well-prepared for your virtual job interview, just as you would in person. You might want to consider using XSplit Presenter to walk your interviewer through your CV or show any examples of your work – these could be helpful prompts for your conversation, and you’ll be able to highlight your relevant experience in real-time.

Because elements of communication, like body language and tone, can be different when speaking remotely, rehearse for your interview to make sure you are using appropriate pacing and gestures. Research has shown that keeping an open posture and not crossing your arms makes it easier for people to connect with you.

When you speak, you should make eye contact with the interviewer, rather than at the picture-in-picture view of yourself or at your reflection on the screen. If you are using Presenter to appear on the screen while delivering a presentation, look at the material that you’re explaining rather than yourself.

Whether we like it or not, remote interviewing is likely here to stay. Be ready for this eventuality, with the right space, setup and preparation, and you will land that job!

The Best Work from Home Apps of 2021

We are living in an age of rapid developments in remote working as employers and employees alike are realising the many benefits of working remotely, at least part of the time. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges as well, many of which have to do with technology. To help, we’ve taken a look at some of the best work from home apps to support teams in staying productive and efficient, even when working at a distance from one another.

Guaranteeing a slick presentation

Nothing will ruin a meeting or presentation faster than background noise. Handily, Krisp is on hand. This AI-powered noise-cancelling tech suppresses pesky ambient noises picked up by your microphone. It offers one-button operation and, since all audio processing takes place locally on your device, it also guarantees your privacy. Better yet, the basic app is available for free.

Of course, our own XSplit Presenter is one of the best tools out there for making your delivery super polished when you have to present online. Use it to insert your webcam into a presentation, add in a virtual pointer to quickly draw focus. Even annotate your presentation in real-time if a colleague thinks of something brilliant to include mid-meeting. You’ll also find it makes it hassle-free to import from Microsoft Powerpoint or Google Slides, add videos, websites, connect to other platforms as you present and even bring in guests!

Those who take privacy seriously will also be glad to know XSplit VCam allows you to remove, replace and blur your background with any webcam, and without the need for expensive green screens and complicated lighting setups. This alone makes it, in our opinion, one of the best work from home apps!

The best work from home apps for you and your team.

As collaboration tools become more common, so do apps designed to manage those collaboration tools. One of the most talked about is Figma, an interface design system for team-based creative projects. Already a staple in design-related industries, the company’s FigJam app is an online whiteboard. This makes it easy for teams to creatively brainstorm together, so you can enjoy all the benefits of close collaboration from afar.

If you’re also finding it difficult to manage projects in synchronous chat platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams can help. If you’re looking for an all-in-one project management tool, ClickUp that lets you keep everything in one place. Import your work from other productivity apps, organise it however you want, and create your own view. ClickUp allows you to manage docs, spreadsheets, time tracking, and more. It also offers an excellent free plan.

A person sat at their desk at home working on a laptop with a notebook, glasses and a phone on a desk looking for the best work from home apps.
Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash

Balancing me time vs team time

If you’re struggling to get a real sense of exactly how you’re using your time while working remotely, you might consider Rescue Time, perhaps one of the best productivity apps available. It’s an automated tracker that monitors the time you spend on apps, internet sites, and even individual files. It then generates detailed reports about exactly where your time’s going to help you understand and manage your performance. What’s more, you can even track offline time to create a complete picture of your day and a free version is available.

While working from home is great for productivity, there’s no getting around the fact that it’s just not the same as seeing each other face to face, especially when it comes to connecting with colleagues on a personal level. If you’re a team manager looking for ways to help your remote team connect, consider Donut. It works in Slack and allows you to create virtual water cooler meetings, CEO coffee lotteries, peer learning events, DEI discussions, and more.

As remote working evolves, new tools and apps will continue to appear, aiming to improve your remote working experience and performance and keep your team productive and efficient. Staying current will help you choose the best tools for your particular needs!

Content Creation Strategies for Brands to Build Audiences

There are many different ways to build a brand identity. Content creation for brands is an excellent method for generating visibility and interest, as well as finding new audiences. You can build a greater connection with your customers by making content that shows who you are, what you represent, and what your goals are. So, what are some of the best strategies to use for content creation?

Use content creation to tell a story

A well-presented brand story is a very effective marketing tool. Storytelling helps people to learn new information because narratives are easy to remember. Research shows that neural activity increases when listening to a story, as the brain’s sensory cortex is stimulated. This enables the listener to feel, hear, taste, and even smell the story – and you can harness this for your brand.

A compelling and authentic narrative can build connections, loyalty, and interest. For example, for its 2016 ‘Live There‘ campaign, Airbnb developed content that told the stories of its customers rather than its business, to create the idea that Airbnb was not just about property rental, but about its global community. Their storytelling encouraged potential customers to see themselves as part of this community. 

Framing your story in an original way can help to differentiate your brand. Take software company Zendesk, which created an “anti-content” video featuring a fictional rock band called Zendesk Alternative. By poking fun at themselves, Zendesk seemed more relatable, and in turn, this humorous angle made the content very sharable. Content creation for brands will allow you to show your target audience that you share their values.

A person using a laptop to make a podcast, something that could be great content creation for brands.
Photo by Soundtrap on Unsplash

Stand out from the crowd

While stories provide a way to relay facts using an entertaining narrative, there are a lot of stories out there – hundreds of millions of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram posts are published daily. That’s a lot of content.

In order to differentiate yourself, you could consider creating branded content that stands out from regular social media posts. You could start by using XSplit Broadcaster to create compelling videos, podcasts, and live-streaming events. This software lets you create rich content, broadcasting it as it happens with handy features like professional scene switching and multiple audio tracks. You can emphasize community development by creating content around your customers and their needs. For example, if you are a travel company, you could post video journals from the point of view of your holidaying customers.

Or, you could consider incorporating augmented reality features into your content marketing. These could be simple – AMC Theatres allows users of their app to scan movie posters to receive information like cast lists and trailers; or more complex – Sephora created an AR experience that lets customers virtually “try on” their makeup products. Anything that builds a connection between you your customers will help grow your brand.

Someone sat at a desk with a laptop in front of them, pouring coffee and thinking about content creation for brands.

Use content creation to define your values

It is no longer enough to have a great product – consumers also want brands to reflect their own values and identity. Developing content that reflects your values will help you to keep customers engaged and excited about your brand. Your content, and the channels you use to push that content, should align with the interests and concerns of your target audience.

This may mean going where your customers are and publishing content where they will be most likely to see it. It also means being realistic with what you produce – anything that looks too idealized and “perfect” will come across as inauthentic. You could consider including imperfections in your content, such as pairing untouched photos with humorous copy, to demonstrate that your brand is genuine or that it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

You can also use content to engage in conversations with your customers by sharing news, seeking feedback, asking questions, and demonstrating that you are listening by answering.
From telling your unique brand story to defining your values to differentiating yourself from the crowd, you can grow your customer base by creating unique videos, podcasts and live streams.

Is Sending A Short Video Better Than An Email?

You have a lot of information to get across to your team. What’re your chosen means of communication? Most of us default to email when we want to reach several people quickly: but is a written email the most effective method?

Software like our XSplit Presenter enables you to pre-record a seamless presentation. Instead of sending out lots of text and attachments, why not try sending a link to a short presentation instead? Here are a few reasons why you and your colleagues may prefer watching to reading.

TL;DR

Or, “too long; didn’t read”. We’ve all opened emails and, faced with what looks like a whole dissertation to wade through, quickly closed it “for later” and then forgotten about it. If you have a lot of information to get across, maybe a presentation is better suited to your needs. As advertisers know, 80% of people will watch a video, but only 20% will read all the text, so why not borrow a tip from marketing practice, and use visual rather than written media?

This still requires work from you as you’ll need to write the script and record the delivery. But, thanks to XSplit Presenter, this is super-straightforward, and when you get used to it, it’ll seem even easier than just writing the text. Import your Microsoft Powerpoint or Google Slides presentation, include clips from YouTube, or connect to Zoom, Skype, and other platforms to add flair to your presentation.

Two people, both laughing, one looking at a laptop at better email, a video sent rather than a wall of text!
Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

Unattached

Then there are attachments. Not only do emails have paragraphs of text to get through but there are multiple attachments and links to open. If you are sending a pre-recorded link, you can incorporate the information from these attachments into the presentation itself.

XSplit Presenter lets you import PowerPoint or Google Slides into your presentation, cutting down on the need to attach graphs or images, which can be simply included in your PowerPoint or Google Slides instead. You can also play videos directly in your presentation. Rather than provide your recipients with multiple links, this allows you to show snippets in a more convenient and user-friendly way. The result of all this? A straightforward email with a link to the presentation.

This video was created with XSplit Presenter!

Better Email Has Access for all

There are plenty of ways to make the text of an email more accessible; however, a subtitled presentation will reach most people without the need for any adjustments. As well as providing email alternatives for colleagues with visual or hearing impairments, you’re also helping your neurodiverse teammates.

XSplit Presenter is simple to use and has the tools to facilitate bringing teams closer together in a way that accommodates accessibility needs. For one, it allows you to add text to provide a subtitled presentation for your colleagues. It can also make things easier for you if you prefer to speak than to write, or if the thought of speaking in front of a live audience gives you the jitters.

We’ve covered several compelling reasons why a video can make a better email than text. Download XSplit Presenter to make your business communications easier and more accessible. Find out more about XSplit Presenter in our blog (and yes, it does include a short film).

Why You Should Pre-Record Your Monthly Company Meetings

In the busy world of work, it can be difficult to get everyone together for an all-hands meeting or for a big announcement.  This may be down to holidays, busy schedules, or other commitments. You can make your company updates slicker, more streamlined, and more flexible for your colleagues by pre-recording them instead of doing them live!

What are the advantages of pre-recording meetings? 

Using XSplit Presenter to record your presentation has many advantages. You can script it in advance and then record it carefully, making sure you don’t stumble over your words. You can check everything in your demonstration goes smoothly, include a voiceover, and make annotations on your presentation as you go along. This will come from rehearsing as well as recording your presentation and watching it back to see what you need to improve.

Using these points can make your presentation more interesting and engaging, and of course smoother and slicker. But don’t forget that it can make it shorter as well – by removing any awkward pauses and speeding up anything obvious or slow. This can remove dead air time, getting all the same information across but in less time. This is something that will definitely be appreciated by your busy colleagues! 

When you pre-record meetings, you can also easily bring in your chosen guest speakers to make a contribution to the presentation. Of course, this can be done live too but pre-recording can make things easier. Now, you can work around your guest’s schedule, making it more likely to secure someone’s time. You can also help your viewers focus on what’s important by adding quick and easy annotations that capture their attention.

A crowded all hands meeting room with lots of people taking notes could be avoided if you pre record meetings
Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Videos can be reused

Once you’ve made your video, it can be watched at a later time by anyone who missed the meeting, without you having to spend time delivering the presentation again. It can also be sent as a file or uploaded to places like YouTube so your audience can watch it back as and when they wish to. Choosing to pre-record allows busy staff to prioritize their workload and to pick an hour that best suits them during the day without compromising their other tasks.

Doing this for your colleagues will prevent them from being taken from their most vital and pressing work to attend a meeting. This allows them to instead structure their day without missing out on the information. It will essentially give your guests greater control over their working day and, in turn, help them to perform at their best.

Having a pre-recorded video allows the meeting attendees to watch the video more than once if they want to. This allows them to make sure they picked up all the information or to show it to a colleague if they wish. This can, again, save you time and increase your reach, whilst still making it more convenient for your audience and their schedule. 

Pre-recording your big company updates can improve the quality of the presentation and make it easier for your colleagues to watch when it’s most convenient for them. We have some handy tips to get you started and some pointers on how to add some sparkle as well!

Your Perfect Pitch Deck, Starring You!

These days, every presentation has a set of slides. As your perfect pitch deck, it should be well-formatted and engaging, as well as containing pictures and video content. Why not take yours to the next level? Instead of just showing your slides and talking about them, you could take it up a notch and appear in them in a video pitch deck. This will help you stand out from the crowd and might even make putting your presentation together easier.

Make your perfect pitch deck a live video

There are a number of good reasons to create a recording of yourself delivering the presentation. The first one is the wow factor of the perfect pitch deck – by being that little bit different, it’s more likely to pique your audience’s interest. It also allows you to script, practice, and pre-record your lines, meaning that you can edit out any fluffed delivery. This would be perfect if you’re nervous about presenting, allowing you to deliver a much slicker, smoother, and more carefully paced presentation.

Having your presentation pre-recorded in advance takes a lot of pressure off you as a presenter. You now know you can just hit go, and then make yourself available to answer questions at the end. You can amp up audience engagement by speaking to your viewers in the chat while your presentation plays.

Getting yourself prepared to make the perfect pitch deck is important! Here we have someone making notes on paper on a desk with pens and post-it notes.
Photo by Felipe Furtado on Unsplash

What else can you do with a video presentation?

Video pitch decks allow you to plan and implement special effects, such as having your recorded self point to bullets on a slide or pull a graph out of thin air. As you put the video together in XSplit Presenter, you can time transitions to fit your movements and cut out any pauses while you try to find the next graphic or video. This helps make sure that all your media, graphics, and notes appear at exactly the right time in your perfect pitch deck. Now this will require some rehearsal on your part, but getting everything perfect is what we’re after here!

It also gives you the option to include webpages as part of your media, again removing any loading times or worrying about whether a site will work properly when you load it. The platform also pulls in presenter notes from your original presentation, making it easier to remember what to say when you present. To help your viewers focus on the right parts of your presentation at the right time. You can annotate it in real-time using a handy virtual pointer tool. 

How do I make the perfect pitch deck?

XSplit Presenter allows you to take control of your presentations in many ways. At the basic level, you can overlay media, including webcams, NDI guest calls from Zoom or Skype, pictures, and videos over your slides. At its most advanced, you can pre-record your entire presentation and then work through it again. Tidying it up, moving elements around, and producing a more polished and efficient show for your audience when you record it again. Presenter offers the tools to make your presentation stand out, allowing you to concentrate on making the content and writing the script. 

Does your deck require more than one presenter? XSplit Presenter makes it easy to mix things up and add more speakers to your presentation with NDI sources like Zoom or Skype to make it more engaging. 

Presentations can be a challenge no matter what industry you’re in. You can find out more about what XSplit Presenter can do for you here, and we’ve got some additional useful advice for improving your presentations, too.