You’ve researched your topic, rehearsed your presentation, and edited your slides to perfection. When you have put a lot of effort into a project, there is nothing more annoying than being let down by technology. Conducting a seminar requires reliance upon a lot of tech, but audio is often overlooked. Here in this article, we will take a look at why your audio equipment deserves a closer look, and how to get the best available for your webinar needs.
Why bother?
So why should you invest in a better mic setup? Standard headsets have a microphone built-in shouldn’t this be enough? Undoubtedly these will do the job, but it pays dividends to invest in better. A webinar is a multimedia experience but the sound is key to delivering your message. It will also serve you well in the future, as our work lives become more digital it makes sense to purchase equipment that will facilitate better online communication.
Assess your location
With that in mind, where is the best place to start? First look at where you will be delivering your webinar. If you are fortunate enough to be delivering your presentation in an office, arrange a time to be able to do a practice run. If possible record it and watch it back, this will not only help you evaluate your performance, but also give you an idea of the acoustic settings of the room you will be in. This will be easier if you will be presenting from home, but the principle is the same. Assess the sound quality of your current setup to figure out where improvements can be made. If presenting at home, there are steps you can take before buying any electrical equipment. Choose a room with the best acoustics possible, then look into purchasing acoustic soundproofing panels and sound panels to further isolate external noise. These needn’t be too expensive, or labour intensive to install and can be useful for general work from home as well.soundguys.com/microphone-types-26497
Research
Next, start researching microphones. This can be overwhelming, as a quick google search will reveal a myriad of options and prices. Keep your search narrowed to what you actually need, as well as a realistic budget. Unless you’re a sound engineer you won’t necessarily need a top-of-the-range mic, but certain features can be useful. Some microphones have settings to reduce background noise, particularly useful for working from home and reduce mic sensitivity. If price is a concern there are cheaper options available, such as lapel microphones, that attach to your clothing and are still of decent quality. An additional option would be to invest in some headphones as well as a microphone. This allows you to hear yourself, and much like recording your presentation, evaluate the sound quality in real-time.
So, there you have it – everything you need to know about finding the best audio equipment for your webinar. The best-specced microphone on the market won’t automatically create a great presentation, but with a well-structured webinar can elevate it to the next level. Get mic’d up, and leave an excellent impression in your next session delivery. Happy shopping!
