Things to Consider before Hiring a Virtual Keynote Speaker

by Sandeep Yadav SEO Executive

Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic is encouraging major changes in several sectors. Future bookings and live events have come to a halt, leaving keynote speakers stageless worldwide.

Though in-person sessions have stopped for a while, virtual sessions are still alive, in fact, growing.

Luckily the right VIRTUAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER can empower and motivate your audience in the same manner a physical session can. An outstanding in-person keynote speaker may not be that great VIRTUAL KEYNOTES speaker. So, while hiring a virtual keynote speaker, try to look out for these attributes carefully:

· Does the speaker have a past virtual session experience?

While screening virtual presenters, it always helps to search for somebody with some prior virtual speaking experience. Check whether they have faced a camera ever. Check whether they have ever been interviewed as a TV guest on any news channel, talk show, or whether they have ever been recorded on reputed stages.

And what about a webinar? Has this virtual speaker delivered an online event or digital broadcast the same as the one that you are going to host? So, ask the presenter to see their virtual speaking resume.

· Do they capable of creating an appealing digital experience?

It hardly matters whether a presentation is on screen or stage, it helps whether the audience can see the visuals so that they are not staring at the speaker talking only. However, in the virtual event world, visual is more relevant – as it doesn’t matter how outstanding a speaker is, if he/she doesn’t fill up the body language gaps, then it will be difficult for the audience to connect with him/her.

So, always consider hiring someone who has previous experience in handling virtual events.

· Are they ready to work with a moderator?

Though a speaker has to handle a load themselves. But having an extra virtual host is helpful in many ways. The job of a moderator is to introduce the speaker, keep the presentation on track, steer the session with support questions, host the ending, etc.

Not all keynote speakers play great with the moderator. So, it is good to ask your speaker whether they can share the virtual stage with a moderator.

So, consider these factors before hiring one.