If you’re giving an online presentation, there is one thing to invest in before almost anything else: a good microphone. You should still make sure that your camera setup is good and have basic lighting, but both of those things can be done using a window and a built-in laptop webcam. Nothing will turn off your audience more than lousy audio! Here are some of my suggestions for microphones for online speeches.
Do you own a pair of AirPods? Those will work wonderfully better than the built-in webcam mic. If you give presentations for work and professional speaking is not your goal, then AirPod audio quality will be all you need. Just make sure they’re charged, and the battery isn’t wearing out.
HyperX SoloCast – Black, small and straightforward. This mic can be found relatively cheap and can do the job. It’s missing some extra features of higher-end mics. However, it sounds virtually identical to pricier mics for the most part. See it on Amazon.
Advanced
Blue Yeti – This is the mic that I use. If you watch YouTube or Twitch streamers, you will see this microphone everywhere. If you want to dive into advanced settings, it even comes with some software. See the Blue Yeti X on Amazon.
If you’re a presenter that likes to stand and present from a little farther away, a shotgun mic might be for you. These mics focus on only capturing what’s directly in front of the mic and blocking out other sounds. With a small desk boom stand (see below), you can hide this mic out of the frame of your video while still capturing great audio. Try renting one from a local video supply store to see if it works for you. You can find the Rode VideoMicPro on Amazon.
For digital presentations, you generally want some flexibility with a mic stand while also having one that can conveniently mount on your desk (presumably). ProducerHive recommends the RODE PSA 1. Just beware of the weight of that Blue Yeti.
My name is Jessica Cox, and I present professional-quality digital speeches to clients worldwide. I’m sharing my best practices for high-quality digital speeches to help raise the standards for both presenters and event audiences. If you need a speaker for your event, make sure they’re using high-quality audio. I can guarantee professional-level audio if you hire me as your next digital event speaker. Contact me here.
