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Screen sharing while using Teleprompter Software
Virtual and hybrid events have become an emerging practice for engaging with online audiences, where presenters can deliver their speech to live audiences on video platforms such as Webex, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and YouTube. The Virtual Teleprompter is a complementary tool designed to help presenters maintain eye contact, feel confident and look natural while presenting online. In this article, we will share the best practices for using a Teleprompter app while presenting to a live audience. We would encourage anyone who frequently participates in live streaming, presentations, speeches, or executive recordings to try the Virtual Teleprompter so you can avoid trying to memorise notes, minimise stress, anxiety and feel confident.
Before the presentation
In recent times, we all have concerns regarding our privacy. This could include mistakenly sharing your personal information, talking notes, calendas, chat messages etc. Here is a list of practices that experienced presenters follow to protect their privacy:
Give yourself 5 minutes to prepare - Ideally give your computer a reboot to refresh the memory and CPU utilisation.
Close down unrelated applications including Internet Browsers, chat apps, Outlook etc.
Run a speed test at https://speedtest.net and make sure you have at least 3Mbps up/down as a bare minimum. Most video platforms require 3Mbps+ for high definition audio and video.
Turn off your notifications (such as email and messenger)
Setup your camera and room environmentals to ensure you are sending out a good quality webcam feed. Some good tips can be found here 4 Tips To Create The Best Lighting For Video Conferencing.
Download the Virtual Teleprompter app from the Mac store or Windows store.
Please visit this page for detailed instructions on how to use the virtual teleprompter.
During your presentation
Great! You’ve done all your preparation, and now you’re on-air! Viewers watch live events because they want to learn or understand the presenters thinking process, problem-solving approach, strategy, or to learn something new. That brings us to the next tips to use during your event:
Start using the Virtual Teleprompter so you can avoid trying to memorise notes, minimise stress, anxiety and feel confident.
If you need to share your browser window, use incognito mode, hide your bookmarks and close unrelated tabs.
Share only the relevant part of your screen or a specific app. This tip is crucial if you have multiple windows open. For instance if you need to share a PowerPoint presentation to your audience and use the Virtual Teleprompter.
In order to share a specific app you need to select the option that says "share an application" rather than "share screen". When you share an application i.e. PowerPoint, only the Powerpoint application will be shared to attendees regardless of whatever else you have on screen at the time.
In the Webex screenshot below you can see the different sharing options are Screen 1, Screen 2, and all the individual apps that you have open. If you are only intending to share a PowerPoint presentation then the recommendation is to share the Powerpoint app itself (not the entire screen i.e screen 1). In general, sharing the app also sends through a better quality image to the attendees and it also avoids any other content being shown by accident like chat messages, pop-up reminders, teleprompters etc.
This will allow you to share the PowerPoint and not be worried about other applications being shared by accident.
Additional information
Detailed instructions for screen sharing can be found on the respective support pages:
Webex screen sharing - Webex support page.
Zoom screen sharing - Zoom support page.
Microsoft Teams screen sharing - Microsoft support page.