We inhabit a fast-changing world now. Technology has brought disruptive changes reflected in everything we see and do. Public speaking hasn’t remained untouched, either.
Thanks to digital and social media, public speaking has evolved profoundly, altering everything from how speakers connect to people to how they prepare and deliver content and are perceived as orators.
This article highlights the key impact digital and social media have had on public speaking. Let’s explore!
How Has Digital and Social Media Changed Public Speaking?
1. Better Accessibility
Thanks to the connectivity the social media platforms offer, speakers can access audiences worldwide and are not restricted by geography, resulting in massive exposure to ideas. Through online presentations, people can share their work and discoveries (in real-time) without moving anywhere.
You can also incorporate hashtags and join groups for relevant conversations, reach a wider audience, announce your speech, share insights, invite queries, and follow up with people. Hashtags and groups will also enable you to find and be a part of more public speaking events and communities, widening your circle and reach.
Also, speakers can pre-record and share their work, meaning they don’t have to be physically present everywhere to deliver it.
2. Improved Engagement
Engagement techniques have been upgraded with digital/social media options like videos, polls, live streaming, chatting, Q&A, etc.
Speakers can enhance effectiveness and engagement by preparing content with attractive stories and visuals. Platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, Twitter, etc., let people share stories in short and long formats and take feedback from the network.
Apps like Pinterest, Canva, Slideshare, etc., let you create and share catchy visuals like infographics, slides, and images.
These techniques are effective in engaging the audience, showcasing your personality, illustrating points, and making your presentation memorable.
3. New Avenues of Delivery
Webinars, TED Talks, TikTok, Instagram reels, etc., are some new presentation styles that have completely disrupted the space. Presenters can make different-length informational videos to disseminate information.
These new avenues make the content more interesting with the novelty they embrace.
Also, speakers can crowdsource ideas from people, meaning new avenues for testing new concepts and topic inputs as well.
4. Personal Branding and Online Presence
Digital and social media have let speakers build an online presence, work on personal branding and brand recognition, and thus shape public perception. Speakers can invest time in connecting with people, making the process last much longer than the span of the presentation.
You can showcase your authority and credibility in the field by sharing your achievements, awards, testimonials, etc., on social media. Displaying other speaking opportunities on social media (invitations, events) will also help highlight your reputation, impact, and influence.
Publish content (blogs, infographics) that demonstrates your skills, knowledge, and experience to facilitate trust and credibility.
Take care of your digital footprint by sharing meaningful content to position yourself as a thought leader.
5. Pre and Post-Presentation Dialogue
Speakers can connect to other people (pre-presentation) on social media and other platforms for idea development and build a pre-speech buzz. Discussions will enable further refinement of the idea with input and insights from multiple people.
It will refine your presentation, making it more concise, crisp, clear, and relevant. Take the help of teasers, behind-the-scenes clips, or countdowns to generate excitement and draw in more people.
Speakers can also engage in post-presentation dialogues to know the receptivity of their message. Audience interaction will let them know of the loopholes and strengths of their presentation and improvise. It will also build a sense of community and a stronger speaker-audience relationship.
These interactions are great for enhancing the overall effectiveness of the presentation with information development and efficient feedback.
6. Build Confidence
Social and digital media can help speakers build confidence by letting them practice live. Platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, etc., enable speakers to broadcast themselves to other people/followers.
Take the help of live videos to interact with people, gather feedback, practice your speech, learn from peers, and improvise, i.e., test the efficacy of your content, engagement, and delivery with live interaction.
Use polls, quizzes, surveys, etc., to gather live feedback and questions from people. Also, join other forums and communities for support, tips, and resources from speakers to further build confidence.
7. Gain Insights from Experts
Social and digital media enable you to join and follow other speakers you like. You can rely on a steep learning curve by watching and analyzing the work of the people who inspire you.
8. Enhanced Preparation Tools
Online practice tools like teleprompters, speech-timing apps, and presentation rehearsal platforms let speakers work on and refine their delivery. Also, VR platforms offer simulated speaking environments to practice and handle pre-speech jitters.
Tips to Use Social/Digital Media to Enhance Your Presentation
- YouTube is an excellent platform to create and share videos of your speeches and podcasts.
- Share short clips and reels on Instagram with tips, insights, stories, etc.
- Expand your network, join groups, and share professional work on LinkedIn.
- Connect with your followers and share hashtags to improve engagement through Twitter.
Challenges of Digital and Social Media on Public Speaking
a). Ethical Responsibility
Nowadays, social media is an important source of information. The fast dissemination of information poses ethical threats, as information can be distorted to suit motives. In such a scenario, public speakers are bestowed with ethical responsibility to ensure the preciseness and accuracy of information as it can affect the cultural landscape.
b). Managing Diverse Audiences
Social media has global users with diverse norms, values, and cultures. Addressing their needs and expectations is indeed a big challenge for presenters. Speakers must ensure that their message does not offend or alienate certain groups.
c). Cyberbullying and Harassment
Toxicity and trolling are a part of the social media landscape, and public speakers can escape it altogether. Though YouTube, Twitter, and other platforms allow presenters to hide or disable abusive/irrelevant comments, it impacts open dialogue.
It means that speakers have to work a lot to create an impeccable social image, which can sometimes become overwhelming and daunting (due to the easy connectivity).
d). Competition
Standing out and capturing the audience’s attention on social media amidst a sea of posts, videos, and blogs is not easier said than done. To compete and shine through the high volume of competition, speakers need to have an authentic personal brand and use multimedia elements, high-definition visuals, and storytelling.
In a Nutshell
Social and digital media have reshaped how speakers interact with the audience. Speakers can connect to audiences worldwide and considerably enhance engagement and receptivity of their presentation.
Proper use will enable you to practice, polish, prepare, and promote your presentation.
However, as with anything, social and digital media have their drawbacks, with the potential of trolling, which could lead to unnecessary toxicity for speakers.
Therefore, social and digital media can be a boon or battleground for people, depending on how optimally it’s used, like any other media platform.
