Thank you for agreeing to present a session at a BGS event. Presenting live and in person my not always be required or possible. To help with occasions when online technology is needed to give your presentation, please see our guidance below. If you have any queries that are not covered in the details below, do not hesitate to contact Helen Blackman registrations@bgs.org.uk - 0203 747 6940.
Pre-recording
We suggest that you pre-record your presentation to ensure optimal sound and picture quality via Zoom. The recording will also serve as a back-up should there be technical issues on the day. You will receive an email and a link to book a time with our AV support company. If you have not received this email 4 weeks prior to your presentation date, contact us.
Online participants will attend via the BGS website which provides simple access via a web browser.
Prepare
- Minimise background noise. Go to a separate room where possible, and if available, use a noise cancelling headset.
- Be well lit. Have great lighting. Good lighting helps us see each other better, and thus, stay more engaged.
- Pay attention to what's in the background. A busy background or people walking behind a presenter can be distracting for others on the call.
- What to wear? Patterns like stripes or checkers can have a strange effect on video online. It is usually best to wear solid colours.
- Put the webcam at eye level. This helps make eye contact with others on the video call.
- Turn your notifications off. This will avoid the distraction and noise caused when a notification pings. Close any Apps and Programmes not being used.
- Minimise movement. Moving around a lot can be distracting for others on the call.
- Rehearse so you cover the key areas in time.
Present
- Test everything. Arrive a 15 minutes before the session you are presenting in starts, to test your equipment and to speak to our AV support team who will be online waiting for your when you join.
- Speak slowly and clearly. It’s easier to miss what someone has said over video than in person. Consider investing in a USB microphone for added audio quality.
- Favour visual rather than text. Strong visuals and images keep audience eyes focused on the screen and on the presenter. Images are not just visually appealing, they can be more effective in conveying emotion because of the way in which our brains process visual stimuli.
- Be Engaging. Engage with participants through pictures, videos, illustrations, examples and questions.
- Have fun and be energetic. Project and speak louder than usual.
Connection and navigation FAQs
This guide gathers all the information about features that participants and presenters can use before, during, and after the event.
How do I present?
When presenting in person this is as pre-pandemic, on a stage with a powerpoint which will be shown to the audience in the room and online.
If presenting remotely, you will need to leave the BGS website if you were watching the conference (closing down any tabs playing sound) and join a Zoom call in order to present. You will be asked to share your slides in advance, so that our AV support team can directly access them on the day. You will be given a short technical brief and then granted control to advance your presentation at your own speed.
How do I watch online?
When registering for an event, login, or create a BGS website account. This account will allow you to register for the meeting and will be your point of access for watching the live conference or on-demand recordings.
You can access the event:
By clicking the link in one of the emails sent by registrations@bgs.org.uk. Please check your spam folder.
By logging into your BGS website account and navigating to the event page, then clicking on the View Stream Button.
Why haven’t I got the registration email? Or details on how to join the meeting?
Did you complete registration successfully? When you log into your BGS website account, you may not have access to the event you want to join.
There are a few reasons that this might happen, please check the following:
- You have not yet registered for the event. Perhaps your registration is not complete; remember to check that you have received a registration confirmation, and if this is the case, forward it to registrations@bgs.org.uk with a short description of your issue so that we can help you.
- You did not log in with the email used when registering for your event. Make sure to use the same email address when logging into the BGS website. Having multiple accounts is possible.
- The event is not yet accessible to users - however it will be once the invitation emails are sent by the event organiser.
