How to Make Zoom Presentations [A Detailed Guide]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- Jun 4
- 9 min read
Our client, Michael, asked us an interesting question while we were working on his Zoom presentation:
"How do I keep my audience engaged when they’re just a grid of faces on my screen?"
Our Creative Director answered something very simply but accurately:
"Engagement in Zoom presentations starts with how well you prepare for the screen, not the room."
As a presentation design agency, we work on many Zoom presentations throughout the year and in the process, we’ve observed one common challenge: people underestimate how different presenting on Zoom is from in-person talks.
So, in this blog, we’ll talk about exactly how to make Zoom presentations that hold attention and look professional.
In case you didn't know, we specialize in only one thing: making presentations. We can help you by designing your slides and writing your content too.
Why Zoom Presentations Need a Different Approach
If you think delivering a presentation on Zoom is just like standing in front of a room full of people, you’re setting yourself up for trouble. The truth is, Zoom presentations are a completely different beast. You’re not dealing with the natural energy that comes from eye contact, body language, and the subtle reactions you pick up in a live room.
Instead, you’re staring at a screen filled with tiny squares or sometimes just a blank when someone turns off their camera. Distractions are a swipe or a click away for your audience. Multitasking is the norm, and attention spans are shorter than ever. You have to fight for every second of their focus.
This shift demands a different kind of preparation and delivery. Your slides, your tone, your pacing — everything needs to adapt to this unique environment. Otherwise, what you say might as well be background noise.
In our experience, clients often come to us expecting to use their old slide decks without any tweaks, only to realize halfway through their presentation that something isn’t working. Zoom calls need a sharper focus on visual clarity, storytelling, and interaction.
Understanding why Zoom presentations need a different approach is the first step toward mastering them. Once you accept this, the next challenge is knowing exactly how to do it — which is where we jump in.
How to Make Zoom Presentations
1. Prepare Your Environment Like a Pro
When you’re on Zoom, your environment becomes part of your stage. Unlike in-person where the room is usually a given, your background, lighting, and audio are all in your hands — and every bit of it shapes how your audience perceives you.
Background: Keep it clean, uncluttered, and professional. Avoid distracting items behind you that might pull attention away from what you’re saying. If you can, use a simple, neutral wall or a branded virtual background that’s subtle, not overwhelming. Anything too busy, flashy, or cluttered is a no-go.
Lighting: This one is a game changer. Natural light is best but make sure it’s in front of you, not behind you. If that’s not an option, invest in a ring light or desk lamp positioned to evenly illuminate your face. Poor lighting makes you look less engaging and even untrustworthy.
Audio: Clear audio is non-negotiable. Built-in laptop mics often sound tinny or pick up background noise. Use a quality headset or external mic to avoid frustrating your listeners with crackling or echo.
2. Design Slides for Screen Viewing
Your slides need a serious makeover for Zoom. What works for a live room with a big projector doesn’t translate well when people are looking at a small screen, often split with other windows and distractions.
Keep it simple: Each slide should communicate just one idea clearly and quickly. Avoid cramming too much text or complex graphics that make your slides look like a wall of words.
Use large fonts: Text should be readable without zooming in. We recommend at least 24pt font size for body text and larger for headlines. This ensures people won’t strain to read and lose interest.
High contrast colors: Choose colors that pop on screen. Avoid pale tones or combinations that cause eye strain. Black or dark backgrounds with white or bright text often work well, but test what looks best on your device.
Visual hierarchy: Use bullet points, icons, and visuals strategically to guide the viewer’s eye. If you have a graph or chart, simplify it to the core message — no need to overwhelm with details that make people switch off.
3. Master Your Camera Presence
Unlike a live audience where your energy fills the room, on Zoom your camera is the only connection point. How you come across on camera is everything.
Look into the camera: This mimics eye contact. It’s tempting to look at your own video or the participant list, but when you speak directly to the camera, it feels like you’re talking to your audience personally.
Frame yourself well: Position your camera so your head and upper shoulders fill the frame comfortably, leaving some space above your head. Sitting too close or too far looks awkward and breaks the professional vibe.
Body language still matters: Use hand gestures naturally and smile where appropriate. Your movements will feel less obvious on camera but still make a difference in how engaging you appear.
Dress the part: Wear something professional but comfortable. Avoid overly busy patterns or bright colors that can distract the camera.
4. Rehearse With Your Tech
One of the most common problems we see is technical hiccups that break flow and kill credibility.
Test your internet connection: A strong, stable internet connection is crucial. If possible, use a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi. If you have to use Wi-Fi, make sure your signal is strong and you’re close to the router.
Know your Zoom settings: Practice using Zoom’s features like screen sharing, mute/unmute, chat, and breakout rooms if relevant. Knowing these in advance prevents fumbling mid-presentation.
Close unnecessary apps: Having many apps running can slow your computer and distract you with notifications. Close anything you don’t need before starting.
Have a backup plan: Keep a phone nearby with the presentation file or meeting link ready in case your primary device fails.
5. Engage Your Audience Actively
Engagement on Zoom requires more effort than in-person because people’s attention drifts easily.
Use interactive tools: Polls, Q&A, reactions, and chat are your friends. Plan moments in your presentation to ask questions, invite comments, or run quick polls to keep people involved.
Call out participants by name: This personal touch makes people feel seen and encourages participation. Just don’t overdo it and make it feel forced.
Keep your pace varied: Monotone speaking is a guaranteed attention killer. Change your tone, speed, and volume to keep listeners on their toes.
Use storytelling: Humans respond to stories far better than facts and figures. Weave narratives around your key points to make your message memorable.
6. Mind Your Timing and Breaks
Zoom fatigue is real. Sitting and staring at a screen drains energy faster than in-person meetings.
Keep it concise: Aim for shorter sessions or break your presentation into chunks. If your talk is long, build in scheduled breaks or interactive activities to give people a mental breather.
Watch your clock: Running overtime not only bores your audience but also cuts into their time for questions or discussion.
7. Follow Up With Purpose
Your Zoom presentation doesn’t end when you close the meeting window.
Send a recap email: Include key takeaways, slides or resources, and a thank you note. This reinforces your message and keeps the conversation going.
Invite feedback: Ask for input on what worked and what didn’t. This helps you improve and shows you value your audience’s opinion.
How to Deliver Zoom Presentations and Keep Your Audience Engaged
Delivering a Zoom presentation isn’t just about reading from your slides or rattling off facts. It’s about creating a connection through a screen, keeping your audience focused despite all the distractions at their fingertips.
We’ve seen many presentations fizzle out because the presenter didn’t adapt their delivery or engagement strategies to this unique environment. Here’s how to avoid that and make your Zoom presentations truly memorable.
1. Own Your Opening — Hook Them Fast
Your opening matters more than you think. On Zoom, you’re competing with emails, notifications, and that tempting "check social media" button. Start with something that grabs attention immediately — a story, a surprising fact, or a thought-provoking question.
Don’t waste time with dry introductions or agendas. Instead, say something like: “Before we dive in, let me ask you this...” or “Here’s a quick story that will explain why this matters to you.”
Also, warmly greet your participants, ideally by name. This humanizes the experience and shows you’re present, not just broadcasting.
2. Use Your Voice Like an Instrument
Your voice carries the emotion and energy that keep people glued to their screens.
Vary your tone and volume: Avoid sounding robotic by emphasizing key points and softening your voice during transitions.
Pace yourself deliberately: Speaking too fast will lose people, too slow will bore them. Use pauses to let ideas sink in.
Speak clearly: Zoom compresses audio quality, so enunciate and avoid mumbling.
Changing your vocal rhythm keeps your presentation dynamic and stops monotony from sneaking in.
3. Maintain Strong Camera Presence
On Zoom, your face is your stage. How you appear on camera impacts how engaged your audience feels.
Look directly into the camera to simulate eye contact.
Sit upright with confident posture — slouching looks like you’re bored or unprepared.
Use natural hand gestures and facial expressions to convey enthusiasm.
Smile genuinely — it creates warmth and connection, even through a screen.
Moving and engaging your whole upper body helps you feel more energetic, and that energy translates to your audience.
4. Use Interactive Tools to Boost Engagement
Zoom offers many features designed to keep your audience active, not passive spectators.
Polls: Run quick polls to check understanding or gather opinions. It’s a great way to make people feel involved.
Chat box: Encourage questions or comments in the chat throughout the presentation, but designate moments to address them so you don’t lose flow.
Reactions and hand-raising: Invite participants to use Zoom’s reaction icons to show agreement, ask for attention, or answer quick questions.
Breakout rooms: If your presentation is long or workshop-style, use breakout rooms to facilitate small-group discussions.
These tools combat the “zone out” effect that happens when people feel like just passive listeners.
5. Call Out Individuals and Make It Personal
Mentioning participants by name when responding or asking questions adds a personal touch. It makes people feel seen and valued. You don’t want to overdo it, but weaving in names creates a sense of connection that a grid of faces otherwise lacks.
6. Tell Stories That Stick
Facts and figures are important but dry on their own. Weave stories around your points — whether it’s a client success story, a personal experience, or a hypothetical scenario.
Stories are how humans process and remember information. On Zoom, where attention is fragmented, stories help your audience stay emotionally connected.
7. Manage Your Presentation Timing and Breaks
Long, uninterrupted Zoom presentations drain energy fast. Keep your segments short and punchy, ideally no longer than 15-20 minutes before switching gears or taking a break.
If your session is longer, build in planned breaks or interactive moments so people can stretch, grab water, or simply reset mentally.
8. Use Pauses to Your Advantage
Pauses are powerful but underused. They give your audience time to process what you’ve said and build anticipation.
Don’t rush to fill every silence. Well-timed pauses after important points or questions make your delivery feel thoughtful and intentional.
9. Handle Questions Confidently and Smoothly
Set expectations early about when and how you’ll take questions. This prevents interruptions that disrupt flow.
When a question comes in, repeat it aloud so everyone hears and understands. If you don’t know the answer, be honest and offer to follow up later — honesty builds credibility.
10. Keep Your Energy Levels High — For Real
Zoom presentations demand more conscious effort to stay energetic. You don’t have a room’s vibe to feed off, so you have to generate that energy yourself.
If you feel your energy dipping, stand up off-camera and stretch briefly. Take deep breaths. Remind yourself why you’re passionate about the topic.
Your enthusiasm is contagious. If you sound tired or bored, your audience will feel it too.
Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?
If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.