Using Webcam Technology to Increase Your Influence

You're on camera whether you like it or not. Virtual meetings aren't going away, and how you show up on webcam directly impacts your influence. Research shows that turning on the webcam increases creativity and perceived authenticity among participants, and participants experience a stronger connection and increased trust NCBI (Olson et al., Larsen). Yet too many professionals still hide behind a black screen. That's a mistake.

Here's how to use webcam technology to amplify your influence:

Turn Your Camera On—Every Time

Stop making excuses. "I'm having a bad hair day" or "my background isn't perfect" are not valid reasons to disappear. When you turn off your camera, you eliminate the most powerful communication tool you have: your presence. Your listener can't read your eye contact, your facial expressions, or your body language. Without these cues, you're just a voice—and voices are forgettable.

Position Yourself for Eye Connection

Place your camera at eye level. Look directly into the lens when you speak, not at yourself or at the faces on your screen. Eye connection creates trust. When your listeners feel like you're looking at them, they stay engaged. When you're looking somewhere else, they check out.

Control Your Nonverbal Message

Sit up straight. Keep your gestures visible in the frame. Eliminate distractions in your background. Everything your camera captures communicates something about you—intentionally or unintentionally. Take control of that message.

Virtual meetings are your new reality. You can either treat them like second-rate substitutes for in-person interaction, or you can master them. Use your webcam strategically. Show up fully. Command attention through your presence, not in spite of the technology. Your influence depends on it.