You’ve probably been advised to look at the camera when you speak on screen, and in general, that’s good advice.

But consider another approach.

If you were sitting in a live audience, would the speaker look you in the eyes throughout their performance?

Or would they look around the room so they could connect with as many people as possible?

It might even be a little bit creepy if they never looked away from you.

And if you were watching a video of a speaker giving a live performance, would they look at the camera or would you observe them interacting with the audience?

When you’re speaking on-camera, imagine yourself in front of an auditorium full of people.

Make sure the people in the balcony know you’re speaking to them, too.

And those people down in the front row.

And the ones off to the sides.

Though it may sound counterintuitive, by looking away from the camera, at least some of the time, you can make your viewers feel more like they’re part of an audience, and less like they’re sitting alone staring at a screen.