If you’re a business owner talking on video you only get one chance to make an impression.

If you’ve put that video on your website it has potential to reach tens of thousands of viewers.

However even the most confident of people can become unnerved at the sight of a video camera. Unfortunately this can mean people come across as a bit ‘wooden’ or even lack authenticity.

Instead of the business owner talking to camera try this.

Film the subject in two way interview style rather than direct to camera. This will ensure the speaker comes across much more naturally and authentically. Interview style is where the subject is looking slightly to one side as if talking to an interviewer.

Treat it as a conversation and ask them some questions. Pause between questions if it helps to calm them, and if they stumble over their words give them time and space to re-do it.

Then edit out the questions and splice the answers together to make a really tight, watchable piece.

Three additional tips:

1. If you’re self-shooting, that is without a presenter/reporter, make sure you position yourself behind the camera so the interviewee has someone to look at.

2. Make sure the eyeline is correct. There’s a useful tutorial on this on the BBC College of Journalism website.

3. Re-frame in between questions with a selection of tight and wide shots. This will avoid jump cuts when you edit our your questions. Another option to avoid jump cuts is to use cutaway shots to cover up the edit points.

Watch this example featuring Nicholas Granger of British Bespoke Auctions. As an auctioneer Nicholas is no stranger to public speaking, but by shooting it in interview style he comes across more naturally and is more animated. Also note how two cutaway shots are used to cover up edit points!