Guest post by Laura Cámara Castillo
When I hired my first business coach and he told me I needed to show my face on social media, my first thought was “There’s no way I’m doing this”. I’m really introverted and shy, so recording myself talking in front of the camera and posting that video for everyone to see felt like an impossible task.
So if you feel the same way as me and the thought of recording yourself in front of the camera seems daunting, you’re not alone.
The good news is you don’t have to be super confident or have any special skills to get started!
With a bit of practice, I was able to overcome my camera shyness. And it wasn’t even as hard as I thought it would be. So I’ve gathered my best tips to help you do the same.
Why Showing Your Face Matters
Before we dive into the tips, let’s look at why showing your face on social media is so important:
- It builds trust: People are more likely to buy from other people who they like, know and trust. And it’s easier to trust another human being than a faceless brand.
- It sets you apart: Another big plus of showing your face is that your audience will recognize you as the face of your brand. Being yourself sets you apart from the competition.
- It establishes authority: By sharing your expertise on social media, especially on video, you can position yourself as an authority in your field.
So how do you actually overcome camera shyness?
1. Start small
If you’ve not used to talking in front of the camera, it’s not a good idea to jump on a 30-minute Instagram live. Instead, start by creating short 10-15 second Reels or Stories where you don’t need to talk.
Here are a few ideas that you can try for short videos like Reels:
▶️ Record a timelapse of yourself working and add some text overlays with quotes, tips, or reminders that your audience will find valuable.
▶️ Do a video of yourself pointing to different text overlays. This is a fun way to share tips and tricks, common mistakes, or do’s and don’ts.
▶️ Show your working process or create a tutorial. Record snippets of yourself doing different tasks and explain how you do a project from start to finish with text overlays to illustrate each step.
Once you get more comfortable in front of the camera you can start recording short talking videos of yourself, and eventually make longer videos.
2. Practice recording yourself daily
One of the best practices I found to overcome camera shyness is committing to record myself every day for one month. I just pressed play and started talking about what I did during that day, or anything else that came to mind.
I suggest you start recording yourself for one minute and each week increase the amount of time for one more minute (so the second week will be two minutes, the third week three minutes, and so on).
It’s okay if you make mistakes, stumble with your words or run out of things to say. No one else will see that video but you, after all. And I can guarantee that by the end of the month, you’ll notice a big improvement in the way you show up!
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3. Write a script for your video
The way I prepare to record a video is that I write down everything I want to say, then practice saying it out loud beforehand.
Being prepared will help you feel a lot more confident in what you’re saying, even if you don’t use the exact wording from your script. Plus your mind won’t go blank every time you press record. You will probably need more practice in the beginning, but it will get easier over time.
Bonus tip: Use a teleprompter app like this one, so you don’t forget what you want to say.
4. Commit to a consistent posting schedule
Showing up consistently is key when it comes to building your confidence on camera. Otherwise, it’s very likely you will find a million excuses not to do it.
That doesn’t mean that you need to post daily (in fact, it’s not a good idea if you’re just starting out).
So start with a small commitment, such as posting one Reel a week for a month. Once you’ve managed to do that, you can then start posting two Reels a week for another month, and build up from there.
5. Show up as you are
Don’t try to put up an extroverted persona just because that’s how others show up on social media. Acting like someone you’re not is exhausting, and you’ll only end up putting a lot more pressure on yourself.
So allow yourself to be awkward, talk quietly, lack energy, or anything else that you feel you need to change.
I used to think my talking style was too bland, but then someone commented on one of my Reels that they loved that I had a soft voice.
Just be authentic, and you will attract the right people!
6. Ditch the perfectionism
I used to waste hours recording the same video 10 times because I got caught up on every small mistake I made. I thought my video was not good enough until I said things perfectly.
Until one of my clients showed me a simple trick that has helped me shift my mindset around perfectionism. Instead of asking myself, “Is this video the best I can do?” I now ask, “Is it good enough?” If the answer is yes, I know it’s good to go.
We tend to over-analyze ourselves, but the truth is that no one cares if you mispronounce a word. Think about it: when you’re watching someone’s video, do you notice every mistake they make? Or are you focusing on the actual message they’re conveying?
After years of dealing with camera shyness and anxiety around public speaking, these are the top tips that helped me overcome my fear.
So if you want to show up on camera but feel like you’re not confident enough, try them out!
