To be a great online trainer, focus on engagement, structure, and connection. This means creating interactive virtual sessions, using breakout rooms effectively, and planning short, purposeful activities. Below are nine practical tips to help trainers and facilitators run outstanding online workshops.
Quick Summary – How to Be a Great Online Trainer
- • Use your webcam and maintain eye contact to build connection.
- • Create interactive breakout-room activities.
- • Keep lessons concise and visually engaging.
- • Test your equipment and lighting before each session.
- • End with clear action steps and follow-ups.
Many traditional teaching principles still apply in online training, but there are also unique challenges and techniques to master. Let’s look at nine practical ways to improve your virtual workshops.
If you’re still deciding whether virtual delivery is right for you, you may also like our guide to the key benefits of online teaching for trainers and learners.
Looking for more online teaching guides? Visit our Online Teaching hub.
Practical Tips for Running Great Online Workshops
The following nine tips will help you develop confidence, engage learners effectively, and deliver smooth, professional virtual workshops as an online trainer.
1. How Can You Build Connection Online? Look at the Webcam
To build a strong connection online, try to look directly at your webcam as much as possible. It helps simulate eye contact and creates a sense of trust and engagement with your learners.
Looking directly at your camera is one of the simplest engagement strategies for virtual learning because it helps participants feel seen and included.
When talking to your students online, the temptation is always to look directly at your screen. You need to consciously remember to look towards the top of your computer to where the camera is.
It can also be tempting to look at yourself as you see yourself onscreen. I experienced this same issue when I first started using Skype for online teaching, and the solution I suggest is to practice using Skype or Zoom (or your teleconferencing software of choice) with a friend or family member.
Get used to seeing yourself onscreen to the point where you no longer feel self-conscious at seeing yourself. You will very quickly get used to seeing yourself onscreen!
Tips for teaching online: When talking online to students, make a point to talk directly to the camera and not directly at the middle of your screen. Also, do a practice run with a friend to get used to seeing yourself onscreen.
2. How Can Breakout Rooms Make Online Training More Interactive?
Breakout rooms make online training more interactive by giving small groups the chance to collaborate, share ideas, and participate in hands-on learning activities.
I am sure that you already appreciate just how important using activities is when providing training in a classroom because it means that learners have:
- The chance to learn via different teaching methods
- A chance to mix with other students (normally making for a more relaxed class through social engagement)
- Some fun in that it can make learning more enjoyable
Breakout room discussions also meet key adult learning principles by giving participants time and the chance to share their experiences and to apply knowledge through peer interaction.
If you are brand new to online teaching, you may be wondering how it might seem impossible to run group activities online, but you can still run group activities and team-building games when teaching online. How on earth can you still do group activities if you are teaching online?
Group activities such as ice-breakers CAN be used just as easily online by using what is known as ‘Break Out rooms’!
‘Break Out Rooms’ are basically side rooms that you can put your students into online.
So imagine that you have 20 students and you want to separate these students into five groups with four students in each, so that they can do the activity in their own side classroom.
This is actually very EASY to do, such as with Zoom, and I have written a post on how to use and manage Breakout Rooms here for you!
You can also read our guide on using our training course materials for virtual classrooms, which includes tips for breakout rooms, online facilitation, and interactive sessions.
Tips for teaching online: Make use of Breakout Rooms when teaching online to ensure that the training and teaching you offer is dynamic and helps all learners to develop.
3. How Do You Create the Right Environment for Virtual Teaching?
The right virtual teaching environment is quiet, well lit, and free from distractions so learners can stay focused throughout the session.
Room Location
You are in the middle of giving an online class providing corporate training to a virtual classroom full of people from around the world, and it’s going well, and then the postman rings your loud doorbell!
Then, because you don’t answer the bell, he starts knocking on the door. And because you chose the living room (front room) to do your online teaching from, your whole class can hear the shenanigans going on.
Now I am not saying that I made this mistake when I first started :).
Make sure to find a quiet room in which you are away from distractions and where you can be undisturbed!
Background and Setting
Being mindful of the background and setting that you use for doing online teaching is worth spending 5 or 10 minutes to plan and think about.
You do not, for example, want anything that is too distracting to be behind you, such as a television on a wall behind you. Do not think that this does not happen, as I’ve seen this occur.
Likewise, avoiding having a mirror behind you can save any embarrassment if your partner decides to walk in and is wearing very little. This has happened before, too. Avoid having mirrors behind or beside you.
You might want to:
- Having a light background with just one or two simple ornaments or something simple is a good way to go.
- Try to be well-lit (see lighting example on the best equipment page, see point 5).
Seating Position
When teaching online, you need to remember that there will be an extra focus on your face and how you emphasize things online (such as with your hands).
So make sure that you are positioned onscreen such that the students online can still see your hands and the top half of your body.
Make sure to use your hands and try to be animated and enthusiastic to bring the virtual classroom alive. Do not overdo it though 🙂
Tips for teaching online: Make sure to create a room that is quiet and will provide you with peace, and make sure the background is not distracting and is well-lit.
4. Why Are Pauses Important When Teaching Online?
Understanding when and how to use pauses is always important in teaching and even more so when teaching online. Pauses give learners time to process information and respond, improving engagement in virtual sessions.
Pauses also work well when you’re using microlearning techniques, allowing learners to absorb short bursts of information before moving on.
Given that you cannot see exactly what people are doing and given that people may need a little longer online to find certain things (such as where to press a button to do an online poll or how to write on your whiteboard), you do need to give those extra few seconds for your students to do tasks when you are teaching online.
Tips for teaching online: Be comfortable with brief pauses and do not panic when there is sometimes silence, especially in the beginning.
5. How Should Trainers Handle Late Participants in Virtual Classes?
Late arrivals happen. Welcome them briefly, get them involved, and move on without letting the delay break your flow.
Just like with a real-life physical classroom offline, some students will inevitably turn up late for class. You know the story :). Whatever you say or do, someone will probably be late.
As an online teacher, when you are first getting used to virtual teaching, it can give you quite a surprise when someone suddenly pops up onscreen alongside everyone else. It can, in other words, easily distract you.
The same can happen when you have students working in ‘Breakout Rooms’, working in small groups in virtual side rooms, in that people might arrive late.
The good news in a program such as Zoom is that you can have it set up such that you will assign a Breakout Room to people as they arrive.
Tips for teaching online: Just make sure, as the online teacher, to check now and again in case anyone is waiting in the main classroom to be allocated to a breakout room, and Zoom (if you use Zoom) will tell you if a student is unassigned. (See our post on using Breakout Rooms for full info).
6. What Equipment Do You Need for Effective Online Training?
To run a smooth online session, make sure you’ve got a decent webcam, a clear microphone, steady internet, and enough light so people can see you well.
There are certain pieces of equipment that will improve the quality of audio and video for online teaching and that I highly recommend (and that I use myself).
a) Use an HD Webcam That Records for All Screen Sizes
A high-quality HD webcam is really inexpensive these days, and there are two key reasons why using an HD webcam can really make a difference.
Firstly, and perhaps most obviously, the quality of the video will be high definition. As an online teacher, this will mean that you will be providing the best possible video quality for your students.
Secondly, something you may or may not have considered (because it’s quite a technical point) is that most new laptops these days use a 1920 x 1080-sized HD screen (or higher resolution). Basically, if you want to use a camera, it will look great quality no matter what screen resolution your students use.
b) Good Audio
Also, make sure that you are using a microphone that produces high-quality and clear audio so that your students can understand you well. There is nothing worse than when there is interference in the audio from a student’s point of view.
Tips for teaching online: Take a quick look at our post on the Best Equipment for Teaching Online and make sure you have a good camera and microphone.
You might also find our list of 21 best online training tools for workplace trainers helpful.
7. How Can You Use Interactive Tools Like Polls and Whiteboards Online?
Tools like polls and whiteboards help break up long talks and give learners an easy way to share ideas during your online sessions.
Interactivity is important when teaching online, especially because you have a number of people staring, in essence, at a computer screen. Understandably, your students can get fidgety.
Making use of:
- polls
- whiteboards and annotation
- Breakout rooms (for ice-breakers and activities)
will all help to make your online classes more fun in the same way that you would seek to make training offline interactive and fun.
We have written another post that goes into detail about using whiteboards when teaching online here.
Tips for teaching online: For improving your visual design, read our guide on PowerPoint design tips for trainers to make your slides clearer and more engaging during virtual sessions.
8. How Can Trainers Build Confidence with Online Technology?
As a trainer, you can build confidence with technology through regular practice and testing of cameras, audio, and software before each session.
I cannot emphasize enough the value of allocating 30 minutes for practicing and getting used to:
- Setting up and connecting your webcam
- Make sure the lighting is correct for your setting
- Being clear on how to use breakout rooms and all features of your chosen teleconferencing software (i.e., Zoom, Skype, etc.)
- How to correctly use your microphone and ensure that the audio sounds good to others
Even though you can test your webcam and microphone on your own computer, I highly recommend testing it by talking on video with someone externally, i.e., a friend or family member.
If you do struggle in any way with the quality of your Internet connection, consider turning off all of the other devices you have connected to WiFi in your house, including iPads, smartphones, and other computers. Turning off other devices can help boost your internet connection.
If you deliver courses through an online learning system or LMS, make sure you’re comfortable managing files, links, and assessments before going live
If you’re choosing software for virtual delivery, see our guide to the best online tutoring tools for trainers and teachers, including Zoom, Canva, Moodle and other popular platforms.
Tips for teaching online: DO take time to test, try and re-test the equipment and software you will use.
9. Why Should You Turn Off the Camera After Training?
Turning off your camera at the end of training protects your privacy and ensures professional boundaries are protected once the session ends.
If you are nervous about being sure that your camera is off, then the Logitech C920 camera (and possibly some other models) has a privacy shutter, which, I think, is a great idea.
Trainer Checklist: Running Great Online Workshops
- ✨ Look directly at the webcam to build rapport.
- ✨ Make use of breakout rooms for group interactive activities.
- ✨ Make sure you use a room which is a distraction-free space.
- ✨ Pause often to allow learners a chance to process and respond.
- ✨ Handle late arrivals politely without disrupting flow.
- ✨ Test your equipment at least an hour before the online training session.
- ✨ Consider using polls, whiteboards, and chat for engagement.
- ✨ Practice with your tech to build confidence.
- ✨ Remember to turn off your webcam at the end to protect privacy.
Need full course materials for your next workshop? Browse our Corporate Trainer Resources library for editable training kits and facilitation guides.
These nine tips highlight the mix of technical considerations and people management skills that make good online training successful.
With a dose of clear communication, empathy, and adaptability, you can keep learners engaged and make each session enjoyable.
In essence, it is about a process of good instructional design for online training, where structure, interaction, and reflection work together to improve learning outcomes.
Offline vs Online Trainer Differences
| Aspect | Offline (In-Person) Training | Online (Virtual) Training |
|---|---|---|
| Trainer–Learner Interaction | Immediate feedback through body language and facial cues. | Relies on webcam, chat, and polls to gauge engagement. |
| Group Activities | Uses physical space and materials for team tasks. | Uses breakout rooms and shared docs for collaboration. |
| Technology Needs | Minimal setup—mainly projector or flipchart. | Requires stable internet, webcam, mic, and software setup. |
| Engagement Techniques | Uses movement, tone, and direct discussion. | Uses polls, chat, whiteboards, and microlearning techniques. |
| Environment Control | Trainer manages classroom space directly. | Each learner controls their own space; trainer focuses on online setup. |
| Follow-Up and Feedback | Done face-to-face or via printed forms. | Uses digital forms, email, or LMS feedback tools. |
Tip: Whether online or offline, success depends on the trainer’s adaptability and communication skills.
FAQs
What Makes a Good Online Trainer?
Being a good online trainer is about balancing structure with engagement. Planning activities, encouraging discussion, maintaining eye contact with the webcam, and checking in regularly with learners all help create a positive online learning experience.
How Do You Keep Learners Engaged Online?
The best way to keep learners engaged online is to make the session as interactive as possible. Ask questions, encourage discussion, and use tools such as polls, chat, and breakout rooms to give everyone the opportunity to contribute.
Why Are Breakout Rooms Useful?
Using breakout rooms allows participants to exchange ideas, complete activities, and learn from one another in a smaller, more relaxed setting. This increases engagement and helps create a more collaborative online learning experience.
More Tips for Effective Online Teaching
- Do you have any tips for successful online teaching? We would love to hear your own ideas, too.
- Also, check out our post on 10 common workplace training mistakes and how to avoid them, as they are great reminders for both in-person and online trainers.
Managing Virtual Teams Training Materials for Trainers
Use the training materials to provide workshops for managers and team leaders. Teach how to manage virtual teams.
- Fully editable PowerPoint slides & notes
- Participant workbook with group exercises and handouts
- Ideal for HR, L&D, and corporate trainers
- Download right away!
