Have you ever considered using a teleprompter in your podcasting workflow? They aren't just for newscasters and politicians. A teleprompter can be an incredible tool for podcasters, even if you primarily create audio content.
If you are not familiar with them, a teleprompter is essentially a heads-up display. It relies on reflective glass to show you text or images while allowing you to look straight through it directly at a camera. Let's look at five specific ways this tool can improve your content creation and make your recording process much smoother.
(As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases through some of the following links. But I recommend things I truly believe in, regardless of earnings. I am not currently sponsored by anyone or paid to talk about anything.)
1. Make “eye-contact” with your audience
Podcasting is an intimate medium. Because your audience takes your episodes with them on the go, they often hear your voice directly in their ears through headphones. They invite you into their lives while they do chores, mow the yard, or travel.
When you step in front of a camera, the best way to maintain that intimate experience is through direct eye contact. Looking straight into the lens helps your audience feel seen and spoken to directly. A teleprompter allows you to place your notes or reference material right in front of the lens. You can check your outline without breaking that visual connection, effectively replicating the natural engagement of an in-person conversation.
2. Display your notes or script
A teleprompter gives you the perfect spot to display your notes or a full script cleanly and directly in your line of sight. While reading a full script takes practice so that you sound natural, a simple bulleted outline is incredibly easy to navigate when it sits right in front of your camera. You no longer need to awkwardly look down at your lap or off to the side to see your next talking point.
Teleprompter software is also built to help you keep your place. It often highlights exactly where you are and fades out the rest of the text. Some modern tools even use voice recognition to automatically scroll your script as you speak. This allows you to smoothly deliver your content and look highly knowledgeable to your audience.
3. See yourself as the camera sees you
Setting up your studio lighting and tweaking camera settings can be a frustrating process. You often have to point your face at the lens while looking out of the corner of your eye at an external monitor just to see how the camera captures you.
A teleprompter solves this entirely by letting you move your camera preview right in front of the lens. By mirroring your video feed onto the glass, you can see yourself exactly as the camera records you. You can confidently adjust your lighting, posture, and framing while sitting strictly in the position you will use to record.
4. Look at your remote guest, cohost, or interviewer
Even if you do not publish video episodes, you will likely find yourself on camera for remote interviews or guest appearances. Being camera-ready is a valuable skill, and moving your remote recording software onto the teleprompter screen brings a new level of natural interaction to your calls.
When you place the video feed of your guest right onto the prompter, you can look at them while speaking directly into the lens. They will see you making uninterrupted eye contact, which fosters a deeper connection and helps the dialogue flow naturally. You can pick up on subtle nonverbal cues like a nodding head or a raised hand, which keeps the conversation progressing with fewer awkward interruptions.
5. Use as an extra display
Many modern teleprompters function as a secondary monitor connected directly to your computer. This provides an excellent workspace for small windows you want to keep visible without cluttering your primary screen. You can tuck away a chat room, a live stream, or your reference materials just off to the side of your main workstation.
Having an external display can be a massive workflow booster. If you are researching or referencing a website while speaking, simply drag that browser window right onto the prompter. It keeps your reference materials easily accessible and helps you stay brilliantly focused on your primary workflow.
My recommendation: Elgato Creator's Prompter and Prompter XL
If you want an accessible setup, my primary recommendation is the Elgato Prompter and the larger Elgato Prompter XL. Instead of fussing with iPads, separate mirrors, and complicated mounts, these devices plug straight into your computer and function seamlessly as external displays. You get simple desktop software to control your scripts and window management without the headache of leaning over your desk to tap a mobile screen.
The standard version features a 9-inch display that works perfectly about an arm's length away. If you have a deeper desk or simply need the camera further back to reduce visible eye movement, the 15.5-inch Prompter XL is a massive help. Please remember that Elgato does not sponsor me, but I highly recommend tools I genuinely believe in, regardless of earnings.
Other noteworthy options could be the NEEWER X11 teleprompter with screen (and it actually has an HDMI input!) or the NEEWER teleprompters designed to hold an iPad, such as the X12 or X14 III (available through the same link).
Special thanks
- 310§ from Dreb Scott
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Disclosure
This post may contain links to products or services with which I have an affiliate relationship. I may receive compensation from your actions through such links. However, I don't let that corrupt my perspective and I don't recommend only affiliates.
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