Using impactful body language is the key to creating a positive impression. No matter what you’re speaking, the audience’s attention is also drawn towards your body language, especially how you use your hands as you speak. So why not take advantage of that? Here are five hand gestures you should use on-screen to create a stronger impact.
Why should you use hand gestures?
Using hand gestures as you speak to your audience increases engagement. Not only are they listening to you, but they are also visualising the pictures you portray with your hands. This is called non-verbal communication, when the listener absorbs what you have to say from non-verbal cues. On the other hand, not using your hands at all might make you look underconfident, reserved and unwelcoming.
Gesture 1: Using your fingers to count
…as easy as 1, 2, 3! This is the easiest gesture you can make and comes naturally to most of us. If you’re listing a set of items, use your fingers to count them, and viewers will absorb the information more easily.
Gesture 2: Putting your hands in a triangle
This is one of the favourites among most public speakers- bringing both hands together at the fingertips and making a triangle shape between the index fingers and the thumbs. You can use this to emphasize a point or put an idea forward. This gesture exudes confidence and is often used by lawyers and investors.
Gesture 3: Use your fingers and hands while talking about amounts
When you’re talking about the quantity of something, you can use hand gestures to show the quantity. For example, bring your thumb and index finger close together to show a little amount, or increase the space between both the palms to show a lot. Visualising this amount creates a stronger impact than just hearing about it.
Gesture 4: Make levels in the air
If you’re comparing different things, you can use your hands to rank them. This is a great visual cue to indicate where one thing stands with respect to another. This can be used in several contexts, such as levels of difficulty (easy, medium, hard), growth, weights, heights, etc.
Gesture 5: Point with an open palm
While it’s natural to use a single finger to point, it might come across as a little aggressive. Instead, you can use the open palm version, towards the camera, palm facing upwards, to address the viewer, or palm facing towards your heart to address yourself. This is a more wholesome way to make viewers feel included in the conversation.
Most influential speakers around the world use their hands to connect with listeners. In fact, it is proven that, when used effectively, these hand gestures can increase the value of your video up to 60%. So make a conscious effort to include these gestures in your videos to create powerful videos.
Interested in getting your YouTube channel seen by a huge audience? Get started here: www.flintzy.com