Are you a trainer who is looking for the perfect set up for online classes? Setting up an online class doesn’t have to be a complex affair.

This article will make you realize that the set up for online classes can be very simple and yet effective.

Here are the things you need for setting up an online class:

USB Microphone

A good quality microphone is the number one priority for a trainer when it comes to their online class set up. That’s because your students can forgive bad quality video but they will not forgive bad quality audio.

Most trainers conduct online classes in front of their laptop or desktop computer. This means that they can use a USB microphone.

USB microphones are the easiest to set up since you only need to connect them to your computers USB port. There is no other step required.

Which USB microphone should you buy?

The number one USB microphone in the whole world is the Blue Yeti.

Another cheaper microphone that is good is the Blue Snowball. It’s manufactured by the same company that makes the Blue Yeti.

Webcam

The next important gadget that you will need in your online class set up is a webcam.

A lot of people think they need to get the most expensive webcam for their online classes.

This is simply not true.

And the reason for this is that a lot of times you will actually be seen in a small window because your main screen will be showing a presentation or some other training material.

This little window is called as a webcam overlay.

See the example below to understand this:

This clip is from one on my webinars that I do here at Click Trainers where I teach people how to start a successful online coaching business.

You can see that I am coming in a small window (the webcam overlay).

This means that I don’t necessarily need to have the best webcam with the highest resolution. The webcam in the above video is the humble Logitech C270 which is very cheap.

But you can see that it does the job well.

Which webcam should you buy?

Like mentioned above, you can get away with a cheap webcam like the Logitech C270 if you are on a budget. I used it successfully for my webinars for almost an year.

But if you want better resolution and clarity, then I would suggest you go for the most popular webcam in the world, which is the Logitech C920 (I currently use this myself).

Video light

A video light can make a big difference to the quality of your online classes.

That’s because the more the light, the less the noise (grains) in your videos. The sensor of the webcam will produce a better looking video if the light in your environment is more.

Again, you don’t have to really break the bank here.

Just get a cheap LED ring light like the one below:

You can see some options here.

A tripod or holder for webcam (Optional)

While it is completely fine to just place the webcam on the monitor, a lot of people like to have the flexibility to move the webcam to change the angle.

In such cases, a small tripod or a webcam holder/arm can be effective.

I used to use tripods for a long time but lately, I have switched to using webcam stands like the one shown below:

You can find these stands here. Alternatively you can also purchase a small tripod.

Here’s how my own online class set up looks like

You can see how simple this set-up is.

In front you can see the Blue Yeti mic. And behind the laptop you can see the webcam mounted on the webcam holder/arm and the LED ring light.

I use this set up for all my LIVE classes and it works like a charm.

Additional things needed

Webinar software – If you plan to conduct LIVE webinars, then you will need a software like Zoom. Even though there are much more expensive options out there, Zoom is perfectly fine for both beginners and advanced online coaches. In my course, Online Course Launchpad, I teach you how to use Zoom to conduct webinars.

Live Streaming Software – Live Streaming is similar to conducting a webinar but it is displayed on your social media profile, like Facebook live Streaming or YouTube Live streaming. Your social media followers will be able to see you as you conduct the class. You can use a free software like Streamyard for this purpose.

Screen recording software – While the above two options deal with LIVE classes, you may also want to teach by creating pre-recorded videos and turning them into online courses. For this purpose you can use a free screen recording software like OBS.

That’s it. One final tip – Always aim for simplicity in the beginning.

Conducting online classes is like any other skill. You get better at it with practice.

Once you start to master this skill, you can start investing in more complex and expensive equipment.