The easiest way to look natural on camera is to use your hands. When people tuck their hands out of frame or pin them to their sides, they look stiff and sound more corporate than they really are. Visible, natural gestures do the opposite. They're one of the clearest ways to signal warmth and competence, the two cues body language researcher Vanessa Van Edwards says account for about 82% of the impression we make. That's why it's the first thing we coach subject matter experts on in almost every corporate video we film. It's a small change, and it shifts both how people come across and how they feel.

Why hiding your hands makes you look stiff

A lot of people assume looking natural on camera is a talent: you either have it or you don't. In our experience, the problem is usually much simpler. People put their hands away.

That one habit works against you twice. To a viewer, still hands read as guarded, even when the person is saying something warm and genuine. And for the person on camera, holding back the way they normally talk makes them more nervous, not less. They're suppressing half of how they communicate while also trying to remember what they wanted to say.

Hand gestures build trust on camera

Viewers are constantly sizing up two things, often without realizing it: does this person seem warm, and do they seem to know what they're talking about? Hand gestures are one of the fastest ways to answer yes to both.

When viewers can see your hands, they're more inclined to trust you. When your gestures match what you're saying, your message is more believable. Gestures that line up with your words look confident and considered. Hands that stay hidden leave the viewer with less to go on.

Why experts in regulated industries struggle with it most

We see this most often with SMEs and executives in regulated industries like finance, insurance, and energy. Many of them are brilliant in a meeting and simply aren't used to talking to a lens. So when the camera turns on, they instinctively tuck their hands away and hold still.

That's no knock on them. Being on camera is a strange thing to do, even for people who present all the time. It's also why so much of our corporate video work with regulated teams comes down to helping smart people sound like themselves.

How we get people using their hands on set

We usually let people answer a question or two first, just to settle in. By then they're a bit less nervous, but still unsure how they're doing and looking for some feedback. Since our goal in any interview is to make people feel comfortable, that's when we step out from behind the camera, point out a few things they're already doing well, and ask, as warmly as we can, whether they're a hand talker.

Nine times out of ten, the answer is an immediate "Yes!" (A personal favourite: "The Italian in me just can't not.") So we tell them to go for it, and use our own hands while we're saying it.

What comes next is usually relief. People tell us they weren't sure if it was okay, or worried it might be too distracting. Once they know it's welcome, they relax, and their answers get noticeably better.

Why it matters for your corporate video

When your hands match your message, you don't just look more competent. You feel more in control, and that comes through in every answer.

For B2B buyers, especially in industries where trust carries a lot of weight, that's often the difference between a viewer leaning into your message and scrolling right past it. And if you're thinking about who to film your next video with, here are the questions a good video production company should ask you before the camera ever comes out.

Loose hands, better answers. It's one of the easiest wins on any shoot.

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Still here? You’ve earned the full video transcript

If you want people to trust you or your subject matter experts in a B2B video, the most important tool isn't your script or your lighting. It's your hands.

Most people think being natural on camera is an innate talent. You either have it or you don't. But in reality, most leaders sound corporate and look stiff simply because they're hiding their hands off camera.

I've spent over a decade on these sets, and in 99% of the interviews I film, this is the one thing I have to coach people on.

It's a huge deal because the body language cues you give off signal biological triggers that dictate whether B2B buyers trust you or not. According to body language expert Vanessa Van Edwards, 82% of the impression you make comes down to warmth and competence cues. Hand gestures are the primary trigger for both. When people see your hands, they trust you more. When your gestures align with the words that you're saying, they believe you more.

We see this issue a lot with SMEs in regulated B2B industries. Because they aren't used to being on camera, executives often get in front of the lens and instinctively tuck their hands away, or pin them to their sides. That doesn't just look guarded to a prospect, it actually makes you feel more anxious because you're suppressing your natural way of communicating.

Time and time again, as soon as I direct people to let loose and use their hands, they get way more comfortable and their answers become way better.

When your hands match your message, you don't just look more competent, you actually feel more in control. And in a market where audience trust is really important, this is often the difference between your viewer leaning into your message or scrolling right on past it.

If you want to see how your team's video presence and production process stack up against other B2B teams in your industry, check out our three-minute Video Benchmark Assessment tool. After answering a few questions, you'll get a personalized score and a clear look at your top video marketing growth opportunities. The link is in the post above or the description below.