Ever wondered if there’s a platform that can help you with your speaking engagements? Is there an easier way to learn, prepare your materials, and increase your connections?
The right public speaking platform can transform your career. Finding places to speak and share your expertise isn’t just about standing on a stage anymore.
The digital world has created endless possibilities.
Whether you want to improve your communication skills or gain more visibility, this guide will help you explore the ten best public speaking platforms available.
I’ll introduce tools you can use to practice, develop your voice, and fully take advantage of what’s out there.
10 Best Public Speaking Platforms (2026 Snapshot)
Here’s a quick rundown of public speaking platforms you can use to practice:
- Talks: Best for getting booked as a podcast guest and expanding your connections.
- VirtualSpeech: Best for immersive VR and AI-driven practice to build confidence and get real-time feedback.
- Toastmasters International: Best for joining a supportive community to develop public speaking skills.
- LinkedIn Learning: Best for flexible, expert-led courses to improve workplace communication and presentation skills.
- Orai: Best for AI-powered speech coaching that instantly analyzes your abilities.
- Speeko: Best for improving voice control and delivery with expert-guided interactive exercises.
- Yoodli: Best for private AI coaching on online meetings and live presentations.
- Poised: Best for discreet real-time feedback in virtual meetings to polish professional communication.
- SlideShare: Best for sharing and promoting your presentation content to a large online audience.
- Prezi: Best for creating visually engaging presentations that captivate audiences.
What Is a Public Speaking Example?
Public speaking happens when you make speeches or presentations in front of an audience. It involves using verbal and nonverbal communication to express ideas, inform, persuade, or entertain listeners.
Common examples include:
- Presentations at work meetings
- Conference talks
- TED Talk-style speeches
- Training sessions
- Webinars
- Podcast appearances
- Video content creation
- Panel discussions
- Live online events
What is the purpose of public speaking?
Public speaking serves multiple purposes depending on your role as a speaker and what effect you want to have:
- Sharing information about specific topics
- Persuading listeners to take action
- Entertaining and engaging people
- Motivating others towards change
- Demonstrating expertise in your field
When you present valuable information, you position yourself as a thought leader in your industry. This helps you build credibility and expand your professional network.
What is the power of public speaking?
Public speaking is a powerful strategy for coaches, consultants, and entrepreneurs. Every time you deliver a compelling speech, you gain personal and professional achievements that can impact the trajectory of your career.
If you venture into public speaking, you can:
- Boost your confidence with every successful presentation
- Develop your leadership qualities (clients will notice)
- Create new networking and business opportunities
- Improve your critical thinking abilities and communication skills
- Establish yourself as an expert in your niche
The power of public speaking also lies in its ability to create connections. You’re not just sharing ideas. You’re building long-term relationships that can make a difference in the future.
Why is public speaking important?
When you become a great public speaker, you open doors that remain closed unless you try. For business professionals, especially, public speaking opportunities are essential when building your credibility and authority:
- Helps you stand out in the workplace: Advance your career as people acknowledge your communication skills.
- Brings people together: Through a speaking event, you can gather people who share the same ideas and interests.
- Increases your sales and clients: As your reputation and reach grow, you’ll also find more leads and potential customers.
- Moves you to motivate and inspire others: People will see you as a thought leader and adopt your philosophies to make meaningful changes.
Public speaking is particularly valuable for coaches because it demonstrates the very skills you’re selling. It’s living proof of your expertise.
10 Best Public Speaking Platforms
Here are the ten best platforms to enhance your public speaking abilities and reach larger audiences. These tools and services offer different features to match your speaking goals.
Whether you’re looking for online training, apps to practice, or platforms to gain visibility, you’ll find options that fit your needs and budget.
1. Talks: Platform used for public speaking
Talks connects speakers with podcast hosts and event organizers looking for guests.
This platform helps coaches, consultants, and entrepreneurs gain visibility by getting featured on shows and finding the right guests for their own content.
- Key features: Profile creation to showcase expertise, an AI-powered matching system between hosts and guests, networking with other professionals, and resources for public speaking success
- Speaking goals: Fit for podcast guest appearances, channel building, audience growth, brand visibility
- Price: Free to create your own Talks profile
It’s not always easy to find speaking opportunities. With Talks, my mission is to uncover them and bring them to the platform for more speakers to benefit.
2. VirtualSpeech: Public speaking platforms online
VirtualSpeech combines e-learning with VR and AI to improve public speaking, sales, and leadership skills. The platform has helped over 550,000 learners across 130 countries develop their communication abilities through interactive practice exercises.
- Key features: AI-powered roleplays with real-time feedback, virtual reality scenarios for practice, online exercises accessible anywhere, and speech analysis on pace and filler words
- Speaking goals: Fit for business presentations, leadership development, sales pitches, professional communication
- Price: $45 per month (individual plan)
3. Toastmasters International
Toastmasters provides a supportive environment where members develop public speaking and leadership through hands-on experience at local clubs. With over 16,000 clubs globally, it’s easy to join this learning community.
- Key features: Structured learning paths with progress tracking, weekly meetings for practice, feedback from peers, leadership opportunities, global network for connections
- Speaking goals: Fit for professional development, confidence building, leadership training, and networking
- Price: $60 (semiannual international dues), $25 (one-time new member fee)
4. LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning provides courses specifically designed for workplace communication and professional development. The platform integrates with your LinkedIn profile, allowing you to publish completed certifications directly.
- Key features: Expert-led video lessons, certificates that boost your profile, integration with LinkedIn for visibility, self-paced learning with flexibility, and access to thousands of courses
- Speaking goals: Fit for career advancement, professional communication, business presentations
- Price: $30~ per month
5. Orai: Apps to practice public speaking
Orai functions as your AI-powered speech coach, analyzing your speaking habits and providing instant feedback to help you sound more polished. The app uses advanced phonetic algorithms to measure various speech aspects.
- Key features: Filler word detection and elimination, pace and clarity analysis, tone and confidence scoring, personalized exercises for improvement, and mock presentation mode
- Speaking goals: Fit for presentation preparation, interview practice, and eliminating bad speaking habits
- Price: Seven-day free trial, $10 per month (pro plan)
6. Speeko
Speeko offers real-time feedback on your pace, tone, and fillers. You also book a virtual live speech coaching session with an expert Speeko speech coach to get more hands-on training.
- Key features: Instant analysis of speaking style, interactive courses on various topics, vocal warm-ups and exercises, timed interview practice, and recording with feedback
- Speaking goals: Fit for ob interviews, virtual meetings, wedding toasts, and situations when you need to boost your confidence
- Price: Seven-day free trial, $19.99 per month (premium plan)
7. Yoodli
Yoodli provides private speech coaching for online meetings and practice sessions. This AI-powered tool has helped over 300,000 professionals improve their speaking skills.
- Key features: Real-time nudges during live presentations, practice interviews with AI follow-up questions, detailed speech reports with analytics, and pacing analysis benchmarked against TED speakers
- Speaking goals: Fit for online meeting performance, interview preparation, and presentation practice
- Price: Free version with core features, $8 per month (pro plan)
8. Poised
Poised works as an AI communication coach that provides real-time meeting feedback about conciseness, hedging words, interruptions, and filler words.
The app works with over 800 communication tools, including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet.
- Key features: Live feedback during meetings, post-call analytics and trends, personalized coaching plans, eye contact and facial expressions analysis (Mac only)
- Speaking goals: Fit for virtual meeting improvement, professional communication, and confidence building
- Price: Free version available, $19 per month (pro plan)
9. SlideShare
SlideShare is a presentation sharing platform owned by Scribd where users can upload content in PowerPoint, Word, or PDF formats. With an estimated 80 million unique visitors monthly, you can find materials and resources for your presentations.
- Key features: Upload and share presentations publicly, embed content on other sites, traffic source data and analytics, and mobile access
- Speaking goals: Fit for content distribution, thought leadership, and professional portfolio building
- Price: Free basic account,
10. Prezi
Prezi offers an innovative alternative to traditional presentations with its open canvas approach. The software creates visually stunning, interactive presentations that zoom and flow rather than following linear slides.
- Key features: AI-powered design tools, video format with presenter appearing alongside content, dynamic movement and transitions, cloud-based access, and integration with Zoom and other platforms
- Speaking goals: Fit for business meetings, educational lectures, and creative pitches
- Price: Free basic plan, $15 per month (Plus plan)
What Is Important in Public Speaking?
Starting a career in public speaking requires understanding several key elements. You need to know the fundamental factors, how to choose compelling topics, and what materials to prepare.
Success comes from mastering these basics before stepping on stage.
Let’s break down what matters most.
Factors of public speaking success
Several important factors determine public speaking success. Here’s what you need to remember if you’re going to become a successful public speaker:
- Know your audience: Understanding what they need and why they came to listen helps you personalize your content.
- Articulate clearly: More than your message, how you say it also matters. Practice your pace, tone, and pausing.
- Decide on a good presentation style: This keeps people engaged and attentive as you dive deep into your topic.
- Improve your body language: Your non-verbal cues should communicate presence and confidence.
Public speaking topics
Booked a public speaking gig? Great. Next, you need to come up with a topic sure to engage your audience.
Here are some actionable tips to help you come up with your public speaking topics:
- Know your expertise: What do you know best? Whether it’s from your professional experience or training, talking about a subject area you mastered is a good start.
- Consider what problems you solve for clients: Problem-solution formats make for great presentations. Dig into your inbox and list down questions that people frequently ask you.
- Join professional communities: Look at what topics generate discussions. You can also explore current trends in your industry.
Remember: Your topic should align with your position as an expert while being creative enough to stand out.
Public speaking materials
Having public speaking materials on hand ensures that everything goes smoothly before, during, and after your event. Here are some public speaking materials you can prepare ahead of time:
- Speaker one sheet: Summarize your credentials and experiences in a document.
- Detailed outline: Plan your main points and supporting details to iron out the content of your speech.
- Visual aids: Design a slide, a handout, or interactive elements to make your presentation more interesting.
- Ready-made responses: While you can’t prepare for all possible questions during a Q&A, thinking of answers for common queries can help greatly.
- Website and contact cards: Let people know how they can find you after the engagement.
What Are Public Speaking Skills?
To pull off a really good speaking event, you need to hone your public speaking skills. Here are the skills you need to improve and how to improve them:
- Clear articulation: You need to communicate ideas coherently without filler words like “um” or “ah”.
- Audience rapport: Make them feel involved through eye contact, relatable stories, questions, or interactive activities.
- Effective body language: Use purposeful gestures that emphasize key points and move slowly around the stage to engage different sections of your audience.
- Voice control and modulation: Manage your volume, pace, tone, and strategic use of pauses. Varying these elements keeps your speech interesting and helps emphasize important points.
- Adaptability: Adjust your message based on audience reactions or unexpected situations. Things don’t always go as planned, so flexibility is crucial.
Developing these skills requires consistent practice and willingness to receive feedback. The more you speak, the more these abilities become natural.
Public speaking questions and answers
Many speakers dread the Q&A portion, thinking that it’s impossible to prepare. The truth is, you can still plan ahead, even for this spontaneous part of the event. Here’s how:
- Anticipate the questions people will most likely ask: Write down tough or controversial questions and rehearse answers.
- Practice the “listen, pause, repeat, respond” method: This approach helps everyone hear the question a second time while giving you more time to think of an answer without just spacing out.
- Work with a moderator: For larger events, a moderator manages the session flow. They can help clarify the question or stall for a bit while you think.
- Don’t make up an answer: If you don’t know an answer, offer to follow up later rather than guessing. You can also redirect to related topics where you have more expertise.
Public speaking questions
Common questions speakers should prepare for include:
- How your message applies to specific industries
- What resources you recommend for further learning
- How to overcome common obstacles in your field
- What mistakes people typically make
- How to measure progress or success
To prepare for such inquiries, participate in mock sessions where colleagues ask you challenging questions. You can also collect questions beforehand using technology like Mentimeter to thoughtfully prepare responses.
What Is Stage Fright In Public Speaking?
Stage fright, or glossophobia, is the fear of public speaking that affects approximately 75% of the population. It manifests as physical symptoms like sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, and sometimes brain freeze.
The good news is that stage fright can be managed through preparation, practice, and proven techniques. Here are some things you can do:
- Shift your focus: Think about your true purpose… Contributing value to your audience.
- Practice positive self-talk: Recite affirmation statements to calm down and empower yourself.
- Take deep breaths: Relaxation exercises like yoga or meditation calm both your mind and body before a speech.
- Prepare thoroughly: Know your material well and rehearse it aloud multiple times.
- Get adequate sleep: The day before your speaking engagement, sleep well to reduce anxiety and improve your focus.
Why public speaking is the most common fear
Speaking to an audience can make you feel vulnerable to judgment and rejection. That’s why a lot of people are afraid of stepping on stage and facing the public.
Here are some facts and statistics about public speaking fears:
- Around 90% of anxiety before presentations comes from a lack of preparation. The fight-or-flight response activates even though public speaking isn’t actually dangerous (NSAC).
- Only 8% of people with public speaking fears seek professional help, despite its negative impact on careers. Women (44%) experience this anxiety slightly more than men (37%) (National Institute of Health).
- The prefrontal lobes of our brain, which sort memories, become sensitive to anxiety. When stress hormones increase, they shut down frontal lobe connections, making it harder to retrieve information. (NASC).
Thankfully, with preparation, practice, and realistic thinking, you can gradually build up the courage to get into public speaking. It might take time to get past this limiting belief, but it is possible.
You can also access public speaking statistics in general with this guide.
Step Up to the Platform
Public speaking platforms offer incredible opportunities to expand your reach and improve your skills.
From virtual training software to apps that provide real-time feedback, you now have access to tools that professional speakers use.
Start with one platform, build your confidence, and enjoy watching your speaking career grow.
Want to make it easier?
Grab the opportunity to join the Talks network today.
Get matched quickly when you streamline your booking process with automation tools.
- Auto-match: Connects you with the right hosts and guests instantly.
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