Effective public speaking is a skill that sets you apart both personally and professionally. Your ability to tell stories and deliver messages is crucial for engaging others and expanding your network.
Factors that can contribute to your speaking skills are clarity of articulation, fluency, pacing, vocabulary, and the ability to engage your audience.
Fortunately, you can find apps designed to help you conquer public speaking challenges. We’ll explore seven apps that can be your mentors, offering valuable tools and feedback to refine your public speaking and confidently make your voice heard.
Why is Public Speaking Important?
Public speaking is a versatile skill that contributes to personal and professional growth. It enhances communication, boosts confidence, fosters leadership qualities, and opens doors to new opportunities.
You can avoid miscommunication when you know how to articulate your thoughts clearly. This is key for building relationships, resolving conflicts, and conveying your ideas.
Speaking in public challenges you to overcome fear and nervousness by gaining new experience. As a result, you become more confident and self-assured.
Public speaking skills can also enhance your ability to lead and influence others in personal and professional contexts. Other reasons that make public speaking skills important include the following:
- Career advancement: Many leadership positions require strong communication skills.
- Networking expansion: Speaking engagements provide opportunities to connect with a wide range of people.
- Personal branding: Public speaking impacts your branding, helping you stand out in your professional field and make a positive impression on others.
7 Public Speaking Apps to Improve Your Skills
To enhance your public speaking skills, you must practice regularly, whether with a professional trainer or by yourself.
Consider the following apps to help build your skill set for more impactful results. Let’s explore them one by one.
1. Rev Voice Recorder
Image source: Get App
Rev is a cloud-based speech-to-text transcription software. Its main purpose is to assist businesses in enhancing their online content by adding transcripts, captions, and subtitles. But you can also use it to improve your speaking skills.
Features like timestamping, audio trimming, and transcript editor help you make edits while listening to your audio. For example, you can record yourself practicing for a presentation and analyze your pacing and pronunciation by highlighting the transcription.
Moreover, Rev offers integration with video platforms like YouTube, Zoom, Vimeo, and even OneDrive. The app is accessible through various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers.
2. Impromptu Generator
Image source: Google Play
Impromptu Generator is a tool designed to prepare you for speech tournaments. This app follows the guidelines set by the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA).
One of the key strengths of the app is its strict adherence to the NSDA format. It ensures that your practice sessions closely mimic the conditions you’ll encounter in real impromptu speaking tournaments.
You also can tailor your practice sessions to meet your unique needs and preferences. You can hone your ability to think quickly, organize your thoughts, and deliver speeches in high-pressure situations.
3. Orai
Image source: Google Play
Orai is not just another public speaking tool; it’s a powerful ally in your journey to becoming a confident and persuasive speaker. Whether you need to ace a presentation, deliver a speech, or pitch a product like a pro, Orai is here to help you hone your professional speaking style.
What sets Orai apart is its ability to provide instant, data-driven feedback. As you speak, the platform analyzes your performance in real-time, offering valuable insights on tone, pace, clarity, and filler words. This immediate feedback lets you improve instantly, ensuring your speaking style is effective.
4. Metronome Beats
Image source: Google Play
The Metronome Beats app can be a surprisingly valuable tool for improving public speaking skills. While initially designed for musicians, this tool has timing and pacing features to help you maintain a steady and consistent rhythm in your speech delivery. Focusing on the steady beat can help reduce anxiety and keep you centered during your presentation.
Moreover, Metronome Beats enables you to rehearse your speech with precision. You can use it to ensure your timing aligns perfectly with crucial points, slides, or demonstrations. When you speak at a measured pace, you can enhance your articulation and help the audience understand and follow your message.
5. Speeko
Image source: Google Play
Speeko is a cutting-edge platform that challenges you to learn a new language in a way that’s faster, more intuitive, and incredibly motivating. It claims to help you master a new language ten times faster using a ten times more intuitive platform.
Speeko currently offers six languages: French, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, and Japanese. Each language program is thoughtfully structured, comprising more than 20 levels, each containing 12 engaging lessons.
What sets Speeko apart is its unique approach to language learning. Each level is akin to a city; each lesson is a moment in your virtual travel.
6. Ummo
Image source: Apptopia
One of the most common challenges in public speaking is the use of filler words like “Umms,” “Uhhs,” “like,” and “you know.” These words can hinder the clarity and impact of your speech. If you find this as your concern, Ummo can come to help.
Its primary function is to track and help you eliminate these fillers and gauge the speed of your speech, ensuring you take your time with your content and speak slowly.
Ummo helps you assess the clarity of your diction and articulation. You can pinpoint areas where you need to articulate more effectively.
7. Vocabulary Builder
Image source: Google Play
Effective public speaking relies on clear articulation, precision, and an expansive vocabulary. Magoosh Vocabulary Builder, initially designed for GRE test preparation, is a versatile tool to help you.
It offers access to 1,200 of the most essential words on the GRE test to boost your language proficiency and expand your vocabulary for public speaking. A rich vocabulary allows you to choose the precise words that resonate with your audience and convey your message effectively.
Magoosh also provides audio pronunciations, definitions, and examples for every word. On top of that, the app employs spaced repetition, a proven memorization strategy, to ensure you master new words.
Improve Your Public Speaking Skills
The seven above-mentioned apps can help you improve your public speaking skills. They have various features to help you with your speaking pace, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Most importantly, they have an easy user interface and are relatively affordable for users.
About the Author
Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order). Follow him on Twitter: @andreoen.
