21. Why you should never use Wi-Fi for a TV interview

Most of the physicians and other experts I’ve talked to who want to do more interviews usually focus on TV. And that makes sense. Right or wrong, people seem to think that being on TV gives you more credibility. It can also help you reach more people than other media, depending on the show.

I do a lot of TV interviews, and with COVID-19, most of them are remote interviews I do from my home studio. So, if you want to do TV interviews to get more patients, customers and clients, you will probably be doing interviews by Zoom or Skype remotely.

Today’s tip is very simple. Whenever possible, use an ethernet connection directly into your computer for your internet and not Wi-Fi. Learn why on this episode.

Wi-Fi is very unreliable. I have great internet in my home office, where this studio is, but I still don’t trust it 100 percent.

Wi-Fi is too slow for remote TV interviews

For one thing, your internet download and uploads speeds by Wi-Fi are much slower than they are when connected through ethernet. Test it for yourself with the Speedtest app. I have gigabit internet service, but when you test the speeds, I really have about 900 MBPS download and 750-850 MBPS upload. But when I connect through Wi-Fi in my house, those speeds drop to about 300 or 400 MBPS.

Now those speeds are clearly fast enough for a good interview. Remember, you want an absolute minimum on 10 MBPS upload speed (upload, not download is the key), but I’d prefer you have a minimum of 50 MBPS.

If you have to use Wi-Fi, make sure you have internet at least that fast right before the interview.

Wi-Fi is too unreliable for remote TV interviews

But like I said, Wi-Fi is unreliable. If you do enough interviews that way, you will eventually have one where you lose the signal or you can’t connect at all.

Ethernet isn’t perfect. After all, someone could cut the internet line outside your house or the cable could be out (if it’s cable internet), but at least through ethernet, you aren’t competing with kids watching videos on their phones or family streaming TV shows or movies somewhere else in your house.

And in an office, it can be even more important. Almost every office I’ve ever worked in has really slow Wi-Fi. Maybe it’s all the people working there trying to use it, or the practice or company doesn’t pay for expensive internet, but it’s too slow to trust for a TV interview.

For your next remote TV interview, connect to your internet router through an ethernet cable directly into your computer. And know that many computers default to the Wi-Fi even when they are connected by ethernet to the internet router. So, make sure that once you are connected by ethernet, turn off the Wi-Fi.

Work with me to learn to do great remote TV interviews

One of the things I do with the clients I work with one-on-one is that you and I discuss every aspect of your next TV interview, especially a remote interview. We discuss your message and talking points, prepare for possible questions, discuss how to look and sound great, and make sure you have the equipment you need to be great in that interview.

Now please remember, that just like my website, my coaching and everywhere else, that I am not giving business, financial, legal, medical or any other kind of advice here. Talk to a professional for advice specific to your situation.

If you want to learn more…if you want more customers, more clients, more patients, you want to make more money, you want to be recognized as THE expert in your industry, or you even want people you don’t even know to come up to you at the gym or in the grocery store, thanking you for helping them, I can help you become a Media PRO.

Sign up for a FREE 30-minute media strategy session with me. We will see where you are and what you’re trying to achieve in your business, and then plan some strategies for you to get more media interviews and appearances to achieve all those goals and far more.

Pick up my FREE eBook – The Media PROS Interview Checklist, offering you a handy reference full of tips to shine in your next media interview or appearance so they keep asking you back, over and over.