What to consider when deciding to blur or not blur your background for a video recording.

How you present yourself on camera plays a critical role in shaping how your audience perceives you. One often overlooked aspect of this is your background, which can significantly influence trust and engagement. Whether you choose a blurred or clear background can affect the psychological signals you send to your listeners, helping them either connect with or question your authority.

The impact of these choices is explained by two key psychological concepts:

• Cognitive schemas
• Contextual cues

Cognitive Schemas

These are mental frameworks we develop over time to help us quickly categorize and interpret information. When we see someone in a familiar role or setting, our brain activates a pre-existing schema to make sense of the situation. For example, seeing a doctor in a lab coat instantly activates our "doctor" schema, making us associate them with knowledge, professionalism, and care. Similarly, when your podcast background aligns with your professional role—such as a business expert appearing in a well-organized office—it helps the audience quickly place you in the "expert" category, reinforcing your credibility.

Contextual Cues

These are the external, environment-specific signals that help clarify or reinforce the situation at hand. For instance, the presence of certificates, books, or industry-specific items in the background of a podcast interview provides visual cues that support the guest’s expertise. In contrast, a cluttered or irrelevant background might confuse the audience or detract from the message. Contextual cues are the real-time environmental signals that help the audience make sense of what they are seeing and connect it to the information being shared.

The key difference between these two concepts is that cognitive schemas are internal, pre-formed mental structures that help us categorize people and roles, while contextual cues are external, immediate signals in the environment that reinforce or challenge those categories.

By leveraging both—through thoughtful background choices—you can guide your audience’s perception of you, helping them trust your expertise and engage with your message more effectively.

Blurring your background is the band aid solution

Many podcast guests and hosts choose to blur their backgrounds, to hide what's going on behind them. [On Apple devices this is called 'Portrait' mode and in Zoom "blur my background."] Blurring your background certainly offers a fast and easy way to hide clutter or an unprepared environment, providing a temporary fix when there’s no time to create an organized, professional setting. In this case, the blur effect serves more to conceal than to enhance the viewer’s experience. 

In my view this is a "band-aid" solution, and hinges on the quality of the blur. If the blur effect is poorly executed—causing visual distortions or technical glitches—it can end up drawing more attention than the clutter it’s meant to hide. The portrait effect on the Apple devices is quite good, the virtual background in zoom and on MS teams distort the person badly. To get the best result possible, it’s best to start with a background, such as a plain wall or a green screen, which doesn't make the camera work too hard at etching out the the lines.

While blurring your background can help manage distractions in the short term, it doesn’t actively contribute to building a deeper connection with your audience.

"Blurring your background means that you miss the opportunity to create schematic and contextual clues."

So blurring your background is a temporary fix—a way to avoid showing a messy or irrelevant background, but not a tool to enhance audience engagement or trust. For podcast guests, this can be useful in spontaneous or unprepared situations, but it’s not a solution to rely on for consistent, high-quality presentation. It's why TV stations don't go for a blur, but rather a depth of field shot with the background in a soft focus, but still distinguishable.

The goal should be to use blur only when absolutely necessary, ensuring that it’s executed well enough to avoid any distractions. This way, your audience remains focused on the content of the conversation without being distracted by poor visuals.

Potential Distractions of a Clear Background in Podcast Interviews

While a clear background can offer authenticity, it can also present challenges if not handled properly. A visible background can inadvertently draw attention away from the conversation, especially if it’s cluttered, chaotic, or contains items unrelated to the podcast’s topic. For example, personal items like laundry piles, unrelated decorations, or even movement in the background can become distractions, pulling focus from the podcast’s content and shifting it to your environment.

A cluttered background not only distracts the audience but can also trigger subconscious judgments about your professionalism. People tend to associate tidiness with organisation, attention to detail, and reliability. If your visible background doesn’t align with these expectations, it can cause listeners to question your expertise or focus, even if the content of your message is strong. Just as cognitive schemas guide our perceptions, a messy background can activate the wrong schema, making it harder for the audience to place you in a role of authority.

In some cases, even a clean and well-decorated background can be distracting if it’s too visually stimulating. Busy wallpaper, bright colours, or overly personal items (like family photos) can divert attention away from the conversation. The audience might spend more time mentally processing your environment than engaging with your message.

We see this when guests are interviewed for broadcast TV shows, sitting at home. It's impossible not to look to see if there is washing up left undone or laundry on the couch.

My Recommendation: Create a contextual background for your interviews

A contextual background is more than just a visual setting—it serves as a key part of how your audience perceives you during a podcast. The environment behind you reinforces who you are, what you represent, and the message you’re delivering. In podcast guesting, this is crucial, as your background can either support your credibility or detract from it.

As we discussed earlier with cognitive schemas and contextual cues, your audience will naturally look for visual signals to help them place you in the right mental category. A well-chosen background supports this process by activating the right schema and providing cues that reinforce your authority and expertise. For example, if you’re an entrepreneur appearing on a podcast about business strategy, a tidy, professional home office with industry-related books or awards subtly communicates your competence. This creates a cohesive experience for the audience, matching what they hear with what they see.

Contextual backgrounds help to keep the focus on you and your message without unnecessary distractions. A busy or irrelevant background might send mixed signals, causing the audience to question whether they should trust your insights. The environment can either enhance or confuse the experience—imagine meeting a doctor in a fully equipped clinic versus a chaotic or unrelated space. In one scenario, the surroundings reinforce their professionalism; in the other, it raises doubts.

For podcast guesting, a well-thought-out background can do more than just avoid distractions—it can actively support your narrative. Elements like bookshelves, certifications, or relevant industry props don’t just show off your professional achievements; they provide subtle, visual storytelling that enhances your credibility. This kind of visual reinforcement is an important part of creating trust with your audience, allowing them to fully engage with what you’re saying.

Ultimately, a contextual background is the best choice because it aligns your environment with your message. It builds trust, reinforces your expertise, and creates a seamless experience for the audience—keeping them focused on your insights rather than wondering about the space around you.

How TV Studios Create the Perfect Background: Depth of Field and Green Screens

Just in case you are wondering if you can get that special look like they have on CNN or the BBC, let me share how professional TV studios are experts at creating visually engaging backgrounds that enhance focus on the person being filmed while minimizing distractions.

They often achieve this by creating depth of field, which is the key to producing the polished, professional look we associate with broadcast-quality interviews. This technique not only keeps the focus on the speaker but also gives the background a subtle, soft blur that adds visual appeal.  TV studios have DSLR cameras which are designed to control depth of field. These cameras allow the person being filmed to remain in sharp focus, while the background—usually placed several feet behind the subject—gently blurs. This blurring effect is far more natural than what’s achieved through software and helps maintain the audience's attention on the speaker, enhancing the overall professionalism of the broadcast. The physical distance between the person and the background is crucial for achieving this effect; by creating space behind the subject, studios ensure that the background doesn’t compete with the message being delivered.

I did have one guest, Howie Zales, who is a professional camera man, who had this set up for his interviews. His camera was set about 10 feet away and his background wall was another 10 feet behind him! However, this requires having a more sophisticated camera set up, with a video capture card etc...which I think is above and beyond what most of us want to try to wrestle with after a day at the office.

Conclusion Why You Should Consider Creating a Background for Your Brand

By leveraging psychological principles like cognitive schemas and contextual cues, you can establish trust and professionalism with the audience.

In podcast guesting, your background plays a crucial role in how your audience perceives you. Rather than relying on blurred backgrounds as a temporary fix, consider creating a "contextual background," one that aligns with your brand and reinforces your message. 

A clear, organized background that reflects your expertise helps activate the right mental associations in your audience, while a cluttered or irrelevant setting can undermine your authority.

Try to be in the same place each time to build consistency, and remember to put the laundry away.

Note: If you want to see how a background can impact how a person is viewed, then watch this short video here.