- May 17, 2020
- Posted by: Turlock PC
- Category: How To
In this recent age of social distancing where an increasing number of jobs are transitioning to a “work from home” structure, Zoom has become a huge digital platform for both personal and professional meetings. With this being said, we understand that the idea of video conferencing is uncharted territory for many people and there is a lot of information to learn when it comes to dealing with this type of software. For this reason, we would like to dedicate this installment of the blog to discussing the three main tips for hosting the perfect Zoom meeting.
- Be prepared
One way to set yourself up for success is to plan exactly what date and time you want your meeting to take place. Ensure that everyone involved in this meeting is well informed on the details by sending out the Zoom meeting ahead of time so that they can mark their calendars and make sure they are available at that time. To prevent any potential interruptions, we recommend informing anyone you share your home with about your meeting and to choose a quiet place in your home to set up once it is time for your meeting to begin. Technical difficulties can really put a damper on any conference so it is important that you know how to work the basic audio and visual controls including how to mute/unmute yourself as well as how to turn your video on/off. Another way you can be prepared is to make sure that you have necessary pages pulled up and available, especially if you plan on sharing your screen.
- Pay attention to the details
In a video conferencing setting, details can have the power to make or break the ways in which your audience perceives your message. To ensure that your video is clear and easy to see, be sure that you have access to sufficient lighting. Your background is equally important because a cluttered environment has the potential to be distracting to your audience. If you do not have access to a solid background, Zoom also allows you to try virtual backgrounds to fit the mood you are wanting to achieve within your meeting. One trick that we have when it comes to using a webcam for Zoom is to give yourself some space. What we mean by this is to move a far enough distance so that your face and shoulder are in frame because the closer you are to your camera, the wider or more distorted your face will look. If you are someone who loves filters, you might also want to check out the “Touch up my appearance” feature that can be found in Zoom’s video settings. Aside from video, another important aspect of Zoom is audio. One easy way to improve your audio as well as increase privacy in your meeting is to use a pair of headphones that have a built in microphone.
- Upgrade your experience with special features
Although it can be confusing to navigate through at first, with a little practice Zoom can quickly become a user friendly platform equipped with many features to make hosting a virtual meeting easier than ever. One setting that can be helpful when tracking attendance is called gallery view and it allows you to see all of the people active in your meeting at once. The waiting room feature is also great because it gives you control over who joins your meetings and when they are allowed to join. For those projects that require work to be done within small group settings, check out Zoom’s breakout room feature which gives you the power to split your Zoom meeting in up to 50 separate sessions. In some cases, it is easier to explain a concept by using a visual component so Zoom offers the opportunity for screen sharing by either you or anyone else in the meeting. Zoom is also very compatible in a sense that it can be easily integrated with multiple different apps including Slack and Zapier. Lastly, one of the most convenient ways to stay organized with Zoom is to set up reminder alerts on your phone and other relevant devices so that you never miss a scheduled meeting.
3 Zoom Tips for the Perfect Virtual MeetingAt this time, it is more important now than ever to remain connected even if only virtually. Zoom as well as other video conferencing platforms make this possible and can be used in a variety of different contexts. Overall, we hope that you enjoyed this blog and were able to learn something new to use in your next virtual meeting regardless of your level of experience with video conferencing software!