If you read our latest articles about Zoom, you already know how to install it and how to use its tools. To finish this "mini-course" on how to have online meetings, all that remains is to cover good practices in a Zoom meeting. Online meetings are not the same as in-person meetings and, especially if they are for work, there are certain behaviors you must adopt to ensure they run smoothly. There are more distractions and it's easy to lose focus. While it can be fun to see a conference participant's dog or child enter the room, it can be ill-timed and cut off a train of thought. Carefully read the best practices during a zoom meeting:

1 - Preparation

Before starting the meeting, confirm that your technological equipment has a battery, that your internet connection is stable and that your peripherals work (microphone and camera). You should do this in advance so that your colleagues are not expecting you to solve these problems during the conference.

2 - Choose the ideal location

As previously mentioned, having people coming in and out of the room where you are meeting can create distractions. Find a room in your house where you can stay during the meeting. It should be a calm, silent place with good lighting.

3 - Microphone without sound

This is one of the most important practices in videoconferencing. If it's not your turn to speak, mute your microphone. No one likes to hear that background buzz caused by the sound being turned on during meetings.

4 - Turn on the camera

There's nothing worse than talking to little black squares with names on them. Turn on your camera and let the speaker know you're interested in listening to the meeting. This simple step will streamline the video conference and create more engagement with the “audience”.

5 - Virtual Background and Appearance

We already know from experience that it is more difficult to maintain focus in an online meeting than in a face-to-face meeting. To reduce distractions as much as possible, you should place a neutral virtual background so that other participants are not distracted by looking at your home decor. Finally, don't forget to look presentable - even though it's a video conference, people can see you!

Zoom is here to stay - large companies are already adopting semi-in-person or even 100% remote working arrangements post-Covid19 pandemic. This paradigm shift requires people to master technologies to that work is as productive as possible. With the tips we gave in the last three articles you have everything you need to master online meetings. Good job!