Do you participate effectively in online meetings? These days, we find ourselves in online meetings more often than ever.

Restrictions in face-to-face gatherings due to the impact of COVID-19 vary by state and can change daily.

A number of states have a shelter-in-place (stay-at-home) order, such as Colorado where I live. As a result, many face-to face meetings have moved online to platforms like GoToMeeting or Zoom. Since Zoom is a new tool for many people, here are some tips for participating effectively using this site.

 

Using Zoom for Video Conferencing

For those of you unfamiliar with Zoom, Eric Yuan launched the company in 2013. In an article about Zoom by David Pierce in Protocol: “according to one estimate, the company added more users in the first two months of 2020 than in all of 2019.

In early March, it reported 61% more business customers than the year prior, with revenue up 88% year-over-year. More than 10 million people join a Zoom meeting every day.”

And all this happened before the meeting restrictions due to COVID-19 started to increase in the U.S.!

Here’s a link to the entire article: https://www.protocol.com/zoom-videoconferencing-history-profit

Until recently, I mainly used Zoom for tutoring sessions on LinkedIn and Facebook with clients outside the Denver area. My experience using Zoom for business types of meetings was limited.

Now, almost all the organizations I belong are have opting for online meetings via Zoom. These organizations range from my church to Toastmasters clubs to business groups.

As I’ve gotten involved in setting up Zoom sessions for some of these groups, I’m learning more about Zoom. Plus, every time I participate in one of these sessions, I learn more about this valuable tool.

FYI, Zoom offers a basic plan for free with unlimited meetings and no trial period. With the free account, there’s a 40-minute time limit on meetings with three or more total participants. Find out more at www.zoom.us.

However, with a paid account, which currently is just over $15 per month, there’s no limit on the time together and you can have up to 100 people in a meeting.

 

A Few Tips for Participating in a Zoom Session

  • Be sure to ask the Zoom meeting host to walk you through the features. Examples of these features are the controls for the microphone and video and the chat feature.
  • Decide if you prefer Speaker or Gallery View. This option is at the top right of your computer screen. It’s not available via phone. In Speaker view, the person who is speaking fills up most of the screen. You will see a thumbnail of the other participants across the top or on the side. Or you may simply see their name. With Gallery View, you see all participants on the screen. When a person is speaking, the border around their image turns yellow.
  • Be respectful during Zoom meeting and follow the rules given by the host of the meeting. As with face to face meetings, avoid interrupting others or talking too much.
  • If you have a camera option, look into the camera when you speak. You may need to adjust the webcam to do this.
  • Minimize distractions by using a quiet space in your home. Also, mute your microphone when you are not speaking to eliminate any background noises.
  • Also, just prior to entering the Zoom meeting, turn off your email on your computer. In addition, I suggest you turn off your social media sites. Doing these things will mean that you won’t be distracted electronically.
  • It’s OK to briefly leave a meeting and come back. Mute yourself so others in the meeting don’t hear random sounds. Also, turn off the video so that people won’t see that you have left.
  • If you are calling on someone who doesn’t respond, just wait for a few minutes. They may have stepped away from their computer or phone. Wait a few minutes, and then call on them again.

 

How About You?

Have you participated in Zoom or other kinds of online meetings? If so, what kinds of tips would you offer someone new to Zoom or online meetings in general?

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 45 and up, to become more effective using social media, especially Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

She works with business owners, business development professionals, business consultants, job seekers, and more – ranging from entrepreneurs to people in large corporations. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.