Zoom Etiquette
Work
Hello... Great projects start with good conversations. We offer an extensive range of services & packages to cater for all project sizes. We look forward to hearing from you.
Work
Following a steep and rather rapid learning curve, we thought we’d share our tips on how to ace your virtual meetings.
Allow 15 minutes to set up your equipment prior to the meeting. This will allow enough time to check sound, lighting and work through any pesky technical glitches. Once you’re ready, open up Zoom and click on Preferences – this will allow you to do a final check of sound and video before the meeting kicks off.
Like a selfie, we all have our best Zoom angle – so take the time to work out yours. A trick to maintaining good virtual eye contact is to prop your laptop up on a stack of books, which will lift your line of sight as though you were sitting face-to-face with the other attendees. Avoid getting too close to your camera. Your full head, shoulders and upper torso should fit comfortably in the frame.
Now is the time to look at your home ‘office’ with fresh eyes and check if there’s any unsavoury conversation starters that might end up in your Zoom frame. It could be as mundane as the unpaid speeding ticket on your fridge, or as spicy as the nude portrait hanging in the study (just us?).
While we’re on the topic, the standard virtual backgrounds (including the tropical beach with rolling waves) are distracting for other attendees and aren’t appropriate for 98% of meetings… but so is an unmade bed. If your bedroom is now doing double duty as your work space, consider setting up a simple, non-distracting virtual background.
If you wouldn’t wear it face-to-face, reconsider it for Zoom. HINT: It’s a hard ‘no’ to activewear! For online meets, keep it business on top (even if there is a party on the bottom). A collared shirt, crisp t-shirt or smart jacket will suffice to ensure your on-screen look is professional.
A rotating menu of some of NYC’s freshest produce. Sit outside or in the train carriage and let the King team serve up the very best. I am still dreaming of the natty wine with grilled stone fruit and burrata.
Avoid looking at yourself (we can tell) and stay focused on the speaker. Once the meeting has started, stay put and don’t touch your screen. A Zoom meeting is not the time to boil the kettle or relocate to the recliner.
If you wouldn’t wear it face-to-face, reconsider it for Zoom. HINT: It’s a hard ‘no’ to activewear!
A free Zoom meeting is capped at 40 minutes, so it’s important to keep the objectives and required outcomes top of mind. Stick to your agenda points and don’t waffle. Avoid answering emails or doing other work during the meeting – again, we can tell.
On this topic, we’d recommend treating yourself to a Zoom subscription. It doesn’t have quite the same benefits as the pilates memberships we’ve had to forfeit, but it will allow you to have longer meetings and will also improve your streaming quality. Highly pixelated faces are about as distracting as the virtual beach background.
This one’s a game of numbers. If you’re involved in a meeting of six or less – avoid muting. This will keep you engaged and allow you to chime in where appropriate.
For a larger meeting or seminar – if you’re not an active speaker, mute yourself to ensure sound coming from your microphone isn’t picked up as this can be distracting to those presenting.
In general, avoid making noise if you don’t have the floor. Zoom uses volume as the key indicator for who to put in focus i.e. on the big screen. Coughing, typing or loudly slurping your tea will put you in the big window faster than you can say ‘let’s circle back’.
If your once quiet home has become a buzzing hive or activity, notify other members of the household you have a meeting to avoid unexpected cameo appearances. Consider an early warning symbol, something on the doorknob or a ‘Do not disturb’ sign.
As Account Director, Charlotte specialises in developing digital marketing strategies and campaigns that deliver results. With over a decade of experience in marketing and eCommerce, she manages clients in the retail, lifestyle, cultural, and property sectors.