Are you having trouble getting the hang of Zoom calls? With more and more people working from home nowadays, stepping up your Zoom game is undoubtedly an essential modern-day skill you’ll want to develop. By keeping a few helpful tips in mind, you can go from Zoom disaster to Zoom master in no time!
Avoid These Things like the plague During a Zoom Call
Never trade professionalism for comfort, even if you’re sitting at home instead of standing in front of a group in a corporate office. Your team doesn’t need to see the Sponge Bob pajamas that your spouse got you for your birthday. Nor do they want to watch you chow down on tacos while discussing SEO. All of your Zoom calls will go much better if you keep a professional tone and setting.
To maintain professionalism, avoid logging into a Zoom meeting without a plan, especially if you’re the group leader. It’s best to have an itinerary and avoid unrelated chatter and digression, making a meeting drag on and winds up being unproductive. Whether you’re leading a meeting or attending, avoid delay; not only is it rude to be late, it also causes distraction, which can disrupt the flow of a meeting.
Another thing to avoid when hoping to improve the zoom call’s quality is forgetting to put yourself on mute. This can lead to a Zoom call disaster! While it’s not necessary to click your mute button to hear someone on the other end of the call who is speaking, forgetting to mute yourself when it’s not your turn to say might have devastating results, such as everyone in the meeting hearing you shout out instructions on where a family member can find clean socks or whose turn it is to take the dog out.
Muting also helps reduce background noise, such as toddlers throwing tantrums, TV shows blaring or dogs barking.
Improve Zoom Quality with Headphones
Investing in a high-quality wired headset is wise when your goal is to make better Zoom calls. Wired headphones use analog signals (as opposed to digital), which improves sound quality. A wired signal doesn’t require as much processing and can deliver audio at full resolution.
Wireless headphones are typically more expensive than a wired option; so, in addition to quality, you might be able to save money, which will no doubt help you to enjoy Zoom calls even more. Research shows that wireless headphones often have audio streaming quality problems, whereas wired sets consistently produce better quality sound. Another downside to wireless headset options is that they are prone to electronic interference, significantly reducing a Zoom call quality.
Use Advanced Settings for a Better Zoom Experience
As mentioned earlier, one of the best ways to improve your Zoom calls is to keep things professional at all times if you’re in a business meeting. However, you might be using Zoom to visit with family and friends. In either case, you can improve lighting and angles by using specific settings. For instance, you can use filters to change your appearance or choose a location that lets you add a background to your scene.
Adding a background is an effective way to reduce distraction during a business call. If you don’t want your coworkers to see a sink full of dirty dishes or the mounds of laundry lying on the floor behind you, you can insert a different background. You can choose from various virtual backgrounds, including classic red bricks, conference room styles, or a tropical look. If you have a Zoom call just for fun, you might want to choose something less conventional, such as the outer space option.
You can also play around with the studio effects, which lets you change your appearance by adding glasses, facial hair, or cosmetics.
Remember These 3 Steps for Better Zoom Calls
To improve your Zoom calls’ quality, always keep in mind the three main ideas mentioned in this post. Remember to be professional at all times if you’re leading or attending a business call, stick to a plan and avoid leaving yourself unmuted. Use quality audio equipment and take advantage of custom settings and studio effects to enhance your Zoom experience.
