Zoom Meetings is one of the most widely used platforms for video conferencing, video calls and webinars. Here are some tricks to make the best use of the platform
Zoom Cloud Meetings is one of the most used platforms for business video conferences or simple video calls between friends. It has been experiencing great usage in the recent period, especially by smart working employees. Organizing meetings through Zoom's platform is really very easy and the program can be downloaded for free for any device: computers, smartphones and tablets.
This is a solution that adapts to different needs and can therefore be useful in both academic and business environments. Zoom Meetings can be used for a wide variety of purposes, but what are the ways to get the most out of it? From customizing the background to recording a call, here are tips for using Zoom more effectively.
How to customize the Zoom background
Zoom Clud Meetings is a flexible platform that adapts to many needs. The first one is designed for those who want to start an online lesson or a videoconference without showing the real environment in which they work: often the house is messy or they work in the children's room, around games, colors, drawings and objects of all kinds, which it is better to hide.
With Zoom you can customize the background by inserting a panorama, a color or another image. How to do it?
First, you need to use the software for Mac or PC. Once you launch the program, within the main screen, you have to access the Settings by clicking on the gear icon located in the upper right corner. Selecting Virtual Background will take you to all the available backgrounds, but you can also add a custom image by clicking Add Image. After selecting it, it will automatically appear around the human figure, replacing the real background. Of course, to use this feature you need a compatible system and an active webcam.
Record a webinar or video conference
How many times do we need to listen to a lecture or a word said in a meeting? With Zoom, you can record all types of calls. This feature is available with the paid Premium plan, and it also allows you to easily transcribe the content of the meeting.
To use it you need to log into the program and click on Recordings > Cloud Recordings. Within this screen, just enable the Audio Transcript item and save your changes. Every time you start a videoconference, click on Record > Record to that Cloud. At the end of the meeting, an email will notify you that the recording, and any transcript, can be used.
Sharing the screen with Zoom Meetings
Another feature that can be useful in many situations is screen sharing. It can be used to show a PowerPoint presentation during a business meeting or a set of charts to a client or it is useful to show examples and exercises during an online class.
To use the feature, simply go to Settings and then click on Share Screen. Next, enable full screen when a participant shares his or her own, so as not to cut off parts of the screen. Also, you can split the video screen into two parts, so you can show both the speaker and the screen he's working on. In this case, you need to enable the side-by-side mode.
Create a virtual waiting room or breakout room
Although staying at home, it happens that the speaker or the professor is a little late to the agreed time of the meeting. In this case, it is possible to create a virtual waiting room that allows people to wait for the start of the lesson or meeting on the calendar.
If, on the other hand, you are working on a large project and need to divide your collaborators into small groups, Zoom also allows you to create so-called breakout rooms, i.e. small virtual environments where you can discuss and talk without being heard or seen by other participants. You can organize work sessions to focus on a particular aspect of the business and perhaps, at the end, discuss Zoom in a common room.