Are These Three Common Mistakes Ruining Your Zoom Experience?

Zoom has earned a bad rap. But it’s not Zoom’s fault. 

Imagine this: Your company decides to hold an in-person business meeting. “Fine by me”, you say. But when you show up…

• Everyone looks (and smells) like they just rolled out of bed.
• Everyone is an EXTREME close talker.
• The conference room is a complete mess.
• The intense white lighting feels more like Sears than an office.
• People constantly talk over one another.
• People are texting.
• There are nonstop interruptions.
• Your clients are slurping their 32 oz Big Gulp.

“Oh gosh”, you think. “I NEVER want to do that again.” No one would blame you for feeling that way. 

But were the problems caused by the in person format? Or poor manners?

People practice this kind of bad etiquette on Zoom ALL THE TIME. And it’s ruining Zoom’s reputation.

• Not shaving, grooming, or dressing appropriately
• Sitting too close to the camera 
• Bad camera angles
• Having messy Zoom backgrounds
• Poor lighting
• People not raising their hand before speaking
• Texting below camera view (we know what you’re doing)
• Not muting themselves when not speaking
• Showing off their cat during a meeting
• Eating or drinking in front of the camera

No wonder so many don’t want to log on.

Something to think about: Our tendency could be not to take virtual conferences, meetings, or events as seriously as in-person events. But just because it’s done virtually doesn’t mean you should act any less professional.

ALL participants should treat each other with the same respect on Zoom as they would in person.

Don’t be “that guy”. Here are 3 easily correctable mistakes that will improve the way you look and appear on Zoom.

Ever heard the phrase “give them an inch and they’ll take a mile”? It means if we’re allowed a small concession, we’ll usually expect more. That’s a good description of how we treat Zoom meetings.

You save a ton of travel and prep time getting ready for virtual meetings compared to in-person meetings, events, and conferences. But you can easily take it too far by not spending ANY time getting ready AKA by adopting the ‘all or nothing approach.’

‘I will either spend an hour getting ready and driving to the office or I will spend no time at all getting ready for a virtual event.’

What you can do: Instead of going from couch to computer, give yourself enough time to:

• Shower
• Fix your hair
• Shave
• Put on office-appropriate clothes. 

Studies have shown that simply dressing up for Zoom meetings “leads to improved performance, more focused attention, and higher levels of abstract, big-picture thinking.”

Just because YOU CAN wear your flannel PJs and slippers doesn’t mean you should. Don’t abuse the “inch” of convenience virtual meetings give you. Dress like you’re going to work (because you are).

“Forced perspectives” are when people use unusual camera angles to create unique visual scenes. The results can be bizarre, fun, interesting, or downright weird.

While unique perspectives are interesting in photography, they NEVER improve someone’s look on Zoom.

While unique perspectives are interesting in photography, they NEVER improve someone’s look on Zoom. 

You want a straight on view where the camera is at equal level with your eyes.

• Avoid: A low camera angle – Because laptops and phones typically sit lower than our faces, this is one of the most common bad angles out there. Besides giving away untrimmed nose hairs, this camera angle is the oldest unflattering look in the book. 

This angle is the technique James Whale used in the 1931’s “Frankenstein” to make the monster appear more terrifying.

Try this: Bring your camera angle up – Use a box, a stack of books, or connect to a monitor.

• Avoid: A high camera angle – This more uncommon angle typically happens when a connected monitor is above the person’s eye level. This “bird’s eye” perspective of your forehead doesn’t do you any favors.

Try this: Lower your camera – Raise your seat, get a shorter monitor, or buy an external camera that you can set up at eye level.

• Avoid: A side view – This is the “I work off an external monitor but my camera is on my laptop” view. The profile view can be distracting and feels like you’re talking to someone else in the room.

Try this: Look at the camera – Try working off the screen with the camera. Drag your content to your laptop or buy an external camera that clips to your monitor. 

• Avoid: Being too close to the camera – Close talkers incite anxiety both in person and on Zoom. 

Try this: Set the camera further away – Avoid the tendency to “lean in”. Check out your self-view to make sure your head isn’t taking up most of the screen.

Good lighting is something that no one notices when it’s good but everyone notices when it’s bad. You want warm lighting to be in front of you and shine evenly across your face.

Avoid: Low, high, or backlighting – Illuminating your face from below is scary and is only good for telling campfire stories. Lighting directly from above blacks out your eyes. Also scary. Lighting from behind makes you look like a shadow.

Try this: Keep the lighting in front of you – If you use natural lighting such as a window, try to have it directly in front of you. If you use artificial lighting, use a lamp that is directly in front of you and at eye level. You can also purchase a decent ring light at a relatively low price.

The biggest solution to camera issues is awareness. Do a quick self-view before logging on and check these 2 things:

1. Is my camera angle even with my eyes?
2. Is my lighting even across my face?

If you answered “yes” to both of these questions, you are ready to join the meeting.

There’s a time and place for everything. We sometimes forget this when it comes to virtual events, meetings, and conferences.

Even though the way they are delivered is different, their purpose is the same – to provide a professional environment where clients and co-workers collaborate. 

They should both be treated with equal respect.

Just as in a literal conference room you would be respectful of the one talking, we need to be careful on Zoom not to interrupt the person speaking. 

Remember: Real life has unlimited sound channels. So you still hear someone talking while a dog is barking, for example. Virtual meetings, however, only have ONE sound channel. Two people’s sounds can not come through at the same time. So if you make any noise, it will automatically cut out the speaker’s voice. 

What you can do:

1. As the above paragraph implies, make sure you are muted when you are not speaking. Any sound coming from your channel will quickly become the only thing everyone will hear. 
2. Raise your hand before speaking and wait to get called on before unmuting. 

We wouldn’t bring a pet, our lunch, or anything else unprofessional into an in-person meeting. We want to keep the same mindset while attending a virtual event or meeting.

What you can do: The line between work and home may feel more blurred when you are logging on from a home office space. But try to view your screen as the office space. Only allow things to enter your camera view that you would allow to enter an in-person business meeting. 

Bonus tip: Make sure your background is professional. Consider having a dedicated blank “Zoom wall”. It’s the simplest way to always have a clean, distraction-free background. If you join in an area such as your living room, make sure it’s picked up and tidy. But keep in mind that if you join from a shared room you run the risk of someone walking into your shot.

Virtual events can develop a bad rap when done incorrectly. Many of these frustrations stem from a lack of experience or knowledge. 

The key is to treat virtual meetings with the same respect as you would an in-person event. Before your next virtual meetings, remind your team to follow these tips:

1. Dress as you would at the office
2. Do a quick video check to make sure the camera angle is good
3. Keep their screen view clear of clutter and mute when not speaking 

Virtual events, conferences, and meetings have major advantages over in-person events. Still, many wonder how they can overcome common issues such as: 

• Technical difficulties
• Zoom fatigue
• Feeling less connected with colleagues

Virtual Velocity has been helping clients get the most out of going virtual for over 15 years. We know what the benefits are and exactly how to mitigate any challenges that pop up. 

Are you curious whether your events should be in person, virtual, or both (hybrid)? Shoot us a quick message and we’ll gladly help point you in the right direction.