Webcam Positioning

• Position your webcam at eye level. Cameras should never face you from below, above, or from the side. The idea here is that you want to make "eye contact" with your webcam to closely mirror an in-person conversation.
• Avoid sitting with any windows behind you. Light from any windows visible on camera noticeably darkens your appearance on camera.

Background

• Make sure your background is professional and presentable. 
  • Move any clutter or distracting items off camera.
  • Tip: preview your video before joining a meeting. Scan your eyes through everything visible within the video frame to guarantee your space is clutter-free and professional.
• Use a virtual background.
  • Sometimes, you may not have the time (or energy) to make your background as immaculate as you would otherwise prefer. That's why virtual backgrounds are a great option.
  • To avoid others from seeing your background, Zoom provides background images that don’t require a green screen. You can select one of Zoom’s virtual image backgrounds, including a background blur, or you can upload your own photo.

Appearance

• Choose attire for a virtual meeting as you would for an in-person meeting. If this meeting were in person with business attire, then wear business attire for the virtual meeting.
• Use Zoom’s Touch up my appearance feature, which gives your picture display a softer focus and enhances your digital appearance in real-time.
• Incorporate the webcam positioning, background, and lighting tips featured herein.

Lighting

• Avoid lighting that is too dark or too bright.
• If possible, avoid being seated in front of a window as the light exposure considerably darkens how you appear on camera. 
• Windows aren't all bad, however. In fact, natural lighting is ideal for a virtual meeting. If possible, sit with a window facing you with natural light.
• Consider purchasing a ring light. Most ring lights are powered by a USB cable, so they can plug directly into your computer or a nearby wall socket. They also feature adjustable lighting settings you can experiment with until you find the perfect fit.
• Use Zoom’s Automatically adjust for low lighting feature, which enhances your lighting in low light situations.
• To avoid glare on your glasses from your computer screen and nearby lights, do the following:
  • Turn down the brightness on your monitor or laptop screen.
  • Position lights above or to the side of where you’re seated.
  • Instead of a ring light, consider dimmable panel LED lights or a softbox lighting kit.

Audio

• Mute your microphone whenever you're not speaking.
  • Tip: memorize the shortcut to mute/unmute audio:
    • Windows: Alt+A
    • Mac: Command(⌘)+Shift+A
• Shield your microphone from distracting background noises.
  • Keep in mind that sounds that don't seem loud to you can be picked up by your microphone and be loud and distracting to others in your meeting.
  • Close any doors and open windows, and be mindful of anything that might make sound, including a rickety ceiling fan or a smoke alarm in need of a new battery.
• Use Zoom’s Suppress background noise feature, which offers these four settings:
  • Auto: this is the default setting. It applies moderate background noise reduction when needed. It also auto-adjusts the aggressiveness for blocking background noise based on what it detects in the background. If music is detected, it does not treat the music as background noise.
  • Low: noise reduction is minimal. Low levels of persistent background noise are blocked.
    • Note: this setting is best for casually playing music, as it preserves as much of the original sound as possible. For the highest fidelity when playing music, consider using the Enable Original Audio setting in your advanced audio settings.
  • Medium: best for reducing and eliminating background noise in standard environments, including fans, pen tapping, and sounds with similar volumes.
  • High: noise reduction is at its most aggressive to eliminate noises such as crunching paper- or wrapper-crunching, keyboard typing, and similar sounds.

Create an Agenda

To create an agenda, follow these steps:

1. Create an outline and make it a template for future use. You can also find free meeting agenda templates here.
2. Know your purpose. The most important question to ask before a meeting is, “What is the purpose of this meeting?” The answer may seem somewhat obvious because it’s your meeting, and you know why you called it. But actively stating the purpose is crucial to staying focused and on point.
3. Decide major discussion topics, then frame them.
   1. List major discussion topics using one or two words or brief sentences.
   2. To frame your topics, consider whether the purpose of each agenda item is to share information, seek information, receive input for a decision, or make a decision. 
   3. Framing topics this way makes it easier to introduce them and for an audience to understand how they should think about the information being discussed.
4. Estimate the length of time needed for each agenda item.
   1. Tip: include some wiggle room for each agenda item. If a topic might take 15 minutes, make it 20 on your agenda. Spacing out topics this way builds in time for questions and further discussion.
5. Distribute the agenda to all participants at least two days before the meeting. If, for some reason, you can’t complete the agenda early enough, still aim to provide it to your participants as early as possible.

Prepare Talking Points

1. Talking points might sound the same as an agenda, but they are different tools albeit with similar purposes. 
   1. The agenda is for everyone. Agenda items are broad discussion topics for the meeting. 
   2. Talking points are for you. These are specific statements, points, and questions you want to propose in the meeting. 
2. After creating an agenda, write brief but full-sentence statements or questions to bring up for each of your agenda items. This allows you to revise and polish statements and questions, making them specific and easy for your audience to understand.

Introduce Participants to One Another

1. Any meeting is much more successful and productive when participants are more willing to discuss and ask questions, but that’s unlikely to happen if they don’t know each other. By familiarizing people with one another, they are more likely to engage in discussion.
2. When your meeting begins, go “around the room” and let each participant introduce themselves. 
3. Consider providing questions for participants to respond to while introducing themselves. 
   1. For example, ask participants to say their name, their position, and where they’re located. If time permits and the level of formality is appropriate, add an element of fun, and consider asking the following question examples:
      1. Where are you originally from?
      2. What is your favorite food?
      3. What is your favorite movie? 
      4. Where would you love to go but have never been? 

Use Icebreakers

If time permits, use the first few minutes for open discussion and catching up, or consider these creative virtual meeting icebreaker examples to help attendees warm up.

Topics to Address Before Meeting Begins

1. Use the first few minutes of a meeting to provide any opening statements and offer any important updates. 
2. While an agenda should make the purpose of the meeting clear, the meeting facilitator should still clarify the purpose in clear and simple terms.
   1. Signaling the meeting's purpose to participants keeps them focused, alert, and prepared. They'll also understand what to expect and be able to identify key takeaways.
3. Consider implementing rules and guidelines that address the following: 
   1. How attendees are expected to participate.
   2. Requesting that they remain muted unless speaking.
   3. Encouraging or requiring participants to keep their webcams on.
      1. Consider the following as it relates to meeting participants using their cameras during meetings: if cameras are off, attendees are less likely to participate; however, some people may have a good reason not to turn their cameras on: poor internet connection, a background poorly suited for a professional meeting, or personal issues the attendant isn’t comfortable sharing.

Look at the Camera

Look at the camera when speaking, not your screen.

It seems natural to look at the people on your screen when talking in a virtual meeting because we naturally look at the people with whom we're speaking with in person; however, because people are used to making eye contact when speaking, you may appear as though you're looking anywhere but them by looking at your screen. Instead, look at your camera for a more personable and natural conversation.

Provide Non-Verbal Feedback

Digital spaces lack many of the non-verbal cues we ordinarily rely upon while communicating with others. Be mindful of providing non-verbal feedback such as nodding your head, hand gestures, and facial expressions such as smiling.

Clarify Action Items

Ensure action items are clearly stated and that the person(s) responsible understands their objective and action item’s due date.