Necessary Etiquette to Join A Video Conference

Video conferencing has become an alternative to face-to-face meetings worldwide. Right? So, for making a good impression and making remote meetings more effective, knowing how to set up and join a video conference is vital. Also, being mindful of some etiquette while at a meeting is necessary. 

From setting up your home office to maintaining eye contact, here are some necessary video conferencing etiquette to avoid unintentional mistakes and enhance productivity in your next online meetings. 

Video Conference Etiquette: 6 Necessary Tips

1. Ensure Your Technology Works Perfectly

   You don’t want to wait for an important meeting with prospective clients, but what if you have to cancel or reschedule the meeting because you are having trouble with your video conferencing platform?

   Also, you don’t want to look unprofessional and amateur because you are running late while your video conferencing software is updating, your internet connection is disrupted, and you are asking other meeting participants, “Can you hear me?” To avoid these awkward situations, test your technology beforehand and choose the right platform to ensure everything works fine.

   Before you host or join a meeting, double-check hardware and internet connection are working perfectly. Most video conferencing platforms will allow you to test your microphone, webcam, and speakers/headphones to confirm whether they are working well or malfunctioning. It’s best to know if your setup has a problem earlier so that you can fix it before the meeting starts.

2. Dress Appropriately

   Working from home might be tempting to work in formal dress. Consider wearing something more innovative than sleepwear to any video conferences you attend. Pick a proper dress as if you are meeting someone face-to-face. You only need a proper outfit, a clean face, and tidy hair to make a good impression in virtual meetings.

3. Maintain Eye Contact
   

   Eye contact is essential in face-to-face and video conferences, so you make the opposite person or meeting participants feel engaged. A common mistake when meeting a remote participant is to avoid looking at the webcam.To maintain eye contact during video conferencing, follow the steps below:

   Focus your eyes on the webcam so that other participants will ensure that you pay attention to them.
   Place your laptop at eye level and as close to the screen as possible if you use an external webcam.
   Avoid doing other unnecessary activities that make you seem less professional

    

4. Avoid Interrupting Others

   While the conference is going on, be courteous and wait for other participants to finish speaking before expressing your thoughts. You may use the “Raise Hand” feature of virtual conference platforms to notify the meeting host or participants that you’d like to speak without interrupting the meeting mid-flow.  Read our blog on things to avoid in a video conference here.

5. Mute Microphone When not Speaking

   Even though you are joining a virtual meeting from a quiet location and may not be speaking, most microphones can pick up minor background noises like coughing, sneezing, chewing, typing, etc. It may annoy and may end up distracting other participants.

   You may not want others to eavesdrop when you talk to your spouse or family member, yelling in the background, which is uncomfortable for everyone. So, try to unmute your microphone only when it is your turn to talk.

6. Avoid Screen-Sharing Mix-Ups

   You might be asked to share your screen during the video conference for presentation purposes. Instead of transferring the entire screen, share only a single window, i.e., a PowerPoint slide. Think about your desktop wallpaper. Is it professional or suitable for others to see? Ensure your personal or confidential information isn’t displayed on the screen for security purposes.

Final Words

Undoubtedly, virtual conferencing has become crucial in business communication today, especially in remote working and distance learning environments. Hopefully, the abovementioned video conferencing etiquette will help you enhance the meeting experience for all participants with productivity and professionalism. Also, these will help you get the best out of your team.