Save yourself from going viral for the wrong reasons! Here's a guide to video conferencing like a pro

Are you one of those who couldn’t sit still for a video call? Moving around the house like you’re giving everyone a grand virtual tour of your crib? Or maybe you’re one of those who forgot to download the attached file which happens to be the main topic why you are having a call in the first place?

I’ve been through those video conferencing nightmares, too. And others had the worst only because they forgot that they were on an actual video call where everyone could see them.

So, instead of going through an epic video call fail practice these video conferencing best practices now!

Don’t be sloppy, dress the part

Unless your virtual meeting is purely voice, make it a habit to dress appropriately for a work video call. It doesn’t have to be fancy but at least similar to what you would wear in a regular office. It will keep you in the right headspace and fail-proof your video conferencing session with your team.

Read through the email that came with the meeting invite

Most of the time details about a virtual meeting are included in the email with the meeting invite. So, don’t try to skip the details, download and read any files to keep you aligned with the agenda. It saves everyone the time and you the embarrassment.

Blur the background or upload a decent one

Skype has the ‘blur the background” function while Zoom allows you to upload a static image or video for a fancier background. You can never go wrong with a simple ~~less~~ distracting background but if you are video conferencing with your usual team, you may want to try Snap Cam. It integrates Zoom with Snap Cam to add filters to your video calls.

Have a plan b in case there are any technical difficulties

There are several occasions where the screen freezes during my daughter’s video call with her online class. Kids would giggle as we wait for the Internet to stabilize. Sometimes reconnecting becomes too long it’s better to just leave the call. If things like this happen, inform the team through a text message, a DM or an email or whatever works for the team.

No one needs to hear your neighbor’s rooster, mute your mic when necessary

I won’t be surprised if a video call becomes viral because of some random animal background noise. And not all of us could afford a sound-proof home office, but it doesn’t mean we let the pets jump in our call, too.