How to…
Virtual meetings, webinars and conferences are a sign of the times. These tips will help you shine as you host, present or participate in a webinar.
Technology Tips for Panelists and Presenters
- Please keep your video while on the webinar and mute yourself when you are not speaking.
- Consider including you name, pronouns, and organization, and an asterisk before your name, so we can find you easily on the participant list, when you enter the Zoom room.
- To increase accessibility, we will alternate between sharing screens with slides and staying in gallery view.
- A neutral background without personal identifiers in the video screen makes it easier for attendees to concentrate on webinar content instead of the books on your shelf.
- A bright shirt allows attendees to more easily see you on the screen.
- Test the lighting in your office to verify your face is front-lit so attendees can see your face clearly.
- Test to make sure no items in the background are coming out of your head or shoulders when on screen (plants, pictures, lamps, etc).
- Mute your computer and cell phone notifications.
- If family or pets are in the home office environment and will distract you, close the office door and hang a reminder on the door to indicate you are being filmed and will sign family autographs during lunch.
- Enjoy coffee or water in a cup with your work brand on the side.
Technology Tips for Attendees
- Download Zoom client for meetings the day before the webinar if you do not currently have it installed.
- Click open the webinar Zoom link several minutes before the webinar begins to join and get settled in.
- Unmute during networking time. We want to meet you!
- A bright shirt allows panelists and presenters to more easily see you on the screen.
- Test the lighting in your office to verify your face is front-lit so panelists and presenters can see your face clearly.
Accessing Zoom
All the online meeting platforms have similar functionality, we use Zoom and Teams.
- Check with your IT department to confirm approval to download and install Zoom.
- Download Zoom client for meetings the day before the webinar or meeting if the software or application is not installed on your computer.
- Test Zoom features such as video, audio and chat.
- Minimum requirements for Zoom on handheld devices.
- Minimum requirements for Zoom on computers.
- Some users enjoy virtual backgrounds. The Zoom website offers tips on using the feature.
Technology Tips for Recording
- Recording a Zoom video.
- In the Zoom app:
- Preferences > Video
- Enable HD
- Choose camera for external feed
- 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio
- Preferences > Recording
- Optimize for third party editor
- Record separate audio file for each participant
- Record video during screen sharing
- Preferences > Video
- Video editing:
- Title screen fade in and out
- Fade-to-black at the end before a credit screen
- Credits screen at video end that fade up from black and include logo, organizational name, social handles, website and copyright year prior to fade out