5 Tips for Better Video-Conferencing
With all the extra video meetings and video message recording going on, I thought I’d take a minute to give everyone some quick tips to improve the experience. Here are 5 quick tips to get started. I hope you find these helpful, and if you have any other specific questions please ask so we can share the answers for everyone’s benefit.
- Lighting: Make sure you have plenty of indirect lighting in front of you and no direct or indirect lighting behind you. If the room seems dim to you, it will look even darker on the camera. If there is strong light behind you, you will appear even darker in the video.
- Sound: Small rooms with furnishings that absorb sound are best for good audio (curtains, pillows, furniture, wall coverings), especially if you are using your built-in webcam or laptop microphone. However, using a headset will always be better than built-in microphones for videoconferencing.
- Location: Try to situate yourself so you are centered in the camera and have only the top of your torso (chest, shoulders and head) in the frame (think school portrait). It’s also better if the camera is either straight-on or slightly higher than you (shots from below never look good!)
- Software: Every videoconferencing software works a little differently. Make sure everyone has a chance to play with it and get to know it a bit before you start the conference call.
- Connectivity: While company offices may rarely have connectivity issues, the same cannot be said for home internet. If you are working from home, all unnecessary devices should be disconnected from your wi-fi, and streaming apps (video and music) should be curbed during any calls.
The goal of video-conferencing is to communicate clearly with as few distractions as possible. Focusing on these 5 tips should go a long way in reducing distraction and frustration during your regular or one-off meetings.
