Best Zoom meeting practices to engage your audience

Nowadays Zoom meetings are part of every professional’s life. Regardless of your expertise, you can incorporate these useful Zoom meeting practices to bring value to your presentations and generate more engagement with your clients and audience. 

Commanding people’s attention during an online meeting, requires the right kind of attitude and disposition that oftentimes is not that simple to achieve. During Zoom meetings you might focus your attention on your slides or even watch yourself while talking to the screen. In such cases, you surely are disengaging your audience. If you want to achieve meaningful connections from your virtual gigs you should, without a question, follow these best Zoom meeting practices: 

1. Look them in the eyes: By looking right into the camera, you are ensuring your audience would be feeling as if you are talking to them face to face. As you are talking to them, remember that you must look at the camera. This is why it is so important to position your camera right on top of your screen, so even if you look to the screen, it will look like you are looking at them.
2. Be aware of Zoom meeting etiquette and remember to acknowledge your guests: An important part of this new digital life are, of course, manners. Since we can’t shake hands with our attendees, make sure they feel welcome by looking at the camera and listening carefully to what they say. Also, it would be great if you refer to your guests by their name so they feel part of the conversation.
3. Get their attention through pattern interruptions: A pattern interruption is a carefully crafted way to keep your Zoom meeting’s momentum on. You can change the tone of your voice, incorporate pauses and anything that helps you break the monotony. Keep them engaged with change of rhythms and fun dynamics. Avoid Zoom fatigue at all costs!
4. Spark a conversation: Always have an ice-breaker ready. Remember that your Zoom meeting is a dialogue between you and your audience not a unidirectional situation. To generate rapport try to make follow-up questions, encourage your audience to participate, make them unmute themselves and when answering questions, always mention their names.
5. Command their attention with the proper background: Adding a professional background that represents who you are will make you different and proud. It will tell them a lot about what you like, and help you establish rapport. In many cases, your audience will identify with something hanging on the wall or behind you, like a shared hobby, baseball team, school, etc. Helps spark conversations. Think who is your ideal Avatar and create your background accordingly. Make sure it looks neat and put together!
6. Make a good slide but don’t forget to look them in the eyes: Your slides should be visually appealing. Use images instead of text when possible. One per slide is more than enough... If you must use bullets, keep them short and stick to no more than three. Lastly, try to become part of your slides by using your slides as your virtual background. This will keep your audience engaged during your presentation.
7. Ask them for feedback: Find creative ways to get your audience’s feedback during the Zoom meeting. It could be through a fun quiz or a poll. Remember that knowing what things your audience enjoyed or didn’t enjoy can make a difference for your next Zoom meeting.
8. Set the date of your Zoom meeting and just do it!: Yes, practice your presentation but don’t overthink it too much. Schedule the meeting and do your presentation with confidence. The more you overcome your stage fear, the better your presentation will be! Remember, it's a marathon, not a spring and making mistakes is part of the process.

With these best practices, you will be able to connect with your audience like never before. Looking them right into their eyes will ensure that you are confident of what you have to say. It will make your delivery more inviting and engaging. Are you ready to turn your Zoom meetings into a whole new experience?