Welcome to the wild world of virtual events on Zoom – where technical hiccups and awkward moments converge to create chaos. Let's take a moment to appreciate the comedic gold that virtual events often bestow upon us and learn how to avoid these moments next time.
1. The Unintentional Mute Symphony
We've all been there – someone starts a heartfelt speech only to realize they've been on mute the entire time. Unless the speaker is a silent film star, it can lead to some awkward moments during your polished webinar.
Solution: Zoom has a feature called “Request Permission to Unmute Participants.” You can turn this on in your Zoom settings and enable it for every meeting/webinar to give the host the power to unmute anyone in the meeting (unless they are co-hosts). As long as the speaker opts in when they join, you can quickly react and make sure they can be heard by all!
2. The Cat Filter Catastrophe
Remember the lawyer who accidentally turned into a cat during a virtual court hearing? That was just the tip of the iceberg. Picture this: a serious business meeting where the CEO's face is replaced by a talking pineapple. Virtual backgrounds can be a real zoo, even if it’s just body parts disappearing from the screen or a purple mustache.
Solution: Encourage speakers to avoid using virtual backgrounds, as they are often more distracting than helpful. Instead, have them be in a clean room (or even just in front of a plain wall). If your main purpose for virtual backgrounds is branding, Zoom has released a variety of branding offerings from backgrounds that lay behind the videos, to logos, to lower thirds and overlays. Use these instead!
3. The Unscripted Family Cameo
Who needs reality TV when you can just join a Zoom meeting? Children barging in like tiny tornadoes, partners making surprise cameos in pajamas, or a cat that must make itself seen. Forget carefully curated backgrounds; the real star of the show is the unscripted chaos that unfolds behind each participant.
Solution: Holding your speaking engagement from a room that is separated from the home chaos. If that is not an option for you, consider using an external microphone that has noise cancellation built in and blurring your background (this is our only exception to the virtual background rule).
4. The Bandwidth Boogie
Oh bandwidth, it can be a fun little bugger that one. From frozen videos to Zoom becoming unresponsive and just disconnecting you all together. When the internet decides to throw a tantrum, it can really impact the impression on your attendees.
Solution: Hard-wired internet is always your safest bet. If that is not an option, here are a few ideas: Stay as close to your Wi-Fi router as possible, ask other members of your household to stay off the internet during your presentation (even their phones!), and worst case scenario, try disconnecting from spotty Wi-Fi and connect to your phone’s 5G hotspot. It’s gotten our team out of a few jams.
5. The Accidental Share Screen of Shame
In the virtual realm, what happens on your computer doesn't always stay on your computer. A moment of panic sets in when you realize you've just shared your screen, revealing your extensive collection of cat memes or, even worse, you started sharing when someone else was presenting!
Solution: You should avoid sharing an entire screen; only share the application window and practice during the pre-conference to make sure you are sharing the correct item. Also, make sure the host has a copy of your presentation so they can share it on your behalf if needed. To prevent accidentally sharing over someone else, the host can change the screen-sharing permissions so that only hosts can share, and then make only the presenting speaker a co-host.
As we navigate the digital landscape of Zoom events, let's not forget to embrace the mishaps, laugh, and learn from them. After all, the virtual stage is just another platform for us to showcase our wonderfully human, and sometimes technologically challenged, selves. Cheers to the next Zoom event – may it be filled with laughter, surprises, and maybe a cat crashing your video feed.
If you need help on your next Zoom event, do not hesitate to contact the Revent team for more tips and moral support!