How to Set Up a Professional Video Call for Better Meetings
In the digital realm, every interaction, every connection counts. Each call is more than a conversation. It's an opportunity, a statement, a moment that can echo with clarity, professionalism, and unforgettable impact. How do you make each moment count? Here’s your guide.
Composition Matters — Apply the Rule of Thirds
Visual balance isn’t just a luxury. It’s a necessity. Composition, the careful arrangement of on-screen elements, plays a pivotal role in conveying your message. The rule of thirds, a straightforward yet potent tool, can significantly enhance this visual balance. Picture your screen divided into nine equal sections, aiming to position your eyes along the top line. To see this principle in action, observe a television interview. You’ll quickly notice professionals utilizing composition to captivate and engage their audience. This strategic positioning not only ensures clarity but also aids in the retention of the message, making your presentation more memorable and engaging.
This strategic positioning ensures that you are not only seen but also remembered. Have you considered how the rule of thirds can transform your next presentation?
Position Your Laptop Correctly
Tilting screens? That's a common beginner's mistake and one of the first things viewers notice. It's crucial to get your screen level to present yourself professionally during video calls. Your on-screen appearance can significantly impact the impression you make. Here are some do’s and don’ts for screen positioning:
A) A Screen Tilted Inwards
Avoid having your screen tilted downwards. This position often makes you appear as if you’re looking down, with viewers forced to look up at you, which can be unflattering.
B) A Screen Tilted Outwards
Be cautious not to tilt the screen too far backward. This can result in your head appearing off-screen or create an awkward angle for viewers, with you looking down and them looking up.
C) Screen Centered
Aim to have your eyeline equal with the camera to achieve a balanced and engaging view. Utilize the rule of thirds as a guide to ensure you are positioned correctly and appear professional.
D) Raise Your Laptop
If your laptop is too low, consider raising it using books or a small box to bring the camera to eye level. For those using a web camera on a desktop, adjust it to align with your eyeline for a direct and engaging view.
For Smartphone Users
E) Apply the Same Composition Rules to Smartphones:
Just like with laptops and desktops, positioning is key when using a smartphone for video calls. Ensure to raise or lower your smartphone so that your eyeline aligns with the upper grid line, following the rule of thirds. This positioning helps to create a balanced and professional appearance, enhancing engagement and communication during the call.
For Desktop Users
The same principles apply when using a desktop with a web camera. Ensure the camera is positioned at your eyeline for a direct and engaging view. If the camera is too high or low, adjust its height to align with your eyes. You can use adjustable mounts or place the camera on a stable surface to achieve the correct height. Consistency in camera height across different devices ensures a professional appearance in all your video calls.
Your Background — Clean, Professional, Distraction-Free
A well-curated background is an asset to effective communication during video calls. Your background begins to communicate before you do. A clean, minimalistic backdrop doesn’t just reduce distractions. It amplifies your presence. A professionally set background enhances focus and engagement, ensuring that the audience’s attention is solely on you and your message. Each element within the frame should be meticulously chosen, contributing to a visual harmony that complements, rather than overshadows, your presence.
Professional Lighting Tips for Video Calls
Getting the perfect video lighting is not just a practical necessity but also an artistic tool that shapes perception and focus. In a one-point lighting setup, a single key light illuminates your face, casting shadows that add depth and dimension. For a two-point setup, the addition of a fill light softens the shadows, creating a balanced, well-lit ambiance. Either option will work. These setups are instrumental in highlighting your features, ensuring visibility, and adding a professional touch to your virtual interactions.
One-Point Lighting: Involves a single key light, positioned to illuminate your face, casting shadows that add depth and dimension. It's the spotlight that brings you to focus, ensuring clarity and visibility.
Two-Point Lighting: This setup adds a fill light to the mix. While the key light highlights, the fill light softens the shadows, creating a balanced, well-lit presentation. It's a play of brightness and shadow working in unison, crafting a visually appealing and professional presence.
Staying Poised — Keep Your Cool with Multiple Speakers
It's important to stay focused and maintain eye contact during web calls with people. Sometimes it's tempting to look away when you're not talking, but this can make the conversation feel disjointed. To keep everyone engaged, it's best for the speakers to always direct their attention towards the web camera. Even though it might seem a bit unnatural, this approach creates a sense that participants are directly interacting with each other, making the conversation flow naturally. By maintaining focus on the web camera, everyone will feel better connected and engaged in the dialogue. Although you may not be the person talking, the camera will still be capturing everyone’s expressions.
Audio Matters — Is it Worth Upgrading ?
While built-in microphones on laptops or headsets can be convenient, they often can’t compete with the audio quality of a dedicated microphone. The immediate benefits of upgraded audio are evident to both the presenter and the listener. Enhanced audio clarity ensures that every word is heard, understood, and remembered, establishing an effective communication flow.
Consider these options:
A) Lapel Microphone: Offers mobility and consistent audio quality, ensuring clear sound even as you move.
B) Stationary Microphone: Ideal for stationary tasks like webinars or virtual meetings, delivering superior sound quality.
Both can be integral components of your permanent setup, enhancing every virtual interaction. In a world where communication nuances are as pivotal as the content, an investment in quality audio equipment is an investment in effective communication. It’s not just about being heard. It’s about ensuring every word resonates with clarity and impact, underscoring professionalism and respect for your audience.
Web Cameras - Do I Need to Upgrade?
Dedicated webcams typically offer superior performance compared to built-in laptop cameras.
Dedicated webcams typically offer superior performance compared to built-in laptop cameras. The tangible benefits of clarity, like improved communication and heightened professionalism, are immediate. Upgrading to a dedicated webcam with at least 1080p resolution is essential. With enhanced visual clarity, every gesture, expression, and nuance is captured, making your communication as effective as it is in person.
Internet Speed
Dedicated webcams typically offer superior performance compared to built-in laptop cameras. The tangible benefits of clarity, like improved communication and heightened professionalism, are immediate. Upgrading to a dedicated webcam with at least 1080p resolution is essential. With enhanced visual clarity, every gesture, expression, and nuance is captured, making your communication as effective as it is in person.
Final Thoughts
It’s about respect and professionalism. It’s about standing out. Apply the 'rule of thirds', manage that lighting and audio, and think about the details like webcam quality and internet speed. Every detail, refined and perfected, is a step towards a Video Call Presentation that’s not just seen but remembered and revered. Every single detail counts. You want to win? Then pay attention to how you’re showing up.
Download a FREE PDF (no email required) guide on this subject along with guides on other useful tips!
