For most of us, virtual calls with colleagues or clients are part of our daily schedules. So here’s what you can control to make better conference calls!
Whether your company has returned to being on-site or still working remotely, chances are you have at least a virtual conference call or two a week. Virtual calls were common practice way before the global shift to less in-person meetings and continue to be a prevalent part of most work meetings. Therefore, it’s essential to know how to facilitate better conference calls and communicate effectively.
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How to make better conference calls
Lighting
Controlling and regulating the lighting on your virtual calls is imperative in keeping those on the call visually engaged. However, you don’t need a huge budget to improve your lighting. In this blog post: video call lighting tips for every budget, you can learn how to have great lighting on video calls.
There are two basic tips you need to keep in mind when making sure your face is well lit on your virtual call:
The light needs to be facing you. You could risk appearing only as a dark silhouette if you have light coming from behind you. If the light is coming from either side of, above, or below your face, you risk creating unflattering and distracting shadows. So, always sit directly in front of your light source.
Make sure the lighting isn’t too harsh. We discuss some of the most common light sources you can utilize below, but it shouldn’t be too bright no matter how you choose to light your face! You don’t want your facial features to get canceled out or blind whoever you’re on a call with.
If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be happy to hear that natural light is the best lighting source for your conference calls! Sitting in front of a window is the cheapest and easiest way to get a well-lit virtual call.
However, this only works if your call is scheduled during the day. If it’s dark outside, you can always sit in front of a lamp. Remember to keep the above points in mind about the angle and intensity of light. Or, if you want to go the extra mile, you can always purchase a ring light. Ring lights can be attached to your device and cost only about $30.
Consider exterior speaker and microphone devices
Clear audio on a conference call, like good lighting, is a basic necessity. You want to make sure you don’t have to repeat yourself because your attendees can’t hear you correctly (and vice versa) and that you’re filtering out any unwanted background noise. Not to mention, your computer’s built-in microphone and speakers tend to be not the best quality.
You don’t have to get the fanciest, most expensive device, but something as simple as a good quality headset could really make the difference. This will ensure only your voice is getting through to the microphone, and if it’s a noise-canceling headset, you’re not getting distracted by noises around you.
Clear out anything that could be taking up bandwidth
There’s not much worse than choppy video or audio that lags on a call. Sometimes, connectivity issues are beyond our control, but you can take the necessary precautions to avoid them as much as possible.
A lackluster bandwidth will cause you (and those on your call) a lot of frustration, so make sure you clear out any devices that could be taking up unnecessary bandwidth.
You can start by checking your internet speed before and ask whoever you live with not to stream anything online while you’re on your call. Make sure you also shut any tabs or windows on your own device that could interfere.
Experiment with video conferencing software/apps
Though this point is not really as essential as the others, we definitely live in an era where a regular conference call will most likely bore your attendees.
You can utilize lots of cool and interactive features, even on software as common as Zoom and Skype, that could add a more interesting element to your call. Or, better yet, you can add more live video tools to any app by connecting it with a virtual camera, such as ManyCam.
Manycam is one of the most user-friendly virtual cameras and live streaming software that allows you to add more spice to your video conferences. You can easily add elements like video in video windows or layers, text boxes, titles, multiple video sources, and even more devices so you can seamlessly switch angles.
This last point is especially useful if you have other people in the same room as you on the call, and you don’t want to take up the unnecessary bandwidth of having more than one account on the call.
Make sure you have a charger around
This one’s another basic but utterly essential thing to keep in mind. You may think that your call won’t be running for that long, and your device is fully charged, but you could end up having to stay on for longer than expected.
The last thing you want is the hassle of your device turning off mid-call, running to get it charged, and scrambling to get back on the call. So do yourself a simple favor and make sure your charger is plugged in.
You could even invest in a portable charger if you wanted to, especially if you’re on a call on your phone. This will ensure you don’t have to squat near a power outlet if you see your phone’s battery is running low.
Key Takeaway
If you follow all of the above steps, it can be pretty simple to ensure you host or attend better conference calls. If you want to make your conference calls even better, make sure you share this blog post with your colleagues and clients so that everyone can take these steps.
Encourage yourself to go that extra mile and download ManyCam to help you easily integrate some exciting elements into your call.
