Although educational institutions and companies have closed down during the Coronavirus pandemic, they are continuing to operate remotely. People are using apps like Zoom for delivering lectures and holding business meetings. Even if you don’t have to work or study, you can keep playing video games or streaming shows to an extent.
You’ll need to stay connected with your friends during social isolation and Zoom is an app that is being used all over the world for various purposes. But before using it, you have to familiarize yourself with a couple of facts and tips regarding the app. Here’s everything about the app discussed in detail…
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What Is Zoom?
It is an app that allows users to communicate with each other through video calls. It has become widely popular with businesses and educational institutions during the Coronavirus pandemic because of its convenient usage. Zoom app offers several cool features that allow students and employees to manage remote working and learning easily. Some of these features are:
- One to one and team chats
- HD video quality
- Great sound quality
- Option to record calls
- Screen sharing
- Inclusion of up to 1000 participants
- Up to 49 videos-displaying option on the screen
Depending upon the kind of plan you choose, the features can vary. If you want to use this app just to stay connected with your loved ones or to share things like the latest Amazon or Netflix facts with your friends, then it is better to choose the free Basic plan. If, however, you have to use the app for holding meetings with several employees or students, then you’ll need an advanced plan.
How to Download and Use Zoom?
If you are planning to use the Basic plan for this app, you need to create a Facebook or Google account first. Just sign in with the help of one of these accounts to access Zoom easily.
Sign Up
If you don’t want to sign up using your Facebook or Google account, follow these steps to sign up for Zoom manually:
- Enter your email address in the bar
- Go to your email account
- Press “Activate” in the Zoom account confirmation email
- Enter your name and password on the Zoom page
- Press Enter to start using Zoom
Remember to set up a strong password using numbers, special characters, uppercase, and lowercase letters.
Using the App
After signing up, follow these steps to download and use Zoom:
- Invite friends to Zoom or skip this step
- Click on the “Start Meeting Now” option to run a test
- Select “Download” to download and run the app
- Go to the Zoom Activation page and start the test meeting
- Test your microphone, speakers, and webcam to get started
Is It a Safe Platform?
If you are a subscriber of high-speed Internet packages like Cox Internet Ultimate, nearly everyone at your home might be using Zoom. While it a great app for video calls, it is also a very attractive platform for hackers and cybercriminals.
To combat this situation, the developers have already released plans to give users greater control of their settings. “Zoombombing” is an entry method through which anyone can see the video contents and disrupt meetings.
You can avoid this situation by taking the following precautionary measures:
- Don’t accept unknown call invites
- Don’t use your private ID for meetings
- Protect all calls with passwords
- Disable screen sharing option when not needed
Helpful Tips and Tricks for Zoom
You can enjoy smooth video calls with your employees, students, and loved ones by knowing about these helpful Zoom tips:
How to Automate Meetings?
If your area does not encounter a recurring Internet outage issue, you can install several other apps to automate your meetings on Zoom. Zappier is one such app. It can link easily with both Zoom and calendar. You can take your meetings to the next level by using Slack that can allow you to share meeting details with the participants automatically.
How to Create Recurring Meetings?
You can schedule recurring meetings to have the same call and content settings for these meetings. It will employ the same URL as older meetings. You can create recurring meetings by adjusting meeting settings from the “Meetings” tab in settings.
How to Explore the Attendee List?
For security and business purposes, you can see the people who have attended a video call. Once the meeting is finished, follow these steps:
- Go to “Zoom Account Management.”
- Navigate to the “Reports section”
- Click on the “Usage Reports” option
- Select the attended meeting option
- Select the type of report and date range
- Generate the Report to see the attendees
However, you should be the host of the meeting and an administrator to be able to do so.
How to Gather Information From Them?
Lastly, to keep strangers at bay, you can collect information from attendees before the start of the video call. To do so, open the Zoom app and select the “Registration” option from the “My Meetings” tab. Set up a form to start gathering information from attendees. Business plan writers in Vancouver do recommend Zoom for e-meetings and corporate virtual events.
