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The 7 rules of virtual meeting etiquette every professional should know

As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread, few industries remain unscathed – and virtual meetings have become an essential part of how modern businesses maintain productivity and continuity. They’re an easy, cost-effective way to align multiple offices, keep remote employees engaged and work with clients and vendors.

While virtual meetings  have likely been a part of your daily work routine for some time now, it’s still easy to fall victim to some major meeting faux pas. Virtual meeting etiquette is a whole new ball game compared to in-person meetings, as many folks are learning this week!

To help you keep your meetings productive and professional, follow these seven simple virtual meeting etiquette rules and tips.

1. Leave the keyboard alone

Whether you’re diligently taking notes like a model employee or sneakily chatting with your work bestie, the sound of your typing is distracting. It’s not only distracting everyone else in the meeting (because your laptop’s internal microphone is inches away from your keyboard), it’s also preventing you from devoting your full attention to the meeting. Opt for a quality headset or pick up your notebook and pen to take meeting notes  instead.

Product tip : Let GoTo Meeting  take notes for you! Our Smart Assistant automatically transcribes meetings so you can focus on what’s being said – not what to write. After your meeting, you can easily search for keywords in the text of your meeting transcription and share the content with a link.

2. Dress appropriately

One of the magical things about working remotely is the freedom to wear anything to work. It’s the dream, right? Still, there’s no reason to show your co-workers your PJs and bedhead. (Unless it’s a joke the whole team agrees on, in which case we approve).

Take a few minutes to throw on a clean shirt and brush your hair. The best part of actually getting ready while working remotely is that you’ll put yourself in the right headspace to be productive.

3. Be aware of your surroundings

Your coworkers won’t be able to hear your ideas or take you seriously when there is a pile of dirty clothes in the corner behind you. You also want to avoid looking like you work from the inside of a cave because of bad lighting.

Adjust your work setup so that you face a window or are exposed to plenty of light. And make sure your background is professional and work appropriate! This means:

• No beds (unmade or made) in the background
• No messy rooms or open closets where everyone can see your clutter
• No NSFW artwork

While kids and pets are adorable (and a much needed distraction when you’re feeling overwhelmed), your coworkers won’t love having to talk over a screaming child or barking dog. So, be mindful of noise and…

4. Mute your microphone when you’re not talking

There’s nothing more frustrating than hearing that alien echo noise from conflicting microphones. Save everyone from the ear-splitting madness by joining the meeting while on mute!

Unless you live alone, your house is probably pretty noisy these days. Muting your microphone when you’re not speaking gives other participants the ability to chime in and share their thoughts without distraction or frustration.

5. Speak up

When you enter a small meeting (around two to five people) announce yourself when you join. It can be awkward to hear the “someone-just-joined” ding followed by silence. When you hop on the meeting, introduce yourself and say hi – just make sure not to interrupt someone mid-sentence.

Don’t be afraid to project your voice, too! Your team will appreciate being able to hear you without having to strain their ears or turn their volume all the way up.

6. No food allowed

Try to eat a snack before your virtual meeting. No one wants to see you stuff your face with chips while discussing important business matters. Not only is it distracting to others, you won’t be able to focus on the task at hand because you’ll be worrying about dropping crumbs all over your keyboard.

7. Stay seated and stay present

It may be tempting to check your inbox or carry on a side conversation during a dull moment in a meeting, but don’t do it! You might miss out on key information or an opportunity to give input. If you’re using your webcam, use attentive body language: sit up straight, don’t make big extraneous movements, and don’t let your eyes wander too much.

Once you have mastered this meeting etiquette, make sure you are making the most of your virtual meetings with these 8 can't-miss tips .

Virtual Meeting Etiquette: 22 Must-Follow Guidelines

Written by Molly Hocutt

Download the virtual meeting kit to get templates to help you prepare productive meetings.

Remember when co-workers had no way of knowing if you were still in your pajamas or what was written on your favorite novelty mug?

Well, things have moved on since 2019. This is now a world of virtual teams, virtual meetings, and virtual etiquette.

But virtual meeting etiquette and ground rules aren’t just about ruining your workday lie-ins – they show you’re considerate of others, help teams be productive, and contribute to better online experiences for everyone.

So no more crunching and rustling into other people’s headsets – check out our dos and don’ts of virtual team meetings.

Livestorm's Virtual Meeting Kit

Download Livestorm's virtual meeting kit to host efficient virtual meetings using our meeting preparation checklist, agenda and minutes templates.

Why is virtual meeting etiquette important

Virtual meeting etiquette helps create a positive environment where people can collaborate online.

By being aware of the unwritten ground rules of virtual meetings, you can get more out of your video conferences and make a solid impression on other meeting participants (and, you know, generally stop embarrassing yourself).

What Virtual Meeting Ground Rules & Etiquette are Best?

Make your online meetings more enjoyable for everyone by following a few simple ground rules. Here are some virtual meeting best practices we discuss below:

Prepare a clear agenda

Begin with a round of introductions, minimize distractions, take breaks, be responsive, limit your keyboard use, record and share the meeting, close with what’s actionable, virtual meetings etiquette and ground rules for hosts, make sure you understand the software.

Knowing the ins-and-outs of your online meeting software isn’t just a matter of looking like a pro, it’s also practical.

Just as it’s useful to check in with a “Can everyone see my screen?” when you share a graph or document, you should be confident everything’s in place on your side for the collective response to be “Yes!”

If you invite your team to brainstorm on a whiteboard, what should be a fun, productive activity will go flat if you’re scrambling around trying to get things going.

So be sure you’re comfortable with event creation, inviting guests, and sharing media, and familiarize yourself with your platform’s technical requirements and engagement features.

The all-in-one solution for meeting software etiquette? Choose a video engagement platform that’s super easy for everyone to use.

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Outside of birthdays, people don’t like surprises, so have a clearly structured agenda for your virtual meetings to be shared with attendees before they start. \

A clear meeting agenda helps you stay on track and cover all the key areas of discussion. It should also give people the chance to think about how they can make a meaningful contribution to the proceedings.

Dress appropriately

Note that dressing appropriately isn’t the same as dressing formally. In fact, natural and casual is absolutely fine.

People like to see the real you, so if your four-legged friend video-bombs, no worries. Family pics in the background? Great. PJ’s and a bathrobe? Not so much.

Be punctual

A sure-fire way to get off to a bad start is to have people waiting for you – but sticking to the time isn’t only about when you arrive, so don’t let things run late, either.

Itemizing your meeting agenda will help with this, but also try to avoid too many talking points in a single meeting.

Remember to allow for some light chat at the start of your meetings and once things are underway, complete each topic with what’s actionable – then swiftly move on.

Speak to the camera

It’s said that you should speak to the camera at all times. In reality, that’s not very practical for virtual meetings, but if you’re presenting a topic, try to avoid speaking to one person at the bottom of your screen the whole time.

That said, especially in virtual sales meetings or webinars, speaking to the camera can help engender trust and engage your audience. But most of all just be friendly (be you!) – which will encourage attendees to be responsive when you ask them questions, engage them in the chat and launch polls.

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For a more formal virtual gathering, a friendly opening to introduce yourself, a panel, or attendees, can help settle everybody down. It also gives late arrivals the chance to creep in without missing anything, and sets a collaborative tone for positive, engaging meetings .

Your virtual meeting platform should provide a safe environment for your data, but encryption protocols can’t help attendees unsee your accidental screen share!

So observe online meeting etiquette and deactivate notifications, turn off social media and chat apps, and only keep open the tabs and windows you need.

Avoid distracting gestures

When participating in a virtual meeting, it's important to maintain a professional demeanor. Steer clear of fidgeting or excessive hand movements, as they can be visually distracting and may hinder effective communication.

Find a comfortable sitting position, keep your hands relaxed, and maintain good posture throughout the meeting.

Use non-verbal cues to show engagement

While virtual meetings lack the physical presence of face-to-face interactions, it's still important to show engagement and active participation.

Utilize non-verbal cues to let others know you are actively listening and engaged.

A simple nod or smile can convey your agreement or understanding. These non-verbal cues foster a sense of involvement and encourage open communication among participants.

Be respectful while others are speaking

In any conversation, whether virtual or in-person, it's crucial to show respect and attentiveness when others are speaking.

Allow each participant to express their thoughts and ideas without interruption, ensuring a harmonious and respectful environment.

By actively listening and patiently waiting for your turn to speak, you contribute to a more productive and inclusive meeting experience.

A good ground rule for virtual meetings is that any meeting longer than an hour should include a break – but a break doesn’t have to be a full-on intermission, just look to change things up for five or six minutes.

Share a short video, create an in-meeting poll, or take some time to answer questions – any of these will give people the chance to relax and reset.

There’s no need for laborious note-taking if there’s a meeting recording, so choose a platform that has automated replays and let participants know they’ll be sent the recording by email immediately after the meeting ends.

With the best video engagement platforms, automated email and recording is easy to set up when you create your event, all hosts have unlimited storage for meeting replays, and you can see who watched the recordings in your analytics dashboard.

And if someone you invited misses the all-hands ? Well, they get a recording, too – so it’s easy to catch up.

One of the most important tips for virtual meetings is to wrap things up professionally and positively.

How you go about this will depend on your event, but in closing, there should be a summary of key ideas, along with the actionable points and any related information.

One way to do this is to invite final comments from each speaker or attendee and share relevant links in the group chat for reference.

Also, you could create a poll (you can do this before or during the meeting) to see what the team thought went well during the meeting and what could be improved. This is a great way to show you value what the team has to say and help your meetings get better and better!

Virtual meeting etiquette for attendees

Start on mute by default.

Background noise can come through very loud on other people’s devices, so stick to virtual meeting best practices and keep your mic on mute, only activating it when you’re about to speak up. You might want to mute Netflix, too.

Note: Livestorm has handy shortcuts – to mute, just press “M”, and if you’re on mute by default, hold down “M” to speak.

Minimize movement

It’s not just your audio that can be a distraction, so keep movement to a minimum.

Have your glass of water within easy reach before you join the meeting, and check that your device is on a solid surface – if your computer is on your lap, your whole screen will move around any time you adjust your seating.

Your body language makes all the difference to how you’re received and also to an event in general.

A small nod or smile shows you’re engaged in what others are saying, and reaction emojis can be a fun way to show you like something – or disagree.

Go into your session with some questions prepared so that, when asked, you’re ready to contribute. Your willingness to engage and interact will encourage others to do the same, which makes for a positive and informative virtual meeting. Our post on [7 ways to make your online meetings more engaging] (https://livestorm.co/blog/engaging-online-meetings) covers more ways to do this in detail.

Have a clear background

Don’t feel the need to attend your meeting in front of a blank wall, but find a tidy location free of background activity.

Video conferencing etiquette also covers keyboard use. Other participants will notice if you’re busy typing instead of paying attention. Plus, if your mic isn’t on mute it’ll come through loud and clear on other people’s devices.

Use chat or raise your hand feature to contribute

Virtual meetings often involve a large number of participants, making it challenging for everyone to speak at once.

To contribute or ask questions without interrupting the flow of the meeting, make use of available features like chat or the virtual hand-raising option.

Utilize the chat function to type your questions or comments, which can be addressed by the speaker or moderator at an appropriate time.

Alternatively, use the raise your hand feature to indicate your desire to speak, ensuring that the meeting proceeds smoothly and all voices are heard.

Avoid eating

Eating during any meeting other than a business lunch is a big no-no, and virtual meetings are no different.

You’re likely no more than a few inches from your webcam and coming through in glorious HD, so limit intake to a few discreet sips of water or coffee.

Don’t interrupt, use the question tab

Instead of trying to squeeze your point in before others have finished speaking, simply add your question to the designated question section of the meeting room, and the group can address it once the main point’s been discussed – a great way to finish up each section as the team goes through the meeting agenda.

If it’s the end of the meeting, a short and sweet thank you and goodbye is perfect. But if you’re leaving early and don’t wish to interrupt, just add your goodbye with a brief explanation in the chat before making a discreet exit. It shows consideration for your team, and no interruptions required.

Make virtual meetings simple and fun

Virtual meetings don’t need to be online replicas of the boring office meetings of yesteryear – with video engagement features , like whiteboards, emoji reactions, video sharing, and private chats, your virtual meetings can be fun, collaborative, and productive.

Also, the best virtual meeting platforms are incredibly simple to use – everything’s in your browser , so participants just click the link and they’re ready to go!

And now that you have a wealth of virtual meeting etiquette in your armory, there’s nothing to stop you from having the best online meetings .

Frequently asked questions about virtual meeting etiquette and ground rules

What should you do if you need to leave a meeting.

When leaving a virtual meeting early, use your best judgment, but a discreet way to leave without interrupting anyone is to drop a quick goodbye and explanation in the chat before you go.

What are the benefits of virtual meetings?

The best virtual meetings bring remote teams together, allowing them to present and share ideas, collaborate, and bond.

Host productive meetings

Use these templates to get more out of your virtual meetings.

About the author

Molly Hocutt - Content Manager

Molly joined Livestorm in 2019 as a Content Manager and manages written content production. Her work focuses on lead generation and organic website traffic.

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Virtual Meeting Etiquette: The 20 Ground Rules For Virtual Meetings

If you've been enjoying working remotely since the pandemic, you're in luck – remote work is here and it's here to stay. You might think that it's temporary, but rest assured it will continue to be the norm in one form or another – companies can go 100% remote (like Twitter ) or they can operate a hybrid model (like Microsoft But even if you find yourself working from an office again in the future, you can't avoid the remote revolution altogether because there will always be individuals or teams that are working remotely and you'll need to collaborate with them.

Online meetings were around before COVID-19 took the world by surprise, but our use of them skyrocketed over the two years. What's interesting here is that, with the onset of the global pandemic in March 2020, Cisco reported that their employees have spent over 5.5 billion minutes attending virtual meetings in just the first 11 days of lockdown. It's true – the pandemic has forever changed the landscape of meetings!

One thing's for sure – it's time for us to get our act together and brush up on your meeting etiquette.

While companies worldwide have experienced a massive influx of online meetings, most of us are still guilty of falling victim to meeting faux pax. We'll get to how you can get this right shortly, but first, why is virtual meeting etiquette even important?

• Why virtual meeting etiquette can no longer be ignored

Just like any other social situation, virtual meetings also come with their form of etiquette.

Navigating from in-person meetings to virtual ones may have relaxed the norms from dressing casually to even grabbing a quick snack in between (when you’re not on a call, of course).

Reports show that over 17% of people have witnessed their colleagues engage in bad behavior while on a remote meeting, in the UK.

Besides that, “at home” behaviors like family interruptions are still considered acceptable. However, being a little too ‘at home’ by turning up for meetings in your PJs or worse, boxers, saying inappropriate things, or arguing with a family member is unacceptable.

Let’s not forget that just as we are expected to maintain a level of professionalism in an office setup, the same is expected from us while working from home.

This might seem overwhelming at first but fret not – we’ve got you covered. You can simply follow a few rules that will enable you to ace every virtual meeting from here on out. Keep reading!

20 golden rules of virtual meeting etiquette

Rule #1: turn up early.

“Right on time is 5 minutes late.”

This one still holds true, even in a remote setup. Remember how we used to time our coffee breaks in the office to make it to a meeting on time? Great, now keep that up for your virtual meetings.

No one likes to be kept waiting on calls. So if those calendar notifications aren’t getting the job done to keep you showing up on time, set up a reminder on your phone or another device to help yourself show up 5 minutes early. This gives you enough time to set up your equipment, make yourself comfortable, and be well prepared with the agenda to dive right into the call.

Rule #2: Test your tech before the meeting starts

“You’re on mute”, “We can’t see your screen”, “We lost you there for a minute” – these online meeting tropes happen more often than we’d like to admit.

Testing your tech and ensuring that you have a strong internet connection, is great for starters.

The entire purpose of online meetings is being able to listen, speak to, and see each other just like you would during in-person meetings. So take time out to ensure your webcam is working fine, test your audio, and when you need to speak up – please ensure that you’re not on mute.

Rule #3: Mute & start with video off by default

Before you hit the button to ‘join’ the meeting, ensure that you’re on mute and that your video is off by default. This helps you take stock of the situation, know who the call attendees are, and check your surroundings for possible sounds that could seem distracting.

The last thing you want to do when you enter a virtual meeting room is to make a ruckus that derails the flow of everything. If the dog starts barking and chaos ensues in the background right when you join, you’ll be the source of a huge disruption. Once you’ve entered the meeting room and taken a moment to see what’s happening, then you can safely unmute and switch your webcam on.

Rule #4: Choose the right online meeting software

Calendar scheduling & video conferencing software have taken over our everyday lives – we see the likes of Zoom and SavvyCal helping teams collaborate and thrive in the new normal.

Although Zoom is brilliant, you still need to install the software on your phone or desktop and familiarize yourself with specific Zoom etiquette in additional to general meeting best practices . So, if you or your counterpart is looking for a browser-based conferencing solution, check out Whereby (I love it) and the good ol' Google Meet Before you set up that virtual call, ensure that you go for an online meeting tool that is widely used and is simple to set up. Your coworkers should be able to get on the call easily without any confusion or back-and-forth.

Rule #5: Take the call in a quiet environment

When you have an important call that you need to take, ensure that your background is not distracting and is work-appropriate (bookshelves are always a safe bet).

You also need to drown out any background noise – make sure that you’re seated in a quiet place free from any clutter or sounds that could be disturbing to you and your teammates during the call.

You might be tempted to take a call at a bustling coffee shop or airport terminal, but ultimately you might be better off rescheduling or skipping if you won’t be able to properly take part in the meeting.

Rule #6: Begin with a round of introductions

If you’re the host and some attendees may not know each other, it’s always polite to introduce yourself and get started with a quick round of hellos before digging into the agenda.

This is important to follow especially when you have new teammates on board or when you’re making a call with clients or external folks. Take a minute or two out to introduce everyone by their names and the roles or companies they work for.

Related Reading: How to introduce 2 people over email

Rule #7: Always add the meeting to the calendars of all attendees

In the office, you might be able to rely on co-workers to give you the cue about a meeting starting. But when doing remote work , you have no other choice but to “live and die by the calendar.” If a meeting isn’t on the calendar, it might as well not even exist.

Don’t expect anyone to create a reminder or calendar event for themselves. When you send out an invite, make it a point to add the meeting to the calendars of all those who have been invited to the meeting. Syncing up these online meetings with everyone’s calendars is a great way to notify them in advance about an upcoming call.

Also, rely on RSVPs. In advance of the meeting, check who has YESed or NOed. If a key stakeholder hasn’t responded or has responded “NO” to your meeting request, you might want to consider rescheduling the meeting altogether. And when you do this, don’t forget to let everyone know the same with the updated date and time.

Related Reading: How to send a Google Calendar invite

Rule #8: All hail the Agenda

As per a recent survey , it was reported that 95% of attendees in a meeting said that they lose focus and drift off! Having a meeting agenda is the single best way to combat this.

Without an agenda, it’s too easy to go off-topic, ramble about meaningless details, or cover things that aren’t relevant to everyone attending.

With a clear agenda for the meeting, the attendees will be more engaged, focused, and may even want to chime in with their thoughts since the agenda keeps everyone on the same page. Agendas are forcing functions to only talk about the most important, relevant topics needing discussion. You can use tools like Hypercontext to seamlessly set meeting agendas directly within the calendars.

Rule #9: Do your homework before the meeting

Turning up for meetings unprepared is a surefire way to waste yours and others in the meeting’s time.

When you know that a meeting has been scheduled, take time out to go over the agenda, prepare notes and comments that you’d like to make during the call, and complete tasks that you need to report on beforehand.

Alternatively, if you’re setting the agenda for the meeting, make sure to provide as much detail as possible to allow everyone attending to adequately prepare ahead of time. Include bullet points to be discussed in the meeting, supporting documents that others should review, and links to anything that will be referenced.

Not only will this impress others in the meeting, it will also help you stay focused and result in a more effective meeting overall.

Rule #10: Take detailed notes throughout

At least one attendee should jot down the important points being discussed during the meeting. If there was an agenda set ahead of time, it can act as an outline for note taking. Whether notes are being written by one person or by everyone attending collectively, notes help ensure the meeting results in decisions, next steps, future discussion points.

Tools like Fireflies , Grain , or Hugo make note taking a breeze. But ultimately you should decide which note taking method or tools works best for you and the rest of the attendees.

Rule #11: Let your family and friends know that you’re in a meeting

Whether you have a dedicated workspace or not, it’s considerate to let everyone you live with know that you’re on call so they don’t accidentally disturb you. If you have an office or dedicated room for working, you might develop signals like closing the door or hanging up a small sign when you’re in meetings. Or if you’re in a common space, you might share your schedule with everyone who uses that space in advance so they don’t disrupt the meeting.

If you have kids or pets, ensure that they are kept occupied with activities or games during your virtual meetings. The idea is to minimize commotions and any form of distractions that could hamper the meeting. Life happens — there are always going to be minor disruptions and things that happen outside of your control — but communicating your meeting schedule can help minimize the times you have to step away from the meeting.

Rule #12: Turning your webcam on? Look directly into the camera

If you’re not a fan of video calls, you’re not alone. But using your webcam is a great way to help meetings feel more personal, engaging, and lively. So if you do happen to be in a meeting where webcams are on, you might as well learn how to make the most of it.

As much as you can help it, try to build a habit to look right into the camera. We often look at ourselves or the other attendees on the screen. But from the perspective of someone you’re talking to, it might not look like you’re talking to them at all, which can create an unnatural dynamic. Staring right into the camera may seem awkward at first, but it makes the conversation flow more naturally and helps attendees feel like you’re talking directly to them, mimicking the face-to-face experience…

Rule #13: Fix the lighting

If you’ve decided to keep your webcams on, you need to ensure that you’re seated in a well-lit place. Proper lighting is the biggest factor to your appearance on video.

You don’t want to look like a mysterious figure about to demand a ransom from the shadows of a dark room.

Sit facing a light source or a window with ample natural light pouring in to achieve the best lighting for your video calls. Or better yet, get your hands on a ring light that has been built specifically for this purpose. Ring lights can be outfitted directly to the back of your monitor or on a stand behind your computer.

Rule #14: Stay focused – avoid any form of distractions

With no one looking over your shoulder or around to see you occupied with something else, it’s tempting to go check Twitter or Amazon in the middle of a meeting. Access to other sites is wreaking havoc on our ability to focus.

Devoting your undivided attention during meetings is no easy feat, but it’s important to be present for everyone attending. Out of respect, pay attention and keep away anything that could distract you from what’s going on in the meeting.

Rule #15: Don’t rush – speak slow and clear

Public speaking is the world’s number one cited fear, and virtual meetings are no exception. A time crunch, unfamiliar technology, and nervousness can result in speaking too fast, jumbling words, or forgetting important details.

Even with how far technology has come the past decades, we’re still not immune to poor bandwidth and audio quality issues. Remember to speak clearly and slightly slower than you might in person so that everyone in the meeting can understand you. Without the same nonverbal cues to go off of, it’s important to allow attendees moments to interject with a comment or question. Take your time and allow the meeting to run its course with the time you have — you can always schedule another for anything you don’t cover.

Rule #16: Do your best not to interrupt others

While we’re on the subject, another point to keep in mind is to avoid interrupting others while speaking.

In person, you may be able to quickly interject or slide in a comment that doesn’t disrupt conversation. But due to internet lag and the difficulty of mixed audio sources, it’s nearly impossible to understand people talking over each other in a virtual meeting.

Sure, you’ve just thought of a big idea or you beg to differ, but wait for the other person to finish before you jump right in. Some consider virtual meeting etiquette to include unmuting yourself as a signal that you want to jump in with a question or comment. You might also consider a quick hand signal to the webcam or a quick “If I can add a comment…” before you begin talking.

Rule #17: Need to leave the room? Be sure to excuse yourself

During an online meeting, you may need to get up and leave the room because there is someone at your door or you need to attend to a family member – be sure to inform other participants on the call and excuse yourself before you leave the room.

Explaining the reason you’re leaving temporarily is optional, but inform them for how long you would be away and try to return as soon as possible. Leaving abruptly without reason can actually be more disrupting because attendees will be confused why you’ve left and wonder if they should continue or not.

Rule #18: Dress appropriately – opt for business casual

While you might not have to dress as formally as you did going into the office, sitting in your PJs is never a good idea.

The way you dress will always leave an impression, positive or negative. Business casual is a safe bet for 90% of meetings. At the very least, make sure you’re not wearing anything you’d be embarrassed of if your full body was in view. Avoid inappropriate graphic tee shirts and anything that looks like you could wear it to bed.

Rule #19: Keep those snacks away

When you’re working from home, it’s all too easy to snack throughout the day with the pantry and fridge just a short walk away. In general, consider avoiding snacks during a call. While it may not hamper your ability to engage in a meeting, it might be distracting to others attending.

Fuel up before you head into the call or, if you must, choose snacks that are inconspicuous and don’t make a lot of noise.

Rule #20: Sharing your screen? Always ask “can you see my screen?”

One of the most commonly used features of video conferencing tools is the ability to share your screen. Be it a presentation, product demo, troubleshooting, or working document, make sure to check with the attendees if your screen is visible to all of them before you begin discussing what’s on your screen.

While you’re working, you might have multiple windows layered on top of each other with apps, browser, and documents open. That’s totally fine — we all have a bit of “mad scientist” in us that reflects on our workstation. But when you’re sharing your screen, it’s best to tidy it up and make sure that you’re only showing what’s needed. Close tabs that may contain sensitive information and make what you’re focusing on full screen so everyone can see it clearly.

• Time to step up your game for virtual meetings

There you have it – it’s time to quit winging those virtual meetings and do things the right way. Virtual meeting etiquette will help you come off more professional, respectful, and productive.

Getting used to this new norm of virtual meetings may take time, so it is important to have clear guidelines and preferred practices in place. Sticking to these basic etiquettes is important to thrive in today’s remote work culture.

Table of Contents

• Rule1: Turn up early
• Rule2: Test your tech before the meeting starts
• Rule3: Mute & start with video off by default
• Rule4: Choose the right online meeting software
• Rule5: Take the call in a quiet environment
• Rule6: Begin with a round of introductions
• Rule7: Always add the meeting to the calendars of all attendees
• Rule8: All hail the Agenda
• Rule9: Do your homework before the meeting
• Rule10: Take detailed notes throughout
• Rule11: Let your family and friends know that you’re in a meeting
• Rule12: Turning your webcam on? Look directly into the camera
• Rule13: Fix the lighting
• Rule14: Stay focused – avoid any form of distractions
• Rule15: Don’t rush – speak slow and clear
• Rule16: Do your best not to interrupt others
• Rule17: Need to leave the room? Be sure to excuse yourself
• Rule18: Dress appropriately – opt for business casual
• Rule19: Keep those snacks away
• Rule20: Sharing your screen? Always ask “can you see my screen?”

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The COVID Remote Working Series: 15 Virtual Meeting Etiquettes For Effective Online Presentation

Making live presentations gives a familiar and dreaded feeling of butterflies in the stomach. Online presentations are a step above; they pose more challenges and of a different nature.

Consider this: You can’t read people’s body language, you can’t know if people are even listening to you. Your effectiveness goes for a toss since virtual presence is a great equalizer. And then there is a risk of home stuff creeping in official business.

All this while you are trying to influence that big sales or swing that executive decision in your favor! That’s why virtual meeting etiquettes are quite important.

In the wake of Coronavirus, people are forced to work remotely and make online presentations. They find themselves seriously under-equipped with the tools and ways of thinking about remote presentations. On the other hand, people who have these skills will rise and shine: They will be the masters of the Virtual Domain.

Here are our 15 Virtual Presentation Tips:

• Watch your back
• Leave the keyboard alone
• Mute your microphone
• Send pre-reads
• Lower Your Voice
• Don’t eat during the conference
• Stick to the time frames
• Mind your body language
• Protect Sensitive Information

1) Dress up: As you usually would if you were presenting in person, even if it is an audio-only discussion. While it is undoubtedly comfy in your pajamas, you run a psychological risk of slipping into a comfort zone, which can take the edge off your online presentations. Be fully groomed, look sharp so that you can be sharp.

2) Gear up: How many “can you hear me now moments have you had”? How about apologizing for the call dropping? Take our advice and do the following:

a) Invest in good equipment

Here are our picks:

• Jabra Speak 510: Improves quality of the audio connection from your laptop; has a variety of connectivity options;
• Makes connecting with Skype of MS Teams a breeze
• Sennheiser Double-Sided Business Headset: SC 660 USB CTRL (504555): The best headset I have come across. This is the only one with a physical mute button- yes, you read that right- a rare physical mute button that lights up when you press it.

Disclaimer: We earn no commission or have any commercial interests in the recommended products

b) Dial-in two lines simultaneously: Here are the advantages of doing that – You can hear your voice on the other line: that way you will not have to ask if you are audible. If one disconnects, you can pick the other.

3) Warm-up: You do not have the human touchy-feely warmth when on a cold, dry phone call. Believe it or not, we are all humans and need a bit of small talk. Going straight to the point can make you appear very transactional and not interested in the other person. A little bit of warm-up can go a long way. While most discussions these days start with virus talk, weather, sports continue to be safe all-time favorites. One caveat is to find an opening to move quickly to the point and not make the starter encroach your main course.

4) Watch your back: If on Video, a cluttered background can ruin everything for which you should try to use MS Teams if possible and blur the background or use a white background.

5) Read cues: This one needs a bit of practice and is a pro technique. But you will do it if you are willing to listen carefully: The signs are all over the place:

A breath inward: Someone wants to speak.

Sigh: Didn’t fully agree with part of what you said

Total silence: Usually means no engagement

Sounds of typing: Same as above and many others.

6) Leave the keyboard alone: Whether you are taking notes during the meeting or chatting with your friend, the sound of your typing is really distracting. It’s not only preventing you from focusing on the meeting but also distracting everyone else in the meeting.

7) Mute your microphone when you’re not talking: There’s nothing more frustrating than hearing that aching noise from conflicting microphones. It also prevents any unwanted audio from entering your mic. 

8) Send pre-reads: Send pre-reads, if possible, a day in advance for dense topics. It will give you a lot of invisible power and provide a solid impression that you are in command. Then restrict your presentation to topics that require discussions rather than pour over the material. I would recommend you send pdfs to avoid cluttering your audience’s mailboxes. The audience will notice this and thank you in their hearts.

9) Jazz up: The audience will not get the benefit of your charming physical presence. Make up for that by using good quality slides. A thumb rule is that slides have to speak for themselves since, like it or not, many will scroll ahead and read through everything while you are talking and make their impressions, which can often be hard to change. Use SlideUpLift to take advantage of the online library of great-looking Powerpoint templates that use principles of vision science to create an impact.

10) Be Early: always! It creates a solid impression that you are on top of your game.

11) Lower Your Voice: Speak at a slower cadence than that of your everyday conversational speech. This is because most people use earphones during meetings and you will be speaking directly in their ears through the earphones.

12) Don’t eat during the conference: Would you ever bring anything to eat in a meeting? Then don’t bring it into your virtual meeting either. This is especially important if others can hear you chewing, it can cause a distraction for everyone.

13)  Stick to the time frames: You should always keep an eye on the clock and make sure you start and finish your virtual meeting on time. This will reflect your professionalism and make others be on time.

14)  Mind your body language: Body language is a vital part of virtual meeting etiquette. Even if you can speak and present flawlessly, your facial expression and posture say more than your words when you present online. 

15) Protect Sensitive Information: If you are sharing your screen during the online presentations, make sure that only the intended content is seen. Before you launch a video conference, close all unnecessary tabs from your browser. Launching a new browser window and preparing before time will help keep sensitive information confidential.

For extra control of what others see during your online presentations , choose the option to share the screen only one screen or one app (i.e. only a Powerpoint presentation) instead of your full desktop.

Share this Infographic On Your Site

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Check out a few remote team-building activities that help ensure a productive, collaborative, and healthy work environment, all crucial attributes for organizations in an increasingly competitive world.

Team Building Presentations

View Team Building Presentations 

Lastly, a great remote-working regime stems from a comfortable home office space that helps you get things done. If you are looking for some tips on creating the perfect home office space, you can check this article on setting up a great remote working space .

Conclusion:

Online presentations are an effective means of communication and valuable methods for bringing your team together. But without preparation and the use of effective tools, they risk wasting participants’ time without actually achieving anything valuable.

Follow these 15 virtual meeting etiquette tips during your next virtual meeting, and ask your team members to maintain these standards, to make your video conference more effective.

Now you don’t have to scour the web to find out the right templates. Download our PowerPoint Templates from within PowerPoint. See how ?

Related Articles

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10 Tips For Giving Effective Virtual Presentations

What to know before you go live.

September 26, 2016

Presenting online? Try these suggestions to improve your results. | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

As audiences go global and you need to reach more people through technology (including webinars, conference calls and teleconference), you must consider the challenges to connecting with a virtual audience. Here I pinpoint 10 valuable best practices to ensure you communicate successfully.

1. Be Brief

Audiences begin to lose attention after roughly 10 minutes of hearing from the same presenter. If you have more than 10 minutes of content, use interactive activities to keep your audience engaged (for example, take a poll, give quizzes, or ask audience members for their opinions via chat).

2. Be Simple

Keep slides simple — avoid too many words, graphics and animation features. Less is definitely more!

Light yourself well | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

3. Be a TV Personality

Look straight into your camera, not the screen. Wear clothing that is neutral in color (no plaids or stripes). Light yourself well and from above. Be mindful of what appears behind you in the background. Invest in a good microphone.

4. Be Standing

Even though your audience cannot see you, stand when you present. This allows you to stay focused and use good presentation delivery skills such as belly breathing, vocal variety, and pausing.

5. Be Prepared

Practice delivering your presentation with your technology in advance of your talk. Make sure all of the features of the technology work. Record your practice using the recording feature of your tool. Watch and listen to learn what works and what you can improve.

6. Be Assisted

Have someone available to deal with technical issues and to field email/text questions. Also, if you have multiple remote audience members in one location, be sure to pick one of them to be your “eyes and ears.” Ask them to queue up questions and facilitate discussion on your behalf.

7. Be Specific

Ask pointed questions to avoid too many people answering at once. For example, rather than ask, “Are there any questions?” try “Who has a question about the solution I provided?” Set a ground rule that people state their names prior to speaking.

Imagine your audience | Illustration by Tricia Seibold

8. Be Synchronized

Transitions are critical. You must connect what you just said to what is coming next when you move from point to point. Transitions between topics and slides are good opportunities to get people reengaged to your talk.

9. Be Connected

Imagine your audience even though you can’t see them. You can place pictures of audience members behind your camera so you can look at people as you present.

10. Be Early

Encourage your audience to access your call or webinar in advance of the start time so you can iron out any technical issues in advance and get them familiar with the technology.

Matt Abrahams is a Stanford GSB organizational behavior lecturer, author, and communications coach.

For media inquiries, visit the Newsroom .

Explore More

Navigating the nuance: the art of disagreeing without conflict, from good to great: what makes a “supercommunicator”, seen & heard: how to make your audience feel understood, editor’s picks.

April 04, 2016 A Big Data Approach to Public Speaking Key takeaways from analyzing 100,000 presentations.

November 19, 2014 Matt Abrahams: The Power of the Paraphrase An expert on public speaking shows how paraphrasing can help you navigate tricky communication situations.

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Virtual meeting etiquette: 7 tips for attendees

With more teams working remotely these days than at any other time in business history, it’s easy to forget there are still ground rules to observe. Many of them are common courtesy, and some are essential to leading effective virtual meetings. If you have recently switched to remote work or a hybrid work scenario, try to remember the golden rule: Virtual meeting etiquette is the same as in-person meeting etiquette (e.g., yes, you should wear pants) — except your pets may be making a surprise guest appearance.

Keeping focused and on-topic can be a lot more difficult with remote meetings because of the relaxed atmosphere of being in comfortable surroundings, but it’s not impossible. Here are some simple ways to make sure your online meeting is just as professional as if you were meeting your teams face-to-face.

7 rules for facilitating good virtual meeting etiquette

1. Prevent distractions, but plan for them to happen

A recent survey conducted among office workers in full-time jobs pre-pandemic by Udemy found that reducing distractions makes people more productive and increases motivation. Your attendees should be observant during a meeting — their focus should be on the agenda and on the speaker.

Related: 5 Tips to Take More Effective Meeting Notes

But interruptions happen. How you react to an interruption is just as important as how you would react in an office meeting. Pets, loved ones, and/or delivery people will occasionally walk on-screen or ring the doorbell during a remote meeting — don't overreact. It will result in losing focus during the meeting.

As the meeting facilitator, limit the distractions you have control over before the meeting starts. Check that phones are off (or, let’s be real, muted), check to see you have everyone’s attention and make sure your work area is secure and private. Also, practice looking directly at the camera when speaking, and encourage others to do so as well to show everyone they have your complete attention.

Suggestion:

Invite everyone to take a moment to close their emails and give their phone a 'rest' for a while. In a longer workshop, build time in for breaks to check for urgent requests and let participants know this will happen, so they don't feel worried about missing an important notification.

2. Limit side conversations from the attendees

Having a chat while a meeting is going on is not necessarily a bad thing — it keeps communication open and allows a collaborative transfer of ideas. But a side conversation in a remote meeting should be a quick, informal on-topic message in chat. Anything more complex is distracting, and attendees could lose focus.

Participants should quickly table any side chat that requires a complex or intricate discussion. In order to keep the meeting on track, schedule a separate time for a post-meeting discussion.

Using a visual collaboration platform turns the idea of side conversations on its head — rather than worrying about distractions, having a shared digital space allows meeting participants to engage directly with one another in a constructive (and productive) way, moving initiatives forward.

3. Come prepared and on time

Although this seems like common sense, many people will scramble as the virtual meeting starts to find notes, files, paper and pen, or some other item you need to engage in the meeting.

This is another distraction that’s prevented by keeping a simple (mental or physical) checklist of all the things you need ahead of time. Also, try to log in a minute or two before the meeting start time in case you run into any technical errors and need help. No one wants to start a meeting while the facilitator is getting their material together.

Related: How to Hold Effective Meetings: 6 Expert Tips

Another element of being prepared — distributing the meeting agenda before the meeting. You want your participants to come combat-ready with questions and feedback.

Use the who/what/why framework for meeting invitations. Add one line about the purpose and add the link to the mural and other documents into your calendar invitation. This gives everyone enough context to begin the meeting and have all of the information accessible when you begin. Hold 5-15 minutes in your calendar before a meeting so you have time to review and prepare and invite others to that pre-session time to prepare on their own.

4. Decide on a "muting" policy

Do you keep all mics on or muted during the meeting? Most facilitators will ask for mics to be muted unless speaking. But to preserve the integrity of sharing and collaboration, you want to keep the mic on in some cases.

When to keep mute off

Human communication involves a lot of cues, mostly nonverbal, which are conveyed by correct and constant monitoring of the subject. 70% of communication is non-verbal, according to research on non-verbal cues in tense and conflict situations.

A meeting facilitator has to be mindful of accurately identifying non-verbal cues to lead a meeting and “read the room.” These cues include tone of voice, inflection, gestures, facial expressions, and reactions to other speakers.

You should also be aware of non-native speakers at the meeting. Many times these attendees rely on facial expressions and non-verbal cues to get the full context of a response — a good reason to not mute a meeting.

When to mute

There are definitely situations where placing everyone on mute is a good idea. Large video calls can get messy — mute attendees where there are over five people in a meeting. You should also ask participants to mute when background noise is extremely loud or distracting, when they are in a public space (café or park), or whenever you hear a feedback echo.

Since every meeting is different, it helps to set expectations about how to engage upfront. Use the time reviewing the agenda to let everyone know when it's time to come off mute and participate. In the meantime, invite and show them how to use reactions in a mural to express themselves with a "thumbs up" or "heart" even while they're muted. In the meeting invitation, use words like 'video-on,' 'interactive' and 'discussion' to let people know it will be more than just a presentation.

Again, one of the best ways to build better connection and engagement is through the use of a visual framework in a shared digital space. If there are potential language barriers, or a wide range of comfort levels regarding speaking in a group setting, platforms like MURAL help alleviate those issues by offering concrete means to engage through visual collaboration.

5. A meeting leader should never leave the room

Except in cases of extreme emergencies, leaving the room during the meeting is almost as disruptive as walking out in the middle of an in-office meeting. There are exceptions, but a more considerate and less distracting tip would be to discreetly stop the video on your teleconferencing software or maybe disable the camera for a quick moment.

Always leave a chat message to let the team know you will leave and for how long so they can defer important conversations until you return.

6. Your background is just as important as your face

Your background says just as much about you as your appearance does. And when your background contains inappropriate or private information, it could be disruptive and damaging — especially if you're leading the meeting.

Many video conferencing apps offer a blurred background feature or allow you to customize your own. If your software does not, however, or you are unsure how to use it, take a minute to make sure the range of your web camera doesn’t pick up anything that might offend anyone at the meeting. Just as you wouldn’t hang anything offensive or inappropriate on the walls of the meeting room at work, take care to do the same in your remote workspace.

7. Opt for shorter meetings

A short meeting leaves less time for distractions to grow. The attention span of your attendees is important, which is why quick 15-minute meetings with clear agendas are so effective.

TED Talks limits their talks to 18 minutes (with many coming in much shorter) because they clearly feel that the attention span for average viewers is less than 15 minutes. Shorter is better, according to Ted Talks. This can be applied to your meetings as well.

Allot 15 minutes, then add incremental time as the agenda calls for, but shoot for a 15-minute end goal. If your meeting is a daily stand-up, the keyword is stand — have your attendees stand for meetings of fifteen or fewer minutes to keep them focused. It helps to sharpen focus, keep agendas on track, and keep attendees motivated, even if they’re remotely attending your meeting.

Related: 6 Tips to Make Daily Stand-ups More Effective

Remote meeting checklist

Here's a short checklist to bring to your next remote meeting:

Before the meeting:

• Log in two minutes before the meeting to identify any technical problems
• Is the agenda set, and has it been distributed?
• Has the time slot for the meeting been cleared and accepted by all attendees?
• Have you checked your background?
• Do you have all your necessary files/reports/note-taking items?
• Are all phones on mute/silent?

During the meeting:

• Go around the room and make introductions
• Set the guideline for how speakers ask questions. Raised hands? Chat queries?
• Mute your mic if you’re in a public place or if background noise is an issue
• Speak directly into the camera, not at your screen
• Use a clear voice, keep your volume consistent, and speak slowly but firmly
• Record the meeting if possible

After the meeting:

• Summarize and distribute the meeting notes or minutes
• Follow-up with attendees and act on feedback

Bottom line: Treat your remote meetings with the same respect as in-office meetings

Just because every weekday suddenly turned into casual Friday doesn’t mean facilitators should abandon professionalism because they’re not face-to-face with their teams. It’s even more important now with remote work because a focused, energized meeting doesn’t waste time, and it gives your team the bandwidth to concentrate on their core work.

More to discover

The Mural template library has hundreds of examples to kickstart your meetings, from icebreakers and team building exercises to Agile ceremonies.

Here are some helpful templates and resources for common use cases:

• Meeting Notes Template
• Daily Scrum Meeting Template   ‍
• One-on-one Meeting Template
• Why you should set meeting ground rules

About the authors

Bryan Kitch

Tagged Topics

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Virtual Meeting Etiquette: Best Practices

Updated: March 26, 2024

Published: April 04, 2023

Wearing sweats instead of suits. Dogs barking in the background. Video cameras off. What’s rude to one founder may be A-OK for another. 

Sure, some mishaps on camera are fine, but others are easily avoidable.

But the only way to know what’s “allowed” is to establish ground rules for virtual meetings to avoid embarrassing yourself (and your employees).

What is virtual meeting etiquette?

Virtual meeting etiquette is the set of rules and guidelines that participants must follow during a virtual call with co-workers. Although you’re not in the same physical space as your colleagues, it’s still important to maintain professionalism and respect for everyone in the meeting.

For instance, you should still be on time for virtual meetings, just as you would for an onsite meeting. 

Importance of virtual meeting etiquette

Virtual meeting etiquette should be the foundation businesses use to promote effective communication among employees. 

Proper etiquette during virtual meetings can achieve this by:

• Maintaining respect for everyone : Having guidelines that promote fairness during meetings will ensure everyone feels heard and valued. 
• Keeping meetings focused : Meetings that go off track can be unproductive and a waste of time. Effective rules can help keep presenters stick to relevant topics and prevent participants from veering away from the purpose of the meeting. 
• Ensuring professionalism : Different employees may have different ideas about dress codes and meeting behaviors. Having rules for attire and mannerisms will ensure everyone’s on the same page. 

Virtual team meeting etiquette

Establishing ground rules for your virtual meetings will ensure no one makes the mistake of offending their colleagues, boss, or client. 

Here’s a nonconclusive list of remote meeting rules you can employ to improve productivity. 

1. Arrive on time (and end on time)

Set a time for an upcoming meeting and notify everyone of when it’ll occur. Ask team members to arrive five minutes early, so no one’s waiting around when the meeting starts. This is especially critical for key speakers who will present information. 

It’s also ideal to set a time limit for speakers and topics to ensure the meeting ends on time. If needed, do a hard stop and then continue the discussion in the next meeting or follow up with a post-meeting email.

2. Avoid multitasking

It’s tempting to check your email, texts, and other apps during a call. Yet this is poor etiquette, even if you’re not speaking during the meeting. Encourage attendees to be more engaged by turning off their phones and computer notifications. 

3. Notify others before leaving

Dropping out of a meeting without warning leaves others wondering what happened. This may halt the meeting while they wait for your return, even if you don’t plan to get back. 

Be courteous and let others know you must leave the meeting early. If you know this in advance, then let your team know to expect your departure at a specific time. 

4. Don’t disrupt speakers

There are scenarios where interrupting the speaker to ask a question once or twice is OK. But if it happens too often, it can prolong the meeting and frustrate others. 

Instead, use the chat function to ask questions, or the raise hand function to indicate you have something to say. This will minimize disruptions, and the speaker can contact you later if a question went unanswered. 

5. Take notes (without the clickety-clack of your keyboard)

Taking notes during meetings is a good way to keep track of critical information, but it can also be a distraction. It removes you from the discussion — and if you’re using a keyboard and aren’t muting your microphone, then the sound of clicking keys might distract your team. 

The alternative: Write notes with a pen and paper, or use a tool like Otter.ai to record and transcribe the meeting automatically. 

• Mute yourself when you’re not talking

Turning off the mic when you’re not talking ensures unexpected noise and disruptions don’t interrupt the speaker, though you could make the occasional exception. 

“Some virtual meeting facilitators recommend all attendees mute themselves at the beginning of sessions,” says career coach Dr. Kyle Elliot. “Assess if this makes sense for your meeting. For example, having dozens or hundreds of unmuted attendees can quickly become disruptive. But asking participants to keep themselves unmuted in smaller meetings can lead to livelier conversations.”

7. No munching on snacks 

Some meetings run into lunchtime or dinnertime for participants. It’s difficult to pay attention when your stomach’s growling, so snacking on a bag of chips or a few cookies seems ideal — but not with your camera and mic on. If you’re going to snack, turn both off until you’re done. Give your teammates a heads-up that you’re going silent, but will continue listening. 

8. Create and send the meeting agenda to participants

Meetings are more productive when the right people are attending and they’re prepared to engage. By creating an agenda, you can identify who needs to attend. And sending participants an outline allows them to prepare ahead of time. 

9. Be mindful of time zones and cultural boundaries

If you’re working with teams across the globe, be mindful of the day and time you choose for your meetings. Some members may have religious practices, such as no work on the Sabbath (e.g., Friday evenings). Others may have to stay up well past midnight to accommodate your lunch-hour meeting. 

If you’re unsure, then send out an email offering days and times for everyone to vote on. Worst case, you can send a recording or notes from the meeting if someone can’t attend.

10. Look at your camera and speak clearly

It’s tempting to gaze around the room or at the participants on your computer screen while speaking in a virtual meeting. However, this makes you feel disconnected since you’re not looking at the participants straight on. 

Staring into your camera eliminates this issue. Try taping a photo near the camera to direct your eyes to the right place.

This is also a good practice you should implement to ensure you have effective meetings. For more tips, check out this video.

11. Introduce members of the team

If you’re having a meeting with clients or others outside of your business, then introduce each person and their role. Another option is to have each person introduce themselves. You can call on each person so it’s done in an organized fashion (vs. multiple people talking at once or no one taking the initiative to go first). 

Virtual meeting etiquette tips for one-on-ones

Often, you may be meeting with a team member or manager alone. Here are a few tips for when you’re going into a one-on-one meeting:

• Turn on your mic and camera : Since this is a one-on-one meeting, it’s better to have both on to keep the conversation engaging. Plus, it’s awkward staring at a black square or hearing nothing from the other end during a two-way conversation. 
• Actively listen : Since you’re the only other person on the call, it’s rude to look away from the camera for long stretches or type away on your keyboard. Pay attention to the participant, and use verbal and physical gestures to show you’re following along. 
• Test your equipment before : Having technical difficulties during a one-on-one meeting is worse than in a team meeting, because without you the meeting can’t move forward. So test your camera, lighting, and audio to ensure it’s working. If you’re using a new platform, practice and make sure you know how it works.

Virtual meeting etiquette for participants

Participants in a meeting are those who aren’t presenting — including those who are outside of your company. It’s ideal to have ground rules for team members and outsiders to follow to ensure the best experience for everyone. 

For example, you can request:

• RSVPing to the meeting
• Beginning with introductions
• Having cameras on at the start of the meeting
• Muting the mic while not talking
• Using the chat feature to ask questions or share information during a presentation
• Arriving before the meeting begins
• Finding a quiet and private place to have the meeting
• Not eating any food during the meeting (drinks are fine)
• Learning the software controls in advance

Your meetings are only as great as the mannerisms and behaviors of its participants — so ensure everyone’s respectful of each other’s time, ideas, and comfort.

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18 Video Conferencing Etiquette Tips for Presenters and Attendees

Table of Contents

There’s nothing more annoying than attending an online presentation or meeting and getting nothing out of it because the presenter or fellow attendees are unprepared or unfamiliar with how to behave in a formal, online environment.

Video conferencing etiquette is similar to the rules of conduct for any meeting or presentation. However, there are slight twists to accommodate the online format. Here are 18 essential rules of video conferencing etiquette for presenters and attendees alike to help you get the most out of your video conferences.

Editor’s note: Looking for the right video conferencing solution for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

Video conferencing tips for presenters

Presenting virtually can be daunting. However, presenters can still captivate their audiences and deliver engaging and professional presentations.

Did you know? Video conferences are becoming ubiquitous as more employees transition to long-term work-from-home arrangements and more businesses offer remote work options as a flexible benefit .

“Good webinar etiquette, like good online etiquette in general, keeps doors open to better communication, greater mutual respect and greater efficiency,” said Laura Lowder, who coordinates annual online writing conferences for the Catholic Writers Guild. 

Here are some tips to help presenters conduct effective video conferences .

1. Test the video conferencing software early.

It’s frustrating for everyone if the presenter must pause the video conference to load a screen-sharing app, update slides, or adjust their mic because of feedback. Take time before the video conference to test out all your online meeting technology . “A presentation will go a lot more smoothly if the presenter has a nodding acquaintance, at least, with the software. You won’t be as effective if you’re fiddling around or interrupting yourself to ask questions about the program,” Lowder said.

2. Slow down while presenting a video conference.

Watching an online presentation is different from having a conversation — especially if the presenter uses slides and the listeners don’t have physical cues to follow the conversation. Slow your speaking speed if you naturally speak fast. If you’re doing a demo, pause between steps to allow for lag time and let your visitors catch up.

3. Don’t read your slides when presenting a video conference.

Slides should be simple and include bullet points and graphics that support your lecture. Overly wordy slides distract the viewer from what you’re saying. And merely reading your slides aloud makes your video conference presentation no more effective than sending out a report.

4. Use graphics to illustrate points during your video conference.

Visual clues can engage your audience and help with knowledge retention. “The brain stores audio information differently than visual,” explained Delanda Coleman, ‎senior product marketing manager of Skype for Business at Microsoft. “Therefore, if you can use images such as pie charts, rather than a lot of words, you give your audience visual cues to help them retain information.”

5. Repeat the question when presenting at a video conference.

Some video conferences have a live audience component. If this is the case, always repeat audience questions during question-and-answer sessions. It’s never a good idea to assume your online audience can hear them. Answer questions clearly, addressing both audiences, after repeating the question.

According to Gartner , 86 percent of companies use video conferencing in their hiring process to interview applicants.

6. Incorporate established guests while presenting during a video conference.

According to Stewart Dunlop, CEO of PPC Genius, businesses can benefit from opening the floor to more people rather than having just one host during video conferences and live-streaming events on social media .

“Having multiple hosts not only helps you have more email addresses to promote your webinar but also helps you to share awareness of your webinars on multiple social channels,” Dunlop explained.

7. Know your video conference audience.

When presenting, it helps to be aware of basic information about your audience, such as their job roles, what they hope to get out of the video conference, and the topics they’re most interested in learning about. This background knowledge can help make your presentation more interesting and engaging. 

Business communication tools like Dialpad can help make video chats and video conferences seamless and engaging. Check out our in-depth review of Dialpad to learn more about this feature-rich VoIP tool.

Video conferencing tips for attendees

Maximize your virtual meeting experience with these attendee-focused video conferencing tips.

1. Arrive at your video conference on time.

You can miss crucial information if you log in late — and you may even disrupt the presentation.

“(Arriving on time) prevents you from wasting additional time contacting the presenter after the fact to find out what you missed,” Coleman noted.

2. Turn off your webcam during the video conferencing presentation.

Nothing is more likely to elicit giggles than when a presenter turns off their PowerPoint presentation and the software defaults to someone watching (or worse, not watching), unaware that their webcam is running. Even if you’re in listening mode, ensure your webcam is off, or cover the lens with a post-it note.

3. Wait your turn during video conferences.

In a live setting, you can see who has a question or when a presenter is ready for an interruption. In a video conference — especially when not everyone is on their webcam — you may need to rely on cues like hand-raising icons or questions posted in chats.

4. Ask questions concisely during video conferences.

Video conferences are focused; be sure your questions are, too. Avoid wasting time in lengthy introductions, and don’t self-promote or spend a lot of time sharing your opinion before asking a question. If you have comments, first ask yourself if they will help others.

5. Don’t use the chat room as your personal water cooler during video conferences.

Just as you wouldn’t stand in the back of a conference room gossiping with someone while a presenter lectures, refrain from using the chat room to socialize. Lowder recalled a previous experience with distracting side chats. 

“Some comments were useful — a resource that pertained to the conversation, for example — but other times, people jumped in at every opportunity to make comments more appropriate to a conversation, not a presentation,” Lowder recalled.

6. Turn off your camera during breaks.

This may seem like a small thing. However, turning off your camera during breaks or when you must answer the phone can help avoid potentially awkward or distracting situations. Many video meeting attendees have found themselves in awkward positions, like eating or being inappropriately dressed on camera. Avoid this as much as possible by turning off your camera during breaks.

Encourage video conference attendees to adopt an unofficial dress code that mirrors a professional in-office environment.

Video conferencing tips for collaborative meetings

Host more productive online meetings and successfully collaborate with the following essential video conferencing tips. 

1. Have a clear agenda for collaborative online meetings.

Set a clear agenda for your collaborative online meeting and show you respect everyone’s time. “Meetings give teams a chance to communicate and convey important information,” Coleman noted, “but people hate them because, too often, the agenda isn’t clear.” 

2. Invite everyone to use their webcams during an online meeting.

It’s best to meet face-to-face, even when you can’t be in the same room.

“Leveraging video collaboration gives you visual cues that you might miss with audio only,” Coleman advised. “It also helps you focus because you can look your co-workers in the eyes.”

The best tools for hosting online meetings include Webex by Cisco, Google Chat, and 8×8 (read our 8×8 review to learn more).

3. Be engaged and attentive — especially when everyone’s webcam is on.

In live meetings, you can lay low in the back or even glance at your phone under the table. Because everyone’s focused on the presenter, you can get away with a little disengagement. However, there’s no hiding during an online meeting with all webcams on. You’ll always be in direct sight of everyone, so stay attentive and engaged.

“If you are participating in a meeting, come in with additional insight so you can add value to the conversations,” Coleman advised.

4. Remove distractions during online meetings.

Remove distractions during online meetings. For example, go somewhere with less background noise, turn off your phone, and organize your workspace so clutter doesn’t distract you or other meeting participants.

5. Make use of the software’s engagement features during online meetings.

If you are meeting to collaborate on a document, use the program’s notes software to edit and comment together. If the program has a whiteboard feature, use it to make notes and charts or brainstorm.

Respectful etiquette can make your video conferences more effective 

Whether you’re presenting during a video conference, hosting a video meeting, or attending an online event, respectful etiquette can make the information imparted more valuable. Video conferences and meetings aren’t going away anytime soon — in fact, they’re being used for previously in-person-only business activities like job interviews and performance reviews. 

Video conferencing etiquette mirrors in-office guidelines while incorporating knowledge of software and other technology. Too many online meetings kill productivity . Do your part to help everyone engage and make their time investment worthwhile.

Lauren Kubiak contributed to this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.

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How to Get People to Actually Participate in Virtual Meetings

• Justin Hale
• Joseph Grenny

Stop the multitasking already!

One of the most challenging aspects of a virtual meeting is keeping people’s attention. It’s important to be thoughtful about how you engage attendees. In the first minute of your meeting, help participants experience the problem you want them to solve by sharing statistics, anecdotes, or analogies that dramatize the issue. Then emphasize shared responsibility for solving it. Define a highly structured and brief task they can tackle in small groups of two or three people and give them a medium with which to communicate with one another (video conference, Slack channel, messaging platform, audio breakouts).  Then have the groups report out. Never go longer than 5-10 minutes without giving the group another problem to solve. The key is to sustain a continual expectation of meaningful involvement so participants don’t retreat into an observer role. When that happens, you’ll have to work hard to bring them back.

In these difficult times, we’ve made a number of our coronavirus articles free for all readers. To get all of HBR’s content delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Alert newsletter.

These days it’s hard to get people to pay attention in any meeting, but when people aren’t in the same room, it can be especially difficult. And it’s particularly annoying when you make a nine-minute argument, pause for an expected reaction, and get: “I’m not sure I followed you” which might as well mean: “I was shampooing my cat and didn’t realize I would be called on.”

• Justin Hale is a speaker, training designer, and master trainer at Crucial Learning . He is the lead engineer in designing Crucial Learning’s updated Getting Things Done® and Influencer course. He has also facilitated classes and delivered keynote speeches on crucial skills and principles to hundreds of clients and audiences around the world.
• Joseph Grenny  is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, Crucial Conversations . He is also the cofounder of Crucial Learning, a learning company that offers courses in the areas of communication, performance, and leadership.

Partner Center

Online meeting etiquette for attendees – A 2022 update

19 jan 2022   |   digital meetings.

Neil Miller

Host, the digital workplace.

Ask for an agenda

If you get invited to a meeting without an agenda, it is good virtual meeting etiquette to push back and ask for one. Being forced to go to meetings without a plan is like someone stealing your chair . Time is the most precious resource in a digital workplace. If you let people steal it from you, then you are as much to blame as they are. Ask for an agenda and any pre-reading or pre-work you can do to be ready.

Check out our virtual meeting agenda template here.

Come prepared

Make time in your day to be ready for the meeting. Do your pre-reading. Leave comments on the agenda. Send notes if you want to add things to talk about. You can do your part to make the meeting great if you can jump into the discussion time as soon as possible.

Tell your brain it’s time for the meeting

Think about how you went to meetings when you were in the office. You stopped working, stood up, and stretched. You grabbed a notebook, and walked by the desk of coworkers to see if they were ready. You grabbed a quick cup of coffee and had a seat in a totally different room from where you were before.

What happens when you attend a virtual meeting from home? You work right up until 9:59am, click a link, and BOOM, you are in the meeting.

Good virtual meeting etiquette means not bringing all your baggage from the day.

How can you recreate this when working from home or a co-working space? Five minutes before the meeting, stand up, stretch, and go get something to drink. Consider logging in from a different room, or at least a different part of the room. If you don’t need to share visuals, take a walk. Or at least go put on some pants, just in case .

You are trying to make a shift from Focus work mode to Engaged . Otherwise, you’ll immediately start thinking about the other work you could be doing instead of being in the meeting. Changing your environment will help you stay engaged with the conversation instead of doing email.

Signal to others you are in a meeting

If you share space with others, let them know you are getting on a meeting. Everyone in a 20 foot radius should be fully clothed :-). Make it clear if it’s ok to interrupt you if they can’t find the scissors to cut off the top of the popsicle.

Prevent your distractions

Turn off all chat applications and notifications. Silence your phone. Close out any tabs that aren’t essential to the meeting. If you are a fidgeter, have something in your hand.

Log in early

Don’t wait until the last minute to log in. You will start off distracted, and you may forget to log in on time. Logging in five minutes ahead of time is good online meeting etiquette for attendees. Start some light conversation with others.

If you are going to be late, send a message to the meeting organizer so they know if they should wait for you.

The exception to showing up early is if you are joining as a guest on someone else’s platform. In such cases, you want to show up right on time. Start logging in 1-2 minutes early in case you run into issues with a new platform or installing software.

Start with video on

Video is a powerful way to maintain a human connection in a virtual meeting. Starting a call with a bunch of blank screens is pretty cold and impersonal.

If you are uncomfortable sharing your background, apply a filter or a blur. “I didn’t brush my hair” is not a valid excuse to keep your video off during a planned business meeting.

If connectivity or bandwidth is a problem, let everyone know you are going to turn your video off after saying hello.

Staying on mute unless you have something to say lowers the fidelity of the conversation. It gives others fewer signals to interpret. Even picking up on a quick laugh or “mmhmm” is helpful to whoever is talking.

Mute yourself when not speaking if:

• It is a large call of ten or more people
• You hear a feedback echo
• You have noise in your background

Otherwise, don’t mute.

Speak slowly

Be aware of non-native speakers on the call. Many rely on watching your face or reading lips to get the full context. Without those signals, they need you to slow down to make sure they catch what you say.

Don’t leave the room

You wouldn’t quietly sneak out the back door of an in-person meeting, would you? Online meeting etiquette for attendees is the same. If something urgent comes up, such as signing for a delivery at the door, leave a chat message to say you will be right back. If you have your video off, send another message when you return. This also prevents the awkwardness of being called on during the meeting and not answering.

Dealing with interruptions

If your cat, child, grandmother, or spouse walks into the screen, don’t freak out. By this point, everyone’s had this experience. It’s just another reminder that we are all humans trying to figure this out.

Chat side conversations

Is it bad virtual meeting etiquette to send chat messages? Not necessarily.

Chat during meetings can actually be a fun way to augment the experience and make it more fun for everyone.

But it can feel disrespectful to the person leading. If you’ve ever been the leader, you know how hard it is to stay focused and keep folks engaged.

Decide as a team on your ground rules for virtual meetings if it’s ok to use chat, but here are a few guidelines:

• The chat should be available to everyone. Quick, private side conversations are bad online meeting etiquette.
• Don’t make a comment that degrades someone.
• Be respectful of the meeting host.

Don’t talk over people

In a virtual meeting, it’s hard to know exactly who spoke first. Be ready to let the other person speak ahead of you. If you need to complete a statement, say something like, “Ramon, I just want to finish this thought, and then I want to hear what you have to say.”

Resist the urge to do other work

At some point you’ll get the urge to check your messages, research a catch phrase, or get lost finding the perfect GIF response. Doing work while on a meeting means you won’t be focused on either and both will suffer.

If you find yourself consistently distracted, here are a few things to try:

• Keep your hands in the video feed
• Take the call on a mobile device and shut down your laptop
• Always volunteer to share your screen for the group when required
• Change your atmosphere (see above)

Hybrid meeting etiquette

If you are at the office while others log in remotely, there is some extra virtual etiquette to follow for hybrid meetings .

Make sure you can be seen

Unless the room has a high quality telepresence video, log in with your video on just like everyone else. You may need to mute your microphone and turn your volume down to eliminate feedback.

If there is only one camera, don’t lean out of the picture. The video is there to give remote employees the best chance to simulate being together. If you can’t be seen, move yourself or suggest setting up another camera.

Be inclusive

Include remote callers in pre-metting chitchat. Direct questions specifically to remote attendees if you haven’t heard much from them.

No whispers

Don’t start a side conversation with someone else in the room where no remote team members can hear it. This is bad online meeting etiquette in any situation.

Defer to remote speakers instead of interrupting

If you and a remote attendee spoke at the same time, always allow the other person to go first.

Stick around afterwards

Some of the best conversations happen after the meeting is over. Instead of chatting with people in the office, give a remote team member a call right afterwards. Debrief the call and catch up for a few minutes.

The rules have changed

As with most things, digital has changed the face of meetings . Proper online meeting etiquette for attendees is new and changing every day. Virtual meeting etiquette exists to smooth out the digital experience so that everyone gets the most out of the meeting.

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22 Online Meeting Etiquette Rules That Must Be Followed

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With employees scattered all across the globe, meetings are being conducted via video conferencing. This includes job interviews and client meetings as well.

Since such a bulk of our interaction takes place online, it is crucial to have some online meeting etiquette guidelines in place.

Bear in mind that 30% of an employee’s time spent in meetings is considered unproductive, it is essential to follow specific tips for leading effective meetings .

Why is Meeting Etiquette Important?

As home and workplace are beginning to blend, the boundaries between our personal and professional life are narrow. Needless to say, during an online meeting, multiple awkward situations are bound to occur.

With an increase in remote work, we are being introduced to a lot of new ways of working, and there are many things that we are yet to learn. Many guides to remote work can help us with this, but it begins with connecting with the teammates correctly.

Your family member could walk in on you while you are in an office meeting, or there could be other distractions. This compromises the professionalism and might even stretch the meeting time a bit.

But these things can be improved and optimized better by knowing about a few basic online meeting etiquettes. This will also ensure that your presence and appearance on screen remain consistent throughout the meetings.

By following basic meeting etiquettes, you help your colleagues and company in-

• Saving more time
• Becoming productive
• Completing the meeting agenda on time
• Being more focused when meetings happen

Before we present some ground rules for virtual meetings, here are some do's and don't you must follow during online meetings.

What are the Do's and Don'ts of Meeting?

Do's of online meetings.

• Involve each participant in preparing the agenda
• Start the meeting on a positive note
• Give each speaker time to express their views and encourage participation
• Track all the decisions made during meetings (hint: use an automated note taker for this.)
• Delegate action items
• Share meeting minutes with stakeholders
• Don’t interrupt others
• Avoid speaking right away
• Don’t be late or start late
• Avoid focusing only on status updates
• Don’t digress. Stay on track as much as possible
• Don’t convert meetings into extensive monologues

It is interesting to note that most meeting etiquettes are based on these best practices. Let's have a look at them in more detail.

Online Meeting Etiquettes

1. test your setup.

The whole point of online meetings is to listen and see each other virtually. If there is an issue with either of the options, it defeats the purpose of conducting online meetings. Also, make sure your internet connection is working as intended.

You can test your microphone and video before joining any meeting in all the online meeting tools like Zoom or Skype.

2. Mute By Default

Either it is a large group meeting, or a meeting limited to 2-3 individuals, make sure to enable options like mute by default while joining for audio and video. This will give you time to look at your surroundings and analyze for unwanted sounds and visuals.

Unmute audio only when it is your turn to speak or when required.

3. Choose the Right Technology or Software

To ensure everyone is equally productive and collaborative in the meeting, you need to have the right software. The online meeting software should be simple and easy to use. Anyone should be able to hop in seamlessly, leading to a better experience without any confusion.

For file sharing, relying on the most common tools like Google Drive or Dropbox is good enough. Also, use a common Calendar platform, so everyone gets the invite without sending dozens of emails as a reminder.

4. Keep Your Hands Off The Keyboard

It doesn’t look good at all when someone is explaining a concept and a lot of people start typing on their keyboard to either take notes or do other tasks. Meetings require everyone to be more alert and mentally present in the discussion to have conversations that spark more ideas. Note-taking can be automated to increase the productivity of meetings.

Instead of writing notes, you can use our AI Assistant Fred which will transcribe your entire meeting for later use.

5. Stop Multitasking

Multitasking can’t be coupled with everything. It is very essential to understand when and when not to indulge in multitasking.

Meetings require everyone to be focused and alert. Everyone’s time should be utilized in such a way that they provide their best suggestions, ideas, and opinions in the discussions. Make sure to not indulge in other tasks that are not relevant to the meeting.

6. Be Appropriately Dressed

Working from home doesn’t necessarily mean you have to dress like you are going out to the office but make sure to be in professional attire in meetings depending upon the roles.

If it is a client meeting or internal team meeting with someone from the high above, it is recommended to don a shirt or something that looks semi-professional at least. It makes an impression on the people who will be listening to you.

7. Clear Background

Always choose a place with a simple solid color background such as a wall and not with a place that displays tons of things behind you. Anyone listening to you should not be distracted by what is in the background. They should be able to focus on your face and what you are saying.

8. Arrive Early

This is obvious for a lot of reasons. By arriving early, you can troubleshoot any problems with the meeting tool like testing the video, audio, and background. You can even check your presentation before presenting it to make sure there aren’t any glitches and errors.

9. Minimize Body Movements

Avoid quick movements. It makes it difficult for webcams to capture sudden and quick movements. Quick movements may appear blurry or choppy to others on the same call. Maintain eye contact with the camera and try to be more engaging in the meeting.

10. Set Boundaries

Up until now, people were not having any designated office space at home. Earlier, they were working from common areas of the home that are bound to create some noise by a child or family member.

Always make a habit of having a meeting in a room where the door can be locked, making it clear for the family members to stay quiet and create a minimum commotion. Over time we will get better at this but till then we all need to make small adjustments in our daily personal habits.

11. Set an Agenda

When you are operating professionally from your private space, it is easy and natural to drift off. So make sure to have a clear agenda before meeting so all the participants have something to say and are more engaged in the meeting.

12. Pay Attention

Sounds obvious, isn’t it? But it is too common for people to switch to other apps if the meeting stretches too long. It is the meeting host’s job to keep the meeting on agenda as well as each participant’s job to make sure they pay attention to the entire meeting and ask questions to keep things rolling.

13. Introduce Everyone

If a meeting involves people from other departments or teams who don’t work as often together or with clients, always start the meeting by introducing each other as concisely as possible so everyone can have a context of what to ask.

14. Turn Off Notifications

It is very easy to forget while working from home to turn notifications off on your mobile as it is not very habitual compared to when you walk into an actual conference room. Turning off notifications of your system and mobile will allow you to not get distracted.

15. Give Everyone a Job

Ever wondered why you were in some meetings where you didn't know what you were supposed to do? It is the quickest way to kill team engagement. Provide everyone something to present or discuss before scheduling a meeting. This will help you avoid people who shouldn’t be at the meeting.

16. Summarize the Meeting Before Ending

It is essential that as the business meeting nears its end, everyone should have a clear objective of what they gained from the meeting and what to work upon next. The meeting host should give clear objectives on what was discussed that day, what each person needs to do with any deadline, and what next steps would be followed until the next meeting is scheduled.

It also provides a sense of accomplishment to each participant and establishes a clear goal of what others will be working on and just in case something overlaps they know whom to contact directly.

17. Don’t Interrupt Others

As the voice and video need to go through the internet to every participant make sure to not interrupt anyone as they are speaking. There is usually some lag during online meetings and the response usually reaches a bit later. Interrupting in between doesn’t leave a good impression on others in general as well.

18. Avoid Speaking Right Away

Waiting a second before speaking can clear a lot of confusion. For instance, if no one speaks you are good to go else wait until the other person ends talking. Always consider that it’s happening online and not everyone's internet connection will be stable.

19. Know Your Audience

As the inclination towards consistent online meetings will increase it is very important to make sure you know your audience and use terminology and discussion which can be understood easily by everyone. It will help in meeting to come out with an outcome, not with more doubts.

20. Breaks For Lengthy Meetings

If the meeting is supposed to take too long make sure to have appropriate arrangements and declare it beforehand on the agenda with the provision of taking breaks. This way everyone can take a small break and come back with a fresh mind to continue the discussion.

21. End on Time

It is easy to indulge in long discussions and go beyond the set time for the meeting. It ends up wasting time for all the participants who should be working on other tasks. If required, assign someone from the team to make sure the meeting remains on track and only the necessary points are discussed.

22. Allow People to Leave

Not all meetings require all the participants to stay in the meeting till the end. Some people from a few teams may have joined just for updates or quick discussions. Allow people to leave if the rest of the meeting doesn’t require some participants to stay as they can continue working on other important tasks.

Final Takeaway

It is reported that almost 52% of people work remotely at least once every week . The chances of your meeting with someone working remotely today are way higher than they have ever been. Learning basic online meeting etiquette is very important now.

As the businesses have started moving towards remote working culture to provide employees more flexibility, they have also begun to save huge expenses on real estate and other employee-related costs.

The trend of online meetings will keep growing and is bound to become a daily part of our jobs. By following online meeting etiquette tips, you can easily stay more productive and engaged during meetings.

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Best practices for virtual presentations: 15 expert tips that work for everyone.

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In today’s COVID-19 world, virtual meetings and presentations have become the norm. While many presentation skills and best practices apply to both in-person and virtual presentations, expert virtual presenters understand the importance of adjusting their approach to match the medium. With in-person presentations, you more or less have a captive audience — you still need be engaging, but your audience is kind of stuck with you for the duration. But with virtual presentations, your audience has a greater opportunity to stray. You now have to compete for their eyes, ears, hearts, and minds against diminished attention spans, increased home and work life distractions, and conflicting priorities. 

Here are 15 expert tips to set you up for success in your next virtual presentation:

1.     Get the Lighting Right:  As a presenter, it is essential that people can see you well. Make sure you have good front light—meaning the light shines brightly on your face. If your back is to a window, close the shades. While natural light is often the best choice, if your home office doesn’t have natural light and you do a lot of virtual presentations, consider purchasing supplemental lighting to enhance your image.

2.     Choose the Right Background:  Try to use a background that enhances your professional image and is aligned with your message. Avoid a cluttered background or anything that can be distracting. Learn whether your presentation platform enables you to use virtual backgrounds (like Zoom) or whether you can blur your background (like Microsoft Teams). Your background can either add to your professional presence or detract from it.

3.     Know the Technology:  Nothing kills a presentation faster than a presenter who fumbles with the technology. This is a performance, so make sure you know how to make it work. A dry run is essential so that you’re comfortable with the platform features. It’s best to have a co-host (or producer or moderator) assist you with the technology so that you can focus on your presentation. Make sure you practice with the same technical set up (computer and internet connection) that you will use when you deliver the presentation.

4.     Play to the Camera:  When you are the one speaking, look directly into your computer’s camera , not on the screen or at the other participants. This takes some practice, but it makes the viewer feel as if you are looking right at them. Some presenters turn off their self-view so that they aren’t distracted by their own image. Put the camera at eye level . Try not to have your camera too far above or below you. If it’s too low, then you run the risk of creating a double chin. A camera too high makes it difficult to maintain eye contact, as you may find your gaze dropping as you speak. If you are part of a panel or a team of presenters, make sure you are aware of when your camera is on. If you are not speaking but your camera is on, make sure you look like you are paying attention! Powerful presenters understand the importance of making eye contact with their audience, so this means you have to simulate the same effect virtually.

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5.     Get Close (But Not Too Close).  You want the camera to frame your face, neck, and shoulders. People are drawn to faces, so you don’t want to lose that connection by being too far away, but you also don’t want your face to take over the whole screen like a dismembered head because, well, that looks weird. Practice your positioning and distance.

6.     Stand Up:  If possible, use a standing desk or position your laptop so you can stand at eye level with your computer. Standing up provides a higher energy level and forces us to put our body in a more presentation-like mode. If you have to sit, lean forward as you would if you were presenting at a real meeting or as if you were a TV news anchor. Avoid slouching away from the camera, as that sends a signal that you are disconnected from the audience.

7.     Be Animated:  Just like in a live presentation, you want to present with a little energy and animation. Too slow or too monotone in your voice makes it easy for folks to disengage and tune out. Keeping people engaged virtually requires you to actually be engaging.

8.     Pace Yourself:  Without real-time visual audience feedback cues, getting the pacing right can be difficult. Even though you want to infuse some animation and energy into your presentation don’t pump up the speed too much. If you tend to be a fast talker in real life, practice slowing down just a bit. If you’re a slow talker, you may want to speed up just a bit.

9.     Do A Sound Check:  If your sound is garbled, people will tune out. While people may forgive less than perfect video, if they can’t clearly hear you, they will leave. Practice with someone on the other end of the presentation platform. Make sure your sound emits clearly. Sometimes headphones or external microphones work better than the computer audio, sometimes not. Every platform is different, so make sure your sound quality is excellent every time. And again, you should practice with the same technical configurations and location that you will use for your presentation.

10.  Plug into Your Modem:  If possible, plug your computer directly into your modem using an Ethernet cable. This will give you the strongest signal and most stable internet connection. The last thing you want to happen during your presentation is to have a weak or unstable internet signal.

11.  Incorporate Redundant Systems.  If using slides, make sure someone else (another webinar co-host or producer) also has a copy of the slides just in case your internet goes wonky and you have to present by calling in. If you are using slides, make them visually appealing. Use high-quality graphics and limit the amount of text on each slide. It’s your job as presenter to deliver the content. The slides are meant to enhance your spoken words, not replace them.

12.  Engage Your Participants. Just as if you were doing an in-person presentation, craft your presentation to engage the audience. Incorporate chats, polls, raised hand features, etc. Try not to speak for more than ten minutes without some sort of audience engagement. Use the participant list to interact with your participants by name. Have people chat or raise a hand if they want to speak. Keep track of the order of people and then call on them to invite them to turn on their mics or cameras. 

13.  Let Someone Else Check the Chats.  Don’t get sidetracked by the chats during your presentation. You’ll be shocked at how distracting it is to your train of thought if you attempt to read the chats while speaking. Instead, have your co-host or producer monitor the chats. If you ask people to chat you answers or comments to a question you’ve posed, then pause your talking and engage directly with the chats by acknowledging them, reading them out loud, and commenting on them. 

14.  Evaluate and Enhance:  If possible, record the session and take the time to play back and look for areas that worked well and areas that you might want to improve upon. Great presenters, whether virtual or in person, understand the value of continually honing their craft. Be sure to acknowledge your strengths as well as your areas of improvement.

15.  Be Yourself and Have Fun:  Again, just like in face-to-face presentations, audiences connect to authenticity, so be yourself! Let your personality show through. Have fun. If you look like you’re enjoying the presentation so will others. Research shows that happy people retain information better than bored or disinterested people, so model the energy that you want to create. The audience takes its cue from you.

Remember, whether you are presenting in-person or virtually, all presentations are performances. And all performances are in service to your audience. Their time is valuable, so honor that time by delivering the best presentation you can. No matter what kind of presentation you are giving, you must find ways to create authentic audience connection, engagement, and value.

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15 Virtual Meeting Etiquette Guidelines & Ground Rules

Virtual meetings are a great way to connect with prospects, clients, coworkers, and team members remotely.

Unfortunately, not many pay attention to their virtual meeting etiquette.

Like any other medium, there are indisputable differences between face-to-face meetings and online video meetings . As a result, video conferencing etiquette differs slightly from standard business etiquette.

To learn more, I have compiled 15 virtual meeting etiquette guidelines and ground rules that can prove handy the next time you are a part of an online session.

15 Virtual Meeting Etiquette Guidelines & Ground Rules

1. be conversant with the software.

There are so many platforms you can use for your virtual meetings . One of the most important ground rules is to pick the best suitable option. However, it’s not enough to have the best video conferencing software. You’ll also need software that you and other participants can use with ease.

Zoom, Skype, Google Duo, and Microsoft Teams are some of the most popular video conferencing software today. They each have different features which makes them unique.

For example, you may be needing features like screen sharing , encryption for securing, and live annotations. Some of these features can be crucial during your virtual conference so you shouldn’t just pick software out of the blue.

With this, it’s very important that you become conversant with the software and all of its functions. The last thing you want to happen is to be unable to locate useful options while the meeting is going on.

Also, you don’t just want to know how to use these features but also how to use them effectively. This is most important if you’re the host.

Fortunately, virtual meeting software programs like the ones mentioned earlier are relatively easy to use with a short learning curve.

2. Prepare ahead

Preparing ahead is necessary to avoid any last-minute rush. If you’re the host, you should send a meeting request with an agenda to all attendees before the call outlining the purpose.

This will include who will be present and any expectations for the session. There are different email templates for this that you can go with. Inform attendees if decisions must be made during the meeting so they can prepare.

Furthermore, before starting your video conference , check your platform’s audio and visual settings. This saves time spent on technical issues during the call. Prior to the meeting, assign roles since you can’t do everything.

For meeting participants, you should prepare everything you need to present ahead as well. Therefore, you should gather the materials or information that you may need to pass across during the virtual meeting.

Ask ahead of time about expectations and agendas if the organizer hasn’t provided them. If the host did send some materials to you, do well to review them before the conference begins.

There are other things you should prepare ahead for as well. This includes your attire, background, etc.

3. Stick to time

Whether virtual or not, being on time for a meeting is important. Punctuality is one of the signs of professionalism in any given circumstance.

As a host, for example, attendees won’t like to sit around waiting for you to show up since they can’t start without you. You should even be on the line before anyone else.

For attendees, joining the conference late shows you’re not dependable. If it’s a work conference, you’ll be passing the wrong message to your employees.

Not to mention, you’ll miss some topics on the agenda if you join late. If you were to present something important, you could miss the opportunity.

Sticking to time isn’t all about the time you join the meeting. It also involves the duration and time you leave the conference. A conference shouldn’t be longer than scheduled.

If the schedule is for two hours, try your best as the host to stick to the time frame. As an attendee, you should also be time conscious, not saying more than you should and keeping your contributions precise and to the point.

When you begin on time, you can end on time.

4. Dress appropriately

When attending a virtual conference , you should dress professionally. Even if you’re in your house, you shouldn’t dress casually. Dress as though you were attending a normal conference.

Most people on virtual conferences and video calls only care about what they’re wearing at the top. They could put on suits and still wear shorts, as long as it’s not seen.

This isn’t encouraging. You could get caught unaware in any situation; like when standing up. Even if nobody will be seeing your trousers, for the most part, it is still important to wear some.

It’s ideal that you ask your video host for the conference dress code if there is any. You might dress appropriately but if there’s a laid-out dress code, you’ll appear odd.

Another important etiquette guideline most people miss when it comes to dress code is jewelry. This is mostly for the ladies. Wearing large, heavy earrings, for example, may be a little over the top.

It’s not all about how you appear. Sometimes, jewelry can get noisy since it dangles as you speak. The same goes for bracelets if you are typing on the keyboard. All of these can disrupt your audio quality.

5. Have a clear background

Already, you should know how important your background is . After your face, your background is the next thing others will see.

If you’re used to working remotely, you should have a home office. Otherwise, you should pick the best room, preferably one with a plain background.

Don’t pick a room that others will need to access frequently. They could interrupt your input audio or distract you.

You should remove anything that’s inappropriate from your background. It could be a poster or a picture frame. You may feel these are not important but they could distract other participants watching you.

It’s vital to have good lighting when making a video call. Both you and your background require sufficient light. A dark, low-light background and environment generally make you appear unprofessional.

A window might be enough but in large rooms or at night, artificial lighting is required. Don’t overdo it with harsh lighting. You can also edit your video brightness and contrast from your software.

One of the best options to go with is a green screen. Video conferencing platforms, like Zoom, for example, feature green screens so you can choose any picture or even a video to use as the background.

6. Try to avoid distractions

Distractions can ruin a video conference. That your coworkers won’t notice you looking through your phone or doing something on another screen doesn’t mean you should.

Your distracted behavior can affect everyone. You could miss important points forcing the host or any speaker to repeat material already provided. Try to avoid distractions and stay focused.

First of all, turn off your phone or put it on silent if you’re not using it for the call. If you’re using your phone, then switch off your computer. Close all other apps and browser windows before connecting to avoid notifications.

Multitasking is one of the easiest ways to get distracted when on a video call. You shouldn’t do anything else except as it’s relevant to the meeting.

Ensure there are no distracting background noises like music or any loud equipment. You should be in a room alone and alert your family or others you stay with not to interrupt until you’re done. On your part, don’t distract others by interrupting them.

Meeting etiquette does not vanish just because you are not physically there. Apply the golden rule: treat other online meeting participants as you would like them to treat you.

7. Know when to speak

It’s easy to know who the main speaker is at a normal conference. However, in a virtual conference where you’re looking at multiple faces, it can be difficult if there are so many noises.

An important ground rule to remember is not to speak unless you need to. You should keep your microphone on mute when someone else is talking. That way sounds from your end won’t interrupt their voices.

If it’s an interactive conference, then you won’t need to mute your microphone. Just ensure your place is quiet and speak only when you have something important to contribute.

While on a video conference, it’s ideal to not rush while speaking. It’s a live stream and some people might be experiencing lag with their network or poor audio output due to their device.

By speaking relatively slowly, you make it easier for them to catch up with what you’re saying. If it’s a global conference, there could also be non-native speakers who require text translations. Speaking slowly could benefit them too.

If the conference rules allow it, you can pass some messages by chat instead of saying it. Most video conferencing platforms come with built-in LiveChat.

8. Speak to the camera

What you get when speaking at a conference is a captive audience with everyone watching you. Hence, in a virtual meeting, you must stare directly at the camera , and not at the screen. If you aren’t used to this, it could take a while to adjust.

If you’re not staring at the camera and maybe at one participant attendee on your screen, you won’t appear to be addressing anyone. Teach yourself that the camera is the audience.

Sometimes, you may be speaking from a note on your computer screen or in your hands. Nevertheless, you should try to refocus your gaze on the camera whenever you look up.

You’ll look more professional if you can memorize most of your manuscript, you can speak without looking at the notes. Switching between notes and your camera could distract you.

Whilst staring at the camera, touching your face is another benign behavior you should do away with. Hands to the face make you look uneasy and may distract others from what you’re saying.

9. Use the Keyboard less

When someone is talking in a video conference and people are typing on their keyboard to take notes or do other things, it doesn’t look good.

To have dialogues that generate more ideas, meetings require everyone to be more aware and mentally present in the topic. Using the keyboard will only be a distraction.

Not to mention the sound of your fingers hitting the keys could distract other participants. This is why one of the ground rules is to use the keyboard less.

Only type if you have to or if you’re assigned to take the meeting minutes. If you must type, you can invest in a high-quality keyboard to minimize the sound or simply mute yourself while taking notes.

An alternative if you want to take notes or minutes during a video call, is to record the conference. After the session, you can replay it and get all the notes you need.

You can easily screen-record a video conference with any of the popular virtual conferencing tools out there. By default, anyone in the video conference can record. However, if it’s a highly private video conference, the host could forbid participants from recording.

10. Minimize body movement

You might think because you’re not seeing other participants in person so your body movement doesn’t matter. It does matter a lot.

You can pass several messages via non-verbal communication. An ideal way to go about it is to make as little body movement as possible.

Constantly turning from side to side could tell other participants that you’re not paying attention. They’ll assume you’re distracted by something nearby.

Likewise, constantly making shifts in your seat could show that you’re uncomfortable or you’re bored with whatever the conference is discussing.

If you’re the speaker, then your body movement matters the most as all eyes will be on you. What you want to do is to improve your body language rather than just making random body movements.

Body language does include body movements and others like facial expressions, gestures, and voice tone. Posture is also important.

Good posture during a virtual conference shows that you are alert, interested, and involved. Slouching in your seat is very casual and can make you appear unprofessional.

If you easily sink into your seat on a video call, try supporting yourself with a pillow. It will force you to sit up straight and pay attention.

11. Have breaks

This ground rule is for hosts. Like in any normal conference, there should be short breaks. This is most important if you’re hosting a relatively long conference. No one would enjoy being in a five-hour long virtual conference without taking a break.

Your participants will appreciate the opportunity to use the restroom, have a little something to eat, attend to something else quietly, or simply stay away from the event for a few minutes. Don’t forget that getting up and moving has a positive impact on cognitive health.

An important question, however, is what’s the ideal time for a conference break? When arranging your conference schedule, it’s helpful to know how long the meetings should go and how long the breaks should be.

The optimal meeting to break ratio is 52 minutes followed by a 17-minute break – the Rule of 52 and 17. This allows your participants to be as productive as possible.

You may change up the times a little. For example, you can set up a plan that allows for 50 minutes of meeting time followed by a 20-minute break for a total of 70 minutes.

12. Avoid eating

It’s not okay to eat in front of the camera. One of the rules of using a computer is not to eat close to it to avoid getting crumbs stuck between the keys on your keyboard.

There are different opinions on eating etiquette. Nevertheless, the majority would agree that eating during a conference, virtual or not, is unprofessional. Try to follow the same ground rules that you would if you were meeting in person.

Eating could be a major distraction most especially if you’re in a conference with not many participants. You would feel embarrassed if you spilled food on your clothes or your face during a conference.

Most presenters would issue a rule against eating. If you flaunt it, you could get kicked out of the conference.

Notwithstanding, sometimes, it could be difficult to have time to eat when your day is very busy. That’s why breaks are important so it gives participants the time to do something else.

If you must eat during a virtual conference, then turn off the camera and microphone. Alternatively, you can simply excuse yourself.

13. Don’t leave without informing others

Whether the conference has ended or not, you can easily leave by clicking the exit button. However, you shouldn’t ghost your participants like that.

Your host might need you to share an opinion or make a presentation. If they know you’ve left, then they can keep you out of the conversation and subsequently assign someone else to do the tasks.

As mentioned earlier, it’s ideal to prepare ahead so you can avoid all possible distractions and interruptions during your conference. However, no one can be 100 percent prepared.

Something else may come up that really demands your attention to leave the conference. However, you should inform someone.

One of the best ways is to drop a chat message. Sound as polite as possible and relate the importance of why you want to leave.

If you’re not going away for long, you can simply minimize the video call window and reopen it when you return.

14. Protect sensitive information

More often than not, you’ll need to share your screen with other participants in the conference when making a presentation. Your computer might contain other stuff that is not work-related.

Displaying such inappropriate stuff while sharing your screen is unprofessional. If the content is too inappropriate, it could affect your reputation in your company.

Hence, if you’re sharing your screen with other meeting attendees while giving a presentation , ensure just the stuff you want them to see is shown.

Close any unneeded tabs in your browser window and other programs you’ve been working on before starting a video conference.

When sharing your entire desktop, searching in the browser’s address bar may result in potentially humiliating auto-complete results. By opening a new browser window and planning ahead of time, you can keep sensitive or potentially humiliating information private.

Ideally, choose the option to screen share only one screen or one app instead of your entire desktop. This gives you more control over what your audience sees throughout your presentation.

The attention should be on you and your presentation, rather than on anything else that can derail your message.

15. Wrap up professionally

How you end your virtual conference as a host is vital. One of the best ways to do this is by implementing a closing round as proposed by Ev Williams , co-founder of Twitter and Medium.

The idea of a closing round is simple. You simply ask people to drop closing remarks on the topics discussed in the conference. This could take about 30 seconds or less for each speaker.

Having a closing round ensures that everyone has an opportunity to get something off their chest. As a host, it shows that you’re paying attention to the perspective and opinions of others.

On your part as the host, you should give a summary of everything that the conference is all about. Ideally, you should prepare your closing remarks beforehand. While speaking, use a strong yet cheerful and polite tone.

During the virtual conference, you should also show that you’re time conscious by making reference to time. Randomly reminding participants of how much time is left.

Finally, as a host, you should be the last person to exit the conference since you alone can end the stream. Turning off the video call when other participants are not done can be disrespectful.

A video conference is different from a normal conference because you’re attending remotely.

However, you should take care of essential etiquette and follow ground rules just like any normal conference.

Not only would that make you look polished but painstakingly professional.

Tom loves to write on technology, e-commerce & internet marketing. I started my first e-commerce company in college, designing and selling t-shirts for my campus bar crawl using print-on-demand. Having successfully established multiple 6 & 7-figure e-commerce businesses (in women’s fashion and hiking gear), I think I can share a tip or 2 to help you succeed.

Virtual Meeting Etiquette: A Guide to Professional Online Interactions

By Oluwadamilola Osisanya

Published: December 2, 2023

Remote Jobs

Oluwadamilola Osisanya

Writer & Career Coach

Did you know that nearly 79% of working professionals believe virtual meetings can match or even surpass the productivity of in-person gatherings? In a world swiftly adapting to remote interactions, mastering virtual meeting etiquette has become as crucial as the handshake once was. 

This article offers an insightful guide to polishing your online meeting manners, ensuring your professional interactions are productive and exemplary.

Setting the Stage for Success

1. pre-meeting preparations.

Before the virtual handshake occurs or the first slide is shared, the foundation of a successful online meeting lies in thorough pre-meeting preparations , which are a cornerstone among best practices for virtual meetings. 

Here, we’ll delve into the critical aspects of technical setup and testing as well as environment and background considerations, ensuring that when the spotlight hits, you’re ready to shine.

• Technical Setup and Testing

Navigating the digital realm requires not just confidence but a reliable tech arsenal. Begin by ensuring your device is equipped with the necessary software updates and that the meeting application functions correctly. 

A test run is more than a mere formality; it’s an essential part of virtual meeting tips that can prevent an array of technical hiccups. Check your internet connection for stability and speed — a wired connection can be your best friend in preventing unexpected dropouts.

Confirm that your microphone and speakers are working well, providing clear audio that allows every word to be understood without strain. If using a webcam, it should be positioned at eye level to simulate direct eye contact with your fellow participants. Test these components before every meeting, as consistency in tech performance is never guaranteed .

• Environment and Background Considerations

Your visual presentation sets the tone just as much as your verbal contributions, which is why it’s one of the key virtual meeting tips to choose a professional and neutral background. Select a location that is both quiet and free from the likelihood of interruptions. 

Inform those around you of your meeting schedule to minimize unexpected disturbances . Additionally, lighting plays a crucial role — ensure you are well-lit, preferably with natural light facing you or a lamp that casts an even glow, avoiding harsh shadows or a silhouette effect. 

Remember, your chosen environment reflects your professionalism and can influence the perceived quality of your contributions to the meeting.

2. Punctuality and Logging In

In the virtual realm of meetings, setting the stage for success hinges on two pivotal practices: punctuality and a smooth login process.

• Arriving on Time

Timeliness is a cornerstone of professionalism, irrespective of whether the meeting space is physical or digital. Arriving on time for virtual meetings demonstrates respect for participants’ time and commitment to the agenda. 

Unlike traditional meetings where a quiet slip into a back row can go unnoticed, late entry into a virtual meeting often disrupts with announcing beeps or screen pop-ups, drawing attention to tardiness. 

Thus, being punctual is not only courteous but is an essential part of virtual meeting etiquette, maintaining the flow of the meeting.

• Avoiding Disruptions

Choosing a quiet space, minimizing background noise, and turning off notifications on your devices can help maintain a focused and professional atmosphere once the meeting is underway.

Adhering to these principles underlines respect for the shared digital space and sets a professional tone for the discussion to follow. 

By being punctual and minimizing disruptions, you contribute to a productive and efficient virtual meeting environment, allowing all participants to focus on the content rather than the complications of the medium.

Dress and Appearance – Tips for Virtual Meetings

The impression you leave in a virtual meeting can be as impactful as in a face-to-face encounter. Your dress and appearance are non-verbal cues that can either enhance or undermine your professional image.

1. The Importance of Dressing Professionally for Virtual Meetings

• Dressing professionally sets a tone of respect and seriousness for the meeting.
• It psychologically prepares you for a productive work mindset.
• Professional attire ensures you’re perceived as prepared and engaged.

2. Tips for Choosing the Right Attire

• Align your attire with the organization’s culture and the occasion’s formality.
• Opt for solid colors to avoid distractions and ensure good visibility on camera.
• Choose clothing that boosts your confidence, reflecting your attitude and demeanor during the meeting.

3. Grooming and Personal Presentation

• A well-groomed appearance suggests meticulousness and attention to detail.
• Simple and professional grooming is preferred; avoid looks that are too casual or disheveled.
• Remember that camera settings can exaggerate features, so aim for a natural and tidy appearance.

Video and Audio Etiquette

In the digital conference room, your video and audio presence can speak volumes before you even say a word. 

Mastering the technical aspects of your virtual presence is crucial, and these virtual meeting tips for video and audio etiquette are designed to maintain professionalism and enhance communication.

1. Appropriate Use of Video

• Video On When Necessary : Keep your camera on during meetings to reinforce engagement unless bandwidth issues arise or it’s a large meeting where the host prefers cameras off to minimize distractions.
• Framing Yourself Properly : Center yourself on the screen so that your face is clearly visible. You should aim to have your head and shoulders in view, which means adjusting your camera or seating position accordingly.
• Privacy Matters : Be mindful of privacy for both yourself and others. If you need to step away or attend to something personal, turn off your video.

2. Microphone Usage and Audio Considerations

• Mute When Not Speaking : Keep your microphone muted when you’re not the one speaking to avoid accidental noise disruptions.
• Sound Checks : Before the meeting begins, test your microphone’s quality and set the proper volume levels to ensure you’re heard clearly when it’s your turn to speak.
• Invest in Quality : Consider using a headset with a built-in microphone or an external microphone for enhanced audio quality, especially if virtual meetings are a regular part of your routine.

3. Minimizing Background Noise

• Choose a Quiet Space : One of the essential tips for virtual meetings is to conduct your meetings in a quiet, enclosed space where interruptions are less likely. Inform others in the vicinity of your meeting to avoid unexpected intrusions.
• Soundproof if Possible : While not always feasible, adding soft furnishings or soundproofing elements can significantly reduce echo and background noise.
• Immediate Mute for Sudden Noises : If unforeseen noise occurs (like a siren or dog barking), mute immediately if you’re not actively speaking to prevent it from disrupting the meeting.

By giving due attention to camera positioning, video practices, microphone quality, and background noise, you are practicing good online meeting etiquette, ensuring that your participation in virtual meetings is not only seen and heard but also felt in terms of your professionalism and respect for the shared virtual space.

Active Engagement and Communication – Online Meeting Etiquette

In a digital space where the traditional cues of in-person communication are absent, mastering the art of conveyance and reception becomes pivotal.

Here’s how professionals can maintain active engagement and uphold robust communication in a virtual meeting setting:

1. Effective Non-verbal Communication

Non-verbal cues are the silent orchestra of communication, harmonizing intent with expression, and in virtual meetings, their importance is magnified.

• Maintain Eye Contact : Look into the camera to simulate eye contact, making you appear engaged and present.
• Mind Your Posture : Sit straight to show attentiveness and respect for the participants.
• Use Expressive Gestures : Subtle nods or smiles can convey agreement or encourage contribution, replacing the myriad of small acknowledgments typically present in face-to-face interactions.

2. Using Chat and Hand-Raising Features

Digital platforms offer tools that can enhance communication when used correctly.

• Chat Wisely : Use the chat function to share relevant documents or to make a point without interrupting the speaker.
• Raise Your Hand : Virtual ‘hand-raising’ signals intent to speak, ensuring a seamless flow of conversation without talking over one another.

3. The Art of Listening in Virtual Meetings

Listening, especially in a virtual context, is an active effort to understand and process information.

• Show Active Listening : Nodding or giving verbal affirmations like “I see” or “That makes sense” throughout the meeting can affirm that you are attentive.
• Summarize Points : Briefly summarizing the speaker’s points before contributing can demonstrate that you have listened to and understood the preceding discussion.

Remember, these tips for virtual meetings are designed to enhance understanding and ensure that everyone feels heard and valued.

4. Avoiding Multitasking and Distractions

The temptation to multitask is often higher in a virtual setting, but it can be the bane of effective engagement.

• Close Unnecessary Tabs and Apps : To stay focused, eliminate the lure of multitasking by shutting down unrelated programs or browser tabs.
• Silence Notifications : Turn off notifications on your phone and computer to prevent distractions.
• Designate a Workspace : Choose a dedicated spot for virtual meetings to signal your brain that it’s time for focused work.

By adhering to online meeting etiquette for active engagement and communication, participants can ensure a level of interaction that not only mimics but often surpasses the levels of engagement found in traditional meetings.

These practices are not just a matter of courtesy but essential elements for the productivity and success of virtual collaborations.

Presentation and Sharing – Virtual Meeting Tips

The art of presenting and sharing in a virtual meeting is essential for maintaining professionalism and ensuring your message is communicated effectively .

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Sharing Screens and Content

• Preparation : Close unnecessary tabs and apps before sharing your screen.
• Privacy Check : Ensure no sensitive information is visible on your screen.
• Communication : Announce your intent to share your screen before doing so to prepare the audience.

2. Guidelines for Using Presentation Slides

• Clarity : Keep slides clear, concise, and visually appealing.
• Legibility : Use appropriate font sizes and avoid overcrowding slides with text.
• Engagement : Use the 5/5/5 rule and incorporate high-quality images to maintain interest.

3. Pointer and Annotation Tools

• Sparingly Use : Use these tools only to highlight critical points or guide through complex graphics.
• Proficiency : Practice with these tools before the meeting to ensure smooth usage.

4. Screen Sharing Etiquette

• Pacing : Maintain a pace that is neither too fast to follow nor too slow to engage.
• Attention : Give full attention to others when they are sharing content.
• Transition : Stop sharing promptly after your segment to refocus attention on the speaker.

Managing Meeting Dynamics

Navigating the virtual landscape requires a grasp of the best practices for virtual meetings, including technical readiness and an understanding of meeting dynamics for successful collaboration.

1. Moderating Discussions and Maintaining Order

Effective moderation is the linchpin of a well-conducted virtual meeting. The role of the moderator is to guide the conversation, ensuring that the discussion remains on topic and that all voices are heard in an orderly fashion . Key strategies include:

• Establishing Ground Rules : At the outset, clearly outline how and when participants should contribute . For example, deciding whether to use a “raise hand” feature or type questions in a chat can streamline the process.
• Keeping Track of Time : Allocate specific time slots for each agenda item and stick to them. This practice, a cornerstone of online meeting etiquette, keeps the meeting focused and respects everyone’s time.
• Facilitating Turn-Taking : To prevent crosstalk, the moderator should direct the floor to speakers, p

2. Handling Interruptions and Side Conversations

Interruptions can derail a meeting’s focus, while side conversations, although harder to spot virtually, can create disjointed experiences for participants. To manage these challenges:

• Address Interruptions Firmly and Politely : As one of the key tips for virtual meetings, if someone interrupts, the moderator should gently steer the conversation back on course, reminding participants of the meeting protocols.
• Utilize Technology Wisely : Features such as “mute all” can be invaluable in managing unexpected noise or participant interruptions.
• Discourage Side Conversations : Encourage attendees to keep all communication within the main discussion thread or chat and to avoid private messaging that is not pertinent to the meeting’s objectives.

3. Encouraging Participation and Input from All Attendees

A successful virtual meeting is one where all participants feel engaged and able to contribute:

• Invite Input : Actively solicit input from quieter members by asking for their opinions or suggestions on the subject matter.
• Create a Safe Space : Ensure the meeting environment is welcoming and all comments are received without dismissal or judgment , fostering a space where attendees feel comfortable sharing.
• Use Engagement Tools : Polls, breakout rooms , and interactive Q&A sessions can be effective in garnering participation and making sure everyone has the opportunity to contribute.

Q&A and Follow-up – Best Practices for Virtual Meetings

Navigating the question and answer portion and ensuring proper follow-up embodies the best practices for virtual meetings, which are critical for reinforcing a culture of effective communication and accountability. Here’s how to approach these aspects with professionalism.

1. How to Ask and Answer Questions

• Be Concise and Clear : When asking questions, be direct and to the point . Time is often limited, and clarity helps in getting a precise answer.
• Use the Right Feature : Utilize the ‘raise hand’ feature or type questions into the chat box if the forum is too large for open dialogue. This keeps the meeting orderly.
• Wait for Your Turn : Don’t interrupt while someone else is speaking. If a question comes to mind, jot it down so you don’t forget when it’s your turn to speak .
• Address the Right Person : When asking a question, address it to the specific person if it’s meant for them. If answering, begin by addressing the person who asked.
• Show Appreciation : Whether you’re asking or answering a question, a simple “Thank you” goes a long way in maintaining a positive atmosphere.

2. Properly Concluding the Meeting

• Summarize Key Points : Before ending the meeting, the host or a designated participant should summarize the key decisions and points discussed.
• Clarify Next Steps : Ensure that everyone is clear about the next steps. This might include deadlines, responsibilities, or upcoming meetings.
• Thank Participants : Acknowledge the contributions of the participants . A simple expression of gratitude can boost morale and the sense of team cohesion.
• Confirm the Meeting End : Clearly state that the meeting is concluded to avoid confusion, and give a moment for any last-second questions or comments.

3. Follow-up and Action Items

• Distribute Minutes Promptly : Send out the meeting minutes while the discussion remains fresh in participants’ minds, ideally within 24 hours.
• Highlight Action Items and Owners : Clearly outline action items along with who is responsible for each task and the deadlines.
• Set Reminders : Utilize project management tools or calendar reminders for follow-ups on action items to keep everyone on track.
• Offer Feedback Channels : Provide a way for attendees to give feedback on the meeting to improve future interactions.
• Acknowledge Completion : As tasks are completed, acknowledge the work done. This keeps the team motivated and focused on progress.

Adhering to these practices in the Q&A and follow-up phases of virtual meetings not only ensures that everyone leaves the meeting with a clear understanding of their responsibilities but also fosters an environment of respect and acknowledgment.

This leads to more productive meetings in the future and a strong sense of team collaboration.

As we navigate the landscape of remote work and digital collaboration, mastering virtual meeting etiquette has become indispensable. From when you log in punctually to the final seconds of closing a meeting, each action contributes to a seamless and productive online interaction. 

The key takeaways from our guide underscore the significance of punctuality, minimizing disruptions, engaging effectively during Q&A sessions, and the critical nature of structured follow-ups with clear action items.

The caliber of your professional presence in virtual meetings can greatly influence your career trajectory. It not only reflects your respect for colleagues’ time and contributions but also enhances communication efficacy, fosters collaboration, and upholds the integrity of the virtual workplace.

Implementing the guidelines outlined in this article is not merely about adhering to a set of rules; it’s about cultivating a professional demeanor that thrives in the digital age. 

As you incorporate these practices into your routine, you may find that they not only improve the quality of your virtual meetings but also enrich your professional relationships and productivity. Let’s embrace these virtual meeting etiquettes and set a standard for excellence in our online interactions.

Related articles:

• What is a Remote Job? (Remote Work 101)
• The Pros and Cons of Working from Home
• 20 Work-From-Home Tips to Boost Your Productivity
• 9 Easy Remote Jobs to Jumpstart Your Online Career

About the Author

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Open Access

Ten simple rules for effective presentation slides

* E-mail: [email protected]

Affiliation Biomedical Engineering and the Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America

• Kristen M. Naegle

Published: December 2, 2021

• https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009554
• Reader Comments

Citation: Naegle KM (2021) Ten simple rules for effective presentation slides. PLoS Comput Biol 17(12): e1009554. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009554

Copyright: © 2021 Kristen M. Naegle. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Funding: The author received no specific funding for this work.

Competing interests: The author has declared no competing interests exist.

Introduction

The “presentation slide” is the building block of all academic presentations, whether they are journal clubs, thesis committee meetings, short conference talks, or hour-long seminars. A slide is a single page projected on a screen, usually built on the premise of a title, body, and figures or tables and includes both what is shown and what is spoken about that slide. Multiple slides are strung together to tell the larger story of the presentation. While there have been excellent 10 simple rules on giving entire presentations [ 1 , 2 ], there was an absence in the fine details of how to design a slide for optimal effect—such as the design elements that allow slides to convey meaningful information, to keep the audience engaged and informed, and to deliver the information intended and in the time frame allowed. As all research presentations seek to teach, effective slide design borrows from the same principles as effective teaching, including the consideration of cognitive processing your audience is relying on to organize, process, and retain information. This is written for anyone who needs to prepare slides from any length scale and for most purposes of conveying research to broad audiences. The rules are broken into 3 primary areas. Rules 1 to 5 are about optimizing the scope of each slide. Rules 6 to 8 are about principles around designing elements of the slide. Rules 9 to 10 are about preparing for your presentation, with the slides as the central focus of that preparation.

Rule 1: Include only one idea per slide

Each slide should have one central objective to deliver—the main idea or question [ 3 – 5 ]. Often, this means breaking complex ideas down into manageable pieces (see Fig 1 , where “background” information has been split into 2 key concepts). In another example, if you are presenting a complex computational approach in a large flow diagram, introduce it in smaller units, building it up until you finish with the entire diagram. The progressive buildup of complex information means that audiences are prepared to understand the whole picture, once you have dedicated time to each of the parts. You can accomplish the buildup of components in several ways—for example, using presentation software to cover/uncover information. Personally, I choose to create separate slides for each piece of information content I introduce—where the final slide has the entire diagram, and I use cropping or a cover on duplicated slides that come before to hide what I’m not yet ready to include. I use this method in order to ensure that each slide in my deck truly presents one specific idea (the new content) and the amount of the new information on that slide can be described in 1 minute (Rule 2), but it comes with the trade-off—a change to the format of one of the slides in the series often means changes to all slides.

• PPT PowerPoint slide
• PNG larger image
• TIFF original image

Top left: A background slide that describes the background material on a project from my lab. The slide was created using a PowerPoint Design Template, which had to be modified to increase default text sizes for this figure (i.e., the default text sizes are even worse than shown here). Bottom row: The 2 new slides that break up the content into 2 explicit ideas about the background, using a central graphic. In the first slide, the graphic is an explicit example of the SH2 domain of PI3-kinase interacting with a phosphorylation site (Y754) on the PDGFR to describe the important details of what an SH2 domain and phosphotyrosine ligand are and how they interact. I use that same graphic in the second slide to generalize all binding events and include redundant text to drive home the central message (a lot of possible interactions might occur in the human proteome, more than we can currently measure). Top right highlights which rules were used to move from the original slide to the new slide. Specific changes as highlighted by Rule 7 include increasing contrast by changing the background color, increasing font size, changing to sans serif fonts, and removing all capital text and underlining (using bold to draw attention). PDGFR, platelet-derived growth factor receptor.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009554.g001

Rule 2: Spend only 1 minute per slide

When you present your slide in the talk, it should take 1 minute or less to discuss. This rule is really helpful for planning purposes—a 20-minute presentation should have somewhere around 20 slides. Also, frequently giving your audience new information to feast on helps keep them engaged. During practice, if you find yourself spending more than a minute on a slide, there’s too much for that one slide—it’s time to break up the content into multiple slides or even remove information that is not wholly central to the story you are trying to tell. Reduce, reduce, reduce, until you get to a single message, clearly described, which takes less than 1 minute to present.

Rule 3: Make use of your heading

When each slide conveys only one message, use the heading of that slide to write exactly the message you are trying to deliver. Instead of titling the slide “Results,” try “CTNND1 is central to metastasis” or “False-positive rates are highly sample specific.” Use this landmark signpost to ensure that all the content on that slide is related exactly to the heading and only the heading. Think of the slide heading as the introductory or concluding sentence of a paragraph and the slide content the rest of the paragraph that supports the main point of the paragraph. An audience member should be able to follow along with you in the “paragraph” and come to the same conclusion sentence as your header at the end of the slide.

Rule 4: Include only essential points

While you are speaking, audience members’ eyes and minds will be wandering over your slide. If you have a comment, detail, or figure on a slide, have a plan to explicitly identify and talk about it. If you don’t think it’s important enough to spend time on, then don’t have it on your slide. This is especially important when faculty are present. I often tell students that thesis committee members are like cats: If you put a shiny bauble in front of them, they’ll go after it. Be sure to only put the shiny baubles on slides that you want them to focus on. Putting together a thesis meeting for only faculty is really an exercise in herding cats (if you have cats, you know this is no easy feat). Clear and concise slide design will go a long way in helping you corral those easily distracted faculty members.

Rule 5: Give credit, where credit is due

An exception to Rule 4 is to include proper citations or references to work on your slide. When adding citations, names of other researchers, or other types of credit, use a consistent style and method for adding this information to your slides. Your audience will then be able to easily partition this information from the other content. A common mistake people make is to think “I’ll add that reference later,” but I highly recommend you put the proper reference on the slide at the time you make it, before you forget where it came from. Finally, in certain kinds of presentations, credits can make it clear who did the work. For the faculty members heading labs, it is an effective way to connect your audience with the personnel in the lab who did the work, which is a great career booster for that person. For graduate students, it is an effective way to delineate your contribution to the work, especially in meetings where the goal is to establish your credentials for meeting the rigors of a PhD checkpoint.

Rule 6: Use graphics effectively

As a rule, you should almost never have slides that only contain text. Build your slides around good visualizations. It is a visual presentation after all, and as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. However, on the flip side, don’t muddy the point of the slide by putting too many complex graphics on a single slide. A multipanel figure that you might include in a manuscript should often be broken into 1 panel per slide (see Rule 1 ). One way to ensure that you use the graphics effectively is to make a point to introduce the figure and its elements to the audience verbally, especially for data figures. For example, you might say the following: “This graph here shows the measured false-positive rate for an experiment and each point is a replicate of the experiment, the graph demonstrates …” If you have put too much on one slide to present in 1 minute (see Rule 2 ), then the complexity or number of the visualizations is too much for just one slide.

Rule 7: Design to avoid cognitive overload

The type of slide elements, the number of them, and how you present them all impact the ability for the audience to intake, organize, and remember the content. For example, a frequent mistake in slide design is to include full sentences, but reading and verbal processing use the same cognitive channels—therefore, an audience member can either read the slide, listen to you, or do some part of both (each poorly), as a result of cognitive overload [ 4 ]. The visual channel is separate, allowing images/videos to be processed with auditory information without cognitive overload [ 6 ] (Rule 6). As presentations are an exercise in listening, and not reading, do what you can to optimize the ability of the audience to listen. Use words sparingly as “guide posts” to you and the audience about major points of the slide. In fact, you can add short text fragments, redundant with the verbal component of the presentation, which has been shown to improve retention [ 7 ] (see Fig 1 for an example of redundant text that avoids cognitive overload). Be careful in the selection of a slide template to minimize accidentally adding elements that the audience must process, but are unimportant. David JP Phillips argues (and effectively demonstrates in his TEDx talk [ 5 ]) that the human brain can easily interpret 6 elements and more than that requires a 500% increase in human cognition load—so keep the total number of elements on the slide to 6 or less. Finally, in addition to the use of short text, white space, and the effective use of graphics/images, you can improve ease of cognitive processing further by considering color choices and font type and size. Here are a few suggestions for improving the experience for your audience, highlighting the importance of these elements for some specific groups:

• Use high contrast colors and simple backgrounds with low to no color—for persons with dyslexia or visual impairment.
• Use sans serif fonts and large font sizes (including figure legends), avoid italics, underlining (use bold font instead for emphasis), and all capital letters—for persons with dyslexia or visual impairment [ 8 ].
• Use color combinations and palettes that can be understood by those with different forms of color blindness [ 9 ]. There are excellent tools available to identify colors to use and ways to simulate your presentation or figures as they might be seen by a person with color blindness (easily found by a web search).
• In this increasing world of virtual presentation tools, consider practicing your talk with a closed captioning system capture your words. Use this to identify how to improve your speaking pace, volume, and annunciation to improve understanding by all members of your audience, but especially those with a hearing impairment.

Rule 8: Design the slide so that a distracted person gets the main takeaway

It is very difficult to stay focused on a presentation, especially if it is long or if it is part of a longer series of talks at a conference. Audience members may get distracted by an important email, or they may start dreaming of lunch. So, it’s important to look at your slide and ask “If they heard nothing I said, will they understand the key concept of this slide?” The other rules are set up to help with this, including clarity of the single point of the slide (Rule 1), titling it with a major conclusion (Rule 3), and the use of figures (Rule 6) and short text redundant to your verbal description (Rule 7). However, with each slide, step back and ask whether its main conclusion is conveyed, even if someone didn’t hear your accompanying dialog. Importantly, ask if the information on the slide is at the right level of abstraction. For example, do you have too many details about the experiment, which hides the conclusion of the experiment (i.e., breaking Rule 1)? If you are worried about not having enough details, keep a slide at the end of your slide deck (after your conclusions and acknowledgments) with the more detailed information that you can refer to during a question and answer period.

Rule 9: Iteratively improve slide design through practice

Well-designed slides that follow the first 8 rules are intended to help you deliver the message you intend and in the amount of time you intend to deliver it in. The best way to ensure that you nailed slide design for your presentation is to practice, typically a lot. The most important aspects of practicing a new presentation, with an eye toward slide design, are the following 2 key points: (1) practice to ensure that you hit, each time through, the most important points (for example, the text guide posts you left yourself and the title of the slide); and (2) practice to ensure that as you conclude the end of one slide, it leads directly to the next slide. Slide transitions, what you say as you end one slide and begin the next, are important to keeping the flow of the “story.” Practice is when I discover that the order of my presentation is poor or that I left myself too few guideposts to remember what was coming next. Additionally, during practice, the most frequent things I have to improve relate to Rule 2 (the slide takes too long to present, usually because I broke Rule 1, and I’m delivering too much information for one slide), Rule 4 (I have a nonessential detail on the slide), and Rule 5 (I forgot to give a key reference). The very best type of practice is in front of an audience (for example, your lab or peers), where, with fresh perspectives, they can help you identify places for improving slide content, design, and connections across the entirety of your talk.

Rule 10: Design to mitigate the impact of technical disasters

The real presentation almost never goes as we planned in our heads or during our practice. Maybe the speaker before you went over time and now you need to adjust. Maybe the computer the organizer is having you use won’t show your video. Maybe your internet is poor on the day you are giving a virtual presentation at a conference. Technical problems are routinely part of the practice of sharing your work through presentations. Hence, you can design your slides to limit the impact certain kinds of technical disasters create and also prepare alternate approaches. Here are just a few examples of the preparation you can do that will take you a long way toward avoiding a complete fiasco:

• Save your presentation as a PDF—if the version of Keynote or PowerPoint on a host computer cause issues, you still have a functional copy that has a higher guarantee of compatibility.
• In using videos, create a backup slide with screen shots of key results. For example, if I have a video of cell migration, I’ll be sure to have a copy of the start and end of the video, in case the video doesn’t play. Even if the video worked, you can pause on this backup slide and take the time to highlight the key results in words if someone could not see or understand the video.
• Avoid animations, such as figures or text that flash/fly-in/etc. Surveys suggest that no one likes movement in presentations [ 3 , 4 ]. There is likely a cognitive underpinning to the almost universal distaste of pointless animations that relates to the idea proposed by Kosslyn and colleagues that animations are salient perceptual units that captures direct attention [ 4 ]. Although perceptual salience can be used to draw attention to and improve retention of specific points, if you use this approach for unnecessary/unimportant things (like animation of your bullet point text, fly-ins of figures, etc.), then you will distract your audience from the important content. Finally, animations cause additional processing burdens for people with visual impairments [ 10 ] and create opportunities for technical disasters if the software on the host system is not compatible with your planned animation.

Conclusions

These rules are just a start in creating more engaging presentations that increase audience retention of your material. However, there are wonderful resources on continuing on the journey of becoming an amazing public speaker, which includes understanding the psychology and neuroscience behind human perception and learning. For example, as highlighted in Rule 7, David JP Phillips has a wonderful TEDx talk on the subject [ 5 ], and “PowerPoint presentation flaws and failures: A psychological analysis,” by Kosslyn and colleagues is deeply detailed about a number of aspects of human cognition and presentation style [ 4 ]. There are many books on the topic, including the popular “Presentation Zen” by Garr Reynolds [ 11 ]. Finally, although briefly touched on here, the visualization of data is an entire topic of its own that is worth perfecting for both written and oral presentations of work, with fantastic resources like Edward Tufte’s “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information” [ 12 ] or the article “Visualization of Biomedical Data” by O’Donoghue and colleagues [ 13 ].

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the countless presenters, colleagues, students, and mentors from which I have learned a great deal from on effective presentations. Also, a thank you to the wonderful resources published by organizations on how to increase inclusivity. A special thanks to Dr. Jason Papin and Dr. Michael Guertin on early feedback of this editorial.

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• 3. Teaching VUC for Making Better PowerPoint Presentations. n.d. Available from: https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/making-better-powerpoint-presentations/#baddeley .
• 8. Creating a dyslexia friendly workplace. Dyslexia friendly style guide. nd. Available from: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/advice/employers/creating-a-dyslexia-friendly-workplace/dyslexia-friendly-style-guide .
• 9. Cravit R. How to Use Color Blind Friendly Palettes to Make Your Charts Accessible. 2019. Available from: https://venngage.com/blog/color-blind-friendly-palette/ .
• 10. Making your conference presentation more accessible to blind and partially sighted people. n.d. Available from: https://vocaleyes.co.uk/services/resources/guidelines-for-making-your-conference-presentation-more-accessible-to-blind-and-partially-sighted-people/ .
• 11. Reynolds G. Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery. 2nd ed. New Riders Pub; 2011.
• 12. Tufte ER. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. 2nd ed. Graphics Press; 2001.

Virtual Meeting Etiquette: The Do’s and Don’ts

As we embrace video calls as a part of work culture, there are some behaviors that are frowned upon. We’re offering tips on virtual meeting etiquette.

Since the pandemic hit last year, many organizations have allowed their employees to work from home in an effort to keep everyone healthy and safe. Even as people return to the office part or full-time, video conferencing remains a popular way to meet with coworkers and clients. Remote meetings are a convenient way for people to get together, even when in-person meetings aren’t possible.

As we embrace video calls, like Zoom meetings, as part of new work culture, it stands to reason that expectations of meeting behavior have developed. After all, these video conferences are business meetings. To ensure our readers aren’t caught off-guard, we’re offering some important virtual meeting etiquette tips.

Activities to Improve Virtual Interaction

Even though remote working and teleconferencing are now a regular part of the common employee experience, some people are still struggling to get the hang of virtual communication. Luckily, there are team exercises that can help! Let’s Roam offers many virtual team-building activities that improve engagement, communication, and collaboration between workers, even when they don’t share a physical location. Schedule an event for your workplace today!

What Is a Virtual Meeting?

A virtual meeting is a digital get-together or conference call conducted over the internet. Whether you’re meeting people for work or personal reasons, you have several successful virtual meeting software options available to you, such as Zoom and Skype.

Although your personal get-togethers might be informal affairs with no pre-set guidelines, virtual work meetings typically require attendees to abide by a few basic rules, some of which are obvious and others that are often unspoken. Abiding by the rules of virtual meeting etiquette can be the difference between a successful video meeting or conference call and one you might regret attending.

Just as there are rules to follow when you attend in-person meetings, there is a preferred virtual meeting etiquette. When you consider that virtual meetings still allow you to meet with your peers face-to-face, some of the “do’s” are perfectly understandable and far from surprising.

Test Your Equipment Far in Advance

Testing your equipment before a virtual meeting is always a good idea. Don’t wait until the last minute to test it, however, because you might not have time to fix a problem before the scheduled start of your upcoming meeting. In general, it’s advisable to plan an equipment test at least 10 – 15 minutes before a digital meeting is slated to begin.

Introduce Yourself Before Speaking

If you’re participating in a conference call without video, you should introduce yourself before speaking. Some platforms will identify who’s talking, but traditional conference lines won’t. It’s better to err on the side of politeness and introduce yourself.

Refrain from Multitasking

It’s important to resist multitasking during a virtual meeting, particularly meetings that have video. Whether it’s obvious in your voice or in your actions, it’s usually easy for other attendees to notice when someone is working on something else or they’re not fully invested in the meeting.

Create the Appropriate Setting

By now, you’ve likely already established a setting to get your work done. Although that might be the case, you may want to tweak it a bit before a virtual meeting. Make sure everything that will be within view of your webcam is appropriate for a workspace. Keep your desk organized and free of debris like candy wrappers, too.

Check the lighting around your work area as well. Try to make the most of natural light during your next virtual meeting but avoid setting up your camera lens in the direction of a window. If your home office doesn’t have natural light, turn on the overhead light or a desk lamp. The key is to make sure other attendees can clearly see you.

Eliminate Distractions

Let’s face it. There are a lot more things that can distract you during a meeting at home than there are in a typical office building, such as screaming children, barking dogs, the laundry, TVs, and your smart assistant. Before a meeting starts, do your best to eliminate potential distractions so you can devote your full attention to the business at hand during an upcoming virtual meeting.

Mute Your Microphone

Whenever you’re not speaking during a virtual meeting, you should mute your microphone. Even if you’re the only person in the room, a live mike may still pick up some background noise, which can annoy other participants and negatively impact the flow of the meeting.

Dress as If You Were Meeting in Person

We’ve all witnessed hilarious accounts like Will Reeve’s. Last year, Reeve showed up for a segment on “Good Morning America” wearing a collared shirt and jacket, and what looked like no pants. While Reeve, who’s the son of late actor Christopher Reeve, later claimed he was wearing shorts, social media users clung to their belief that the reporter was on live TV in his underwear.

Although Reeve was a good sport about the incident and played along with his followers online, you don’t want to end up in a similar situation. To avoid doing so, you should dress for your virtual work meetings as if you were attending them in person. Remember, your webcam may shift or you might have to get up suddenly, so play it safe and dress from head to toe in professional attire.

Virtual meeting etiquette includes some don’ts just like it has some do’s. Some of the don’ts are common sense while others are downright hysterical when you think about someone being nervy enough not to adhere to them.

Avoid Taking Your Device with You to the Bathroom

Although this rule probably seems self-evident, a shocking number of people need a reminder to not bring their mobile phone, tablet, or headphones into the bathroom during a virtual meeting. While imagining someone attending a virtual meeting or participating in a conference call from the throne in their bathroom likely induced a good chuckle, you don’t want anyone laughing at you for doing the same.

Don’t Neglect the Meeting Agenda

When you used to host face-to-face meetings in your company’s conference room, you probably created agendas so everyone knew what to expect and could stay on point. You should do the same for any virtual meetings you’re planning. If you don’t create an agenda for upcoming meetings online, you’ll run the risk of going off-topic and having attendees wonder why they’re even bothering to participate.

Don’t Limit Virtual Meetings Exclusively to Work Topics

While virtual meetings often cover work topics, you shouldn’t limit your digital get-togethers to those subjects exclusively. You should plan some meetings for the specific purpose of bringing your team together even though they’re physically apart.

Team bonding is important as it has the potential to yield significant benefits. In addition to boosting employee morale, bonding can foster collaboration and improve your team’s collective creativity, among other things.

If it’s never occurred to you to plan a fun or social work event, you might be wondering how you can put such a function together online. Don’t worry! Let’s Roam has some great game ideas for remote teams that are sure to entertain, challenge, and unite your employees.

Refrain from Interrupting Others

This should go without saying, but it’s important for you to not interrupt others during a virtual meeting. While that may seem like an easy enough rule to follow, it isn’t always. It’s possible to interrupt people with things other than your words, which is why it’s wise to remember that virtual meeting etiquette advises that you mute your microphone when not speaking.

If you don’t mute your microphone, things that can distract you may end up doing the same to other meeting attendees. Imagine your boss sharing details related to your team’s next big project only to be interrupted by the sound of your drier issuing an alert that your laundry is done. Even worse, think about your long-term coworker announcing her retirement just as your dog starts to bark at the mail carrier.

By not muting your microphone, you stand to make lasting memories. The problem is, the interruptions you cause may make those memories indelible for all the wrong, yet potentially laughable reasons.

Like you can refrain from saying anything when someone else has the digital floor, you can prevent other things from interrupting another person during a virtual meeting. Take steps to prevent your household distractions from disrupting another person’s “floor time” before your next meeting begins.

Don’t Invite Anyone Who Doesn’t Need to Attend

While you may want to set the record for the world’s largest virtual meeting, you need to enact some discretion and only invite people who need to attend your next get-together. Inviting too many people can derail a meeting in no time, with ancillary participants wasting time bringing up topics that aren’t related to the core purpose of your meeting.

It’s particularly crucial to limit the number of attendees if your goal is to have everyone participate. If you invite too many people, it’s likely that a few individuals will dominate the conversation while other attendees act as mere audience members.

Don’t Overlook Other Delivery Methods

If you’re planning a meeting just to share information, consider whether the meeting is really necessary. Can you deliver the information you want to provide using another delivery method, such as email or a video?

Even if you still plan a meeting for top players, you don’t have to keep what happens a secret. You can inform “fringe” actors about what happened during the meeting without inviting them to your get-together by employing a transcription tool like the one available in Webex. By doing so, people you didn’t invite to your meeting can get up to speed at their convenience.

Don’t Forget to Send a Recap

With remote work, people no longer have the benefit of running into someone at the water cooler to review what happened in a virtual meeting. For this reason, it’s more important than ever to send a recap of what occurred in a meeting to everyone who attended.

Your meeting summary should include mention of any decisions that were made. It should also include a list of action items that need to be taken care of prior to your next virtual meeting.

Closing Thoughts on Virtual Meeting Etiquette

Virtual meeting etiquette rules aren’t tough to follow, as long as you know what’s expected. The basics don’t differ much from in-person meeting rules—don’t interrupt the facilitator, try to remain engaged, avoid side conversations during a presentation. However, there are certainly some additional expectations in a virtual work environment.

Have you ever been called out for pajamas on a video call? Are there any rules of virtual etiquette you don’t agree with? Let us know in the comments section!

If you’re interested in holding a virtual event to help your team communicate better, but are feeling a little overworked or overwhelmed, have no fear. Let’s Roam is prepared to step in and put together a custom agenda for you. With a client list that includes heavy-hitters like The Home Depot, Google, Delta, United, Nike, and Amazon, Let’s Roam has the proven experience to coordinate virtual team-building activities that are enjoyable, unifying, and beneficial to all who participate.

Frequently Asked Questions

When it comes to virtual meeting etiquette , multitasking is a definite don’t! To keep attendees engaged, encourage them to share comments and ask questions. You can also conduct polls and surveys.

Eye contact is a big part of virtual meeting etiquette . It helps show engagement and interest in what’s being discussed. There’s no need to stare into the cam, but frequent glances are preferred.

Virtual meeting etiquette is not that different than in-person meeting etiquette. Team members are free to chat before and after a virtual meeting, but generally not during a presentation.

Absolutely! When participating in team-building activities , participants are expected to talk and interact to solve problems and complete challenges. This is how they help improve communication.

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Top 10 Most Important Presentation Etiquette to Follow

First impres­sions are crucial. A presen­ta­tion is about impres­sions. But is there a rule book on the etiquette you should follow?

In general, we model ourselves and our beha­viors based on what we have seen in past presen­ters. Our teachers are forever a go-to on how to deliver. Some bad. Some good. Either way, you have seen an example of presen­ta­tion etiquette which works, as well as an example which doesn’t work.

In helping write and design presen­ta­tions, I also help coach people in their deli­very. These 10 aspects of etiquette remain true in every manner of presen­ting, some of which apply to both in-person and  online presen­ta­tions . They are simpli­stic, but crucial to the impres­sion you send.

1. Arrive Early and Prepared

You should arrive about an hour before you deliver your presen­ta­tion. I know this may seem like an extreme amount of time, but it’s not. There is parking to consider, finding the presen­ta­tion loca­tion, equip­ment set-up and testing, etc. – the list is actually enough for another article. You also need to be prepared. Showing up early can ensure your prepared­ness. You have the time to triple check that ever­y­thing works and you have what you need. If all this becomes unneces­sary, at least you are there early enough to improvise.

2. Dress Properly and Eat Well

The way you dress will reflect not only you, but ever­y­thing you are repre­sen­ting. Dress for the event, but don’t over do it. Consider your audi­ence and the purpose of the presen­ta­tion to best select your dress code. Eating well is two-sided. Firstly, you need to main­tain your energy supply and I advise that you include foods high in complete protein. On the other side, have you ever heard a speaker’s stomach growl? It can be off-putting and distracting.

3. Be Respectful and Thoughtful

Being an expert does not give room for being conceited. Know your manners: ‘Please.’ ‘Thank You.’ Wait for other’s to complete a thought. You also need to under­stand that their time is valuable. Some members of your audi­ence may feel you’re wasting their time before you get started. Respect their time and make sure that in exch­ange for the time they give you, that you are provi­ding constant value throug­hout your presentation.

4. Don’t Be Too Quick To React

Fast reac­tion seems like you are on the defen­sive side. Allow a brief second for ques­tions or reac­tions from the audi­ence to set in. There is magic in a pause. A brief 3 second pause is never noticed by your audi­ence and it gives you time to breathe, think, and react. Reac­ting too fast can cause fillers, like ums and ahs, or make you seem rash.

5. Be Aware of Your Word Emphasis

The way you add emphasis to your words convey meaning. Exci­te­ment in your voice is great, but empha­sising certain words changes the whole meaning of your sentence. Like “Does SHE have to come with us” versus “Does she have to come with us” sends a diffe­rent message. In the first example it seems like the speaker has some dislike for the person in ques­tion. The second one is a simply stated ques­tion. You can’t really tell if there is added meaning to the state­ment. Be aware of how you empha­size words.

6. Own Your Stage and Watch Your Body Language

Sticking to one spot makes you look stiff. If you look stiff, ever­y­thing you are repre­sen­ting is stiff. Own your stage. This goes back to arri­ving early and having time to know the space you have to work with. Move around it so you can address every part of the room. The body language you use on the stage also aids in conveying your message. Keep it precise and simple. Every move­ment should have a specific purpose. Don’t just move for the sake of moving.

7. Be Prepared for the Unexpected

Unless you have psychic abili­ties and can see into the future, you don’t know when the unex­pected is coming. You can, however, be prepared for the worst case scena­rios. Know your mate­rial in case there is a problem where you can’t use your visual aid. Maybe you were going to present to a small group and now it is an entire audi­to­rium, what do you do? Relax and present to the indi­vi­duals. Make sure you can work without your primary presen­ta­tion file if required – even your backup files should have backup files.

8. Never Turn Your Back on the Audience

This is seen as disre­spectful by many. It should be a general “best prac­tice” rule to always keep your shoulders forward. Reading from your visual aid can kill your autho­rity with the audi­ence. Besides, the audi­ence is inves­ting their time into your presen­ta­tion, so don’t turn your back on them. In the case of an online presen­ta­tion when you’re broad­cas­ting yourself across the web, stay in front of your camera. If you’re not using your camera but instead just  screen sharing  to present your presen­ta­tion content, never step away from the mic. It is the equi­va­lent of turning your back.

9. Speak with an Educative Tone

The purpose of deli­ve­ring your presen­ta­tion is to educate the audi­ence on your topic. They don’t know what you know. They don’t want to know ever­y­thing you know either. Keep it concise but explain any jargon you use. When deli­ve­ring your presen­ta­tion you should do so with the assump­tion that this is the first time they have heard any of your mate­rial. The result is better enga­ge­ment with your audience.

10. Visual Aids Should Be Used With Care

This last point alone has a lot to be said about it. Thro­wing up para­graphs and terrible images will destroy your visual aid. You need to under­stand the basics of Human Spatial Cogni­tio­nand  Cogni­tive Load Theory . They will help you under­stand how humans encode infor­ma­tion into their memory as well as the optimal amount of visuals for memory input. Less is always so much more. Use visual meta­phors in place of long-winded para­graphs. For example, you can actually replace the physical bullet point with a graphic meta­phor. This helps the audi­ence easily recall that infor­ma­tion. It’s magic, really.

These are just the top 10 that carry the most weight. You’ll find that by paying close atten­tion to these, other aspects of etiquette which could matter will be taken care of.

Discus­sion:   Sharing is caring and we want you to share with us. What aspects of your presen­ta­tion etiquette have you found to be most important? Please share in the comm­ents below!

About David Wilks:

David Wilks­PRO­JECT DIRECTOR AND CREATIVE ENGINEER WOW PREZI

David is curr­ently Project Director and Crea­tive Engi­neer at  wOw Prezi , an Inde­pen­dent Prezi presen­ta­tion design company. He is a trained copy­writer, former mili­tary, and an Asso­ciates of Applied Arts. His niche is in storytel­ling and dynamic presen­ta­tion concepts that help deliver enga­ging conver­sa­tions instead of dull slides.

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