Hosting a Zoom meeting, need tips

[dontsaveusername]

It's the free version so I'll only get 30 minutes. I've therefore booked an additional 30 minutes with a 15 minute break. I've managed to book the times and sent out the emails, but I've only done it for homeschooling and am not sure how I host.

I thought I'd do a quick run down on why we are having the meeting and then move on to the issues, but it's very fluid and I don't know what the attitude of the other participants (5) will be. It's an informal mediation matter over a legal issue.

Any hints on recording or how I can not make a total mess of it? No firm commitments will be made, it's more to see what the issues are.

The meeting has been cancelled once so I want it right this time.

I would say have a practice with a friend or two on zoom before the day, so that you can be sure about admitting people and recording plus where the recording will go etc, that’s the way you’ll feel most confident.

Also I’m not legal so perhaps someone else can say, but is everyone in agreement about being recorded - you do act differently when you are. I cringed badly over something I said in a recorded call recently!

All participants are automatically alerted to the recording starting. (I can't remember if they actually have to agree to it by pressing 'accept').

I'd send a brief agenda out beforehand.

It's really quite easy tbh.
The recording will take a while to convert afterwards.

Set an agenda at the beginning, direct questions at an individual or name the person that you want to speak in turn, otherwise it’s a free for all of one person will dominate and the others won’t get a word in. Don’t waste time saying “can you hear me? Can you see me?” Etc. I fact have a practise with a few friends or colleagues first, there’s nothing more frustrating than half of the meeting being wasted with the organiser trying to figure out the tech (says the voice of experience).

Oh, some more tips. Zoom is way better in gallery view. You can also hide yourself from yourself, but everyone else will be able to see you still.

Etiquette wise, I always participants to use their full name (it appears in their rectangle) and to use gallery view themselves.

Thank you, I'll do a few practice runs tomorrow and see if I can get gallery view on. I've written up a loose agenda. Fingers x 😀

If you want to make sure people take turns, you can ask them to use the hands up option to indicate when they want to speak rather than butting in. Five is probably ok for it not all becoming a free for all, but it depends how cooperative/polite people are likely to be without hard and fast rules.

If you want more than the 30 mins, just ask everyone to exit the meeting before your 30 mins is up, then you can restart the meeting yourself and everyone can click back into the meeting for a free extra 30 mins. Just repeat doing that. We do it every other week when we have a call with friends - often goes on for 3+ hours and don't pay a dime!