Cool is not a word I use to describe business technology. Busy business professionals refuse to waste time playing with software or apps just because they might be useful. To make the grade, new tools must be effective from the start. They must create value and profits.
Zoom Delivers
I have not been this excited about video since I got my start in TV production 47 years ago in High School. I started as a producer/director and a content specialist. It was fun because I was a one-man TV crew. With Zoom, I've returned to my roots. It is without a doubt the platform presenters have been waiting for. New technology starts as a fad, only becoming a trend once it demonstrated an ability to create revenue. Zoom has already passed the test. In fact, we believe it is the single most important platform to date for business professionals and organizations who want to deliver live video content. Is Zoom right for you? Here are some thoughts from the team at Your Digital Leverage to help you decide.Zoom.us - Defined
It is a live video communication platform that works from any device. Events can be streamed live or recorded for viewing on-demand. Live video sessions can be launched from any internet-enabled device with a camera. Guests can join from any internet-enabled device or H.323/SIP telepresence platform. Use it for 1-to-1 coaching or to create a virtual conference room for remote team collaboration. Zoom shines best when deployed at conferences and corporate events. Attendees believe they are watching a pay-per-view satellite feed instead of a video feed from an iPhone. Not only is it a robust platform, but the broad base of connectivity creates a scalable, multichannel communications network. Speakers, consultants, coaches, healthcare professionals and just about anyone that needs to deliver live video long distance can benefit from Zoom.- For hosts, it is easy to setup and operate.
- For guests, it's easy to join a session from anywhere you have an Internet connection using any device at hand.
- For organizations, Zoom shreds travel budgets, improves productivity by keeping people on the job and delivers a single solution at a fraction of the cost of legacy video communications solutions.
Zoom - Use It For
Anyone who needs to bridge the gap of time or distance with business communications can profit from Zoom. We found so many applications for this technology we stopped counting. Here are our favorites:- 1-to-1 coaching, counseling, training. Medical staff can confer with both patients and specialists in real-time. Coaches of all stripes can monitor both technique and performance.
- Virtual conference room. Used to deliver team to team collaboration. Coworking and office services can create value by outfitting a conference room with twin monitors connected to a Mini Mac, all controlled by an iPad dashboard. The best feature is the ability to schedule sessions through Google or Outlook calendars.
- Fly on the wall meeting attendance. I recently joined a cybersecurity briefing on the opposite coast. No one blinked an eye at my virtual presence. The event organizer set a notebook on a tall file cabinet, giving me the opportunity to greet local guests as they arrived.
- Breaking the 4th Wall. This scenario boggles the mind. With a current maximum capacity of 1 host, 25 panelists and 3,000 guests, event planners have the ability to create an open meeting room. You could place the moderator and panelists in the meeting room and have the guests attend remotely. Turn the model around and place all the guests in a ballroom and have the panelists attend remotely.
Zoom - Tips
Back when web-based video was new, "Good enough for the web" was an acceptable standard. High-quality HD makes production flaws stand out. Proper lighting, sound and the meeting environment need to match the quality of the visual.- Set up your shot where natural light creates a side-lit scene. Avoid back-lit silhouettes.
- Even more important than the video is the audio. Pay close attention to background noise. Use an off-device Mic to improve the audio quality.
- Raise your device above tabletop to eliminate "Nose Hair Cam". Use a restaurant booster chair to raise your notebook or iPad to eye level.
Zoom - Thoughts
I asked our researchers to share terms they found or would use to describe Zoom's impact:- Quality - The picture quality is phenomenal!
- Reliability - Zoom calls always work.
- Immediacy - Both you and your audience must be grounded in the here and now.
- Proximity - It's all about bringing your audience to your location, so make it memorable.
- Production Values - This platform really raises the bar for delivering live video.
- Amazing - How did they find a way to connect to so many different devices?