Have More Productive Sessions With Google Meet

Video conference calls are now the only way businesses can conduct large scale meetings. COVID-19 and social distancing has made it practically impossible to have brainstorming sessions in person with more than 4 people. Though this online technology may be a godsend to some, to others, its more of an inconvenient way of conversing with teammates.

Poor internet connections, non-cooperative microphones and substandard webcams, make the ordeal far worse than it ought to be. That is why Google has made a few changes to its popular video conferencing app, Meet to help online users conduct more productive sessions.

See Everyone
It can be difficult to see everyone, but with Meet, that’s possible. When in a session, click on the 3 dots on the lower-right of the screen. Then in the Change Layout box, select tiled. This will neatly arrange video feeds of all participants into neatly spaced rows. For now, this feature can accommodate 16 participants, but Google plans on increasing that to 49, sometime soon.

Adaptive Lighting Software
Poor ambient lighting can prevent others from seeing you clearly. That’s why Google Meet tries to optimize your webcam footage, as best as it can, to ensure you’re clearly visible to others. However, it can’t work miracles, so it would be best to sit in an area that is well lit.

Join A Meeting Session From Gmail
In case you didn’t know, Google Meet can be accessed directly from Gmail. The feature can be chosen from the lower-left portion of Gmail’s categories list. It provides you with the option of starting or presenting a meeting.

Chat During A Video Call
Sometimes, there may be a need to speak with another co-worker or share files while a meeting is taking place. Instead of interrupting the entire group, you can ask questions, chat or share documents through the chat feature. Just click on the chat icon in the upper right corner of the meeting screen.

Use Separate Devices for Video and Voice
We’ve been there, the random audio cut outs and jagged video feeds aren’t new to us. This makes for an awkward presentation, especially when you’re tasked with leading the troops. That is why Google has made it possible to have two separate devices handle a session. Available for G Suite customers for now, video can come through on your PC while your phone gets the audio.

In order to do this, you can choose to dial into the call or have Meet call you. During a meeting, click on the 3 dots on the lower right corner of the screen, select More options, then select Use a phone for audio. Click Call Me then enter your phone number and choose Call me again. Later, press 1 on your phone when prompted.

Choose What To Present
When presenting, Google Meet allows you to share the entire screen or just share an individual tab. If you choose the latter, only what’s happening within that tab, including the audio, will be shared with all the other participants. After clicking Present Now, you will be presented with three options. Chose the one that best suits your needs.