When hosting or particpating in a virtual meeting there are a number of things that you should consider both in advance and during the meeting in terms of best practice and etiquette.

General guidelines

• Wear solid, neutral clothing; avoid stripes or heavily patterned clothing
• Test your connection in advance where possible
• Ensure all participants speak clearly to ensure they can be heard by remote sites
• Ensure that remote sites are made to feel like local attendees
• Use 'audio mute' where multiple remote sites are connected, to avoid unnecessary noise disruption
• Ensure all participants are made aware in advance if a videoconference is being recorded

Hosting a formal virtual meeting

• Circulate an agenda in advance to all participants
• Appoint a meeting moderator (not necessarily the meeting chairperson) - to manage local and remote participation / interaction effectively

Using a personal device to connect to a meeting

• Connect using wired internet connections where possible (rather than Wi-fi)
• Plug laptops into mains where possible (as using battery can affect video quality)
• Use headset or headphone & mic where possible when using a personal device
• Be aware of your surroundings.  For example: -
  • Find a quiet location if possible
  • Avoid setting up in front of windows,in busy environments or in spaces with poor or uneven lighting