How To Get More Of Your Google Meet Meetings

You have probably been to a Google Meet meeting – who hasn’t, by now? Chances are, it was ‘just a meeting’, as its organisers did not know the full potential of this platform. In fact, Google Meet has much more to offer than it might seem at the first glance, especially if used with an AI assistant.

Adjusting to these new tools might seem scary, but worry not! Today, we are bringing you a handful of tips which will help you get the most out of your meetings using Google Meet.

Google Meet vs Hangouts

Before we start talking about how to best use Google Meet, let’s get the basics down. Google Meet is a video communications service, which, just like Google Chat, grew out of Google Hangouts. Learn the difference between Google Meet and Google Hangouts. As the popularity of such services grew in the pandemic, Google Meet is now being used by many businesses for their online meetings. Now that we have that clear, let’s move on to the top tips on using Google Meet.

Use the chat

The chat function can be very useful if you have a question during a video call but don’t want to interrupt the speaker, or if you want to share a document, perhaps a list of action items you are working on, or a link with other participants. The function is available after you click the chat icon in the upper right corner of your computer screen.

Change how others see you!

By default, Google Meet have set the quality of video at 360p, which is the standard one. But if you have good bandwidth that allows you to enjoy video of better quality, why not do so? For this, while you are in a meeting, tap the three dots at the bottom right corner and select ‘Settings’, and then the Video tab.

Now, in the ‘Send resolution’ you can select 720p. Do the same in the ‘Receive resolution’ drop-down menu and you’re all set. As an extra tip, the ‘Send resolution’ allows you to choose to send Audio only, which can be a great option if you do not wish to share your entire screen.

Integration is key

One of the biggest advantages of Google Meet over other similar platforms is that it is integrated with other services offered by Google. This makes it easier for employees and managers alike to manage their online meetings. What is more, you can make this even more of a benefit by using Aira – an AI meeting assistant, bringing Google Meet to a new level.

Meetings on Google Meet can be scheduled directly from Google Calendar, so they appear alongside other events. In Google Calendar, click ‘Create’ to start a new calendar entry and invite people to your video meeting. Choose the option to Add video conferencing and click ‘Send’ to notify the participants.

After the meeting, you can take this one step further by using Aira, which sends an email with recordings, meeting notes and action items to all the attendees once the meeting is over.

You can also launch a meeting directly from Gmail by clicking ‘Start a meeting’ in the sidebar and then ‘Join now’. To share the meeting with the participants, select ‘Add people’ and send them an invitation by email so that they can join.

Your meetings can be even better if you choose to use an AI assistant, as it will save you much time and effort. Aira can record the entire conversation, and then provide the transcript as well as with the voice recording at the end of the meeting. From the minutes, Artificial Intelligence can pick up the most important information to generate a list of action items that can be easily edited. On top of that, you don’t even have to remember to turn the assistant on – it will auto-join, recording meeting dates from the calendar itself.

Make your meetings interactive

This can’t be stressed enough – everyone hates meetings in which the boss talks and the employees nod their heads. So make sure yours are not of this type! The already-mentioned chat is one way to make your meetings more engaging, but there is much more.

As most other video conferencing services such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, Google Meet also has a function which allows you to share your screen with others to show them a presentation, a video or anything else. This is a great way to make the meeting interactive and engaging. To share your screen while you are in a meeting, tap the ‘Present now’ button at the bottom right.

Once done, you will now see two Present options: ‘Your entire screen’ and ‘A window’. With the former, your entire screen will be shared, while in the latter you will have the option to select the window you want to share. After you select the screen share type, others will see what you are presenting.

A relatively new feature of Google Meet is that you can create polls and Q&As. Both can be a great way to break the ice, gather feedback from participants (giving everyone a voice) and, generally speaking, make the participants more engaged.

To create a Q&A, click ‘Activities’ in the top-right , then click ‘Questions’ and finally ‘Turn on Q&A’. To create a poll, click ‘Activities’ followed by ‘Polls’ and then ‘Start a poll’. After you enter a question and add options for the poll, you can choose to launch it right away or save it for later.

Another tool you can employ to make your meetings more enjoyable are breakout rooms. In smaller groups, more people can speak and ideas can be exchanged with greater ease. To create them, enter ‘Activities’ in the top right and choose ‘Breakout Rooms’. You can then assign people to breakout rooms or let Google Meet assign them randomly. Finally, click Open rooms for the breakout session to start.

Using these tips will help you make the most out of your Google Meet meetings, saving time and allowing you to focus your energy elsewhere. Which one will you try first?