Hey #FaciliFam, ever joined a Zoom meeting and thought, "Wait ... why are they promoting the Zoom AI Companion?" 👀

That's the current default waiting room image - unless you update it to something intentional, on-brand, and genuinely welcoming.

And since Zoom doesn’t show you your own waiting room as host, you're probably unknowingly giving free promo ... or still using something outdated.

Let's fix that.

P.S. Curious about upcoming live sessions? Scroll to the bottom for a peek at what’s coming up. 👇

Why use a Waiting Room?

Without it, participants jump straight in - no buffer, no vibe, no context.

You miss the chance to welcome them clearly and personally. Plus, it gives you quiet time to prep - no early-bird drop-ins while you're adjusting slides or sipping coffee.

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✅ 1: Enable Your Waiting Room

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✅ 2: Set Waiting Room Preferences

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Click Edit Options under Waiting Room:

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✅ Who should go into the waiting room?

Choose: Everyone

Ensures a consistent branded experience.

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✅ Participant Sort Order:

Choose: Alphabetical

Simplifies admitting participants, especially in larger groups.

💡 Customize other options as needed, but these two are solid defaults.

✅ 3. Design Your Waiting Room

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Under Customize Waiting Room, focus on:

🖼️ A branded image

🎥 A looping video

Both let you create a welcome moment that's intentional, on-brand, and fun.

Option 1: Image or GIF

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Quick, clean, consistent. A static image or light animation levels up your waiting room without any video editing - just good vibes.

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🧰 Create your own image

Want more character? 👀 Literally. Try CNVS for hand-drawn flair. 💜

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Option 2: Short Video with Music

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Because nothing says "This ain’t your average Zoom call" like a short, looping video. It grabs attention immediately.

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🔇 Sound is muted by default!

If you're using music, add a visual cue like:

"🔊 Turn on sound to catch the vibe"

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🧰 Create your own video

💡 FaciliTip: Use a short teaser video or quick intro to your products, services, or event.

Just remember: Zoom loops videos endlessly. Join early, and they'll see it...

not once... but 37 times in a row.

Keep it short, light, and loop-friendly - don't wear out your welcome.

✅ What to Include (Image & Video)

Think of it as a mini landing page

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👋🏽 Warm greeting - friendly, on-brand, session-appropriate

✅ Quick prep tips - e.g. "Rename yourself", "Check your mic"

☕ Casual prompt - "Grab a drink", "Stretch it out"

🔗 QR code - link to Miro, website, or LinkedIn

🎨 Visual branding - logo, colors, fonts

✨ Your personality - emojis, doodles, humor, sparkle

💡 Keep it clear, simple, skimmable and readable across devices.

✅ 4. Test Your Waiting Room

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Zoom doesn't show the waiting room to hosts - test from the participant's view:

• Join from an incognito tab or mobile device (not signed in).
• You'll land in the waiting room like a real participant.

💡 Bonus Tips

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Waiting Rooms are not session-specific

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🔔 Chime + Flow Control

🎯 Now you're set! Go make your Zoom waiting room uniquely yours. Your participants will thank you.

🤡 Enough Said

Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself - Unnecessarily Censored.

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👉🏽 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe. 👈🏽

It helps more facilitators find the good stuff!

🗓️ Upcoming Events

Ready to level up?

These live sessions are packed with hands-on tips, clever tools, and plenty of Facilitainer energy to supercharge your virtual game.

🎁 Free Event Fun learning sessions w/ Miro + Canva 📆 July 29, 2 PM CEST | 8 AM EDT Let's Jam! Jam. Build. Learn.

🎫 Premium Event Stream Deck | Starter Training 📆 July 30, 6 PM CEST | 12 PM EDT Reserve My Seat! Simplify. Customize. Control.

🎫 Premium Event Miro Game Creation Masterclass 📆 July 31, 6 PM CEST | 12 PM EDT Get My Ticket! Design. Play. Engage.