In the current world of remote work, you no longer just have to worry about what you look like, but also what your background looks like. Moving any mess our of shot so colleagues and customers don’t judge you – we’ve all been there! For a long time, turning the camera off entirely felt like the only solution.
I then discovered that you could set a custom background for Zoom and my brain got to thinking about the endless possibilities. I decided to use this feature not only to avoid background shame, but also to share my achievements, and thus, I created a custom background using Canva…
How to Create a Custom Zoom Background
1. Download the Zoom app.
2. Go to canva.com and click Create a Design
3. Then click Custom Dimensions. The dimensions that worked for me are 1280x720px.
4. Click Create a Design.
5. Choose your background photo. There are both free and paid options. I choose the plain brick wall, but choose anything you like! If you’re going to add your certification badges, or any other images, choose something plain that doesn’t clash or overwhelm the viewer.
6. Upload any additional images you want to use, such as certifications, Trailhead badges, or awards.
7. Drag, drop, arrange, and resize your additional images as you like! Don’t put your images right on the edges or they could be cut off. You may need to make a few versions before you get it just right.
8. Reverse any images that have text on them. All of my images above have text. If you do not reverse them, they will show up backwards in your Zoom (I learnt this the hard way). Click on each image, and at the top click Flip, then Flip Horizontal.
9. Download your background when complete.
10. Open up Zoom, go to Virtual Backgrounds. To add a new image, press the “+” then, Add Image.
Now, this is what my clients see when I’m doing a Salesforce consulting meeting:
Final Thoughts
It’s that easy! I had a lot of fun making mine, and the possibilities are endless. Virtual Backgrounds are great because they allow you to add some levity and personality to your video meetings (and hide what you don’t want to be seen).
Why don’t you have a competition to see who can in your team can make the best Virtual Background? I hope you have fun creating yours!