Hey There! Welcome to Zoom Basics!
I'm Skits, and I work with Jerry over at SKTS — Shared Knowledge Technical Solutions. Today I'm going to teach you Zoom. Yeah, that Zoom. The one everybody started talking about a few years ago.
In about 10 minutes, you'll know everything you need to join calls, use the controls, and even set up your own meetings. Not bad for a Tuesday, right?
But first — what's your name?
What You'll Walk Away Knowing:
- What Zoom actually is (spoiler: it's not scary)
- Whether you need an account (you might not!)
- How to join a meeting when someone sends you a link
- What all those buttons do once you're in
- How to host your own call and invite people
- What to do when things go wrong (because they will, and that's okay)
What IS Zoom, Anyway?
Zoom is a video calling app. That's really all it is. You open it up, you see people's faces, you talk. Done.
It got famous during the pandemic when suddenly everyone — grandparents, churches, doctors, schools — needed a way to see each other without being in the same room. And Zoom was right there.
Who Uses Zoom?
- Families catching up across the country
- Doctors doing telehealth appointments
- Churches and Bible study groups
- Book clubs and hobby groups
- Businesses big and small
- Schools and tutors
So if someone says "let's Zoom," they're just asking you to hop on a video call. That's it. Nothing to be nervous about.
Do You Need an Account?
Okay, this is the #1 question I get. So let me clear this up once and for all.
Just Joining Someone Else's Meeting?
NO account needed! Someone sends you a link, you click it, you're in. That's it. Seriously.
Want to Host Your Own Meetings?
Then yes, you'll need a free account. Head to zoom.us and sign up. Takes about 2 minutes.
Setting up a new account? Make sure your password is solid. Our Password Security 101 microcourse has you covered.
Zoom Plans at a Glance
| Plan |
Price |
What You Get |
| Workplace Basic |
Free |
One-on-one calls unlimited, group calls 40 minutes |
| Workplace Pro |
$14.16/mo |
Longer meetings, great for personal use or small teams |
| Workplace Business |
$18.33/mo |
Larger teams, more features |
| Enterprise |
Custom pricing |
Big companies with big needs |
Here's the thing most people don't realize: one-on-one calls are completely unlimited on the free plan. The 40-minute limit only kicks in when you've got 3 or more people. And even then, you can just start a new meeting when time runs out. No big deal.
Quick Check 1 of 6: True or False
Let's see if those first few slides stuck. I hear these myths from clients every single week. Let's bust 'em.
"You need a Zoom account to JOIN someone else's meeting."
"One-on-one Zoom calls on the free plan have no time limit."
"Group calls on the free plan are limited to 40 minutes."
"Zoom only works on computers — you can't use it on a phone or tablet."
Ready to dive in?
Pick how you'll be using Zoom and let's start the real learning: