Whether you’re a student, teacher, or business owner, mastering virtual communication is a non-negotiable today. With 7 million paid user accounts, Zoom is one of the most popular online meeting platforms, and Gmail is the most widely used email service.
Knowing how to schedule a Zoom meeting in Gmail is the right step toward efficiency and productivity. Follow these steps to hop onto a Zoom meeting from Gmail in a few simple steps.
How to schedule a Zoom meeting in Gmail
Step 1: Download Zoom for Gmail add-on
The easiest way to integrate Zoom with Gmail is to download and install the Zoom for Gmail add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace. This add-on was created by Zoom to facilitate those who use the Gmail platform but prefer their video conferencing over Google Meet. While installing, choose the Gmail account you’ll use the add-on with.
Step 2: Click add-on in email thread
Now, navigate to your Gmail and open the email thread in which you want to schedule the meeting.
Click the Zoom icon on the right side of the panel.
If you’ve just downloaded the Zoom add-on, you’ll be asked to sign in.
After you sign in, give Zoom permission to be added to your Gmail.
Step 3: Set up the Zoom meeting
Click the ‘Schedule a meeting’ button to set up a new meeting.
Enter a relevant topic for your meeting, your timezone, the time and date of the meeting, and the duration of the meeting.
Next, enable meeting summary to receive an AI-generated rundown of your meeting at the end. You can also choose to invite participants through email here.
If you want to add participants other than those in the email thread, click the ‘Show more’ button at the bottom.
Now, add the email address of the participant you want to invite to your meeting. If you want to add more than one email address, just separate them with commas.
Step 4: Create your meeting
Once you have all the settings that match your preference, click ‘Create meeting.’
Your meeting has now been scheduled, and Zoom will show you a quick snippet of its details. Your meeting participants will also receive an email notification regarding the meeting.
Zoom vs. Google Meet: is it better to just use Meet?
If you’re a regular Gmail user, it’s normal to wonder if Zoom fares better than Google Meet when it comes to online meetings. Both platforms offer the main features, such as high-quality video and audio conferencing, screen sharing, and chat support during meetings. They also provide breakout rooms, polling, and whiteboard features.
Additionally, both offer the option to record meetings, support integration with calendar applications for scheduling, and have pretty efficient supporting apps for mobile use. The ultimate choice between the two platforms will depend on your needs. Here are some pros and cons of each to help you choose:
Zoom Pros:
- Offers more elaborate setting options
- Has its own desktop app
- Offers more screen sharing options like “second camera”
- Offers integrations with apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zapier, and more
Zoom Cons:
- Security concerns can be a problem, even with two-factor authentication
- Free version limits meetings to 40 minutes for groups of over three people
Google Meet Pros:
- Minimalistic but user-friendly interface
- Easy integration with Google products like Google Calendar, Gmail, and more
- Reliably secure
- Free plan with 60-minute meetings for up to 100 participants
Google Meet Cons:
- Light on advanced features
- Offers limited integrations
Ultimately, users who have been using Zoom from the very start and absolutely need the elaborate features the platform offers naturally gravitate towards Zoom. However, if you’re deeply embedded in the Google ecosystem or have a Google Workspace Account, Google Meet can turn out to be the more effective, quick, and hassle-free choice. Learn how to schedule a Google meeting in Gmail.
Looking into Gmail add-ons? Try out YAMM
Like the Zoom add-on, other Gmail add-ons are designed to enhance email productivity and streamline workflows. For example, if you send mass emails, YAMM is designed to integrate seamlessly with Gmail and allow you to send personalized messages right from Gmail.
Imagine sending the same message to 100 people from your contacts with personalized details like their names, which are incorporated into the message. Do you think that could help your email marketing campaign? Learn how to send personalized mass emails from Gmail with YAMM and explore what else YAMM can do!