Facebook isn’t one to not recognize an opportunity when it arises. During this pandemic, everyone has turned to social media and virtual meetings. A year ago when I moved from Ohio to Montana, I continued to meet with clients through Zoom, an online meeting platform. I have to laugh that even that short time ago, I had to explain more times or not what Zoom was and how to use it.
I don’t think Zoom needs that explanation any longer. Zoom has been one of the top platforms of choice for hosting meetings for business, classrooms for teaching, and happy hours for friends at 5:00 on Friday.
You didn’t think Facebook was going to allow Zoom to be the big dog with virtual meetings for long, did you?
Yesterday, Facebook rolled out Messenger Rooms! Here’s how it works:
- You have the ability to create a “room” on messenger.
- You can invite those with on Facebook, or those who have the link, which means if you’re not on Facebook, you can also join in
- You can join in from your desktop or mobile device
- You’re not limited to the number of people who can join
- From your desktop, you’re able to view a person’s Facebook profile and send them a message via messenger
- From your mobile device, you have access to fun filters
- You’re able to do a screen share with others in the group
- You are able to change views from your desktop from speaker view to grid view
So, how do you access it?
From your desktop:
- Go to Messenger
- Hover over the video icon
- Create your Room
- Join
From your mobile device:
- Go to the Messenger app
- Select “People” at the bottom of the screen’
- “Create A Room” is at the top
- You have the option to select who can join
Overall, Facebook created a fun and easy way to connect with others. The only piece that I did not see was the option to record. So, if you still need to record meetings, then this may not be the solution for you.
What do you think about Messenger Rooms? Will you use it for fun, business, or both?