Hi Reader,
You may be aware that, until now, the Zoom Pro plan has only allowed for 720p resolution. While 1080p was technically possible, it required a high-tier plan with a minimum of 10 seats, running about $220 per month.
Recently, Zoom announced a new way for Pro Plan users to unlock 1080p resolution through their ‘Zoom Events’ add-on. While this is a significant improvement, I have to admit I’m disappointed Zoom hasn’t offered a more accessible solution for those of us who rely on high-quality video for live production using tools like Ecamm Live.
The current solution is undoubtedly a step in the right direction. With the Events add-on priced at $99 per month on top of the $16 Pro plan, it offers 1080p resolution without the need for that min $220 a month multi-user package. But this price still feels out of reach for many solo entrepreneurs who don’t need a full events platform.
Personally, I’ll be making the upgrade since I already have the Zoom Webinar add-on ($79), so it’s only an additional $20 to jump up to the Events add-on—and the extra events features will be useful to me.
However, I know that most of our Digital Stage Academy members and Digital Stage Elite Coaching clients don’t need a full events platform; they’re mainly looking for better resolution for regular meetings or simple presentations. So, for them, this feels like an expensive workaround… and one they likely won’t take!
It would have been great to see Zoom offer a lower-cost upgrade option, letting users pay a small premium—maybe even double the Pro plan price—to access 1080p without all the event-focused features.
Do you need 1080p, though? Actually, 720p resolution isn’t bad at all and certainly anything you are sharing on your screen via Ecamm and the like would be perfectly legible!
One problem, however, is that even if you’re on a Pro account and ‘eligible’ for 720p, you may not always be getting (or rather sending) it. So, if people have ever mentioned that your image looks blurry on a call, it is likely you were not in fact sending 720, but rather 360p, 180p, or even lower.
Want to fix this? This week's free resource (linked below) should help! It is my Zoom audio and video settings guide, which will help you optimise settings to ensure you’re getting the best 720p quality possible on your Zoom Pro account—perfectly acceptable for most uses!
If you need any help in delivering your VALUE with clarity on your Digital Stage, feel free to reach out! Talk Soon, Alec. 🙏😊
