Online meetings are becoming more and more important for business today. With that said, there are some essential elements that you need to know. They include who hosts the event, whether it is an audio meeting or video meeting, etc. Today I will focus on what to learn about the best types of online meeting platforms and the best free online meeting platforms.
Most of the workplaces across the globe provide online meetings as part of their collaboration and communication channel for workplaces. All these tools may not be synced with each other, but providing an efficient and effective solution for meetings is the core feature. There are many types of online meeting platforms, some may work on video conferencing or web-conferencing that will help with most of your situation.
The world is getting more and more connected with offices moving away from cubicles to employees working remotely. This has caused the virtual meeting to become more important. Virtual meetings have many advantages over physical meetings, so they are becoming more popular among businesses of all sizes. A virtual meeting is any meeting that takes place outside the bounds of a physical location, usually by using some sort of technology to connect multiple people into one session. This article will describe some of the most widely used free online meeting platforms, including advantages, disadvantages and different types.
Best Virtual Meeting Platforms
- SkypeAn easy to use app that allows you to connect with a single person or a group of people. It is a well-known platform that many meeting participants most likely already have personal accounts for service use. Skype app comes with no long-distance costs but is prone to audio and visual display problems, buffering delays, and calls being dropped.
- SlackSlack helps to connect team members with each other through messaging tools, adjustable notifications and is streamlined with a multitude of office features. With its reliable messaging features catered to employees, email traffic between workers is lessened. Using this service costs $8 per person or $15 per month.
Meet by Google Hangouts
Hangouts Meet is a more business-friendly tool than classic Google Hangouts. To use this meeting software, however, you’ll need a G Suite Account. Meet by Google Hangouts allows you to hold live video conferences. The number of people you can host for your online video conference varies. If you’ve got G Suite Enterprise, you can host up to 100 people. But with G Suite Basic you can host up to 25 people With GSuite Business, you can host 50.
To learn more about Google Hangouts, study the following tutorials:
Zoom
This popular online meeting software is a great choice for businesses since the most basic level is free. At the most basic level, you can host up to 100 meeting participants for up to 40 minutes. You can also use screen sharing to collaborate. And there are breakout rooms for private discussions. To get more features, such as unlimited meeting duration or more participants (up to 1,000 participants with Enterprise Plus), choose one of their premium plans.
- GoToMeetingThis platform offers tools that include messaging between team members, dialogue transcriptions for video, and adjustable team settings. Using GoToMeeting, businesses can conduct meetings with up to 100 people, including participating and holding meetings using a smartphone. This platform is offered to users through a 14-day free trial with plans starting at $12 per month.
- Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft Teams is a sub-feature of the Microsoft Office 365 platform. This sub-feature can hold meetings with up to 300 participants alongside access for guests, person-to-person and team video, phone calls, sharable files with 2 gigabytes per person, and 10 gigabytes per group, desktop sharing for easy collaboration, and file organization through coloration. This service is free with sign-up using an email address.
- FacetimeThis well-known platform is not just used for connecting with friends and family but can be used for business purposes as well. Although Facetime is only compatible with Apple devices, features include group chats that can hold up to 32 participants, tools to let you know who is currently speaking, and the ability to choose who you want to see on the screen. This service is free to use.
- Google MeetThis updated and improved version of Google Hangout is streamlined into the G suite office productivity service. Google Meet provides the user with an assigned dial number so that virtual meetings can stay private within the team, a clear access line with no dropped calls, and compatibility with both Apple and Android devices. This service offers 3 plans: G suite Basic ($6 per month), G suite business ($12 per month), and G suite enterprise ($25 per month).
- FreeConferenceCallAs stated in its name, this service is completely free. FreeConferenceCall offers tools for collaborating and calls with group members for desktop sharing, drawing, and messages for public and private use. Not only is it free but it is simple to use as well.
- IntermediaOriginally called AnyMeeting, Intermedia syncs video conferencing, messaging, and desktop sharing tools on a service based in the cloud. Come in 2 service payment plans: Lite ($10 per month) and Pro ($13 per month). If you upgrade to the Pro Plan, you can transcribe and record meetings in real-time plus receive an infinite amount of space in the cloud
Conclusion
Are you planning to create something special for your company? Explore the different types of online meeting platforms, which are becoming increasingly popular nowadays. The new statics show that people tend to be meeting online nowadays since there is a lot of business going on on the apps. We’ve all heard a lot about new platforms popping up and making a huge impact on how we work, meet and collaborate. It’s been a boom for those companies that have been able to adapt new technologies fast enough to keep up with new demands from their customers.
DroI’ve been participating in online meetings and webinars for over 5 years and have experienced many different platforms. While I believe there is no ultimate best platform to host your online meeting, I do think there are some great features that you want to make sure any platform you use has.