A Quick Guide To Conducting Meetings Online
Internet conferencing has nearly reached the tipping point in the context of business and industry. The costs associated with traveling to meet others in person is high. Plus, the drag on productivity is substantial. More companies than ever before are beginning to adopt online conferencing solutions. Their goal is to reduce, and even eliminate, the need for their employees to meet in person.
Below, we’ll explore the different types of online meetings that your company can organize. There are several options available and choosing from among them is often confusing. We’ll take a look at internet and videoconferencing, webcasts, and webinars to note the differences between them. Lastly, we’ll provide a few tips for ensuring your online meeting is effective and productive.
Web Versus Video: What’s The Difference?
The terms “web conference” and “video conference” are often used interchangeably. In truth, they’re different technologies and offer different features. Much of the confusion comes from the fact that each platform offers most of the features offered by the other.
For example, an internet conference is normally used to share documents and allow participants to see what is happening on the presenter’s screen. But, videoconferencing also allows document sharing. On the other hand, a videoconference is typically organized when participants in one location want to see participants in another location. But, a web conference can display a video of the person speaking, too.
The main difference between the two technologies is where the stronger emphasis is placed. Web conferencing emphasizes content; videoconferencing emphasizes real video images between the participants.
Webcasts And Webinars
Confusing matters further are webcasts and webinars. A webcast is appropriate for a presentation that will be broadcast to hundreds, even thousands, of people. It can be recorded ahead of time or happen live. A distinct difference between a webcast and online conferencing is that the former does not facilitate interaction between the presenter and the audience. Members of the audience can submit questions which can be addressed by the presenter, but participants cannot discuss the content.
A webinar is much easier to define. It is the combination of web conferencing with an audio feature.
Quick Tips For An Effective Presentation
Knowing the most appropriate platform on which to organize your online meetings is only the beginning. The effectiveness of those meetings will depend largely upon how they’re conducted. The most common factor that derails internet conferencing is how audience questions are handled. The moderator should make clear that questions which are less relevant to the content will be addressed after the session.
Another factor that can have a significant impact on the audience is content that conflicts with the audio presentation. Often, a presenter will not realize that attendees are watching something on their screens that is completely different than what is showing on the presenter’s screen. This can easily be avoided. The moderator should set up a second screen directly next to his or her primary screen that is logged in as a participant.
A web conferencing solution is a long-term investment. As more companies rush headlong toward organizing online meetings, it’s worth noting the differences in the various platforms.
