Web Conferencing Service Reviews
Web Conferencing Software Solution Comparison - FREE Trial Available!
As a small business owner, you often have the need to meet with people who are not geographically convenient to your business' location. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to conduct a meeting with a customer, client, or employee, who is located in another part of the country (or world) without having to travel to their location?
A web conferencing service allows you to do just that. With interactive web conferencing, you can collaborate with colleagues and remote employees, or make a presentation to potential clients and customers, all without the hassle, or expense, of traveling.
Web Conferencing Services Briefly Explained
A web conferencing solution gives you the ability to connect via the Internet with a number of other web conference attendees and share your computer screen with them, while some providers also offer web video conferencing capability. Also known as online conferencing, these solutions allow you to put on presentations, collaborate on projects, or show off your products via the Internet, all while avoiding the high cost and hassle associated with travel.
Whether you need to meet with one person, or one hundred, there is a web conference service (Wikipedia definition) to satisfy your requirements. There are two types of web conferencing software solutions - one that utilizes screen sharing, and one that utilizes video conferencing with the ability to share computer screens. Depending on what your goals are, either web conferencing solution is a great way to hold meetings via the Internet, and can greatly reduce the need to travel, while increasing productivity.
Screen sharing is where one person (the meeting presenter) has the ability to mirror their computer display onto someone else's monitor at a different location. This lets the meeting presenter show whatever they would like (such as a new product, slideshow presentation, share a computer program, etc.) to one or more individuals. Those attending the meeting can communicate via a VOIP voice connection, allowing easy discussion.
To further facilitate online collaboration, a good interactive web conferencing solution will have a virtual whiteboard function, that allows meeting attendees to collaborate on a project via a whiteboard that everyone sees, and everyone can contribute to.
A video conferencing solution offers what an online web conferencing service does (screen sharing, virtual whiteboard, etc.), but also adds the ability to physically see all the meeting attendees. This requires everyone to have a camera connected to their computer, and a high-speed Internet connection, but does add a personal touch to an online web conference. All of the below reviewed services have video capability, making them an ideal way to meet virtually, while still maintaining personal interaction.
Web conferencing programs let different attendees be the presenter during a single web conference. This allows different screens to be shared, and different points of views to be expressed. Meetings can also be recorded for future review, and with the GoToMeeting solution, people can even attend meetings using their iPads. See our web conferencing comparison page to compare the leading web conferencing services, and see what other features each offers
Web Conferencing Reviews
Read the web conferencing reviews below to learn how productive you could be if you could host web conferences. You could quickly and efficiently discuss projects with colleagues or clients that are located far away from you. You could eliminate unnecessary travel, freeing your time to be spent on growing your business. You could instantly host secure web conferencing sessions to clarify something during a telephone conversation.
All of the web conferencing solutions below are completely browser based, which means that meeting attendees do not have to download a large piece of web conference software in order to meet via the Internet. They are all Mac compatible (though some functionality may be limited when Macs are used), and offer secure web conferencing connections.
Web Conferencing Services Save Time and Money
The possibilities are endless when you utilize web conference services to facilitate communication between employees or with clients. A web conferencing solution helps to make you and your small business more productive, and can save you considerable time and money by eliminating many business trips. Just consider for a minute how much more productive you could be if you had the ability to conduct desktop conferencing via your computer, without the need to be in the physical presence of who you are meeting with.
We have reviewed the top web conferencing services so that you can make an informed decision as to which is the best web conferencing solution for your company, and the way you conduct business.
Simply select which web conferencing review you are interested in reading by clicking on one of the "Read Review" buttons below. Or, you may click on "Compare Services" directly below to view a comparison of the leading web conferencing programs.
Review Summary: GoToMeeting is the leading online meeting software provider. GoToMeeting lets you hold a web meeting with anyone, anywhere - all that is required is a computer and high-speed Internet connection. Share your desktop, display presentations, collaborate on projects, or provide customer support, with this online meeting services provider. A great, cheap web conferencing solution!
FREE, no-obligation 30-day trial. **NEW** HDFaces™ video capability included, at no extra charge! Mac and PC are supported, but Mac functionality is limited. Able to record meetings and limit sharing to a single application.
Some features not available for Mac users.
MegaMeeting Professional
Review Summary: MegaMeeting Professional is an extremely powerful, yet surprisingly affordable, online video conferencing and online meeting service. A completely web-based video conferencing solution, it allows you to meet with up to 100+ people at a time, with 16 simultaneous video feeds showing. Meet virtually face-to-face, give online presentations, share your computer desktop, and meet online without expensive travel with this versatile online video conferencing product.
30-day money back guarantee. Powerful web video conferencing and online meeting solution. No software to download - 100% browser based. Able to run on PC, Mac and Linux operating systems.
Ability to record web video conference session requires optional one-time setup fee.
MegaMeeting Personal
Review Summary: MegaMeeting Personal is an affordable Internet video conferencing service allowing you to meet via webcam with up to 9 other people. This gives you the ability to have face-to-face interaction while being at different locations. Lacking in the ability to share your computer screen with attendees, MegaMeeting Personal is an audio and web video conferencing application instead of a true web meeting solution.
Affordable online video conferencing solution. No software to download - 100% browser based. Able to run on PC, Mac and Linux operating systems.
Unable to share desktop, so it is strictly an audio and web based video conferencing solution.
