Referring to a ‘seminar’ over the ‘web’, a webinar is a solution customized for companies, big and small, to host live meetings, conferences, live trainings or demos from a browser for recipients in several different locations, even in different continents. The interesting part is that sometimes such software can be used without spending a single penny. Of course there are some features which are only available if you pay for a premium package, but most of the good webinar software also have some free services, and unless you have to have the premium features – which are usually unnecessary for most businesses – you can utilize them without having to spend a penny. Here are some of your top options.
Let’s start with the most common software that you and your employees might already have on your smartphones and laptops. In addition to being completely free, one of the most significant benefits of Skype is its wide popularity. Any webinar needs to exist and operate at every end of the webinar telecast which means that it has to be downloaded and learnt to be operated efficiently. Skype is extremely easy to use and is a common video calling software as much for social calls as for professional ones. This means that you probably don’t even have to ask your employees to download it or to give them an operational training. You can also share files, arrange group chats and share screens if there is such a need.
Relatively less common, but no less effective than Skype is this webinar software with an added dose of unique functionality. There is a user management system and moderation system and the software itself is open source. The free option, however, is only available for Windows and Mac, which means it might not be usable over the phone. There is no paid option, so if your target audiences have problems with sitting in an office to attend a webinar, then this is not the option for you. The features offered at Apache OpenMeetings are extensive. In addition to recording, chatting and private messaging, you also have integrated calendars, users and room management, file exploring, as well as options of polling and voting should you require so for choosing your next team lead etc.
Perhaps the most popular of all free webinar options is Zoom. This software has become synonymous with video conferencing all across the globe, primarily because it is not only easy to use even for those with minimum understanding of technology, and has an intuitive design to suit your business interests. There is a free option available for Windows, iOS, Android and Mac. There is a paid option, $54.99 per month, but you can use it for free for a telephone call-in, simultaneously screen sharing, white boarding as well as active speaker view.
In simple terms, Zoom is the professional alternative of Skype, with added instructions to make your experience better. You can use it on your phone as well, so you don’t have to be in the conference room to join your colleagues, just a good internet connection.
If your company needs a software for a huge number of people, even a thousand individuals, FreeConferenceCall.com is your best friend. This software is completely free, which might means some ads popping up at the head center of the conference, but it is not going to affect the communication. You can share your screen with your conference partners and record the proceedings as well. there is option of international dial-in numbers, and you can also customize your URL for a fancy company conference feel. The free option is available for Mac, iOS, Windows and Android.
This is the choice for you if the number of people is not your concern but the time limit is. Free of any costs, this software can handle up to a hundred attendees for as long as you might require. This is available for Mac, iOS, Windows and Android. You can share power point presentations or have a web cam conversation for more personalized conferences and cal also help you generate lists of names and emails of attendees.
Join.me is the no-nonsense software for companies that require highest quality but for smaller number of people. This might not be your top choice if you have tens of dozens of people you need to indulge in the webinar – although you can have that if you pay extra. For up to three people the software is free and it comes with a mobile app and a clean user interface without any distractions for Mac, iOS, Android, and Windows. For five people you can have this webinar software for $10 per month. In addition, if you get the paid option you will also have a personal URL, internet calling and unlimited toll, as well as standalone audio. For another $10 you can extend these features to 50 attendees and for $30 the count can go up to 250 people.
There are some software options that offer free trial periods such as GoToWebinar or Leadformly that offer a 7-day and 30-day free trial. While there are some options like EverWebinar that offer automatic webinars at specific time periods that are suitable for you if you are looking for lead generations through webinars. The underlying point is that you can choose one of the free software options or have a paid one for a trial period before spending money on it.
The considerations for you while choosing any of these include the number of participants for your conferences, the timing and length of the webinar, any specified features you might require for your conference, as well as the flexibility in case you need to add or reduced the number of people for different webinars. Whichever webinar software you may choose in the end, it needs to be in line with your overall company objectives and should work towards improving your productivity and communication.