Compare Web Conferencing Software

We’re happy to bring you the hottest new trends in web conferencing this Summer and beyond. No doubt, there is an awful lot going on out there, and the figures and data we’ve collected vouch for themselves. The exciting nature of the changes that have happened so far this year can’t be denied by anyone passionate about the industry. The internet has been recruited to shrink the wide, expansive gaps between people in different continents and brought the whole world back together to its primitive form. With the introduction of the web space, people from the various land masses were able to exchange ideas within a matter of moments; however technology did not stop evolving just there and now huge businesses and working groups avidly accept the opportunity of web conferencing.


The term ‘web conferencing’ is thus self-explanatory – individuals or groups of individuals can actually indulge in the trend of real time conferencing through the web so that each party is able to join in the same conference remotely through his/her/their computer. This communication can be between two parties or one sender to the different receivers and the conference might be an exchange of video chats, textual messages or simple voice-only interaction or a combination of two. The parties may also use this opportunity to share slides, presentations or text folders with each other. Social media sites like facebook and twitter have really been picking up on this. The popularity is growing with celebrities too.





Overall in the USA and in much of the EU, web conferencing is more commonly used for work purposes; however the use of this technology is not uncommon in homes as well. There are different software applications through which web conferencing is possible and some of these can be easily downloaded through the internet, some are already provided in the appliances while others are possible with the addition of another hardware device.


For some businesses and special business requirements, general web conferencing is taken to a higher level where it actually transforms into providing a session of a ’webinar’ or a seminar that is based on web. The element of mutual conferencing, however, is reduced or eliminated and whole purpose here is the delivery of one-sided lecture, presentation, or workshop. Nonetheless if it is held on a limited level a session of question and answers or audience interaction is possible. Have a look at the video to see a talk on this aspect:





Similar to an actual physical conference, in general web conferencing, participants are just as easily able to exchange their views, ideas with each other or can even be a part of virtual brain storming sessions. People who participate in this conference make use of such things as virtual whiteboards, remote mouse etc. Because there is a possibility of virtual interaction, anyone can take over the charge of the conference and act as the main presenter.
Web conferencing has provided solutions to people on different levels. Whether they are multi-million dollar corporations, locally based or home based businesses or educational institutes trying to extend knowledge to far beyond, this technology has surpassed the limitations of time and space making it possible for all who wish to participate. Not only businesses, but individual entrepreneurs have gained a lot of advantages through the utility of web conferencing and its associated trends; it has even helped in cutting down the costs hugely.


There are many companies or firms who offer the service of high-speed and high quality web conferencing to other corporates for a nominal fee. Most of the computers used today usually have sufficient memory space and speed to facilitate general web conferencing. The only other things required are high speed internet and software that can be easily installed. Usability studies have confirmed that downloading web conferencing applications like Gotomeeting and Dim Dim is no barrier to entry into these spheres. Check back next week for a new, fresh trending perspective on the changing world of business to business contact.

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This year, the number of people joining the party with Gotomeeting (official gotomeeting guide) has increased dramatically. For example, since November 2010, about 2.3 times as many companies now use Citrix Gotomeeting as their main web conferencing fallback, as opposed to WebEx or LiveMeeting. Below are some guides to using some of Gotomeeting’s most commonly misunderstood features:  Gotomeeting Gmail and webmail compatibility.

Gotomeeting Guide

It’s common these days to find people (business people or just the every-day person) wondering where to find a gotomeeting guide. Sure, there are plenty of help documents offered by citrix (the creators of gotomeeting), but this can be a little bit tricky to deal with sometimes. A really useful gotomeeting guide would combine a simple layout, tips in bullet points, and step-by-step instructions on how to use each and every aspect of gotomeeting.

Business-people usually find that, in this particular case, gotomeeting guides them towards harvesting increased productivity and efficiency from workers participating in online meetings. These web conferencing sessions would certainly benefit from a greater availability of gotomeeting guide material.

Most gotomeeting guide offerings consist of a series of numbered bullet points, explaining each feature of gotomeeting in order. It them provided additional information for tweaking the system settings, and maximizing the productivity of the application when working in tandem with other applications such as Google calendar and gmail. In fact, Google has released a lot of plugins which go very well, and help gotomeeting guide the user to a successful business conferencing experience.

Gotomeeting Gmail

This guide will help you understand how to bring the functionality of Gotomeeting and Gmail together, which is useful for so many different business and personal tasks. The mixing of web conferencing and online email seems like a match made in heaven, and the Gotomeeting / Gmail combination is no exception.

• First, you need to download the gmail notifier and install it using your default settings. Then, the next step is to log in with your username and password for gmail. Next, right click on that big red notifier icon and configure the options, checking the selection square to the following – “Use Gmail for internet mailto: links”.
• When that’s done and you’ve clicked OK, you need to actually launch gmail by clicking on the relevant notifier area.
• The next part of the guide is for setting up Gotomeeting to work with Gmail. You’ve basically got to schedule a new gotomeeting session after preferences, integrations and “select my default email application” has all been sorted out. Now, you are ready to use Gotomeeting / Gmail in perfect synergy.

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Most large companies have learned the hard way that web conferencing software is an integral part and parcel of communication with their subsidiaries from all over the world. As a result, it became essential to have the best web conferencing software. But even though there are several different varieties of web conferencing software, it became very difficult to find the best software for their needs.

Most companies noted that it was important for them to have the best features before they could buy in the software. Features that are essential to all web conferencing software before they can be chosen for use include:

• Required software backups – It is necessary that most web conferencing software supply software that wil integrate with the existing software that is present with the users on his computer or with the company’s server. The already existing system should be compatible with the server of the web conferencing software package or is not worth the investment.
• Integrated invitation features – These are another feature that is not offered with every web conferencing software package that your companies use.  If you are using existing web conferencing software, it should be able to integrate with your mail packaging software. This is very useful if the company hosts regular or recurring meetings where the web conferencing software can help the meeting attendees share documents and send email at the same time.
• Screen sharing capabilities – Users should be able to share their screen at the time on their desktop with other users who want to see what the original user has on their desktop, as seen in Gotomeeting. Users can also produce full screen versions of also allow the users to highlight certain portions of the screen while sharing the details with other users.
• Multiple presenters – Most meetings will include staff members and volunteers who will share their details with other presenters and allow users to have multiple presentation duties.
• Whiteboards – If the company uses many varieties of whiteboards that will share information with other users, and then you should be able to find web conferencing software that also allows users to use a virtual whiteboard.
• Text chat – Instant message options are also offered on through the web conferencing software. These web conferencing software options will integrate with the existing software that is present on the computer or individual servers to allow people to use the software that much easier. Integrated teleconferencing software (a-la GotoMeeting Promo Code) is another option that is offered with the web conferencing software. Users can check into the system and use the call in options to get in touch with users all over the world for a fraction of the cost. Not only does this save money but it also reduces travel time.

As Ted Masters, analyst and ProConiX said in an interview in May2011:

There are many more such features that you can use to learn more about web conferencing software but each company and its requirements will vary from user to user.

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Web conferencing for the small business is one way of getting ahead in a small world and in America, but the exact process is not easy to set up for each and every small business owner. With the advent of the internet, small business owners have now been able to host and hire websites as well as company workers that are completely virtual. Virtual teams and assistants work that much faster to ensure that the company is up and running with the least investment possible. In fact, hiring virtual teams and digital assistants has proved to be an immense way of saving costs in the first year itself. But interacting with each and every personnel on the team is possible only with the help of the latest GotoMeeting software that will also allow a faster sharing of documents and projects through the internet.

Advantages for Small Business Owners

The latest survey by NELL International, a market research company, has shown this:

…that the best selected web conferencing software can actually make the first year of every small business be as profitable as possible. Most small businesses close down in the first year itself due to severe losses or cash flow problems. But the use of web conferencing software, virtual work teams and digital assistants has cut down investment costs, reducing travel costs and even encouraging budget maintenance to the max. All small business owners had to invest in was a computer, a fast internet connection and web cameras that could connect them to staff in far flung locations. They could easily hire trained staff in far flung locations that used a far lower currency exchange to save on their hiring costs inside the US.

A quick survey of small business owners showed that most company owners were able to use audio web conferencing, video web conferencing, webinar or training package seminars to interact with their staff for:

• Data sharing with the help of document sharing
• VOIP technology allowed users to interact with each other as cheaply as possible and saved money too.
• The best web conferencing software (predominantly GotoMeeting) could also be used to understand and set up PowerPoint slides and documents.
• It was also possible to set up text messages, as well as, 3-D meetings to share data and work on real-time projects.
• It was also possible to bridge the gap between documents and real time presentation of the documents and the projects.

Most companies will try to get the best web conferencing software that will be used with the existing software that they have. As a result, you have to be able to use large packages and well as small packages with the same process. It now becomes imperative for all web conferring software companies to produce packages that will be suitable for every large as well as small business owner present in the business market.

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Recent investment in the research and development of technology – which makes online conferencing possible – has seen an increase of around 56% annually. The markets have opened themselves to this and the stock exchange gives us a clear picture with shares rising above and beyond.

International business conferencing is also one of the outcomes of this marvel. 2011, not only holds revolution in other sectors of life but it also promises advancement in online meetings technology. The intervention of different governments at this early stage has also shown an increase. According to a survey conducted in France, 28% of the entrepreneurs have already shifted to Gotomeeting or Gotowebinar, and the rest are planning to.

By 2016, almost every entrepreneur and business will have hold of this technology and will be using it widely. An estimated 84% of businesses will have resorted to it by then. By 2014 many leading companies plan to work on it and we will see about 11029 companies who have already shifted to usage of webinars to develop it further.

Another report conducted in February of 2010 showed the importance of international business conferences and its impact on the global economy and world market. Places like NYC and Tokyo have already bear witnessed to the almost 23% increase of their economic activity.

Clearly the evidence suggested that the number of companies offering web based conferencing technologies are working to provide more and more of personal touch in this technology. A conducted survey showed that these companies or at least 87% of them were already planning on taking the webinars a step further and making it 3D. Although a same market exists for web conferencing but the amount of masses that the webinars deal with it is beyond the scope of web conferencing. For example, use of gotomeeting and gotowebinar actually makes it considerably less difficult to combine and refine tax, accounting and business expenditure throughout the business year, as shown in the graph below:

Seeing the recent disaster in Japan, web conferences and webinars can also help rehabilitate many of the people who have been a direct victim of this natural disaster. US and China are already using this technology for patients, virtual schools and universities and are already reaping benefit form it. 36% of these schools have actually stood out and shown their effectiveness. While the rest, are still under development. Of 45% of these universities 23.2% have already been given the status of normal universities. Universities like Aberdeen Virtual University, Kabul Virtual University and Chong hue Virtual University are among the examples.

Because of the long distances the travelling costs which use up most of the budget of different companies the companies have finally cut them of because of the available web conferences.

2011 is seeing a revolution in terms of the technology development and the effect it will have on the global market. The index points on various stock exchange markets around the globe NYC, Tokyo, Beijing and Hong Kong have already started to rise with the more usage of this Gotomeeting technology. Indeed, 2011 will be year marked by the sole taking over of the international business conferences only through computers and a little bit of equipment.

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When thinking about web conferencing, it becomes clear that the industry is dynamic and evolving into the 21st century. It is already apparent that the way the business world is organized, over countries and continents, it changing into an ever more interlinked structure. What better time for web conferencing giants Citrix to create new updates for their Gotomeeting online meeting software. The interface handles very well, and in almost all cases, users report no difficulty in learning the program. On the scale of high end businesses, reports tend to say that productivity and international collaboration – in particular, educational collaboration – ends up progressing much more smoothly when using such applications.

Furthermore, scientific studies and research on this subject have proved informative. PayGensa, a research company focusing on international business collaboration, reported in January 2011 that 92% of businesses they surveyed were able to report a slight increase in international business success after making use of mass-scale online meeting and web conferencing tools such as gotomeeting. This study was echoed in the findings of the consumer and business research body ElsaCom, who concluded that businesses saved up to 4% of their annual expenditures by avoiding having to fly clients around the world on short notice.

In the last three quarters of 2010, it was revealed by a popular survey that businesses did not significantly prefer the face-to-face, hands on feel of personal meetings compared to the traditionally more sterile, less personal “online” meetings. Could this be sue to recession, and the need for corporate expediency? Perhaps. However, there is probably a lot more going on here besides that. First and foremost, we must recognize that online meetings are not actually all that remote in their feel. There is very little you can do in a personal meeting, which cannot be achieved in an online meeting session such as that provided by the gotomeeting software. Personal rapport can be effectively built, and trust is also easy to build online – a study released in December 2010 compared the reports of 64 companies and came to the conclusion that over 76% felt no loss of “personal touch”, and 13% said “little loss of personal tough”. It has even been known for colleagues and business representatives in a meeting online to share jokes, a behaviors which you might not anticipate from said meetings. Add to this the fact that web conferencing application can now be performed via mobile devices, and you have a situation where relaxed, friendly meetings can occur.

Several times in the last 2 or 3 years, attention in the mass media has been given to the art or science of web conferencing, online meetings and international business conferencing in general. So very often in the spotlight is software giant Citrix, who reported a 21% increase in their profits in 2010 – a recession-busting success story which has inspired much of the software community. The reason for this is often environmental, and Citrix – uncommonly for such a large corporation – has been praised by environmental concerns, charities and climate science research bodies (.pdf) due to the green effects of the top-rated Gotomeeting software.

Claire sutherby of AmanCo holdings put it perfectly:

“Citrix have changed the game with their gotomeeting online meeting application. Rather than travel the length and breadth of the globe, getting tired and over-polluting the atmosphere with their increased air miles, employed and business leaders can achieve the same result from home. This is a remarkable gift to the environment, and to the cost spreadsheets of major corporations alike.”

However, not all analysis are convinced that the services offered and benefits promised by this so-called conferencing revolution are entirely worthwhile. For example, some important figures in the transport industry have claimed that software applications such as gotomeeting are not all that effective at reducing environmental hazards. They point to the fact that virtual conferencing still costs electricity and bandwidth. Furthermore, the decreased profits for the airline industry force airline companies to go for cheaper fuel and less environmentally friendly options for their fleets. For example, technology for making air traffic emissions cleaner for the environment is very costly. Hurting the profit margins of the big airliners just makes refitting aircraft with green technology all the less likely.

Often, most people you would speak to on the street wouldn’t think it obvious that tools for bringing businesses closer together would be on the watch list of major governments. Yet this seems to have happened in the last few years. The US and UK governments, anxious to appear sympathetic to the climate change prevention agenda, will clutch at anything which seems to shed them in a good light. By being patrons of the kind of web conferencing and online meetings which slash travel emissions, they improve their image just a little more in the eyes of an ever-more bewildered public.

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