Features of the best webinar software products

Webinars, the most effective means of business communication today, enable the exchange of information between the host and the audience over the web in real time. The web application which facilitates an online conference is known as web conferencing software. It is installed on a local server and runs on the operating platform.

 

A number of quality free webinar services are available today. However, it is always wise to check the availability of the following features before selecting a webinar service.

 

1.       1. License

The first thing one should check while selecting a web conferencing software is whether it is legally licensed or not. The software might be proprietary with limited rights to the user or a free one, but it needs to be duly licensed under the law.

 

2.      2.  Simultaneous user capacity

One of the most important attributes of the web conferencing software is a decent simultaneous user capacity. With increasing global business networks, software enabling a large number of users to log on simultaneously is extremely beneficial to the host. Most software used in the industry offers a maximum capacity of 3000-5000 users.

 

3.       3. Compatibility with different Operation Systems

The compatibility of the software to run on all the major operating systems; Linux, Mac OS and Microsoft Windows is extremely important. The absence of this versatile compatibility might cause technical paralysis in a segment of the audience, affecting the outreach of the webinar.

 

4.       4. Audio/Video Support and Quality

The ability to support high quality audio and video transmission is one of the most important features of the web conferencing software. It must be able to capture voice and video signals and transmit them over the web for broadcast with a minimum lag. At the same time, the webinar designer must check the quality of audio and video delivered by the software before selecting it.

 

5.      5.  Chat Support

Online chatting is a feature which is extremely helpful in cases of technical glitches and is a must in the software. The technical support of the host team uses this facility to instruct the audience in case of any problem faced by the audience.

 

6.       6. Desktop Sharing and Co browsing

An important feature the software must have is a desktop sharing facility which enables the host and all the members of the audience to view each others desktops which makes it easier to share data in real time. It also enables co-browsing which interconnects all the systems in the webinar so that any action done by the host is accessible to the audience at the same time.

 

7.       7. Mobile Device Support

With the ever-growing use of smartphones and high internet connectivity in mobile phones, more and more people are looking for web conferencing access over their mobile phones. The best webinar software products have started offering this facility although it is still in a nascent stage.

 

8.       8. Security

The feature which should never be neglected while selecting the software is the presence of a robust security system. Every software must facilitate firewalls and encryption of data to protect the confidentiality of the webinar.

 

9.       9. Cloud Compatibility

With rising security concerns in conventional methods of storage, the best web conferencing software must be compatible with cloud storage technology. The data stored in the cloud can be made inaccessible based on the sensitivity of information and the audience.

 

10.   10.  Recording Facility

Last but not the least; the web conference software must have recording and playback facility so that the proceedings of the webinar may be captured for future referencing.