Choosing Web Conferencing Software

Choosing your web conferencing software is very much like choosing any other product – you have to accept that none of them will do EVERYTHING well.

Since each kind of web conferencing software has its strong and weak points, you should first determine which features are most important to you. The one that is best for you is the one that will give you most of what you need to reach your specific goal.

Identify which features are most important, and you will immediately narrow the field of web conferencing software vendors vying for your money.

What Do You Want Your Web Conferencing Software to Do for You?

1. Communication
Does the job or task you will use your web conferencing software on lean more towards communication? Then you will want web conferencing software that is capable of hosting meetings, transmitting webcasts, and holding webinars (online seminars).

a. Capacity
You will also have to determine the number of participants you intend to have. Web conferencing software can allow you anywhere from 10 participants to hundreds of delegates.

b. Interaction
Another thing to consider is the web conferencing software’s level of interaction. Will you need to make slide presentations, but not need to share files? Will simple question-and-answer capabilities suffice?

c. Vendors
These vendors offer web conferencing software leaning more towards communication:
* Centra
* Netbriefings
* Placeware
* Smiletiger
* Spartacom

2. Project Management
Web conferencing software that is geared towards project management is also known as online collaboration software.

a. Capability
Online collaboration software allows conference participants to share files, view them at the same time, as well as make changes to them in real time.

b. Interaction
This type of web conferencing software has a higher level of interaction. It offers you a very high level of collaboration that was previously only possible by being physically present at the same location.

c. Vendors
The vendors that offer web conferencing software leaning more towards project management are:
* Genesys
* Interwise
* Viditel
* WebEx

Other Web Conferencing Software Considerations

When you finally decide which type of web conferencing software will best suit your needs, you will also need to consider:

1. Compatibility with your existing software and operating system so you can operate all the features of your chosen web conferencing software;

2. Sufficient broadband capability to run your chosen web conferencing software; and, of course,

3. Cost vis-à-vis features since web conferencing software can range from the most advance to the most basic (many of which are available as free downloads, such as MSN or Yahoo! Messenger).

Whether you decide to go for feature-rich, more expensive web conferencing software or the most basic ones that cost next to nothing, one thing is certain: web conferencing will always be less expensive than traveling to a meeting.