What Webinar Software is Right for You?
Whether you work for a company that needs webinar software to host virtual meetings during COVID-19, or you’ve got a speaking business that requires webinar platforms to run, there’s never been a better time to host live calls online.
However, with so many webinar platforms on the market, how do you know what software will work for you and your business?
Before you jump feet-first into a popular webinar platform, it’s best that you do your research to make sure that it’ll work for you and your attendees.
Your Budget
First things first, you need to consider what you can afford. There are plenty of free options available these days, but the vast majority of these are limited by time, how many attendees you can have, whether you can share your screen and more.
If you’ve got a budget available, then you’ll be looking at between $20-$1,000 a month, depending on what software you choose and what features you need.
Your Webinar Attendees
How many people will be attending your meetings or conferences? Will people want a recording to watch back later? Most corporate webinar platforms charge by user, and other webinar software may limit how many attendees you can have based on how much you pay per month.
Your Audience
It’s no secret that Millennials and Gen Z are more tech-savvy than their older peers, so you need to consider who will be in the audience. If you’re targeting an older audience, then choosing a platform that can run in a browser is your best option to avoid delays and confusion. However, if you’re looking to talk to a younger audience, then you’ve got more freedom to choose a webinar platform that integrates with social media.
Your Guest Speakers
If you plan to have guest speakers during your meeting or conference, you’ll need to have some kind of admin panel that lets you assign multiple speakers. Most modern webinar software will allow you to mute anyone who isn’t given a certain role on the call, so whether you’re planning on having a guest speaker or hosting a panel, these admin controls are useful to have.
Your Integrations
Again, this will depend on what you’re hosting and your target audience, but it’s worth understanding what level of integration you want between your webinar software and other platforms you may use, like Google Drive, your CRM, or your email marketing system. Most modern platforms will manage invitations and attendance themselves, but if you want to use your own software or procedures, check that you have this flexibility.
Your Audience Participation
How much do you want to be able to interact with your audience? If you’re holding a meeting, then, of course, you’ll want to make sure everyone can interact with each other. On the other hand, if you have a speaking business, you might only want to interact with the audience at certain points during your presentation. Some webinar platforms offer chat boxes, surveys, polls, and more.