How do you decide on which web conferencing solutions to implement? First, determine what you want to accomplish with web conferencing. Then, analyze whether web conferencing offers you advantages or disadvantages in achieving your goals, compared to having to do without it.

One of the main advantages of web conferencing is the ability to host an online event with participants from almost anyplace. This limits the need to have expensive business conferences that require people to travel to a single destination in order to attend. There are many types of events that can be handled by web conferencing. These include training seminars, sales presentations, consultations, panel discussions, press conferences, and interviews, just to name a few. In many cases it is much more affordable to use web conferencing rather than running the event in the physical world. If your business does the kind of events or meetings that can be accomplished through web conferencing, then you might find it cost-effective and useful.

Are there any disadvantages to web conferencing? Well, it does set some restrictions as to who can participate in the online event. Generally, people should have a fast and dependable Internet connection, preferably broadband, to attend a web conference effectively. A fast computer that can display high-resolution graphics and video is usually a requirement as well. If people do not have access to that level of technology, then they may not be able to participate properly in a web conference, or indeed at all. So if you plan to rely on web conferencing for making sales presentations and closing deals, you should consider whether your client base uses the kind of technology that would make using web conferencing possible.

The cost and practicality of web conferencing should be considered as well. Some web conferencing applications are too expensive for small businesses, or require a central server and other types of hardware that your company may not have. But there are many web conferencing platforms available. There is likely to be a web conferencing solution that can fit your budget. Some are free, but come without technical support or customer service. You generally have to compile and install the software on your own in such cases, and if you or your team does not have the technical expertise, that may be somewhat difficult.

Compatibility is also important. Your web conferencing platform should be compatible with the software you use. Not all platforms support Microsoft Powerpoint, for example. If you plan to use Powerpoint presentations when web conferencing, then you should get a platform that can work with Powerpoint.

Finally, consider what web conferencing tools are most useful to your business. One study has shown that almost 90% of the time, web conferencing clients are used for application sharing; however, other functions are used less than 20% of the time. So may be better off with a less expensive platform that gives you the functions you require, while omitting others that are less useful to you.