This is how to choose the right conference software for your online and offline events
This is how to choose the right conference software for your online and offline events
Our lives have completely changed recently, so have our habits. The opportunities to meet in person have decreased, so everything has moved into the virtual space. We go to the theatre online, watch films at home via streaming services instead of cinema, we watch films sit on our sofa, visit the world’s greatest museums online, and also education and for many, the work becomes fully remote. Meetings, discussions and conferences – whether they are professional events or academic lectures – are held online.
While there is nothing we can replace face-to-face experiences with, an online conference can be useful and productive, too. There area number of benefits that make it worthwhile: it is significantly easier, faster and more cost-effective to organise than a traditional conference or event. Also has the advantage of being independent from location. This allows you to attend many of the lectures that you would not have been able to attend before, due to lack of time for travel or due to limited financial resources. As an organiser you can reach a much wider audience.
Although it is easier to organise an online conference, there is an important thing you have to pay attention to: the technical equipment with its quality. For example, a successful online event is unimaginable without a reliable internet connection or the proper online conference software. In the following we will look at them in a more detailed way.
Golden rules for online conferences
There have been online conferences and presentations before, too, but the pandemic has also moved many events into the digital space we could never have imagined not attending in person. For example, academic and business conferences, courses, trainings, workshops, exhibitions, theatre performances and even concerts are held online. Of course, this is only a temporary solution for the time of the restrictions, but in the academic and business life, it is practical to hold conferences virtually, even in the longer term.
Features of effective online conferences
There are two main things you need to pay more attention to when organising: the venue and the speakers. Choose a venue that is suitable for the conference in terms of style, facilities and equipment. Nevertheless, the speakers should be prepared to hold the conference online. This requires a very different style of presentation, compared to an live event.
Whatever the conference is – online or offline – it is necessary to be a good experience for the participants, whether they are speakers or audience members. There is nothing worse than sitting on a boring and dry presentation after which we feel it has rather taken our energy out of us, rather than added something extra to our life or professional career. That’s why, if you’re preparing for one as a presenter, it’s important to take advantage of the technology! Use a camera, a professional sound system and make the presentation as interactive as possible! Participants should be able to ask questions and come up with their ideas as if they were present in person.
We know that networking is a very important part of these conferences, so be sure to take a break when people have a chance to get to know each other and relax! Of course, it is also essential not to use a mostly free online platform, but a dedicated online conference software, which allows participants to chat, get to know each other and exchange virtual business cards during the break.
Online conference: terms and conditions
As in an offline event, there are elements and props that an online conference cannot be done without.
- In addition to the right location, you need perfectly functioning equipment such as a camera, microphone and audiovisual equipment.
- A reliable internet connection and an online conferencing software are as much a part of a successful online conference as the presenter.
The best online conferencing software
The technical conditions for an online conference are perhaps even more important than on a face-to-face event. Because an online conference takes place entirely in the digital space, particular attention needs to be paid to the following:
- Ask for the contact details of the participants in time tosend them the invitation and the entry details! Don’t forget that it is not enough to inform the audience about the conference, you also need to inform them about the platform where the conference will take place! It is also worth including a description of this.Checking in may not be a routine for everyone, so always take at least 20-30 minutes for it! Accordingly, never send the invitations at the last minute! It is also worth offering one or two preliminary occasions when participants can try out the platform and also ask for help if they stuck.
- Make sure that you have technical staff on hand – preferably – for the duration of the conference, but at least for the time of check-in, who can help you immediately if any problems arise! In addition to technical support, it is also a good idea to have a “host” or moderator who can monitor and control issues.
- Prepare with everything – diagrams, graphics, presentations – that you want to use, so you don’t have to spend time on it during the presentation!
- Try the camera, the microphone, the sound system, and any other equipment you will be using: do they work well, can you hear and understand what you are saying, what is visible in the camera?
- Is the internet connection and the platform where the event takes place appropriate?
The benefits of online conferencing software
Online conferencing takes place in the digital world, so it is important to choose the right platform for it. As a result of last two year’s events, almost everyone has met Zoom, Teams or Google Meet. If they are great for a workplace meeting, could they be the best for an online conference?
Not really, as they can’t handle many features that are essential for an effective and successful online conference. For example: the ability to ask questions and make comments. In the case of platforms that are basically designed for online meetings, a chat window allows participants to ask questions and chat, but this cannot be followed after a while.
Another problem is that these platforms need to be installed by listeners, too, which could be inconvenient. It is also worth knowing that the free version of these platforms usually allows a maximum of 60 minutes, and after that, our connection is lost. It is quite annoying, isn’t it?
That’s why – especially for online conferences with a large number of participants – it is mandatory to use an online conference software, which also offers solutions to the problems and difficulties mentioned above.
A guide to choose a software for online conferences
A good online conference software adapts to the nature of the conference, is easy to use and gives a chance for contact exchange and the possibility for participants to control their discussions.
The Blue Jeans, which is also recommended by the Hungarian Bar Association and can be accessed from a web browser, is perfectly suited to the above requirements, with a capacity of up to 100 people. It also has a question-and-answer function and screen recording, making it suitable for online conferences.
Microsoft Teams is also accessible from different browsers, and there’s no need to register for external invitees, which makes it easy and user-friendly. Up to 10,000 people can join at once, making it suitable for large-scale events.
The ConfWare online software is specifically designed for scientific and professional events, making it easy to organise and run any online conference. It is simple and very secure to use, and has the big advantage of 24-hour technical support.
Cisco Webex Meetings is one of the world’s most popular online conference software, which can accommodate up to 100 people at a time and is available for free. However, in this case each presentation can be up to 50 minutes long. In return, it’s very secure and has many useful features (e.g. screen sharing).
Whova is an award-winning event and conference application that can be used for live, virtual and hybrid events. In the United States, it is one of the most widely used online solutions, used by large companies and universities for conferences, expos, business meetings, corporate events, and community gatherings. It has a myriad of features to support live events, but more and more solutions are being added to the system that can also be used for online conferencing. Such are the virtual exhibition and the poster section, which help the networking and acquaintance efforts of both the participants and the sponsors and exhibitors.
Professional team = professional software
Organising a conference requires considerable skills and knowledge, even if it takes place online. There are many details to take care of, and without the needed experience and routine, it can be very difficult. That’s why it’s a good idea to hire professionals to the organisation of conferences, to run everything smoothly to the satisfaction of all participants.
As well as a professional team taking the burden of organizing off your shoulders, they will also have the professional equipment – camera, microphone, sound mixing equipment, studio, lighting, etc. – to make your online conference both successful and highly enjoyable. No matter how experienced a organizer you are, it is unlikely to have the capacity to pay attention to everything. However, a staff can oversee the live chat and the Q&A alongside the technical staff, making an online conference as effective as a live event.
How can AKCongress help in this?
The success of a conference depends not only on the speakers but also on the organisation. So don’t take any chances and leave the organizing tasks to professionals! Our team at AKCongress is dedicated to the organizing of scientific conferences. Thanks to our many years of experience, we can help you from step zero, whether it’s about planning the budget, overseeing online registrations or providing the right audiovisual equipment and services.
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