How web conferencing enhances your hybrid meetings

What is web conferencing? 

Web conferencing makes use of online technology to connect two or more people in a real-time conversation. When you can’t be in the same physical location, web conferencing makes it possible for participants to see and hear each other from anywhere in the world. To connect, participants  need an internet / Wi-Fi connection, a laptop or mobile device with both a working camera and microphone, and a web conferencing platform like Google Meet to facilitate online meetings. 

Video conferencing is one form of web conferencing, and an increasingly popular way for businesses to connect with colleagues, customers, and partners. It allows you to see the person you’re speaking with, hear their voice and get the full visual context. Although video conferencing is typically the most popular type of web conferencing, it’s also possible to opt for audio-only web conferencing. 

How does web conferencing work? 

Web conferencing requires a reliable platform like Google Meet to connect participants. Google Meet uses video and audio codecs to compress voice and video streams into a compact format. This compression allows for easier transmission via a secure internet connection. While you can easily launch Google Meet itself to instantly start a face-to-face conversation with coworkers or teams, you can also use Google Calendar to schedule a meeting in advance and invite participants to join from any internet-connected device. 

Who makes up a web conference?

Web conferences are typically made up of three different types of attendees: 

• The host organizes the meeting, coordinating a time that works for all invited participants beforehand. During the meeting, the host typically leads the discussion. The host can also approve or deny requests from participants to join a meeting. 

• Presenters are attendees authorized by the host (or sometimes the host themselves) to share and speak to materials directly related to the purpose of the meeting. 

• Guests are attendees who are invited to observe or participate in the discussion. They may be a stakeholder who shares feedback on material presented during the meeting or another team member working on a project.

Meeting attendees can: 

• Share their screen or content

• Participate in live polls

• Record the meeting, if authorized by the host

• Participate in text-based chat and share emojis

• Use breakout rooms for smaller, more-focused group discussions

• Use translated captions to remove language barriers*

Video conferencing with Google Meet

With the popularity of remote and hybrid work, more  teams now use video conferencing to connect from anywhere at any time. Video conferencing allows for spontaneous or scheduled meetings, giving participants a reliable way to discuss projects, processes, and next steps in real time. Google Meet makes it easy to host or join a secure video conference from any web browser or device with a reliable internet connection. Anyone with a Google account can host an online meeting. With a paid Google Workspace plan, businesses, schools, and other organizations can meet with even more internal team members, as well as people outside your organization.  

Audio conferencing with Google Meet

Participants have the option to stay off-camera or dial-in using their smartphone for audio conferencing in Meet. If your internet connection is slower, disabling video and opting for an audio-only meeting can use less bandwidth and help you maintain your connection. Similarly, if you’re dialing into a meeting while traveling, audio conferencing can help you stay up-to-speed when you’re on the move. 

Share content with screen sharing 

Video conferencing with Google Meet allows you to share content via screen sharing. In Meet, use the Present now button at the bottom of your screen to share a single tab, a window, or your entire screen. You can also present Google Slides, Docs, and Sheets in Meet by clicking the camera icon in the upper right corner of your file to join a call or present your file tab in the call. 

Chat through Google Meet 

For those moments when you want to share your thoughts without interrupting the speaker, consider using the Chat with everyone feature in Google Meet. This text-based chat option allows you to contribute your insights without disrupting the ongoing conversation. To access it, simply click on the word bubble icon located at the lower right corner of your Meet screen. Moreover, you can engage in the conversation using emojis to express your reactions or add emphasis.

How can you use web conferencing?  

Effective web conferencing platforms allow you and your team to be more nimble with a versatile, real-time and easy-to-use interface. Web conferencing technology offers a range of effective applications for both personal and professional endeavors. Here are some impactful ways to harness its potential:

1. Training

Host company-wide or smaller team-wide training to align on processes and level-up learning. Web conferencing makes it easy for your entire team to meet and learn together in a convenient, online setting. Google Meet features like chat, emojis and the ability to virtually “raise your hand” to speak or ask questions make virtual training more interactive and meaningful. Smaller groups can make learning more focused with breakout rooms.

2. Business collaboration 

Whether you’re collaborating on a project or presenting, web conferencing allows you to meet in real time with colleagues, clients, and vendors to drive your business from anywhere in the world. You can meet with up to 1,000 participants with a Google Workspace business plan. 

3. Live streaming in Google Meet 

You can live stream your meeting in Google Meet to reach large audiences, up to 100,000. View-only live stream events can be broadcast internally to participants within your organization or expanded to include people from other organizations and trusted domains. Simply schedule a date and time for your event in Google Calendar to generate a unique link to share with attendees. 

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* Requires a Gemini for Google Workspace add-on