We’ve entered the golden age of video conferencing technology.
Apps that allow remote and/or distributed teams to talk, see, and engage with each other in a face-to-face manner have never been more necessary—or popular. It seems like every company has a Zoom or Microsoft Teams or ClickMeeting account these days.
This is great news! Studies show that 87% of remote workers feel more connected to their colleagues because of video conferencing apps. And 94% of businesses believe that access to video conferencing tools improves team productivity.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the video conferencing information you need to know in 2021. Keep reading to learn what video conferencing technology is, the different kinds of video conference tools available to you, industry trends, and more.
Table of Contents
What is Video Conferencing Technology?
Video conferencing technology is any solution that allows users in separate locations to see, hear, and otherwise interact with each other in real time. These kinds of tools are often used to host company meetings, webinars, product demos, and even full-scale industry events.
If you’ve ever “Facetimed” a family member on your phone, you’ve participated in a video conference, albeit the most basic version of one.
Due to the rise of remote work, most companies have invested heavily in video conferencing technology and are able to not only facilitate video chats between employees, but create fully collaborative digital environments that promote staff productivity and teamwork.
Types of Video Conferencing Technology
As it turns out, not all video conferencing technology is the same.
According to EZtalks, there are eight different options available to you in this category. But for the sake of simplicity, we’re only going to explore the three most common ones.
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Telepresence Video Conferencing Technology
Telepresence video conferencing technology provides an immersive experience that makes it feel like the people on the other end of the screen are actually in the same room with you.
Most telepresence solutions feature advanced software, multiple high-end monitors, and top-quality speakers to help users host these kinds of life-like meetings. Because of this, telepresence video conferencing technology is often expensive.
Desktop Video Conferencing Technology
Desktop video conferencing technology is what most people are familiar with. Users simply download an app or visit a specific webpage to join a video chat. They then use the cameras and microphones built into their desktop, laptop, or mobile devices to participate in meetings.
While this kind of technology doesn’t offer the same quality as telepresence solutions do, it’s MUCH easier to use and WAY less expensive, which is why it’s so popular.
Room-Based Video Conferencing Technology
Room-based video conferencing technology solutions turn ordinary office spaces into video meeting headquarters. Screens, microphones, and speaks are integrated into specific rooms so that in-office participants can easily connect with remote workers when needed.
This kind of tech does simplify things for in-office team members, but it’s not portable. It’s also more expensive than desktop options. Room-based is best for companies that typically meet in person, but want to occasionally connect with remote and/or traveling partners.
Every type of video conferencing technology solution has its advantages. The trick is finding the right option for your specific needs and budget.
5 Video Conferencing Technology Trends
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about video conferencing technology trends. What can you expect to happen in this field over the next 12 months or so? From changing user preferences to new video conferencing technology advancements, here’s what we see:
1. Cloud Solutions Are Preferred
Users love cloud-based communication tools because they offer unparalleled convenience.
Do you want to attend your company’s next virtual meeting from a local co-working space instead of your home office? No problem. All you need is your laptop or mobile phone and you can participate from anywhere, provided there’s a reliable internet connection.
Employers appreciate cloud communication solutions, too, because they typically cost less and are easier to maintain than big, bulky hardware options. They also allow companies to adapt to changes much quicker than their in-house counterparts.
All in all, cloud-based video conferencing technology is here to stay and that’s a good thing!
2. Security is a Top Concern
Digital security is a top concern for 66% of small businesses. If major corporations like Facebook and LinkedIn can’t stop cyberthreats, what chance do the rest of us have? This line of thinking means that video conference technology has had to beef up security.
In fact, this is one way that smaller video tech companies distinguish themselves from the major players like Zoom, which has suffered dozens of security breaches.
For example, ClickMeeting takes data security VERY seriously. Our platform operates on secured data centers and data is transferred via SHA256withRSA. We also offer safety features like password and role-based security. Read this document for more information.
The digital world isn’t getting any safer. Users want top-quality security from their video conference technology and brands like ClickMeeting are happy to provide it.
3. UX Continues to Improve
Video conferencing technology is supposed to make life easier for distributed workforces, but this isn’t always the case. If you’ve ever spent the first 15 minutes of an important meeting troubleshooting your audio feed, you know this to be true.
Technical issues aren’t always avoidable. But top video conference technology developers are working to minimize as many of them as possible for their users.
This is why ClickMeeting includes an A/V Tester tool, which allows meeting hosts to check their audio output, microphone levels, and webcam functionality before their meetings start. The A/V tester also checks for operating system and web browser errors.
Users spend more time in digital conference rooms than ever before. As such, the user experience associated with these kinds of platforms will continue to improve.
4. Engagement is Essential
The best video conferences are highly engaging. And the best video conferencing technology makes it easy for team members to actively participate in the meetings they attend.
It all starts with clear audio and quality visuals. If your staff can’t hear what their colleagues are saying, or if their faces look like a Minecraft adventure, they’ll lose interest and your meetings won’t be nearly as productive as they could have been.
Expect new technology in video conferencing to improve audio and visual quality for users. Look for them to include other engagement features as well.
With ClickMeeting, conference hosts can send attendees quick polls and surveys, which help reel attendees in and provide valuable insight into different team members. Our platform also allows for breakout rooms, where attendees can work more effectively in small groups.
5. AI and Machine Learning
Finally, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning features are now standard in many of the top video conferencing tools. It’s not surprising. AI and ML are taking over every other industry. Why not the visual communication one as well?
What does this actually look like? It depends on the video app you use. For instance, some apps automatically mute attendees who aren’t currently speaking. Others detect messy backgrounds and blur them so as to remove distractions. Still others offer real-time transcription and translation features to help streamline communication.
ClickMeeting is equipped with many high-tech features. One of our most popular is Automated Webinars. Record a training session and/or announcement, then upload the recording of it to ClickMeeting’s automated webinar timeline.
You’ll then be asked to upload a poll or survey, turn on moderated chat and input answers to common questions, create a custom CTA, and more. When you’re done, send the video to your audience so that they can consume the material at the opportune time.
Automated webinars are perfect for lead generation, employee training, and online schooling purposes and they couldn’t be easier to create. Win!
The Latest Video Conferencing Technology
New video conferencing technology isn’t hard to come by. Ever since Zoom achieved a market evaluation of $139 billion in 2020 (that’s billion with a B), it seems like everyone wants in on the action. Why wouldn’t they? $139 billion is A LOT of money…
But here’s the thing: you don’t want to use a cheap knock-off product that only exists because its founders saw a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, right? And if you’re reading this article, it’s probably because you’ve already tried Zoom and realized its limitations.
So what’s the alternative? We’re biased, of course, but we think the answer is ClickMeeting.
ClickMeeting is a popular visual communication platform that’s used by tens of thousands of people in 125 different countries around the world. It includes video conferencing, live and on-demand webinar, and virtual event capabilities, making it a highly versatile tool.
Some of our solution’s top features include:
- Custom Branding: Your video conferences should feel like you. Customize your meeting rooms with company logos, color schemes, images, and more.
- Screen Sharing: Don’t tell people your ideas, show them. When screen sharing is enabled, meeting attendees will be able to view your screen on their own devices.
- Digital Whiteboards: Illustrate your thoughts and/or brainstorm strategies with colleagues using a digital whiteboard. Collaboration has never been this easy.
- Polls and Surveys: What are the people on the other end of your screen thinking? Don’t guess, just send them a quick poll or survey to find out.
- Intuitive Chat: ClickMeeting offers two chat options—moderated, which is perfect for answering audience questions during webinar-style events, and private, which allows two colleagues to text each other during meetings without being overheard.
- Social Streaming: What if you want to let the world in on your company meeting? Simple, stream your video conference to Facebook or YouTube in real time.
- Attendee Analytics: Data is crucial to success in business. Use our platform’s analytics dashboard to learn about the people who attend your online events.
It doesn’t matter if you want to host company meetings for you and 24 colleagues, plan the highest quality lead generation webinars, or throw a virtual industry conference. ClickMeeting is the ultimate video conferencing technology solution on the market.
The best part is, you can try it for FREE right now—no credit card required! Sign up for our 30-day trial to see if ClickMeeting is right for you and your organization.
Final Thoughts
Video conferencing technology has never been more important to business success than it is today. In fact, many companies use these kinds of tools on a daily basis.
If you’re looking for a quality video conferencing platform that won’t break the bank, give ClickMeeting a try. Our platform can be used for free for 30 days with ZERO obligation to become a paid user. After that, prices start at just $25 a month. See you on the inside!
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