This is a good definition article on webconferencing and webinars and how they work. It gives specific descriptions on what is done during a webinar and what are the typical steps taken to run a web conference. It doesn’t go into what specific resources you can use to run a webinar, but is still a good article at explanations.
Simply put, web conferencing is conducting meetings using the
internet. And a webinar is using web conferencing to conduct a
seminar.
With webinars, attendees can see presentations and other
contents of the speakers desktop right on their computer. This
type of collaboration can be extremely effective for
demonstrations to large, scattered groups, saving travel time
and related expenses. Web conferencing usually includes
interactive chat, Powerpoint presentations, streaming audio and
video, and other implements.
Let’s say we both want to meet to talk about a very important
topic. I live in New Zealand while you in Canada. Instead of
spending thousands of dollars on travel cost alone, we can have
a cheap and highly productive meeting right here, right now. How?
Go to your computer. Connect to the internet. Join a meeting.
And that’s it! We’re already conferencing. It’s that easy.
Anytime two persons or more hold a meeting over the internet,
that’s what we call web conferencing.
It all starts with software that the webinar host downloads and
installs on his computer. For a powerful piece of communication
software, web conferencing programs nowadays are amazingly small
and unnoticeable. They will continue to get smaller as the
months go by.
Then the host begins inviting participants to attend the
webinar. Most, if not all, web conferencing services I’ve seen
have a built-in system of announcing to attendees in advance
thru email.
To participate in a webinar, each attendee should first download
and install a little program of their own, at times even smaller
than what the host is using. Alternatively, some setups don’t
even require attendees including the host to download and
install any kind of software on their computers. These programs
are web browser-based.
Generally, once all the partakers have done their part in
setting up their computers for the webinar, what’s left is for
each partaker to type in a few keystrokes, click the mouse
button and begin conferencing. Typically, the entire process of
setting up the technical aspects of a webinar from ground zero
will take around 15 minutes for the host and about 10 minutes
for each member. After the one-time setup, subsequent meetings
will commence in less than 5 minutes for everyone.
Basic webinars allow you to “text chat” with any or all of the
attendees. If that’s not enough, you can use toll-free lines to
add voice communication for that all-important clarity of
thought. Yes, you read it right. There are companies offering
toll-free lines just for conferencing.
But even voice connection can be web-based too. It’s possible
thru VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol. This technology uses
the internet, not regular phone lines, as it delivers your voice
to one or all participants.
Although webinars may never totally replace face-to-face
seminars, you should at least explore its practical uses for you
and your organization. Give it a test run and see for yourself
the benefits and cost savings that webinars have to offer.
About the author:
Greg Roy is a communications specialist. To find out more about
the advantages and benefits of
Webinars, please visit
http://webinar-s.com.
[tag]webinar, web conference, web conferencing[/tag]
