What is a web meeting?: How to choose the right meeting software to enhance business communication

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Meetings are an essential part of day-to-day business operations, and with RingCentral Web Meeting you’ll be able to connect with your team wherever they are in the world. Unlike traditional dial-in conference calls, web meetings make for a seamless online meeting experience that gives users the choice of both audio and video conferencing. So, you have even more choice when it comes to connecting with your team.

What is a web meeting

What is a web meeting?

Simply put, a web meeting is a conference call held online with the added functionality of hosting both audio conferencing and video conferencing. Eliminating the need for face-to-face meetings and a phone system to dial in, web meetings provide a more flexible approach to connecting with your team. Users will need a webcam to get started, but other than that, the process of hosting a web meeting is incredibly simple.

Web meetings enable you to assemble your team online, regardless of location, with high-quality HD video and extra features such as file sharing, screen sharing, video conferencing, and call recording. Ideal for small businesses, RingCentral’s web conferencing software does the hard work for you and provides an efficient platform to meet all your video and audio calling needs.

Online video conferencing
Audio vs. video conferencing

What is the difference between audio and video conferencing?

Out of the two, audio conferencing is the simplest version of web conferencing available. Think of it as your standard meeting without video – you’ll still be able to talk, record, and mute participants, but you won’t be able to host a video call. Ideal for a quick catch-up or for those with poor reception, audio conferences can be accessed via both desktop and laptop.

Instead of traditional dial-in audio conference calls, RingCentral’s web meeting software offers a more modern and flexible alternative; IP-based audio conferencing. With this option, users will be able to join virtual meetings via web browser links, mobile apps, or a dial-in code – taking the hassle out of traditional dial-in calls where a phone system is required.

What separates audio calls from a video conference is the inclusion of video – something that can add a bit of a human touch to your everyday meetings. Unlike audio conferencing, participants will all be able to see and interact with each other visually and have access to some extra features including: screen sharing, file sharing and group brainstorming. Video meetings make collaboration easier, and with RingCentral’s web meeting software, you’ll have access to a range of collaborative tools that make connecting with your team efficient and fun.

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Why businesses are using web meetings to enhance collaboration and communication

Sometimes, meeting in person just isn’t practical. When you’re nearing a pressing deadline or need to connect to a team member who works remotely, web meetings provide the ideal solution. Regardless of your location, web meetings offer a more flexible and modern approach to virtual team calls.

Businesses have started to see the benefits of web meetings for enhancing collaboration and communication, and it’s easy to see why. Versatile and suitable for any occasion, web meetings have some widespread applications, including:

Presentations and briefings

Collaborative team-building (team meetings and check-ins, online events, and game nights).

Learning experiences (training, online classrooms, and onboarding).

Webinars

Product demos and launches

Why do 400,000+ businesses use RingCentral for web meetings

As a trusted cloud-based communications platform, RingCentral has helped 400,000+ businesses meet their online conferencing needs with high-quality, real-time video and audio calling capabilities. Combining collaboration and communication, RingCentral provides businesses with a seamless, efficient online meeting experience with all-in-one communication features such as messaging, video, and audio.

Equipped with additional communication platforms such as VOIP, RingCentral has something for every business so you can cover all bases.

Zoom into meetings with one click. Host or join meetings at the click of a button with RingCentral remotely from a conference room, mobile device, or Mac – all easily accessible via Chrome.

Learn more about online meetings by clicking here.

Create collaborative spaces online effortlessly and in an instant with RC Meeting Rooms, complete with the added option of reserving rooms. Get collaborative with file and screen share features, and brainstorm with the whiteboard feature.

Learn more about RC rooms by clicking here.

Host memorable online experiences for your team and others with webinars for business that engage and connect with users regardless of location.

Learn more about webinars for business by clicking here.

Connect with your customers with RingCentral and equip yourself with the flexibility to contact them via message, text, email, or video call. Set up your contact centre staff with intelligent communications systems that give customers a positive CX within a digital space.

No matter where you or your team are located, RingCentral provides a solution for online meetings at the tap of a button. Connect seamlessly with your team over audio or video with a digital meeting experience that puts collaboration at the heart of its strategy.

Host and join meetings with the knowledge that your conservations and messages are end-to-end encrypted with built-in, enterprise-grade security that puts your privacy first. Gain access to actionable insights that provide you with a clear overview of analytics and reports for every meeting room.

Plan online meetings effortlessly with Google Calendar to avoid scheduling mishaps and ensure participants get to meeting rooms on time.

Manage your business - anytime, anywhere

No equipment. No landlines. No nonsense.

Get all the features of your business phone system in a single app.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

The great thing about web meetings is that they’re suited to any kind of event. Online web conferences are ideal for:

  • Hosting presentations
  • Product launches or demos
  • Creating collaborative experiences for your team (weekly check-ins and video calls)
  • Online events
  • Webinars
  • Creating learning experiences (online classrooms, training, and onboarding)
  • Regular briefings and team meetings
woman attending online meeting

RingCentral’s conferencing system provides users with six easy ways to create a web meeting, including:

  1. Using email such as Outlook and sending an invite to create a one-off meeting
  2. Using email to send an invite to create an ongoing meeting
  3. Using your calendar to send an invite to a meeting by integrating it with RingCentral’s online meeting tools
  4. Sending a meeting link manually for last-minute conferences and calls
  5. Sending a direct invitation to participants if they have the same app as you
  6. Sending a meeting room link once you’ve booked a room

Whatever option you choose, make sure it’s suited to the kind of meeting you’re setting up and that your guests have access to the meeting agenda and link.

Joining a RingCentral online meeting is extremely straightforward, and there are five options available to guests, including:

  1. Using the RingCentral conferencing app to join by downloading collaborative software
  2. Using RingCentral’s web conferencing software and conferencing tools to join a meeting
  3. Using a web browser to join
  4. Using the mobile app version of RingCentral’s web conferencing tool
  5. Joining via a dial-in phone system or mobile

Once you’ve successfully joined a meeting, you’ll likely need permission from the host to enter a room, so you’ll be directed to a waiting lobby until you’re provided access. You’ll then be able to manage your call controls, such as mute, and whether you want to join via video or audio.

RingCentral is an ideal solution for businesses with remote workers, as no software download is required on the attendee’s part to join a meeting.

Every business is unique, so you should look for a solution with all the features to fit your specific needs. Do your research and make sure a video conferencing solution meets your standards before downloading a free version.

Though it’s crucial to pay attention to pricing, you shouldn’t base your decision on this alone. Some free apps might have an efficient web conferencing solution for your business but lack the collaboration tools you need, so always double-check before downloading.

You might want an online meeting platform that hosts conferences from both Android and IOS, or you might just be happy with a desktop application. We’ve covered a few of the most essential factors to consider when choosing the best video conferencing software for you:

Pricing and your budget

An obvious one to factor in, your budget should be a key consideration when deciding which online meeting platform to install. This will lead the way for which options you can choose from, and remember – web conferencing software with added collaboration tools will usually come at a higher cost than standalone conference call software.

Video and audio quality

Always consider the quality of audio and video. Opt for systems with high-quality HD video and audio, and make sure your own mics and webcams work well so you can avoid any mishaps on call.

Intuitive joining and navigation experiences

Whatever software you decide on, make sure it’s simple and efficient to use before rolling it out to your entire team. Get in a few test runs before you make a final decision to ensure everyone’s on board with the software and that it runs smoothly for them.

Messaging feature

This enables guests and attendees to participate even if they don’t use audio or video – it’s all about making sure you provide as many channels of communication as possible to ensure everyone’s comfortable.

Call recording feature

With this feature, you can hang onto important information and share it with the team later. There might be situations where a team member can’t make it to a call, so having this option will mean no one misses out.

Collaborative tools

Collaboration is critical to breaking down silos and getting teams to develop relationships and bonds with each other. With features like file-sharing, screen-sharing, and brainstorming, you’ll be able to facilitate discussion and collaboration in a more interactive and engaging environment.

Compatible with multiple devices

If your team is global or working remotely, it’s really important to pick a platform that suits everyone’s situation. Pick software that aligns with all devices, regardless of location. Make sure your chosen software can be accessed via laptop, desktop, tablet, and mobile.

secure online meeting platform

Your conferencing service should institute robust security measures at every level of its architecture to give you complete peace of mind. RingCentral does just that, providing you with Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP) encryption between all endpoints for unerring transmission security.

It also offers infrastructure safeguards from firewalls and session border controls, multiple authentication levels, and fraud analytics to vulnerability scans. The platform is also deployed across SSAE 18 and ISO 27001-audited data centres, which means it’s protected by the strongest electronic prevention systems, on-site engineering specialists, and security guards.

Other key features of the best web meeting application

For a seamless and simple digital experience, choose RingCentral to harness great communication across your team. The RingCentral platform hosts an array of other key features, including:

Don’t stop at 40 minutes

Start and join a meeting with unlimited minutes – both for group meetings and one-to-one calls across any device.

Record Meeting - Unlimited

Record an unlimited amount of meetings and save them to the cloud for a whole year.

Keep up with GDPR

Stay protected with end-to-end encryption, and rest assured you’re GDPR compliant with our enterprise-grade security that’s built into every meeting.

HD Audio & Video

Have access to HD audio and video for a seamless online meeting experience.

Virtual Background

Room look messy? RingCentral offers a set of backgrounds to choose from, or you can upload your own.

Format your message

Send and receive messages with ease via the chat option, so you can participate even if you don’t turn on audio or video.

Call Me

Say goodbye to the dial-in – use RingCentral’s platform, and we’ll call you to join the meeting.

Breakout Rooms

Join RC rooms easily and stay connected with your team, making collaboration and communication easier.

Say it with emojis

Access to a range of fun emojis, guaranteed to spice up every online meeting.

Join from anywhere

Compatible with desktop and mobile, the RingCentral app works on all devices to offer a solution no matter where you are.

Share Screen

Share your screen with the rest of the team effortlessly, giving everyone an overview of presentations, graphs, and data you have to show.

Drag and drop files

Stay organised and drop and share files with your entire team via the message thread on-call.

Reduce Noise

Manage in-call controls with the option of reducing background noise so that you can stay focused.

Online Whiteboard

Access RingCentral’s whiteboard feature on-call to facilitate great collaboration and brainstorming across the team.

Flip to dark mode

Customise your background colour to either the original, white pre-set, or go sleek with dark mode.

Join from the browser

Send and receive invite links to a meeting via your browser for quick and easy navigation of RingCentral’s online meeting platform.

Work on one file

Have access to all of RingCentral’s web, audio, and video conferencing capabilities within the app – all in one place.

Goosehead insurance
It’s everything we need to stay connected, all in one place.

Michael Moxley, Vice President of IT, Goosehead Insurance

Make meetings better with RingCentral