Online Meeting Platforms
Written by: Canika Zhu
The Covid-19 outbreak has significantly affected our daily activities, shifting our routines from online to offline. Following the pandemic, the number of online lectures, meetings, and conferences exploded. While already existing platforms grew in popularity, new ones appeared. The most recognized online platforms include Zoom and Google Meet, with Zoom’s users increasing by 300 million 3 months after the outbreak.
With the increasing demand for online meeting platforms, it has become an alternative for meetings and events even after exiting the pandemic. The availability of this technology has brought many benefits and limitations to people’s lives, making it an easier but less effective experience for college students and people at work.
One of the benefits of virtual events is that they can be far more cost-effective and simple to plan than offline events. These elements may make the difference between being able to host an event at all for those with limited time and/or resources.
Another benefit of virtual events is that they not only make it possible for a larger audience to attend at no additional cost, but they also encourage more people to go because the commitment is significantly less. For instance, time-pressed executives could watch the event on their phones while traveling and save time.
On the other hand, virtual events are less able to meet more particular requirements for engagement, product demonstration, or relationship building. As a result, the host may fail to draw the audience’s attention and find it hard to engage with them. In-person events have a sense of inclusion that is challenging to recreate virtually.
In conclusion, although the advancement of technology has created online meeting platforms and made virtual meetings an option, we should still take into account various factors when deciding on a suitable way of meeting. To enjoy the best of both worlds, organizers can try hybrid events, giving them the adaptability they need to meet client needs and adapt to new ones while still enabling those who couldn't physically attend to participate virtually.