Zoom Alternatives for Virtual Events
Chances are, you’ve been on many a Zoom call over the last few years. We all know that Zoom has been popular since its launch, with 400,000 signups in its first month. And it’s still a favorite among remote workers, with 300 million daily active users. While Zoom can be a great tool for buttoned-up meetings, it’s likely not the right fit for all of your virtual get togethers.
Now, people are expanding the types of meetings that they host online. As such, there are many platforms besides Zoom for virtual events – ones that might provide more of the features you’re looking for. Tons of Zoom alternatives have the capability to handle calls large and small, packed with features to keep attendees engaged.
The best part? Each of these video conferencing tools is included with our Virtual Events plugin!
If you’ve got Zoom fatigue, check out these alternatives and discover how you can use them for your next virtual event.
Webex
Webex has actually been around for a long time – since 1995. Zoom and Webex share a history, as the former vice-president of engineering at Webex founded Zoom. Webex comes as an app or an entire Suite for large and powerful virtual events. Webex touts “carrier-like” audio and video capability, for calls that won’t be choppy. There’s also messaging, file repository, captions and translations, and even personal insights you can view after each call. Webex is a great solution to keep your virtual event files all in one place without needing a bunch of tools.
Microsoft Teams
One of the most well-known Zoom alternatives, Microsoft Teams is an online collaborative workspace that integrates well with Office 365 users. Teams includes video conferencing, chat, file storage, and sharing, and full integration into all Office 365 apps. The tool works as a central location for document sharing, message threads, and of course, calls. Each call becomes it own message thread, so documents shared in the call don’t get lost. Users can edit and view all Office 365 applications right in the platform without having to download the programs or files. For maximum internal Office 365 communications, Microsoft Teams is your best bet.
Google Meet
Much like Microsoft Teams, Google Meet is a great option for teams who use the Google Suite daily. Google Meet integrates with Gmail and Google calendar, with calls right in your browser and no software to install. Anyone with a Google account can create an online meeting with up to 100 participants and meet for up to 60 minutes per meeting. Users can share their screen without permission from a host, making it a collaborative environment for holiday parties and formal events alike. Google Meet is a good solution if you don’t want folks to sign up for another platform and if most of your audience is already on Google’s suite of products.
Facebook video conferencing works better than some would assume. Creating a call within an existing Facebook message or event is super easy. Facebook Live is the newest event feature, which generates an automatic meeting link when hosts create new Facebook events. Facebook Live works best with large, presentational-style virtual events. Think performances, simulcasts, or speeches. Most folks are already super familiar with Facebook, which helps lower the barrier for those hesitant to join.
YouTube Live
YouTube Live is an easy way for event planners to reach their community in real-time. Creators can live stream on YouTube via webcam, mobile, and encoder streaming. Webcam and mobile are great options for beginners to go live quickly. Encoder streaming allows users to share screens, broadcast gameplay, and manage an advanced live stream production, like multiple cameras and microphones. YouTube Live is a great option if you’d like to skip participant cameras. Stream links can stay open in the browser before the event, with a live countdown leading up to the broadcast. The passive nature of YouTube Live makes it a great option for large virtual events that focus more on entertainment than participation.
We Know Virtual Events
Since virtual events have proven staying power, we think it’s best to embrace the variety of virtual event platforms to explore your options. Fortunately, The Virtual Events bundle for The Events Calendar is powered to help add a variety of streaming platforms to your website and WordPress calendar. You can highlight virtual and hybrid events on your calendar and integrate with your favorite online meeting tools. You can even make them discoverable by Google with built-in schema optimization.
Here are a few more ways you can integrate Virtual Events:
- Live Streaming: Say goodbye to redirecting traffic away from your website. Connect Facebook Live and YouTube and begin hosting your live streams on your own WordPress site.
- Virtual Meetings: Easily connect to the most popular meeting platforms from your WordPress dashboard. Manage Zoom, Webex, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams meetings, and display meeting links on your calendar.
- Only show links to attendees: With Event Tickets running alongside Virtual Events, you can protect livestream links (Zoom, webinar, etc.) until attendees RSVP or purchase a ticket, or email a link to registered attendees only.
Ready to see virtual events integration in action? Check it out on an Events Calendar demo site and see how you can integrate a variety of Zoom alternatives into your website.