The first quarter of 2020 saw COVID-19 turn our world and reality completely upside down. As people struggled to adapt to the new way of life, social gatherings and events suffered a major blow. Many events had to be canceled or postponed. However, this also made room for innovation in the realm of virtual gathering platforms online.
All the businesses quickly hopped on, and that resulted in a different way of working and operating in the day to day life. The same is the case with event companies; from big stadium concerts and beach fiestas, the events moved to online streaming and meeting platforms.
If you plan on hosting a virtual event, the first thing that you’ll have to decide is the platform on which you intend on hosting the event. You can hire the services of virtual event planners to help you host a fun and engaging event.
With so many options available, it can be difficult to determine which platform would work best for your particular event. In this article, we are going to list down the top 6 best virtual events platforms to consider for your next event!
1. Zoom
Zoom instantly became the most popular virtual platform in 2020 when schools, businesses, and workplaces went entirely online. Zoom is a user-friendly and convenient video conferencing platform, which offers multiple features that create the space for hosting an excellent event. That is why Zoom is one of the best options available today.
Zoom has all the solutions for hosting a fun and engaging event, including video, chat, and screen sharing. You can access it on your phone, computer, tablet, or a room system. It offers features such as high quality and HD video, transcripts, recordings, calendars, chat, and in-built collaboration tools that allow you to host a successful virtual event.
Moreover, zoom’s simultaneous screen sharing allows you to stream a video collectively and even have the option of mouse and keyboard control. It also offers breakout rooms for small, informal sessions in the middle.
Zoom offers free and paid services depending on the number of people you want to host and the length of your event. With the free version, you can host up to 100 participants for 40 minutes over a video call that includes all the features offered by the platform.
However, if you want to host a larger event, then you can subscribe to its paid service, which can accommodate up to 1,000 video participants with HD quality.
2. Google Meet
Soon after Zoom’s popularity, Google quickly made Google Meet, its video conferencing service, free for all. Just like Google’s other services, Google Meet offers high-tech features and tools that make it an excellent platform choice for your event.
You can access Google Meet if you have a Gmail account. It is extremely easy to use with user-friendly features. You can use it on your phone, laptop, or other electronic devices. The platform offers HD video conferencing with one-click presenting functionality.
You can host a virtual event with up to 250 video participants. Moreover, Google Meet is highly encrypted with excellent privacy options, so you can host your virtual events in a safe and secure environment.
It’s very quick and easy to arrange an online gathering with hundreds of people on Google Meet. If you’re a Gmail user, then it integrates Google Calendar to schedule your meetings and send meeting invitations as well.
3. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is another great choice of platform for hosting your virtual event. It offers interactive tools that make your virtual events collaborative and fun. On Microsoft Teams, you have access to features like videoconferencing, group chat, one on one chat, and document sharing and collaborative editing options. These features facilitate teamwork and enhance interaction and engagement.
Virtual event planners find Microsoft Teams highly convenient and collaborative for hosting their events. Initially, you might think that this platform is only for remote work and business meetings, but it is equally supportive of events.
On Teams, you can host up to 10,000 people on a single video call and have the option of instant chat and file sharing. So, you can host a very interactive event with a large number of participants. Therefore, this platform is ideal for both small internal meetings and large events hosting thousands of people.
It’s also very simple to join an event on Teams; participants can tune in with the help of a link. The video quality of the platform is HD. You can also record and screen share. Moreover, the platform also allows third-party app integration.
4. hubseven
hubseven is a great virtual events platform that offers an authentic event experience to the participants. It has interactive features that allow you to host a successful event. It offers high-quality video with easily navigable event options.
You can create custom experiences with a hubseven event to make the event more personalized. Moreover, it also offers the option of showcasing products and sponsorships. Read more about this groundbreaking new platform here!
5. GoToWebinar
GoToWebinar is another excellent choice for virtual event planners who want to host large-scale events. This platform offers the option of both live and pre-recorded events. Due to its name, you might think it’s only a fit for webinars. However, the features and tools it offers are conducive for hosting virtual events.
GoToWebinar offers special features such as automated email reminders, custom invitations, presenter tools, and analytics. All these features allow you to host an engaging event that offers a quality experience to all participants.
6. AirMeet
AirMeet is a platform specially created for hosting events. It offers all the solutions for hosting an event. It is specifically designed for hosting large events with a high number of participants. AirMeet is very easy to use and allows the participants to join instantly.
You can host hundreds of participants at a time with your AirMeet virtual event. AirMeet also offers a “Social lounge,” which is a space to interact with people who have similar interests. Moreover, it also has a “stage” and “Backstage” feature that gives a real-life feeling of the participants of the event.
