Best Online Seminar Software for 2023

What Is An Online Seminar Software?

An online seminar is a seminar conducted virtually with the presence of an online instructor. The instructor and the attendees communicate with each other as if they were attending a physical seminar.

Online seminar software is a way to conduct these online seminars in a user-friendly manner with the use of cloud-based solutions. These online seminar software tools apply across many businesses, professions, or even educational organizations. These are the strategically designed tools that facilitate the job of engaging many attendants through high-definition audio and video calling. These tools have a query solving platform, public and private chatbox, and integrated polling. The online seminar software is equipped with a screen sharing feature to explain the pictorial content. Also, the online seminars can easily be recorded, edited, and shared virtually for future reference.

A webinar is the most commonly used synonym for online seminars. It’s a combination of two terms- web and seminar. So it’s an online form of lecture, conference, or workshop.

Features Of Online Seminar Software?

• Real-time audio, video, and text-based communication.
• Ease of making presentations with the help of text or data content, slideshows, and documents.
• Facilitates the downloading, recording, and sharing of online seminars.
• Can be used for conducting MCQs, surveys, polls, exams, and quizzes.
• Ease of interaction between the presenter and the audience using chats, polls, surveys, quizzes, and questionnaires.
• Even attendees can share the online seminar invite with others through social media links.

Benefits Of Online Seminar Software?

• Unlike the physical seminars with limited seats, the online seminars can incorporate unlimited attendees.
• The seminar presenter can decide on the number of people who will attend the seminar, as per his feasibility. He can discontinue the registration to restrict the entry, if he prefers to focus on a limited audience, at a time.
• We can attend online seminars from any place in this world. We need not visit the venue personally.
• Zero geographical constraints ensure the presenter can reach a diverse group of audiences from all over the world.
• We can record the online seminar and use it for reviewing later on.
• If the presenter cannot deliver a live seminar, he can record his seminar content and make it available to the audience at a scheduled time in the future.
• Teachers or mentors often use online seminars to provide lectures in return for a monetary fee. Therefore, it streams a way of financial income for them.
• Online seminars are interactive. The audience can get their queries solved through chats or emails.
• The success rate of online seminars is easily measurable through an analytical study. The online seminar tool gives a detailed insight on how many people attended or how many people left the session at what time. This feature also guides the speaker on areas where he needs to elevate his level of presentation.
• As one need not face the audience directly while delivering an online seminar, it is very good for a person with stage fear.
• Online seminar software eases the editing of the audio content before it gets screened publically. This overrules the fear of messing up, in front of a large audience.
• Hosting online seminars by use of online seminar software is much more affordable than conducting a physical seminar at a rented venue with rented equipment.
• Using the right online seminar software provides a professional look to your seminar by enhancing the overall appearance and engaging the audience.

Types Of Online Seminar Software?

We can categorize online seminar software options based on the type of seminar:

1. Live online seminar tool

Such seminars are conducted at a specific time on a specific day. There is no scope for editing or re-doing the content, which has gone live. If the attendant gets late, he misses out on a section of the seminar.

2. On-Demand online seminar tool

The online seminar tool records the seminar content and makes it accessible to the audience at their own flexible time. It incorporates the feature of polls and quizzes.

3. Automated online seminar tool

It follows a set procedure whereby, the presenter records and uploads the seminar on the platform. Thereafter the time of release is set. When the time arrives, the seminar gets streamed to the live audience.

Things To Consider When Buying Online Seminar Software?

1. The aim of the online seminar

The choice of online seminar software depends on the motive behind conducting the seminar. If an online seminar aims to build a community, then the chosen software should enable networking too. If the seminar has over one speaker for online discussion, then the software should enable multi-speaker sessions and screen sharing.

2. Budget

The multiple online seminar tool available in the market come with different price tags attached to them. So choose an option that meets the expected ROI of an online seminar and does not compromise on quality.

3. Quality

Don’t compromise with the quality of the online seminar tool. It can rupture your image as a speaker and also spoil the experience of the attendees. Opt for a tool that supports HD-quality audio and video.

4. Engagement

The level of engagement as provided by online seminar tools is different. Some software options support interaction amongst the speaker and audience while others simply allow seminar broadcasting. For example, Airmeet software that comes with interactive features like “Raise Hand”, “Emojis”, “ChatBox”, “Q&A”, etc.

5. User-friendly

The tool should be easy to use. It should be easy to set up operations, scheduling the recordings, share, etc. It should be easy for the attendees to access information, watch the seminar and also listen to it when needed.

6. Security

Meeting security, user data security, and privacy are amongst the most significant factors to be considered while choosing the software.

7. Audience size

Opt for an online seminar software option that enables you to incorporate a large size audience in the minimal price plan.

8. Recording session

The software should allow the recording of live sessions. Recorded seminars are great for future references and for further sharing on social media and other virtual platforms. Often the snippets from previously recorded seminars are used as teasers for upcoming live sessions.

9. Networking

Choose an online seminar tool that supports networking. This ensures a two-way interaction amongst the audience and speaker, even post the live session. Some software has the option of a social lounge with virtual tables for genuine virtual connections.

10. Analytical tracking of data

Opt for a tool that allows the analytical tracking of audience engagement, and audience satisfaction, to measure the success of the seminar. We can conduct polls to get honest feedback from the audience during the continuity of the seminar.

Challenges To Online Seminar Software Implementation

1. Faulty equipment

Even the best software option can’t combat the challenges put forth by faulty hardware. So opt for equipment that is reliable and does not cause frequent malfunctions. Technical drawbacks can destroy the image and setup of a well-planned online seminar, within seconds. Take tests, before initiating a final drive, to minimize the technical challenges.

2. Digital experience

Lack of digital experience in handling online seminar tools creates a challenge at actual times. To overcome this challenge, one needs the regular practice of the software and hardware too.

3. Distraction amongst attendees

Distracted attendees is amongst the major challenge faced during the use of online seminar tool. It becomes difficult for the audience to remain focused on a virtual seminar when there are other online happenings like social media and emails popping up every moment.

4. Lack of personalization

Like every other digital experience, even online seminar software has its share of pros and cons. The tool can do everything but still can not provide the level of personal touch a physical seminar can give. This makes it challenging for the presenter to connect with the audience on an actual level.

5. Low self-esteem

In physical seminars, one can get an idea about the number of potential attendees based on the number of tickets sold. But with online seminars, it’s a game of chance. The virtual world does not guarantee any percentage of attendance. People register, but don’t turn up for the session. It’s common. So the self-esteem of the speaker gets a hard hit when instead of 50 only 15 appear in the session.

Latest Market Trends In Online Seminar Software

1. Increase in need for micro-influencers

Micro-influencers are the ones with less than 10,000 followers. Today, more and more brands are opting for such micro-influencers as compared to celebrities, because of their user-friendly and budget-friendly attribute. Micro-influencers are great for branding through online sessions.

2. The growing importance of live chat

Live chat offers result-oriented and quick results to the queries of customers. Therefore, the service industry is aiming to improve its hold on online seminars in the year 2021 and ahead. This will improve their customer base to a large extent.

3. Audience acceptability towards long-form video content

Initially, in the year 2016, the audience preferred digital seminars of a maximum of 20 minutes duration. But today, people are ready to spare even 45 minutes, to gain insight about their choice, when presented through the online seminar.