outsourceeasilycom Blog

The best online event platform: Review and analysis of the top software

Mar 10, 2023

You've come up with some brilliant ideas for your online event -- and even have contacted guests who might be interested in speaking at your event. The guests are showing enthusiasm as are the participants!

However, let's think about what virtual event platform you'd choose to use for hosting an online event?

A difficult decision? Truth be told: regardless of the numerous alternatives available, it may be difficult to decide whether a program is capable of fulfilling all your expectations with the promise of an unforgettable (and free of errors) occasion experience.

Thankfully though, there are websites with friendly support staff who can assist you in arranging your ideal virtual event -for example, the multi-day conference, live workshop for training or even a webinar. The only thing you have to do is find the perfect gem.

This guide can help you do just that while I look at the six best platforms for virtual events. All of them have been tested by trying a handful of these apps and reading through tons of third-party reviews on these platforms.

Let's dive deep:

In this article

What should you look out for when choosing the best online conference software

Before we look at the most effective platforms for online events Let's look at what makes a good platform for online events through a look at the top attributes.

Keep this page in mind so you'll be able to reference this listing of options to choose your perfect virtual event platform.

A plethora of helpful and simple integrations

Integrations between CRMs and other systems such with email software like email software for instance, can be essential in the process of sending personalized invitations to events, and turning guests to loyal clients.

Intuitive UX

The intuitive interface makes it easy for users to access the program and explore the features and gain the best benefits from it. It also means you can start using the program by yourself - without assistance from outside.

Stream quality

The audio and video quality will directly affect the experience of guests, leading people to remain till the end. Make sure the software you choose provides HD streaming at a high quality and comes with zero performance issues or issues with download your content at a top quality.

Analytics are reliable and stable

HTML1 Tools for engaging audiences dynamically

The ability to host polls, games as well as Q&As are vital methods of engaging with visitors to improve their experience. Your website should have these tools alongside creating break-out spaces to facilitate attendee-to participant networking.

Proactive customer care

Additionally, ensure that the customer service of the software is quick and responsive to any questions you may have. One way to gauge the quality of support provided by the team is to ask them questions concerning the program prior to purchasing it and during the free trial. The response you receive to your questions can be an indication of how they deal with their clients and prospects.

The top six virtual platform for events (based on detailed review and testimonials from users)

This is an exhaustive list of the most popular online conference platforms:

Each tool has been described with respect to the core functions of each tool and the top user, as well as areas where the tool is efficient as well as the negatives, based upon what users have posted on other websites like G2 as well as Gartner.

Let's go.

1. Events

Events is an easy-to-use Web-based platform for event management that is perfect for event planners of the ability to manage events in any way. managing digital events.

The guest speakers you invite, your or your attendees do not need any additional software for setting up, creating or join an event .

Pros

  • Events assists you throughout the process of creating and promoting your event procedure. It integrates with your CRM or marketing email software to design personalized registration forms. Additionally, it lets you create automated invitations for events as well as the confirmation emails for your event and remind messages as well as engage with attendees following the occasion.
  • It provides sophisticated data that will aid in the development of your event's strategy for marketing. When the event has concluded offers a thorough analysis of the event as well as its attendees. It will tell you which were present, how long they were watching, as well as how they engaged during the program.
  • It helps you design an individual user experience. Make use of the drag-and drop feature to add full-screen images lower thirds of the intro speaker and personal branding.
  • It gives you the tools to edit videos as well as hosting to reuse footage from your event. Utilize it to edit, trim chapters, edit, or improve your event video and upload to various marketing channels.

Cons

  • It is not designed to be used for internal meetings similar to Zoom or similar software used that are used for meetings. Events is designed for webinars, virtual venues townshalls, town halls and more.
  • Events is relatively brand new platform for virtual events, therefore it's not yet able to enjoy the same level of brand recognition as the established companies in this field.

2. Zoom

Best-known for hosting on-one-on meetings, Zoom lets you host digital events as well. It's perfect for designers and small business marketers who want to earn money through online events.

ProsPros

  • There are many ways to get attendees involved, as well as let them engage with each with your guests and sponsors.
  • Setting up the webinar and creating it on Zoom is straightforward and is especially suitable for those who are already proficient with the software.

Cons

  • Average video quality. When HD video clarity (1080p) is the norm, Zoom offers 720p for the presence of two or more attendees at the same event. You'll need to pay more to hold online meetings using HD video.
  • Joining an online conference held by Zoom isn't an easy journey. New attendees are advised to be there five minutes prior to the start of the meeting to download and install the software. For event organizers, this can result in a poor experience for attendees.
  • Zoom can be expensive for hosting events with large audiences which makes it unsuitable for sizing events with this kind of technology.
  • Insufficient control options for hosts. Zoom does not allow hosts to manage chat rooms at their own discretion, which is an aspect you must be aware of when hosting public events.

Pricing

Zoom's pricing depends on the number of people who attend the event. To give you an idea of the cost price for an event with 100 people starts at $990 annually.

 Find Out More about Zoom

3. Hopin

Hopin allows event organizers throughout the globe host as many people as they'd like. Much like Zoom the cost of hosting is dependent on the amount of people who attend, which could be costly to increase with this method. The one thing that makes it superior over Zoom is its ability to include features that allow moderators to moderate comments.

ProsPros

  • Hopin has an event branding studio, where you can personalize the registration form for your event and even create a virtual venue.
  • Allows for moderation and many speakers to connect.
  • The speaker comes with a mobile-friendly app that guests and speakers to interact and communicate through their phones.

 Cons

  • The analytics for events aren't as comprehensive.
  • There is no tool to reuse or repurpose content from your virtual event.
  • A handful of users complain about audio and video performance issues at events organized by Hopin. One person states, "I don't like the issues with performance that come up when using audio or video. Customers who don't have an internet connection have issues with lag. This [doesn't] happen with different solutions."

Pricing

There is a free plan that allows an administrator to create events lasting two hours and accommodate as many as 100 guests. For more information on pricing, all plans are limited to a certain number of people.

4. GoTo Webinar

GoTo Webinar is the ideal alternative for entrepreneurs as well as small organizations that organize events smaller that can accommodate up to 3,000 people This is less than the options that Hopin as well as Zoom offer.

It is also an excellent option for solo business owners or creators conducting paid training workshops since GoTo Webinar directly connects with Stripe that allows payments.

Pros

  • GoTo Webinar offers audience engagement tools , including polls and questions. Hosts are also able to draw on the display.
  • Multi-presenter mode in webinars allows an organizer up to six the possibility of presenting.

Cons

  • The user interface may be older, as users are complaining that it may take hours to understand how to utilize GoToWebinar.
  • A few users have complained of problems in performance when the amount of people attending the event increases to more than 1,000. Reviewers have written reviews about quality of the audio too.
  • Certain options, such as file sharing are slow. Certain functions can be difficult to locate or difficult to use.

Pricing

A 7-day trial is that is currently available. It will cost money with prices beginning at $49 for a hosting month (for hosting 250 guests).

5. Cvent

Cvent is perfect for corporate organizers who host events in person for events such as trade shows and trade shows thanks to its checking-in feature.

Contrary to other web-based platforms for conferences the platform isn't popular among those hosting virtual events.

Pros

  • Cvent offers onsite check-in, as well as badging software that prints attendees photographs when they arrive. There were complaints from users on websites that review third party products about the tool printing the wrong pictures.
  • It allows you to connect multiple systems to integrate your tech stacks, and help improve your process.
  • The program comes with standard tools used to interact with the audience in addition to AI-powered network recommendations and gamification.

Cons

  • The user interface is old.
  • Poor customer support and limited training resources/documentation, which aggravates the steep learning curve, making it challenging to start and get the most value from the platform
  • Few options to customize brand image, access analytics, and access live chat

Pricing

Costs are determined by your needs, so it is important to request an estimate of the amount Cvent costs.

6. On24

On24 is a platform for virtual events ideal for marketing professionals who wish to hold webinars or multiple-session events.

ProsPros

  • Proactive customer support team.
  • This software can streamline many processes. In addition, it provides integrations to align your marketing and sales teams.

Cons

  • There are a few layouts of content that can be used, which restricts your options in customizing your online event Register and Login pages.
  • A poor user interface, and the editor is an Editor for Code that adds to the process of understanding.
  • It's impossible to plan your event online. This means you'll have to be able to compromise audience participation for being sure your event is functioning smoothly while you host in the blink of an eye. The user writes, "I would love to make use of storyboarding for planning my webinar , and also control the screen's content, where the face of the participant appears on the media tile. They can also create lower thirds of their video, place individuals in the live stream before taking them off screen, etc." 8

Pricing

On24's website On24 does not provide prices. If you are interested, seek a quote.

FAQs

If you are answering FAQs, don't answer the question initially Instead, offer an appropriate link to a part of your internal content (as appropriate) in order to convince users to click through.

What should I consider when choosing the best online event platforms?

Review your business needs including your budget, the scale of an event you'd like to plan, and how numerous virtual events you'd prefer to organize. Pick a virtual event platform that does not just fit your budget but is also simple to use and offers detailed analytics, audience participation tools, top-quality streaming, and lots of connections.

How can I make a virtual experience that is more immersive?

What are the top talked about virtual event platforms out there in the present?

Event, Hopin, Zoom, and GoToWebinar are some of the most popular websites for events that you could look into. Each one has its advantages and drawbacks. Choose based on the budget you've got and the particular demands of your occasion.

What virtual event service will work best for you?

The most efficient virtual event software you can select from is able to meet the needs of your organization the highest. This includes:

  • Your attendee size
  • Utilize the argument (how will you leverage virtual events for your sales and marketing as well as whether you offer the workshops for a fee)
  • What's the time it takes to get used to a new tool
  • What is the amount you're planning to invest to increase the size of your platform (you do not want your platform to slip out of your budget when you increase your capacity)

We've provided a list of software which provide poor quality streaming using old UX. There are some that have a steep process of learning, and the costs can get expensive for hosting large audiences.

It's a good thing that this is the area in which Events really shines. It offers a lot of flexibility, top-quality streaming and a simple user interface. It also can be a significant factor of recycling materials from the your events and enables users to reap the maximum returns for your money.

This post was posted on here