As technology continues to remove barriers
to communication, it has an important role to play in shaping the future of the
conferencing sector. In particular, advancements in cloud computing and
collaboration technologies such as video conferencing are helping to enhance
the participation experience at events.
The growth of video
The growth in use of video is undoubtedly
expanding at a rapid pace with Juniper Research predicting mobile video calling
users will total 130 million by 2018. This has been supported by the advent of
consumer applications such as Skype, Google Hangouts, FaceTime and Viber which
have cemented the use of video within our personal lives. As such it’s no surprise enterprises and
organisations are following suit as they seek to capitalise on the many
benefits video conferences provide.
A high profile example of the use of video
at events is Edward Snowden’s address at March’s South by South West (SXSW)
Interactive Festival. Thanks to video,
Snowden was able to addresspeople in the United States for the first time since
fleeing last June. This marked a significant milestone in the rise of video
conferencing in the events sector, handing the organisers of SXSW a major coup.
The advantages of video
In the conferencing sector, video
technology can offer a number of advantages to increase an event’s offerings:
- Extend the reach of an event- attract and
include paying delegates from all over the world - Involve speakers from distant locations
- Reduce travel time and expense for
delegates and speakers - Two way communication between those
physically present and those engaging remotely.
Interoperability
In order to further extend the reach of an
event as far as possible, interoperability must play a key role. With the
emergence of interoperable video conferencing solutions, users are now able to
bridge calls between any video-enabled devices without having to worry about
hardware or software compatibility. The ubiquity of these solutions extends
potential adoption much wider than confining use to a single hardware based
solution and therefore ultimately increases event participation.
As video becomes more and more accepted in
everyday life, and its abilities continue to strengthen, it will become further
incorporated into conferences and events around the globe.
After all – why not take advantage of
technology that can not only improve audience participation, but also boost
overall ROI thanks to the incredible cost savings it can deliver.
Any comments? Email Zoe Vernor
