GoToWebinar - Detailed Review
Video Tools
GoToWebinar - Product Overview
GoToWebinar Overview
GoToWebinar is a versatile webinar and online video conferencing service developed by LogMeIn, making it an essential tool in the video tools category.Primary Function
GoToWebinar is primarily used for creating and conducting online meetings, presentations, lessons, and other events. It allows users to host webinars with up to 1,000 attendees, making it ideal for various purposes such as lead-generation seminars, marketing events, product launches, and customer training.Target Audience
The target market for GoToWebinar is diverse and spans multiple industries, including high-tech, financial, healthcare, and education. It is particularly appealing to functional groups like Sales, Marketing, and Corporate Training across different verticals. Businesses of all sizes, from one-person consulting practices to large organizations with thousands of employees, can benefit from using GoToWebinar.Key Features
Recording and Playback
GoToWebinar allows users to record webinars, which can then be shared for on-demand viewing.Reporting and Analytics
The platform provides detailed reporting and analytics to help users monitor the effectiveness of their webinars.Polls, Surveys, and Q&A
GoToWebinar supports interactive features such as polls, surveys, and Q&A sessions to engage the audience.Customized Registration Forms
Users can create customized registration forms to gather specific information from attendees.Screen Sharing and Desktop Sharing
The service enables real-time screen and desktop sharing, facilitating demonstrations and presentations.Messaging and Voice Chat
GoToWebinar includes messaging and voice chat capabilities, allowing for real-time communication during webinars.Security and Privacy
The platform offers various security measures, including the ability to block uninvited attendees, change default settings for security, and a comprehensive privacy policy.Conclusion
Overall, GoToWebinar is a comprehensive tool that helps businesses and individuals conduct effective online events, engage with their audience, and monitor the success of their webinars. GoToWebinar - User Interface and Experience
User Interface Overview
The user interface of GoTo Webinar is widely praised for its simplicity and ease of use, making it an excellent choice for hosting and attending webinars.Ease of Use
Users consistently highlight that GoTo Webinar has a very intuitive and simple user interface. Setting up webinars is described as quick and easy, requiring no IT support. The platform’s interface is designed to be user-friendly, allowing both organizers and attendees to manage and participate in webinars with minimal hassle.Key Interface Features
Customizable Event Details
Users can customize the event details after scheduling an event, including inviting panelists, managing attendee registration, and adding engagement tools like polls and surveys.Dashboard Overview
The organizer dashboard provides a clear view of upcoming and past webinars, overall webinar analytics, and video recordings, simplifying the management of webinars.Interactive Features
GoTo Webinar includes interactive features such as real-time chat, live chat, and screen sharing, which enhance engagement and communication during webinars. These features are reported to be easy to use and effective for Q&A sessions and audience interaction.User Experience
The overall user experience with GoTo Webinar is highly positive. Users appreciate the seamless performance of the platform, including high-quality video and audio, even in environments with background noise. The platform’s ability to support multiple presenters and engage audiences through various interactive tools is particularly valued.Engagement Tools
Screen Sharing
Users find the screen sharing feature highly beneficial for presenting complex information and supporting seamless presentations. It is also useful for troubleshooting and training sessions.Real-Time Chat and Live Chat
These features are praised for their effectiveness in facilitating communication and enhancing engagement during webinars. They allow participants to ask questions and share comments without interrupting the speaker.Analytics and Management
GoTo Webinar provides high-level analytics and reporting tools, which are handy for tracking the success of webinars. Users can view their webinar history in easy-to-read charts and generate detailed reports.Conclusion
In summary, GoTo Webinar’s user interface is characterized by its simplicity, ease of use, and a range of interactive features that enhance engagement and communication. The platform is well-regarded for its reliable performance, customizable options, and comprehensive analytics, making it a preferred choice for hosting various types of virtual events. GoToWebinar - Key Features and Functionality
GoTo Webinar Overview
GoTo Webinar is a comprehensive platform for hosting and managing webinars. While it may not be primarily categorized as a ‘Video Tools AI-driven’ product, it does incorporate several key features and integrations that enhance its functionality, including some AI-driven aspects.Video Conferencing
GoTo Webinar offers strong video conferencing capabilities, allowing for face-to-face interactions with both internal and external stakeholders. Users appreciate the high video quality, clear visuals, and minimal buffering. This feature is particularly useful for remote meetings, interviews, and training sessions. Participants can join meetings easily via URL links without needing an account, making it user-friendly and reliable.Screen Sharing
The screen sharing feature is highly valued by users for presenting slideshows, charts, and multimedia elements. It enhances the presentation of complex information and supports seamless presentations. Users can share specific programs, which is also beneficial for troubleshooting and training sessions. However, sharing videos through screen sharing can be challenging, and some users prefer uploading them directly to GoTo Webinar.Event Management and Analytics
GoTo Webinar provides a comprehensive dashboard to manage upcoming and past webinars. This includes viewing overall webinar analytics, managing event recordings, and customizing event details such as inviting panelists, managing attendee registration, and adding engagement tools like polls and surveys. The platform also offers high-level analytics in easy-to-read charts and report generation, which helps in evaluating the success of webinars.Integration with Other Tools
GoTo Webinar can be integrated with various tools and platforms, such as Aweber, Unbounce, and Hubspot, to create landing pages and attract more guests. Additionally, integrations with platforms like Customers.ai through Zapier allow for automating tasks such as registering contacts to webinars, which can save time and improve efficiency.AI-Driven Integrations
While GoTo Webinar itself is not an AI-driven product, it can be integrated with AI tools through Zapier. For example, you can connect GoTo Webinar with AI by Zapier to automate tasks like analyzing and summarizing data from webinars. This integration allows you to extract, summarize, and transform your integration data using leading AI models like OpenAI and Anthropic. This can help in automating repetitive tasks and gaining deeper insights from your webinar data.Recording and On-Demand Content
GoTo Webinar allows you to record your events and share them on GoToStage, an on-demand webinar platform. This feature helps in reaching new audiences and growing your business as your events are watched multiple times. The Video Library manages all your event recordings and uploaded videos, making it easy to access and share content.Conclusion
In summary, while GoTo Webinar is not primarily an AI-driven tool, it offers a range of features that make it highly effective for hosting and managing webinars. Its integrations with AI tools through platforms like Zapier add an extra layer of automation and data analysis capabilities. GoToWebinar - Performance and Accuracy
Performance and Accuracy of GoToWebinar
Video Quality and Technical Performance
GoToWebinar’s video quality is generally described as average, particularly considering that it requires hosts and attendees to download and install an application, which might suggest a higher quality expectation. The platform does not rely on WebRTC technology, but the video and audio quality are still in HD, though not superior to other webinar software.Reliability and Uptime
One of the strong points of GoToWebinar is its reliability. It is known for having little to no technical glitches and no downtime, making it a stable choice for hosting webinars with large audiences.Engagement and Analytics
GoToWebinar excels in providing detailed analytics and engagement metrics. It offers an “Attentiveness Rating” that shows the percentage of session participants who have the GoToWebinar Viewer on top of all other applications, helping hosts gauge audience engagement in real-time. The platform also provides extensive attendee data and attendance trends, which can be crucial for improving the webinar experience and engaging the audience more effectively.Presentation Tools
The presentation tools on GoToWebinar have some limitations. The live webinar interface is described as clunky and outdated, with issues such as the inability to upload slides directly and poor window management. However, it does offer useful features like sharing YouTube videos and using drawing tools. Additionally, hosts can share handouts like PDF files or spreadsheets, though attendees are not automatically notified when these are shared.Customer Support
A significant area for improvement is the customer support. GoToWebinar lacks live customer support, and the available online chat is a chatbot that directs users to articles in the help section rather than providing direct assistance. Users have reported difficulties in reaching actual customer support.Marketing Features
GoToWebinar is somewhat lacking in marketing features compared to other webinar software. It does not offer features like one-click registrations, active offer features for sales, or SMS notifications, which can be a drawback for users looking to integrate their webinars with broader marketing strategies.User Interface
The user interface of GoToWebinar is often criticized for being dull and outdated. This can make the platform less appealing and less user-friendly, especially for those accustomed to more modern and intuitive interfaces.Conclusion
In summary, while GoToWebinar performs well in terms of reliability, engagement analytics, and stability, it has room for improvement in areas such as video quality, customer support, presentation tools, and the overall user interface. These limitations should be considered when deciding if GoToWebinar is the right fit for your webinar needs. GoToWebinar - Pricing and Plans
GoToWebinar Pricing Overview
GoToWebinar offers a structured pricing system with several plans to cater to different needs and audience sizes. Here’s a detailed breakdown of their pricing tiers and the features included in each:Plans and Pricing
Lite Plan
- Price: $49 per month (billed annually) or $59 per month (billed monthly).
- Participants: Up to 100 attendees.
- Features: Basic features such as screen sharing, attendee engagement, analytics, and automated emails. This plan is limited to 1 page per platform.
Standard Plan
- Price: $99 per month (billed annually) or $129 per month (billed monthly).
- Participants: Up to 250 attendees.
- Features: Includes all the features from the Lite plan, plus payment processing, recording, and custom branding. This plan is also limited to 1 page per platform.
Pro Plan
- Price: $199 per month (billed annually) or $249 per month (billed monthly).
- Participants: Up to 500 attendees.
- Features: Includes all the features from the Standard plan, plus unlimited cloud storage, integrations, source tracking, live streaming, and more advanced video features. This plan allows up to 3 pages per platform.
Enterprise Plan
- Price: $399 per month (billed annually) or $499 per month (billed monthly).
- Participants: Up to 3,000 attendees.
- Features: Includes all the features from the Pro plan, plus additional channel pages and support for larger audiences. This plan allows up to 5 pages per platform.
GoToWebinar Flex Plan
For companies that prefer a more flexible payment structure:
- Price: $19 per month (billed annually) plus additional event charges.
- Participants: Events can be capped at 500, 1,000, or 3,000 attendees.
- Event Charges: $149 for events up to 500 attendees, $299 for events up to 1,000 attendees, and $499 for events up to 3,000 attendees.
Free Trial
GoToWebinar offers a free trial period, which allows you to test the service without a credit card. The trial period is 7 days for GoToWebinar, allowing you to host a webinar with up to 10 attendees.
Each plan is designed for one organizer or license, and additional organizers must pay the full license price. These plans are versatile and can accommodate various business needs, from small niche audiences to large-scale events.
GoToWebinar - Integration and Compatibility
GoToWebinar Integration Capabilities
GoToWebinar integrates seamlessly with a variety of tools and platforms, enhancing its utility and versatility for users. Here’s a breakdown of its integration capabilities and compatibility across different platforms and devices:
Integrations with CRM and Marketing Tools
Zoho CRM
The integration with Zoho CRM allows you to sync webinars and lists, fetch information about webinar registrants, attendees, polls, surveys, and audience questions directly into Zoho CRM. This helps in lead assignment and nurturing. The extension can be installed from the Zoho Marketplace or directly from Zoho CRM.
ActiveDEMAND
ActiveDEMAND integrates with GoToWebinar to log registration and attendee information, including polling and survey responses, within specific contact records. This integration also supports customized appointment scheduling and automatic follow-ups.
HubSpot
The GoToWebinar integration with HubSpot streamlines the process of creating, promoting, and delivering webinars. It allows for the automatic syncing of webinar data, including registrations and attendee information. You can also use workflows to enroll and register contacts automatically for webinars.
Compatibility Across Platforms and Devices
Desktop App
Organizers can host sessions using the GoToWebinar desktop app on compatible Windows (10 or higher) or Mac (macOS 10.15 or higher) computers.
Browser-Based Version
The browser-based version supports Google Chrome (most recent 3 versions), Microsoft Edge (most recent 3 versions), and Apple Safari (most recent 3 versions). For scheduling webinars, browsers like Google Chrome v57 or later, Mozilla Firefox v52 or later, and Microsoft Edge v87 (Chromium) or newer are recommended.
Mobile App
GoToWebinar has mobile apps for iOS (10.0 or newer) and Android (OS 8 or newer), allowing organizers and attendees to participate in webinars on mobile devices.
Web Platform
Instant Join App
For users who cannot download software due to firewall rules, GoToWebinar offers a web-based ‘Instant Join App’. This can be accessed by adding a specific parameter to the join URL or by using the ‘Webcast’ webinar type. There is also a newer, more modern version of the web platform, which can be accessed through a specific URL containing ‘/unified/’, ‘/webinar/’, and ‘/attend/’.
In summary, GoToWebinar is highly compatible and integrates well with various CRM and marketing tools, ensuring seamless data synchronization and efficient webinar management. It also supports a range of devices and platforms, making it accessible to a broad audience.
GoToWebinar - Customer Support and Resources
GoToWebinar Customer Support Overview
GoToWebinar offers a comprehensive set of customer support options and additional resources to ensure users can effectively utilize the platform.Contacting Customer Support
If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, you can contact GoToWebinar customer support through several channels:Support Form
- You can fill out a support form by selecting the Contact Support option, which will direct you to a form where you can enter your details and describe your issue.
Webinar Organizer
- For attendees having trouble joining a webinar, it is recommended to first reach out to the webinar organizer, whose contact information can be found in the webinar confirmation email.
Managing Cases
Users can manage their support tickets through the My Cases section. Here, you can track the status of your ticket, contact support from an existing case, and perform other case management tasks.FAQs and Community Support
GoToWebinar provides an extensive FAQ section that addresses most common questions and issues. Additionally, the GoTo Webinar Community is a valuable resource where you can ask questions, read relevant posts, and interact with product experts and other users.Video Sharing and Playback Resources
For specific questions about sharing videos during webinars, GoToWebinar offers detailed guides:Video Uploads
- Organizers can upload up to 20 MP4 videos or YouTube links to share during a webinar. These videos can be managed and played back during the session using the webinar dashboard.
Video Playback Tips
- There are also community discussions and tips on how to optimize video playback, such as using external devices like the ATEM Mini from Blackmagic Design to ensure smooth video transitions and high-quality video streaming.
Additional Features and Support
GoToWebinar emphasizes ease of interaction with features like virtual hand-raising, private messaging, and screen sharing. The platform also offers toll-free local numbers for international participation and various subscription plans to meet individual needs. Support is provided via phone calls, FAQs, and other online resources. By leveraging these support options and resources, users can ensure a smooth and effective experience when hosting or attending webinars on the GoToWebinar platform. GoToWebinar - Pros and Cons
Advantages
Easy Setup and Use
GoTo Webinar is praised for its ease of setup and use. Users can quickly download and set up the software, making it a convenient option for hosting webinars.
High-Quality Audio and Video
The platform offers high-quality audio and video, ensuring smooth and professional presentations. This is crucial for maintaining audience engagement and trust.
Customizable Registration
Users can customize registration forms, which enhances the user experience for webinar participants. This includes adding custom questions, polls, and even accepting payments securely through Stripe.
Interactive Features
GoTo Webinar provides various interactive features such as sharing cameras, creating interactive polls, drawing on screen, and allowing attendees to virtually raise their hand. These features help in engaging the audience and making the webinars more interactive.
Multi-Presenter Capability
The platform supports multi-presenter webinars, allowing up to six organizers to share the presentation, which is beneficial for collaborative presentations.
Comprehensive Analytics
GoTo Webinar offers powerful analytics, including comprehensive attendee reports, engagement tracking, and source tracking. These analytics help in optimizing event strategies and improving future webinars.
Integration and Automation
The platform can be integrated with various tools, including CRM systems and other apps, through services like Zapier. This automation helps in streamlining tasks such as data extraction, summarization, and transformation using AI models.
Disadvantages
High Cost
One of the significant drawbacks is the high cost of the premium version of GoTo Webinar, which may not be affordable for all users. The basic version also lacks some essential features, limiting its usability for larger webinars.
Technical Issues
Users have reported occasional technical errors, such as lagging and poor performance without a strong internet connection. This can negatively impact the overall webinar experience.
Interface Improvements Needed
Despite being user-friendly, some users feel that the interface could use improvements to enhance usability further.
Unethical Practices
There have been reports of unethical practices by the company, such as offering free services and then charging for them, which can damage trust and customer relationships.
Complex Settings Panel
Some users find the settings panel complex and difficult to navigate, which can be time-consuming and frustrating.
Overall, GoTo Webinar offers a range of beneficial features for hosting and managing webinars, but it also comes with some significant drawbacks, particularly related to cost and technical reliability.
GoToWebinar - Comparison with Competitors
GoToWebinar Overview
GoToWebinar is a well-established platform primarily focused on marketing and training/enablement use cases. It offers a basic set of functionalities, including easy-to-create landing pages, Q&A and polls, and automated email reminders. The pricing is transparent and based on the number of live attendees, starting at $49 per organizer/month for up to 250 attendees.Unique Features of GoToWebinar
- Reliability and Ease of Use: GoToWebinar is known for its reliability, with 93% of users finding it more reliable than ON24. It also has a user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to manage webinars without extensive training.
- Large Webinars: GoToWebinar can host up to 3000 attendees at once, which is a significant advantage for large-scale events.
- Integration and Analytics: It offers integrations with various CRM systems like Zoho CRM, Marketo, and Leadpages, along with detailed attendee reports and event analytics.
Alternatives and Their Unique Features
Zoom
- Audio-Visual Quality: Zoom is renowned for its excellent audio-visual quality and customizable video settings. It can host up to 50,000 participants, although it is more expensive and has fewer webinar-specific features compared to GoToWebinar.
- Customizability: Zoom offers a wide range of customizable settings, including registration, scheduling, Q&A, and recording options.
Livestorm
- Browser-Based: Livestorm operates entirely from the browser, eliminating the need for downloads. It provides live webinar engagement features like chat and questions, along with webinar analytics and source tracking.
- CRM Integrations: Livestorm integrates well with CRMs and marketing software, offering audience segmentation through polls and data enrichment.
ON24
- Enterprise-Grade Security: ON24 is focused on sales and marketing use cases and offers enterprise-grade security, having been SOC 2 Type II / SSAE18 audited. It provides strong engagement features, customizable branding, and detailed attendee analytics.
- Content Hub: ON24 has a content hub for upcoming events and replays, which is beneficial for organizing and accessing webinar content.
BigMarker
- Customizable Webinar Experience: BigMarker allows for a highly customizable webinar experience, including strong branding features, gamification, and lead scoring. It is designed primarily for sales and marketing teams and integrates well with CRMs.
- Lead Scoring: BigMarker’s lead scoring features and attendee analytics make it a great tool for running lead-generation webinars.
Demio
- Ease of Use: Demio is known for its ease of use and browser-based platform, making it simple for attendees to join webinars. It offers basic webinar features like landing pages, emails, and analytics, along with engagement features such as polls, Q&A, and breakout rooms.
- Affordability: Demio is priced competitively, although it lacks in video quality and viewer experience compared to other platforms.
Hopin
- Large-Scale Events: Hopin is ideal for hosting large-scale virtual or in-person events and can handle up to 100,000 attendees. It offers event customization, networking features like event booths, and AI/ML enhancements for sound and video.
- Multiple Tools: Hopin has various tools for different types of video production, but this can add complexity to the user experience.
Conclusion
Each of these alternatives offers unique features that might make them more suitable depending on your specific needs. For example, if you prioritize reliability and ease of use, GoToWebinar might be the best choice. However, if you need advanced engagement features, customizable branding, or the ability to host very large events, alternatives like ON24, BigMarker, or Hopin could be more appropriate. Zoom is a good option if you need high-quality audio-visuals and customizable settings, while Livestorm and Demio are great for browser-based, easy-to-use solutions. GoToWebinar - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about GoToWebinar
Can attendees dial in to the virtual event?
No, attendees cannot dial in to the virtual event. All users must join from a browser connected to audio via Computer audio (VoIP).
Can I record a virtual event?
While you cannot record the entire virtual event in one file, you can record individual sessions as you would a regular webinar.
Can I run overlapping or parallel sessions?
To run overlapping or parallel sessions, you will need multiple GoTo Webinar accounts. You should reach out to your account manager to purchase additional licenses or contact sales.
Can attendees register during the middle of an event?
Yes, attendees can register and join the session in the middle of an event. They will go through the same registration process as those who registered before the event started.
Can attendees join a virtual event from the GoTo Webinar mobile app?
Yes, attendees can join virtual events from a mobile device, but they will need to have the GoTo mobile app downloaded.
Is there a registration limit for an event?
There is no registration limit for the virtual event itself, but there are limits on individual sessions. For example, the Enterprise plan allows up to 3,000 attendees, and the Pro plan allows up to 1,000 attendees. The registration limit is set to 10 times the allowed attendees for each plan.
How can I prevent noise from my attendees’ lines during the webinar?
To prevent noise, ensure that attendees use computer audio (VoIP) instead of phone lines. Additionally, you can use features like muting attendees or using the “Mute All” option to manage noise during the webinar.
Can I conduct polls and surveys of my attendees?
Yes, you can create polls and surveys before the session begins or launch them on-the-fly during the session. You can also include surveys immediately after the session or in follow-up emails to attendees.
Can I upload PowerPoint presentations?
You do not need to upload your PowerPoint presentation before the event. Instead, you can run it on your desktop and share your screen using GoTo Webinar’s screen-sharing technology. If you want your PowerPoint to be downloadable by your attendees, you can upload it as a handout.
How can I monitor my attendees during a session?
You can monitor attendance patterns and attentiveness using the GoTo Webinar dashboard. The dashboard shows status bars indicating attentiveness (green for 100%, yellow for mediocre, and red for lack of attentiveness). You can also see the number of open questions and hands raised at any time.
Can I take control of attendee desktops?
Yes, but only if the attendee gives you permission. To take control of an attendee’s keyboard and mouse, they must be the active presenter and grant you permission.
These questions and answers should help you get a better understanding of how GoToWebinar works and what features it offers.
GoToWebinar - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of GoToWebinar
GoToWebinar is a versatile and user-friendly platform that excels in hosting online webinars, seminars, and training sessions. Here’s a comprehensive overview of its benefits, features, and who would benefit most from using it.Key Features and Benefits
- Ease of Use: GoToWebinar stands out for its simplicity and ease of setup. It is a do-it-yourself solution that does not require expensive technical assistance or training. The process of setting up a webinar is streamlined into a simple three-step process.
- Interactive Tools: The platform offers interactive features such as polling, surveys, Q&A sessions, and speaking privileges, which help engage attendees and enhance the overall webinar experience.
- Cost-Effective: GoToWebinar provides a cost-effective solution with its “All You Can Reach™” pricing, allowing for unlimited webinars at a flat rate. This makes it an attractive option for businesses looking to reduce travel costs and lower operational expenses.
- Scalability: The platform caters to businesses of all sizes, from small consulting practices to large organizations with up to 3,000 attendees. It offers various plans (Lite, Standard, Pro, and Enterprise) to accommodate different audience sizes and budget needs.
- Analytics and Reporting: GoToWebinar provides detailed reports on webinar attendance, audience feedback, and overall webinar success. This helps businesses evaluate the effectiveness of their webinars and qualify leads more efficiently.
Who Would Benefit Most
- Marketing Professionals: GoToWebinar is highly beneficial for marketing managers who need to conduct lead-generation seminars, product launches, and marketing events. It helps increase the number of sales prospects, reduce marketing costs, and speed up the sales cycle.
- Training Professionals: Corporate trainers can use GoToWebinar to deliver interactive training sessions to geographically dispersed audiences. It is particularly useful for companies in the healthcare and education sectors.
- Small and Medium-Sized Businesses: These businesses can leverage GoToWebinar to access online event technology within their budget. It helps them expand their market reach and generate new revenue opportunities without increasing headcount.
Overall Recommendation
GoToWebinar is a reliable and efficient tool for hosting webinars, especially for businesses that need to engage with a wide audience, reduce costs, and streamline their communication processes. Its ease of use, interactive features, and cost-effective pricing make it an excellent choice for various industries, including high-tech, financial, healthcare, and education. For those considering GoToWebinar, here are some key points to keep in mind:- Evaluate your audience size and choose the appropriate plan (Lite, Standard, Pro, or Enterprise) based on your needs.
- Utilize the interactive tools to enhance attendee engagement.
- Take advantage of the reporting features to analyze the success of your webinars.
- Consider the flexibility in audio options (VoIP or toll-based phone audio) to accommodate different participant preferences.