Just about every major American company has relied on video conferencing platforms to maintain business functions during the pandemic. In fact, a recent study has shown that 75% of employees depend on video conferencing technology for remote work.
In addition to bypassing business meeting restrictions, companies are now realizing the many cost-effective benefits of hosting video conferences and virtual events.
Travel-related expenses have dropped by 30%, and research has shown that companies can save up to $11,000 per employee by using video conferencing platforms.
2021 was a rocky year for companies adapting to closures and the inability to host in-person events, which left many in the event space asking, “what technology is used in video conferencing and how can I implement it for my business?” With the increased popularity of these apps and tools, new and innovative ideas are taking shape to improve user experience.
We’re walking you through the video conferencing technology trends you need to be aware of as we move forward into 2022.
7 Video Conferencing Technology Trends to Look Out for in 2022
Trend #1) Unmatched Security and Privacy Capabilities Will Be Crucial
As companies begin to rely on video conferencing to conduct business, they will need unmatched security and privacy capabilities to ensure intellectual property protection and safeguard trade secrets.
Most of the top-rated video conferencing platforms now offer full end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and audit reports to keep user data private.
Trend #2) User Experience Will Continue to Improve With Video Conferencing Technology
Video conferences are prone to technical difficulties that can disrupt the flow of important meetings. How many times have you been in a meeting that was delayed because another participant couldn’t log in either due to user error or outdated browsers?
Going forward, the user experience will become more seamless and reliable, with easier login capabilities. Joining a video conference will be as easy as placing a phone call or sending an email, without any hassles or confusing user interfaces.
Many companies are now using browser-based video conferencing so that joining a meeting is as simple as clicking a link, bypassing user logins and passwords.
Trend #3) Video and Audio Quality Will Take Center Stage
“Zoom fatigue” is primarily caused by poor audio and video quality that mars the video conferencing experience.
We’ve all been in that situation where you’ve just pitched your company or replied to a question only to have the other person say, “Sorry, could you repeat that? You’re breaking up. Perhaps we should all switch off our videos.” At this point, your video conference has turned into just a conference call.
Because of this, video conferencing platforms are now placing a higher priority on improving VoIP sound quality for more naturalistic sound quality.
Upgrading video resolution is another top priority for video conferencing platforms, raising the bar to make full HD and 4K resolution the standard going forward.
With improved sound and video quality, Zoom fatigues effects will be greatly reduced, allowing your video conferences to be, well… video conferences.
Trend #4) Boosting Engagement With Gamification
Adding gamification is a relatively new tech trend in video conferencing and an effective way to inject fun into your meeting, stimulating your participants to boost their concentration and engagement.
With our ever-increasingly fragmented attention spans, gamification allows conference hosts the ability to take charge and get the attention they deserve.
Common gamification techniques can include sending participants to breakout rooms where they can complete tasks, polls or mini-games in exchange for points.
Another increasingly popular gamification technique is integrating video conference platforms with online games, allowing participants to compete against each other.
Use your own creativity to create mini-games and challenges to energize your meetings. An added bonus is whatever engagement you gather turns into valuable attendee insights and data that you can use to perfect and strategize future events and marketing efforts.
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Trend #5) Integrating Tools and Tech to Make Video Conferencing More Efficient and Cost-Effective
Video conferencing platforms have far more capabilities than just hosting a video-based chat between people. They are a constructive tool that can share files, screen share, present slide shows, allow for remote screen control, and offer live time translation and transcription (more on that in the AI section).
Video conferencing platforms are frequently integrated with calendars, CRMs, Dropbox, email marketing tools and channel-based messaging platforms like Slack to create a cost-effective and efficient way of running business meetings.
Trend #6) Advancements in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are a new technology trend in video conferencing helping to make better sounding and visually appealing video conferences. A recent study of Zoom users found that 73% predicted AI would be beneficial for video conferencing applications.
Instead of having your participants be on mute, AI can now automatically detect and reduce noise, allowing everybody an equal opportunity to speak during the conference, without the embarrassing hiccups of speaking while still on mute.
Is your office messy or distracting? AI can automatically detect your background and blur it or replace it with a pleasant, minimal backdrop that’s less distracting.
AI also acts as an in-meeting assistant that can automatically detect which speaker is talking to prioritize which participant’s screen should be enlarged.
Are you running a multi-cultural meeting or a multi-accessible meeting? AI can offer live transcription and translation to improve real-time verbal communications. As we’ve seen with other industries positively impacted by AI, the possibilities are endless.
Unfamiliar with some of these terms? Dive into our event planning terms glossary to learn what they mean and get to know 150+ other useful event tech words.
Trend #7) Tracking Audience Behavior and Measuring Performance With Video Conferencing Technology
Depending on the size and frequency of your video conferences, you will want to measure and track your audience’s behavior to quantify your event’s success.
Choose a robust video conferencing platform that can measure meeting registrations or RSVPs, attendance, time spent in events, number of interactions, use of applause, number of files shared, closed deals, leads collected, etc.
With data analysts becoming one of the fastest-growing occupations, it’s important to keep track of as much user behavior as possible to glean valuable insights later. Your treasure trove of user data can help you conduct better video conferences and improve your company’s communication efforts, but only if you’re able to track it first.
Take Video Conferencing Trends to the Next Level With SpotMe
Whether you’re using SpotMe to host your next virtual event, business meeting, or looking for a robust app that integrates with your current video conferencing platform, we have you covered!
SpotMe is the complete digital engagement tool, capable of hosting small or large-scale virtual events, while evolving to stay ahead of video conferencing trends.
SpotMe’s intuitive interface is both web and app-friendly, giving your participants an attractive option that’s easy to learn and use.
Our SOCII type 2 certified privacy and security protocols ensure your business stays your business, using end-to-end video encryption.
Ready to test drive SpotMe? Reach out to start your free trial today!
