What is Zoom video conference?

Video conferencing is one of the most effective and popular techniques used by companies around the world to get work done faster and more efficiently. It allows users to connect to each other no matter where they are in the world, and this makes conveying information and explaining workflows easier than via email. Given the work from the situation, we have been pushed into today, apps like Zoom are the way to go in order to get work done in a time where going to the office is not really on the cards for a while.

Bigger companies, with more than 500 employees, resort to Skype for Business, for their video conferencing needs. Skype has been around for years, and as such, is the de facto norm for video conferencing in most companies. However, pricing becomes an issue if you are an organization with less than 500 employees. These companies also require video conferencing software without the burden of a big-time payment. That is where Zoom comes in.

Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing app, which can be used for a host of different purposes which include, but are not limited to –

  1. Video conferencing meetings
  2. Audio conferencing
  3. Webinars
  4. Meeting Recording
  5. Live Chats

Statistically, Zoom, today, is the most popular video conferencing app for companies with less than 500 employees, while it comes a close second to Skype for Business, for companies with a larger employee base.

The most amazing feature of Zoom is its versatility. With a graded pricing plan and access to all features, Zoom really makes a compelling case for those who are in the market for video conferencing solutions.

Let’s take a look at some of the features that Zoom offers, and then take a look at how much it will cost you to get Zoom today.

Features –

  1. Support for HD Video and Audio

    Zoom allows you to initiate HD video and audio conferencing, with support for up to 1000 video participants and 49 videos on the screen.
  2. Built-in collaboration tools

    Multiple participants can share their screens simultaneously and co-annotate for a more interactive meeting.
  3. Team Chat

    You can easily chat with groups, access a searchable history, send and receive files easily with the integrated file sharing option, and maintain a 10-year archive of data.
  4. Secured Meetings

    Encryption for all meetings, role-based user security, password protection, waiting rooms, and place attendee on hold.
  5. Streamlined Calendar

    Support scheduling or starting meetings from Outlook, Gmail, or iCal.
  6. Recording and Transcripts

    Easily record your meetings locally or to the cloud, with searchable transcripts.

With such a rich feature set on offer, let’s take a look at the pricing options so that you can choose the plan that suits your budget, and get started with Zoom today.

  1. Zoom Free

    Like most video conferencing apps, Zoom also offers a free version of their tool with all features on offer. This plan is best suited if you are someone who works solo, or have only one or two teammates in your venture. With the free plan, you save up on a lot of money while enjoying everything that Zoom offers. While Zoom allows users to host unlimited meetings on the free plan, the duration for meetings with multiple users is capped at 40 minutes per session. Something to keep in mind, before going in for the free plan.
  2. Zoom Pro

    If you have a relatively small team, with at least one member working remotely full-time/part-time, then the Zoom Pro plan is for you. While the requirement of a teammate working remotely is up to you, it surely helps in collaborating easily.

    The Zoom Pro plan costs $14.99/month/meeting host, and this tier allows hosts to create personal meeting IDs for recurring Zoom meetings, allows meeting recording in the cloud or on users’ devices, and caps group meeting durations at 24 hours.
  3. Zoom Business

    If you have a small to medium-sized company, with regular requirements for Zoom meetings, then the Zoom Business plan is for you. For $19.99/month/meeting host (starting at 10 hosts), you get access to Zoom conferencing features, while there is also an added benefit of branding your zoom meetings with fancy URLs, dedicated customer support, and transcripts of meetings saved on the cloud.
  4. Zoom Enterprise

    This is the top tier of the Zoom pricing table and offers the best of the best. This is also meant for companies with a large employee base (more than 1000 employees). For $19.99/month/meeting host (starting at 100 hosts), customers get access to unlimited cloud storage for recordings, a dedicated customer success manager, and discounts on webinars and Zoom Rooms.

So, once you have selected your Zoom Plan, all that’s left to do is to download Zoom and Sign up with the work email/email of your choice. You can do this on your own, if you are on the individual plan, or if your system administrator is signing up for a Pro, Business, or Enterprise account, you’ll be invited to sign up for Zoom as one of your company’s hosts.