There are several free and subscription-based webinars and online presentations software packages. Your IT department will have recommendations and restrictions about the software choice. If your organization already has a system, you will need to learn how to work within the scope of service you have. If your organization allows shareware, free downloads, and has a small audience per program, the world is your oyster.
The choices are almost limitless. You will discover this once you enter “free web conferencing programs” into a search engine.
If you are in search of a particular program, consult with your IT department for assistance. Many organizations lock down their system to prevent unauthorized downloads by users and to keep viruses under control. Do your research about which option in which programs are right for your delivery needs and fit the organization’s security requirements. Meet with the right staff members to present your case.
Once you have approval to move forward, you will still need to decide whether you will download and install a free copy or a trial copy or just move forward to purchase the software. On the other hand, the table lists many of the fabulous and free products that your favorite search engine will find.
| Product | Download Required | Cool Thing It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Screenr | No | Web-based screen recording for showing how to navigate new software or a website. Limited to a 5-minute screen capture (pure genius!) and no edits allowed; get it right or better yet, enjoy your errors and imperfections. |
| Camstudio | Yes | Simple, intuitive program that records screen activity and allows editing. |
| Audacity | Yes | Best, simplest audio editing; great for beginners! |
| Skype | Yes | Screen sharing; free or darn cheap phone worldwide. |
| Articulate.com | No | Even if you don’t use the product, these folks share so much helpful information you have to check it out. |
| Evernote | No, but you can | Store everything, and we mean everything, in one place. Web-clipping tool and phone and tablet synching. |
| Screencast | No | Storage for huge multimedia files. Allows downloads, comments, and viewer count. |
You’ll need your IT team’s help throughout the entire process. It is best to develop a respectful relationship early on to ensure they stay aligned with your needs to deliver great learning options. By the way, it never hurts to bring cookies to the first meeting either.
Employ some basic rules for webinars and other online presentations — first, to ensure everyone has the same output expectations and second, to keep yourself in check.