Google+ is the newest shiny social network on the block and a lot of people are enjoying the functionality offered by this network. One of the most interesting features of Google+ is the video conferencing feature, called “hangouts.”
Hangouts allow up to 10 people to conduct a video conference at no charge as long as they have high-speed Internet and good quality microphones and webcams. I included a demo of hangouts in my post on video conferencing options.
I think this could be very useful to association boards that are often made up of individuals who are in different geographic locations. Additionally, volunteer boards are often short on funds which can limit the number of face to face meetings they can have. This means that conference calls are often used to communicate between meetings but lots of people on a conference call can sometimes get unwieldy.
Video conferencing can make meetings more personal and can help the conversation flow a bit more naturally than it does on a conference call with audio only. Google+ hangouts work remarkably well and have the added benefit of using VoIP, which eliminates the need for toll-free call-in numbers or burning cell phone minutes.
I serve on more than one association board and I’ve suggested to one that we try video conferencing next time. I would love to hear if any other boards are using video conferencing either with Google+ or other systems. If you are moving to video conferencing, please share your experience below!
