Google Hangouts (Classic) vs. GoTo Webinar

Had I completed this review a couple years ago, I would have given a rating of 9 or 10 as Hangouts (Classic) is an excellent product. However, now that Google Chat has succeeded Hangouts, I would not recommend that any new users begin using it where other more modern options are available. Android users who want an internet based instant messaging that also supports calling and video calling could benefit from using Hangouts (Classic) as Google Chat requires the user to also have Google Meet installed to make video calls and there is no voice only calling option.

Incentivized

It is great for big events like training or product demos. It's good for marketing webinars with features like polls and Q&A. It's not ideal for small, casual meetings. It can be too expensive for some businesses. For smaller events, other tools might be better.

• Google Hangouts (Classic) is embedded within Gmail's scheduler, so setting up the link is as quick as a click of the button. It's a one-step process.
• Google Hangouts (Classic) is user-friendly and [has] features to share screens easily.
• Google Hangouts (Classic) is much easier to use than its competitors.
• Google Hangouts (Classic) have [a] good connection time and there are few glitches.

Incentivized

• We launched a product for a mass and more than 500 people attended the webinar and it was seamless.
• Recording capability for the later usage
• Setup is very simple for both admins and end users
• Polls are helpful in assessing the engagement of the customers

Incentivized

• I would like to see improved video support, so that saved videos can be sent back and forth via Hangouts more easily, without having to start a separate meet chat
• More pronounced notifications of messages would be helpful; pop up notifications are good, but once there is one, additional messages do not pop up
• Custom muting times would be great, so that if I am in a 90 minute Zoom meeting, I can set it for that time; right now, it is 1 hour or 2 hours. Easy to forget.

Incentivized

• Can't schedule recurring webinars twice per week or every other week--must manually add or delete instances.
• Can't schedule recurring webinars more than 'x' number of instances (less than a year's worth).
• If you want a recurring webinar to continue past the last instance (in order to keep the same link), your only option is to manually add future instances before the last one occurs. If the last instance occurs, the webinar (and corresponding link) are archived with no recourse and you must recreate it from scratch and update every bit of external collateral with a new link. So I have to have reminders on my calendar every 6 months to go in and add additional dates for all my recurring webinars in order to keep my links active.
• Canceling/changing seats is a huge pain.
• The default 'join' screen is app-based rather than web based, so registrants often have to download GTW. I have a lot of clients whose computers are locked down from unapproved apps and have missed the webinar because the ability to join on the web is very unintuitive.

Incentivized

Our largest issue with GoTo have been the limitations on recording and using recordings to host a webinar, and the biggest of those is the ability to record. We have had most of our webinars recorded successfully, but when it failed to save, it failed in a big way. Their customer service team was there to help, but they were unable to truly fix the problem. There are, of course, other providers, but as we are still seeing where hosted webinars fit in our marketing strategy, cost is an important factor. Since our company already uses GoToMeeting, it makes more sense for us to stay with the entire suite of products, especially while we are testing the strategy as a whole.

The tool is almost self-implemented. It is likely to be available in every pc or mobile device a user or potential user might have, and all you need to do is adding the company's account and you are done. Once you are setted up, you have almost all actual communication methods available in one tool

Incentivized

This is very easy to set up, configure, onboard, and use. The features can be explored without much ado. In-webinar and post-webinar features are also used seamlessly. Any new person can self-train in minutes and be hands-on. I love the overall usability of this tool.

Incentivized

I rated GoTo Webinar a 9 out of 10 for availability because it generally performs reliably, with minimal application errors or unplanned outages. The platform’s high uptime ensures that it’s usually accessible when needed, supporting a seamless experience for scheduling and conducting webinars. While occasional minor issues may arise, they are infrequent and typically well-managed, contributing to a strong overall rating for availability.

Incentivized

I rated GoTo Webinar an 8 out of 10 for performance due to its generally robust capabilities. Pages load quickly, and reports are generated efficiently, even for complex data sets. The platform’s integration with other systems typically doesn’t introduce significant latency or performance issues. However, during peak usage times or when handling very large data volumes, there can be occasional slowdowns. Despite these instances, GoTo Webinar consistently provides strong performance and reliability in its core functions.

Incentivized

Google Hangouts works great and does not require a lot of work to troubleshoot. Everything is simple and easy to use. Google provides all of the tools that one requires to utilize Google Hangouts and any information can be found in the built-in help tools. There is also a forum for users to report issues and typically, Google responds well and will try to work out any issues.

Incentivized

I was always able to get someone on the phone when I needed to. They were very thorough and ensuring my questions were answered. And if I was asking for a solution or request that they didn't offer, they told me so I could at least stop trying to search for it.

Incentivized

I didn't participate in the implementation nor did my company. As far as I know we have an IT office running alla these projects and we just use the final products for our educational purposes. I also didn't notice implementation at any level while using the desktop interface, but would immediately recognize it, if so.

Incentivized

Google is the white cotton socks of the conferencing world. It’s a great ad-hoc tool, but not too much more. If you are not looking to spend money or operate completely on WiFi (without data charges), it’s a great free option as well. The benefit of being free and open is also the liability. It doesn’t have a great integration story with other corporate tools, but [it doesn’t have to] if you aren’t looking for that. All in all, it’s as helpful and ubiquitous as a public payphone…without the pay…and with a video capability.

Incentivized

GoToWebinar has a user-friendly interface and intuitive controls. When comparing it with other platforms, assess how easily you can navigate through features, set up events, and engage with participants. Connection stability, audio and video quality seem pretty much ok. Interactive polls, Q&A sessions, recording options are also working fine and provide to the user experience

Incentivized

I rated GoTo Webinar an 8 out of 10 for scalability because it effectively supports deployment across multiple departments and sites with its flexible features. It allows for easy management of large-scale webinars and integration with various systems, accommodating a growing number of users and sessions. However, some users might find limitations in advanced customization or specific integration needs as their requirements become more complex. Overall, its robust capabilities and adaptability make it a strong choice for scalable webinar solutions.

Incentivized

• I believe it was part of the google suite that was purchased. It was worth the cost as it was cheaper. I believe it is now free, but also becoming deprecated. It is much better to use Teams, Discord, Telegram, etc. Google does not provide enough support or features to make using hangouts worth it these days.

Incentivized

• GoTo Webinar has been an excellent way to stay relevant and to get current topics/information to our target audience.
• We usually get 100-200 attendees per session in a niche market, many are international attendees
• The ability to get specific data from the audience via custom registration questions allows us to really focus on what they want to see.