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WhatsApp wasn’t just designed for messaging your friends and family. It turns out it’s also a great conference calling tool, too. We dive deeper into everything you need to know to get started below.
Hosting conference calls is a great way to get your team on the same page no matter where in the world they are. Though the lines of what you officially call a conference call have been a bit blurred as the workplace changes and there are more communication methods, one thing is still clear: conference calls are a crucial part of communicating with your team members. And they can also be valuable for client interactions.
Picture this: Your team needs to meet soon to iron out a few wrinkles on your latest project. It’s one of your most significant projects yet, and you want a convenient way to call all of your team members at once. But some of them are either on the go or working from home at the time of the call.
Thankfully, they’ve each downloaded WhatsApp on their phone, so they’ll be ready to jump on a call whenever and wherever. Best of all, it doesn’t cost anything to get everyone connected and interacting. With WhatsApp, that can be your reality once you’ve learned how to use it for conference calls.
We’ve used WhatsApp to run group conference calls when we only need to meet with eight people. It’s convenient and can be a great option if you have a strong internet connection. It also helps that WhatsApp works on any type of smartphone since the hardware each of our team members uses always differs.
Here are some quick tips to try on for size if you’re using WhatsApp as your conference calling tool. Keep in mind that you can only use it for conference calls that include eight people or less. The upside is that it’s free to use and easy to set up.
To make a conference call through WhatsApp successfully, you’ll want to ensure everyone on your team has downloaded and configured the app first. That way, they aren’t fumbling around when it’s time to conduct the call.
Downloading the app is as easy as finding it online through a quick Google search for using it on a computer. For smartphones and tablets, simply go to your phone’s app store and search “WhatsApp,” then download the free app to your device. Or you can visit whatsapp.com/download to download the app for Android, iPhone, or Windows.
It’s nice to know that WhatsApp isn’t only for use on smartphones. You can also have easy access to it from your desktop or laptop whenever you need to use it to make your calls.
There are several ways to add or import your phone’s contacts to WhatsApp. In many cases, when you first download the app, it will ask for your permission to sync your contacts with WhatsApp automatically.
If you don’t want to do that (or forgot to), here are the steps to add contacts to WhatsApp on Androids and iPhones.
On an Android device, follow these steps to add one contact at a time:
To sync all Android contacts to WhatsApp:
On an iPhone, follow these steps to add one contact at a time:
To sync all iPhone contacts to WhatsApp:
Once you’ve configured your WhatsApp settings and uploaded your contacts, you can start testing its group video and voice features.
Here’s how to conduct a voice conference call through WhatsApp:
It’s important to remember that if you decide to host a voice call, you won’t be able to switch to a video call if needed. To do that, you’ll have to hang up the call and then start a new group video call.
Knowing small things like these, especially if you plan on making WhatsApp the primary way your team communicates, can help save you group call management headaches in the long run. It can also help you run group calls more efficiently.
Here’s how to conduct a video conference call through WhatsApp’s chat tab:
The main difference between conducting a video conference and a voice conference call is the button you push to start the call.
Keep in mind that there’s more than one way to start a group video call. You can do it through the Calls tab or an already existing group chat. Here are a few tips to ensure your video conference call go as smoothly as possible:
Once you’ve gotten familiar with WhatsApp and its calling features, it’s time to schedule your next conference call. The easiest way to do this is by sending a group message with the conference call time and date.
However, you can also send a quick email if that works better for you. The beauty of conference calls with WhatsApp is that you don’t have to deal with distributing long login links, dial-in numbers, or access codes.
The quality of your conference calls hangs on two main factors: How well you prepare beforehand and the quality of your conference calling tools. Here are some tips and tricks to help you step up your conference calling game long-term, whether you use WhatsApp for your calls or not.
Hands down, one of the best ways to successfully manage your conference calls, especially the bigger they get, is to approach them with a game plan.
This means you want to have a plan or schedule for every conference call you host. Here are a few bullet points that can help point you in the right direction. Try these on for size to see what helps you run better calls.
Though it might sound counterintuitive at first, presetting a time limit for your conference call can actually help you achieve more during the call. With a clear ending in mind, you’ll be able to set the pace for a conference call that’s productive and moves your team forward.
Setting a time limit and letting everyone that’s part of the conference call know beforehand can also help them plan their day. Knowing how much time they’ll need to set aside for your conference call can help them be more present and better prepared.
This is true regardless of whether you’re working with a video, phone, or hybrid conference call. It’s also helpful to know if the software you’re using has a conference or group call limit. That way, you aren’t caught by surprise mid-meeting.
WhatsApp is a reliable tool for communicating with a small group of people. However, it becomes pretty apparent pretty quickly that WhatsApp wasn’t primarily designed for conference calls.
But that isn’t an issue when you look through your other options. There are plenty of more robust conference calling options specifically designed to help you host top-notch conference calls regardless of how long your calls are or the size of your team.
We’ve put together a guide that dives into the best conference calling services available. However, here’s a quick time-saving recap of the best options worth considering:
Here’s a quick look at our top three favorites:
RingCentral is a leader in all things business communications. So it’s no wonder it also tends to dominate in the conference call space, too.
Unlike WhatsApp, RingCentral offers calling tools designed to cater to hosting and managing conference calls. It can also be affordable if you go with one of its starter plans.
Zoom is great if you’re leaning toward making video conference calls more than anything else. It’s easy to use, accessible to just about anyone with an internet connection, and comes with lots of useful features, even on its free plan. All in all, Zoom is a great video conferencing option for businesses both big and small.
FreeConferenceCall is a possible option for you if you’re looking for a free conference call service that takes you beyond what an app like WhatsApp can do without having to pay any ongoing fees. FreeConferenceCall is used by all kinds of businesses of all sizes, and it’s a viable free option worth considering.
WhatsApp is a great conference calling option you probably hadn’t thought of before. Now that you know how useful it can be in helping you bring your team together, you can easily make it part of your workflow going forward.
Still, it’s essential to keep in mind that it does come with an eight-person limit whether you’re making a video call or group voice call.
Now, the fun doesn’t stop there. We eggsperts pride ourselves in bringing you some of the most in-depth guides on everything business. After you’ve read and bookmarked this guide, below are a couple more we think you’ll find useful.
Are you looking to learn more about product management? We’ve compiled a list of the best courses you can take to learn the ins and outs of managing every aspect of your product.
And finally, when you’re managing payroll for your growing business, you need all the help you can get. That’s why we created a guide to the best payroll software you can onboard to help automate the process and make sure your company is compliant with payroll regulations. We have a favorite, and we aren’t afraid to tell you all about it. Make sure you check out the guide to learn everything you need to know to get started.
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WhatsApp the world’s most popular messaging app now supports group and video calls online.
The Facebook-owned app lets you connect to multiple callers worldwide for free via an internet connection.
Users can call several friends on either WiFi or on your data connection, or you can make a video call using Wi-Fi.
This feature is available on both Android and iOS and express.co.uk explains how to do it below.
Users can now make video calls to your contacts using your WiFi or data on WhatsApp.
To do this, open up the WhatsApp and click on a conversation.
Users will see a video camera icon at the top right of the conversation window.
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WhatsApp conference call: How to make a group call and video call on WhatsApp EXPLAINED (Image: GETTY)
Tap on that and you will automatically connect to a video call with that contact.
You can adjust volume, switch from front to back camera and mute the video during the call.
Again, this is a similar process to video calling.
WhatsApp lets you connect to multiple callers worldwide for free. (Image: GETTY)
To start a group call, fire up a conversation on your WhatsApp and click the phone icon in the top right of the screen.
Once your contact has picked up the phone, you can then click on the + icon on the screen and select multiple contacts to connect to a group call.
Click on who you want to add and wait for them to accept the call.
You can also do this with group video calls.
WhatsApp: Map shows countries where WhatsApp is blocked (Image: Express)
You can now make video calls to your contacts using your WiFi or data on WhatsApp. (Image: GETTY)
To do this, start a video call.
Once your contact has accepted the call, click on the + icon again and add another contact.
The screen will then be split with the separate video feeds.
Video calling can drain your data package, so if you are tight on data, make sure you are connected to a WiFi connection to get the full benefit of conference video calls.
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WhatsApp allows you to hold small video conferences for up to four people.
This service compares favorably with FaceTime by its availability on both iOS and Android, and from Zoom by the presence of end-to-end encryption. How to set up a group call on WhatsApp.
Anna Polyakova nine0003
WhatsApp is now releasing an update that will allow you to initiate calls directly from group chats of up to four people. Right in the conversation, buttons will appear to start a video or audio call without intermediate steps. WhatsApp says that this feature is not yet available to all users. nine0003
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With the coronavirus, many have switched to remote work and education. As a result, the need for online conferencing applications has increased dramatically. Previously, we also posted a selection of the best conferencing apps. Zoom is the most popular app. And not only in business, but also for educational purposes (in schools). nine0003
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Skype and FaceTime are also not losing popularity. We've also seen the efforts of Google, Telegram, and now WhatsApp. The latest beta version of the WhatsApp app reportedly received support for video calls with a limit of 8 participants. Previously, group calls did not support this number of users. The news is great, the instructions are written below in detail.
nine0028 Recall that the WhatsApp messenger is the most popular chat service in the world, with more than 300 million active users. As such, further expansion of the video conferencing area is likely to be met with great anticipation, especially since it also has end-to-end encryption, providing better security for important calls.
As part of the Facebook portfolio, WhatsApp is also expected to get Messenger Rooms integration in the near future. In-app video conferencing will need a strong feature set to compete with native options like FaceTime or Duo, but so far, WhatsApp seems like a strong contender for cross-platform video calling on a smartphone.
