Virtual Meeting Guide for Government Agencies

What You Need to Know

Video conferences, virtual meetings, and online conferences not only make it easier for government agencies to boost team productivity and morale — they also increase transparency and improve the overall civic experience.

For the first time, residents don’t need to attend meetings in person to get involved with their local government, and staff members are also able to call into meetings, no matter where they might be.

The result? More engagement, higher levels of resident and staff satisfaction, and increased transparency for all.

In this day and age, it’s finally possible to be in two places at once.

In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of video conferences and share helpful tips to ensure you’re getting the most out of your video calls. Perhaps most importantly, we’ll share expert advice on how to choose the right tools to support your video conferencing needs now and far into the future.

What Is a Video Conference and How Does It Work?

A video conference is a meeting that is streamed online, allowing people to view it — and possibly participate in it — no matter where they’re located. Especially with the rise of remote work and distributed teams, video conferencing has become a popular alternative to in-person meetings, and is also frequently used for product demos, conferences, and even events.

Because the quality of video conferencing software has improved so much over the past few years, it’s possible to replicate much of the in-person experience, even if everyone on the call or in the meeting is in a different place.

There is minimal equipment required:

• Web cameras, which can be connected to or built into smartphones, tablets, desktop computers, or laptops
• Speakers or audio equipment
• A display screen, which can include a desktop monitor, a laptop, a smartphone, or a television screen (often found in conference rooms)
• A high speed internet connection for good video quality
• Microphones for added audio quality
• Video conferencing software that can support all your virtual event needs

3 Benefits of Video Conferencing

1. Greater Awareness

In many ways, the average person is restricted by the one commodity that we never seem to have enough of: time. Between work, family obligations, hobbies, and day-to-day responsibilities, many residents, even those who care greatly about their community and want to participate in local government, cannot prioritize attending every public in-person meeting. This reality is especially true when their choices on a Wednesday evening are to attend a 60-minute hearing across town or spend the time grocery shopping, watching their child’s soccer game, or working late at the office. It’s just not possible to do it all.

However, online meeting platforms remove many barriers to entry and create opportunities for residents to turn on those virtual backgrounds and get more involved with their communities. By giving people the ability to watch online meetings and participate from afar, you’ll increase engagement, boost transparency, and create a more well-informed community.

2. Increased Diversity of Engagement

The reality is, some people are going to have a tougher time making it to in-person meetings than others. Parents and caregivers, for example, have a lot of responsibilities in the early evening, and no matter how much they want to get involved, it’s not always going to be possible if meeting in-person is a requirement. As a result, opinions from these communities might be drowned out by those who are able to prioritize in-person attendance. Using online meeting software to bring in virtual attendees allows administrations to hear from a more diverse group and better understand the needs of their community at large.

Of course, accessibility is also key. Dial-in numbers can ensure those who don’t have access to a smartphone or computer can easily call in and participate in audio-only meetings — and providing collaboration tools such as screen-sharing opportunities can empower visual learners to get more involved.

In addition, decision-makers in local government must make sure that online meeting software is free and simple to navigate. Whatever video conferencing software you choose should work with assistive technology, mobile devices and mobile apps, and be available for live and recorded closed captioning. It should also allow for advanced features such as file and screen sharing — and that process needs to be easy to understand.

Many communities are prioritizing investments in broadband infrastructure to enhance video conferencing solutions and video meetings, which is something your agency may want to consider, too.

3. Reduced Carbon Footprint

The drastic reduction in daily work commuting and seamless integration of video meetings and virtual platforms has offered tremendous benefits for our environment. In fact, working full-time from home can cut a person’s carbon footprint by more than half, and hybrid schedules (working from home two to four days per week) can reduce a person’s emissions by up to 29%, according to a recent study.

Especially as more communities attempt to prioritize the greenification of their shared natural environment, residents can feel good knowing a video conferencing tool is helping them do their part, while also allowing them to get more involved in their local government.

Online Meetings: Tips and Best Practices

While there are obvious benefits to virtual meetings and video calls, it’s important to do everything you can to help your staff and residents get the most out of the experience. Here are some best practices to consider:

Enable the Highest Quality Output

It’s difficult to stick with a video that’s staticky or hard to see. To help boost resident engagement, invest in high quality live and recorded videos.

Keep in mind that viewers must be able to see speakers, visual graphics, and other meeting participants if applicable. High-quality cameras will help residents feel like part of the live moment, which is what you’re aiming to achieve.

Ensure Robust Broadcast Bandwidth

Remember that broadcasting video may require higher streaming bandwidth capabilities. Your video could be of the highest quality, but if you don’t have the bandwidth to broadcast it could stall repeatedly or appear choppy and fuzzy.

Consider Production Factors

Do what you can to make your online meetings look great. Fix the lighting, ensure the presenters speak into working microphones, and rest your camera on a stable surface.

Consider the audio, too. Make sure your audio feeds directly into your camera for the best possible sound quality.

Be Transparent With Meeting Participants

Legally, government agencies are required to distribute a meeting agenda in advance, but doing so digitally allows residents to make more informed decisions as to what meetings they should attend. Publish them early and make them as detailed as you can.

In addition, government leaders and meeting hosts may need to have a private discussion or ask for a recess. In these moments, remember your video conferencing participants, and keep them posted as to what’s going on. If you need to take a break for any reason, be upfront about why you’re turning off the camera or audio and give a good faith estimate as to when you’ll be able to resume streaming in real time. Transparency is key.

Virtual Events: Platform Considerations

Choosing a software solution to support your virtual events can make a huge difference in your experience — and your residents’. To improve productivity and boost engagement, consider these basic features when selecting a video conferencing tool:

Ease of Navigation

The internet can be an overwhelming place and learning a new tool can be a pain. Select an intuitive tool that’s easy for staff and residents to use — and be sure to consider accessibility, too.

A clear user interface, including large icons, text labels, clear color contrasts, and good volume control can also make it easier for people with disabilities to participate in virtual meetings, according to a recent study. In addition, it’s a good idea to consider muting remote attendees on entry, not necessarily requiring participants to be camera-on, and providing different options for participation, including chat.

Compatibility with Assistive Technology

Many people with disabilities use tools including screen readers and voice-activated software to help them navigate the internet. Selecting a video conferencing tool that is compatible with these tools can make it easier for these meeting attendees to participate in video conferences.

Similarly, keep in mind that keyboard shortcuts are also helpful for people with disabilities.

Built-in Legal Compliance

Legally, all digital content must be accessible to all residents, including those with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) identifies closed captioning of video content as a best practice for ensuring equitable content. To accommodate those with hearing impairments, be sure you choose a tool that enables closed captioning services of live and recorded video.

Robust Level of Security

While video conferencing can boost engagement and improve resident satisfaction, it also opens the door to bad actors. Choose a software solution with robust security features, including the ability to use password protection and private meeting links.

Useful Integrations

An integrated tech stack can improve efficiency and streamline operations. For example, integrating your agenda and meeting management solution with your video conferencing platforms can make meeting-planning simple and fast.

Similarly, you may want to integrate your video conferencing tool with your social media platforms and your social media archiving solution for added convenience and compliance.

If you’re looking to share video of your meeting after the fact, be mindful that some video conferencing tools allow you to record a meeting and publish it on your website for on-demand meeting recordings. At last, residents will be able to access all your meeting content, including the live stream and the agenda and meeting materials, in one place, whenever they’d like.

Scalability

Your needs now aren’t necessarily what you’ll require in the future. Choose a solution that can accommodate unlimited events and viewers for maximum participation, no matter how big your community gets.

Around-the-Clock Customer Support

No matter what software solution you choose, you’re going to have questions at some point. Prioritize a leading provider with award-winning customer service to ensure that you’re never alone when there’s a problem.

Why You Should Upgrade Your Video Conferencing Capabilities Now

About 61 million people in the United States currently live with a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and every government agency has a responsibility to ensure they can participate in their communities no matter what.

Unfortunately, far too few agencies have failed to make this happen. Just 3% of the internet is accessible for people with disabilities, according to a recent study. The research indicates that 56% of images are inaccessible, 25% of forms are missing clear labels, and 64% of pages have unclear links, meaning that even if someone wanted to engage with their local government leaders, they’d have a very difficult time doing so.

It’s time to make some serious changes.

By embracing virtual meeting software and opening up your meetings to remote teams and participants, you’ll boost accessibility and transparency, and improve the civic experience for every member of your community.

Virtual meetings also help agencies maintain compliance with accessibility laws, which are only getting stricter.

In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a new rule pertaining to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), mandating “the adoption of specific technical standards for making accessible the services, programs, and activities offered by state and local government entities to the public through the web and mobile applications.”

For state and local governments with a total population of 50,000 or more, the compliance deadline is April 24, 2026, and entities with a total population of fewer than 50,000 must meet a compliance deadline of April 26, 2027.

Start making strides now to ensure that you’re doing all you can to get each and every resident involved through in person or remote collaboration. At the same time, you’ll reduce the administrative burden on your staff, boosting productivity and morale at the same time.

Technology has the power to transform how you do business and connect with residents. At last, you can focus on critical discussions and local decision-making, not on meeting logistics — and you’ll know you’ve done everything you can to be sure that everyone’s voices have been heard through an exceptional meeting experience.