Tag Archives: comments

Allow questions and comments in a Google Hangout on Air video for all users


We all love Google Hangouts and Google Hangout on Air, and they can be broadcasted as a YouTube video stream. So it is really one of the backbone services of today web. Forget about other video streaming solutions because they are all extremely restrictive.

But if you have organised a Hangout inside Google+ you will have noticed that in order to comment or make questions the users need to have a Google+ account. How can you allow them to make questions if they don’t have a Google+ account? Well, here is the pain point where Dilmot can help you out.

With Dilmot you can manage a stream of questions and answers in real-time. It works like a chat but it is moderated, meaning that nothing will be published unless you (the “moderator”) allows it. This stream can be embedded in any website, so you can put in one place the video embed and below it you can put the Q&A / chat / comment feed that Dilmot will provide you with.

In the following image you can see how it worked for one of the Dilmot users. We would like to remark that opening an account in Dilmot is free. There is also a Pro account with premium features available if you would like to enjoy certain features such as making the stream password protected, reordering the questions, getting instant mail notification, etc.

Embed a Q&A session in a website, to support a Google Hangout on air session

Embed a Q&A session in a website, to support a Google Hangout on air session

Brent Schlenker talked about a Hangchat in this article: http://elearndev.blogspot.com.es/2014/09/hangchat-google-hangout-on-air-during.html

Source: If you would like to read about Google Hangouts, there is a lot published in this blog: http://blog.qstion.com/

Web participation tools: Comments, Forums, Chats, Q&As, on-line interviews…


Opening our web to participation enriches the content and helps us to create loyal readers who will come back more often (user engagement). This article will discuss the different possibilities of participation and some of the tools available

Normally we want our websites to be alive, and display updated, fresh content. Many customers that have hired me to build a website for them hope that to have a website published makes getting clients and business contacts something automatic, like magical. The reality is that a website requires heavy maintenance and updating, and I do not mean here technical aspects, that are obviously essential. I’m talking about generating content, engage audiences and give them the opportunity to participate.

Web participation can be offered in different ways.

Comments. Following an article we can allow users to comment on it. This option can be moderated or unmoderated. Moderation makes the comments less dynamic and includes a factor of “censorship” that can arouse suspicions among readers. But on the other hand, it is true that there are plenty of trolls willing to insult and be disrespectful, hiding behind the anonymity. Freedom of speech has limits.
Web Applications Reviews: Virtually every type Publishing Solutions such as Blogging Platforms, and CMS (Content Management System) facilitate this option:

Besides, there are other independent on-line platforms that can be configured into any web (embedding the comments)

Discussion Forums. Unlike comments, in the case of discussion forums it is the users who initiate the topics for discussion. Usually Forums are used to query and gather feedback from other users who may have more experience than us in any matter. They are also subject to the same problems of moderation and may also have queries or responses with undeclared interests, e.g. hidden marketing activity. Normally they do need to have moderators. In many occasions they are very active users in which we delegate power to moderate.

Chats. In this system users communicate in real time, i.e. comments are posted live, as if it were a talk. Chat systems are booming, especially since the chats have become popular in mobile phones with solutions like WhatsApp Telegram.

On-line Q&A An on-line Q&A is a way of holding a session of questions and answers with a guest speaker. It can also be seen as an interview in which we can open the question turn to the floor. It is a form of popular participation among the on-line newspapers and magazines. Also for corporate communications and content marketing online. It is used both for chats with celebrities and to talk with experts or personalities. There are tools for organising the Q&A sessions both with chat and video:

Click here if you would like to know more about how to publish a live Q&A