Tag Archives: videochats

Embed a live Q&A session in a blog or website


There are many reasons why you would like to have a live conversation with your readers, and embed it in your existing website or blog. Today we would like to feature a live chat that is complementary to a Google Hangout. As you can see in the image below, Waiomizik is embedding the webchat right below his live streaming session done with Google Hangouts on air:

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

What is a Hangout on air?

A Hangout on air is a web application that belongs to Google. It is used to make a live video stream with a webcam. And this live video stream can take place between several persons. Because YouTube belongs to Google, then you can broadcast the Google Hangout on air inside of a YouTube embedded viewer.

What do you need to do something like this?

– A Google/YouTube account that will allow you to set-up the Google Hangout on Air
– A Dilmot account, that will allow you to set-up the live Q&A chat. See a tutorial here: How can I publish a live Q&A session on the Internet?

Both of these applications, Hangouts on air (YouTube) and Dilmot, allow embedding of their webapps inside of other webs, so this is all you have to do: embed the Hangout video and embed the Dilmot stream.

In the image above, you can see that there is a countdown to the start of the Hangout. When the Hangout will start, this box will show the live streaming video.

Below the Google Hangout box, there is the Dilmot stream of webchat, that will be updated automatically every time there is a new question and answer. This webchat will allow the broadcasters to receive questions that they would like to respond during the video streaming. So, Dilmot works as a complementary webapp to Hangout on air.

If you need further help, do not hesitate to get in touch with our team, and we will make our best to help you organise a successful Hangout + Dilmot live event.

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