Video Call Integration on Different Platforms

You probably don’t need us to tell you how prevalent video calls have become. After all, you’ve likely relied on this communication channel recently, whether it’s for a work meeting or a personal matter.

Video was already on the rise before the pandemic: between 2017 and 2019, video communication usage increased by 48%. But in the first 2 months of the pandemic, the video conferencing market increased by 500%. After this widespread adoption, many industries realized how useful video really is, and it’s here to stay.

While some of us started to dread video calls at the height of the pandemic, we can’t deny the benefits across industries. Businesses now use video for all types of communications, including sales calls, healthcare consultations, education, recruiting and hiring, and live-event streaming—and it’s clear why.

Third-party video conference platforms are handy for remote work and internal communications. But when it comes to client or patient interactions, integrating a custom video application with your existing platforms enables seamless communication with your customers.

This post will cover the benefits of audio and video integration and how to build a custom video conferencing app.

Why integrate video on your platform?

Video offers an immediacy and personal touch to your communications that other channels, like email or chat, can’t match. Some of the benefits of video include:

• In a Lifesize report, 51% of respondents said that companies are more innovative when they use video conferencing. Also, 55% of respondents see these companies as more collaborative, and 31% see them as more successful.
• In the healthcare industry, video conferencing saves time and travel costs for both practitioners and patients. It also helps reduce the number of people at healthcare facilities.
• In sales, video conferencing can improve conversion and retention rates. It allows clearer communication by incorporating signals that convey intention and meaning, such as facial expressions and tone of voice.

Building a video conferencing app allows you to connect with customers without having to take your conversations onto a third-party app or website. With application programming interfaces (APIs) and software development kits (SDKs), you can create a video solution customized to your needs and integrate it with just a few lines of code.

How to integrate video calling

There are a few ways to approach your video solution, depending on whether you want to build an app or deploy and customize an open-source app. Below are the first steps and some tutorials to get you started.

1. Choose a platform

The quickest way to get your video app up and running is to rely on APIs and SDKs customizable to meet your needs. A cloud-based communications platform like Twilio provides these as well as reference apps and all the documentation you or your developers will need to build your custom solution.

2. Find the right SDK

Whether you’re adding video to a website, an application, or both, you’ll need the right SDK. SDKs are the tools that facilitate your application build, and each one is specific to a particular development platform. Twilio provides SDKs for the web (JavaScript) as well as Android and iOS for mobile video integration.

3. Build or deploy your video app

Now is the time to choose: Would you like to build an app or deploy an existing open-source app and customize it to your use case? Whatever your choice, here are some resources to set you on the right path.

A. Build an app

Building a video app gives you the flexibility to create the exact solution your business needs. Explore our tutorials for building video apps in a variety of programming languages and integrating video with other collaboration tools:

• Build a Free 1:1 Video Chat Application With Twilio WebRTC Go and JavaScript
• Build a Video Chat With React Hooks
• Co-Browse a Shared Notepad in Real Time With Twilio Sync and Programmable Video
• Build a Serverless Video Chat Application With JavaScript and Twilio Programmable Video
• Screen Sharing With JavaScript and Twilio Programmable Video

B. Deploy an open-source app

If you’re looking for a straightforward video solution and want to deploy your app quickly, check out these open-source video collaboration applications for iOS, Android, and the web.

These video apps include screen sharing and monitoring network conditions and are adaptable for various industries like healthcare and education. Plus, you can deploy these fully functional video apps to the cloud in a matter of minutes. Once you deploy the app and give it a try, you can take a deeper dive and customize the app to your specific use case.

Integrate video for your platform with Twilio

Ready to build your one-of-a-kind video application? With Twilio Video, you can create a tailored video experience and even use custom virtual backgrounds and layouts that seamlessly integrate with your brand. Learn more about Twilio Video and sign up to try it for free.