Web conferencing is one of the most important technologies of our Internet age. Yet too few people take advantage of what web conferencing can offer. Unfortunately, many smaller companies consider the technology to be too expensive. But that’s not the case. While many of the larger web conferencing providers are focused on selling high-dollar solutions into large corporations, there are other firms that specialize in serving the needs of smaller firms.

The best web conferencing solutions provide audio and video capabilities, in addition to multiple text chat interfaces. They also allow for application sharing, so you can share a desktop or application window with your conference. And they’ll let you show PowerPoint, as well as allow you to draw and write on a virtual white board. Not only that, you’ll also have the capability to record your conferences, for streaming playback at a later date.

Here’s something you might not know … you can dip into the web conferencing waters for about thirty bucks a month …

If you think web conferencing is all about chat and web cams, think again. It goes far beyond that. Web conferencing is a real world tool for applications ranging from sales through technical support.

I set out to do some serious research on the topic of web conferencing last fall, with the intent to write a new book. Alas, the web conferencing book–and the lion share of my research–had to sit on the back burner while I slaved away on other projects. Now that some time is freeing up, I’m turning my sights back on the burgeoning field … and I’m finding that there’s a web conferencing solution for just about every budget.

You might be familiar with the largest provider, WebEx–their big-budget advertising campaigns have established them as the most easily identifiable brand in the space. But there are literally dozens of competitors, including Microsoft (who gained entry by purchasing Placeware), Centra, eBlvd, Macromedia, Raindance, SmileTiger, Sonexis, and Spartacom.

You can divide the web conferencing providers into two camps–those that provide the service out of house (on their servers) and those that allow you to run their software in-house on your servers. Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to both methods, depending on your company’s in-house capabilities and budgets.

Of the providers that focus on smaller clients, eBlvd stands out from the crowd with a plan that starts at just $29 a month for unlimited conferencing.