Regardless of the use that is given to Skype, at the end of the day, the application is classified as a social network, and as such, the best way to take advantage of it is to use it in conjunction with other people.
For this reason, Skype provides its users the option to create, manage, or enter chat groups on specific or varied topics, with which you can fully exploit the functions of the application.
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about how Skype groups work, how to find and interact with available groups, and what are the advantages of groups in Skype compared to other applications.
Skype Groups vs Telegram Groups What are the differences between the two?
Skype and Telegram They are two social networks with marked differences, although they share many similar functions. Among these functions, the possibility of joining groups of all kinds and interacting with members quickly and easily stands out. Skype has a very respectable functionality for its group chat rooms, gathering a series of characteristics that make it a very solid alternative to host your conversation groups.
Among these we can highlight:
- Ability to moderate the groups created.
- Supports a maximum of 600 members for group conversations.
- Multimedia support to send and receive images, audios, videos and documents.
- Video call function for groups of 100 users or less.
- Up to 10 entries in the group video call window.
- Edition of name and profile picture.
All these features come together to form a pretty solid group instant messaging service. Nevertheless, It should be noted that Skype is more focused on the quality of video conferencing.
Telegram, on the other hand, is an instant messaging service designed to be a direct competence of the communication giant WhatsApp, and has the tools available to do so:
- Capacity for up to 200,000 members in a group chat.
- Availability in all platforms.
- Direct answers to messages.
- Mentions to specific users and hashtags.
- Allows the editing a message that has already been sent.
- Supports bot integration to groups as a personalization tool.
- Compatibility with sending and receiving files.
With just a simple comparison, we can quickly see that, this time at least Telegram has a notable superiority when it comes to the functionality of its groups. Another glaring difference between group chats in Skype and Telegram, is the fact that, in the latter, you can search for public groups to join, while In Skype the only way to join a group is by creating it, or through an invite link.
Finally, we must emphasize the fact that, in the case of Skype, chat groups function primarily as a complementary tool that integrates with the main function of Skype: video conferencing, so they are perfectly equipped to fulfill their function within the application.
Learn step by step how to search, find and join any Skype group in the easiest way
The best use you can give to a social network, especially one like Skype, is to be able to use it in conjunction with other people, so now we will teach you, step by step, the method to locate the Skype groups that you have created or to which you have joined.
Let’s see:
Enter the application
Locate a group on Skype, either your version mobile or from desk, basically the same procedure as searching for any user of Skype
The first step is to access our account:
- Launch the app on your mobile or desktop device.
- Sign in your user credentials.
- Press on “Log in”.
Access the search function
Once in your account, the next step is to find the search bar.
We can find it in different locations depending on the device in which we have entered:
- In the web and desktop version, It is located on the left side at the top.
- The mobile app locates the search icon At the top left, between the video call function and “More options”.
When entering the search function, all that’s left to do is find the group you want to join and access it.
Find the desired group
Once you have located the group you are looking for, all you have to do is log in and join the conversation. It is very possible that the search function will present you with a list of several groups with similar names, so finding a specific one can be a problem. To fix this, be sure to type the group name exactly as it is registered.
The best tips you should know to improve the productivity of your Skype groups
In the Laboral scene, Skype groups used for video conferencing are a very useful tool to improve productivity. Because of this, the best course of action is to take the necessary steps to make your Skype meetings as productive as possible.
Let’s see next:
Record your meetings
This feature is very useful for keeping a video record of the meetings that have passed. Through this registry, we will have the possibility to refresh the topics discussed during the conferences. It should be noted that, before starting the recording, you should inform other members to make sure they are up to date and that they approve the recording.
Use planned surveys
Surveys are very useful within Skype meetings, since they work as tools for making decisions about all kinds of topics. These can be customized so that they can be used multiple times. To create a poll in a Skype chat, all you have to do is open the chat options and look for the option labeled as “Create poll”. Then you just have to choose the options of the survey and send it to the other members of the meeting through chat.
Switch between desktop and mobile app
It is likely that, at some point, you will have to leave your computer in the middle of a meeting, but you don’t want to miss out on the information that is being shared on it. For these situations, Skype has a function that allows you to transfer the meeting from your computer to the mobile application that has the registered account. To do this, you just have to follow the route “Settings> Tools> Options> Mobiles> Mobile phone ”.
Get familiar with keyboard shortcuts
As is common in Microsoft Office products, Skype has a series of key combinations that act as shortcuts to certain functions within the application, called keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts allow you to perform various actions, such as opening notifications (CTRL + I), take screenshots (CTRL + S), send attachments (CTRL + SHIFT + F) among other actions.
Use the meeting scheduling feature
The use of external tools for schedule Skype meetings generally represents a waste of time and effort because, while they work, they require more work than using the tools already provided by Skype
To schedule a meeting in one of the Skype chat rooms you just have to follow this procedure:
- Sign in to one of the chat groups.
- click at gear icon located at the top
- Choose the option “Schedule a call.”
- Sign in the title for the call, the date and time, and set a reminder to notify you of a call a certain time in advance.
- Press “Send”.