Google Meet is a video conferencing platform that is available for users as part of the G Suite package. It integrates nicely with all other apps, including Gmail and Google Calendar, which can be handy when scheduling meetings with people far and near.
You can also share the link with non G Suite users, but they won’t have the privilege of sending out invitations themselves.
The video calling app was only available to paid G Suite users, but until the 30th September Google Meet is free for anyone to use.
How to schedule a Google Meet in Google Calendar
If you want to host a Google Meet call sometime in the future, maybe even across recurring days for regular meetings, you can do that using Google Calendar.
Not all invitees have to be Gmail users as you can also add external email addresses to the invite as well.
1) Open Google Calendar in the dotted ‘Google apps’ tab at the top-right of the Google search page on your PC or Mac.
If you can’t see it, you may not be signed in. You can alternatively type calendar.google.com into your browser and go directly to the page.
2) Click ‘Create’ in the top left corner of the calendar to create a meeting.
3) A pop-up window will appear to schedule the meeting. Add a title name, select the date and time and add guests by entering their email addresses.
4) Next, click ‘Add Google Meet video conferencing’ and a link will automatically appear. The meeting ID and phone number can be shared with people outside your organisation that were not already added to the invite.
5) Click ‘Save.’
How to host a Google Meet instantly
It is possible that you might want to host a Google Meet without scheduling in advance. This could be for last-minute, impromptu meetings that need to happen as a matter of urgency. Here’s how to start a Google Meet call with no prior planning.
1) Click on Google Meet in the dotted ‘Google apps’ tab at the top-right of the Google search page on your PC or Mac. Or, if you can’t see it, go to meet.google.com.
2) Click ‘Join or start a meeting.’
3) Don’t enter a name for the meeting and click ‘continue’
4) Copy the link that appears under ‘meeting ready’ and share it with your guests, either via email or your preferred messaging app.
5) Finally, click ‘join now.’ (other attendees will appear as and when they join).
You might also like to know how to record a Google Meet video call and how to cast a meeting to a Chromecast.
Author: Hannah Williams, Small Business Editor
Hannah is Small Business Editor. She writes news, tutorials and buying advice tailored to very small companies, covering software from Excel to Sage and hardware including laptops.