What’s the difference between a webinar, webcast, and online event?
Unlike web conferencing, where everyone can participate, talk, and share presentations, both webinars and webcasts have a single presenter, or at least one at a time. The major difference between a webinar and a webcast is the amount of interactivity between the presenter and the audience and what is being presented.
- A webinar typically has moderated interaction, with a moderator helping the presenter by organizing questions from the audience. You can present PowerPoint slides, webcams, and software demonstrations.
- A webcast is usually a one-way presentation. Streaming video is commonly used, delivering TV-quality video to your audience.
The term online event can refer to either a webinar or webcast which can include interaction or not. Sign up for a free trial of WebEx Event Center and see how easy it is to produce your own webinars.
Generate leads, roll out new products, and train online with webinars
Your webinar can be developed and delivered in a cost-effective manner with WebEx Event Center. While webinar production is typically simpler than webcast production, you might still like to get some production assistance for important events. That way, you can concentrate on delivery and leave production details to someone else.
Generate sales leads with free webinars
Offer a webinar with useful information as a lead generator. Have attendees fill out a short form as part of the sign-up process and feed that into your lead generation tool. You can conduct polls during the webinar to learn more and keep your presentation interactive.
Generate revenue from training webinars
Short webinars on focused topics are easier and more affordable than all day or multi-day in-person workshops. You can break your material up into manageable chunks, charge a smaller fee, and save on all the typical travel and venue costs of workshops. Most people can find time for a 2 hour webinar focused specifically on what they want to learn. Once you’ve prepared the materials, you can offer the webinar multiple times for little add-on cost.
Roll out new products faster
Rather than bringing your salespeople in from the field, use webinars to train them on new products. Everyone will get up to date with far less time away from prospects. And you can record these training sessions to use with new hires later.
Hold all-hands meetings
Quarterly departmental meetings are a great way to reach out to your entire department but not everyone can always attend in-person. Use webinars to help keep your remote teams in sync and up to date. You can even have multiple presenters from various locations take their turns “at the podium.”
It's easy to get started with webinars
Sign up for a free trial of WebEx Event Center, which offers both pre- and post-production features so you can get started producing and delivering your webinars. Use Event Center to send out invitations, register attendees, and collect payments, if any. Pass the registration information into your lead scoring system. After the event, email your attendees with follow-up information. Send a separate message to those that registered but didn’t attend.
"While the cost for our webcast program using WebEx was minimal, we’ve already generated significant new sales. Within a six-month period, our program yielded new incremental leads and a 400% return on investment."
— Dawn Haskins-Powell, Production and Creative Manager
For one-way presentations, use webcasts
Webcasts are typically large productions and involve specialized crews to assist with event management as well as the video and online production aspects. Use webcasts for:
- Important corporate events
- Product launches
- Analyst presentations
You can broadcast your live events on TV-quality video over the Internet with WebEx Livestream Services. If you're part of a large enterprise, you might have access to the production skills you need in-house for important events. If not, consider getting some expert assistance. Your webcasts should support your brand and impress your audience.
Look for these extra capabilities
As you evaluate webinar and webcast software, look for these extra technical features:
- Multiple audio options to make the voice connection easier
- Security seals from third parties like WebTrust and SAS70
- Television quality video options for important events
- Production assistance so you can concentrate on your presentation
Have your team learn best practices for producing online events by watching some of our free webinars:
Reach for the Stars: Use Web Seminars to Reach your 2008 Strategic Goals
Learn how to use web seminars to generate reliable, repeatable programs that generate high quality, low cost leads.
March 11, 2008
How to Create Engaging Online Events
Learn how to get started and how to plan, promote, create and deliver successful online events.
December 18, 2007
Then sign up for a free trial of WebEx Event Center and hold your first webinar.
