You’ve probably heard the words “webinars”, “live streaming” and “webcasting” quite a bit over the past several months – and maybe you’re wondering if there are any major distinctions between them.
Unsurprisingly, the world of online events is a wide-ranging industry that has become popularized by COVID-19. It includes everything from the standard webinars you know and love to more complex virtual conferences. An important piece of the online event landscape that doesn’t often receive the same hype, however – is webcasting.
We’ve put together this quick guide to cover what webcasts are, how they differ from other communication tools, and the benefits they offer. Let’s get started!
What are webcasts?
A webcast generally refers to a digital presentation that can be accessed over the internet. “Webcasting” is short for “web broadcasting,” and often features visual elements, interactive features and live audio.
Okay, so how are they different from video conferencing?
Webcasting is different from web conferencing and video conferencing in that webcasts are more of a one-way presentation to a large audience, while the latter two typically refer to smaller, more collaborative group sessions.
And what about webinars?
Webcasts are perfect for large company meetings and marketing webinars. A webcast is a browser-based event where attendees don’t have to download software; instead, they watch and listen through their computer or mobile device. While webcasts can include interactive features like polls and Q&A, attendees are automatically muted and cannot be unmuted.
A webinar is a more intimate event with a higher level of interactivity. They are fantastic tools for marketing and training use cases. Attendees can listen using phone or computer audio, and can be unmuted by the webinar organizers.
Despite these differences in meaning, the words “webcast” and “webinar” are often used interchangeably.
The benefits of webcast software
Webcasts give you the power to connect with your audience through live video while saving time and money. They offer:
Higher engagement. With options like VoIP or dial-in audio, HD video, slideshow presentations, document downloads, live chat and polling, you can choose the most effective communication methods for you and your target audience.
Reduced costs. Bring together a global audience without incurring costs from travel, lodging and setup. Webcasts allow you to reach thousands of attendees from anywhere with one simple video application.
Easy access. Because webcasts are hosted through a web browser, you can offer a single link that attendees can use to join your online event on any device.
Greater reach. Engage a worldwide audience in real-time with the click of a button, as often as you need. A marketing favorite, webcasts can help you build a strong presence for your business and brand without extra effort. Share your on-demand webinar recording on social media to reach even further.
Invite GoToWebinar to your next webcast!
Broadcasting a live audio and video event to audiences around the world used to mean spending lots of time, money and resources. These days, things are simpler – GoToWebinar and GoToWebcast put everything you need for live webcasting into your own hands, so you can set up an enterprise-quality event in minutes.
Stream audio and video, share presentations and foster real engagement with your attendees – all without the expense or hassle of a traditional webcast production.
Host professional webcasts with GoToWebinar
Webcast mode for GoToWebinar offers the ease of use you want with the expanded reach you need. Schedule a live webcast for up to 3,000 attendees and tell your story through crystal-clear audio, video and screen sharing. Attendees can join seamlessly from any browser, no downloads required.
Kick things up a notch with GoToWebcast
Need to connect with even larger audiences? Look no further than GoToWebcast. A self-service live webcasting solution, GoToWebcast makes it possible to run enterprise-quality online events without any training. You can broadcast audio or video presentations to 5,000 attendees on any device, directly from your browser.
(By Lindsay Crafford, LMI)
