The other day I found myself wondering - what's the difference between a webinar and a webcast. I realized that web event terminology is not always clearly defined and can be cause for some confusion.
To clarify, I went to one of our enhanced services gurus, JR Ormsby. Here are his answers to my questions.
What is a web meeting?
A web meeting is an easy, on-demand way to add a visual component to your conference calls and simply requires the Internet. Features include desktop sharing, chat, file presentation and more.
What is a webinar?
A webinar allows presenters to "push" out content to their viewers via slides. Visual components are available through the Internet and audio is heard over the phone. Registration services including an automated confirmation are included. Enhanced options such as archive features are available, if needed.
What is a webcast?
A webcast is typically used for formal presentations or those that will reach a large audience. Streaming media technology is used to distribute static and interactive content from one source to viewers. The Internet is used to broadcast live or pre-recorded audio and/or video and users do not have to download a plug-in. Interactive features like polling and Q&A are available and archives are included. Presenters are able to engage the audience and gather real-time feedback.
Web conferencing is often used as a general term in reference to any or all of the above.
I hope this helps! Let me know what you think.
It’s on our minds at least somewhat frequently - how might I utilize corporate content in such a way that my audience finds it valuable? Even further, how can I go about providing information that will help position my company as a thought leader in its industry and generate leads?
It’s a little like setting up camp. The first priority is setting up the poles that will support the tent. After that the rest of the campsite can extend around the tent. According to Jeanne Hopkins, speaker of the webinar How to Generate Leads with Repurposed Content, tent pole topics provide the foundation for distributing and repurposing content.
The key, Hopkins says, is to provide your audience with something that can help or teach. Once you establish this idea, or your tent pole, you are ready to distribute your content on a number of platforms including podcasts, blog posts, news releases and many more. Those platforms will then allow you to continue to repurpose content for months and even years. Tent pole content sets up a working camp by which you can interact with your audience and maximize lead generation over extended periods of time.
Watch the full version of this Lead Generation Webinar
By means of a quick Google search, you can find many good resources with tips on preparing and delivering great PowerPoint presentations. A good example is this site, where Garr Reynolds discusses slide tips and presentation basics. Delivering presentations through online media is an easy and effective way to get your message out to a broad audience. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when preparing for your next web conference or webcast event.
Know Your Medium
Presenting a PowerPoint presentation through a web event is quite different from hooking your laptop up to a large presentation screen directly. In general, your uploaded slides are reduced in size to fit within the application window, and are often converted to static image files, like JPEG. This will result in:
1) Smaller slides, which may be difficult to read if not prepared with care; and
2) The elimination of customized builds or animations embedded in the slides
You can take following steps to maximize the legibility of your presentation and communicate more effectively:
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Be sure your presentation has a 4:3 aspect ratio (the default is 10" x7.5")
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Use larger type than you normally would
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Use simpler design elements and solid color blocks than you normally would
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Break out animations into separate slides (animations must be expressed as individual slides in a sequence)
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View your slides in PowerPoint at 40-60%. This will simulate your viewers' experience.
Things to Avoid
As a general rule of thumb, it is best to avoid the following when preparing slides for an online event:
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Small type (17 point font and smaller is too small)
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Embellished type (shadows, bevels or special effects)
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Textured or gradient backgrounds
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Sounds, music or voice narration
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Animations & slide transitions
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Embedded Excel files, audio, video or flash
For truly successful online presentations, keep your slides simple, consistent and clean, use stardard fonts (Sans-Serif fonts recommended), and select colors that are bold and that reflect your corporate identity. And remember that with any presentation, your slides should embellish your speech. By limiting the amount of information on each slide, the audience will be able to focus more on what you're saying than trying to read what's on that slide. Happy presenting!
Irene Psimenatos is the Web Collaboration Product Manager at ACT Conferencing (irene.psimenatos@canada.acttel.com)
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