4 Ways to Do a Webcast Right

Recently Target needed to replace an in-person investor meeting with a webcast – and quickly. And Target is certainly not alone. Many businesses are examining the need to take in-person gatherings virtual in light of recent news developments that have disrupted the events industry. Perhaps you are one of those companies. If so, you are in for a pleasant surprise: webcasts are typically more cost-effective and efficient than in-person events -- so long as you do webcasts right. Here are some tips to consider as you transition from an in-person to webcast format:

1. Have a Webcasting Game Plan

Good news: you can plan and execute a webcast of any size quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively. But you still need to plan them just like you do a live event. For instance, how long will your webcast be, and are you going with an audio-only format (which can be perfect for a quick, informative meeting) or a video format (ideal for any meeting longer than an hour)? How will you handle question-and-answer – at the end of the talk or during? Do you want to give the speaker the ability to preview questions privately? Is your audience going to require close-captioning services? Will you want to provide password-protected access?

A webcast costs less than a live event, but some are more expensive to produce than others. How much you pay depends on variables such as how long the webcast is, whether you use video and whether you’ll need to do post-editing before you make a replay available (which we recommend you do). On the other hand, the size of the audience doesn’t matter – and here is where a webcast can be so cost-effective. All the issues that audience size affect – how many hotel rooms you need to book, catering, the size of the event space, and so on – don’t matter with a webcast.

2. Have an Audience Engagement Strategy

Especially if you are moving an offline event online, the single biggest issue you’re going to need to tackle is how to keep the audience engaged. Let’s face it: people can get more easily distracted when they watch a webcast on their own laptops or mobile devices. All it takes is one click of their web browser, and you’ve lost them.

Audio-only meetings with time allotted for Q&A will probably work well when an audience simply needs information quickly – which is why publicly traded firms typically rely on audio-only content complemented by slides when they host investor calls. Analysts, journalists, and anyone else who operates under a deadline just want easy, quick access.

But things change when you need to engage anyone for longer than an hour. Picture an employee who is used to seeing interactive presentations and hearing from dynamic speakers in a live setting. They’ve been conditioned to expect the electricity that a live event creates. If you throw a bunch of boring slides at them, you’ll lose them. That’s why you need to incorporate a video webcast, where the audience can see your face along with the content you are presenting. And that content must be highly visual and engaging. Would you like to sit through six hours of bullet points? Neither would I. And neither will your audience.

And consider how your speaker will interact with the audience. They won’t benefit from the live dynamic, either.  You’re going to need to coach speakers on keeping people engaged when you are not in the same room with them – such as the need to speak in short sentences and pause more frequently, or the need to provide more opportunities for audience Q&A. To the extent that speakers use visuals, their images and video will need to pop better than ever. Even little things like how you introduce the next speaker can be done differently, such as using brief teaser videos instead of the predictable “And now I’d like to introduce our next speaker.”

Bottom line: you have to find every edge when you’re keeping people engaged in the online world.

3. Plan Resources Wisely

Many companies that create video content in-house on a regular basis already run their own dedicated studios staffed by producers. But what if you are not one of those companies? Well, you don’t need to build a studio. You can really get by with a conference room -- if you get the right resources involved. A strong webcast team can bring its own equipment and expertise to you onsite. They can provide custom draping and other aesthetics to ensure that your webcast looks professional.

If you need to quickly move from an offline to online format, you probably have no other choice than to outsource resources, anyway. Be aware that the right partner can cut through the technical requirements and get you up and running fairly easily. But the right partner needs to do more than that.

Look, all events are stressful – even the ones you have time to plan for. If you need to quickly change your format from a live event to a webcast, the stress level ratchets up. You’re going to require a lot more than someone who understands how to soundproof a room. You need a partner who provides great service – the kind of person you can call when you wake up in the middle of the night worrying. Someone who listens, anticipates, and responds to you.

That’s where resource planning really matters. Technology chops are essential – but they need to be in service of a great partnering approach.

For instance, you need an operator to manage.

4. Know What You’ll Do After the Webcast

What you do after the webcast can make the difference between holding a one-off event and providing an enduring resource. What I wrote about engagement applies here, too. You need to edit your content to maximize engagement. You may realize after the fact that your presentation didn’t need to be 30 minutes. During post-event editing, you can shorten it. Or you can eliminate any glitches such as static. The little details matter.

Contact Investis Digital

Bottom line: if you plan well and have the right resource in place, you can transition from an offline event to a webcast quickly and effectively. Don’t let a change in plans slow you down. Take action with the right webcast strategy. You might not ever want to go back!

To succeed with your webcast, contact Investis Digital. We’re trusted by more than 700 companies globally including 30 percent of the Financial Times Stock Exchange 350 and 10 percent of the Standard & Poor’s 500. We are webcast experts, covering defining moments for marketers, PR, IR, and internal communications professionals. We bring the know-how and technology to do everything — audio, video, and streaming — so you can concentrate on your message and your audience. Most importantly, we provide a partnership.