What is Webcasting – Everything You Need to Know

Need help figuring out what webcasting is and how it can benefit your organization? Knowing what webcasting is and how to use it to your advantage will help you tap into a global market with more appealing and compelling content.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following webcasting definition, information, uses, and ways artificial intelligence is transforming it.

What is Webcasting

Webcasting is the process of broadcasting live or pre-recorded (audio and/or video) content over the internet, allowing viewers or listeners to access the content remotely using their devices (computers, smartphones, tablets, etc.). Webcasting is similar to broadcasting on television or radio, but the content is delivered via the internet instead of traditional broadcasting methods.

What is the Purpose of Webcasting?

Webcasts allow organizations to develop high-quality digital content and share it with viewers globally. Your organization can build meaningful relationships with people interested in and caring about your brand by producing webcasts.

Webcasts allow you to consistently provide significant audiences with value, making the most of unique engagement and marketing opportunities. A webcast presentation can offer an easy way to share educational materials with your consumers and staff.

What is the Difference Between a Webcast and a Podcast?

The principal difference between podcasting and webcasting is the content. Webcasting utilizes audio and video content to convey a message, while podcasting is limited to audio content.

What Do I Need for a Webcast?

Producing a webcast can be challenging. However, a reliable webcasting platform allows producers to create effective, high-quality presentations. Consider the following components for producing webcasts:

Webcasting Program – Many platforms like GlobalMeet, Dacast, ON24, VEED, IBM Video Cloud, and Vimeo offer unique solutions and features. Finding the right webcast software for you depends on what type of webcast you want to host.

Audio and Video Source – For video, use a camera, which outputs a video signal in a web-friendly format or a webcam. For audio, you can use a built-in audio source or a separate audio-collecting device, like a microphone. Use a camera and microphone that can be connected and properly placed for more polished results.

Encoding – An encoder is a device (software or hardware) that converts audio and video content into an internet-ready file. Once your content is converted, it can be broadcast over the Web. Recommended encoders include:

• OBS Studio (software)
• Wirecast (software)
• VidBlasterX (software)
• LiveU Solo (hardware)
• Teradek (hardware)
• TriCaster (hardware)

Delivery Method – Select a provider like Xyvid, livemedia, or PwC that can limit access to the content or be capable of scaling proportionally for larger audiences.

Internet Connection – You will need a dependable, fast Internet connection for a professional webcast. Your connection speed will be partly influenced by the quality of your broadcast. A general rule is to use a connection speed roughly double your intended bitrate. If you intend to stream at 1Mbps, your upload speed should be 2Mbps minimum.

Configure Your Encoder – First, enter the stream URL for the live channel you are streaming on. Next, you should locate “Encoder Settings.” It will provide an RTMP URL and a stream key you can insert into your encoder.

Tip: If your encoder allows it, try to connect with a device password. You must then choose your bitrate and resolution inside the encoder. Ensure the bitrate does not exceed half of the upload speed at the location. The encoder should provide further instructions/recommendations.

How AI is Changing Webcasting

Webcasting reaches a global audience and is a powerful tool for disseminating information or promoting products and services efficiently. AI is revolutionizing the way we create, manage, and distribute webcasts. Consider the following:

Personalization – Among the more significant ways AI is transforming webcasting is through personalization. AI algorithms can analyze data like viewer behavior, preferences, and history to provide personalized recommendations and content. Viewers are more likely to engage with content that is relevant to their specific interests, leading to higher engagement rates and better retention.

Automation – AI is transforming the way webcasts are produced and managed. AI can automate creating transcripts, captions, and subtitles, making webcasts more accessible to viewers with hearing impairments or who speak different languages. AI can also automate the process of video editing and post-production, making it easier and faster to create high-quality webcast content.

Real-time Analytics – AI is changing webcasting through real-time analytics. AI algorithms can analyze viewer behavior and engagement in real time, providing valuable insights into viewer preferences and behavior. This helps you adjust your content “on the fly,” improving engagement and retention rates.

Improved Search – AI is improving the searchability of webcasts. By analyzing webcast content, AI algorithms can identify key topics and themes, making it easier for viewers to find the content they are searching for. This can also help you promote your content by making it easier for viewers to discover your webcasts.

Improved Recommendations – AI can also improve the recommendations that viewers receive. AI algorithms can provide more accurate and relevant recommendations by analyzing viewer behavior, preferences, and history. This means viewers are more likely to discover new content of interest to them, leading to higher engagement, conversion, and retention rates.

For more information on implementing and using artificial intelligence, visit openai.com

Everything You Need to Know About Webcasting

In this article, you discovered what webcasting is, how it can help you effectively reach a global market, and how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing it.

Understanding and using webcasting to its full potential will help your organization reach a (truly) global market increasing your brand awareness and potential revenue.

Failing to use webcasting in your marketing and advertising will leave you with a limited audience, allowing competitors to whisk away a significant portion of your market.

Sources:
sjsu.edu/at/atn/webcasting/
iml.esm.rochester.edu/polyphonic-archive/article/webcasting-a-technology-that-can-reach-audiences-beyond-the-performance-hall/
ibm.com/watson-advertising/thought-leadership/how-ai-is-changing-advertising
globalbroadcastindustry.news/how-artificial-intelligence-is-changing-the-broadcast-industry/

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/what-is-webcasting-everything-you-need-to-know/ for the first version of this content.

How to Make a Podcast

Need help putting together a meaningful podcast? Knowing how to set up your podcast will help you produce quality material, reaching your target audience with high-quality material.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following steps, information, and tips on starting a well-produced and researched podcast providing exciting and relevant information to your target audience.

Starting a Podcast

You don’t need to be a tech wizard or have vast financial resources to start a podcast. As a hobby, business owner, or entrepreneur, learning to start a podcast is something you should consider to help you target this massive audience, expanding your brand through content and product marketing. Consider the following steps, information, and tips to get you started:

Develop a Podcast Topic and Name

You will want your podcast name derived from a particular topic or niche, always focusing on your target audience and what unique information you can provide them. Try to narrow it down to something you can speak on for multiple episodes but not so expansive that you won’t appeal to your audience. You can diversify your topics later as you gain popularity and your audience’s loyalty.

Select a name that broadly reflects your podcast’s topic and content (aligning with your brand, goals, and target audience), allowing you to expand if you decide to later. A more general name allows you to talk about all kinds of topics if you want without losing your audience entirely.

Tip: Listen to other similar podcasts and research what type of audience you are trying to attract. What questions are they asking, and which products do they need or want.

Select a Podcast Format

Your podcast format should feel sustainable. Ask yourself what excites you and gives you creative energy. Do you enjoy connecting with podcast guests or feel more secure with a fixed co-host?

If you choose to have co-hosts, keep your group small. Podcasting with more than two or three people makes scheduling a challenge and often a burden. Consider the following for your podcast format:

• Interview Podcasts
• Co-Hosted Podcasts
• Scripted Non-Fiction
• News Review
• Educational Podcasts
• Story-Telling Scripted Narratives

Length – Make your episodes as long as they need to be and no longer. Consider this simple structure:

1. Start with a relevant hook and an intro 
2. Cover your show’s content
3. End with a conclusion followed by an outro (bait the audience for the next episode)

Publishing Schedule – Podcasting can end up as a full-time job or something you do on the side. You can publish daily, weekly, or monthly episodes depending on your availability and devotion to the project.

Pick a Co-Host – It can be much simpler to start podcasting if you work with a co-host. You will naturally have more engaging conversations if you both share your points of view on a specific topic. It will also be helpful having someone to help keep things on track.

Create Podcast Artwork

Your cover art is typically the first impression most will see as they browse through their favorite podcast app. This is also the icon or thumbnail someone sees when you share your show by text, email, or on social media. Creativity and a captivating graphic will only help capture more potential listeners.

Tip: Wait until you reach the editing phase of your first episode to create your podcast artwork. This will help your graphic designer capture the most appropriate imagery that best represents your podcast. Ideas evolve and designing artwork beforehand risks rendering the artwork useless if you decide to iterate and pivot the podcast’s direction.

Setup Recording Equipment

Your next step in learning how to start a podcast is your podcast equipment. Fortunately, you don’t need a fancy studio or heavy investments to create a professional podcast. It’s possible to do this with a quality microphone, headphones, and a computer.

If you’re producing video podcasts, you’ll need a camera. While you can use your computer’s webcam, it’s better to use an external device.

Note: Cellphone camera quality has advanced tremendously in recent years. Many phones come with high-end cameras that can record in 4K resolution. This is a feasible solution if you are podcasting on a budget. You can pair your phone with a free or paid podcasting app and an external mic.

Tip: As you settle into your podcast theme and settings, consider improving your lighting and soundproofing and invest in a mixer to help capture tracks or soundbites.

Select Podcast Software

The easiest way to create and edit a podcast is by using recording and editing software. There are many free solutions, including:

• Zoom
• GarageBand
• Audacity
• Stitcher
• SpreakerStudio
• Alitu

And paid solutions like:

• Pro Tools
• Riverside
• Logic Pro X
• Adobe Audition

Tip: You may already have access to Adobe Audition if you’re an Adobe Creative Suite subscriber.

Record Your First Episode

Get used to recording and listening to yourself by talking at a consistent volume in several different positions. Then, listen to the recordings to see which position(s) gave you the best audio quality.

For video podcasts, record several short videos, adjusting your lighting, sound equipment, and seating (or standing) arrangements. While this may seem time-consuming, this “testing” will help you arrive at your best recording, lighting, and sound configurations – improving your podcast quality and saving time in the long run.

Once you’ve found your optimal settings and positioning, record your episode in a single or multiple takes (you can splice them together in the editing phase).

Edit Your Audio

Your podcast editing is principally for cleaning up audio and making essential changes to the episode’s flow. Keep it simple, if you focus too heavily on production, you may find yourself overwhelmed.

Tip: When you cut sections of audio, you may get pops or clicks in the finished product. Use your editing software’s fade tool at the beginning and end of each clip if you run into this issue.

Get Your Podcast Listed

After making your first episodes, the next step is to publish your show on different listening platforms. To do this, you’ll need to use a podcast hosting site (see below) where you store your podcast content. You’ll then use your podcast host to distribute content to a listening directory, where your audience can access your show.

Choose a podcast hosting platform that offers you enough storage space, ensuring it’s compatible with the directories you want to use. Look into the tools your podcast host provides, as many come with analytics, SEO, and monetization features. Here are some options to explore:

• Anchor
• Buzzsprout
• Libsyn‍
• ‍‍Podbean‍
• Spreaker‍

Each platform may require a slightly different process. However, to publish your podcast, you’ll need to:

1. Upload your first (few) episode(s) to a podcast-hosting service
2. Create an RSS podcast feed 
3. Submit this RSS feed to podcast directories you’d like to publish to
4. Once approved, new episodes you upload onto your podcast hosting site should automatically get published on your chosen directories

If you need help selecting where to publish your podcast, start off with the most popular apps like:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• TuneIn
• Amazon Music and Audible

You may believe that after launching your podcast, your work is done. However, if you want your podcast to be successful, you must promote it.

Promoting your Podcast

You can try many podcast promotions and marketing tactics. Here are some easy ideas:

Invest in SEO – Optimize your podcast to increase its discoverability. Use podcast descriptions, titles, and transcripts with multiple relevant keywords to improve search results.

Promote with Social Media Posts, Stories, and Reels – Create short, shareable snippets of your show and post them on multiple social media platforms. 

Create a Podcast Website – You should absolutely have a website if you are committed to podcasting and building your audience. Your website:

• Helps generate new traffic
• Functions as a permanent archive for back episodes
• Establishes your brand consistency
• Gives you the potential to link a blog to your podcast

You can also create a funnel for your audience by collecting email addresses and contact information and adding them to your email list for any current or future marketing or promotional efforts.

Podcast Promotion – If you’d rather stay on the production end of things, you can hire a promotion service to promote your podcast. 

Podcast Success or Failure

There can be multiple reasons a podcast may fail, but one of the most frequent is that beginner podcasters cannot connect with their audience or deliver valuable content in an entertaining package.

Making a Podcast

In this article, you discovered essential information, crucial steps, and pro tips on starting a successful podcast, satisfying your target audience with relevant and meaningful information.

By understanding your target audience’s questions and needs, you can structure an appealing and informative podcast that effectively communicates with your audience and beyond.

Avoid creating a podcast haphazardly, as it will result in low viewership, wasted time, and money.

Sources:
nfi.edu/how-to-start-a-podcast/
iteachu.uaf.edu/so-you-want-to-make-a-podcast/
education.wfu.edu/resources/technology/how-do-i-setup-a-podcast/
npr.org/2021/06/22/1009098800/how-to-start-a-podcast-npr-advice

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/how-to-make-a-podcast/ for the first version of this content.

Webcasting – Pros and Cons

Wondering if and how webcasts can benefit your company? Understanding webcasting and its benefits will help you determine how and when to use this technology.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following definition, information, pros, and cons about webcasting and how you can use it to give your company an extra edge with your audience.

What is Webcasting?

A webcast is defined as a media presentation distributed over the internet using streaming technology (a streaming media service). With a webcast software / platform, you can distribute content to multiple remote attendees and viewers simultaneously. Webcasts can be distributed live or on demand, and webcasting is simply “broadcasting” via the internet.

Webcasting Advantages

Webcasting is typically used by event organizers to broadcast live events. This allows them to reach multiple audiences (in person and remote) and spread their message significantly further. It is also used to communicate company, product, or service information with investors and clients and build healthy, well-informed relationships. Consider the following webcasting pros:

Audience – Webcasting is a solution that allows the presenter to reach a wide remote and worldwide audience. Then because the content is virtual in nature, you can promote to and leverage internet traffic to expand your audience, event viewership, and simultaneously grow your brand.

Cost – Webcasting is more cost-effective than traditional broadcasting. Traditional broadcasting requires satellite connections that are significantly more costly than internet streaming platforms. Several apps for smartphones and other devices allow users to stream content live on social media platforms at a fraction of the cost of an internet service subscription.

Mobile Devices – Modern tech makes webcasts widely available and accessible to anyone with a mobile device and internet connection. Also, you can save the webcast to a mobile device and watch it later. Additionally, most virtual event platforms archive and keep a list of the events that you can go back and access.

Target Audience – For advertising, webcasting is more impactful than print. The reason being, a magazine or catalog editor must keep its content broad and able to appeal to a wide audience. However, a webcast that is specific to a product or service can help viewers with specific use cases, information, and solve unique problems.

Webcasting Disadvantages

While this technology has many benefits, it certainly comes with its challenges. Before deciding if you want to use webcasting as a marketing tool, consider the following webcasting cons:

Professional Audio and Visual Services – Until you or your marketing department develop superior audio and visual skills, a professional communication specialist will be required to produce your high-quality content for distribution. These professionals should be familiar with the best media settings and bandwidth for a seamless broadcast. Special cameras, lighting, and audio devices will be needed for a top-quality production. Ultimately, this will increase your costs.

Tip: You can control these costs by hiring a professional company (experienced in video conferencing) that can provide the required equipment.

Internet Disruptions – Your internet connection’s reliability and effectiveness are essential for successful webcasting. This mode of direct communication quickly fails if there are poor internet connections or interruptions to the network. Poor connectivity can cause audio and video distortion, transmission delays, and cause remote attendees to bounce in frustration.

Note: Webcasting has the disadvantage of being more susceptible to disruptions than satellite broadcasting.

Audience Engagement – Like traditional radio and television broadcasts, webcasts offer you and your advertisers opportunities to directly engage a targeted audience.

Non-Interactions – This type of broadcasting does not allow for two-way interaction or conversation. Webcasting does not allow for interactivity-oriented communication. As the viewer, you cannot ask questions or get specific clarifications in the same presentation.

Note: Webcasting is not the same as web conferencing. Webcasting has no possibility of interactions between the presenter and the target audience, while web conferencing is a fully interactive medium.

Are Webcasting and Live Streaming the Same?

Not exactly. Live streaming is the transmission of any audio and video live over the internet, and webcasting is the act of broadcasting an event over the web. Live streaming transmits any type of media, while webcasts are events and presentations.

However, by live streaming, you are in fact webcasting, and in principle they are often used interchangeably.

Webcasting Benefits

In this article, you discovered what webcasting is, and some of the benefits and cons you may be confronted with when using it to reach your audience.

Knowing how webcasts efficiently convey presentations, audio, and video to your online audience will help you successfully reach them with your message while potentially increasing your data collection and boosting your company’s revenue.

Ignoring the potential of using webcasts to reach your audience will leave you struggling to communicate with potential customers and failing to significantly increase revenue.

Sources:
iml.esm.rochester.edu/polyphonic-archive/article/webcasting-a-technology-that-can-reach-audiences-beyond-the-performance-hall/
ucumberlands.edu/blog/benefits-video-conferencing-and-virtual-meetings
en.wikibooks.org/wiki/The_Computer_Revolution/Internet/Communication/What_is_Webcasting
finalshop.org/advertising-differences-radio-vs-webcast-18859.html

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/webcasting-pros-and-cons/ for the first version of this content.

Post-Event Survey Questions

Don’t know the best suited questions, but need to collect feedback and suggestions from your event’s attendees? Knowing which post-event questions to ask your audience will help fine-tune your feedback process in time for your next event.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following ideas, tips, and precise questions to help you formulate a post-event survey.

Survey Questions

Formulate questions that ask for attendee feedback immediately after the event concludes while their experiences are fresh in their minds. You can send your post-event survey by email, load it on iPad kiosks at the venue, or share a survey link manually. Select a survey distribution method that makes sense for your company and event. Some relevant questions include:

1. What part of the webinar appealed to you the most?
2. How did you learn about this event?
3. What topics should I discuss at future webinars?
4. How do you rate the performance of the speaker?

Use Likert Scale Questions

Likert scale questions are closed-ended questions with predetermined answers, ranking attendee satisfaction from one extreme to another.

Such a rating scale focuses on an odd number of equally distributed answers with a neutral selection in the middle. Likert scale questions exclusively focus on answers on a predetermined spectrum. This type of survey is common and widely used to rate one’s satisfaction with a service or experience. Consider the following format:

1. How satisfied are you with the content presented at the event?

• Very satisfied
• Somewhat satisfied
• Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
• Somewhat dissatisfied
• Very dissatisfied

2. I like the amount of information presented in today’s sessions.

• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neither agree nor disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

Open-ended questions – These questions explore an attendee’s insights and opinions by providing individual answers in short-answer form. The answers won’t provide any statistical measurements, but the data is invaluable. Some open-ended questions include:

3. What was your favorite conference segment?

4. Tells us your least favorite part of the event experience?

5. Do you have any suggestions to better our next event?

Closed-ended questions – These questions include multiple-choice, drop-down selections, checkboxes, and ranking questions (personalized answers aren’t accepted). The respondent chooses from a predetermined answer list. Some closed-ended questions include:

6. Will you attend our next event?

• Yes 
• No 
• I don’t know

7. The event gave me valuable insight, True or False?

Surveys that yield useful information contain a mix of direct closed, and open-ended questions. Closed-ended questions collect quantitative data, while open-ended questions offer opinions and comments in the audience’s words. 

Tip: Include questions tailored to help improve future actions, event formulation, and product presentation. Alternate question types to keep your respondents engaged and interested in fully completing the survey.

Survey Length

Keep surveys short and to the point. The longer a survey is, the less likely a respondent will take the time to complete it. Present quality questions that answer genuine questions rather than inflating the number of questions on the survey. 
 
Administer your survey to a small test group to collect their feedback. Ask participants to think out loud after reading your survey questions and ask:

• What does that question mean to you?
• Are the questions in a logical order?
• Will the survey collect relevant data?
• How do you feel about the length?

Tip: Compare your survey questions and format to successful ones that have already been written and administered by a reputable partner or competitive organization.

Why Use Surveys

Surveys help gauge the impact and effect on an audience member’s personal views and experiences. When well constructed, surveys provide accurate numbers on people’s general opinions and behaviors (this information can then be used to make critical business or event decisions). Some of the advantages of surveys include the following:

• A survey can be quickly developed.
• Surveys are relatively easy to administer.
• Digital surveys are highly cost-effective.
• Surveys can be administered online, on mobile devices, by mail, email, event kiosk, or by telephone.

Tip: When surveys are conducted remotely (online), it can reduce or eliminate any geographical dependencies.

Post-Event Surveys

In this article, you discovered essential information, ideas, and tips on formulating concise questions for your post-event survey.

Understanding how post-event surveys should be put together will help you collect valuable data about your event’s strengths and weaknesses and what adjustments should be made for your next event.

Ignoring the need to run a post-event survey can leave you missing out on prized feedback that leads to a reduction in future event attendance and conversions.

Sources:
uww.edu/documents/ir/Survey%20Research/Best%20Practices%20in%20Survey%20Design.pdf
media.wcwpds.wisc.edu/PDSA%20Online%20Toolkit/Plan_Measuring%20Change/Design_Survey_Questions.pdf

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/post-event-survey-questions/ for the first version of this content.

7 Ideas for Powerful Webcasts and Virtual Events

Avoid broadcasting boring or underwhelming content in your webcast and virtual event. Knowing what you can do to make your webcasts and virtual events more impactful and interactive will help increase your event’s attendance and message delivery.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following ideas, information, and tips to help you arrange and produce interactive and insightful virtual events and webcasts with more impactful messaging.

Webcasts and Virtual Events

Virtual events and webcasts are here to stay. Even in a post-COVID-19 environment, virtual events still provide opportunities and significant benefits that will continue to improve and transform how we conduct business.

So, if you are going to spend your time and resources on a webcast or virtual event, you want it to fully engage the largest possible audience and result in increased and repeated conversions. To achieve this, you must ensure that your content, branding, and messaging are powerful, interactive, and insightful. Consider the following:

1. Establish Clear Goals

Before planning the event schedule or assigning tasks for your virtual event, make sure you have fully defined why you want to hold an event. Establish specific milestones, and make sure your entire team in charge of the project understands what you want to achieve.

2. Display Your Product

Telling your audience about your product is essential. However, showing them its capabilities and results is significantly more impactful. If you are introducing a new product line or service, you should find a way to demonstrate it during your live presentation. If your team has developed a revolutionary touchscreen system, demonstrating its capabilities and ease of use will likely be more beneficial than a simple description.

Tip: Practice any live demonstration(s) beforehand to avoid any glitches or confusion during the product’s presentation.

3. Broadcast with a Live Audience

A live audience at your webcast is optional but highly recommended. The ultimate goal of a webcast or virtual event is to reach your audience at their homes, offices, and on the go; a live audience adds a different engagement level to the production. Invite your clients to attend your event in person. Make sure that those you invite actively participate in the product presentation. Those viewing on their devices will enjoy the added interactive level that can only come from live audience engagement.

4. Offer Incentives

Getting your audience to interact with you can often be challenging, especially those shy individuals hiding behind their computers. Offer some sort of incentive that you can offer to your online audience asking questions in the chat room.

Tip: Incentives could include coffee gift cards awarded for each great question or getting your name entered in a post-presentation raffle. Whatever prizes you select, announce the incentive at the beginning and in intervals throughout the event for those joining late.

5. Engage the Audience and Mix it Up

Your audience won’t sit through an hour-long lecture or slow-moving presentation. Instead, plan activities that require active audience participation. Encourage your event participants to have conversations with one another and ask the hosts questions.

Keeping your viewers engaged requires a well-thought-out plan, especially since their dropping off is as easy as a click. Having multiple people involved in the presentation is an excellent start to an exciting webcast. You can also mix in PowerPoint slides, images, and videos that support your product and demonstrate why your audience needs it.

Tip: Presenting different multimedia throughout your event will help keep things fresh and engaging while appealing to a larger portion of your audience.

6. Make Event Content Available Afterwards

All your event content has value (to your organization, attendees, and people who couldn’t attend the event), and your virtual conference content can serve as lessons/instruction for years to come. This footage can be a significant selling point for your event. After all, with a virtual conference, your audience isn’t paying for a one-time event; they’re signing up for lifetime access to informative, entertaining, or educational content and its incredible resources.

Tip: Your institutional knowledge can be further monetized by selling access to virtual event recordings, lectures, and panel discussions.

7. Follow Up

Keep attendance records and communicate with your audience, after the event, about how they can gain access to recordings and support material. This also encourages your audience to join again at the next event.

Powerful Webcasts and Virtual Events

In this article, you discovered valuable information, ideas, and tips that can elevate the quality and effectiveness of your webcast or virtual event.

Knowing how to elevate content quality and keep your audience engaged with your virtual event will leave you with a better conversion percentage and significantly increase future event participation.

Not knowing how to create engaging quality virtual content will cause your audience to prematurely leave your event, resulting in lower attendance, conversions, and event success.

Sources:
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/bitstream/handle/10919/100697/10%20Standout%20Virtual%20Event%20Ideas%20From%20Around%20the%20Industry.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
marketing.alliant.edu/helpdesk/KB/View/32805245-5-creative-ideas-to-propel-your-webinars
career.uoregon.edu/blog/five-tips-making-meaningful-connections-virtual-networking-events

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/7-ideas-for-powerful-webcasts-and-virtual-events/ for the first version of this content.

What is Push Technology?

Don’t miss out on a low-cost and highly effective way to initiate, communicate, and instantaneously engage the users of your product. Knowing what push technology is and how to use it will help you reach more users effectively and provide value by solving their problems.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following information, definition, use, and comparison of push technology.

What is The Definition of Push Technology?

Push technology is a form of communication taking place over the internet when data is pushed from a server to a user without the user requesting it. Most push technologies must have the user’s authorization or subscription for delivery. Once a user has subscribed, relevant content is delivered when available without waiting for a request from the user/consumer.

Push Technology is also known as “webcasting,” where a web server delivers information to an individual or group of users (who have signed up for the service) instead of waiting for the user(s) to request the information be sent to them.

What is Pull and Push Technology?

Push technology is differentiated from pull technology based on whether it is the receiver (user/consumer) or the sender (server) that initiates the transaction. If the server initiates the transfer and sends information to the user without receiving a request, the process is implementing push technology. If the client (browser, web application, or smartphone application) requests information from the server before the server sends it, the process is implementing pull technology.

Push technologies are widely-used to deliver relevant content to various types of applications, devices, and end users. Websites utilize push technology to continually update software programming and present content in real-time, like a news app or website’s breaking news or headline ticker, or scoreboard.

Web applications will often use push technology to notify users of new content, like a tab that appears on a social media site indicating that new posts or messages are available. Computer, tablet, IOS, and smartphone applications often use push technology to deliver notifications letting the user know as soon as upgrades or new content is available.

However, the most prevalent use of push technology today is for app notifications on smartphones. When you install a new app, like the Facebook or Instagram app, you can choose whether or not to receive “in-app” notifications. If you do opt to receive such notifications, you have subscribed to push technology.

Note: Not everything that initially resembles push technology actually is. For example, while some news and sports applications and sites use push technology, others may automatically refresh the page at regular intervals in order for readers to receive frequently updated headline or score information from the server. Also, RSS feeds are checked at regular intervals by RSS readers, which pull in new content and aren’t necessarily pushed from the feed to the reader.

Is Internet Push or Pull?

This is a common misunderstanding. The internet is not a “push” medium like television or radio. It is a “pull” medium. When a user wants to see, read, or watch something on the internet, they request that information from a server. The user then pulls the content to their browser, device, or app.

Why is Push Technology Important?

Push technology provides brands the benefit of engaging directly with customers by delivering relevant information and content corresponding to their preferences, search history, and previous purchases. Such information might include headline news, sports scores (game results), special deals, announcing a new product launch, stock movements, coupons, incentives for specific retail purchases, special online or in-person events, and more.

When push technology is combined with data collection, it allows organizations to present the most relevant products, info, and sales funnels to a user or group of users that will be more likely to appeal and convert.

Note: With push technology, marketers can send messages directly to individuals who have installed their apps. Such messages can be sent when the app is open or closed. The notification will typically appear as a pop-up message, badge, or an alert informing end users they have a message.

Push Technology

In this article, you discovered essential information and definition of what push technology is and how keen marketers can utilize it to get relevant information, promotions, and product in front of their audience.

Using push technology to present concepts and products to an already primed audience can heighten user activity and significantly increase a company’s revenue.

Ignoring the benefits of employing push technology can limit your reach and ability to inform the users of your product in real-time.

Sources:
citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.68.6556&rep=rep1&type=pdf
cseweb.ucsd.edu/classes/sp97/cse190/push/introduction.html
web.mit.edu/ecom/www/Project98/G9/pushpull.htm
moglen.law.columbia.edu/CPC/archive/eyeball/19POIN.html

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/what-is-push-technology/ for the first version of this content.

Virtual Team-Building Activities

Don’t let your culture suffer or be the leader that doesn’t know team-building activities to keep your virtual team working well together. Knowing how virtual activities can build your team’s relationships and strengthen their performance will help your department stay on task at peak performance.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following information and tips on virtual team-building activities intended to strengthen your team’s sense of camaraderie.

What are Virtual Team-Building Activities?

Virtual team-building activities are interactive games, challenges, and exercises you can do with remote employees to help build stronger bonds and greater trust among team members. Consider the following icebreakers, activities, and games:

1. Snapshot Virtual Icebreaker

Time – 5 to 10 minutes
How-to – Ask everyone to use their cell phone cameras to take a picture of “something.” The something may include any of the following:

• Children
• Desk space
• Refrigerator
• Favorite plant
• Pets
• Outfit

Activity – Have everyone upload their pictures to a shared online whiteboard or doc to create a digital collage of everyone’s snapshot. Spend time (1 minute each) complimenting the images or asking questions about them.

2. Open Mic Virtual Icebreaker

Time – 5 to 10 minutes
How-to – Give everyone a heads up that they will have one minute at the beginning of the meeting to perform.

Activity – Ask team members to find or write an icebreaker joke, read a poem, sing a song, play the guitar, or do anything they want. Start your meeting with these glorious performances, and then allow 5 to 10 seconds between each for applause.

3. How Well Do You Know Your Teammates?

Time – 10 minutes
How-to – 24 to 48 hours before your next virtual meeting, ask your teammates to answer any three of the following questions:

• If you were an animal, which one would you be?
• What would it be if you could eat only one food for the rest of your life?
• What’s your favorite (or dream) vacation spot?
• What’s your favorite song?
• Who is your favorite celebrity couple?
• Who is your favorite actor?

Activity – At the meeting, share only the answers and see if your teammates can pair the answers with the right person. Once everyone has guessed, reveal who gave what answer.

Have your teammates explain if the answers are interesting, surprising, or curious. This activity has the potential to get everyone laughing and learning a bit more about each other.

4. Roses and Thorns

Time – 1 minute per person
How-to – Start your virtual meeting by having everyone share a rose (any positive that makes them feel grateful, happy, etc.) and also one thorn (a challenge or an obstacle). A rose and thorn can be work or non-work related. Consider the following:

Work Related
Rose – I optimized an event procedure, saving time!
Thorn – A different procedure keeps delaying my completion times.

Non-Work Related
Rose – I made time to work out today.
Thorn – There was no time to work out today.

Activity – Have your team brainstorm solutions for the “thorns,” turning them into roses when possible.

5. Virtual Scavenger Hunt

Time – 5 to 10 minutes (This is a really fun activity that you can organize fairly quickly)

How-to – When everyone logs on to your virtual meeting, issue the challenge of collecting a list of different (totally randomized) items from around each participant’s house.

Activity – The first teammate back to the webcam proving that they’ve collected all the items wins!

Tip: Make progressively more difficult lists for your challenges and offer rewards (gift cards, cash prizes, or time off) for the winners.

6. Who’s Desk is This?

Time – 5 to 10 minutes
How-to –  This game’s objective is to get everyone to know each other better and should include all of your team members. Ask each team member to take a picture of their office or desk and have them upload it to a shareable file (it will help the mystery and challenge if they first remove any identifiable pictures or objects). Other than that, encourage participants to leave their desks and working space as it is. This gives an accurate representation of them.


Activity – Get everyone to try and guess who’s desk is who’s. Whoever gets the most correct guesses wins the game.


Remote Team-Building

Virtual team-building can significantly reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness, commonplace in remote teams. While some may question the value of team-building exercises, these activities have shown that they improve teams’ effectiveness while helping build trust.

Fun Activities for Your Remote Team

In this article, you discovered information and tips on some fun and hilarious virtual team-building exercises that break the ice and foster their teamwork.

Knowing how to present and run team-building activities will significantly increase your team’s productivity while aiding in keeping everyone on the same page.

Ignoring the need for engaging virtual team-building activities can lead to a disconnected team and less than desirable employee relationships.

Sources:
onlinemba.wsu.edu/blog/team-building-activities-for-remote-teams/
degree.pittstate.edu/online-programs/mba/general/team-building-tips-remote-managers/
utrgv.edu/hr/_files/documents/forms/team-building-activities.pdf

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/virtual-team-building-activities/ for the first version of this content.

How to Create a Virtual Meeting Agenda

Avoid conducting an ineffective or non-impactful virtual meeting that cost your business time and resources. Knowing how to craft a virtual meeting agenda will help you keep your meetings short, informative, and to the point so that your team can remain efficiently on-task and maximally productive.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following information on creating virtual meeting agendas to keep your meetings organized, reflecting the level of efficiency expected from your team.

What is the Purpose of a Virtual Meeting Agenda?

A virtual meeting agenda helps you and your team prepare for an online meeting and guide yourselves through the topics you need to discuss. The time spent on planning an agenda will save time for all meeting participants by establishing a clear set of objectives, topics, and time frames.

Creating the Perfect Virtual Meeting Agenda

With so many businesses having migrated their operations to remote working, the necessity for virtual meetings has grown exponentially, while the need for these meetings to be streamlined and efficient has become crucial to productivity. Your virtual meeting agenda should include the following:

Team and Meeting Logistics – Include standard meeting details like

• The meeting date
• The expected timeframe
• The meeting access link
• Expected team attendees
• The physical location for team members attending in-person

Your attendees should have quick and advanced access to these details. While they can refer to their calendar invite, having a second or third reference (email and text) can help.

Note: In the digital workplace, it is crucial to know where your team members and/or meeting participants are geographically located to avoid time-zone conflicts.

Tip: Keep your virtual meetings within a respectable 15 to 30-minute timeframe. Remote working is already filled with a multitude of challenges. Your virtual meeting should not create another challenge or difficulty.

Virtual Meeting Objective – “What’s the point?” You will want to include the meeting’s key objective prominently in your agenda. Everyone in attendance needs to be aware of why the meeting is taking place so it can stay on track.

Tip: Including the meeting’s objective can signal the end of the meeting once the objective has been met.

Meeting Discussion Topics – Avoid stray conversations by clearly defining what topics will be addressed. Each topic should be listed with its allotted timeframe and the team member responsible for its presentation.

Virtual Meeting Structure – It is absolutely essential that you establish an order in which meeting topics will be addressed. Give everything a timeframe, including introductions, icebreakers, and Q&As. This will help you ensure precise meeting timing.

Extra Meeting Details – Be sure to include the following information (either in the description or in the footnotes) when you send out your virtual meeting agenda:

• What documents or data should be formulated or prepared and by whom
• List any relevant documents, files, and source material attendees should be familiar with
• Who is responsible for what during the meeting (presentation, minutes, timekeeping, etc.)

Tip: Your meeting agenda should convey all pertinent meeting information to its attendees, reducing or eliminating any potential confusion or misunderstandings.

Team Feedback – A powerful ending to a well-organized virtual meeting agenda is a link or email address for team members to offer praise, criticisms, and suggestions about meeting structure, length, and/or content.

Time and Efficiency

One of the most challenging aspects of a functional and efficient digital workplace is a high level of respect for time.

You will not be effective in a digital workplace if you are in meetings or distracted all the time, and for most successful businesses, meetings are highly valued events. If you choose not to use a virtual meeting agenda, you are being inconsiderate with your coworker’s and peers’ time. Agendas help you keep meetings on task, allow participants time to prepare, define and restrict discussion time, and document crucial decisions and actions, so you don’t have to repeat the meeting.

Note: Meetings are the most costly form of collaboration. By pulling an entire team into a meeting, they are effectively all removed from production. Creating and using a virtual meeting agenda keeps everyone focused and significantly reduces the time spent away from production.

Virtual Agendas

In this article, you discovered what a virtual meeting agenda is, why they are crucial to virtual meeting efficiency, and how to put one together for your next virtual meeting.

By crafting and distributing a virtual meeting agenda, you establish a parameter for the meeting’s beginning, content, and ending. Thus, increasing effective information deliverance from senior staff to team members.

Ignoring the need for virtual meeting agendas leaves your team’s meeting subject to running overtime and accomplishing less than possible.

Sources:
extension.unh.edu/resource/best-practices-hosting-virtual-meeting
nceas.ucsb.edu/virtual-meeting-best-practices
strategicconsulting.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/332/2020/03/Guide-to-Effective-Meetings-Telecommuting_040620.pdf

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/how-to-create-a-virtual-meeting-agenda/ for the first version of this content.

5 Trends Making Event Strategies and Technology Evolve

Avoid becoming outdated and losing your audience as event technologies rapidly evolve. Knowing how powerful trends are forcing event strategies and technology to constantly change and upgrade will help you prevent loss in your audience and revenue.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following information on 5 trends significantly changing the way events are planned, conducted, and utilize technology.

1. Livestream

Rarely do we see a trend catch on globally and so quickly as live-streaming has achieved. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns, businesses and events were forced to seek alternate ways to continue production, staff interaction, and ultimately reach their audience. Livestreaming immediately became a global conduit to continue reaching audiences of all kinds.

With COVID-19 restrictions loosening, in-person gatherings and events are gaining popularity once again. However, innovative businesses are using hybrid events to increase reach and deliver content to a larger audience (incorporating in-person and livestream for the same event).

2. Facial Recognition

Facial recognition is a method of recognizing human faces through technology. A facial recognition system uses biometrics to map out facial features from photographs or videos. It then compares the information with a database of known faces to find a match.

Not too long ago, using facial recognition to Identify people, grant access, read moods, or predict actions was considered science fiction and only seen in futuristic movies.

Surprise! It’s real and already being used in events like:

• Football games
• Trade shows
• Conferences
• Night Clubs

This technology allows greater automation for your event resulting in:

• Contactless check-ins
• Faster moving lines
• Reduced interactions with event staff

More advanced software can read facial expressions and body language, giving it the ability to predict the mood of your audience.

Note: Facial recognition has been used for several years. In 2001, law enforcement used facial recognition on crowd members at Super Bowl 35 and more recently in cell phone technology, allowing the device owner to “unlock” it without using a passcode or thumbprint.

3. RFID Technology

Radio-Frequency IDentification (RFID) technology uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to people, animals, and objects. An RFID system consists of a tiny radio transponder, a radio receiver, and a transmitter.

RFID chips are tiny and can discreetly fit inside an event attendee’s bracelet, badge, or pass. Being scannable, they dramatically reduce waiting or check-in times. They are ideal for cashless payments at events like concerts, carnivals, and festivals.

Note: When you use RFID technology in events, you can track the behavior and movement of your attendees, providing priceless insight into attendee preferences and venue layout.

4. Chatbots Tell it Like it Is

As people become more reliant on asking Alexa and Siri to set their alarms, control their household, and advise them of bad weather conditions, we can expect to see digital assistants and artificial intelligence (AI) powered chatbots becoming commonplace in the events industry as well.

Chatbots are already being used at events like virtual trade fairs to answer attendee questions and provide information. Automating customer service allows for more rapid response times and frees up event organizers to focus on planning and conducting their event.

The following are some of the chatbot software platforms that can be installed on your website and used for audience interaction:

• Chatbot.com
• Hubspot
• ManyChat
• Freshchat
• Drift

At a company level, chatbots free up your time by automatically answering common customer/user questions. A chatbot can also generate new leads, improve user experience, and increase sales.

5. 5G Network Technology

With the implementation of 5G network technology, there’s great expectation that music, party, and event venues will provide a much faster WiFi connection. That’s good news for both event organizers and attendees.

This technology is crucial at socially distanced events where you may be using an app or website for table/bar service. The increased speed makes other technologies like livestreaming, VR, and AR smoother, faster, and more efficient. 

Note: 5G wireless technology is intended to deliver higher peak data speeds, ultra-low latency, more online reliability, significantly increased network capacity, more network availability, and a more consistent experience for more users.

Changing Strategies and Technologies

In this article, you discovered 5 technological trends significantly influencing the way events of all kinds are being planned, conducted, and evaluated.

Following the evolution of technological trends and implementing them will help you remain competitive at a time when every lead, attendance, and sale is more important than ever.

Allowing technology to surpass you and your company’s capabilities will lead to the disinterest of your audience, loss in sales volume, and severe reduction in company revenue.

Sources:
its.umich.edu/communication/television-video/live-event-streaming/basics
nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/how-facial-recognition-works/
us.norton.com/internetsecurity-iot-how-facial-recognition-software-works.html
mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/5g-explained
brookings.edu/blog/techtank/2017/06/02/chatbots-move-public-sector-towards-artificial-intelligence/

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/event-strategies-technology/ for the first version of this content.

Webcasting and Video Conferencing Differences

Avoid using technology in a way that limits your ability to reach a large audience. Knowing the differences between video conferencing and webcasting will help you get your tasks completed, and message delivered more efficiently.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following information on how webcasting and video conferencing differ and when each is appropriate for your objective.

Webcasting and Video Conferencing

The way we work today wouldn’t have been possible just a handful of years ago. With major corporations abandoning their “brick and mortar” workspaces and sending their workforces home, remote working and meetings have become commonplace. This global phenomenon has given rise to several significant advancements in online technology, including webcasting and video conferencing.

Video Conferencing Attributes and Advantages

Video conferences are based on a one-to-one or one-to-few format. A team leader or department head will invite a specific individual or group of participants that they want to meet with. You could compare this type of meeting with a telephone conference call, but you can see and interact with each other on your screen. Some other valuable traits of video conferencing include:

• This technology is commonly used, especially now that we (globally) are living in the age of “social distancing” and “remote working.”
• Worldwide, the majority of modern office spaces and home computers are already equipped with video conferencing capabilities being webcams or online programs like Google Hangouts, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Webex Meetings, among others, for one-on-one or group meetings.
• Meeting content is typically not accessible for viewing afterward unless the meeting is recorded and uploaded to a company webpage.
• Meetings, conferences, and planning sessions always happen in real-time.
• Such meetings are not typically open to the public or an audience. Participants must be individually invited to join the meeting by the host.


With video conferencing, a team leader or manager can assemble his/her department regardless of their individual global location.

Webcasting Attributes and Advantages

A webcast is a produced or organized media presentation distributed using the Internet via streaming technology to distribute an individual content source to multiple simultaneous listeners, viewers, and audiences. A webcast can be distributed live or on-demand and could be considered “broadcasting” using the Internet. Some of the advantages of webcasting include:

• Event webcasts can be viewed from practically anywhere. It can be watched from your living room, your office space, or (with your smartphone) from any location of your choice.
• The potential for your message to reach anyone, anywhere remotely. Geographical restrictions are not considered a restriction anymore.
• Webcasting can create a sense of urgency to participate in and/or purchase products due to content being available for a short time. Viewers can access the content information for a limited time and are encouraged to act fast. This creates urgency and curiosity for your event and its content.
• Webcasting and live streaming eliminate steep costs like venue space, travel, accommodation, catering, and other expenses associated with in-person events.
• Answering your audience’s questions, offering solutions to their problems, and providing high-quality content in live streams can keep your viewers’ attention until the event’s end. Creating fun and informative content entices viewers to watch it, share it, and discuss it with friends and family. Compelling content and viewer interest generally lead to brand expansion and increased revenue.
• Additional revenue is secured by charging an “access fee” for the live or recorded event feed, like charging admission for an in-person event.
• Live streaming allows your business to develop deeper connections with your target audience. It also allows your business to directly engage viewers by individually answering their questions and offering real-time solutions to their problems.

Note: When content can be accessed regularly and perpetually, users tend to procrastinate, lose interest, or change their minds about purchasing the content/product. With limited access and availability, a sense of urgency is fostered in your audience.

Tip: Recording and archiving live events can benefit your business down the road by allowing you to revisit content, relaunch products, or improve your methods of engagement.

Webcasting Events - Webcasting is an ideal form of “broadcasting” during times of social distancing and a general reluctance to physically gather in groups or audiences. The following are some of the event types more frequently migrating to this online format:

• Town Halls
• Celebrations
• Funerals
• Fundraising events
• Product Launches
• Learning/Education
• Training
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Entertainment

Note: As gathering restrictions became more strict during the COVID pandemic, webcasting became a safe and acceptable way to continue group and individual engagement worldwide.

Webcasting Platforms - When you want to broadcast your event, the following apps can facilitate seamless live delivery of your content:

• Periscope
• Facebook Live
• ON24
• Splash
• Hopin

Tip: Most online platforms have been developed to facilitate the user experience (resembling a plug-and-play type of experience) while continuing to offer live support.

Video Conferencing Vs. Webcasting

In this article, you discovered the differences between webcasting and video conferencing, their uses, objectives, and impacts.

Knowing the differences between webcasting and video conferencing can aid you in scaling up or down the technology and bandwidth needed to accomplish your objectives.

Not knowing which technology to employ for your meeting or event can make you look unorganized, uneducated, untrustworthy, and foolish to your peers or virtual audience.

Sources:
iml.esm.rochester.edu/polyphonic-archive/article/webcasting-a-technology-that-can-reach-audiences-beyond-the-performance-hall/
ucumberlands.edu/blog/benefits-video-conferencing-and-virtual-meetings

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/webcasting-and-video-conferencing-differences/ for the first version of this content.

Camera Position Tips for Live Streaming Video

Don’t miss the opportunity to look your best and make your live content more inviting and attractive with the right camera position. Knowing how to position your camera will help you get the best angles and shots for your live stream while captivating your audience.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following information and tips on camera positioning and improving your live stream content.

Where Should I Position My Camera?

Some camera angles can over-exaggerate facial features or distort your appearance. Video will always be a more significant challenge, especially if you don’t like the way you appear in the shoot.

Placing your webcam or camera equipment correctly can go a long way to achieving the right look. For best results, a USB webcam, full-on professional camera equipment, or the built-in webcam on your laptop, the camera lens should sit at or above eye level of your speaker, no higher than the hairline (unless using a more dramatic/dynamic shot).

Once the camera is in place, avoid shooting too close to the camera. Viewers may be turned off by someone being too close to the camera on a live video stream. Position the camera far enough away to capture your speaker’s shoulders and entire face with room to spare.

What Are Some Principal Camera Angles?

The degree, angle, or position of a camera can fundamentally alter the meaning of a photograph or video. Consider the following:

Low Angle – The subject or speaker is framed from below their eye line in a low-angle. A low-angle shot of one person is frequently used with a high-angle perspective of the other person to illustrate power dynamics between them.

High Angle – The camera, in a high-angle shot, is pointing down at your speaker. This perspective leaves viewers with the impression that they are “looking down” on them.

Dutch Angle – The camera is inclined or tilted to one side for a Dutch angle (Dutch tilt). You can leave viewers with a sensation or perception of disorientation, a destabilized mental state, or heighten tension by tilting the horizon lines of your video in this fashion.

Eye Level – You can achieve a completely neutral perspective by shooting your video at eye level (avoiding any superior or inferior positioning). This is similar to how we view and interact with people in real life, our eye lines intersect, and it can potentially eliminate barriers.

Overhead Shot – Overhead shots are taken from above and look down on your subject or speaker. These are typically filmed at 90 degrees from above; lesser angled shots would be referred to as low-angle shots.

Shoulder Level Shot – A camera angle that is as high as your speaker’s shoulders is known as a shoulder-level shot. Shoulder-level shots are more common than eye-level shots, which can make your speaker appear shorter than he or she actually is.

The speaker’s head can reach the top of the frame because the camera is aligned with the shoulder. It also raises the subject’s eye line slightly above the camera, giving an impression of a lower viewpoint.

Over The Shoulder (OTS) Shot – One angle that can change a viewer’s perception of a live conversation is an over-the-shoulder shot. For example, video of one speaker’s face captured from “over the shoulder” of another speaker can be used to demonstrate a conflict, disagreement, or confrontation.

Cowboy/Hip Level Shot – When your camera is positioned around waist height, you’re taking a hip level or cowboy shot. Hip-level scenes are more beneficial when one person is seated and the other is standing.

Cowboy shots can be incredibly effective camera angles when there is action occurring at hip level. This is why the shot is known as a “cowboy shot.” Have you pictured a gun, holster, or rival off in the distance in your imagination yet?

Close-Up Shot (CU) – When you want to focus on your speaker’s facial features without any distractions in the video, use the close-up. For this type of shot, your speaker’s face would be shown in a close-up from their brow to their chin.

Medium Shot – A medium shot or a mid-shot falls somewhere between a close-up and a long shot. The subject is shown from their head to their waist. It’s a close enough shot to see their face while also seeing some of their body language.

Long Shot – A long shot would be the complete opposite of a close-up. It sees the entire body of the subject, from head to toe. This offers a better feel for the subject’s surroundings and conveys information that would be otherwise omitted in a close-up.

Lighting Tip

All cameras can capture more superior video when there is a good light source. When selecting or setting up a place to record, avoid locations with low light or too much background lighting (windows positioned in the background can often present a challenge for some cameras like webcams). Poor lighting can leave your video appearing washed out or leave your speaker looking like a shadowy figure.

Light your speaker from the front with soft, indirect light, and minimize other existing lighting in the room, particularly from windows or light sources from behind.

Background Tip

Even though you’ve made your speaker the center of attention in your video production, you still need to be aware of the video’s background contents. Your audience will take notice of everything, and it can easily distract their attention from your speaker. Try to keep your background simple, avoiding anything overly busy or cluttered, and avoid windows that would let in natural light or may reflect your computer screen. Choosing a plain wall as your video’s backdrop is often the best option.

For more tips to get the best video shots, see 10 Tips for Video Recording Yourself.

Test and Practice Your Camera Position

This is particularly crucial if you’re recording in a new or unfamiliar location or with new equipment. It’s always recommended to record test videos to confirm that your setup and equipment are giving you the look, sound, and feel you desire.

This is also an opportunity for your speaker to practice speaking in front of the camera.

Live Streaming Camera Tips

In this article, you discovered crucial information and tips about camera positioning, lighting, and backgrounds.

Knowing where to place your camera for a live event can make or break the success or failure of your event. Learning how to maintain your viewer’s attention will ultimately lead to more successful campaigns and higher profits.

Poor camera positioning, set layout, or bad lighting can lead to your live stream’s audience fleeing from your event and potentially cost you your revenue.

Sources:
nfi.edu/camera-angles/
users.rider.edu/~suler/photopsy/camera_angles.htm
technicallythinking.org/2013/05/27/video-directing-101-camera-placement/

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/camera-position-tips-for-live-streaming-video/ for the first version of this content.

How To Increase Virtual Event Attendance

Prevent the embarrassment of poor attendance and engagement at your virtual event. Knowing how to attract people to your virtual event, then keep them engaged will make your event more memorable and considered more of a success.

webcastingandvirtualevents.com gathered the following information about multiple ways to increase your virtual event’s attendance while increasing their duration at the event.

Who Is Your Audience?

One of the first steps to delivering an impactful virtual or hybrid event, that people actually want to engage with, is to gain a deep understanding of your audience.

Optimize Event Landing Page

Your event landing page is where your potential attendees will first learn about your event in great detail, also generating a first impression. Impress your potential attendees with a clean, organized, easy-to-navigate page, communicate clearly, and present a concise event offering.

By the time this article was posted, we can safely make the assumption that everyone is burnt out from never-ending zoom invites and lengthy online meeting agendas with unclear verbiage. Simplify your approach and deliver a refined event promise, highlighting the value it offers. Present as many event details as possible in a simple way – what’s the concept & purpose of the event, what problems/questions does your event address, what to expect from speakers, events, and sessions, and who to contact for further clarification, etc. 

Cross-Advertise Your Virtual Event

The theme or purpose of your event will determine where you choose to advertise. However, if your event is open to the general public and you want to increase its potential reach, list it on websites such as Eventbrite, Facebook’s listings for events, and other similar sites. It’s usually free of charge to list an event on most sites, and these listings can exponentially increase your reach, especially if your event subject relates to what people are searching for.

Increase Email Marketing Campaigns

Email is one of the most effective ways to engage your audience and drive virtual event registrations. Create emails that highlight different segments of your event; from networking opportunities to keynotes to breakout/lounge sessions.

Communicate with attendees who have already completed their registration. This may involve sending event reminders or pre-event content that helps foster excitement about your event. Finally, include a simple way for everyone to add the event to their calendars.

Note: Your email base will only spend 11 seconds or less browsing your emails. This means your communication should be conveyed at a glance. Emails with bold imagery, clear calls-to-action, and relevant messages will perform best. However, it’s essential to A/B test different variations of your promotion’s emails to find which performs best for your audience.

Encourage and Reward Your Attendees for Bringing a Guest

Consider how referral campaigns work. If your attendees refer other attendees to your event, they should be rewarded. Encourage event attendees to refer other like-minded people to the landing page or to the event. It could be a friend, a mentor, or even their whole community. Rewards could range from a gift card to a new pair of air buds.

Put together a referral and reward program, then let your attendees know about it and its potential rewards. As soon as someone adds a guest to their registration or just publicly shares information about the event asking more people to join, show them gratitude, and send them a reward. 

Use the Influence of Your Speakers, Special Guests, and Moderators

Make sure your speakers or moderators vigorously promote your event and their participation in it on their own social media channels. They may have a sizable audience who are fans of their work and will be inclined to attend. Confirm early on if your speakers will be emailing their own networks with event information or sharing it on social media.

Note: This should work both ways; in return for their support, promote your speakers on your channels and tag or link to their pages so they can benefit from your audience as well.

Pre-Event Q&A with Your Speakers and Experts

Assume the role of your potential attendees. Wouldn’t you love to get answers to questions you have about an event? Especially one you’re considering investing your valuable time and energy in. Allow your attendees to ask questions (pre-event) to speakers or event staff.

Consider sponsoring a real-time Q&A session or a chatbot on your event’s website. Virtual event platforms make this fairly simple. You can create an open and moderated Q&A session right from the organizer dashboard.

Tip – Once you’ve done the above tactics to increase your event attendance, learn these 13 Ways To Make Your Virtual Event More Engaging.

Offer On-Demand Post-Event Content

Entertainment and content is a significant reason for attending your event. If you will offer on-demand recordings and presentations after your event is over, make that abundantly clear during registration.

Even if attendees can’t participate in your event, they may still be inclined to register if it means having access to the on-demand content post-event.

Note: They’ll still be engaging with your content and brand, even if it’s not live.

How To Increase and Maintain Virtual Event Attendance

In this article, you discovered several ways to increase your virtual event’s attendance and keep their attention while they are there.

Clearly defining your audience and marketing to their interests and likes will increase attendance and focus in your virtual event.

Without leveraging the advantages and knowledge you possess when marketing your audience, you are likely to have poor attendance at your virtual event.

Sources:
socialmediatoday.com/news/how-to-shift-from-physical-to-virtual-events-and-maximize-event-outcomes/574048/
specialevents.syr.edu/resources/virtual-events/index.html
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/bitstream/handle/10919/100861/37%20Virtual%20Event%20Ideas%20for%20Your%20Next%20Online%20Event.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

See https://webcastingandvirtualevents.com/how-to-increase-virtual-event-attendance/ for the first version of this content.