Webinars vs Online Meetings: Which Is Right For You? 

For the better part of a decade, many businesses have been hosting and organizing online meetings to connect with their customers, employees, and stakeholders. By now, it’s probably fair to say we’re all familiar with how online meetings work.  

That said, we’ve grown so fond of Zoom Meetings, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams that we forget about the online meeting’s less trendy but better equipped cousin: the webinar.  

While online meetings and webinars have their similarities, there are many scenarios where using the latter is the better approach.  

Whatever your goals are for organizing a live broadcast — be it an interactive presentation, a training session, or a large-scale event — choosing the right medium is critical. 

Keep reading to learn what webinars are, their advantages over online meetings (and vice versa), and what features to look for in a webinar platform. 

To pick the right platform for your online broadcast, you must first clarify your goals. Defining your goals is critical because each broadcast software is equipped with distinct feature sets that cater to different types of virtual events and objectives.  

Make sure to set SMART goals (meaning goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). That way, you’ll find it easier to break them down into small, actionable steps or tasks.  

Once you have a plan in place, it becomes much easier to pinpoint which features you need from a broadcast platform to support your goals.  

A webinar is an online presentation, usually in the form of a lecture, workshop, or seminar that enables you to connect with a large audience remotely. 

Like most presentations, webinars typically involve one-way communication. Think of it as the online equivalent of a conference where you have a speaker or panelist at a podium speaking to a large audience.  

A webinar setup is composed of three type of users: the host, who facilitates and moderates the event; the presenters, who deliver the content; and the audience, who listens and engages through Q&A sessions, polls, or chat features. 

When setting up an event, you may require webinar attendees to register in advance, which allows you to gather information about your audience and manage attendance.  

Webinars are typically delivered in real-time, similar to video streaming. You can also create pre-recorded (automated) webinars and make them available on-demand to viewers at their convenience. This flexibility allows you to reach a wider audience and extend the life of your content beyond the initial broadcast. 

Most webinars are virtual (happen exclusively online); however, more and more organizations are gravitating towards hybrid webinars, which offer a combination of in-person and online attendance (which can be broadcast from an in-house studio if you want to make a big impression). 

Webinars are tailored for polished presentations with large (and view-only) audiences where attendee participation is controlled. They are usually educational and informative, similar to lecture halls, conferences, or town hall meetings. 

Some of the popular use cases for webinars include: 

Crisis communication

Webinars offer the structured framework you need to clearly communicate the proper ways to respond to business threats.

Internal communication

Webinars provide an efficient platform to keep employees informed and up-to-date with the latest company policies, strategies, and developments.

Product presentations

Webinars offer robust features for highlighting and demonstrating product features and benefits, from slide decks and screen sharing to virtual whiteboards and interactive Q&A sessions.

Education and training

Webinars provide an ideal environment for education and training. Thanks to their bevy of interactive and engagement features, webinars offer an excellent medium for delivering workshops, training sessions, and lectures.

PR & external communication

Webinars give you the tools needed to deliver a polished and controlled presentation needed to engage and build relationships  with clients, media, and stakeholders.

Let’s circle back to the goals you’ve established (remember SMART?) How do you plan to accomplish those goals? What are the conditions and requirements you need to get there? Here are scenarios when you’re better off hosting a webinar.

Control over the viewing experience 

When you have a specific goal for organizing a video broadcast, you need to hit specific milestones to reach it. You can’t pull that off in an online meeting. When attendees are given equal opportunities to speak, a speaker or host can’t control the narrative in a way that allows them to reach that specific goal.  

With webinars, attendees are there to listen and learn. As host or presenter, you guide the webinar. You can mute or unmute attendees (all or individually), share your screen and files, turn webinar reactions on and off, and manage participant interaction to ensure a smooth session.  

Minimal distractions 

The more attendees learn from your live broadcast, the more likely you’ll be able to achieve your goal. And if there’s one thing that kills the learning process, it’s distraction. 

Thankfully, webinars offer the controlled environment to keep distractions to a minimum. Unlike with virtual meetings where side conversations, multitasking, and context switching are common, webinars provide an ideal environment for keeping attendees focused on the presentation.  

Broadcast quality 

Poor broadcast quality can ruin an otherwise great video presentation. Your hard-won insights wouldn’t make much of an impact if attendees can barely hear what you’re saying or read your slide decks. 

That won’t be an issue with webinars where high quality production and state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment are a given. That’s not surprising given how webinar platforms are designed to deliver polished and professional presentations that address a large audience. 

Low risk of reputational damage 

Every moment you’re out doing a live broadcast puts your reputation on the line.  

It’s riskier when you’re in an online meeting, where every attendee is inclined to speak anytime they want. What if a troublesome employee spills a trade secret without providing relevant context?  

That’s not the case with webinars. Since webinar software offers a controlled and polished environment, you can rest easy that inappropriate behavior, unexpected distractions, and technical issues are prevented.  

Participant anonymity 

When conducting an online broadcast where the goal is to educate an audience, webinars are often the better choice. With online meetings, participants might be too concerned about contributing or how they present themselves to fully engage with your material.  

Webinars, on the other hand, give attendees the benefit of anonymity. It offers them a relaxed environment to absorb information like a sponge.  And if they want to engage with the content, they can still do so using the webinar’s platforms interactive features. 

Suitable for video on demand 

Most webinar platforms offer recording and editing features that allow you to repurpose live webinars into on-demand content. And why not? By making your webinar available on demand, you can reach viewers who weren’t available to watch your live content.  

Besides, making your videos available on demand not only increases your reach, but also extends the lifespan of your video content. And that’s always a good thing. After all, not everyone may have had the time to watch the webinar at the time of the broadcast. 

Have you decided to turn your live video broadcast into a webinar? Here are features you must look into. 

Interactive engagement tools 

Just because webinars are typically one-way presentations doesn’t mean you shouldn’t encourage interaction with your hosts and panelists. 

Select a webinar platform with excellent interactive engagement tools like polls, quizzes, and chat. It keeps them interested and attentive, which in turn helps you achieve your broadcast’s goals. 

Personalization and branding 

Webinar software typically includes more branding and personalization tools than online meeting platforms.  

 From the registration page and attendee interface to follow-up emails and post-event surveys, you can customize the entire webinar experience by incorporating your brand’s elements, including logo, color palette, imagery, banners, and more. 

Comprehensive analytics and reporting 

You know what’s better than a single webinar? A webinar series.  

But for your webinars to bolster your video marketing strategy, you need comprehensive analytics and reporting tools to measure performance, track engagement, and refine your strategy for each subsequent event. In fact, 91% of marketers use webinar data to improve their webinar strategy. 

To assess the effectiveness of your webinar strategy, pick a webinar platform that measures key metrics and event KPIs, including: 

• Attendance rates 

• Engagement level 

• Drop-off rates 

• Conversion rates 

• Watch time 

Still on the fence about what video presentation tool to use for your broadcasts? Here are features that give webinar platforms a unique advantage over online meeting tools.

Lead generation

Webinar platforms are the number one lead generation and nurturing tool because they offer functionalities (e.g., event registration software, detailed analytics, interactive tools) that help you capture and qualify leads.

Role assignment/management

Unlike meeting tools, webinar platforms enable you to assign more specialized roles such as hosts, panelists, and moderators. This allows you to create a controlled environment that helps facilitate your broadcast goals.

Branding and personalization

Webinars are often used for video broadcasts where having a consistent and professional brand image is critical. No wonder webinar platforms offer more branding and personalization features (e.g., customizable registration pages, branded email templates, ability to add logo and colors to interface) than virtual meetings.

Yes, webinar platforms have their advantages. But that doesn’t mean online meeting tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams don’t have their uses. Here are scenarios where you’re better off using an online meeting tool than a webinar platform: 

• Your goals for the broadcast are more achievable through real-time interaction and equal participation. 

• You’re connecting with a small group of people.  

• You need a collaborative environment where brainstorming and the freedom to kick around half-formed ideas are encouraged. 

• Participants are collaborating on shared documents to refine ideas or make decisions together. 

Both webinars and online meetings offer an effective and practical way to connect with your audience.

The verdict: don’t use an online meeting tool (or a webinar platform) just because it’s initially convenient. By understanding the difference between webinars and online meetings, you can pick the right broadcast platform and make your message resonate.

Ready to elevate your virtual events? Discover the unique benefits of webinars and how they can transform your communications strategy. Explore VIXY Live’s webinar solutions today and make your next broadcast unforgettable!