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.

Virtual meeting held by video conferencing

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

Recording material for webcasting content

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