What is a webinar? 

There’s lots of content out there. Distribution is even more crazy. We have platforms like BrightTALK, Zoom, GoToWebinar, On24, Youtube Live, StreamYard, RiversideFM, Facebook Live, Twitch, Instagram, TikTok, Snap, etc.  This leads to confusion. What is a webinar?

Let’s set the record straight. 

“A webinar is a digital presentation where the audience consumes information directly from, and engages with, presenters with commercial purposes in mind.” 

Differentiators:

  • Compared with a virtual meeting, a webinar does not show who is in the audience, and the conversation is generally one-way. 

  • Compared with a podcast, the content has visuals (video, a deck). 

  • A webinar might use  youtube live or Facebook live, but only for wider distribution and not for engagement. 

  • A webinar might use Streamyard or RiversideFM, but these platforms don’t define the webinar. 

  • A webinar might be 10 minutes, it might be 3 hours. 

  • Compared with a Hybrid event, a webinar is digital only. Hybrid events are composed of in-person events and webinars. 

  • A free webinar means you are the product. A paid webinar means you own the product.