Creating a Powerful Webcast
Learning how to make a webcast is a pretty simple process. However, building the skills and knowledge you need to create a successful webcast that fully engages an audience and achieves your goals requires more time and effort.
In this guide to creating a great webcast, we’re taking a closer look at what makes a webcast a success. We’ll be discussing how to pull off a powerful production that makes the right impression on your audience – and leaves them looking forward to your next live broadcast.
What is a Webcast?
A quick breakdown of the term “webcast” is the easiest way to understand what it is: a form of digital media that uses an online platform (“web”) for live video broadcasting (“cast”).
Because webcasting is so versatile, it has become a digital medium used by a broad range of presenters. Large corporations, event hosts, and even social media influencers have adapted webcasting for their audiences and goals – and you can too.
How to Produce a Webcast Your Audience Will Love
Are you ready to go live and deliver an outstanding webcast? Here are some important things to know first.
- Brainstorm webcast topic ideas to find the right fit.
Some ideas are better suited to a webcast format than others, so you’ll want to choose wisely. For example, here are some ideal webcast topics:
- A live broadcast from an event
- A demonstration of a product or service
- A “how-to” tutorial
- Timely coverage of a news-based issue
Overall, your focus should be to choose a webcast topic that offers something of value to your audience. That way, they’ll actually want to tune in!
Depending on your goals, you might need to establish a solid understanding of digital marketing and social media strategy before moving forward. This way, you’ll be better equipped to map out precisely what you want your webcast to achieve and how to get there.
- Be prepared with the right equipment.
Sure, you could host a webcast with nothing more than your smartphone – but are you confident that the production will meet audience expectations? In a world where anybody can “go live,” you need to make sure your content stands out in the best possible way. This means crafting professional-looking media that prove to viewers that you’re someone to be trusted.
Working with your smartphone can still be an option if you aren’t ready to invest in professional-level equipment. Even a basic setup with a tripod of some sort can be an excellent place to start. However, when you want to take webcasting to the next level, it’s time to learn how to pick the best webcasting equipment for your needs.
And it’s not enough to just buy the equipment; you’ll also need to know how to actually use it. Audio and video production training can help you navigate all the available tools and properly use every piece of equipment.
- Mix it up to keep things interesting.
A single speaker in front of a blank screen can get pretty uninteresting quickly. So, you’ll need to get creative with ways to engage an audience while still staying on track with your topic.
Some ideas for engaging a webcast audience include:
- Incorporate more than one host/speaker, or feature guest appearances and interviews
- Pull up images, videos, and other forms of media to communicate key points
- Use broadcasting best practices for a strong on-screen presence
- Find ways for viewers to interact, such as a live chat
- Understand your audience.
Ask yourself this: who is your webcast for? Your intended audience will never be everybody online, no matter what form of media you’re using. Instead, you should have a good idea of who is in your target audience.
For example, suppose you want to create a webcast that highlights the grand opening of a new restaurant in your city. In that case, your audience might include people living in your community, local foodies, and people working in the restaurant business in the area. Once you know who you’re creating content for, it becomes much easier to tailor your webcast to their needs and interests.
Learn How to Webcast Like a Media Professional
Webcasting might be a medium that is accessible to anyone with a smartphone, but that doesn’t mean that everyone automatically has the tools and skills to produce something top-quality.
At the BeOnAir Network of Media Schools, with campuses in Chicago, Miami, Colorado, and Ohio, you can build the skill set you need to create powerful webcasts. Our media training programs cover a broad range of topics, including broadcasting, audio/video production, using media equipment, storyboarding, etc.
Contact our team for more information when you’re ready to turn your interest in media into a full-blown career.
Featured Image: Atstock Productions / Shutterstock
