In order to have an online lecture session with a large number of participants, you first need to know What is a webinar and how does it work.
Using video conferencing is a great way to keep track of work at home. When it comes to video conferencing, two terms often come to mind; Webinar and online session. For most people, a webinar may be a normal online meeting, but it really is not.
If you do not feel the difference between an online meeting and a webinar, stay tuned for the rest of this article. In this post, we will compare what a webinar is, what is the difference between a webinar and online sessions, and the features of webinars on popular video conferencing platforms.
What is a webinar?
A webinar or, to be more complete, a web seminar is an online lecture. Typically, a webinar consists of a speaker or a small group of speakers who speak to an audience and present a topic. So the webinar has two important parts; Speakers and audience. Individuals or audiences can interact with hosts in different ways, depending on the interactive tools available to users. Things that are important in a web seminar include surveys, chats, questions and answers, and more.
Depending on the host and organization, a webinar can be free or paid. Webinars typically last about half an hour to an hour, but it still depends on things like the host, the topic, and so on. You can also host live or pre-recorded webinars.
How do webinars work?
Now that we know what a webinar is, we can learn how it works. Webinars are basically content and audience presentations that have many uses such as online lectures, product launches, sports exercises, introducing new employees as well as holding meetings for large teams. In a webinar, you can present a variety of content through video, PowerPoint slides, whiteboards, and screen sharing.
What is the difference between webinars and online meetings?
At this point, you may still be wondering how a webinar is different from an online session. Webinars and online meetings are different in terms of interaction. In other words, in online meetings, all participants interact and participate, and anyone can participate in the discussion by sharing the page. It should also be noted that in online meetings, participants can see other users as well.
Webinars are a little different from these sessions because, in a webinar, only the host and the members of the group can speak. Other participants can only observe what is happening in the meeting. Participants can communicate with the host and board members through chat and polls. Another difference between online meetings and webinars is the number of participants.
Now that you know what a webinar is, you should have guessed that hosting an online conference with a large number of participants is more appropriate than a webinar, and vice versa, if the number of participants is small, an online session is a better option. For example, in the Google Meet webinar, about 100,000 people can attend an online conference. But in a typical online meeting, Google Meet only supports 250 participants.
Webinars on popular video conferencing platforms
Having explained what a webinar is, we now want to explore it on different platforms. Webinars are now available on popular video conferencing platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet. Depending on which platform you choose, you will have different features. A webinar can also be a paid service.
Zoom webinar
Zoom Video Webinar supports up to 50,000 participants to view sessions and an unlimited number of sessions lasting up to 30 hours. The minimum number of participants is 500, which you can increase to 50,000. The maximum number of participants depends on your Zoom webinar license.
On the Zoom platform, the host can share the page and speak via audio or video. Attendees can also communicate with the host through chat and Q&A. In this program, you can also communicate through polls.
As a host, you are allowed to ask participants to pre-register or allow them to join by hosting a webinar link at the time of hosting. If participants are asked to pre-register, you can confirm them manually or allow the system to approve all of them automatically. The great thing about webinars in the Zoom app is that you can choose not to have participants silent. If you are interested in programs that can have more than 10,000 participants, be sure to use Zoom.
Me Webinar on Google Meet
In Google Meet, a webinar can have up to 100,000 participants. On this platform, like the Zoom app, the maximum number of participants depends on your version of Google Workspace. To create a webinar on Google Meet, you must first create a live streaming event for providers. After that, you need to create a second event that is for visitors only. The Google Meet webinar, which Google calls Live Streaming, is only available in select Google Workspace applications.
Selected versions of Google Workspace include Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Teaching and Learning Upgrade. Surely by this time you have understood what is meant by different webinar platforms and what their features are.
Te Webinar in Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams has more restrictions on the maximum number of participants than Zoom and Google Meet. Currently, the app has up to 10,000 participants to visit but plans to double that number in the future. However, up to 1,000 people can attend this webinar, each of whom can access various interactive features on Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft Teams, like Zoom, allows you to create an optional registration form. Unlike Google Meet and Zoom, this app allows you to enable participants’ audio and video after creating a webinar. At Microsoft Teams, attendees can connect with you through chat, polls, live feedback, and raise their hands to get your attention.
Have a webinar yourself!
Now in this post, you will understand what a webinar is and what features it has on different video conferencing platforms. In short, webinars are a great way to hold great online meetings. So if you are planning to give a lecture, you just need to use the webinar and if you want to have interactive meetings, regular online meetings are a better option. The most important thing to know about webinars on popular video conferencing platforms is that you have to pay a subscription fee for them.
Instead, when the number of participants is not large, you can easily hold an online meeting at no cost. But if you have a large number of participants, you should use a webinar, which by reading this post, you will understand what a webinar is and its features in video conferencing applications.
