Growing businesses are always looking for ways to leverage the latest forms of media to reach new customers and deepen engagement with people throughout the client lifecycle. Experts are arguing about whether podcasts or webinars are the best methods for increasing sales. The podcast industry is booming right now, with more than a billion subscribers. There is an expectation that this number will triple within the next few years. In spite of this, webinars have been an essential tool for web marketers for years. So how do you know which is right for your business?
Two popular methods of increasing that reach and engagement are through using a webinar or podcast. Both of these formats have massive potential, but what is the difference between podcast and webinar? Let’s break it down: podcast vs webinar, webinar vs podcast, what is better? What the primary difference between a podcast and a webinar is? Read our article to meet our answers!
Main Differences Between a Podcast and a Webinar
The primary difference between a podcast and a webinar is pretty simple. Podcasts are audio-only, whereas webinars can include multimedia, including audio, video, and graphics. That’s the primary difference, but there are quite a few other differentiating factors that can help you decide your best option. These additional differences mainly come down to matters of timing, interactivity, features, and accessibility.
When deciding between a webinar and podcast, the next difference to consider is one of timing. Although they can be recorded for future use, webinars happen in real-time as opposed to podcasts, which are, for the most part, pre-recorded. This leads to the next significant difference, which is the level of interactivity. Because webinars happen in real-time, there is the potential for interaction. Participants can respond, ask questions, and otherwise be involved in the live presentation. Live Q&A sessions allow your audience to ask questions and receive answers right away! During your presentation, you can use the Question Mode to ask questions. Your question can be published whenever you're ready and answered when the time is right. Even better, you can utilize the Chat feature to answer questions in multiple languages simultaneously. Podcasts, on the other hand, are strictly a one-way medium. This makes webinars a much better choice when active engagement is critical.
This interactivity is enhanced by additional features available from high-quality webinar platforms. Hosts can conduct polls and surveys. Real-time feedback from your audience is possible with these. The purpose of this is to make sure there are no misunderstandings about what you are trying to say. Making sure your students understand the content, or understanding the customers' reactions to a product presentation, can increase the likelihood that they will purchase it. The host can also conduct foster conversation through chat, and even integrate calls to action that lead your participants to take that crucial next step. These features really give webinars a serious advantage. If you are looking for new webinar software, LiveWebinar has all the features listed, top notch data privacy, and security all without requiring downloads or plugins. The pre-recorded nature of podcasts also provides some benefits in terms of accessibility. Webinars also require people to be in front of a screen at a specific time, but if they are recorded and saved as evergreen content, they can be accessible for all.
Podcasts, because they are pre-recorded and audio-only, can be consumed anytime or anywhere. With just a smartphone, people can listen in the car, on a plane, or while exercising. And why are podcasts so popular with businesses? Because podcasts are readily available. Your audience can search for podcasts on a specific topic and access them in seconds. Podcasts are an easy way for businesses to find new audiences. Plus, your audience can listen to them anywhere. This means that people can listen to you whenever they want. You can also share your knowledge. When you create a podcast, you do it because you have expertise in your field. When people listen to your podcast, they see you as an expert and are more interested in your product or service.
Webinar or Podcast? Which is best for your company?
So, while the primary difference between a podcast and a webinar comes down to a matter of audio-only vs. multimedia, there are additional factors to keep in mind. How can you best determine which is the best solution for your company? First of all, both webinars and podcasts can be a part of your overall communications and marketing strategy, with each having their place for different purposes. Second, the decision ultimately comes down to one question: “What are you trying to do?”. Another way to ask that is, “If your webinar or podcast is a success, what is it you hope will happen?”. If you start there and keep the differences in mind, your choice will become evident.
The best way to find new audiences is through podcasts, since podcasts can reach so many listeners. Listeners can easily find you and your expertise anywhere. They have easy access to you and can learn a lot from you. But if, however, you are looking to go deeper and turn contacts into clients, webinars are for you. Building relationships with them is possible through thoughtful interaction.
If you are trying to draw some inbound traffic by demonstrating yourself as a thought leader in your industry in a way that can be discovered through organic search, promoted widely and consumed by people anytime, anywhere, a podcast may be a better solution. For a chance to engage with potential customers in real-time in an attempt to get them to take the next step in your sales funnel, a webinar would be an obvious choice.
Over to you
So, what do you think? The primary difference between a podcast and a webinar is significant or similar to its competitor? Webinar vs podcast - what do you choose?
In order to find out who is interested in you and what you offer, you can use podcasts to collect new prospects and then offer a follow-up webinar. Because webinars can't be accessed everywhere, people only participate when they're interested in listening to you and learning more about your company or product.
What are you waiting for? Do you want to start building deeper relationships? Then LiveWebinar is the perfect solution for you, as it will be a huge help for you.
Let us know, and, of course, visit us on LiveWebinar!