Webinars Vs. Podcasts: Which One’s Right for You?

Webinars and podcasts are methods of broadcasting content, and often people confuse the two.

However, the two broadcast modes are completely different and vary in many ways. The two content forms are also suitable for different use cases.

In order to choose the best method for your purpose out of the two, you need to be familiar with the unique features of each, as well as their pros and cons.

Let’s explore that...

I. Content Differences

Webinars: You can incorporate varied content types in a webinar, including presentations, audio clips, videos, questionnaires, and polls.

Due to the multi-dimensional experience of webinars and their live nature, viewers find them more immersive.

Podcasts: You are restricted to audio content in podcasts. But the bright side is that you can refine your content post-production, which is not feasible with live webinars.

II. Targeting Differences

Webinars: Owing to opt-in registration, only interested people join your webinars. Since they are invested in your content, they are better engaged and more likely to convert.

Podcasts: Podcasts have no registration process. You can broadcast them on social platforms or your website. Though they can reach a broad audience, their targeting is not as precise as that of webinars.

III. Usability

Webinars: You can pre-record and load the content in webinar-hosting platforms. Some sophisticated platforms even allow you to simulate existing webinars.

From the attendees’ point of view, one downside is that they can’t fast-forward live webinars. However, they can access webinar recordings later.

Podcasts: Although you can’t pre-load podcast content, you have more scope to connect with audiences. Typically, podcasts are created in series, which allows you to build viewership.

If we talk about consumers, they enjoy the flexibility that podcasts offer. They can catch podcasts while driving and scroll through to parts that interest them. Conversely, they may be distracted and not focus on the content too much.

IV. Reach and Conversion

Webinars: Webinars have a high registrant-to-attendee rate. Most people who register for a webinar join. Since you can interact one-to-one with audiences in real-time, satisfaction rates are also high.

Podcasts: Podcasts can draw large audiences since there is no cut-off registration date. On the flip side, there is no visual engagement and real-time conversation with listeners, which makes for lower conversion rates in podcasts.

 V. Costing

Webinars: You can monetize your webinars by charging a registration fee. Regarding costs, you will need broadcasting software and a decent webcam. If you outsource content creation, count that as well.

Podcasts: Most podcasts are freely downloadable, without any registration fee. All you need for creating a podcast is your smartphone/laptop and a good quality microphone.

Which Is the Ultimate Winner?

If you are considering which of the two to use, the ultimate winner depends on your business needs and budgets. We can’t pronounce an outright winner because each business is different.

For instance, if you plan to deliver an in-depth tutorial about your product, webinars will be a better option. You will be able to explain better using a mix of audio-visual content.

On the other hand, if you’re thinking of interviewing an industry expert, the no-frills format of a podcast will be a good fit.

Ultimately, the winner of the webinar vs. podcasts is a decision best left to you because you know your business better than anyone. However, the basic differences listed above will go a long way in deciding which to use at different times. You may even opt to use both concurrently.

More on Webinars vs. Podcasts - Infographic

If you’d like to learn more and get additional information to make the right choice for you and your business, check out the insightful infographic below by FLOW app.