W
ebinars are slowly but inevitably gaining precedence over live events. The reason is two-fold; firstly, the reach of a webinar is extensive and secondly; most hosting platforms allow for webinars to be recorded. So, people can access it anytime, and thus your content lives on.
If you are new to the entire world of webinar hosting, some essentials are required for hosting a webinar. No matter where you’re hosting the webinar from, you must ensure a pleasant and perfect virtual experience for your attendees.
Poor video and sound quality, or a delayed relay is a definite put off for any attendee. This blog is a definitive guide for webinar hosts to get the tools right and help you host an excellent webinar.
Webinar essentials
- Camera: A clear presenter video goes a long way in retaining attendee attention. A grainy quality video will make the audience weary of the quality and reliability of the session. Hence, using a good camera with high resolution is very important. Most laptops today come with in-built cameras.
First, test the camera and check the quality of the video. If it doesn’t meet the standards, we would recommend that you use an external camera to host your webinar. A camera that can be plugged into the USB device is always better. - Microphone: A microphone with a stand is ideal for hosting a webinar. Small microphones that can be placed on your table are readily available in the market. This handy device not only gives excellent sound quality but also offers a professional look. You may wonder if you could use the in-built microphone that comes with the webcam or laptop. However, very often the sound quality from these in-built options is way below standard. Remember, if you chose to use a microphone, you would also need to invest in an earpiece so that you can hear others speak.
- Headset with a microphone: The usage of this essential has been debated widely. While some webinar experts feel that headsets give a call-centre look, many prefer a headset because it gives them the freedom of movement.
In a home setting, the most common problem we face is that of too much noise around our homes. This “surround-sound” can be irritating for any attendee.
Hence, we highly recommend that you use a headset because it helps in noise cancellation as well. Lastly, go for a wireless headset because it gives a less cluttered look. - Lighting: This is the most important but often neglected essential while hosting a webinar. Bad lighting can give one a ghoulish look sometimes even blacking out your face.
Webcams usually pick up the brightest source of light. So, if you have a bright light behind you, your face will appear dark. Ensure that your lighting is from the front. This way, the light will fall on your face and brighten it.
Another tip for lighting is that you should have more than one source of light. It creates a balancing effect and highlights the face without any shadows. Last but not the least, use white lights while hosting a webinar. These lights are preferred over yellow lights by all experts.
"Getting people together is the beginning; keeping them engaged is a success."
Getting people together is the beginning; keeping them engaged is a success.
- Hosting platform: Now that you have the basics in place, let us come to the most important aspect — your hosting platform.
You need to use the right platform that will offer you the ease of hosting and help you reach a wider audience. There are multiple players in the market. Here’s how Airmeet can best suit your needs
Airmeet is an online event hosting platform where you can host a plethora of events. Any live event like personal meetups, team stand-ups, virtual summits, conferences or workshops can be hosted on this platform. The key features of Airmeet are:
- No download: Since its an online platform it requires no download and is compatible with most browsers
- Scalable: Airmeet can host up to 1M attendees for events
- High-quality audio and video: Airmeet has HD quality video and audio. Also, there is no delay while live streaming events.
- Strong security: The Airmeet platform is GDPR compliant and uses end-end encryption which ensures that your communication is secure.
- Live social-stream: While hosting your webinar on Airmeet, you can also live stream the same on YouTube or Facebook and maximise your reach.
- Networking features: Airmeet offers features like the social lounge, both public and private chat features, which not only makes networking easy but also pleasurable.
- Engagement features: With features like polls, surveys and Q&A windows, taking feedback or asking questions to the host has never been so easy.
- Zero-cost: Currently, Airmeet is available free for all its users.
Airmeet compares favourably to other event hosting platforms. Visit the website to know more.
(Read: Airmeet vs Hopin)
Conclusion
It would be best if you gain the right skills for hosting a webinar. Couple it with the essential tools and the perfect event hosting platform, it would be ideal. Nothing can stop you from hosting a world-class webinar then.
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