Greatest webcasting companies

Disclosure: This content is endorsed by the reader. So if you click on some of our links we may receive a commission.

Webcasting has quickly become a popular means of communication on a large scale in the digital age.

This allows companies and individuals to communicate with hundreds or even thousands of people around the world. Webcasting can be used for a wide variety of use cases, such as: B. for lead generation, customer support, internal corporate communication and much more.

The terms “webcasting” and “webinar” are often confused with one another. In contrast to a webinar, webcasting is a one-way flow of information. The host presents and the audience watches without actually interacting. Webinars are usually more interactive.

This crucial difference makes it a lot easier to reach the masses. However, a successful webcast depends on finding the right webcasting service. Which is the best? Let's dive in.

The top 6 options for webcasting services

  1. GlobalMeet – Most versatile webcasting service
  2. Cisco Webex – Best for large events
  3. ClickMeeting – Best for monetizing webcasts
  4. ezTalks – Best for recorded online events
  5. ON24 Webcast Elite – Best for audience engagement and conversions
  6. Samba Live – Best for cross-platform live streaming

How to choose the best webcasting services for you

Before you can begin evaluating various webcasting solutions, it is important to understand which qualifications should be considered in your decision. This is the method I used to develop the top picks on the market today. Use these factors as buying guides and weigh their importance against your personal webcasting needs.

Number of participants

How many people do you expect for your webcast?

Most webcasting services have restrictions on attendee lists. Some services may limit you to 5,000 or 10,000 participants, while others give you up to 100,000 participants.

Compared to webinars and web conferences, webcasts usually have a higher number of participants. Keep this in mind as you browse through various options. Make sure you consider each plan's participant limits.

Audio and video quality

Since webcasts are typically broadcast by a single presenter, audio and video quality must be a top priority. Tens of thousands of people around the world could see your webcast. If the feed is delayed, grainy, or of poor quality, the message will not be as impactful and attendees may drop out during the presentation.

The quality of your webcast is a direct reflection of you and your brand. This is definitely an area that cannot be overlooked when comparing solutions.

Event management tools

Webcasts often require a lot of preparation. From promotional materials to speaker lists and more, there is still a lot to be done before, during and after the event.

Look for a webcasting service that makes event management easy. While webcasts are typically not interactive, features like audience polls can be of great use.

Recording and editing functions

Make sure the webcasting service you are evaluating has the ability to record events. Not every webcast is presented live. Some are pre-recorded and available upon request.

If you pre-record an event, take advantage of all of the built-in editing tools. Errors are inevitable in a live broadcast. However, you can cut these out of an on-demand webcast using editing tools to add professionalism to any event.

The best webcasting services allow presenters to remove, add, or even reorganize content before archiving it for on-demand viewing.

Reporting and analysis

Look for a webcasting service with sophisticated reporting tools. Most platforms provide the basics like the number of participants and their location.

However, some webcasting services go well beyond survey results, audience interactions, and other important audience behaviors. These deeper insights can help you define and create future presentations, which is vital for sales and marketing webcasts.

The different types of webcasting services

In general, webcasting falls into one of three categories. Not every webcasting service can accommodate all three, although most offer more than one.

Live streaming

Live webcasts are when the presentation is broadcast to your audience in real time. There is a defined start and end time and there is no possibility to rewind or start over.

Both live streaming and on-demand webcasts are more often self-serviced, so you take care of the logistics and filming for your event.

On-demand webcasting

On-demand webcasts are recorded. There are generally two ways to create an on-demand event.

You can simply record a live event and make it available for viewing at a later time. Or, you can record a webcast without ever presenting it to a live audience.

The second option is better for evergreen content that isn't really time sensitive. This also gives you more flexibility in editing.

Managed webcasting

Managed webcasting services minimize the workload for the presenter. The service provider takes care of the logistics, broadcasting and shooting for the event. Moderators only have to worry about the content.

With this in mind, self-service webcasting is more popular than managed webcasting. Most businesses and individuals choose to self-publish and edit webcasts while using a webcasting service provider's infrastructure.

# 1 – GlobalMeet Review – Most Versatile Webcasting Service

GlobalMeet is a product of Premiere Global Services (PGi), an industry leader in digital communication and collaboration.

GlobalMeet Webcast was formerly Talkpoint and is trusted by Fortune 500 companies and corporations around the world. With this cloud-based SaaS (Software as a Service), companies can easily create high quality webcasts for thousands of viewers worldwide.

The versatility of GlobalMeet makes it unique when compared to other webcasting services on the market today. It is used for town hall broadcasts, employee onboarding and training, investor meetings, marketing presentations, corporate communications, human resources and much more. They provide both managed and self-service support for webcasts.

With GlobalMeet you benefit from basic and advanced functions such as:

  • Live and on-demand presentations
  • High quality audio and video streaming
  • Live Q&A, audience polls, and social media feeds
  • Tools to manage attendee registration information
  • Powerful analysis and reporting
  • Business security
  • Seamless integration with CRMs and marketing tools
  • In-event branding tools
  • Unlimited cloud storage for on-demand viewing

GlobalMeet also offers white glove event services. They offer solutions for event moderation, training, event setup, event customization and more.

In short, GlobalMeet has everything you need to run a successful webcast on a large scale, no matter the use case.

GlobalMeet does not publish prices for the Webcast Starter license. However, you can easily reach out to the GlobalMeet sales team for a quote on webcasting services.

# 2 – Cisco Webex Webcasting Review – Best for Large Events

Cisco Webex is another industry leader in business communications. They offer an extensive list of high quality products for different use cases – including webcasting.

Cisco Webex Webcasting can support up to 100,000 attendees worldwide, making it one of the best options out there for large events.

Running an event of this size is no easy task. However, Cisco has everything you need to make sure the webcast goes off without a hitch.

They offer all the functions you need before, during and after the event. Cisco will help you register and send reminders to attendees before you begin. They even set up your audio and provide technical assistance during a pre-event practice run.

Other key features and benefits of Cisco Webex Webcasting include:

  • One-click recording
  • Technical support in real time
  • Custom event registration
  • Participant questions about lead scoring, follow-up, and follow-up
  • High quality audio and video
  • Advanced security
  • Slide Share, Polling, Q&A and Chat
  • Unlimited airtime
  • Unlimited on-demand viewing

Cisco Webex's webcasting support is second to none. Their team of experts provides training and an extensive library of resources to ensure success. When you combine that with the ability to reach 100,000 people, fault finding is difficult.

Cisco does not list prices for webcasting services. Contact the Cisco sales team to get started.

# 3 – ClickMeeting Review – The Best for Webcast Monetization

ClickMeeting is an online communication platform with various products and services. They provide solutions for marketing, product demos, online learning, training, team collaboration, and more.

ClickMeeting also offers webcasting services for events with up to 10,000 attendees.

ClickMeeting has a unique feature not offered by other webcasting services in the market – monetization tools. You have everything you need to make a profit on your large-scale online event.

PayPal integration makes it easy to sell tickets for webcasts. It's even possible to link ClickMeeting with a Zapier integration with platforms like Eventbrite. If none of these monetization options suit your needs, simply use the ClickMeeting API to manage your unique payment method.

In addition to the monetization benefits, ClickMeeting offers additional webcasting features such as:

  • Registration pages for advertising
  • Social media sharing and email invitations
  • Certificates of attendance for spectators
  • Follow-up messages to participants
  • Guest speaker invitations with presentation access
  • Panel discussions with up to four speakers at the same time
  • Whiteboard tools, documents and video sharing
  • Password protection and tokenization for events

With ClickMeeting, you can even break the webcast into smaller workshops and sell tickets for each session.

If you're looking to generate income from your webcasts, ClickMeeting is the place for you. ClickMeeting offers a free 30-day trial for up to 25 participants for live, automated, and on-demand webinars. The live plan starts at $ 25 per month and is billed annually. It includes an unlimited number of meetings, six hours of recording storage and one gigabyte of file storage. They also offer an automated plan starting at $ 40 per month. You will need to contact ClickMeeting sales for a custom quote on the Enterprise plan, which includes webcasting services for up to 10,000 attendees.

# 4 – ezTalks Review – The best for online recorded events

Like many webcasting services in the market today, ezTalks is a platform with various online communication tools. They provide services for webinars, breakout rooms, meetings, and more. You can also use ezTalks for live events with up to 10,000 participants.

ezTalks has some unique features for recorded events that are not offered by other providers, including an automated live event.

As a presenter, you can use ezTalks to pre-record live events. The webcast will then start "live" at a specific time and time so that the participants can tune in. The live audience doesn't know the difference, but the host doesn't need to be there at the scheduled time of the event.

In addition to the automated webcasts, ezTalks offers options for traditional on-demand viewing. It is easy for the audience to access events that can be paused, forwarded or rewound at any time.

As an all-in-one solution for webcasts, ezTalks offers you the opportunity to host traditional live events and paid events.

Other important features and benefits of ezTalks are:

  • Easy planning
  • Templates for registration pages, waiting rooms and thank you pages
  • Custom branding
  • Event invitation emails
  • HD audio and video
  • One click screen sharing
  • Whiteboard access
  • Polls and polls
  • Mobile app to run events from anywhere

If you want to create live recorded events and on-demand webcasts, ezTalks is a top option to consider.

EzTalks' automated and on-demand services prices start at $ 32 per month per host for 100 attendees on their Pro plan. The business plan offers full webcasting services for $ 300 per month, per host for 1,000 attendees, and offers options up to 10,000. EzTalks also offers a free basic package for live webinars with up to 25 participants to test the software. Unlike some other services, ezTalks also has hardware and accessories for sale if you need additional equipment.

# 5 – ON24 Webcast Elite Review – Best for audience engagement and conversions

Just because webcasts aren't as interactive as a webinar or web conference doesn't mean you can't keep your audience busy. ON24 Webcast Elite solves this problem.

Unlike other webcasting tools, ON24 goes way beyond that to drive engagement and take your webcasts to the next level.

ON24 Webcast Elite is a marketer's dream. The platform makes it easy to create data-rich webcasts that generate engagement and foster ongoing relationships.

Whether you are using a live or on-demand webcast, ON24 has real-time engagement and conversion tools designed to qualify and buy leads. You can quickly understand your audience's buying intent and interest, which improves sales tracking and future campaigns.

ON24 Webcast Elite has unique backend tools that automatically capture buy signals from the audience. You can seamlessly integrate this data with your CRM or marketing automation platform to optimize the way you promote potential customers.

Other important functions and advantages are:

  • Over 20 engagement and conversion tools
  • Lead qualification tools
  • Insights into the sales pipeline
  • Fully customizable audience dashboards
  • On-demand viewing
  • Surveys and feedback from participants
  • Share related content and resources on the webcast dashboard
  • Make it easy for the audience to book a meeting, schedule a demo, or contact your team

ON24 Webcast Elite is more than just a webcasting service. This solution is designed to drive engagement and generate conversions.

Try it free for 30 days to see if it's right for you, and contact the ON24 Webcast Elite team for a demo and quote.

# 6 – Samba Live Review – The best for cross-platform live streaming

Samba Live from Digital Samba is a webcasting service with unlimited scalability. You can invite as many attendees as you want to your next event and potentially reach millions of viewers worldwide.

That's why world leaders like Deloitte, Ferrari and McDonald & # 39; s rely on Samba Live for webcasting.

What sets Samba Live apart from the crowd is the ability to stream live streams across multiple platforms at the same time. The software allows you to stream webcasts on Facebook and YouTube to maximize your potential reach.

The software is 100% browser and cloud based, so you don't have to worry about downloads, hardware or access restrictions.

Here are a few other reasons Samba Live is high on my list:

  • Simple and intuitive user interface for presenters and audiences
  • HD audio and video
  • Supports multiple device operating system (Mac, PC, Android, iOS, tablet, smartphone, etc.)
  • File sharing and screen sharing
  • Custom screen layouts
  • Whiteboard markups and annotations
  • Custom registration pages and thank you pages
  • Email invitations
  • Questions and Answers, Polls and Polls

Samba Live is versatile enough to meet your needs, from virtual workshops and training events to sales meetings and company-wide announcements.

You can try it for free for 14 days without the need for a credit card. Then the Pro plan starts at $ 49 per month.

Summary

Webcasting is a great way to reach thousands or potentially millions of viewers around the world. Businesses of all shapes and sizes use webcasting services for marketing, lead generation, training, internal communications, and more.

Which service is the best? It depends on your individual needs.

There is a solution for everyone on my list. Whether you want to monetize a webcast, encourage audience engagement, or something else, the recommendations in this guide will get you in the right direction.

COMMENTS