5 Common Webcast Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Just like a physical event, a webcast has many moving parts. With so many parts in play, it is easy to overlook a crucial element and turn your event into a disaster. Whether you’re planning to launch your first webcast or are a seasoned veteran, here are 5 common webcast mistakes that can negatively impact your event…and how to avoid them.

Mistake #1: Sending out incorrect or broken links to attendees and/or presenters.

Nothing is more embarrassing than sending out a link to all of your attendees, only to receive follow-up emails or phone calls stating the link doesn’t work. If you have a large audience list, this could mean fielding hundreds of emails and phone calls to provide the correct link. This gives out a bad impression right from the get-go and can stop your webcast in its tracks before it even starts.

The Solution:

The solution to this common webcast mistake is to send yourself and your team a test email first. This is a great way to double check any and all links and ensure they work correctly. The test also gives you a second chance to review the email for any spelling or grammatical errors that may have been missed the first time around (we have all done it).

Mistake # 2: Skipping the presenter dry-run or pre-conference.

A good presentation takes practice, and webcasts are no different. Skipping the dry-run leaves a lot to chance. Some common mistakes that could have been avoided with a dry run will now affect the live webcast experience. This could be something as simple as an ill-placed microphone making it hard for the audience to hear the presenter.

The Solution:

If you want to ensure your presentation runs smoothly, make a dry run a priority. This will allow the presenter to perfect his/her speech, while the rest of the webcast team adjust webcams, lighting, and sound as needed to ensure the best experience possible for your audience.

Mistake # 3: Failing to test content on the platform before the event.

There are probably many readers who have attended a webcast where the slideshow rendered incorrectly or a video link did not play. Having issues with these components not only detracts from the user experience but often results in missed learning opportunities.

The Solution:

Often times these issues are the result of failing to take into account the technical parameters of the webcasting platform used. This is why it is important to test any and all content on the chosen platform before the web event. Then you can address any issues such as reformatting slideshows and images, ensuring the webcast runs smoothly.

Mistake # 4: Forgetting to send reminders to presenters and attendees.

Ever had a huge list of registered participants for your webcast, but only a handful actually log in the day of the event? We live in a busy world, which means it is all too easy for a person to forget about a webcast they signed up for a month ago. If you are not sending out reminders to both presenters and attendees, you are setting your webcast up for failure.

The Solution:

With email automation, it easy to schedule reminder emails in advance. By sending out multiple emails you can collect last minute registrations and inform participants of important details such as how to log into the event. Best practice is to send out a reminder emails 2 weeks out, 1 week out, and the day before the event. You can also set up your email to add a calendar reminder on the registrant’s outlook or google calendar.

Mistake # 5: Improperly managing the live attendee experience.

Ever participated in a webcast where the audience was not muted? How about asked a question but never received an answer? Managing the live attendee experience improperly can result in unnecessary distractions and a negative user experience. Poor experiences in a webcast translate to a negative business impression.

The Solution: