Webcasts are a beautiful thing when they work. But the hurdles to attaining that beauty are many and high. First, there are the issues of bandwidth, firewalls and desktop software. Then, assuming those barriers are surpassed and your audience can actually see and hear your presentation there's the matter of keeping the receiver's attention, because watching an event online can get dull.
For the uninitiated, a Webcast is essentially an interactive press conference or presentation.
In theory, this technology allows your message to reach more people by removing barriers like airfare or time constraints. prohibit reporters from successfully covering an event. By logging onto a specific Web address a reporter in Istanbul can virtually attend a press conference in Cleveland. Unfortunately, it's currently a long shot for these events to occur without a hitch. Some planning and communication on the front-end must happen for a Webcast to work.
Great Expectations
Receivers who log onto a Webcast expect the event to possess the technical caliber of television: smooth-running audio and video, perfectly in sync. In reality this expectation is usually dashed as soon as the user logs on. Which is where the PR professionals come in, making sure users' are ready for the Webcast before it starts.
In many cases the desktop software receiving the feed is incompatible with what the Webcast is streaming to it. For example, if the event in Cleveland used Realplayer software to stream its audio, receivers using Windows Media Player would be unable to hear the event.
But, the desktop isn't the only place where Webcasting snafus occur. If there is insufficient bandwidth because of line size or too much traffic, the audio portion of the feed may be quicker than the video segment. The result is an event with words outpacing the picture.
Firewalls can also create hassles. Data from Webcasts are considered by many companies to not be important. Therefore, its access is blocked because it takes up too much room on the network.
Hurdle Jumping
Avoiding such calamities and executing a seamless event means educating your users before the Webcast begins. According to Leslie Grandy, director of product marketing for Worldstream Communications, a Webcasting facility, this is a multi-step process:
Step One: Have receivers meet with their IT person and ensure that streaming data can be pushed through the company firewall. Many times it's just a matter of enabling the function of the firewall that accepts streaming data.
Step Two: Push to those interested in attending the event software that, once downloaded, will see if the receiver's desktop has the correct audio and video cards for the Webcast. If not, the program will then link the user to the specific Web site where the software can be downloaded.
Step Three: To make sure the download was successful, have users test the new software at a site, like CNN.com, that offers streaming data. If its news clip can be seen and heard in sync, that means the user has enough bandwidth, has an open firewall and has the right kind of software for the event.
It's important to note that a certain amount of hand-holding is needed during these steps. Instructions are very technical and can be confusing.
Fluctuating Dollar
The cost of hosting a Webcast is as varied as the execution problems that can reduce it to an exercise in futility.
For those looking to do a single event, audio Webcasts start around $1,500, video begins at $3,500. But as Nathaniel Clevenger, VP of KVO PR, warns, prices change quickly in this market.
The cost of an ongoing event gets a bit confusing. Some price per person and by the hour. Here, depending on usage, prices can range from $2 to $5, per person, per hour.
Keeping Eyes Glued
Only use a Webcast when the story is interesting. The best events that make a compelling Webcasts are:
- Internal announcements from the CEO.
- Investor relations issues.
- Breaking news.
Clevenger warns against using a Webcast for the purposes of training.
(Nathaniel Clevenger, than_Clevenger @kvo.com, Leslie Grandy, leslieg@world stream.com, 425/974-3038.)
Webcast Testimonial
"I attended this Webcast where Jesse Ventura was speaking from Cambridge. After his speech we could ask him questions via our monitors. Well, 10 minutes into his speech the IT guys were still working on connecting us to the Cambridge event. After 20 minutes people started leaving. Finally, after an hour had passed, I resigned myself that the event wasn't going to happen so I left." (Lisa-Joy Zgorski, The Century Foundation, 202/745-5471.)
Two-Minute Warning
Publishers Clearing House is hoping to announce its $21 million sweepstakes winner live on ABC television and also via a Webcast during the post game of Super Bowl XXXIV. Douglas Simon, president and CEO of D S Simon Productions Inc., the company in charge of the Webcast, headed a 10- to 15-member team that organized the event.
On the morning of the game a crew of about 30 will begin around 9 a.m. ramping up the Webcast. Because of programming unknowns, like too many time-outs during the game and excessive highlights/speeches after, Simon's team will not know the exact moment their Webcast airs. Their only heads-up will come two minutes before they go live. In exchange for the drama and their technical know-how, Simon's company will receive around $20,000 for the Webcast. (212/736-2727.)