As much as we love the human touch of a traditional live virtual event, pre-recorded content is often the key to an efficient and technologically bulletproof presentation. 

With pre-recorded webinars, your speakers have the option to appear as flawless orators who rarely say “um” or “uh” while guiding your audience through dense content where there is no room for error. They can also eliminate the scramble to find a common schedule for busy presenters when you’re working across multiple time zones.

While they may rub against some of our best instincts as event organizers, pre-recorded or simulated-live webinars offer several clear benefits that may make recording your presentations in advance ideal for some of your virtual events.

The magic of editing

The energy and synergy of a well-planned webinar can inspire and be incredibly effective and memorable when it clicks live, but they require extensive planning and rehearsal to execute lest they get off track or fall flat. Recording and editing can make an unpolished presenter shine and allow you to move from planning to perfection more quickly and easily when extensive rehearsal isn’t an option. With careful editing you can cut out dead air, remove filler words, and even speed up some speaker segments to keep the pace moving.

Reduced production cost

Hiring a virtual event producer for your live webinar will always be worth the investment, but with the expertise comes the cost of prep, rehearsal and live support time. For events that don’t have a lot of moving parts and are focused on clearly presented content, there can be substantial cost savings by going the route of pre-recording and editing, leaving you with a finished product that can be used many times over. 

Time flexibility

Pre-recording webinars gives you the flexibility to schedule and produce content at your own pace. This eliminates the need for coordinating the availability of speakers and participants at a specific time. Do you have speakers in different time zones? With pre-recording you can optimize your time and resources by recording when it is most convenient for all parties involved, reducing the need for additional coordination and associated costs.

It must be perfect!

Sometimes, perfection is a requirement of the project and stumbling over words or risking an error is simply not acceptable. Pre-recording allows presenters to craft  and refine their delivery in the moment. They can review and re-record sections if needed, ensuring a smooth and engaging presentation and eliminating mistakes and pauses that risk distracting your audience. This results in a more professional and engaging experience for attendees. With careful editing you can cut out dead air, remove filler words, and we’ve even slightly sped up some speakers to keep the pace moving.

Increased audience reach

Pre-recorded webinars can be shared and accessed by a broader audience beyond the initial live event. Make the recordings available on-demand, which allows individuals in different time zones or with scheduling conflicts to access the content at their convenience. This extends the lifespan and reach of your webinar, maximizing the return on your investment. Playback of your recorded event can be done through a platform like Zoom, Vimeo, ON24, or Whova. Zoom webinar now has a Simu-Live function. 

Interactive features and engagement

While pre-recorded webinars can be somewhat limited in valuable, real-time interaction with presenters, they may allow you to better leverage interactive features to engage attendees. You can incorporate music, polls, quizzes, and interactive elements within the pre-recorded content, creating an engaging experience for viewers. These features can be programmed into the webinar platform, eliminating the need for additional live moderation or engagement facilitation, thereby reducing costs.

By pre-recording and live-playing your virtual events, you can achieve significant cost savings while maintaining the highest quality and most engaging experience for your audience. The flexibility, improved production value, and extended reach offered by pre-recorded webinars contribute to a more cost-effective approach to virtual event hosting.

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At The WebiNerd, we understand that there is no single formula that suits all virtual events. Remaining flexible and identifying the best possible solution for a given situation is part of our mission. Schedule time with us now to discuss your expectations and let us help you to design an ideal approach for your virtual event. 

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