What was the difference again? Webseminars (= web-based seminars) are live (synchronous) and need ideally a presenter with credentials who can WOW the audience. Online courses, also refered to as e-Learning, E-course, Web-based coure or Online training program are pre-recorded, mostly consisting of several sessions with blended learning over a course of time. The participant can usually choose, when he works on the sessions. Thereby, it becomes clear that digital workshop (DiWo) are not so suitable for complex content and in-depth learning. On the other side, it might take between 50 hours easily to develop an e-learning course with the right material and another 100 hours to put it into engaging and interactive formats.
WebSeminars vs. Online Courses
| WebSeminar | Online Courses |
| need an engaging facilitator | needs engaging learning material |
| can be adopted quickly | Needs 100s of hours preparation |
| suitable for quickly changing knowledge | suitable for complex topics and in-depth learning |
| low cost delivery options | no ads or pop-ups, more professional |
| needs a specific attendance time | need self-discipline |
| topics: industry updates, info sessions, actual political issues | topics: everything goes |
| more affordable for learners due to low cost production | higher outcome of learning |
| For organizers: Good for lead generations | For organizer: good for selling |
The popularity and the easy production of webseminars have led to the point that almost everything, which is online and live, is called webseminar. Many of them are just sales pitches. Often the image and sound quality are very low – less alone the learning material (if ever available). Please don’t do that! Your reputation will go down quickly. Go for a good quality on interesting topics!
Automated WebSeminars
An automated webseminar is a pre-recorded digital workshop, that is uploaded on your digital workshop platform an either playing a defined time or on demand of a viewer. You can use it again and again, 24/7, and creaate automated income and/or lead generation – you decide. However, there is no urgency, i.e. pressure, on participants to sign up. And of course, there is a lack of interaction and social coherence among participants. So, it might be a disappointment or coming across as cheap. Usually, Evergreen WebSeminars are automated WebSeminars.
Hybrid WebSeminars?
Hybrid WebSeminars use two elements: live and pre-recorded. For example: You stream first a pre-recorded digital workshop and then go live for a Q&A session. Or participants watch a pre-recorded video and you comment and chat live with the participants, do polls etc.. Sometimes we also speak of Hybrid, if a digital workshop integrates films, polls, etc. It’s kind of best of both worlds: it saves you time with a good pre-recorded or re-used digital workshops and allows you interaction with your participants, e.g. after the pre-recording with a Q&A