Before delving into the world of webcasts or, shall we say, webinars, it seems pertinent to explain the differences between the two.

There aren't any.

"The only differences that exist are mere fabrications lying within the minds of individuals who have ideas about what webcasts or webinars are," says Richard Rist, founder and CEO, Intellor Group—a multimedia company in Gaithersburg, Md., that specializes in webinars. "The confusion is the result of different terms coined for the same technology, which were originated by large software companies."

Though it is true many consider webcasting to be more video-based and webinars more PowerPoint-based—often lumped under "e-learning"—Rist assured that the terms are interchangeable.

With that said, Publishing Executive examined what it takes for publishers to produce effective and profitable webinars.

#1 Plan in Cycles

Publishers will fare best by approaching webinar planning with a lifecycle mentality, suggests Rist. That goes for both external event promotion and internal event production.

First and foremost, he says, publishers need to establish programs and generate webinar topics in accordance with the editorial calendar. Then, they need to decide whether a vendor (sponsor) will participate in the entire webcast, a portion of it, or not at all.

"There is a line publishers don't want to cross to maintain the integrity of topics discussed in their webinars," adds Rist. "So these decisions need to be made at least two months in advance to ensure the right speakers are scheduled, resources are available and the best content is created."

"Vendor-sponsored content can be well-received by an audience if it's done right," says Sharon Linsenbach, director of eSeminars for North American Publishing Co. (NAPCO), which publishes 14 magazines including Publishing Executive. However, she notes, "Most audiences won't sit through a one-hour 'commercial,' so vendors need to take care not to beat audiences over the head with obvious plugs for their product."

In fact, it's really no different from the process of creating any valuable editorial product.

"Staging a successful webcast starts with the subject and understanding the interests, needs and motivations of the potential audience ..." says Sharat Sharan, president and CEO of webcast solutions provider ON24.

The next phase in the cycle is event promotion, which should occur a number of weeks in advance via e-mail blasts, the editorial calendar, and Web site banners and event listings.

"Six weeks seems to be the magic number," suggests Linsenbach, who, prior to her current position, was the senior managing editor with Ziff Davis eSeminars. "[If you start] too early, many webcast registrants will either forget that they signed up for the webcast or become annoyed that they're receiving so many e-mail reminders. Too late and potential registrants/attendees will have scheduling conflicts ...."

The final three phases in the lifecycle include training, reminders and delivery. Training typically includes dry runs for which publisher representatives get online with sponsors and the content provider to rehearse.

"Don't listen to speakers who tell you they've done webinars a million times and don't need to train, because it's inevitable something will go wrong without a test run," cautions Rist.

As for reminders, Rist recommends publishers notify those registered 24 to 48 hours in advance with an e-mail, and then again one hour prior. A final announcement is made at the time of the event. "Just keep in mind, the biggest benefit of a webinar is also the biggest problem," says Rist. "It's easy to sign up, and it's easy to leave. Attendees must have a reason to show up, which is why advance communication is so important."

Webinar delivery has its own risks. Rist says that while these events pose important opportunities, they are often neglected by registrants. To prevent this, he advises publishers to thank all who participated and send a special message to those who didn't. Both should include links to archived webinars.

#2 Sell It as an Advertiser Solution

When it comes to selling sponsorships, many suggest selling webcasts as solutions as opposed to as products. A webinar can be viable solution to a company that can't figure out how to better relay the benefits of a new product or service.

Norm Kamikow, president and editor-in-chief of Mediatec Publishing—a Chicago-based publisher of workforce-development magazines and media—says his salespeople find success by speaking to vendors throughout the year about banners on Web sites and sponsoring live events and webinars.

"It takes a good salesperson to help vendors understand such a program, what they get out of it and what they need to contribute," says Kamikow. "But in addition to sales, we have our editorial director, managing editor and associate editors who are equally as well-versed in webinar production. We also utilize two people in our events department to focus on this area."

Joe Pulizzi, group director, Penton Custom Media—the custom publishing division of Penton Media in Cleveland—agrees that solution-selling is the way to go when selling a custom webcast, since the sales force needs to know what the vendors' communication and marketing challenges are. He also explains that custom events involve the marrying of branding and marketing throughout the entire presentation for which the vendor contributes significantly.

"On the other hand, if publishers are looking to produce a basic educational webcast, they can sell it just like a regular ad. For instance, the vendor can invest in a logo appearance or a simple broadcast spot," he says.

In terms of costs to vendors, Pulizzi says he has seen prices quoted all over the map. "Some sponsorships go for $5,000, while others go for $50,000."

Still, the question remains as to how much publishers want their program to look as though it's being sponsored by a vendor. "Do you want to simply sell a logo to appear throughout the webinar and on e-mail blitzes for pure leads, for which the vendor is happy to sit in the background?" asks Rist. "Or does your vendor want the leads in addition to being the topic thought-leader?"

Rist adds that options for different levels of exposure could be made available, ranging in price from $5,000 to $80,000. "Although sponsorship for the basic webinar model of slides, audio and text typically costs between $15,000 and $20,000," he says.

At the very least, the company logo should appear on the audience console—a stationary position that is always in full view to the audience, says Sharan. Since PowerPoint slides tend to have significant content and graphics, adding the sponsor logo does not give it high visibility. "Every touch point with the target audience is an opportunity for branding—be it a company logo on the invitation, on the confirmation, and certainly on the post-event thank-you note," advises Sharan.

"... The more people are exposed to a sponsor's logo, the better," notes Linsenbach. At NAPCO, she says, "Sponsors' advertising and logos are displayed on all materials sent to prospective attendees. Sponsors get a pretty comprehensive advertising package with webinars, as well as the ability to track response rates and qualify potential leads."

#3 Keep Formats Simple

While many may be tempted to incorporate bells and whistles into webinars, many who have conducted them say that simple formats are most effective.

Kamikow reveals that Mediatec sticks to a 90-minute presentation typically consisting of a 45- to 60-minute speaker presentation and 35 to 40 minutes of question and answer. "We have Flash and animation capability, but our advertisers don't use them since they can interfere with the message," he says.

Pulizzi says webcasts at Penton generally include a 45- to 60-minute presentation and a 15-minute Q&A segment. "From a technology standpoint, we usually do a video and PowerPoint presentation, which almost always includes multiple presenters. We don't do audio questioning, but it is much like a presentation you'd see at a seminar."

Rist notes, however, that there should be a maximum of two or three speakers for the best results. "If just one speaker is scheduled, then it ought to be a 20-minute presentation with a short Q&A at the end."

Rist also comments on the downside of allowing attendees to verbally ask questions. His company ran a virtual press conference for Sony, which opened the floor to the press. Big mistake, he says.

"The first question was from a guy who ranted on and on about how short the shift key was on the Notebook brand computers. Ever since then, Sony sticks to text questioning that allows them to decide what they will answer," says Rist.

Another issue to consider is live versus pre-recorded webinars. While live presentations are the standard, Rist says pre-recorded is a great option for vendors not comfortable with the process of delivery.

"Pre-recorded events save weary vendors from nervousness or possible embarrassment. Mistakes are edited, and the vendor can be present during the webinar simply to address questions at the end."

#4 Make a Wise Investment

When all is said and done, a webinar is only as good as the people and the software behind it, which is why all interviewed recommended seeking out a company specializing in webinars, especially when first beginning. The cost for doing so, says Rist, will typically run you about $5,000 or $6,000 for a full-service event. This means the event's infrastructure, camera-holding, communications and branding are handled by the provider for the publisher. Content, selling space and event marketing is handled by the publisher.

Linsenbach notes, "The cost to develop and produce a webinar is typically $5,000 or $6,000 for a full-service webinar with video, but can be slightly less expensive if there's no video involved. Webinars done with a minimum of provider support and management, streaming audio and a PowerPoint presentation can cost between $2,000 and $3,000 per event."

"I like to tell publishers to consider a webinar provider as a mail house," says Rist. "Publishers handle editorial, ad selling and distribution lists, but the mail house polybags. It's not a publisher's job to be an expert in webinars."

Sharon R. Cole is a Philadelphia-based freelance writer serving the print industry.