Webcast

What Is Webcast?

A webcast is a digital broadcast of live or pre-recorded content delivered over the internet to remote audiences. In many contexts—including the ON24 Intelligent Engagement Platform—the term “webcast” is used interchangeably with “webinar.” Both formats stream multimedia content, support real-time engagement, and provide structured presentation experiences.

Within ON24, a webcast enables presenters to deliver video, slides, screen shares, and multimedia elements through a web-based interface without requiring attendees to download software. Webcasts can include interactive capabilities like Q&A, polls, surveys, resource downloads, and chat. These capabilities align with those highlighted on the webinar capabilities page.

Webcasts may be delivered as live sessions, simu-live events, or on-demand replays. They are used for thought leadership programs, product announcements, training sessions, customer education, and large-scale broadcasts.

Why It Matters

Webcasts provide a scalable and flexible way to reach broad, global audiences. Since attendees only need internet access, webcasts remove logistical barriers associated with in-person events and enable organizations to engage participants anywhere in the world.

For businesses, webcasts help deliver consistent messaging, deepen audience engagement, and gather first-party data. Engagement signals—such as Q&A participation, resource clicks, or viewing duration—directly contribute to downstream marketing and sales strategies described on the Propel Your Pipeline page.

Webcasts also support production consistency. Because they can be pre-recorded or scripted for simu-live delivery, teams can ensure polished presentations while still interacting with audiences in real time.

How It’s Used

• Thought Leadership And Education: Organizations use webcasts to deliver insights, industry updates, and educational content to customers, partners, or prospects.
• Product Announcements And Demonstrations: Webcasts are central to product marketing programs, allowing presenters to showcase capabilities with video, slides, and live demos.
• Internal Training And Communications: Teams rely on webcasts to onboard employees, deliver training modules, or share company updates.
• Simu-Live Broadcasts: Many webcasts use simu-live formats so presenters can interact with the audience while recorded content plays. Example sessions of this type can be found on the Upcoming Webinars page.
• On-Demand Content Libraries: After the live broadcast, webcasts transition into on-demand assets available through content hubs or resource centers.

Key Benefits

• Scalable Delivery: Supports large audience sizes with global accessibility.
• High Engagement: Includes Q&A, polls, surveys, and other interactive tools.
• Flexible Formats: Works for live, simu-live, and on-demand programs.
• Data-Rich Insights: Captures viewer behavior for pipeline and content strategies.
• Production Consistency: Offers polished, controllable broadcast experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Is A Webcast In The ON24 Platform?
   • A webcast is a digital broadcast of webinar-style content, including video, slides, and interactive tools, delivered online to remote audiences.
2. How Is A Webcast Different From A Webinar?
   • In ON24, the terms are often used interchangeably—both deliver multimedia content and interactive experiences through the browser.
3. Can Webcasts Be Viewed On Demand?
   • Yes. Webcasts automatically transition to on-demand viewing once the live session concludes.
4. Do Webcasts Support Engagement Tools?
   • • Absolutely. Attendees can participate in Q&A, polls, surveys, and more.

Editorial & Methodology Notice

This article adheres to ON24’s editorial and data integrity standards, referencing only verified ON24 benchmark sources and official platform documentation. Updated: November 2025