Webinar vs Podcast: Which One Is Better

Webinars, webcasts, podcasts are some of the popular technical terms that are lately used for the means of online interaction between two or more people. Though the function of all these terms can be similar still they are much different from each other. In this write-up we are discussing difference between webinar and podcast. In order to understand webinar vs podcast more clearly you must have basic information about these terms.

What Is Webinar?

A webinar can be defined as a seminar organized online through web by using audio and video presentations designed for certain particular audiences like a group of students, employees or clients situated on the same location or at different locations anywhere in this world. According to webinar tools, a webinar can ideally be organized for 2 to up to 250 participants. During a webinar the participants can watch the presentations as well as participate actively by making comments or asking questions, regardless of their location in this world. Most real-time webinars can be recorded, to be reviewed later, when they are actually occurring. The viewers and participants of the webinar can purchase recorded webinar to watch them anytime but they cannot comment or ask questions while viewing its recorded version.

What Is Podcast?

A podcast is also known as the broadcasted version on an iPod as it is a recorded audio file. The listener can neither make comment nor ask questions from the presenter as it is never live. Any number of people having computers can access a podcast just by subscribing to play it online or send it to anyone you like by using a MP3 player or a computer. A podcast can never be used as webinar as neither it is live nor it has videos. The streaming version of a pre-created or pre-recorded session can be termed as podcasts. Podcasts are used to download a pre-recorded lecture or lesson which you can be replayed or repeated anytime whenever you want. But they cannot be used for live shared meetings between the active participants.

Webinar vs Podcast: Which One Is Better?

Creation of A Webinar

You can create a webinar by using the paid version of a feature filled a video conferencing software. These software options like ezTalks Meetings etc. allow you to use webcams to communicate with 3-4 participants and record the proceedings in them. The webinar is provided online for the targeted audiences to view and make comments or ask questions from the presenter.

Delivery of A Webinar

Webinars can be connected live with a broadband connection or recorded like video clips to watch later on. The host uses webinar software to display what he wants to show others on his screen. The audience or participants are asked to login at host's site or call on a particular number to see what the host wants them to see. It also includes a moderator that asks the questions emailed by the audience during the presentation to be asked from the host.

Creation of A Podcast

You can create a podcast if you have an audio recorder and memory of your computer or telephone where the audio file can be saved. You can host your podcast on a common storage area like Podcast Directory of iTunes etc. or on your own website. But while using some common storage area you will have to subscribe with them before uploading your podcast properly.

Delivery of A Podcast

You are never expected to listen to a live podcast. The podcasts created by someone else are uploaded at various sites like iTunes etc. from where you can find out one you want to listen to. You will have to subscribe with the storage site to access their list of podcasts from which you can choose to stream or download on your computer to listen to them whenever you want. These podcasts are created on wide range of topics including sports like highlights of games or score updates or entertainment like stand-up comedies etc. podcasts can also be used to record lectures of the teachers to be uploaded on the website of their school so that students can listen to them whenever required to prepare for that subject.

Thus, webinar vs podcast provided in this write-up can help you to choose the better one for you as per your requirements. In fact, both are the means of communicating with the participants even if both of them are greatly different from each other.