A live webinar is an experience like no other, but there may be times when you want to record the event and keep it for later.
Whether you plan on sharing it with people who couldn’t attend or filing it away in your marketing archives, there are plenty of advantages to recording.
How do you record a webinar, though?
Many of the prominent webinar platforms will allow you to record the event using their software and then save the recording locally or on the cloud. Otherwise, for attendees, there are third-party services you can use to record them, and depending on the type of device you have, one might be a better match.
Whatever the reason you want to keep a copy of your webinar, there are lots of easy ways to do it, so you can save this valuable piece of content.
We’ll show you the benefits possible when you record these live events and the simplest methods for getting the job done.
The Benefits of Recording a Webinar
Although a webinar is seen as a predominantly live affair, that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot to gain from recording the presentation and keeping it for later.
These are some of the advantages you’ll get when you record this precious piece of content:
No more attendance issues
Despite your best attempts, attendance can be a disappointing thing when it comes to webinars.
Either people have legitimate reasons why they can no longer attend or they forget or lose interest, and with a copy of the presentation, you’ll be able to send it through to them so your message doesn’t get lost.
Use it on-demand
With a ready-to-go presentation at your disposal, you’ll have even more content to share.
A recorded webinar can be shared on-demand or scheduled for the future, so it’s not only a one-time event. If it’s a paid registration webinar, you can continue earning money from it once it’s over.
Valuable content for the audience
When the webinar is over, you can send out a copy of it to those who attended. This gives them another chance to watch it and take in the information.
They can also share it with others in their network, which helps to spread your name and brand out there further. For attendees, a recording of the webinar gives you access to watch it whenever you want.
Keep it in your marketing file
A good marketing strategy involves looking back at past campaigns to see what’s worked and what hasn’t. as one of the most important pieces of content you’ll create, it’s smart to keep a copy of the webinar in your file for future reference.
Edit and improve the presentation
Watching back over your performance might give you some insight into areas for improvement, and what worked well. Use this recording to fine-tune your next webinar so they consistently get better.
The Best Platforms for Recording Webinars
Almost every webinar platform these days allows for automatic recording, and then saves the file locally or to the cloud.
If you’re looking for an inclusive program that lets you build, broadcast, and record a webinar, these are some of the top contenders:
- GoToWebinar: GoToWebinar features an auto recording function that saves your webinars straight to your computer, or it can be stored on your account on the site and accessed at any time. If you forget to set up automatic recording, you can still start recording mid-way through a webinar.
- Zoom: Zoom Video Webinar is the platform’s dedicated product for webinars, and they make it easy to record any sessions you’ve created and keep them for later. Using this product, the host of a webinar can automatically record their webinars to the cloud and locally on their device. They can enable permissions for all or some of the participants to make a recording of it as well, or you can share it with people you choose to.
- WebinarJam: With WebinarJam, you can record your broadcasts as they’re occurring and keep them stored on your account or saved locally to your desktop. Using the EverWebinar product they’ve created, they can also be scheduled to play later so that it looks just like a live event. This is a great choice if you want the option to make evergreen content as well, and with loads of automation so you can just set it and forget it.
- Webinar Geek: Webinar Geek ensures every webinar will be recorded with their automatic function, so you don’t have to change any settings to keep a hold of your events. To watch the recording over again, you can access it easily through your dashboard, but there’s no option for desktop recording. However, you can give others the chance to watch it as many times as they want, thanks to features like replay email and shareable links.
How to Record A Webinar On Any Device
Recording a webinar is easy, but it may differ depending on the device you’re using.
Keep in mind, though, there are usually rules about recording presentations or events if they’re not yours, so check with the host before you consider doing so.
Here are some guidelines on how to record a webinar if you’re not the host, so you can hold onto the presentation for later.
Recording on Windows and Mac
- Download a screen recording software directly to your computer. Familiarize yourself with it and do some testing before the webinar is due to start.
- Before the webinar starts, begin recording the screen. You can sometimes customize what part of the screen will be recorded, otherwise, it will record the whole thing.
- Join the webinar at the designated time and allow the third-party screen recorder to do its work. Don’t exit the webinar or use the computer for anything else while the webinar is running.
- Stop the recording when it’s over and make sure it worked. Note that the quality of the recorded video might not be as good as viewing it in real-time.
- Save a copy of the recording to your computer or on the cloud.
Recording on an Android or iOS Device
- Go to the app store of your device and find a reputable screen recording app to download.
- Test that the app works by recording content using another app or through the browser, however you plan on viewing the webinar
- Start recording with the app and then open the webinar link separately. Stop the recording when it’s over.
- Use the app to edit the video as you choose, and then save a copy of it to your device or the cloud, so it can be downloaded onto your computer later.
Keeping Valuable Content
Every time you record a webinar, you’re creating valuable content, so you want to hold onto it any way you can.
With these methods of recording webinars, you’ll always have proof of what you’ve achieved and it’s a great resource to share with others that can add value to your brand.
Related Questions
Recording a webinar is easy to do, and considering you worked so hard to create the live event, it’s worth holding onto.
If you have more questions about how these broadcasts can be recorded and what they’re used for, read on to see if we’ve answered any of them in our webinar FAQs.
Can You Record A Zoom Webinar?
You can record a webinar through Zoom in most cases, however, to be able to locally record any type of event on Zoom, you need permission from the host.
However, other participants can record meetings to the cloud during a Zoom presentation, but not if permissions haven’t been turned on by the host during the event.
Is It Legal to Record A Video Meeting?
Most video communications platforms feature disclaimers about participants being recorded, and they enter into an agreement that allows this to happen when using their services.
However, legal issues arise when something is happening outside of the meeting, like a conversation that can be overheard, which is where it’s illegal to make a recording of this.
Is It Legal to Record a Webinar?
While it is legal to record a webinar that you’ve created and possible through most webinar services, an attendee of an event who wants to secretly record the screen without consent will be doing so illegally.
The developer of the event is the owner of the material they’re presenting, and unless you’ve been given permission to record, you could face legal troubles for recording and distributing it.
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