Web Worker Payoff: Webinar Emcee
May 22nd, 2007 (6:00am) Dian Schaffhauser 4 Comments
If you have expertise in a specialized business area, can keep your cool when hundreds of people are hanging on your every word, and know how to show good humor when technical snafus arise, you may have a bright future as a webinar host.
And the potential is only growing. A survey by webcast company On24 reported that the 35 b-to-be media companies it studied produced more than 1,200 individual Web events last year, up 32 percent from the previous year.
According to e-content editor Kanoe Namahoe (profiled last week), who acts as a site producer for 1105 Media’s Campus Technology and T.H.E. Journal, the people she uses as hosts for their Webinars tend to know how to “move the conversation along.” Looks on camera don’t matter, since the Webinars include slides and audio but not video. However, she says, hosts do need “the ability to speak clearly. They need to articulate. They need to have charisma…and the ability to speak with authority, not from a script.” That requires understanding the topic under discussion to help guide it.
She pays $1,000 to $1,500 per Webinar, depending on experience.
Why not use magazine editors to do the job? They presumably know the topic and understand the audience. And, since they’re already on the payroll, they’re free. “From a resource perspective,” says Namahoe, “it’s not possible. Plus, outsiders bring so much experience each time they do this.”
It’s up to Namahoe to act as wizard behind the curtain. She works with the company that’s sponsoring the event to develop the topic, special guests and slide presentation for the show; writes the promotional copy for editorial newsletters and other email alerts; lines up the host; acts as a liaison with the company that hosts the events (On24 in her case); runs a dress rehearsal; and during the live event culls through viewer questions to prioritize them for the host.
When problems arise, such as losing audio, she directs participants to keep doing whatever they’re supposed to (after all, the event is being recorded for the archives) and kicks into action with the tech support people from the hosting company until the event is back on track.
But as the voice of the event, it’s up to the host to do the apologizing to the audience. Showing grace under pressure is part of the job.
How does the Web pay off for you? We’d love to hear how you’re making money.
Susan Heid’s Web Worker Payoff column, profiling income and career opportunities on the web, appears weekly.
4 Comments Post your own comment
The Webinar Blog says: May 23rd, 2007 9:15am
Your On-Air Host Is Important
Web Worker Daily ran a column yesterday profiling the duties of a webinar host. It is an interesting look at a real business case study. They quoted Kanoe Namahoe (an event organizer who produces webinars for her companies) as saying
JR says: May 24th, 2007 8:18am
Having a talented webinar emcee is a great idea and it highlights a premise and attendant feature of our forthcoming site called Eventspan.com, a search / syndication / and social networking service for webinars and webcasts. Behind all the technology of webcasting and powerpoint presentations are people – who matter most. Indeed, the speakers of web-based events are often the biggest draw for attendees. And related people associated with a web event – emcees, panelists, coordinators, producers, publicists, brand manager sponsors, B2B editors, etc. – will also surfaced on personal profile pages within Eventspan.com as well. For some sneak peeks of the forthcoming Eventspan.com site check out http://www.Eventspan.com/blog.
Note: Aperio Networks, developers of Eventspan.com, has also proposed a “web event XML schema” to the industry to standardize webinar and webcast listings for improved search, display, viral sharing, and syndication. One can read the recent press release about this XML schema here.
Paul Newman says: May 25th, 2007 3:25am
I agree with the sentiment of the article but I am not sure (once again) about the definition of webinar. We’re a specialist webinar production company and about half of our live events use up to 3 cameras – so all of our presenters are very much in vision. We always spend a good hour rehearsing and do some presenter coaching for those that need it. Interesting to see how its developing in the US though – professional webinar hosting, maybe it is a new service we can offer our clients?
Your On-Air Host Is Important | MSIConference says: June 8th, 2007 9:25am
[...] Worker Daily ran a column yesterday profiling the duties of a webinar host. It is an interesting look at a real business case study. They quoted Kanoe Namahoe (an event [...]