{"id":55157,"date":"2022-09-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-01T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/?p=55157"},"modified":"2025-11-09T20:56:25","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T04:56:25","slug":"your-virtual-event-you-arent-limited-to-webinar-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/your-virtual-event-you-arent-limited-to-webinar-software\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtual Events vs webinars: Why RingCentral Events outperforms traditional webinar software"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hopin is now RingCentral Events<\/em><\/p>\n

When the world experienced a pivot away from onsite events essentially overnight, event organizers were tasked with a dilemma: either cancel their events entirely or figure out how to make them happen virtually<\/strong>. Anyone planning an online event in 2020 learned (quickly) that a successful virtual event is not limited to a webinar service, and too often the terms are used interchangeably.<\/p>\n

Webinars may beat video conferencing platforms for a large-scale event, but even the best webinar platforms are missing the features and plugins<\/strong> needed for a truly engaging virtual experience.<\/p>\n

When selecting your webinar hosting platform, you need to consider a wide range of features to set yourself up for success. These include multiple modes of high-quality live video, face-to-face video interaction and networking, and customizable branding and booths<\/strong> that all go beyond your typical webinar software.<\/p>\n

If you’re researching whether you should host a webinar versus a <\/strong>virtual event<\/strong>, you’ve come to the right place.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll highlight what makes a top-notch virtual event platform different from a webinar software, and why online events<\/strong> don\u2019t have to be webinars.<\/p>\n

How do you know if webinars are right for you?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A webinar<\/a> is a virtual meeting designed for a large audience of attendees and hosted via a webinar hosting platform<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Attendees watch a presenter deliver a keynote, lead a panel conversation, or moderate an online fireside chat. The host has 100% control over the event, and other than a potential Q&A session, the attendees and presenter don\u2019t interact much<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But how do you know if you should use a webinar software, a video conferencing tool, or a virtual event platform?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look.<\/p>\n

Webinars vs. Video Conferencing<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Video conferencing, video calls, and hangouts<\/a> are truly best suited for smaller groups to interact<\/strong>. Unlike a video conference platform, webinar software gives complete control over the event to the presenter, and the attendees simply observe<\/strong>. Live webinars agendas typically include a simple formatted presentation followed by a Q&A.<\/p>\n

If you want to attract a large virtual audience<\/strong> with hundreds or thousands of people, you definitely need a bigger virtual venue than a simple web conferencing tool or meeting platform.<\/p>\n

Larger live gatherings hosted online require a virtual event platform<\/strong> like RingCentral Events that can host thousands<\/a> of attendees.<\/p>\n

One benefit of live webinars is that they are well-suited for on-demand replay (often offered by automated webinars). This footage is evergreen because there is no synchronous audience interaction<\/strong>. You can offer an on-demand webinar for months or years<\/strong>, increasing its return on investment.<\/p>\n

However, on-demand recordings are not unique to webinar tools. Virtual event platforms like RingCentral Events also have on-demand footage for all sessions, available for immediate download after the event.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Webinars vs. virtual event platforms<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Virtual event platforms like RingCentral Events have more features, modularity, and flexibility than video conferencing or webinar software.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some of RingCentral Events’ features include:<\/p>\n