How can you incorporate multimedia into webinars for Internal Communications?

A prime example is our experience during COVID-19 risk communication in Pakistan, where we employed platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. These platforms facilitated seamless screen sharing for data visualization, demonstrating the impact of our efforts through real-time statistics. Additionally, we utilised video clips featuring frontline workers sharing their experiences, fostering a deeper connection among our consortium members. Engagement was heightened by conducting polls and quizzes, allowing us to gauge understanding and gather valuable feedback. Emoji reactions and stickers added a touch of informality, enhancing participation

Use a video to introduce yourself and to set the stage for your webinar. This is a great way to make a personal connection with your audience and to get them excited about your topic. Use images to illustrate your points and to break up your text-based slides. For example, you could use an image of a graph to show data trends, or you could use an image of a product to illustrate a new feature. Use a poll to ask your audience a question about your webinar. For example, you could ask your audience what they are most interested in learning about, or you could ask them what their biggest challenges are.

Multimedia features are great - adding to engagement and breaking up the pace of a live event. But make sure you use them with a specific purpose in mind (even if that's injecting humor). Otherwise your audience may feel all those bells and whistles are wasting their time.

Using multimedia via screen sharing option in webinars and for that, there are many portals. But the best ones are MS Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, and Skype. They provide spaces for interactive presentations and have feedback interfaces and activities that a presenter can engage his/her audience with, like Quizzes, Q&A sessions, etc.

Choosing the right platform for internal communications is like selecting the battlefield in war. The terrain can dictate the victor before the battle begins. A smart platform choice amplifies strategy, fosters cohesion, and gives a competitive edge. Wrong choice? It's uphill both ways. Position strategically. Play to win.

In our experience managing COVID-19 risk communication in Pakistan, we found that aligning multimedia content with our objectives and audience was pivotal. For instance, when addressing the importance of safety protocols, we incorporated impactful infographics and images showcasing real-world scenarios. This visual aid not only clarified our message but also resonated deeply with our diverse consortium members. Moreover, we harnessed the power of authentic testimonials through short video clips from frontline workers, fostering trust and engagement. These anecdotes humanised our communication and spurred active participation.

Brief the group on content and process. For repetitive meetings use EPROMs in specific hardware allowing in a ??canned?? presentation and/or random access. Multidisciplinary agreements should be secured so as to guarantee adequate follow-up in all departments securing the overall process Support should be provided to secure objectives for each department responsible for critical steps in the process. Multidisciplinary tracking should monitor progress and be coordinated and communicated to all involved in reaching the agreed upon objectives. Idem for critical steps until final objectives are reached and implemented.

For a smooth webinar experience, optimizing multimedia size (video, etc) by compressing files is vital to avoid slowdowns and buffering.

Lively discussions with experts, brought to life with video. Mix in animations or interactive polls to keep things lively. Sharing multimedia content like video segments or interactive Q&A sessions can spark a exchanges of ideas . Keep it relevant, let the multimedia flow with the topic, and use smart software to add interactive elements like polls or live chats, making webinars a lively, engaging event everyone anticipates .

You can have the most brilliant content, but if it doesn't work, no one can enjoy it. Several years ago, we had these amazing short videos embedded into a virtual presentation. We tested - but not enough. Guess what wouldn't play during the presentation? I now test days in advance with different groups. I test with people in different offices and in remote settings. I make sure everything works! Don't let technical difficulties thwart all of your hard work and creativity!

Incorporating multimedia into webinars for internal comms is vital. In our INGO consortium's COVID-19 communication in Pakistan, we learned through testing that smooth technical performance is key. Prioritize pre-webinar testing for connectivity, audio, video, and compatibility. Dry runs and feedback from colleagues ensure a glitch-free experience. This approach ensured effective information dissemination during a challenging time.

A dry run for any event is a must do. Not only does it help you test your tech, it can help you with timing and flow, and helps your event partners work together better. A good dry run is also an opportunity for you, the comms expert, top hear your event storyline play out, listening for whether it's as good in action as it seemed on paper.

Encourage participants, especially remote ones, to use Ethernet cables for a stable connection. Before the event, advise attendees to run technical checks to ensure their audio and video settings work correctly. Recommend specific web browsers for compatibility and provide guidance on updates. To prevent network strain, suggest minimizing bandwidth-heavy activities when sharing a connection. Appoint someone to monitor network performance during the webinar. Record the session for those unable to attend in real-time, and offer dedicated technical support for troubleshooting. These steps ensure a trouble-free webinar experience.

Multimedia is a must nowadays. You really can’t have a webinar or presentation without it. People’s time is fleeting faster than ever and it appears that trend will continue. Test, test, and test some more. The live production or end product is the only thing that matters for these situations. Put in the work ahead of time and triple-check everything pre-show so that once you are live, you’ve prepared for everything and have contingencies in place.

And it's not about quizzes, polls, and live chat only. Multimedia also includes different animations and video messages from management can be presented to distant employees when it is hard to reach them.

Using multimedia, we invited employees to actively participate. We employed polls, quizzes, and surveys to gauge understanding and gather insights. Games and challenges rewarded participation, fostering a sense of community. Live chat and social media facilitated real-time discussion. Acknowledging and responding to comments and questions was key. Multimedia allowed us to express appreciation and recognition, making our webinars not just informative but interactive and engaging. This approach strengthened our internal communications during a critical time.

Post-webinar, we use multimedia to reinforce the message. This includes summarizing key points, sharing additional resources, and expressing gratitude for attendance. We send emails with video or audio recordings, PDFs of slides/notes, blog posts, or podcasts for deeper understanding. Surveys and forms gather feedback. Moreover, we use multimedia to sustain engagement. By keeping the conversation alive and encouraging action, we ensure that our internal communications aren't just one-time events but ongoing, evolving dialogues

Smart multimedia implementation during an event can help you quickly reuse event material for post-event reinforcement. Keep these reuse opportunities in mind during production and get 3-5x out of each event.

We've seen the power of multimedia in internal webinars. One vital consideration is accessibility. Ensure content is inclusive by providing transcripts and captions for video and audio elements, making it accessible to all employees. Moreover, consider cultural sensitivity; tailor multimedia content to respect diverse backgrounds and perspectives, enhancing engagement and fostering a sense of unity among your global teams.

Conventional bloggers rely on SEO and social media algorithms. Engage in some guerrilla tactics. Use unconventional channels, infiltrate niche communities and go where your competitors dare not tread. Perfection is overrated. Embrace your flaws, be transparent about your journey and let your audience witness your evolution. Showcasing authenticity can be a powerful way to connect.

For internal webinars, be sure to give credit where credit is due. When you share compelling media in a presentation, employees may want to use or share the content. Make sure you are sharing the source of this great visual content--and where employees can get their hands on it. Also, if you have used a great image or video in your presentation that is INTERNAL ONLY. Be sure to point that out.