Webinars offer an effective way to connect with your audiences and impart knowledge or resolve issues, keeping your brand at the center. This is why webinars are a perfect choice for marketers, sales teams, and educators. If you are new to this game, then you might be wondering which platform you should use to start your journey.
To resolve this problem in this article, I’ve taken a look into WebinarJam and Zoom, which are two of the popular webinar solutions in the market today.
WebinarJam Overview
WebinarJam is a cloud-based webinar platform that is run by Genesis Digital and has been in the business for 4+ years. It allows your users to enjoy high-definition images with 30 FPS and high-quality video and audio broadcasting features. The tool lets you host up to 5,000 participants at a time and have a maximum of 6 presenters per webinar.
Click Here To Try WebinarJam For Free
The powerful webinar platform powers 50,000 businesses across 40 different industries. Participants can access your webinars through mobile, tablet, laptop, and desktop versions. As a host, you can set up either private or live chat feeds to efficiently communicate with their viewers. Finally, you can record your broadcast to use it at a later date; alongside this, you can schedule tools to better organize your webinars.
- Host unlimited webinars
- Standard engagement features
- Automated recordings
- Registration page builder
- Efficiently organize live and pre-recorded webinars
- Customizable templates
- Multi-language communication capability
- 24/7 customer support
- Limited branding and customization
- App required for mobile viewing
- No option to have a feedback questionnaire for attendees
Zoom Overview
Zoom is a video conferencing platform that has added versatile webinar capabilities to the mix. Launched in 2011, it has excellent moderation and presentation controls to enhance its offering. It has a webinar package, but it only works best for one-way broadcast-style events.
It is a general-purpose video conferencing tool that is aimed at businesses to offer live webinar broadcasting functionality. The tool lets you host your videos, webinars, and voice calls directly through mobile devices, desktops, and conference room systems. It also integrates with YouTube and Facebook Live, making webinar distribution on the platforms a breeze.
Similar to WebinarJam, Zoom has real-time private and group messaging features. It also lets you record and transcript webinars while integrating with an array of other tools.
- Easy to use
- Live streaming across different media platforms
- Variety of studio effects and filters
- Standard engagement features
- Supports post-webinar surveys
- Whiteboard and virtual background features
- Affordable for small businesses
- No custom CTAs or content
- Brand customization and design is limited
- Limited networking and interaction
- Essential features are limited only to the enterprise plan
WebinarJam vs Zoom
1. Ease of Use
Ease of use is a key consideration if you want to operate a webinar platform for your ventures. A platform that is simple is ideal for not only you but also your users to get grips with the tool.
WebinarJam
WebinarJam allows you to set up new webinars in two standard options
- Express Configuration, which is perfect for setting up a webinar quickly. Using the feature, you can get your webinar ready to go in a matter of minutes.
- The Full Configuration has a complex setup process, and it takes up to 10 minutes, but is more customizable, offering users a complete range of options. It has 9 steps that you have to go through, each having multiple panels, with each panel expanding to provide even more choice. This can be slightly confusing for first-time users.
Zoom
Setting up webinars with Zoom is different compared to WebinarJam. It has a single page where you can input the details, including the topic, start time, purpose, and other important details. You can select from video, audio, Q&A, run practice sessions, or record webinars. It doesn’t get more straightforward than this when setting up a webinar.
Verdict
Overall, it is easy to create webinars on Zoom and WebinarJam, so you can say that there is no overall winner. However, Zoom is comparatively easy to use compared to the WebinarJam tool. It is important to understand that the Full Configuration of WebinarJam has more features with advanced customization that is ideal for users with enterprise-level requirements and performance.
2. Webinar Registration
A Webinar Registration section is important as it lets you create a page that a user will use to get onto your webinar. It can have essential items like collecting information about your audience, important details, and so on.
WebinarJam
WebinarJam lets you select from a number of predefined templates. You can customize the templates slightly, but most of the information is directly pulled from fields like its Webinar Title and Webinar Description so that it gets auto-populated.
If you want to capture the data of your audience, then you can achieve it by getting users to sign up to attend it. You can build an opt-in form on your website, where registrants will fill out the form, and it will automatically push it to the system. The platform has a one-click registration that lets you send a click-to-register email directly to your mailing list. So, anyone who clicks on the link is automatically registered to your webinar.
Another exciting option that you get with WebinarJam is that you can use your own webpage as a registration page. You can integrate it with the lead capture software and Thrive Leads.
Zoom
The registration process for Zoom is pretty straightforward. Participants simply have to provide their information, like name, email address, and prove they are not a robot. This is an excellent choice for building an email list for your business.
As a host, you can only customize the logo on the page. You also can approve attendee participation, either automatically or manually.
Verdict
WebinarJam and Zoom make it easy for webinar attendees to register efficiently. However, WebinarJam is a winner and has a slight edge due to its one-click registration without needing to fill out a form.
Click Here To Try WebinarJam For Free
3. Attending the Webinar
Now that we’ve talked about registering for webinars, we’ll need to understand the experience that each tool offers when attending a webinar.
WebinarJam
WebinarJam lets you attend a webinar event with the help of an internet browser. Users get access to it by clicking on the meeting’s URL, and you’ll directly enter the meeting. As the host of the webinar, you get access to a dashboard that lets you see what your audience is viewing. The right side of the main control panel allows you to view the live chat feed. Apart from this, you can also manage the slides and handouts that you can use during the webinar.
Zoom
To attend a webinar on Zoom, you are required to download Zoom’s software on your device. So, you will be required to have extra time to download its software ahead of the webinar in case there are any glitches. This is not great if you are looking to participate in a webinar or two and you don’t have storage space on your device.
After you have managed to download Zoom, you can easily set up the account with an email address and password. You simply have to access any scheduled webinars that you’ve invited through the link you have been sent. As a webinar host, you can determine who can join the webinar before you are logged in to the software.
Verdict
Overall, WebinarJam is a clear winner in the round as it is easy to access the webinar, and you don’t have to download any software.
4. Audio and Video Quality
Audio and video quality is something that is always underestimated in a webinar platform. Poor quality can deter lead generation or sales if attendees are not able to see and hear the audio clearly.
WebinarJam
The video streaming capabilities of WebinarJam are primarily built on YouTube Live’s platform. This will mean that you don’t have access to the highest audiovisual quality as it is a compressed recording for your webinar. The compressed AV signal is not of the highest quality as a local signal.
Zoom
One of the great things about Zoom is its audio and video quality, provided that you have a good internet connection. To host live webinars, you can record them locally on your computer so it has the best quality.
The local recording feature is of the highest quality as there is no compression in the audio, and you are not uploading it as a record. So, you don’t need to worry about the internet bandwidth that may impact your recording.
Verdict
The audio and video capabilities of Zoom make it a winner, as it has superior features and functionality.
5. Webinar Presentation Tools
Presentation tools for webinars are essential components to run a successful webinar. Let us learn more about the offerings of the tools below.
WebinarJam
WebinarJam has powerful webinar presentation tools. You can pre-configure all your presentation material before the webinar begins. So, you can:
- Pre-upload the slideshow
- Pre-upload videos that you want to show
- Pre-upload file handouts that you want to share
It also has slideshow controls for the slides that you have uploaded. Now, you can efficiently switch between different slides and your webcam to create a more focused presentation.
Zoom
Despite being a pioneer in the field, Zoom has some primitive presentation tools. As a host of the Zoom webinar, you can only share the screen and annotate. Everything you want to share is based on screen sharing. This is bad because the video quality is based on the connection quality of the audience.
Verdict
WebinarJam is a clear winner, as you can launch a slideshow directly from the platform and even during the webinar.
6. Reminder Email Editor and Scheduling
To maximize the attendance rate of webinars, it is a great idea to schedule webinar emails. Let us identify both of its offerings below.
WebinarJam
WebinarJam has flexible email scheduling functionality. The tool lets you add shortcodes to the email body, including a direct link to the webinar. It has great audience segmentation options, so you can craft separate emails for different audiences based on attendance.
Zoom
Zoom offers great email scheduling options but is a bit limited. You can schedule the reminder emails for 1 week, 1 day, or 1 hour before the webinar. The email that you sent has instructions on how to download and install to join the webinar.
Verdict
WebinarJam is a clear winner with a better email editor, customization, and segmentation options. The email is clean for attendees, so you can focus on key values and offers in your emails rather than technical instructions.
7. Pricing
The price of any item, especially on the internet, will impact whether it will be purchased by users. Let us understand the pricing of both tools below.
WebinarJam
WebinarJam has 4 plans that have flexible features for beginners and advanced users. Its initial plan i.e. the Starter plan is priced starting at $49 per month and allows you to host 100 attendees. Their higher-end plan is priced at $499 per month and lets you host 5000 attendees. It can be purchased on monthly or annual plans. In case you don’t like what they are offering, then it has a 30-day money-back guarantee policy on its plans.
Zoom
Zoom has 5 plans that have several features to get users connected to webinars without hassle. It has a free Basic plan that allows you to have 100 attendees per meeting. Its paid plans are priced starting at 14.99 per month and let you host 100 attendees for each meeting. If you want to add more attendees, then you have to select its Enterprise-level plans to host 1000 attendees per meeting.
Verdict
Zoom has some well-structured pricing packages with generous free options that support multiple hosts on its paid plans. However, the number of attendees you can add with WebinarJam with standard plans is quite a lot compared to Zoom.
In the end, you’ll require a platform that has features to efficiently scale your business with a desired budget consideration. So, WebinarJam’s prices win it out in this section.
8. Analytics
In the webinar business, every owner needs to understand their customer better, and there is no other way to achieve it other than analytics. Let’s understand this feature better.
WebinarJam
WebinarJam has exceptional data analysis features designed to find desired metrics. Its advanced analytics tool gives users access to rich data that has in-depth insights about your audience.
The metrics that you get using it are:
- Registration and show-up ratio
- Traffic
- Financial information
- Email open rate and registration rates
- Notifications
- Audience connectivity quality
All the analytics can be conveniently accessed using a single dashboard.
Zoom
Zoom has poor analytics capabilities when you consider it from a marketing perspective. It will give you basic data information like how long attendees stay; however, it is not actionable information. You can select which webinar you want to check across the period you want to analyze and follow this by clicking Generate CSV report.
Verdict
WebinarJam is a winner as it boasts excellent analytics features, and you get access to everything from a single dashboard. Zoom only gives you access to basic analytics and lets you download a separate spreadsheet for each report, while it doesn’t offer analytics reports for monetization.
9. Integrations
Integrations play an important role in enhancing the experience of the software that you are utilizing. WebinarJam and Zoom both boast a series of integrations to help improve the functionality of the tool.
WebinarJam
WebinarJam has integrations with several third-party integrations with top brands in the industry. Some of the popular solutions include MailChimp, ConvertKit, Zapier, ActiveCampaign, YouTube Live, etc. It has developed a smart API connection to efficiently configure different rules based on the behavior of the registrant.
The platform has a level of granularity that easily segments leads with the highest form of accuracy. With this, you can easily craft follow-up marketing messages based on their behavior.
Zoom
The integrations that come with Zoom are limited. It integrates with platforms and software through Zapier. They also offer native integrations with some other apps. One of my favorite integrations is Acuity Scheduling, which can be automatically attached to a Zoom meeting, and it populates on the calendar as well.
Verdict
WebinarJam is a clear winner for several reasons. It has a broader selection of integrations, especially if marketing is concerned. Further, WebinarJam has plenty of plugins that will help assess how attendants respond to your pitch.
10. Customer Support
Customer support is an essential component in any software if you run into any issues and want them resolved within a short time. WebinarJam and Zoom have exceptional customer support, but which one stands out?
WebinarJam
WebinarJam offers 24/7 support to resolve all queries throughout your journey to efficiently resolve any issues. The tool offers users access to online documentation that gives information about essential items. It also has a Jam Academy- which is a learning center that has a step-by-step guide on how the tool functions, and you can start running your online webinars from scratch.
In case you are still having issues, then its customer support team can help get the desired answers to your problems. It allows you to easily reach the team through email tickets. Apart from this, it has a community on Facebook that lets you find answers and learn strategies to easily convert your audience into customers.
Zoom
Zoom has a powerful chatbot that helps resolve any queries you might be having. It has a rich knowledge base that will offer information on every aspect of the platform. They also have a community that has individuals who provide information on each and every aspect of your business. Finally, you can submit web tickets if you want help for your venture.
Verdict
WebinarJam and Zoom both offer exceptional customer support that can help resolve all your issues and queries in a short time. However, they are both nearly equal, but WebinarJam has a slight edge over the other.
11. Target Audience
Finding the right tool is very much determined based on your requirements and specifications. Below, we’ll find out what the tools are well-suited for and what not.
WebinarJam
WebinarJam is more than a simple communication tool and offers great marketing functionality. Its homepage states that it can Increase Your Sales and Engage More Customers. Throughout the website, it states that you can increase your customers by talking to people utilizing WebinarJam.
WebinarJam is geared more towards advanced functionality than Zoom, as it is designed not only for webinars. It has diverse integrations and analytics capabilities that make it stand out from other tools as a great marketing tool.
Zoom
Zoom is primarily a webinar and meeting hosting capability, but it is tailored for broader purposes apart from them. Its homepage primarily emphasizes connection and not sales.
Verdict
WebinarJam and Zoom cater to different target audiences. Zoom primarily focuses on online meetings. However, WebinarJam can help you not only for online meetings but also for marketing. So, WebinarJam is a winner when you consider the target audience of your business.
WebinarJam vs Zoom: Which is the Winner?
WebinarJam and Zoom are both great tools for launching webinars, but if I have to choose, then WebinarJam checks out as it ticks nearly all the boxes that we’ve discussed in this article.
Zoom is primarily great if you want to host online meetings or record internal or external meetings. However, WebinarJam has good webinar hosting features with excellent marketing features. So, if you are thinking of using webinars for marketing purposes, then there is no better option than WebinarJam.
WebinarJam vs Zoom FAQs
1. What is the difference between WebinarJam and Zoom?
WebinarJam and Zoom are webinar hosting servers for different user types. Zoom is a virtual meeting platform, while WebinarJam is a virtual meeting and marketing platform. Further, Zoom is primarily a desktop in-browser application that can be downloaded. WebinarJam, on the contrary, can be used on any device.
2. Does WebinarJam have a trial period?
WebinarJam has a 14-day trial period for $1, and you get a 30-day money-back guarantee, so all in all, you get access to a total 44-day trial period.
3. What is WebinarJam ideal for?
WebinarJam is a powerful webinar hosting platform. It is an ideal choice for solopreneurs or enterprise-level users. This makes it a great choice for users in the ever-growing market.
4. Where do WebinarJam and Zoom fall short?
WebinarJam and Zoom may lack a certain form of customization that is modern with B2B brands.
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