Item: ON24
Rating: 7
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We are using ON24 across multiple departments to hold webinars and virtual events. This helps with lead generation as well as educational sessions for our existing customers. We integrate with our CRM, and we have multiple events each month using the platform. Our annual customer conference was shifted from an in-person one to a virtual event in 2020. We used ON24 to host the conference, which we were then able to expand into multiple "seasons" of content that were released over the course of 6 months after the initial live conference dates.

Pros and Cons

Audience Console Customization
Streaming capabilities
Analytics

The current Presentation Manager UI looks outdated
There are limitations to the number of presenters
The available audience console designs are not responsive
The platform updates for ease of use and session formats are slow to be incorporated
The session settings are not always clearly defined and cannot be changed within 2 hours of a live time
Some edits are unavailable to users so adjustments require reaching out to tech support each time
The video archiving feature for sessions does not work well
The screenshare function requires an additional browser extension and device permissions, and has not worked well for us in a live setting
After a simulive presentation, the only option for the presenters to do a live Q&A segment is via conference phone bridge--no video.
Streamed video resolution and bitrate are very low

Return on Investment

We were able to make our annual conference more accessible to our customers and prospects, increasing attendance compared to our in-person events
We have been able to humanize our brand by engaging more departments to participate and use ON24 to convey information and put a face to their name
We have generated leads from session registrations
We have developed a more frequent and regular product training webinar series for our customers

Use Cases for Analytics Insights

Integrate with CRM/marketing automation software
Conduct lead scoring
Track registration and attendance
Enable sales follow-up
Optimize campaign nurture programs
Identify and track top-engaged accounts

COVID-19 Impact

As mentioned in answers to several previous questions, we were able to successfully pivot our annual in-person conference to a virtual event and expand our reach by using ON24. We were able to hold more sessions and saw more registrations and attendees compared to the same physical event the previous year.

Scalability

From an audience perspective, ON24 is easy to scale and can be customized pretty easily. From a user/presentation manager perspective, every new user needs to be trained and building training documents were essential. Licenses aren't cheap, and can be complicated to share among team members. The support site is only accessible after logging in, but only one person can use a license at a time, so users can be logged out while they are working if someone else tries with the same credentials.

Alternatives Considered

We considered and/or have previous experience with INXPO/Intrado, Brightcove, HopIn, Zoom, Bizzabo, GoToMeeting, and BlueJeans. Each vary in their capabilities and formats. We went with ON24 for the scaling capabilities, the branding options, the control over the audience experience, the extensive analytics, and the CRM integrations that were essential to our work.

Other Software Used

Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Google Analytics

Likelihood to Recommend

ON24 is well suited for controlled, one-way communications to an audience of any scale. Their simulive functionality works well and it is easy to duplicate sessions, create branded templates, and integrate with CRM tools. It is not currently as well suited for events with lots of people on camera at one time, or the need for high resolution video playback. The presenter console is a separate screen and does not look the same as the audience view, so you won't be able to turn audience members into presenters or shift permissions at the drop of a hat.

ON24: A solid virtual experience platform with a few limitations

Overall Satisfaction with ON24