Communications offices across Duke have begun webcasting their events to reach larger audiences. Although Duke does not have a centralized webcasting service, it does offer a number of resources to help you publicize your online event. Duke University Communications offers the following tips.

General Advice

If you are new to webcasting and have general questions about when it makes sense to use it, and how best to proceed, contact ONC’s Sonja Foust.

Permission

For event participants not employed by Duke, you should get written permission to record the event. Do not record an event against a participant’s wishes. Duke’s Scholarly Communications Officer provides sample releases in his Scholarly Communications Toolkit. For productions that will capture audience members in a significant way, for example a question-and-answer period with a speaker, it is recommended that you announce at the event that it is being webcast.

Technical Support

Your school or unit may have someone with the necessary technical skills to help you set up a webcast, or you can explore the Office of Information Technology’s Audio/Video Consultation services.

Production

If you need help with video production or webcasting, or want to use a professional studio, contact Duke Media Services.

Platforms

Recommended webcasting platforms for events include YouTube Live. Google’s Hangouts on Air can be a good platform for a live, multi-site webcast. (For promotion ideas, see Google’s Public events and events on air.)

Events@Duke

A quick and easy way to bring your event to the attention of a larger audience is by listing it on Events@Duke, the university’s online calendar (which you should be using anyway, even if the event is not webcast). Be sure to mark your event as belonging to the “Webcast” category, along with any other categories, and include the appropriate URL in the webcast field.

Embed the Webcast on your Site

If you use YouTube Live or Hangouts on Air, you can embed the video player on your website much as you would with a recorded YouTube video. Doing so brings the event to your entire community while also enhancing your site.

Social Media

Use Twitter, Facebook and other social media tools to promote your webcast. Twitter is especially good for last-minute notifications (using the hashtag #dukelive). Of course, you’ll also want to publicize the event on your website, with email lists and by using other familiar tools. For questions about social media, contact University Communications’ Sonja Likness.

Coordinate with University Communications

If your event will be of special interest to a campus-wide, regional or national audience, ONC may be able to help you publicize it. In addition to the people named above, contact Keith Lawrence for assistance with media outreach or Geoffrey Mock for coverage in Duke Today.

Wrap Up

Once your webcast is finished you can post the recording to the Duke YouTube and/or iTunes sites. For assistance with that, contact the YouTube team at ONC.

Plan Ahead!

Do not expect any of these tips to be of much help unless you plan ahead. Please provide several days’ notice to enable University Communications, Duke Media Services or others across campus to provide the assistance you need. Don’t wait until the last minute.