Webinar Transcripts: The Ultimate How-To Guide (2024 )
Maximize the impact of your webinar with our ultimate guide to creating webinar transcripts. Learn how to make your content valuable long after the live event!
Gearing up for your next big webinar series? Your presentation is polished, the guest speakers are confirmed, and your audience is lined up and ready to tune in.
But newsflash—people forget key details in as little as one hour after a meeting has ended. So, you’ll need a way to keep the momentum going long after the live event.
Without a solid plan for transcribing your webinar, you risk letting critical information slip through the cracks. It’s time to consider how a quality webinar transcript could elevate your virtual event from a one-time event to a lasting resource!
What Is Webinar Transcription?
Webinar transcription is the process of converting the spoken content from a webinar into a text-based written format. This text-based version of the webinar can then be used for everything from easy searchability, future documentation, content creation, and even accessibility.
Webinar transcription can be done manually by humans who listen to the webinar and type out the content. Alternatively, you can use automated transcription tools that use AI to quickly generate a rough transcript.
But be warned—automated transcription isn’t exactly precise, and you risk having to spend hours editing and formatting before you can share your transcription document with others. Take it from us: human transcriptionists are ideal if editing and formatting isn’t your thing.
Looking for information about meeting transcription services?
What Are The Benefits Of Transcribing a Webinar?
Transcribing your webinar isn’t just a trendy business move—it provides your company with tons of benefits and opportunities. Transcripts allow the value of your live content to continue long after the webinar has ended.
Content repurposing creates more value from your webinar.
Think of all the content you can create from one transcript! Blog posts, articles, whitepapers, and social media posts are just the start. You’ll keep the conversation going and reach new audiences without having to host another webinar.
Accessibility broadens your audience.
Providing a transcript makes sure that everyone, including those with hearing impairments or those who prefer reading, can engage with your content.
Improved SEO makes your content easier to find online.
Search engines love text! Posting your webinar transcript on your site helps you rank for relevant keywords, driving more traffic your way.
Documentation offers a reliable written record.
Need to reference your webinar later? A transcript provides a precise record for legal compliance, employee training, or team discussions.
Engagement reinforces learning.
After the webinar, share the transcript with participants. It’s a great way to help them remember key points and use the content long after the session ends.
Translation of transcripts increases global reach.
Turn your transcript into different languages to connect with international audiences, expanding your message beyond borders.
Efficiency saves time for your audience and team.
No one wants to rewatch an hour-long video. Transcripts make it easy to skim for the info you need, making your content more practical and user-friendly.
3 Easy Ways to Transcribe a Webinar
There are a few different ways to transcribe your webinar. Let’s look at the options to better decide what meets your transcription needs.
#1 – Manual Transcription (Do It Yourself)
Manual transcription involves listening to the webinar and typing out everything that’s said. This method can be time-consuming when you do it yourself, but it offers the highest level of control over the final product.
Manual transcription is best suited for those who need a precise and customized transcript, though it requires significant time and effort.
Check out this guide on how to transcribe audio to text if you plan to DIY!
#2 – Human Transcription Services
Don’t have time to transcribe yourself? Hire another human to do it for you!
Human transcription services involve real people listening to your webinar and creating the transcript. This method is highly accurate, as human transcribers can understand context, handle multiple speakers, and accurately capture complex terminology.
Human transcription is ideal for webinars where precision is crucial, such as legal, business, medical, or highly technical content since it’s 99% – 100% accurate and requires no editing or formatting.
Learn more about how human transcription services work!
#3 – Automated Transcription
A.I. or automated transcription tools use artificial intelligence to automatically convert spoken words into text. A.I. transcription struggles with accuracy, particularly with accents, specialized jargon, or overlapping speech. It often requires quite a bit of manual editing.
3 Tips To Prepare Your Webinar For Efficient Transcription
Before you can transcribe a webinar successfully, a little preparation goes a long way! Here’s how to set yourself up for success.
Test your audio setup.
Before your webinar starts, test your microphone and audio equipment. Make sure voices come through clearly and without distortion. Minimize background noise, and encourage speakers to use high-quality microphones. Your transcription document will be more accurate as a result!
Use a script or outline when you present.
Having a script or outline for your webinar can help guide the conversation and keep the content organized. This makes it easier to transcribe later on, as the flow of information will be more structured and you won’t have as many filler words.
Have your speakers identify themselves.
If your webinar features multiple speakers, introduce each one clearly. This helps the transcription process by making it easier to distinguish who is speaking at any given time. It reduces the chances of confusion or misattribution in the final transcript.
Step-By-Step Guide On How To Transcribe A Webinar
Ready to turn your webinar into a valuable written resource? Follow these straightforward steps to transcribe your webinar efficiently and accurately.
Step 1: Record your webinar.
Before anything else, make sure your webinar is being recorded in high quality. Most webinar platforms offer a recording feature, and might even be able to transcribe for you in-app, though your document will likely require editing.
Using Zoom for your webinar? Check out our Zoom transcription guide!
Step 2: Choose your transcription method.
Decide whether you will transcribe the webinar manually, use AI transcription software, or hire a human transcription service. Your choice will depend on your need for accuracy, speed, and budget.
Step 3: Upload or access the recording.
Once the webinar has ended, upload the recording to your chosen transcription service or tool after checking that your audio file is in the right format. If you’re transcribing manually, have the file ready on your computer.
Step 4: Begin your transcription.
Start the transcription process according to your chosen method. If you’re doing it manually, listen carefully and type out everything you hear, pausing frequently to ensure accuracy. If you’re using a transcription service, kick back, relax, and wait for your transcription to arrive.
Step 5: Review and edit the transcript.
After the initial transcription is complete, thoroughly review the document. Correct any mistakes, clarify speaker identities, and format the text to make it readable. Pay special attention to any specialized terms or jargon that might have been misinterpreted or misspelled.
Once the transcript is accurate, format it according to its intended use. This might include adding headings, bullet points, speaker names, or timestamps.
Don’t have time to edit and format your transcription document? Hire the best human transcriptionists around to do it for you!
Step 6: Distribute or publish your transcript.
Share your transcript with your intended audience. This could involve sending it to webinar participants, uploading it to your website for SEO benefits, or using it as the basis for new content like blog posts or whitepapers.
How To Choose A Webinar Transcript Service
Before selecting a webinar transcription service consider your specific needs and how the service aligns with them. Use this checklist to guide your decision:
What are your accuracy requirements?
Determine how accurate you need the transcript to be. If your webinar contains specialized terminology or multiple speakers, you may need a service that offers high accuracy—like human transcription.
What kind of turnaround time do you need?
Consider how quickly you need the transcript. Some services offer real-time or near-instant transcription, while others may take several hours or days.
What are your budget constraints?
AI-driven tools are generally more affordable but might compromise on accuracy. Human transcription services, though more expensive, provide higher accuracy, especially for complex content.
What are your security and confidentiality requirements?
If your webinar contains sensitive or confidential information, check the service’s security measures. Make sure they offer data protection and confidentiality agreements to keep your content secure.
Are you looking for a platform that’s easy to use?
The platform should be easy to navigate, with a simple process for uploading recordings and accessing transcripts. Ideally, you want to pick a transcription service that handles plenty of different file types and includes an in-app dictation feature.
Do you need special features?
Look for services that offer additional features like speaker identification, time-stamping, or multi-language support. You might also need a service that allows you to add visual assets, or you may prefer a service that allows you to dictate to the transcriptionist.
Do you want access to customer support?
Responsive and helpful customer service can be crucial, especially if you encounter issues during the transcription process or need help with the final product.
SpeakWrite’s Webinar Transcription Services
SpeakWrite offers a robust and reliable transcription service tailored to the needs of business leaders who host webinars. SpeakWrite is designed to repurpose your webinar content into high-quality, written transcripts that can be used for a variety of business purposes.
SpeakWrite’s human transcriptionists are accurate.
With a 99% accuracy rate, SpeakWrite’s professional, U.S.-based transcriptionists capture every detail with precision. Unlike automated AI transcription tools that may falter with accents, jargon, or overlapping speech, SpeakWrite ensures accuracy and clarity in every transcript.
They’re fast, too.
Timely content is important. SpeakWrite offers highly accurate, custom-formatted transcriptions in under 3 hours—which is significantly faster than many other human transcription services.
SpeakWrite’s platform is easy to use.
SpeakWrite’s platform is user-focused, so it’s easy to upload webinar recordings, even if they are in multiple file formats. The intuitive interface allows you to manage transcription requests and track progress in real time with ease.
Custom solutions are available for different industries and transcription needs.
Every business has unique needs, and SpeakWrite caters to this by offering customizable transcription solutions. Whether you require verbatim transcripts, summarized versions, or specific formatting, SpeakWrite can tailor their service to meet your specific requirements.
SpeakWrite’s platform is secure.
SpeakWrite provides robust security measures. All transcriptionists sign confidentiality agreements, and the platform uses secure encryption to protect your data throughout the transcription process.
Real-World Companies Using Webinar Transcription
Webinar transcription is a valuable tool that many companies across industries have begun to leverage. Here are a few examples of how real-world companies use webinar transcription.
Salesforce
Salesforce, a global leader in customer relationship management (CRM), often uses webinars to educate its users on new features, industry trends, and best practices.
HubSpot
HubSpot, a major player in the inbound marketing space, utilizes webinar transcription to improve accessibility and SEO. The transcripts contribute to better search engine rankings, driving more traffic to their educational resources.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning, an online learning platform, uses webinar transcripts as part of their course offerings. Transcripts help learners who prefer reading to watching videos or who need to review specific sections of a webinar in detail.
Deloitte
Deloitte, a global consulting firm, uses webinar transcription for legal documentation. When hosting webinars that cover regulatory updates or legal advice, a detailed transcript ensures that all information is accurately recorded and can be referenced in the future if needed.
IBM
IBM frequently hosts technical webinars that delve into complex topics such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing. IBM can then create a written resource that can be used for training, reference, and content repurposing.
Webinar Transcription: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a transcript from a webinar?
To get a transcript from a webinar, use transcription software or services like SpeakWrite. Upload the webinar recording, and the service will convert it into a text transcript, which you can then review and edit.
Can you transcribe a Zoom webinar?
Yes, you can transcribe a Zoom webinar using transcription tools or services. Zoom also offers built-in transcription for recorded webinars, or you can upload the recording to a third-party service like SpeakWrite for more accuracy.
Can you get a transcript from a Zoom recording?
You can obtain a transcript from a Zoom recording by enabling Zoom’s built-in transcription feature or using a third-party transcription service. Simply upload the recording, and the service will generate the transcript for you.
How do you write a webinar summary?
To write a webinar summary, focus on key points, main takeaways, and action items. Start with an overview of the topic, highlight important discussions, and conclude with any next steps or recommendations.
What is the best format for webinar transcripts?
The ideal format depends on your needs. Use TXT or DOCX for simple text editing, PDF for secure sharing, and SRT if you need closed captions for videos. Consider the audience and purpose—PDFs are best for formal reports, while DOCX is suitable for internal editing.
How long does it take to get a webinar transcript?
AI tools can generate transcripts in minutes but may lack accuracy. Human transcription services like SpeakWrite typically provide results within a few hours, offering higher accuracy and better formatting.
Are webinar transcripts accurate?
Accuracy varies by service. AI tools might miss context, slang, or technical terms, while human services like SpeakWrite achieve up to 99% accuracy, making them ideal for legal, business, or detailed documentation.
Do webinar transcripts help with compliance?
Yes, transcripts serve as reliable records that meet legal, regulatory, or industry-specific compliance requirements, such as maintaining accurate meeting minutes, ensuring ADA accessibility, and documenting training sessions.
Ready to make the most out of your next webinar? With SpeakWrite, you can easily turn your webinar content into accurate, high-quality transcripts that extend the life and reach of your event!
It’s time to optimize your content, improve accessibility, and keep your audience engaged long after the webinar ends. Start your free trial with SpeakWrite and see how effortless webinar transcription can be.
