The Rise of 'Near-Live' Events: Why 2025 Is the Year of Simulive

Let’s be honest - live webinars are great in theory. But in reality? Presenters drop out last minute, someone’s Wi-Fi goes rogue, and your carefully planned intro gets drowned out by barking dogs and the clatter of a lunch delivery.

Welcome to 2025, where more teams are embracing Simulive - or as we like to call it, the “near-live” webinar.

And for good reason.

What is Simulive (and why is it trending)?

Simulive webinars use pre-recorded content that’s played back as if it were live. You get all the benefits of a live experience - scheduled start times, audience interaction, live Q&A - but without the unpredictability that usually comes with it.

It’s like pressing play on a perfectly rehearsed performance while still being there to greet your audience, take questions, and engage in real-time. Best of both worlds.

Why 'Near-Live' is having a moment

Simulive isn’t new. But in 2025, it’s having its breakout moment. Why? Because the way we work, present, and scale events has changed. Here’s why this format is catching fire:

🔁 Consistency is king

Running the same webinar over and over again? Simulive ensures your messaging is spot-on every time - no more off-the-cuff detours or rushed wrap-ups

🌎 Time zones aren’t a barrier

Want to run your product demo across EMEA, APAC, and the US? Schedule it at a convenient time for each region without dragging your presenters out of bed at 3am.

🙋‍♀️ Presenters love it

People get nervous presenting live. Simulive lets them record their best take once (or until they are happy with it), and then show up for live Q&A - no stress, no pressure, no technical meltdowns.

🧠 Teams are stretched

Not everyone has the luxury of a 10-person webinar team. Simulive allows small (but mighty) teams to scale output without burning out.

Where Simulive really shines

The beauty of Simulive is its flexibility. Here are just a few of the ways teams are using it:

• Recurring product demos that run like clockwork
• Stakeholder presentations that need approval before going live
• Training sessions that need to be repeated for different cohorts
• Global marketing campaigns that require multi-region consistency

Whether you're in marketing, training, or compliance, Simulive fits neatly into your strategy - especially when you're using a platform like WorkCast that makes it easy to mix pre-recorded content with live intros, outros, and Q&A.

TL;DR: 2025 is the year of Simulive

“Live” doesn’t always mean better. In fact, more teams are realising that predictability, polish, and flexibility are what actually drive results. And that’s where Simulive shines.

So if your webinar strategy for 2025 involves doing more with less (and doing it better), it might be time to go near-live.