The webinar is a type of web-based conference that is conducted over the web. All participants of the event are located in a comfortable place, next to their computers, smartphones, tablets, or other gadgets.
💪 Why should you start running webinars?
Today it is an economic and effective way of conducting personal events, which allows you to solve the following problems:
- Personal brand building.
- Attracting possible clients.
- Building expert image, selling webinar organizer as an expert in the industry.
- Target audience training.
- Introducing goods and services.
- Demo version of services, when we talk about educational services.
The online-based seminar can consist of different visual elements, like a speaker's video or slideshow. The last one usually ends with frequent questions.
This article will give you a few tips to successfully plan and run the webinar.
The key benefits of webinars
- Location independence. No matter where you are located, attendees from anywhere can take part in the event.
- It's easier to attract an audience online. Since event listeners don't need to attend the event physically, spend time on the road, and on preparing themselves, they will more willingly take part in it.
- Ample opportunities for communication. If listeners have questions about the presentation or product that you are demonstrating, they can ask it in real time, which helps to increase conversion.
- 40% of visitors are transformed into target leads.
You should understand that planning a webinar or automated webinar is not an easy task, which requires the best efforts and responsibility.
👀 The strategy of webinar creation
№1.Define the webinar's purpose
The main webinar goals are:
- Sales of goods/services.
- Increase your subscriber base, attract new customers.
- Loyalty increasing.
- Improve brand awareness.
- Build the expert's image.
№2. Choose an interesting topic
The most important element of the webinar is content. It is the basis of the entire planned event. Attendees visit webinars to find out something new. Therefore, the topic should be interesting.
One of our main goals is to show yourself as a top-class specialist. The presenter must convince the audience that he knows what he's talking about.
The topic must be useful to your attendees to run an effective webinar.
For example, the marketing theme is too general for discussion. Try finding a narrower theme — SMM.
Check here a few ideas on how to come up with the topic:
- Find common questions.
- Search the Internet for the most frequent requests.
- Communicate with the team. Your sales manager can tell you what he discusses with the client.
- Ask your subscribers what they are interested in.
№3. Select the best speechmaker
You can invite a speaker from your company or another expert. Also, you can attract influencers. The speaker should be experienced in the topic of the webinar.
№4. Find the intended audience
To understand who your audience is you need to know their problems and goals.
After you discover who your visitors are and what problems they face, then you will have a better chance of running a successful webinar.
№5 How to sell your product during the webinar
Don’t start your webinar with selling. Offer your product in mid-broadcast to make it not look like an ad. But you should remember 2 important points:
- Information provided during online seminars should be valuable to your viewers. No matter whether they buy or not.
- Talk about your product only when it is appropriate. It should be pertinently in context during the broadcast.
After that, we determine how we will advertise the event to attract the intended audience.
🚀 Marketing stage of the webinar
№6. Creation of welcome page
The landing page will give the main information about the event: what the webinar will be about, information about the talking person, date, and main points for discussion. This will motivate an audience to register
№7.Post in your social about the event
Post information about your web seminar on your blog even if you don’t have thousands of followers. The posted information can be in the article form, accompanied by additional useful information, or as a concise announcement.
Provide a link to the event landing page, where will be the ability to register for the webinar. It is also useful to place ads on partners' social media with a similar audience.
№8. Social Media Ads
Advertising on social networks can bring you a lot of new attendees. Create your personal branded hashtag, as it can be a good interaction tool.
№9. E-mailing
If you have some contacts, email them with a short invitation. It should be easy to register.
📆 How to plan and prepare the webinar: helpful tips
№10. Prepare the visual components
The visual of your presentation or webinar poster should match your brand book. Put your logo on the first slide or where it makes sense.
Fonts, colors, designs, and other visual elements must be of the same brand style.
№11. Consider the possibility of conducting paid webinars
The organization of web seminars can be expensive. Getting paid for webinars can recoup costs. This model raises visitors' expectations about quality.
If you can guarantee a quality webinar, set the price for registration to get additional income.
The paid event might reduce the number of attendees, but instead, you will get a more interested audience. Try to set different prices till you find the optimal one for your audience.
№12. Get help and support from administrators
Be ready for multi-tasking if you decide to organize a webinar by yourself. It requires a big effort and much time. So it will be much easier if you find someone to help.
The assistants must be responsible and understand how the webinar platform works.
They may not be experts in your field, but they must be able to fix problems and interact with participants.
№13. Select the timing
Don't forget about the time difference. If the event starts at 7 p.m. NY time, it will be a bit late for the viewers from Paris.
№14. Pick a model
The models can be:
- An expert shares his experience, ideas, or advice.
- Two speakers event. This type is more detailed because it shares more information with the attendees.
- A panel group event. Multiple experts discussion.
- The interview format. It will be a good idea to invite an influencer. A popular guest will attract a lot of viewers.
- Your product demonstration for its effective promotion.
Try a few types to reach the best format for your audience.
№15. A test run of your event
Get your team together and do a trial run. The test run will show basic errors and what is needed more to be at the highest level.
№16. Make notes of all steps
You will create several webinars to find the best format. Making notes in the process will help you in the future.
It will be easier to prepare webinars, as you will know all details and what is required.
Make notes for each step of your webinar to forget nothing. Do separate notes for each webinar format.
🛠 Features of the webinar in 2023: technical issues
№17. The platform searching
Technical problems on your broadcast provoke unpleasant feelings among viewers. You will meet bad feedback and low sales.
That means the platform for your webinar is the most important element bringing you success. Check all advantages and disadvantages before you choose a platform. To make a proper analysis, use the next questions:
- How much can you pay for the platform?
- Are the required functions and options available?
- How many visitors can attend the event?
- Is there a record option?
The table shows the most popular platforms
|
Platform |
Trial |
Speakers |
Viewers |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MyOwnConference |
unlimited |
10 |
2000 |
|
iSpring Learn |
14 days |
50 |
1000 |
|
Clickmeeting |
30 days |
7 |
5000 |
|
WeStudy |
30 days |
25 |
3500 |
|
Softbook |
30 days |
unlimited |
unlimited |
|
KWIGA |
30 days |
unlimited |
unlimited |
Please note that more than 25% of viewers watch the webinars using mobile devices. This part of viewers can be easily lost if you do not optimize the interface for mobile devices.
It is important when choosing a digital educational platform to take into account if it is adaptive for mobile interface.
№18. Check readiness and test equipment
You can’t lose sight of any important point. Test your equipment and do a test run. It will be the best way to make sure everything is done properly
Be ready at least 30 minutes earlier before the start to make sure everything works.
№19. Mute the sources of noise.
- No children and pets in your webinar zone.
- Mute all devices, that you will not use during the event.
- Mute your doorbell.
✅ Tips for the webinar organizers
№20. Start without delay
Your viewers are busy, so don't waste their time. Waiting for the speaker is very unpleasant.
№21. Double preparation
The first impression is very important. The start of the event always sets the tone, so take all effort to ensure that it passes at the highest level.
№22. Quickly capture audience attention
Catch your viewer’s attention from the very beginning. A good reason should keep the audience interested till the end. Tell them what information you are going to share. Highlight what problems you gonna solve and make it sound exciting.
№23. Prepare answers for frequent questions
Your audience will be asking questions. Prepare in advance to sound sure and not get confused.
№24. Something can go off the plan
Even if you do your best, some things can be out of your hands: no electricity in your house, no Wi-Fi, etc.
💣 How to hold an interesting webinar and sound like great speakers
№25. Write a good script
Your script will be your cheat sheet, that will help you keep the structure step by step. Speaking for half an hour can be hard if you don’t prepare a script. Even if you are a professional expert with in-depth knowledge you still have a risk to fail.
№26. It is normal to change something or go out from the script
Even if a script is an important thing, you don't have to follow it completely. Remember, something can go wrong.
Sometimes, going off-topic is the only way to save the webinar and make the audience active.
№27. Try to practice your speech
You should practice making your webinar speech sound professional.
A well-spoken speech will set a good impression on your attendees.
№28. Create slides
Don’t use presentation in a webinar if it has a hard copy only.
Use more visual elements when creating slides to make them exciting.
№29. Try to add more media formats
Don't rely only on presentation. Use as many media formats as possible to make your broadcast more diverse.
№30. Choose how to interact with the viewers
No matter how hard you try, your viewers can get tired of information. It is so exhausting to listen to someone talking for an hour.
In this case, start to communicate with your audience by asking them questions or giving interactive tasks.
№31. No stress — take your nerves under control
You can be nervous in the process. And that's okay, especially if it's your first speech. Try to joke that you feel a bit nervous, but don't show it too obviously.
Prepare a glass of water in advance to prevent dryness in the throat.
№32. Sell by giving new knowledge
Do it at the same time. Give new knowledge and sell your product native in the process. It will be a big mistake to first teach, and then try to sell. This will make the audience feel used.
During the webinar, you need to teach your audience and organically insert a product/service offer.
⭐️ Actions to do at the end
№33. Help your viewers understand what to do next
Your viewers should leave the webinar with a full understanding of what to do next.
If you want them to sign up for your course, tell them and provide the links.
№34. Give the viewer a choice
By allowing choosing the theme of the next webinar, you show the attendees that their opinion is important to you. Just ask them to leave a comment.
№35. Gather feedback
Find out from your audience whether you like or don't like your webinar.
Ask them to leave a survey. It will help you clarify if they are satisfied.
№36. Offer additional content
Provide your attendees additional checklist or link to the presentation. People like to get bonuses.
№37. Analyze the results
Key comparison points are amount of registered vs attended people.
This will help you check how effective the webinar promotion has been!
❓ FAQ
- What kind of equipment is required?
-
Not much equipment is needed. The minimal set consists of a PC, Wi-Fi, microphone, and a webcam.
- What is the minimum Wi-Fi speed?
-
To broadcast a quality video, the minimum speed is 1 Mbps. If you don’t need a webcam connection, 512 kbps will be enough.
- What number of attendees will be optimal?
-
As much as possible. However, you should involve your target audience. Other attendees probably will not be relevant.
- Is it worth saving on the functionality of the platform?
-
First, clearly state what functions you need 100%. Maybe you can refuse some of them. Never exclude chat, where people can communicate with you during the event.