Webinars serve a wide range of purposes. Businesses use it to launch new products, increase sales, build expertise, expand their customer base, and even train remote teams. As you offer valuable content through webinars, there’ll be an increase in customer retention, engagement, and even satisfaction.
That’s why it’s not shocking to know that 95% of marketers consider webinars as an essential digital marketing strategy. Recent research from Outgrow backed the effectiveness of webinars as they reported that 20% to 40% of webinar participants turn into qualified leads.
While most may agree that webinars are valuable tools, some might end up not hosting one because they don’t know where to start. And this is true for start-up businesses. But you don’t need to worry because this guide will help you launch your very own webinar in 8 simple steps.
Let’s get right into it.
1. Decide on your webinar topic
The first thing you need to decide on is the topic. The topic should provide value to your target audience. So before picking out one, it is best to do market research first. What would interest your audience most? What is most relevant in our current time?
Remember that the webinar should be customer-centered.
2. Set up the schedules
One thing that stands out with webinars is their ability to reach worldwide audiences. You can promote your brand globally with the least amount of effort and resources. That’s the power of internet marketing for you.
In deciding the schedules, check for common vacant dates and time slots for your diverse participants. How long will the webinar last? Are you considering doing it by series? Are you consistently available or are your webinars available on a consistent basis for new customers to know how to reliably get in contact with you?
No matter how good the content is, participants may drop off if you take too much time. Most webinars only take an hour. This will provide enough time for the introductions, presentations, and Q and A.
With Event Smart, you can add multiple webinars at the same time. You can then set different registration options for each one of them and accept payments. Furthermore, the event calendar powered by Event Smart will show both upcoming and past webinars to keep participants up to date.
3. Create your webinar content
Though most businesses utilize webinars purely for branding and boosting their revenues, webinars are a great avenue to provide valuable information in your area of expertise. By doing so, you establish your brand’s integrity and authority.
Equally important to valuable webinar content is an attractive and comprehensive presentation. Make your presentation more interesting by adding videos, photos, charts, and graphs. Purchasing a pre-made template will save you a great deal of time. You just need to add the main points and you’re ready to go.
4. Do a dry run
Though virtual events cut off the use of traditional equipment like physical venues and sound services, they may require special materials. Virtual events still need thorough preparation, especially on the technical part.
Since you only interact virtually, your video and audio outputs play a major role. The poor audio-visual output will lose the interest of your participants. Invest in good-quality microphones, cameras, and webinar platforms. There are many platforms to choose from. One of the most famous picks is Zoom and Youtube Live. Another thing that you shouldn’t forget is to make sure that you have a strong and stable internet connection.
In order to check that everything is running smoothly, do a test run. Make sure that presentations [PowerPoint, videos, other supplementary materials] are working. Check the microphones, cameras, and internet connection. This is even a perfect time to allow your speakers to be comfortable with the setup.
5. Advertise, promote and invite
Utilize your marketing channels (emails, social media, advertising, newsletters, partnerships, etc.). Promote your webinar as early as possible. Send personal invitations through emails or DMs. Build anticipation. If you’re inviting a guest speaker, maximize your advertising strategies by targeting your speaker’s audience.
Get the word out on your social media platforms. Blog posts and LinkedIn are also great avenues for promotion.
6. Set up a registration system and ticketing process
Most webinars are paid. That’s why you need to have an efficient event registration tool like Event Smart. Event Smart will handle the webinar registration, email process and payment collection for you. You can proceed with your live stream with ease. This is applicable even for free webinars.
Event Smart can cater to your registrants no matter where they are on the globe and whatever currency. Participants can register from different time zones. Offer discounts with our promo code functionality. Receive secure credit card payments through PayPal, Stripe, or another supported service. Event Smart makes it easy for you so that you can focus on more important things.
7. Launch your webinar
Prior to the scheduled webinar, be sure to send out reminder emails with links to access the webinar. Event Smart enables you to customize your emails [confirmation, reminders, follow-up] with webinar links and passwords in the confirmation emails.
During the webinar, think of ways to improve event engagement with the attendees. Encourage them to use the live chats for interaction and for possible questions. Make them feel involved. Let attendees know that they’re important and that they’re an integral part of the webinar.
And one more thing — don’t forget to record all the sessions.
8. Follow up and send recorded videos
Continue to engage with your audience. Creating polls is one method you can use to maximize participant engagement. You can also use this for customer evaluation.
Deliver recorded videos to those who missed a session. And inform your audience of any upcoming events. It’s never too early to promote. And last but not the least, congratulate yourself and all the contributors who made the event successful. You did a great job!
The Future of Webinar Hosting
The future of webinar hosting will see significant technological advancements as well as a greater emphasis on engagement and personalization. Here are some potential future trends and developments to keep your eye on as an event specialist, in the coming years:
- Webinar hosting powered by artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies will play a significant role in hosting a webinar in the future. AI will help automate and streamline many aspects of the hosting process, such as scheduling, content creation, and post-webinar analysis.
- Cloud-based hosting
Cloud-based webinar hosting will become more popular, allowing for greater scalability, flexibility, and cost savings. It will also make managing your webinar and sharing its content across devices and platforms easier.
- Virtual event platforms
Virtual event platforms are becoming more popular, and they will likely be integrated with webinar hosting in the future. These platforms will allow for more advanced features such as virtual booths, networking opportunities, and live streaming. Hence, as an event planner, you should have a wide knowledge of this webinar software and platforms.
- Hybrid events
Hybrid events that combine in-person and virtual attendance will become more common in the future. This will allow for a more diverse audience and greater reach, as attendees can participate from anywhere in the world.
- Interactive and personalized experiences
Hosting a webinar and hosting an event in the future will focus more on interactivity and personalization. This includes features like live polls, Q&A sessions, and content tailored to potential customers’ and attendees’ interests and needs.
- Improved analytics and reporting
Advanced analytics and reporting tools will become more widely available, allowing a webinar host to gain a deeper understanding of attendee behavior, engagement, and conversion rates. This information will be used to improve future webinars and marketing strategies.
Overall, the future of webinar hosting is exciting, and we can expect to see continued innovation and technological advancements that will make webinars and hosting a webinar more engaging, interactive, and personalized.
Do’s and Don’ts of Hosting Webinars
Webinars can be a powerful tool for expanding your audience, increasing brand recognition, and generating leads. Here are some important dos and don’ts to remember in order to be an effective webinar host:
Do’s:
- Begin planning your webinar well in advance so that you have enough time to prepare for your webinar content, select an appropriate webinar software and platform, and promote it to your target audience.
- Pick the right subject that will resonate with your audience and provide value to them. Make sure the information is interesting, informative, and relevant.
- When planning your webinar and any online event, avoid scheduling them during holidays or important events. And on the day of the webinar, start the webinar 2 minutes before the scheduled time to allow time for everyone to settle. And begin with a cheerful and approachable demeanor.
- Alot time for polls and surveys, or inviting panelists for better interaction and audience engagement during the QA session.
- Follow up with your audience member after the webinar by providing additional resources, answering any remaining questions, thanking them for attending, and collecting feedback to improve your future webinars. Use a catchy yet strong call to action that tells your audience what to do next.
Don’ts:
- Don’t be too promotional: While webinars can be an effective marketing tool, you should avoid making your presentation too sales-oriented. Rather than pushing products or services, focus on providing value and building trust with your audience.
- Don’t speak too fast: Speaking too quickly can make it difficult for your audience to follow your presentation. Make an effort to speak clearly and at a reasonable speed.
- Don’t go off-topic: Stay on topic during your webinar and avoid going off on tangents or discussing unrelated issues. Attendees may become confused and frustrated as a result of this.
- Don’t go over time: Respect your attendees’ time by keeping your webinar to its scheduled duration. Going over time may cause attendees to leave early or become disengaged.
- Don’t use too much text or too many images on your slides: Avoid using too much text or too many images on your slides. Maintain a simple and easy-to-read style.
Practical and Technological Tips To Effectively Host A Great Webinar
Effectively host a webinar that engages and educates your webinar attendee by following these practical and technological tips.
Practical Tips:
- Developed a focused and engaging webinar presentation based on the webinar topic.
- Keep the online event brief (60 minutes at most) and interesting (use captivating images, narratives, and anecdotes)
- Prepare a script and practice to ensure a smooth and polished delivery of your webinar presentation.
- Record your webinar practice to scrutinize for improvement
- Make your webinar more interactive and engaging and less talking.
- Maintain relationships with your audience by sending a thank-you email and relevant resources to attendees after the webinar.
Tips for Using Technology:
- Select a dependable and user-friendly webinar platform that suits your needs. And a webinar format that aligns with your webinar topic.
- Check the functionality of your webinar tool and equipment, including your microphone, camera, and internet connection. Test the webinar link if they are indeed working
- Keep your audience engaged by using high-quality visuals such as slides and videos.
- Make a shareable webinar recording to share with attendees who were unable to attend the live webinar and to use as a reference in the future or as on-demand content.
- Use analytics tools to track webinar attendance, engagement, and other key metrics to enhance your future webinar event, online event, or live event.
- Have a backup plan in case of technical issues, such as an alternative platform or phone backup.
Free to Use Webinar Platforms You Can Use for an Effective Webinar Presentation
There are several options available for free webinar platforms that you can use for your webinar presentation. Here are a few ideas:
YouTube Live
YouTube Live allows you to broadcast live video content to your audience, making it a great option for delivering webinars. You can also use it to record and share your webinars as on-demand content in the future.
Facebook Live
Similar to YouTube Live, Facebook Live, allows you to broadcast live video content to your audience, making it an excellent choice for delivering webinars to your Facebook followers.
Jitsi
Jitsi is a free, open-source video conferencing platform that can accommodate up to 75 participants and has no time limit. It includes features like screen sharing, recording, and chatting.
Conditional Payment Schemes
Conditional payment schemes typically offer additional features or increased capacity in exchange for the customer subscribing to a paid plan, with the payment conditional on the customer meeting the software provider’s specific criteria or conditions. The following is a summary of the conditional payment methods for each platform:
Google Meet
Google Meet is a free video-conferencing platform that can accommodate up to 100 people and includes features like screen sharing, recording, and chatting. It works with other Google tools like Google Drive and Google Calendar, making it easy to share your webinar content and schedule webinars.
For a monthly cost, Google Meet provides a premium subscription with extra capabilities such as expanded meeting time, recording, and live streaming. The payment is contingent on the consumer enrolling in the premium plan.
Cisco Webex
Cisco Webex has a free plan that allows for up to 100 participants and 50 minutes per session. It has features like screen sharing, recording, and chatting.
Cisco Webex has a number of premium options that provide features like higher participant capacity, extended meeting duration, and sophisticated security and analytics capabilities. The payment is contingent on the consumer enrolling in the premium plan.
Zoom
Zoom offers a free plan that allows up to 100 participants for up to 40 minutes per session. It includes features such as screen sharing, recording, and chat, making it an excellent choice for short webinars focused on specific content.
Zoom has subscription plans that include extra capabilities including larger participant capacity, extended meeting duration, recording, and webinar functionality. The payment is contingent on the consumer enrolling in the premium plan.
Livestorm
The free plan from Livestorm allows for sessions lasting up to 20 minutes and up to 10 participants. It is a fantastic choice for interactive webinars because it has features like screen sharing, polls, and Q&A.
Livestorm has a number of premium options that include features like greater participant capacity, extended meeting duration, recording, and analytics tools. The payment is contingent on the consumer enrolling in the premium plan.
StreamYard
StreamYard offers a free plan with a monthly streaming cap of 20 hours and a maximum of 6 users. It provides social media platforms with functions like screen sharing, branding customization, and multi-streaming.
StreamYard has subscription options that include extra services such as expanded streaming hours, recording, and branding customization. The payment is contingent on the consumer enrolling in the premium plan.
Skype
Skype offers a free plan that allows up to 50 participants for up to 4 hours per session. It makes a great choice for brief webinars that are focused on specific webinar content because it has features like screen sharing, recording, and chat.
Skype is included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions, which provide capabilities like screen sharing, recording, and live streaming. The payment is contingent on the consumer signing up for the Microsoft 365 plan.
Free Trials
Free trials are platforms that allow you to test out the platform’s features and function before committing to a subscription plan. This enables you to determine whether the program satisfies your webinar demands and expectations.
Some platforms may request you to provide your credit card information during the free trial time, and if you do not cancel the trial before it expires, you may automatically be enrolled in a paid plan.
Zoho Meeting
Zoho Meeting is a free webinar platform that provides 40-minute webinars for up to ten participants. It has features like screen sharing, polls, and Q&A. You can upgrade to a paid plan for longer webinars and more participants.
Zoho Meeting provides a 14-day free trial of its product. During the trial time, customers get access to all of the platform’s capabilities, including the ability to hold meetings, webinars, and remote support sessions. Users are urged to subscribe to a premium plan once the trial time expires in order to continue using the program.
WebinarJam
WebinarJam offers a free 14-day trial that includes webinars with up to 500 participants. Polls, chat, and analytics are among the features available. For longer webinars and more participants, you can upgrade to a paid plan.
WebinarJam offers a 14-day free trial that grants customers complete access to the platform’s functionality, such as holding live webinars, generating landing pages, and accessing analytics tools. Users are urged to subscribe to a premium plan once the trial time expires in order to continue using the program.
BigMarker
BigMarker offers a free plan that includes webinars for up to 1 hour with up to 100 participants. It has features like screen sharing, polls, and chat. For longer webinars and more participants, you can upgrade to a paid plan.
BigMarker provides a 14-day free trial of their platform, which includes access to all software capabilities such as holding live webinars, generating landing pages, and accessing analytics tools. Users are urged to subscribe to a premium plan once the trial time expires in order to continue using the program.
When selecting a free webinar platform for content marketing, consider your prospective attendee size, the type of content you’ll be presenting, and the features you require. It is also critical to test the platform prior to the webinar to ensure that it works properly and meets your requirements.
Launch Your Webinar Today!
We want to make it easier for you to launch a successful webinar. What we have presented here are just basic steps for launching your webinar. You can do so much more with an effective tool in place. Event Smart has helped host numerous webinars and online conferences. Here is what a customer said about using Event Smart for her webinars:
“Event Smart helped me collect registrations for my monthly virtual sessions. My attendees could quickly register and come together through Zoom from the safety of their homes.”
Use Event Smart to quickly sell registrations so you can create a memorable and impactful webinar. Start your free trial now.
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