Webinars are a great way to engage with customers, clients, and stakeholders alike. They are an interactive forum to help educate and inform your audience whilst also getting the chance to show off your expertise as an organisation.
In a world where we are all spending more and more time online, webinars have become one of the most popular marketing strategies and now more communications teams are using them to promote their products, services or communicate important company messages to key stakeholders.
The problem facing webinar hosts is that we are all so busy. We have all probably attended webinars ourselves in the past and before you know it, you’re checking your phone, emails or clicking on social media points trying to listen in on the key points in the sessions. We all also tend to skim content and just try and pick up the main points.
Sometimes, there are just too many distractions. So how can you make sure that your webinar gets people’s attention?
Choose the right day and time
Once you know who you want to attend your webinar find the time that is most convenient to them to dial in. Check your Google Analytics, CMS system and social media channels to find out the best time and day that works for your audience. You will be able to see when they consumer your content most often and work to that schedule.
Promote your webinar in advance
Build up anticipation in advance. Making sure your audience knows they will receive something of value from attending your webinar is paramount. It can be difficult to generate engagement with the right audience and this is often where an agency can support and become an extension of your team. Start by setting up a landing page to drive traffic and sign ups, roll out an impactful social media strategy with teasers and snippets so your audience know what to expect. You could also send out or set up a poll or ask for attendees to send in their questions in advance.
Have one primary presenter
Webinars can take different formats, from individual presentations, forum discussions to panel Q&As. Whatever your format, it is best to ensure you have one primary presenter that can help bring all the elements of your content together.
To keep things organised and on point, and most importantly avoid any technical errors follow these easy steps:
- Welcome attendees and speakers to the session.
- Introduce and outline the agenda.
- Let viewers know when they can ask questions and interact with the speakers.
- Control the slides to avoid having to pass around to too many people.
Practice, practice, practice
Be prepared yet conversational. You haven’t put all the hard work in to get people to dial in to forget your lines now!
Ensure you keep your audience engaged throughout the session with confident delivery and remaining animated at the same time. Try not to go off subject and practice your points beforehand. It can be handy to run it through with colleagues ahead of the live session if you have a chance, or on your evening walk to yourself if not.
Find that happy medium between a professional presentation that you are clearly prepared for, while allowing your personality to shine through as well.
Follow up with attendees
The webinar was a hit, all your delegates attended and there were no technical hitches. The hard work is not over yet! Focusing on a conversion or follow up strategy is just as important. Think about what you want your attendees to do now they have joined your webinar? What is the call to action and how can you keep this group of prospects engaged? Working on a robust lead generation strategy is an important step in your communications strategy and can make the difference between the sessions being a hit or miss.
Share highlights on your channels
Remember, a picture can say a thousand words. If you use text, it should be short and to the point. These visual aids can be used as teasers ahead of the session as well as follow up content to focus on highlights and learnings in the session. They can be visual reminders of the value the session was for those who did attend.
If you’re looking to launch a webinar series or would like some support in promoting your content across your social channels, speak to a member of our team today. With a proven track record of driving impactful results for our clients we’d love to discuss how we can support you.
To read about the webinar series we launched for Inivos click here.
