Companies use webinar or web seminars to train their employees, training offered as payment for professional development or impart free to acquire and retain customers. One of the advantages of these online events is that they are profitable and require few resources . However, to create a professional and effective webinar , there are a few things to keep in mind. Here we summarize the most important tips that you should consider when creating a webinar ..
The webinars have a pedagogical approach , so they are mainly used in the field of education and continuous training and in the internal training of employees. Many companies also incorporate webinars , as well as blog articles on a specific topic, into their content marketing strategy and use them as an inbound marketing tool. We will tell you how to achieve with webinars the classic marketing goals using three specific examples:
The decision to offer a free or paid webinar should be based on previously established goals.
Before creating a webinar , you need to decide if you will broadcast it live or record it to make it available later . Recorded webinars are easier to scale and can, at least to some extent, have a 'live' character. However, this format does not allow interaction with the public. Here we summarize the advantages and disadvantages of both formats ..
By broadcasting in real time, you can take advantage of its interactive nature . With the right webinar tools, you will actively engage viewers through live chats, questions, discussions, polls, or small quizzes. In addition, with your presence you will give the event a personal character and you will be able to establish a closer relationship with the public.
The difficulty of broadcasting it live is controlling the time, since the participation of the public is difficult to calculate in advance. Therefore, when creating the webinar , you should allow enough time for the interactive sections ..
The webinars prints are easier to scale due to automation and independence of time . Therefore, this format is especially recommended for paid seminars . If a participant has paid for your offer, access to the webinar is activated fully automatically.
It is not necessary to expressly say that the webinar is recorded. However, be careful not to give the wrong impression and not to claim that the webinar is live unless it is actually the case.
The purpose of the webinar is to share knowledge and useful information . For this to be the case, it is necessary to thoroughly research, prepare and structure the contents . Answer the following questions to create an engaging and easy-to-follow webinar for your audience.
Save time and resources with content recycling : reuse existing content from e-books, blogs or other types of content and create a webinar with them.
Determine in advance which audience you want to reach with your course. Define a problem that that group has to deal with often that you want to solve and discuss during the webinar . After defining the target audience for the workshop, it is important to decide how you are going to communicate it to attract the interest of the potential audience. You will find more information in the section:? How can I promote my webinar ?
Define a goal you want to achieve with your webinar and answer the question of what the webinar is for you. Usually the main objective is to impart knowledge . If you create your webinar with marketing purposes , some of the possible targets are generating leads, conversions and customer retention.
Tailor the webinar theme to your personal goal and target audience and not the other way around. When developing a topic, take into account the knowledge level of the participants and, if possible, provide additional materials such as graphics, checklists or posters.
Offers additional resources for download . This will strengthen the relationship with the audience and increase the chances that they will use your materials after the webinar.
Are you going to broadcast the webinar live or record it in advance ? Based on this decision, select a suitable webinar platform . It's also worth recording a live webinar . This will give you the option of offering it later as a webinar on demand.
To create a webinar , you will need specialized software , a stable internet connection, with a bandwidth of at least 16 MB per second, and appropriate hardware . Although most computers and laptops have a built-in microphone, a set of headphones can reduce background noise and improve recording quality. If you use a camera or a webcam , you will strengthen the personal relationship with the participants. If the webinar is going to be paid or if you value a professional appearance, it is worth investing in lighting and decoration .
Businesses use webinar tools to collaborate from anywhere . The IONOS G Suite was developed precisely for this purpose, with which you will always be connected with your colleagues and can process documents and emails in real time.
The most important thing to remember is that webinars are not subject to a fixed structure. In this way, you must adapt the structure of your webinar to your personal preferences and, above all, take into account the objective you have defined . In general, the easier the presentation structure is to follow, the better the audience will be able to absorb the content.
Before beginning the presentation, you should welcome the audience and briefly summarize the structure of the course. Clearly communicate the added value your audience will gain from participating. Introduce yourself and position yourself as an expert in the field.
After the presentation and introduction, the actual content will begin. Here are some proven ways to structure a webinar, but feel free to mix and match to your liking .
You do a presentation on the topic of the webinar . Afterward, the audience has the opportunity to ask questions or discuss the issue.
In this form of webinar, you alternate several times between the presentation and the discussion . This structure allows the audience to respond quickly to a section of the presentation when it comes to complex topics.
With this structure, presentation is not necessary. Instead, you work on the content in collaboration with the audience .
During the webinar , the audience can ask you or an expert on a certain topic questions.
At the end of the webinar , take the opportunity to present your product or service and let the audience ask questions .
Take advantage of existing marketing channels to promote your session or explore new ways to reach audiences. In the following sections, we introduce you to four popular webinar marketing channels .
Let your newsletter subscribers know that you have hosted a webinar or use the webinar specifically to increase subscriber numbers and reach. To do this, you must ensure that each participant registers with you using their email address.
Send registered participants an email as a reminder one day before the event to avoid short-term cancellations.
Promote the webinar on your website and create one or more landing pages. Also use a pop-up element to draw attention to the webinar . If you have a blog, use it to promote it too.
Use popular social networks , such as Facebook, Instagram, Xing, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Google Business, and create an ad about the webinar as well as an event . From there you can link directly to your landing page for the webinar .
Place ads with Google Ads as well as on other websites or promote your webinar through press announcements. Collaborations, sponsors and partnerships also increase reach significantly.
Offers a free webinar to draw attention to advanced and paid courses.
Now you know how to create a webinar and what you need for it. Here are more tips to help you create a successful webinar .
Familiarize yourself with the software first to quickly avoid or resolve problems during the presentation.
In live courses, responding in chat to participants' questions that arise in parallel with the presentation is often challenging. It's best to share your assignments with a partner who answers the questions or compiles them to send to you. When choosing a webinar tool , make sure it allows multiple moderators.
Make sure you feel comfortable in your workplace and during the seminar. Remember that your participants will also see and hear your surroundings . So check for background noise or distracting visuals.
Turn off all unnecessary notifications and programs on your computer to avoid annoying interruptions. If you are planning to screencast, you should hide all personal items on the desktop.
When you announce the webinar , always indicate all the relevant data for the interested parties. This includes the time and date of the broadcast, the length of the webinar, and the options to register.
The webinar payment are an obstacle for new customers. With free content, you will earn the trust of the public and have the opportunity to promote paid services . However, even on free webinars , it is wise to make life as easy as possible for potential participants.
Offer additional incentives to attract new customers to paid webinars .