Are you wondering ‘what is a webinar’? If so, you’ve come to the right place. A webinar is essentially a seminar which takes place online but doesn’t have a physical audience unlike a webcast. Webinars go by many other names, and they are often referred to as virtual events, online seminars, web lectures and more.
What are the main benefits of hosting a webinar?
There are many advantages attached to organising a webinar. Those who arrange webinars get the opportunity to reach a much larger audience than they normally would, and you can attract viewers from all around the world. You can also interact with your audience during a webinar, run Q+A sessions and carry out product demonstrations. The webinar market has been seeing considerable growth recently as more and more people experience the benefits of exploring it. Webinars allow you to inform, educate and entertain an enthusiastic audience of viewers from a whole host of territories.
Are you looking for a page which have answer to all the questions you might have? We have gathered all the best practices to host a successful webinar here.
How long does a webinar need to be?
A webinar can be as long or as short as you need it to be. Unlike some communication trends, there is an increasing appetite for longer webinar content, with average viewing times standing at about 56 minutes. This implies that around an hour is a suitable length for a webinar if you don’t want your audience to become bored or restless.
Learn more about your target group
Interacting with your target group in a webinar is a great way to find out what kind of content makes them tick so you can fine-tune your offerings towards their needs over time. Ask any questions that you feel might deliver useful answers that will help you improve your webinars in future. It’s important to carry out a spot of SEO and web marketing work so your audience can find out about your webinar. An SEO company or web marketing agency can help you make your content visible on search platforms such as Google. It’s also a good idea to ensure your webinar can be viewed on-demand after the initial broadcast is finished. Not everyone will be around to watch your webinar when it is broadcast live, but by making it available on-demand you can reach a bigger audience and ensure nobody needs to miss out.
What kinds of interaction can I include in my webinar?
A typical webinar might include Q+A sessions, PowerPoint demonstrations, calls-to-action, polls and casual chats. Try to make your webinar as interactive as possible to make it more enjoyable for your audience. If your viewers source real enjoyment from your webinars and come away feeling they have learnt something, they are more likely to sign up for future webinars.
Cost savings
Webinars remove the need to travel and are therefore great for the environment too. They allow you to reach your target audience without spending a considerable sum of money and ensure viewers can enjoy your content from a familiar environment. Organising a physical event can be very expensive, especially if you need to hire out a venue. Other costs that you can avoid include accommodation, meals and other facilities. Planning a webinar requires much less work than a physical event and gives you more time to focus on creating great content that inspires your audience.
More benefits of webinars
Webinars can help you increase brand loyalty and even attract investment. They give you the chance to build your professional network further and reach a huge audience of people who could become long-term customers. They also allow you to give your brand a ‘face’ and make your company appear more human. It’s also a good idea to include your branding including your logo in your webinar so your audience can become familiar. Creating a stronger brand identity can benefit your reputation substantially. Your webinar can also help you to nurture quality leads and show that you are an expert in your field. This will help you win the trust of your target audience. Providing your audience with useful information is a great way to gain an edge over your competitors.
Win new customers and retain existing ones
Attracting new customers is essential if your business is to become a leading player in its field, but it’s also important to retain existing ones too. Your webinar can help your current customers feel more engaged with your brand and therefore boost loyalty. Customers tend to feel more passionate about brands who interact with them, and your webinar gives you the ideal opportunity to do this. If you’re aiming to build a bigger, stronger and more loyalty community, organising a webinar is a great way to achieve this.
Subtle product promotion
During a webinar, you can promote your products subtly without employing off-putting hard-sell strategies. Many people now regard soft-selling as more effective than the hard sell. Rather than aggressively talking about the benefits of your products, you can discreetly let your audience know why they might solve some the problems they need to overcome.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for new ways to interact with your audience and grow your customer base, a webinar could be the perfect solution. Even if your first webinar isn’t a huge success, you can use what you’ve learned to create a better, more engaging experience next time. A webinar could be the perfect solution if you wish to build more brand loyalty and discreetly push your products without opting for the hard sell.