It's been a while since the COVID-19 pandemic forced many organizations and businesses to move their operations online. Webinars can still be a powerful tool for connecting with customers, colleagues, or other stakeholders in a virtual environment – yet, you might want to tweak your strategy a little to make sure your webinars will be as engaging and effective as possible. In today's blog post, you'll learn how to create a webinar that fits your needs and keep your audience engaged.
How to create webinars that deliver results – in a nutshell
Your target audience should be the primary factor to consider when creating a webinar, as it will help you determine what topics, content, and format are best suited for your event. After that, you need to think about duration – people can only remain attentive for so long before they start losing focus. It is therefore crucial to keep the webinar length within reasonable limits, to ensure you don’t exhaust your audience.
The next step is designing the agenda and content. Keep in mind that webinar is an interactive medium, so a good idea would be to create opportunities for discussion, as well as polls and quizzes throughout the session. Additionally, presentation slides should feature high-quality visuals and interesting graphics, rather than long blocks of text.
Finally, don’t forget to promote the event ahead of time – and also afterwards, as this is when you should collect feedback from participants in order to measure success.
Webinar creation tips & tricks for 2023
#1 Choose the right webinar format
Webinars formats can vary significantly, depending on the audience and objectives. Generally speaking, you should go with a format that allows you to reach your goals in an organized way while providing maximum engagement opportunities. For instance, if you need to deliver instructional information, then a presentation-style webinar format might be best. On the other hand, if the purpose is to encourage conversation and collaboration, then a more interactive webinar format like Q&A would work well.
#2 Pick the best webinar software
There are some free webinar tools, but with a webinar platform, you might be able to take advantage of features such as better security, live chat, and enhanced analytics. Make sure to look for a webinar platform that allows you to customize your webinar with branding elements such as company logos or colors.
Additionally, always double-check the integration possibilities with other tools in case you need to embed polls, surveys or even videos into your webinar. Not each webinar solution integrates with social media platforms, allows you to embed YouTube video, or gives you insights on your audience engaged in your live webinar.
Examining webinar software is a must if you want to make sure your webinar is engaging and effective.
#3 Create a webinar presentation to broadcast
This can be a Powerpoint presentation, a slide presentation, the same presentation you showed before, or single speaker presentations along with presentation materials you've received. But, the most essential thing is to make the presentation exciting and valuable.
Make sure your slide deck has a logical flow, clear structure and visual appeal. Also, don't forget to practice beforehand!
Finally, you might want to look for ways to add interactive elements to your slide deck in order to keep your audience engaged throughout the webinar. For example, single speaker presentations might include questions and polling, while multiperson presentations might include group activities or breakout rooms. Either way, your slide deck should have enough engaging elements to capture the participants’ attention during the entire webinar.
#4 Enable webinar recording
Especially when you add a panel discussion to your webinar, recording enables you to keep track of the conversation and to make sure everything is captured. Plus, it is an excellent way to share the webinar with those webinar attendees who couldn't attend, as well as a great tool for archiving materials.
So make sure that your webinar platform allows you to easily record and download the webinar for later use. For example, if your webinar topic involves panel discussion, your webinar tool should be able to record the audio and video from all participants.
#5 Plan future webinars in advance
Let's say that you just completed a successful webinar. Now it’s time to start planning for the next one! Having a plan, or even a series of webinars, will help you stay organized and feature consistent topics that your audience can grow accustomed to.
Moreover, with advanced preparation, you can focus on optimizing the content and design of your upcoming webinar for maximum engagement. You can also get feedback from your audience after each webinar to make sure you are delivering content that resonates with them.
The game of online marketing is always changing, so it’s important to keep up with the latest trends.
#6 Test webinar content
Webinar formats are just one part of the puzzle. What really matters is the content you are going to show in your webinar, so make sure you test it before launching it live.
Run a few practice sessions with colleagues or friends and see how they react to the presentation, slides and interactive elements. You can also use webinar platform that provides analytics on audience engagement and let you run a practice session before the live webinar.
#7 Pick the right webinar date
If it's your first webinar, you might want to start off with a small webinar around 20 people and scale from there.
Once you have determined the size of your audience, it’s time to pick the right day and time for the webinar. You should always consider the best days and times based on research (e.g. which days/times generate more engagement and click-throughs).
Also, keep in mind that timing is everything. For example, if you are targeting customers in different time zones, it’s important to pick the right date and time for your webinar so everybody can join.
#8 Build a persuasive registration page
Your webinar event page, no matter if it’s the webinar registration page or an event invitation on a landing page, should be persuasive and informative. But with a signup page, you can promote your upcoming webinar like a pro.
That landing page should clearly explain what the webinar is about and why they should attend it. Try to include visuals such as pictures or videos that convey your message in a creative way. Don’t forget to add social proof either – some numbers on how many people have already registered or a testimonial. This works wonder on a landing page!
Your registrations page is a landing page that you will use to encourage people to sign up, so make sure it’s engaging and eye-catching.
Finally, as soon as your registration landing page is ready, you can start to promote your webinar and build anticipation for the event. You can do that by leveraging social media platforms or by sending out emails and newsletters to your existing contacts.
Start promoting your webinar with plenty of lead time, so that you can generate as many signups as possible and ensure a successful event.
#9 Double-check for technical issues
Technical difficulties are something you need to prepare for in advance. Make sure that all the audio and video connections are working correctly before you start, and test your webinar presentation by running it on different devices. Additionally, check if there are any firewalls or other security issues for attendees accessing the webinar from remote locations.
#10 Select a catchy webinar title
Among actionable tips, you should also consider the impact of properly crafted webinar titles. Making sure your webinar title has a catchy and descriptive headline will encourage people to sign up for it. Think about adding numbers, statistics or other elements that could make your webinar more appealing to potential attendees.
Optionally, you can use an AI writing tool to create the perfect title for you. You don’t even have to pay any money if you’re fast. For example, Jasper AI’s trial lasts for 5 days. Such tools therefore aren't only useful for AI script generation, for example.
#11 Experiment with your webinars
2023 is your year! How about you host a webinar that explores a brand-new concept, or even try out an unconventional format? Don’t be afraid to fail. After all, it’s better to experiment and learn from mistakes than to bore your audience with the same old webinars year after year!
You can run your first live event, virtual event, check an interview format, set up a batch of online events, invite a guest speaker (or multiple speakers!), or broadcast your live webinar across social media channels you manage. Add panel discussions with guest speakers, run an online course, merge it with your next webinar. The possibilities are endless, and the more creative you get, the better. You can also refresh main webinar format options, hosting webinars e.g. weekly or monthly.
#12 Plan ahead and keep it simple
The most awesome webinar doesn’t do you any good if it fails to reach your audience. That’s why planning ahead and keeping things simple is key. Don’t overwhelm attendees with too many elements, such as polls, surveys or interactive features - keep the focus on delivering valuable content.
Promote your webinar in a simple yet effective way - use emails, social media posting apps, and other promotional tools to get the word out. You can also share snippets of your webinar content in order to build anticipation among viewers.
#13 Send reminder emails
How many times you signed up for a great webinar, but completely forgot about it? Don’t let your attendees experience this! Send reminder emails ahead of time to make sure they remember the webinar and don’t miss out on its great content.
You can also set up an automated email campaign that will follow up with your registrants throughout the duration of your webinar. Reminder emails should be short, informative, and include the time of your webinar. Such an automated email campaign can massively help you.
#14 Always share valuable knowledge
Most webinars should be focused on providing valuable knowledge to your audience. Think about the topics that would be useful and interesting, and create content that is relevant to them.
Make sure you spend time researching the topic before you start preparing for a webinar. If needed, seek help from experts in this field or people who have previously attended webinar you’ve hosted.
The most important thing is to always share valuable knowledge with your attendees and make sure that you’re providing them with real value.
#15 Add a Q&A session
When to answer questions from attendees during the webinar or wrap up with a Q&A session? Both options are great, but it’s important to keep in mind that some people may be more comfortable asking questions after the webinar has ended.
That’s why adding a Q&A session at the end of your webinar could be a great idea. It will also give you a chance to address any issues that your audience might have and clarify any questions they may have about the content of the webinar.
#16 Don't forget to promote your webinar
Write a blog post, review a webinar service, run paid ads for your online event, post regularly on social media, encourage guest speakers to share some info about your webinar too, leverage personalized outreach... all for promoting your great webinars. To ensure you run a successful webinar, you should invest a lot of energy into promotion.
To maximize the reach and success of your webinar, you should use multiple promotional channels to get the word out. Use different tactics - from email campaigns, affiliate marketing, social media posts and beyond - to create an impactful promotional campaign that will help make your webinar a success.
#17 Be sure to follow up
Your job isn’t finished after the webinar is over. To ensure the success of your webinar, you should always follow up with attendees. You can send a thank-you email or follow up email survey to get feedback from people who attended the webinar and learn how you can improve it in the future. You can also share a recording of the webinar and offer additional resources for those who want to learn more about the topic.
Sending follow up emails after your webinar shows each and every webinar attendee that you value their time and opinion. This will help build trust and loyalty among your audience, which is essential for long-term success.
#18 Ask your audience for feedback
Don’t forget to ask for feedback from your audience. Knowing what your attendees think about the webinar will help you assess its success and make any necessary improvements in the future.
You can send a survey after the webinar asking questions such as: What did they like or dislike about the webinar? What topics would they like to cover in the next webinar? Was there anything they wanted to know more about?
The feedback you receive from your attendees can be used as valuable data points to help you create a webinar that's even better in the future.
Rather than having a single land-point for the feedback you recieve, integrate the survey form to your team inbox so that the entire team can be aware of what went right and what didn’t.
#19 Verify webinar hosting
Imagine that you host a webinar, and, our of nowhere, your panel discussions are disturbed by technical difficulties. To avoid any potential issues that could arise during a webinar, it’s important to verify the hosting and make sure everything is in working order before you start.
If you host a webinar that is likely to be watched by thousands of people, it’s a good idea to test the platform and streaming services before it goes live. This will ensure that your webinar runs smoothly and gives you the chance to troubleshoot any potential issues ahead of time. Choosing a solid webinar tool, you can create a webinar that is reliable, engaging and effective.
Creating an engaging webinar requires a lot of planning, but with the right preparation, you can create a webinar that is successful and enjoyable for your attendees.
#20 Analyze your performance
Even if you run your first webinar for a small audience, you should track your performance. It’s important to measure the success of your webinar and use analytics to analyze it.
You can track metrics such as number of attendees, average watch time, audience engagement, retention rate, etc. Analyzing this data will help you identify areas for improvement and determine what changes should be made in order to make future webinar way better.
You might want to see some data in Google Analytics, but most webinars tools offer detailed analytics tools that can help you track your progress and make improvements for future webinar.
#21 Make it consistent with your online business
If it's your first webinar, you should keep it consistent with your online business. Make sure that the content of the webinar, its style, and topics align with all other aspects of your online presence - from website through SEO tools to emails to social media posts.
Consistency is key for building trust with your audience, so make sure that you keep the same brand voice throughout the webinar. Even if you make your webinar for a small audience first, they should be fully aware that they are attending an event that is a part of your business.
Start creating your effective webinar today
Want to run an amazing webinar but don't know where to begin? Just about to run your first webinar? Or, your first webinar was ages ago?
With the webinar tips we’ve shared in this article, you’ll be well on your way to creating an engaging and effective webinar. Just remember to plan ahead, promote your webinar, share knowledge, and follow up with attendees afterward. Good luck!