How to run a webinar

Why in the world would you run a webinar?

Well, the world has moved on from conference rooms in abundance of any natural light, staring at a speaker or few on stage, to watching, hearing and commenting on content and discussions in front of your laptop, tablet or smartphone! Is this better or worse than "normal", "physical" conferences and seminars? Again, it all depends on how it's done. It could be another death by PowerPoint which you switch off after 3 seconds, or it may just be a good new experience which you can review on-demand as you do with your favourite TV programmes!

Practically you could be anywhere to take part in a webinar. The emphasis here though is on content - there is still a strong belief in the events industry (as in any other) that the best networking is simply done at events which take place somewhere, rather than on the world wide web.

Webinars might work for some events and not for others. For example, in an urgency situation where you quickly need to present and distribute content to an audience which are in need of it, or for a meeting or discussion to connect an audience dispersed geographically - a webinar may just be the best solution.

So, what's it all about and what are the benefits of running a webinar?

A webinar is an inexpensive and accessible solution for a seminar, meeting or a presentation. As webinars are web-based, they give attendees greater comfort and choice as they can access them without the need to commute or even leave their home, office, park... Also keep in mind that webinars can stay on-demand, often for a whole year, which means that your content can be watched over and over again, like other web content portals.

Here are 6 steps you need to cover in order to run a successful webinar from scratch:

Choose a webinar TOPIC your readers will not be able to resist.

People's inboxes these days are full of all sorts of offers and invites. As quite a lot of webinar marketing is done by email (for simplicity purposes, providing a link to register and access the webinar), it makes sense to choose a webinar topic which will stand out. Start by pinpointing your target audience and their problems or needs. Talk about the opportunities they are missing out on or tap into the latest industry trends that interest your target group. Check that it's unique in some way from competition and that it has its appeal - research and test with target audience as you would for an actual physical event.

Pick the right TOOL for your webinar.

As there are many different webinar platforms you could use, when choosing think of your audience, branding customising you will need and the length of time you'll be running webinars for. Some potential webinar platforms which you could look into include: GoToWebinar, ON24, INXPO and BrightTalk. For more information click here .

Recruit expert SPEAKERS and a support team if needed.

If you are not hosting the webinar yourself, look for experts who will help you deliver your topic. The best ways of finding expert speakers could be through your professional and personal contacts, websites, associations, speak bureaus, partnerships and even social sites like LinkedIn  and Twitter . Make sure that the content is researched and planned out in advance and that your speakers are well prepared. We suggest to keep the webinar short (30-45mins max) and snappy to keep the attention. For exact details on how to prepare your speakers and create the best content for your webinar or another event, contact us directly and we'll be happy to give you some guidelines!

Let the world know about your webinar.

Promoting your webinar is crucial for your success. Marketing campaigns for webinars are usually shorter and start later than for a physical event, normally 2-4 weeks, but can be longer if needed. Use news releases, social networks, emails, blogs, Facebook  and Google ads. Make sure you spread the word and get to your wanted target audience.

*tip - "Always, always, always have your webinar available on-demand after the event (and promote that you will do so)." - Marketing TechBlog .

Test, test ,test!

Even experienced speakers need a test run. The fact is that when you bring them to present in a webinar, even some experienced speakers might freeze! They can't see their audience, so it's helpful to do a test run in front of a few people so they can get a good feel for it. Use this test time during the week before the event to ensure a glitch-free experience for every speaker and attendee. Test everything from the internet connection (whether your speakers are doing it remotely or joining you in the same place physically), audio and video settings, to flicking PPT slides and using audience Q & A tools, as well as any other interactive tool you are including.

Don't forget The Follow Up!

Not everyone will be able to attend your webinar so do not forget to make the recording of the webinar available to those who signed up (and do promote that you offer this possibility, as it will increase your participation rate significantly).

Good luck!

For inspiration check out these recent webinars: Digital Advertising Trends , Performance Planning

Slider-image credit: Jim Larrison