How To Create A Webinar People Will Attend

We’ve all had that moment while attending a webinar where your mind begins to wander, your eyes gloss over, and you can’t help but ask yourself, “why am I watching this?” It’s a hard truth, but one we must face as we learn to live in a world that involves an increasing amount of online learning and digital interactions. Within this virtual aspect of our social lives and careers, webinars have proven to be a valuable medium for content delivery and audience engagement. However, they have to be done right.

Webinars can introduce an audience to you, your brand, and your services in a way that keeps them connected and form an online community. Now you just have to get them to sign up. Thankfully, theBLOQparq (tBp) happens to know a thing or two about building a brand identity and bringing people together — even if it’s online. Here are some pointers for planning and implementing a webinar people will want to attend.

1. Determine your topic and title

Here is where it all begins. Your topic is a crucial step in the content-building process. You’ll want to choose subject matter that is equal parts relevancy and intrigue. A stellar title should also be a must-have on your webinar checklist. Whatever you choose to name your online event should be attention-grabbing and informative; giving the potential attendees an idea of what they can expect to learn.

People want to know what they’re signing up for and are typically on the lookout for something that is valuable, specific, and original. If the service or product your business offers appeals to a niche market, take advantage and hone in on a topic that is unique to that demographic. Depending on the breadth of the subject matter, you may want to consider creating a webinar series.

2. Create an engaging presentation

Before you begin planning the outline for your webinar, you’ll want to keep in mind that the majority of webinars are around 60 minutes. This will provide you with enough time for a brief introduction, the main portion of your presentation, and a wrap-up. If you feel that engaging your audience on a more regular basis will have a greater impact, then hosting shorter, more frequent webinars would be a better strategy.

No matter how long the webinars are or how often you produce them, incorporating videos and visual aids is crucial. This will keep people interested and help to make the content you are presenting more digestible for the audience. Don’t be afraid to incorporate fun things like trivia questions and humorous analogies. Another way to make your webinar more engaging is to incorporate a live panel discussion or Q&A session. If you are able to have guest speakers who are respected experts in your industry, the draw for people to sign up (and show up) for your webinar will be that much greater. People value information that is…you guessed it: valuable.

3. Bring it all together

Once you know what the content of your webinar will be, it’s crucial to have an organized plan in place. Create an outline of the presentation. Make sure it flows and tells a coherent and interesting story. If you are having an emcee or guest speakers, confirm their attendance and the details of their role within the webinar. It is also critical that you practice your presentation beforehand to help you become familiar with the technological aspect, the timing, and the delivery.

You want to be engaging, speak with a deliberate pace, and use natural inflections to avoid the monotonous tone that we are all prone to when nerves get the best of us. Be sure to inject a little humor when possible and be open to asides and improvised interactions. Remember, you are putting on a show. In addition to being educational it must be entertaining. Keeping all of this in mind will help to avoid any unwanted hiccups during the LIVE webinar presentation to go smoothly.

4. Remember to market and promote

People won’t attend a webinar if they don’t know it exists. You need to do a good job of getting the word out and making others aware of all the great information they’ll miss out on if they don’t sign up to attend (or receive the recorded version) of your webinar. Be sure to market on multiple social media platforms and to capture their email by requiring it to save their spot/receive a recording if they are unable to attend the live event.

It is recommended that you start the marketing push around two weeks in advance and continue to send reminders as the event date gets closer. Without being overly pushy, you want to build on the excitement and anticipation while ensuring they mark their calendars and show up the day of the webinar.

Bonus Tip! If you want to truly level up the publicizing of your webinar, offer small incentives to your invitees for sharing your event on their social media platforms. It provides a perfect organic boost to your brand mentions and significantly increases your online visibility and attendance.

With a bit of hard work and a lot of practice, you can create and produce interactive, exciting webinars that keep audiences engaged with your brand. Putting yourself out there can feel daunting, but tBp believes every entrepreneur has something of value to share. And as a creative hub for entrepreneurs, we can’t wait to support you on your journey.