What is a webinar the word webinar

Webinar, webinar software, live webinar, web seminar, virtual event, video conferencing… You’ve definitely come across these words before in your life. But since clicked on this article and got here, you probably want to find out what all these words actually mean and how all of this works.

Well, if that’s the case, you couldn’t end up at a better address.

Nowadays, webinars play a significant role in businesses as they often work as lead magnets, brand loyalty enhancers and awesome profit drivers. They can allow you to stay connected with your customers, launch a product in a creative way or even conduct paid online courses from the comfort of your house.

If this sounds like something interesting for yourself or your company, it’s probably high time that you learned a little bit more about the magic of webinars — all so that you can jump on the train as soon as possible too!

In this article, we’ll talk about everything webinar and webinar software-related. It’s time for you to relax, sit back and get ready for an awesome dose of insightful knowledge!

What is a webinar?

A webinar is an interactive, visually stimulating, engaging, and rich in data experience. It can be seen as an online presentation or seminar that provides both hosts and webinar attendees, also called webinar participants, with information in a way that is exciting, engaging and convenient. The word ‘webinar’ itself is a rather loose term and can also be understood as an online seminar, a virtual event, video conferences, multimedia online content and more.

Such online events, whether live or pre-recorded, have a high potential to create human connections on and about a significant subject, regardless of the location of the parties involved. They are also excellent for sharing knowledge, showcasing video presentations, screen sharing updates and ideas, conducting training sessions and providing other, various sorts of content — whether business-related or not.

And the best thing? It all can be done in the form of a completely virtual event — from the comfort of your house.

Webinars have immense potential in the digitized world we live in today, which is still undervalued by many people. You don’t have to make this mistake though and you can start enjoying the perks stemming from online webinars today.

They can be used for different purposes and in all sorts of industries. In fact, there are no limits. Whether it’s e-Learning, business meetings, lectures, conferences, online training and counseling, building relationships, building brands or demonstrating how a product works — a live webinar will make your job easier, more engaging and much more scalable in the long run.

The list of purposes is pretty much endless.

Essentially, most webinars allow you to hold interactions or presentations with the lack of necessity to meet your target audience physically being one of the core fundamentals and benefits. That’s, of course, not everything. To find out more about webinars, keep reading. Things are about to get more interesting!

How does a webinar work?

In this part of the article, we’ll tell you a little bit more about how, in fact, webinars work. At first sight, the process may seem quite complicated and challenging to manage on your own. But don’t you worry, it’s actually much easier than it seems and we’re sure you will be able to master your webinar skills in no time.

Add to it a great and reliable webinar software to operate on and you won’t have even think about any potential competitors — you’ll be simply the best!

#1 Find a reliable webinar solution

If you want to host a webinar yourself, the very first thing that you have to do is to schedule a proper webinar event.

Before you get there, though, there’s something else you need to take care of! Ideally, you should start with finding your one and only, the very best webinar software. The process of searching can be long and daunting, but it’s definitely worth it.

Things to consider when picking your favorite webinar software include aspects like pricing, the variety of features, possible integrations, voice and video quality, and of course customer reviews — to name a few.

Once you’ve done some research and said yes to that one webinar software provider, it’s the right time to get down to business!

#2 Schedule your webinar

Start with creating an account on your webinar platform of your choice, such as LiveWebinar — a highly recommended webinar software — and use the webinar software dashboard to set the event’s date, time and duration. We’ll cover more on this later on in the article.

Depending on the platform you choose, your audience can attend webinars in at least two ways.

The first way is joining by downloading a small application when they register for one of your webinars. The second way is considered easier and more direct and involves inviting participants to join your online seminar via a link that is sent to their email — days or sometimes even weeks before the webinar begins (that’s totally customizable and up to you, of course).

#3 Master your webinar content plan

When this is ready and set, the very next step is probably the biggest and most challenging one: creating the right webinar content for your participants. They need to see the benefit of joining and dedicating their precious time to your webinars in the first place.

How to convince them you’re not only worth their time but that they will also be eager to come back? We know the secret!

Your content must be relevant, fun and engaging to your target market — whether it’s the live audience or just people dedicating their time to your evergreen, on-demand webinars.

Some factors and aspects to take into consideration when preparing your perfect plan to absolutely nail your live webinars, as well as those pre-recorded ones include:

• staying focused on what your participants will expect to hear from you and then delivering it

• aiming to provide valuable content that is unique from the competitors, at the same time providing your participants with something they won’t get anywhere else

• looking out for fun and engaging features to implement to your webinars, like polls, surveys, open chat boxes and Call To Actions buttons (linking to your website or newsletter signup forms, for example)

• considering reaching out for help from other, experienced with webinars individuals to ensure maximum satisfaction and no issues before, during and after the webinar — note: a good and reliable webinar software provider will offer extra help, guidelines and ongoing technical support — do look out for it!

• making sure the webinar is well promoted, using appropriate webinar marketing strategies, for example, invite e-mails, social media announcements and maybe even some offline marketing like word of mouth, flyers and radio

• thinking of letting your audience steer the wheels for a little bit and allowing them to submit questions they would like you to answer during your live webinar, give some video content wishes or suggest some cool live streaming opportunities — such tips are usually free, come straight from the people you aim to impress the most and, the best thing, in the long can help you a lot with building a strong and loyal webinar attendee list.

You should also try to think about what your goal with your webinars actually is. Are those educational webinars? Maybe some other type? Do you wish to earn money with your webinars, or are you just planning on doing them for fun?

Well, no matter the goal, whether you’re focused on lead generation, attracting potential customers, or simply sharing your affiliate marketing knowledge with a wider audience, you need to plan in advance. Now, we can’t stress enough how important it is to plan your webinars way ahead. Benjamin Franklin didn’t say ‘failing to prepare is preparing to fail’ for no reason, after all.

Make sure you keep this in mind!

#4 Time for launch!

After you have done mastered and planned your perfect webinar content plan, it’s time to finally share everything you’ve put together (with hard work we hope) and host your webinar in front of tens, hundreds or maybe even thousands of attendees!

Now, you may be thinking ‘how do I make my webinars effective and my webinar attendees satisfied and, most importantly, willing to come back?’. Well, everything depends on how you deliver your content.

Probably one of the most important aspects is ensuring that you launch your webinar at the right time as long as it’s live, and add it to your digital marketing dashboard so you can easily track results. The last thing you want to do is have your webinar at a time when your audience is busy. After all, your goal is to attract as many people as possible, so you absolutely must find out the best time to get your attendees’ time. For some more insightful guidance on the perfect time for your webinars and more, make sure you check this article out.

Another important aspect, next to the right timing, is communication. During live webinars, communication is all about you (the host) talking to your webinar attendees while sitting in front of a computer, a tablet, or even a smartphone if you wish.

To make that communication smooth, interesting and engaging, you’re going to have to use so-called interactive tools. Keep reading to find out how helpful they can be in ensuring that there are no better webinars than yours!

The magic of interactive tools

The magic of interactive tools is often undervalued. Interactive tools are tools such as polls, tests, whiteboards, Call To Action buttons, multimedia content and breakout rooms that are used to show visual media to your participants before, during or after your webinar — all of that in a highly interesting and engaging manner.

The participants of the webinar watch, listen and communicate via chats or discussions on the forum. Attendees are also allowed to speak when necessary by expressing their interest to do so by raising their hands — of course, virtually, as opposed to a traditional meeting.

As always, there might be some distractions as the presentation is happening, but a good moderator will be able to handle them for you quickly and effectively.

You can also give your attendees a chance to exchange questions and answers between them at the end of the webinar. Another cool feature to consider implementing is using recordings of your webinar events so that they’re available to participants who could not attend the event at a given time.

Using all of these engagement features has multiple benefits.

First of all, you become more than a video with some voice attached to it. You give people a chance to have fun with your content and engage with it on a deeper level, at the same time portraying yourself as a valuable and interesting source of information in your audience’s minds.

Second of all, given your audience is happy with the tool, they’ll be more convinced to come back to your future webinars and maybe even generate leads for you that, in the future, will turn into new customers. When new users see that you offer various interesting features, they will instantly love it and become new leads with potential.

Now, that’s a great way to make money with your webinars, isn’t it?

Again, if you wish to learn more about this topic, here’s a great article on how to make your webinars more interactive. Do check it out if you really wish to take your webinars to the next level!

What tools do you need to host webinars?

Most webinars are powered by various tools, pieces of software, equipment and more. If you’re curious to know what you’re going to need to host your very first webinar, we’ve prepared a short but helpful checklist of your top webinar essentials:

Webinar Platform 

A reliable webinar solution is an absolute must-have. Without it, where are you going to host your webinars? Your perfect webinar software could either be free or paid. Both these options have pros and cons, of course.

Free solutions are well, free, allowing you to save money, but they also often lack essential features. Paid platforms, on the other hand, offer many more features than the free versions and don’t actually have to cost a fortune!

Which one will you choose?

Camera and a microphone 

A good camera, as well as a fully operational microphone, will allow your members to see and hear you well. It’s important to have them ready for a few reasons.

Firstly, when you show your face, you automatically become more genuine and people will most likely trust you more. Your brand gets more authenticity and you’re more than some voice behind a black screen.

When it comes to having a good microphone, things are quite simple here. You need it to work properly so that people can hear you. The last thing that you need during your webinar is glitching and constantly breaking voice connection. This can not only irritate your viewers, but also put them off for good! If you’re unsure about buying a new microphone, you can also consider renting it first to give it a try.

• Internet Connection: Since this is an online event, a great Wi-Fi connection is probably the most critical requirement of a webinar. Poor internet connection will frustrate you, and all the participants in the webinar.

Types of Webinars

Educational Webinars

These kinds of webinars are used to teach participants something. The aim is to add value by imparting some knowledge using visual aids such as pictures, charts, and videos which will help keep your audience learning and engaged.

• Panel Webinars: This kind of webinar is a means of connecting with other professionals in a subject area. The idea of this kind of webinar is to get well-informed people to discuss a current trend or issue.

• Interview Webinars: This is much like the interviews you see on TV. The difference is that not many presentations, if any, are required. The idea is to let the knowledgeable interviewee have a go at a subject they are familiar with.

• Q&A Webinars: You will need a moderator to regulate and record the influx of questions. In Q&A webinars, direct interaction between the hosts and participants is critical. It requires the host to answer questions being asked as fast as possible.

• Keynote Webinars: This type of webinar consists of a speaker making a presentation to an audience of participants.

Webinars – a Mini FAQ

For people who have never been part of a webinar or hosted one, there still can be plenty of questions on their minds around the topic of webinars, online seminars, starting their own webinar sessions, working out pre-recorded webinar presentations and many, many more.

We’ll do our best to answer the most common questions asked by people here so that you know where you stand at:

Where are webinars held?

• Webinars are virtual events, so the content of the webinar is delivered directly to your computer straight from some type of webinar room. Webinars can be held wherever there is a computer with internet access: your office, at home, or while traveling.

How do I participate in a webinar?

• All you need to do to participate in a webinar is to simply register on a webinar platform. You will get an email or some type of invite link with the information required to register for the webinar.

• You should use the information accordingly and then you are ready to join your very first webinar! Sometimes, you may be even able to join webinars through social media platforms, as some webinar software providers do often integrations with platforms like Facebook.

How do I ask questions of presenters during a webinar?

• You could ask questions using the chat feature that’s available in the webinar’s interface. Just type your question during the webinar, and the moderator can (but doesn’t have to) forward it to the presenter(s) to respond. You could also raise your hand and ask to be allowed to speak, and then you could ask your question using your voice.

How much participation is required from me?

• This is completely up to you: you can just be a passive or active listener, you can ask questions, just watch, discuss the webinar with other participants in the chatbox and more.

Will other people be aware that I am attending?

• This depends on the webinar’s settings. The moderator is the only person who will know if you are in attendance, unless the host chooses to have the list of participants visible.

Can the speaker see you in a webinar?

• No, they can’t. The only exception is if they invite you to get on camera side-by-side with them, or if the host asks you to turn on your webcam.

What do I need to participate in a webinar?

• Cameras, microphone, connection to the internet and a device (a computer, a tablet or a smartphone). That’s pretty much it and you’re all set!

To Sum Up: How to Participate in a Webinar

• Join the webinar: 

Follow the link or e-mail invitation received from the webinar organizer. You want to do this a few minutes before the scheduled time to make sure you’re early in advance in case of any communication issues, as well as

• Register: 

Follow the instructions provided in the link. Fill in the required fields with the required information like name, surname, e-mail address and telephone number, and complete the registration process. Webinar registration is usually simple, so don’t worry about it in advance.

Also, all webinar hosts have to do it, so make sure you don’t ignore this step!

• Login: 

Once you’ve completed your registration process, you then log in after filling in all the required information to log in and enter your account. That’s all required setup-wise.

• Focus: 

Avoid distractions. Close all tabs in your browser and block certain ones where necessary. Try to eliminate all the background noise and sit in a quiet, comfortable place. The aim is for you to focus on the event fully so that you can enjoy and take advantage of every single second of it — after all, it’s there for you to benefit from!

Also, make sure you don’t disturb other people with your webinars. Remember that comfort works both ways and no one wants to be disturbed by your own business.

• Engage

Here’s where you speak up when you have something to stay that is relevant to the webinar event. After logging into the webinar, you will find two buttons on the left part of the window – Ask a question and Ask to speak. Use them as the situation demands, for example when you’d like to ask for some screen sharing. There is a chat field to your right as well to use when you wish to. Use the chatbox to communicate with the presenter and other participants.

Discuss any ideas you have with co-participants as they might offer some valuable insights and get inspired by you. Remember to be respectful and courteous in the event if there are differences in opinions. It’s all about having a good and enjoyable time!

Takeaway

Webinars are essential in today’s world, there’s no doubt regarding this. This is because a remote approach to business, learning, and marketing (among other areas) appears to be exactly what is necessary in our current world, which is highly digitalized and full of constantly developing intelligent technologies. Therefore, you can’t miss out on the potential that webinars offer you and your company.

In case you are wondering how to start as soon as possible to master your webinar work, you can easily hold a webinar event by creating an account with LiveWebinar — one of the most reliable webinar platforms out there. With this unique platform, you can host events of up to 1500 participants at a time and provide your organization with the customizable webinar software. Prepare for a great adventure and give your company a totally different meaning today!

Guides, tips, tricks, insightful pieces of advice and more are waiting for you at LiveWebinar, so don’t waste your time. Free webinars, on-demand webinars, presentation slides, live audience, presenter video capabilities, multimedia content, high-quality leads for saas companies and more — all of this is possible with LiveWebinar.

We hope you enjoyed this contentful piece of article. If you’re interested in the topic of webinars, feel free to take some time and go through our blog section that we’re constantly working on to provide our users with top quality. We touch upon topics and issues like effective customer service, webinar integrations, webinar marketing, hybrid learning challenges and education, webinar software comparisons and many, many more!

Grab a cup of favorite coffee or tea and dive into interesting pieces that will turn you into a true webinar professional in no time.

If you need us to answer questions we might’ve missed in this article, you know where to find us. Start creating webinars to gain real, actual customers and meet your business goals like a pro now!

FAQ

Despite webinars being there for quite some time, they remain a popular method to interact and engage with consumers. But creating an effective webinar can be tricky. You need to figure out how to set up and host a webinar, online channels where you can host one effectively, how to market your webinar, and more. 

To help you crack this, we’ve put together this ultimate guide which will show you everything you need to know to host super effective webinars. Find it all — from how to structure webinars to the best-recommended tools and ideas you can use. If you stick around till the end, we also share a super simple way for you to promote and repurpose your webinars in minutes using InVideo’s ready-to-use FREE templates. So let’s dive in.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What is a webinar? 
How do webinars work?
How to host a webinar?
How to run a webinar — 6 tips to make them super effective
10 super effective webinar ideas with examples
How to promote a webinar
How to repurpose your webinars and make the most of them
FAQs about webinars

1. What is a webinar?

A webinar comes from the words ‘web’ and ‘seminar.’ Simply put, a webinar is a video workshop, lecture or a presentation. Anything from online classes of knowledge sharing sessions and ideas, news, updates and more can take the form of a webinar. 

Here’s a few facts about webinars that you need to know: 

• Webinars are interactive. Participants can ask questions, fill polls or share feedback directly during a webinar.
• A slideshow, a whiteboard presentation, a panel discussion, a team meeting, a live video, sharing your screen, or even a pre-recorded video can all be a webinar.
• Universities and teachers use webinars to share new concepts, important strategies, and learning, while connecting with students in real-time.
• Companies and brands use webinars to share knowledge and awareness about products as well as engage with their consumers.
• Brands also use webinars to launch new products and show-off their expertise or authority in an industry.
• B2B businesses, small business owners, and bloggers use webinars to share their expertise.

Now that we know what it means, let’s check out how these webinars work.

2. How do webinars work?

Done right, webinars are an incredible way to connect with your users and generate new leads. Here’s a few aspects about how webinars work that you need to know.

• Similar to an actual lecture or seminar, a webinar too comprises a host speaker or a panel of speakers. These sessions usually last between 30-60 minutes. 
• Notably, you can host webinars using different platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, WebinarJam, and more.
• Facebook Live, Instagram Live, YouTube Live or other such livestreams can also double up as a webinar.

• Attendees can interact live in a webinar. Participants can ask questions during webinars. Most webinar platforms have a chat or messaging feature useful for Q&A, feedback, queries. Platforms like Zoom also have features where a participant can raise a hand or clap (emoticons) during an ongoing session.

• Most webinars have less than 100 participants. This number may go down to 50 or less too in case of a webinar for a specific niche. But depending on the topic and the target, a webinar can have over 500 users too!
• Webinars are recorded and edited for re-use in the future.
• Most webinars are free, with a goal to generate more awareness and leads about a product or company.
• Bloggers or thought leaders and experts usually host paid webinars. They may also be a a source of revenue.

Now that you know how webinars work, let’s check out how you can host your own webinar.

3. How to host a webinar

To host a webinar, you need to use a software/ tool or platform online that helps you. To effectively host a webinar and to pick the right webinar solution, just follow these two steps:

A. Decide your webinar format

The first thing you need to do is decide the format of your webinar. This is important as this will help you select the right platform or software for your webinar.

You need to figure out if your webinar is:

• A single person’s presentation or speech
• An interview with 1 or more persons
• A panel or a moderated discussion
• A Q&A session

Find more tips on how to run a webinar effectively here.

B. Choose your webinar solution

Based on the format of your webinar, it’s time to select what platform best suits your needs. Here’s a few webinar software features you need to aware of before you select a tool or software:Integrated Chat/ Polls/ Quizzes/ Whiteboards: Most webinar softwares have interactive features like chatting, polls, quizzes, Q&A, reaction emojis, and whiteboard presentations, etc. Depending on what your webinar is about, you can decide to use various features available to you.

Screen sharing: If you are doing a Q&A/ tutorial session or sharing product information that needs you to show a presentation, you can simply share your screen. Most webinar tools have the screen sharing feature available for free.

Integration with YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and social media apps: Many webinar tools give you the option to connect with YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other social media apps directly. For example, you can start a virtual Zoom meeting and stream it live on YouTube to share with your followers on YouTube. Note though, that with most webinar softwares, you might avail this service only in the paid versions.

Recording options: If you cannot stream your Zoom or other webinars live to your social media apps, you have the option of recording these videos. Most webinar softwares give you the option to record your sessions for free.Check out the table below to see a few solutions you can use to conduct your webinars for free. Note that all the above features are a part of the softwares mentioned here. These softwares have a free version as well as paid plans for different businesses. With the free version, keep in mind that you’ll have a time limit to your sessions and number of attendees.

There’s also other softwares like Webinar Jam, Big Marker & Adobe Connect, but these are mostly enterprise softwares that you can invest in only if you are planning on long-term webinars for work.

Apart from these, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram are also popular webinar platforms, as you can use the live feature and conduct a webinar. But with these social media apps, your options to interact with consumers change. You have reactions, live comments, but not screen sharing.  

So what tool/ solution/ software should you choose and how to decide? 

• Well, simply put, if you are streaming a one-person webinar, where you are hosting a live session just talking to the camera, you can go with the social media apps available, and do a live stream. This will automatically inform your audience that you are doing a live session and those interested will join up! Influencers, thought leaders, and executives can use this option to connect with their followers in an informal setting.
• In case you do not want to have a discussion on a public platform though, or if you are catering to a closed group of people, conducting a webinar using the above-mentioned tools is the best option for you.
• Basically, if you want to do a detailed webinar or share a presentation, connect many people virtually and have a more niche, but personal set up, use one of the webinar tools mentioned above in the table.
• We recommend Zoom as it is one of the easiest interfaces to use. The best part is that you can record all your sessions on Zoom. Also, the 40-minute time limit helps keep your audience engaged and not bored! Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Zoom for free.

Now that you know how you can host a webinar, it’s time to look at tips and tricks that will make your webinar an exceptional experience.

4. How to run a webinar — 6 tips to make them super effective

A. Decide an effective webinar topic

The first question you need to ask yourself when planning your webinar is — who is going to watch this webinar. Next, you need to ask yourself what is the purpose of the webinar. Is your webinar a way to promote a new product? Or perhaps you want to share some news or achievements.
As a ground rule, it’s advisable to select a specific and niche topic for a webinar in order to be very specific when selecting a topic for your webinar. For example, instead of simply talking about digital marketing, you could talk about digital marketing trends, or budgeting for digital marketing, etc.

For example, check out this webinar recording by SimilarWeb & Rand Fishkin on Exploring Changes to the Internet Landscape in June 2020. Using the month name here suggests that the webinar is specific to a time frame and so hyper-specific. This helps users decide the relevance of the webinar and if they will benefit from watching it.

B. Plan your webinar team

A webinar usually has 3 prime players.

• The organiser who sets everything up, manages the operations, behind the scenes, allowing participants entry, etc.
• The presenter or subject expert who actually conducts the webinar.
• An assistant who helps the host and organiser manage the webinar.

Now if you are doing a webinar for the first time, you can play the role of all 3 people too! So don’t fret if you do not have dedicated people for each section!

C. Set up your equipment before you go live

Before you actually go live, it’s advisable to do a trial run and set up your laptop, phone, etc. Here are few things you need to keep in mind while setting up for a webinar:

• Select a good, clean frame with lots of light (natural if possible) to set up your laptop or your phone. Make sure you are facing the light source. You don’t want to look invisible because there’s a halo around you! Check out tips to framing yourself for a webinar in the video here:

• Test all the features with help from a friend or a teammate. Check out how to conduct a poll, how to record, how to mute or unmute participants, and various other features to make your webinar go smoothly.
• Set up a time and date for your webinar and do a dry run if needed.
• Create any presentations you want to share beforehand.
• Do a sound and mic check. Use earphones or headphones with a mic to make your sound quality clear.
• Have a backup laptop, or install the webinar software on your phone in case your battery dies midway!
• Get someone else to co-host with you if you want to record the webinar, so you’ll have a backup. Those recordings will be new videos that you can put up on social media to generate more leads! Check out how you can repurpose your webinar recordings.

D. Schedule your webinar carefully

It is very important to schedule your webinar at the right time. Things to keep in mind when scheduling your webinar: 

• Consider that your audience may not attend the session on a weekend if they are professionals. But Wednesdays or Thursdays, they might be available. 
• Similarly, if your webinar is for students, perhaps you want to schedule it early in the morning or even late at night because that’s when they are free from classes!
• If your audience is across multiple time zones, look for a middle timing that’s acceptable to most people.
• Keep in mind that many of your audience may not attend the webinar but watch the recording when you post it, so don’t fret much about it!

E. Leave time for questions and audience interactions

Interact with your audience, share key takeaways and even surprise giveaways. Keep dedicated time for Q&A as audiences prefer to ask and get questions answered.

F. Follow up with your attendees

Once your webinar is over, follow up with those who took part in your webinar. Send them thank-you notes and emails or any other material which you might think is helpful.

Following up encourages your audience to attend future events and builds a positive brand image as well!
So those were the 6 steps you need to follow to run your own webinar effectively. Now let’s check out some webinar ideas!

5. 10 super effective webinar ideas with examples

It’s no secret that webinars are great for driving traffic to your website, generating leads, and conducting live training at scale. So let’s check out some successful webinar ideas here.

A. The How To Webinar

If your webinar is about helping people solve problems, you’re definitely on the right track. The best thing about a how to webinar is that it doesn’t have to be directly about your product or service. For example, a retail company that believes in being eco-friendly can do a webinar on eco-friendly fashion. Check out this webinar by AWeber on 7 ways to write content as an example.

B. Case study webinar

A great webinar idea can be about how your brand or product achieved spectacular results by deploying specific strategies. This is not just a great way to share knowledge and help people solve a problem they might face, it’s also an opportunity to share your brand’s highlights or your product benefits with the audience at large.

For example, check out his webinar on how Intercom saved 400K with support automation.

4. The Onboarding Webinar

A great webinar idea for startups and small teams is the onboarding webinar. A short video webinar that you can host to take your new hires or partners through your software product. This webinar can take the form of a tutorial, a presentation, or even a learning aid. For example, check out Glassdoor’s onboarding webinar.

D. Deep Dive Webinar

You can deep dive into a specific aspect or updates about your product or services or just share information on a specific topic to create more awareness about your brand, products, brand image, and more. For example, check out this Amazon Masterclass webinar which provides a deep dive into different Amazon products for developers and engineers.

E. Educational or Discussion Webinars

You can do webinars relating to economics, public policy, social awareness and other such topics that affect the world at large to generate awareness. These webinars also help bring your brand or company into highlight. These webinars can also have a CTA or a call to action — such as donating for a cause, changing your lifestyle. For example, check out this TEDx webinar which was live streamed and recorded on Facebook, about opportunities in the public service sector. 

F. Current Event Webinars

Talk about how your company or your individual business is responding to a global challenge like the COVID-19 pandemic for example. These webinars can be in the form of a panel discussion or even a round table debate/ discussion that talks about different aspects of such a challenge. For instance, check out this webinar by the Columbia Journalism School, covering racism in America and more.

G. Industry Trends Webinar

As a thought leader or a subject expert, you can do a webinar on events affecting the industry, latest trends and updates, and more. Most industry professionals need this information to work better, so creating an insightful analysis works as a benchmark which most of them would refer to. For example, check out this webinar recording from Gary Vaynerchuk on digital trends in 2021.

H. Virtual Product Launch

Hold a virtual product launch via webinar. The companies that make the best of the pandemic or other black swan events do so by going on offense with remote tools. Instead of just trying to do the best you can to replicate an in-person event, try to create an experience that would only be possible online. For example, Google revealed their new flagship series phone, the Pixel 5, as well as new Chromecasts and Nest Audio smart speakers with a pre-recorded, high-production quality video, all through a completely virtual launch. Check out the video here:

I. A Behind The Scenes Livestream

While holding a webinar may not be possible for every event, brands and influencers have connected with users by conducting Instagram livestreams. This is a great way to stay connected with followers and give them a daily or weekly dose of updates from your brand. For example, check out this behind-the-scenes video by Kim Kardashian during the MET Gala. After doing a live stream, it doubled up as an IGTV video, sharing highlights of her look.

J. Corporate Communications or Townhall Webinars

Hold a corporate town hall webinar within your organization where the C-suite or top executives can speak to the entire company and share plans, thoughts, listen to grievances, and more. Public officials and industry leaders can also hold a town hall webinar to discuss policy across the nation. For example, check out this MSNBC town hall on vaccinating America.

These are some webinar ideas you too can utilise for your own webinars. Next, let’s look at ideas to let people know you’re hosting a webinar.

6. How to promote a webinar

Once you have all the details about your webinar planned out, it’s time to let everyone know that you’re conducting the webinar. Let’s check out the steps you can follow when promoting your webinar:

A. Create a registration form for your webinar. You can do this using Google Forms, Typeform, and more. Check out how to build a Google Registration form here. 

B. Once you have built a registration form, you need to get people to register! For this you need to promote your Webinar with a form link and a Call To Action (CTA) asking your audience to register. For example, in the image below, there’s a CTA button that says “Save my free spot.” 

C. You can promote your webinar by advertising on all your digital real estate. As a starting point, create a landing page on your website which introduces the webinar topic, the speaker(s), features the date and time, the registration form and a call-to-action for people to sign up or register in order to attend the event. You can redirect all your social media posts to this landing page so that people register for the webinar. Check out how to create a landing page here.

D. Create a short trailer video for your webinar. You can embed this video on your landing page too! Make a trailer video quick and hassle-free using the InVideo free online editor. Even if you have never edited a video ever before, the step-by-step guide on how to edit a video will help you make stunning videos super quick. Check out this template that you can use to create a webinar trailer video of your own.

Use This Template

E. Create a banner or display an ad on your website’s homepage to make visitors aware of the upcoming event. For example, check out this banner ad promoting a webinar on Challenges of Conducting Research. Notice that it includes the date and timing for the webinar. Check out how to design a banner ad here.

F. Finally, you need to create and schedule social media posters, videos and emails that link back to your landing page. For live webinars, you can schedule all of your updates to entice users to register for your webinar until it goes live. For automated webinars, you can schedule weekly or monthly promotions as you see fit. Check out some tips on social media posts for webinars here. 

G. Use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to spread the word. For example, check out this countdown post created on Facebook by The Product School before their webinar on Product Strategy. It plays on the urgency to learn something new or the FOMO mindset by including a countdown timer and number of viewers already waiting for the webinar to start.

H. Want to make your own webinar video ads for social media? Check out how to do so with a business ad maker.

I. Create a dedicated and original hashtag to publicize the event. Or use hashtags related to your webinar topic to promote the event on social media. Your hashtag can help you amplify your message to the right audiences on social media. For example, check out this webinar on caring for pets. They have used an original hashtag corresponding to their brand name: #pawsitivitea. They have also used hashtags around the subject of the webinar itself.

J. One of the best ways to reach your consumers, subscribers, and brand loyalists is by emailing them. In fact, most marketers stress on email as a top promotional channel. Send multiple emails telling people of your webinar and showing a countdown to your event.

K. On the day of the event, send reminder emails with the direct link to your webinar. You can even send messages and calendar invites to make it more formal. For example, check out this reminder email sent by Get Response 1 hour prior to the webinar itself. 

L. Don’t have an email list? That’s okay. As you build registrations, you’ll start creating a list. Email people who registered for your webinar with the details! Meanwhile check out this article on how to build your email list from scratch.

M. If you are co-hosting a webinar with others, you can also share your webinar collateral with them and get them to share details on their social media pages, websites, and more.

N. For example, check out this webinar promotion by Bridget Willard that Rand Fishkin retweeted. She has @mentioned Rand Fishkin in her tweet as co-host of the webinar, calling it a “chat on YouTube.” Apart from this, she has also provided a link to the webinar and a hashtag that explains what the conversation will be about, in this case #SEO. You too can tag your co-hosts or collaborators on social media and promote your webinar thus.

These were some methods you can use to promote your webinar. Let’s look at what you can do after your webinar is over to maintain that streak of connection with your users.

7. How to repurpose your webinars and make the most of them

Did you know that 84% of B2B consumers opt to watch a replay over a live webinar? Which means it makes sense to record your webinar and use it afterwards too! 

Here are a few things you can do post your webinar to get the most value from it:

• To get the full value from your webinar, be sure to send the recording to all your registrants, not just those who attended. You can convert your webinar recording into a YouTube video and share it with other users who have subscribed to your blog, YouTube channels, and more as well.
• Create actionable insights and micro teasers that link back to your live stream recording for social media. 

You can turn every livestream you do into low-calorie content pieces you can use for up to a month. These videos are a great way to create engagement with existing consumers and new consumers. Plus, you can link these micro-videos to the original recording of the entire webinar to drive traffic. 

All you need to create these videos is log in or sign up for a free account on InVideo. You have access to over 4000 customisable templates that you can use. Here’s how you can edit your video using InVideo’s online editor for free. 

Here’s a few ways you can repurpose your webinar videos.

A. Make quote and anecdote videos from the webinar video

Take quotes, key pointers, and actionable insights or analyses from your video and convert them into short quote or anecdote videos to be shared on Instagram and Facebook. For example, check this quote video from InVideo.

Use This Template

B. Make short snippet videos with guests from the webinar video footage

Use snippets or quick bytes of information to create micro-videos and share it with your users. This gives them a peek into what the conversation was like. For example, check out this short snippet from a webinar on building email lists that you can use for your own videos.

Use This Template

C. Make explainers around important concepts covered in the webinar

Create explainer micro videos from the webinar footage featuring succinct content that talks about the topic in general and gives an overview about the webinar to drive interested people to watch it. For example, check out this video on 5 tips to build an email list. 

Use This Template

D. Other formats

Apart from these micro videos, you can also create podcasts, blog posts, IGTV videos, 1-minute videos, quotes, blogs, Instagram stories, posters, short videos and more. So these were some simple and effective methods you can use to repurpose your webinar videos.

8. FAQs about webinars

Let’s take a look at some webinar FAQs and their answers here.

Q.1 What is the difference between a webinar and seminar?

Ans: A seminar is ‘a meeting held for the exchange of useful information by members of a common business community. ‘ A webinar is ‘an interactive seminar conducted via the World Wide Web. You could also say that a webinar is an effective digital marketing tool, while a seminar is a more internal knowledge transfer or transfer of information.

Q.2 Can you just listen to a webinar?

Ans: In most cases, you don’t have to appear on video to take part in a webinar. You can take part via the chat function or simply using the audio/talk button if you have a microphone. So yes, you can just listen to the conversation. If you are hosting the webinar though, or they call you to speak, you will have to unmute yourself and interact.

Q.3 Can people see you in a webinar?

Ans: Depending on the webinar software, tool, or platform, the host can see you, but only virtually. You still have the option to turn off your camera, and in case you do, your face will not be visible. But you will still be present in the webinar. Keep in mind that the host usually can start or turn off participants’ cameras.

Q.4 Do I need to be on camera for a webinar?

Ans: Depending on the session you are attending, they might ask you to be on camera during a webinar. This simply means that the other participants can see you and watch your expression, making communication a lot better. But you have the choice to turn off your camera in most cases.

Q.5 How long is a webinar?

Ans: Most webinars are between 40-60 minutes. This will provide you with ample time for the three sections of the session: 5-7 minutes for welcomes and introductions. 38-45 minutes for the actual presentation.

Q.6 How much does it cost to host a webinar?

Ans: You can host a webinar absolutely free using one of the various webinar hosting softwares. Check out the different softwares you can use here. But if you want webinars to be a significant part of your marketing funnel, you can invest in a paid version and get access to more features. Meanwhile, webinar pricing for a robust webinar platform ranges anywhere from $150 USD per month to $500+ USD per month, depending on your package and unique needs.

Q.7 What is the point of a webinar?

Ans: The primary purpose of a webinar is to present a topic that is engaging, relevant, and informative to others; however, some presenters may use webinars to network or promote a product by following up on participants through surveys, polling, email, or questions that further additional collaboration. Check out more about what a webinar entails and how a webinar is run here and here. Also, check out how to host a webinar.

Q.8 How to record a webinar?

Ans: Most webinar platforms have an inbuilt record button that you can use to record your webinar. Check out how you can record your Zoom webinar here. If you are using an interface that does not allow you to record a video, you can also use a screen recording app. Check out alternate methods of recording your webinar here.  

In Conclusion

So this concludes the guide on how to run your own webinar. Now that you know everything about it, it’s time to use webinars in your marketing plans. If you’re not sure of doing live webinars but are still looking to leverage videos for your brand in 2023, definitely check out this blog that covers 200+ video ideas across categories to give you a head start.

For more quick tips and hacks on editing and creating videos, subscribe to InVideo’s YouTube Channel. Finally, if you’re looking to create thumb-stopping videos in minutes (even if you’re not a PRO)- sign-up for a free account on InVideo.io today.

This post was written by Upasna and edited by Abhilash from Team InVideo

According to Google, a webinar is a «seminar conducted over the Internet.» While that webinar definition is true, a webinar is more than that. 

When done correctly, it’s a powerful marketing tactic that can position you as an expert in your field. It’ll allow you to connect with your audience, train new employees, and increase your profit margin.

In this article, we’ll explain what a webinar really is, how to use webinars in your business, and discuss how webinars work. You’ll walk away with some practical ideas about running and benefiting from webinars. We’ll also answer some questions like «are webinars live» and «how do I make a webinar?»

What Is a Webinar? (Definition & What It Means)

As mentioned in the earlier webinar definition, a webinar is a seminar conducted online. It allows you to host a virtual meeting without the need to find a suitable physical venue. With a webinar, share your presentation with your audience without physically being there. 

Your audience gets the benefit of participating without leaving the comfort of their home. They can simply watch your webinar using their desktop or laptop computer or mobile device.

In most cases, webinars are business-related and are used as an authority-building or relationship-building tactic. Webinars can also be used internally for team meetings, especially if you work with an international, remote team.

A webinar offers the following benefits when it comes to communicating with your audience:

• Interactivity through live chat between the host and the attendees as well as attendees themselves. This not only allows webinar hosts to engage with their audience and build a relationship, but also to improve the webinar based on the feedback received.
• The ability to share your screen and your webcam so your audience can not only see your presentation, but also your face.
• The ability for your audience to ask questions and take part in polls, which is another way to keep the audience engaged throughout the webinar.
• Webinars can be recorded and then repurposed later on as digital products such as workshops and training sessions.
• Webinars can accommodate a large number of participants due to the fact they aren’t limited by physical space.

If you’ve been wondering, «are webinars live,» here’s your answer. There are two different types of webinars:

• Live webinar. Live webinars happen in real-time and allow for much more interactivity as the audience can ask questions at any time and get an answer.
• Pre-recorded webinars. Pre-recorded webinars have already taken place and are usually offered as a replay. This means the audience can’t take part in a live chat nor can they get their questions answered. With a pre-recorded webinar, you can offer several replay times to allow anyone to register and view it at a time that’s convenient for them.

How to Use Webinars in Your Business in 2020

Now that we’ve covered what webinars are, let’s discuss different ways they can be used in your business. Here’s a list of common uses for webinars:

1. Use Webinars as a Marketing & Sales Tool

In most cases, webinars are used as a part of a business or brand’s marketing strategy. Webinars aren’t reserved for just large companies and corporations. They can be successfully used by small businesses, solopreneurs, and startups as well. In this case, requesting registrations for the webinar allows you to significantly grow your email list. At the end you can pitch your product and service to an interested and engaged audience as well as follow up with them later on.

2. Free Content as List Building Strategy

While webinars usually involve a sales pitch at the end, it’s not uncommon for business owners to run a «no-pitch» webinar purely to build their email list. In this case, all that’s required out of participants is to register for the webinar with their email address.

An alternative to this is using a social media platform such as YouTube Live, Instagram Live or Facebook Live to host a free webinar. Encourage attendees to follow you on those platforms so they don’t miss it.

The main goal of this type of webinar is to establish your expertise and build a relationship with your audience by providing value instead of focusing on the sale.

Once you’ve connected with them on social media, you can continue to engage and turn them into email subscribers where you nurture the relationship even further.

3. Live Q&A Sessions

Another way to use webinars is to run a live Q&A session where you answer your audience’s questions about your products or services. This type of webinar works well with product-based business owners, whether the product is digital or physical. You can not only answer questions about your product, but also offer product demonstrations or interactive walkthroughs.

Use this type of webinar as an opportunity to move your customers from a trialing stage into a paid tier and keep your retention rate high. You can also use this to upsell the next paid plan or other products and services, which represent the next logical step in their customer journey.

Q&A sessions also work well for authors, independent musicians, or filmmakers. They can be a great way to connect with your audience, but also to get feedback on the direction of your creative work.

Design the perfect Q&A slide by following the steps in this tutorial:

Once your audience feels involved in creating the final piece, they’ll be more inclined to not only buy it but to also spread the word about it to their friends and family.

4. Live Training Webinars

If you’ve got a remote team, a webinar is a great way to train them on a new piece of software, walk them through the standard operating procedures in your company, update them on the latest changes, and more.

Since webinars can be recorded, you don’t have to worry about team members missing it as you can simply send them a recording of a webinar.

5. Interactive Interviews

You can also use webinars to conduct live, interactive interviews where your audience can join in and participate. Provide your customers with more value by bringing on an expert and get exposure to their audience once they register for the webinar.

6. Customer Onboarding & Training

If you’ve got a software company, you can benefit greatly from using webinars to onboard and train your customers. This can happen live as well as in the form of a pre-recorded webinar. It allows you to cut the confusion and frustration that comes from having to learn new software, which then increases your churn rate.

Webinars make it easier to learn new software and adjust to it. In return, once your customers know how to use it, they’re more inclined to stay as well as open new support tickets.

How Does a Webinar Work in 2020?

To host a webinar, there are a few things you’ll need to take care of first. Let’s address them more in-depth below:

1. Webinar Structure

Most webinars are usually between 45-60 minutes long and involve the host presenting a specific topic, a Q&A session with the audience, and a sales pitch at the end.

First, you’ll need to come up with a topic for your webinar. Your topic should be of interest to your audience. So, it pays off to keep a running list of common questions and interests that you notice with your current customers, clients, and followers. The topic should relate to your business if you plan on using it as a marketing or sales tool.

Once you know what your topic will be, you’ll need to outline it and then create a slide deck for it using a program like PowerPoint or Keynote. A webinar template like those available through Envato Elements is a great way to create a professional-looking slide deck quickly.

Envato Elements has a great offer: download as many as design assets you want for one low price. 

If you’re interested in a one-time webinar template download, you can also find attractive, professional PowerPoint templates on GraphicRiver.

You’ll also need to create a marketing plan that’ll promote your webinar to your audience.

This article features some webinar templates to help you start creating your webinar today:

After you’ve taken care of those details, it’s time to consider the technical requirements.

2. Technical Requirements

When it comes to technical requirements, you’ll need to consider the following:

Webinar Platform

One of the first choices, you’ll have to make is your webinar platform. There’s no shortage of webinar platforms to choose from, ranging from free to paid, depending on your budget.

Almost all the paid platforms offer interactive features such as live chat, polls, the ability to share your screen and your webcam, and more. They also offer the ability to record the webinar and set up an automatic replay schedule. The price will depend on the number of participants that show up live. Some of the most popular platforms include WebinarJam, Webinar Ninja, Demio, and others.

If you’re on a budget, you can use YouTube Live to host a webinar for free. For this, you’ll need to set up a YouTube channel first. The downside of using YouTube Live is that you can’t set up an automatic replay of the recorded webinar. But you can download the recording from your YouTube channel and repurpose it as a digital product.

Camera

You’ll also need a camera so that your audience can see you. This allows you to build a better relationship with them and adds a dose of personality to your brand. Use your webcam if you’ve got nothing else, but keep in mind that you don’t have a lot of control over your built-in webcam.

You can also invest in a more professional USB webcam or even take advantage of a pro-video camera if you’ve got one already. The latter options give you more control over the position of your camera. They can be used with software that adds extra effects or allows you to fine-tune details such as brightness, contrast, and more.

Microphone

The next piece of equipment you’ll need is a microphone. As with the camera, there’s a wide variety of choice from using USB microphones to lavalier microphones to boom microphones. The choice will, again, depend on your budget as well as personal preference. Keep in mind that you’ll get better sound quality than with a built-in microphone.

Internet Connection

Lastly, your internet connection will play a role in the quality of your webinar. Ideally, you want your download and upload speeds to be between a minimum of 4 Mbps and an optimum speed of 15 Mbps.

Test your internet speed with a tool like SpeedTest.net and talk to your ISP about the possibility of upgrading your plan if need be.

The following tutorial explains how to set up and run a webinar:

3. How to Join a Webinar

How your audience joins the webinar depends on your chosen platform. Some of them require the attendees to download a small application first and enter their registration details.

Some platforms require a special link that’ll be emailed to them before the webinar starts. On some platforms, your audience will have the ability to call in and attend by dialing a specific phone number.

Remember to read through the documentation of your chosen platform so you can set up all the necessary emails to ensure your audience doesn’t miss the webinar.

4. Post-Webinar Follow Up

Finally, once the webinar is over, you’ll want to follow up with audience members who registered but didn’t show up. Send them a replay link and give them a limited time frame such as 24 or 48 hours to view the recording.

You can also send a special-offer email if your webinar was focused on a sales pitch and remind them when the offer expires.

5 Quick Webinar Slide Design Trends for 2020

The design of your webinar can make or break your webinar. If you’ve got a design that makes it hard to read the slides, people will lose interest. Having a nice design will make your presentation look and feel more professional.

Here are five webinar design trends to be aware of:

1. Minimal

Minimal designs are perfect for anyone who doesn’t want a distracting design. A minimal design is great if you want a design that won’t distract your audience. Minimal design is great if you want people to focus on the chart or your text.

2. Vintage

Vintage design has a nice classic feel. A vintage design typically has soft hues and retro style aspects to the design. This can be a great contrast to the modern loud and noisy designs that are popular today.

3. Colorful Themes

Colorful themes are fun and full of creativity that’ll inspire your audience. They’ll make your presentation stand out. Just remember to make sure that the colors don’t clash.

4. Dark Backgrounds

The dark background has become really popular because they work best on electronic displays. A dark background is great if you’re giving a long webinar or presentation because it’s easy on the eyes.

5. Colorful Charts

Having colorful charts and graphs will draw the attention of the audience to the data you are presenting. If you’ve got a plain background your colorful charts or data will stand out against everything else on the slide. Colorful charts and graphs make that data a little more interesting for the audience.

The Best Webinar Templates of 2020

Need help designing your webinar presentation? Turn to Envato Elements for professionally designed webinar presentation templates. Here are some of the best:

1. Magnum PowerPoint Template

Magnum has eight color schemes to choose from for your presentation. This template comes with over 970 slides that you can add information to. It also comes with infographics, custom animation for slides, lists, and tables.

2. The Beginning — Business Presentation

The beginning comes with 50 unique templates. They’ve got a nice design that can be used for any topic. This template comes with icons and infographics that you can add to your slides. The beginning comes with both light and dark versions.

3. Metropolis — Business PowerPoint Template

Metropolis comes with 50 unique slides. There are both light and dark versions. Along with slide templates, you also get infographics and icons. The design in the Metropolis template is a professional and simple design.

4. Eduvision — Education PowerPoint Template

Eduvison template comes with over 50 unique slide templates. Along with slide templates, it comes with infographics and icons. This template comes in two aspect ratio sizes: 16:9 and 4:3.

5. Pozea : Webinar, Seminar & Conference PowerPoint

Pozea template comes with 100 total slides and 50 unique slides. Easily add images of your choice to the template by dragging and dropping them into the image placeholder. This template comes with two color scheme options for you to choose between.

Learn More About Webinars and How to Use Them

Making a webinar from scratch can be time-consuming. Using a template will ensure that you’ve got a professional template that’ll impress your audience. 

Now that you’ve looked at trends and templates, you can better understand the answer to «how do webinars work.» Learn more by studying our webinar guide. Or start with one or more of these tutorials:

Improve Your Business With Webinars

No matter what type of business you run, you can realize great benefits from hosting a webinar. Now that we’ve answered the question, «what is a webinar and how does it work,» you’re ready to create your own webinar.

With the tips in this article and the rest of our webinar series, you’ll become a webinar pro in no time. Start using webinars in your business to connect with your audience, establish your expertise, and reach your business and sales goals.

 Editorial Note: The tutorial was originally published in August of 2018. It’s been comprehensively revised to include new information—with special assistance from Sarah Joy.