Creating webinar content that resonates with your audience and keeps them engaged is crucial for any successful online presentation. But are webinars still a game-changer for growing your business in 2024, or are they old-fashioned and outdated? The big factor with webinars is they hit the know, like, and trust meter faster than traditional communication methods, such as text only. However, webinars can be unappealing due to their content—they could be too promotional or don’t address the viewers’ pain points. As a content growth agency, we wanted to dig deeper into whether using webinars is still ‘a thing’ or has passed its prime. No doubt, webinars today are a different experience than in our past. Today, audiences can be on camera, there’s room for more interaction with Q&A sessions, and your content can be personalized. We will look at the most common ways webinars can be used and offer tips to help you better connect with your audience and develop more mid-funnel relationships.
Webinars are opportunities to maximize engagement, share industry knowledge, and help your attendees solve a pain point with your solution. People who register for webinars are looking for valuable information, which is another way to showcase your brand and help eliminate a problem they are experiencing. Webinars are not slowing down, either.
First, you want to decide if you are going ‘LIVE’ or using a pre-recorded session. Live events are best for audience engagement, but pre-recorded sessions can easily expand your audience’s reach, offer less stress, and offer more convenience. Both types are excellent ways to gain new leads and increase sales. A pre-recorded video can also be from a live event you edit to repurpose. After the live event, you can put it on YouTube for more views or embed it on your blog. There are pros and cons to both. You also have to consider On-Demand webinars that capture your audience when they are most interested in your content. Marketers look for different things in a webinar platform, from simple and quick registrations to opportunities to interact with attendees to the ability to track key metrics. Zapier put together a list of some of the best webinar software in 2024, so you don’t have to. Now on to the content piece: the strategy that focuses on the problem you are solving rather than what the product does, as in the features. Educate people, don’t self-promote.
The webinar’s job is to move your audience to the next step. That step is determined when you set your goals for the session. Are you after lead generation, brand awareness, customer retention, or engagement? Define the purpose of your webinar and clearly outline what participants will gain from attending and what they need to do next to achieve the desired results. Other than using the right technology for your webinar and its main goal, it is critical to choose a focused topic whose value is clear to attendees. As a growth content agency, we value strategic content. Balancing your business goals while paying attention to your audience’s needs and expectations is key and what makes dynamic content. Whether it is a webinar or long-form content on your blog, your content should cover problem-solving and teaching your viewers about the specific topic.
Great webinar content matters because you are helping your audience solve the issue that initially prompted them to take action. The action was when they shared their contact information and became a lead. The key is not to disappoint prospective buyers but to give them what they need. When you do that, they take another step toward your products or services. Let’s explore how you can identify your topics and deliver the best experience for your audience.
Webinar content needs to be carefully planned, from knowing your audience to interactivity, encouraging feedback, and great storytelling. Your presentation needs to be super-relevant and clear to your audience, tailored to their needs, and engaging. Here are 9 of our top tips to help you do just that.
Great webinars need to tell a great story. Weave storytelling into the webinar to connect with your attendees and evoke emotion. Storytelling helps build trust with a potential buyer. Delivering a valuable and actionable webinar will depend on how relatable the story is to your audience. The narrative includes characters, setting, and plot—beginning, middle, and end. As far as characters go, your audience is the hero, not your brand. Incorporate the audience into any examples to make it easier and clarify how they will benefit from the webinar. Make sure your tone speaks to your target audience.
Webinars that try and do too much are ineffective. Stick to the one challenge they are faced with and build your webinar around that specific pain point. When your webinar is finished, your audience should be able to apply what they learned immediately. So, choose a topic that is highly relevant, concise, and important to your attendees. The key is clarity. Andy Crestodina, CMO at Orbit Media, did just that. He took the mystery out of GA4 in one of his webinars. The webinar —The Simple but Strategic Approach to SEO (And How to Measure it in GA4) If you struggled with Google Analytics 4, you now had actionable takeaways. You can also learn more about using GA4 to track SEO performance in his Digital Marketing newsletter.
Begin your webinar with a compelling opening that grabs the audience’s attention. This could be a thought-provoking question, an interesting fact, or a relatable anecdote. For instance, if your webinar is about ‘Search Engine Optimization,’ you could start with a stat like,
Include polls, Q&A sessions, and discussions to keep participants engaged. You can encourage audience participation through live chats and comments.
Incorporate visually appealing slides, graphics, and videos to enhance your content and keep the audience visually engaged. Visuals can help clarify complex topics and break up long stretches of talking. The visual format gives you an opportunity to get creative and display educational information to your viewers. Sharing your screen in real time is invaluable. Plenty of visuals support your points.
Share practical tips, strategies, and actionable takeaways. Help participants apply the information in their own context.
Use real-life examples and case studies to illustrate key points. Relate your content to the challenges and experiences of your audience. Case studies provide insights into your business by using previous or current customers as an example of what your value-driven solutions can achieve.
Clearly communicate the next steps or actions you want participants to take. Provide links to additional resources or follow-up materials. Your webinar should have a strong call to action. You can direct them to schedule a demo, join your newsletter, or follow you on social media for more updates and insights.
After the webinar, follow up with attendees to thank them for participating and gather feedback for future improvements. This demonstrates your commitment to their learning experience and encourages continued engagement.
Creating great webinars starts with great content and topic selection. Strategic content that balances your goals and topics that address the needs and/or challenges of your target audience is key. Your company’s online success is making content a priority. Competition is fierce and only getting stronger. It may be cost-effective to work with a partner who is experienced, flexible, and delivers quality content on a timely basis. Schedule time with our Growth Strategist to discuss your situation and possible strategies for growth. Get your free assessment and a fresh perspective on your marketing.