The Don’ts to Hosting an Excellent Webinar

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Webinar Tips

Isn’t it great to venture back to the time when seminars were held in a large place, audience members lined up to enter and get a good seat, with the speaker in the same building, talking straight to them? Given today’s hustle-and-bustle way of life, it’s already difficult to host a seminar, much less get people to attend. Technology, though, has a solution: a web seminar or webinar.

Since its start in May 1996 with NetMeeting, the webinar has evolved. It’s no surprise that it’s now considered as one of the best marketing tactics around. You reach and engage your audience even in remote areas. More options are now available to the host that make it easy to pull off.

However, if you think it’s that simple to host a webinar, then you’re mistaken. There are a lot of bad things you can do to fail, like the following. These shortcomings will guarantee you a bad and poorly presented webinar, so it would be prudent to avoid these.

Avoiding Three Basic Flops to Host a Great Webinar | No Internet Connection

Not Checking Connection

It’s a commonly known fact that webinars are done online—the Internet connecting hundreds to thousands of people from different corners of the globe to a single spot. While the number of attendees doesn’t do much to hamper the flow of the web presentation, your connection to the world wide web may and will be compromised quickly since you’re consuming a great chunk of bandwidth with video and audio streaming.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to secure a strong and stable Internet connection, or at least be aware of what can happen when your connectivity is weak and cannot handle something as demanding as a webinar. You know how YouTube videos suddenly stop playing to buffer and load? Don’t let your audiences experience that.

But what if there was an unforeseen emergency? A backup ISP is usually the best answer. The times when technology will fail you may be hard to predict, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare contingency plans.

Avoiding Three Basic Flops to Host a Great Webinar | Outdated Equipment

Skimping on the Hardware

Don’t underestimate a webinar’s demand for hardware. If YouTubers and streamers need hundreds of dollars for specialized equipment, expect to shell out the same amount just to get the gears rolling.

First off, you’re going to need a webinar platform. There are good subscription services for this. Next, you need a computer capable of multitasking, since you’d be running a lot of programs (platform and presentation, among others) simultaneously. Then, as above, a good ISP and a heavy-duty modem/router with matching bandwidth. Lastly, the bunch purchase of high-quality webcam, speakers, and microphone. Those preinstalled on laptops are often not good enough; rather, you want those specialized ones that may be a bit costly but are worth it.

Once more with the backup plans, you’d want extras as well. If that means another platform, computer, and extra accessories, then so be it. At least you’re prepared when any one of those fails at the last minute.

Avoiding Three Basic Flops to Host a Great Webinar | PowerPoint Animations

Being Reckless with PowerPoint Animations

Of course, you’re expected to have a beautifully designed presentation deck. You, a presentation designer, or a presentation design agency should take care of that. However, don’t get overzealous with how you craft your presentation pitch deck.

The basics, such as using less text to make way for powerful images and making font sizes larger, among others, should still be followed. There is no excuse for shirking away from the essentials. But present in PowerPoint, and absent in normal images or infographics, are animations that display specific elements with a nifty twist. Even a normal presentation shies away from too much object movement.

But should a webinar avoid it too? Not really, but there are more considerations. For one, animations seldom go smoothly online since there are circumstances out of your control. Your animations may show up nicely on your end, but your audiences may experience “jumpiness” on theirs.

Instead, only use animation on objects that really need it: a point you need to emphasize instantly or to show progression or any sort of movement that will arrest attention. The lesser your PowerPoint animations are, the better. In the same way that too much effects can break your deck, webinars can also be more conducive to learning with minimal special effects.

Conclusion

Don’t even attempt these gross neglects of basic steps. Presentation technology may have made life easier to live in, but it will be useless without a decent amount of human effort to operate it.

Hosting a webinar with slides is simpler now, with the Internet carrying the burden of many menial tasks, but that doesn’t mean you can just be willy-nilly about it. Without a solid plan, you’re bound to fail. Take the time to prepare. Then wow your audience with an unforgettable web seminar. Leave them wanting for more.

Resources:

Agron, Mike. “Ultimate Planning Checklist for Successful Webinars.” Content Marketing Institute. May 13, 2016. www.contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/05/planning-checklist-webinars

Courville, Roger. “3 Reasons PowerPoint Animations May Suck in Your Webinar (and What to Do About It).” EventBuilder. February 13, 2013. www.eventbuilder.rocks/3-reasons-powerpoint-animations-may-suck-in-your-webinar-and-what-to-do-about-it

Majumdar, Arunima. “14 Tips to Create and Present a Highly Effective Webinar.” eLearning Industry. February 20, 2014. www.elearningindustry.com/14-tips-to-create-and-present-a-highly-effective-webinar

Shelley, Brian. “11 Steps to Make Sure Your Next Webinar Is a Total Flop.” HubSpot. February 7, 2013. blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/34149/11-Steps-to-Make-Sure-Your-Next-Webinar-Is-a-Total-Flop.aspx

Shewan, Dan. “How to Do a Webinar Your Audience Will Love.” WordStream. March 16, 2016. www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2014/08/26/how-to-do-a-webinar

Sibley, Amanda. “10 Things That Take a Webinar from Good to Great.” HubSpot. January 3, 2014. blog.hubspot.com/marketing/webinar-planning-list

Skrivanko, Mary Ann. “Webinars – History and Trends.” InsiderHub. June 30, 2015. www.insiderhub.com/webinars-history-and-trends

Wasielewski, Jarek. “Top 4 Do’s and Don’ts of Webinars.” ClickMeeting. October 1, 2014. blog.clickmeeting.com/topdos-donts-webinars

How Can I Become an Effective Webinar Host?

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Webinar Tips

It’s understandable why some people refuse to host webinars to boost their marketing campaign. The experience can be stressful when undertaken the wrong way. First-timers who aren’t confident enough to believe that they have what it takes to pull off the event can find the experience nerve-wracking. Like most presentations, webinars require careful planning. Hosts are expected to devote ample time to ensure that everything goes well—and the implications of that fact alone are enough to give anyone cold feet.

However, if there’s one reason why businesses should still consider hosting a webinar, it’s that the pay-off is well worth the hassle. A webinar provides a whole range of functionalities that other types of media and social platforms can’t offer. For instance, webinars are a quick and surefire way to forge new connections and generate trust from potential clients in your target niche. Also, compared to live seminars, webinars are more practical and regulated because they cost less, demand less time, and can be controlled from start to finish.

If you leave out webinars from your campaign, you’ll miss out on a lot of opportunities. To keep abreast with the latest technology, you need to host effective webinars.

The Secrets of Successful Webinar Hosts

There aren’t many webinar hosts out there who can draw their target audience’s attention from the start and sustain it until the end. However, those who are skilled enough to do this aren’t hard to emulate. In fact, their strategies when analyzed are easy to understand. Below are some of the secrets of successful webinar hosts.

1. They craft attention-grabbing headlines

Coming up with a catchy headline is winning half the battle. Your potential attendees have no way of knowing exactly what they’ll be getting out of your webinar, so it’s important that the title of your event packs enough information without sacrificing fun.

2. They learn their way around webinar technologies

You’d think it’s obvious, but many webinar hosts still don’t realize that getting the hang of webinar technologies before an event is an absolute must. They wait until the last minute before doing a test run. By leaving out this important step, they take value from their overall experience and the audience’s. The result is dissatisfaction on both ends.

Even on the onset, you should be involved in deciding which webinar tool to use. Consider all possible factors when making this decision. Also, make sure that your provider is willing to train your team so that you can make the most of your webinar experience. Knowing how webinar technologies work will enable you to provide clear instructions to your audience. Equipped with this knowledge, you can walk them through the various features and functionalities of the tools you’re using.

3. They put audio over everything else

In a live presentation, the way you carry yourself onstage is as important as the way you sound. You need to keep the audience invested not only in what you say but also in the way you say it. The same can be said about webinars, although audio-related factors are way more important in this platform than visual ones. Depending on the type of event you’re hosting, the audience sometimes don’t get the chance to see you face-to-face. The only connection you have with them is your voice. This is why it’s imperative that you get a good external mic and a soundproof room to aid in audio quality. On top of this, you should make sure to use a confident and conversational tone to keep your audience engaged.

4. They hold the audience’s attention to the last minute

Don’t be too naïve to assume that your audience will stay with you from beginning to end. People’s attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. With so many distractions that technology offers, you have no choice now but to compete for your audience’s attention. It would serve you well to add interesting elements like lively videos, good humor, captivating narratives, intriguing facts, and relevant questions into your presentation.

5. They practice and practice some more

One way to make sure that your webinar is seamless is by doing a test run. As they say, practice makes perfect. By reviewing your performance before going live, you give yourself a chance to polish the whole thing and minimize errors. Don’t wait until the last minute before you try out the webinar tools you’re going to use. Test them ahead of time—ideally at the same time you review your content and delivery. Practicing your act will help lessen your stress and give you more confidence.

6. They take marketing seriously

The most successful webinars are those that are marketed optimally. There’s only one way for you to attract a wide audience, and that is to promote the webinar ahead of time. Explore different social media platforms and start online discussions to promote the event. By maximizing all marketing opportunities, you can also maximize audience reach.

7. They review feedback to better themselves

No matter how good you are, there is always an opportunity for learning—a room for improvement that you may have overlooked before. That’s why after delivering a webinar, you should review your performance and take whatever feedback you can, whether good or otherwise. By doing this, you can become a better webinar host.

Webinars are here to stay, so the wise thing to do is tame the platform while it’s still not overused. With the aforementioned tips, you can become a better webinar host and expand your brand reach.

Resources:

Carucci, John & Sharan, Sharat. “How to Ensure Webinar Audio Quality.” Dummies. n.d. www.dummies.com/careers/business-communication/webinars/how-to-ensure-webinar-audio-quality

Dietrich, Gini. “14 Steps to Hosting a Successful Webinar.” Convince and Convert. n.d. www.convinceandconvert.com/content-marketing/14-steps-to-hosting-a-successful-webinar

Pappas, Christoforos. “Hosting a Winning Webinar: The Ultimate Guide.” eLearning Industry. August 22, 2015. elearningindustry.com/hosting-winning-webinar-ultimate-guide

Pappas, Christoforos. “Top 7 Tips to be a Successful Webinar Host.” eLearning Industry. October 5, 2015. elearningindustry.com/top-7-webinar-tips-successful-webinar-host

Warren, Gabriela. “How to Organize and Host a Webinar.” Lifewire. September 20, 2016. www.lifewire.com/how-to-organize-and-host-a-webinar-2377237

Weller, Nathan B. “The 15 Best Webinar Software Products from Around the Web.” Elegant Themes. January 17, 2015. www.elegantthemes.com/blog/resources/the-15-best-webinar-software-products-from-around-the-web

Pointers for Planning a Successful Webinar

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Rick Enrico

SlideGenius

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Webinar Presentation

Webinar Tips

Preparation is a critical step in any type of campaign, including hosting webinars. To produce a successful one, you need to lay out all the steps leading to the actual event. It might be tempting to jump straight to the promotion stage, especially if you have a winning topic and a celebrated speaker, but no excuse can justify skipping the planning part. Without a solid plan in place, you may run the risk of delivering a lackluster presentation that will only prove to be a waste of time, effort, and money.

Planning a webinar may seem like a daunting task, but it’s necessary if you want a worthwhile output. Part of the process is creating a checklist that will solidify your strategy. You don’t have to worry about the technicality of it all. With the abundance of tools you have at your disposal, you can plan an online seminar even with limited technological expertise. And besides, every bit of effort you make will be worth the rewards you’ll reap in the end.

Can a Webinar Help Reach Your Business Goals?

You’d think the answer to that question is an unwavering yes, but it actually depends on the goals you aim to achieve. While it’s true that webinars are an effective marketing tool, they only work in certain contexts. So, before planning one, make sure it will leave a positive impact on your business.

What exactly are webinars for? For one, they’re a good training and outreach tool. You can use them to share your expertise to your target audience. Webinars are also effective for getting the word out to your customers when rolling out a new product. When done right, it can help you move customers further down the sales funnel and reposition yourself as an industry thought leader.

Resources:

Berdeal-Skelly, Michelle. “6 Tips to Planning a Successful Webinar.” Find and Convert. October 14, 2014. www.findandconvert.com/2014/10/6-tips-to-planning-a-successful-webinar

Gilbert-Knight, Ariel. “10 Steps for Planning a Successful Webinar.” TechSoup. September 2, 2016. www.techsoup.org/support/articles-and-how-tos/10-steps-for-planning-a-successful-webinar

Sibley, Amanda. “10 Things That Take a Webinar From Good to Great.” HubSpot. January 3, 2014. blog.hubspot.com/marketing/webinar-planning-list#sm.0000w6nx4vstbcwkqnc12umt2kzcx

“15 Tips for a Successful Webinar.” MegaMeeting. n.d. www.megameeting.com/15_Successful_Webinar_Tips_Part1.html

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Can Hosting a Webinar Expand Your Audience?

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Rick Enrico

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Webinar Presentation

Hosting a webinar is an incredibly effective way to expand your audience and grow your business, brand, or personal profile. With the rise of digital communication and remote working, webinars have become a preferred tool for engaging with broader audiences, providing value, and building meaningful connections. By offering a blend of valuable content, interactivity, and convenience, webinars allow businesses and individuals to reach and attract new audiences far beyond traditional geographical limitations.

Here’s how hosting a webinar can help you expand your audience and the key benefits that come with it.

1. Global Reach Without Geographical Boundaries

One of the biggest advantages of hosting a webinar is the ability to connect with audiences from all over the world. Unlike in-person events, webinars are not restricted by physical location, travel costs, or venue capacity. This means you can engage with a global audience, reaching people who might never have been able to attend your events otherwise.

How It Expands Your Audience:

  • Attract International Participants: Webinars allow you to promote your event online, reaching potential attendees from different regions and time zones.
  • Reduce Barriers to Entry: With no need for travel or accommodation, more people are likely to register for your event, increasing your overall reach.

Example:

A software company can host a product demo webinar and attract attendees from multiple countries, increasing awareness of their product in regions where they may not have had a physical presence.

2. Cost-Effective Way to Attract New Leads

Webinars are a cost-effective way to generate new leads and grow your audience. Compared to in-person events, webinars typically require fewer resources, such as venue costs, catering, and travel expenses. This makes them an affordable option for companies and individuals looking to attract and engage new prospects.

How It Expands Your Audience:

  • Lower Costs, More Accessibility: Webinars allow more people to attend without high registration fees, making them more accessible to your target audience.
  • Lead Generation Opportunities: During the registration process, you can capture valuable contact information such as email addresses and business details. These contacts can then be nurtured as leads.

Example:

A marketing agency can host a free webinar on social media strategies, collecting registration details and using the webinar as a lead magnet to build their email list and follow-up with potential clients.

3. Content Longevity Through Recordings

One of the major benefits of hosting webinars is that they can be recorded and reused, giving your content longevity and allowing you to reach an even wider audience long after the live event has ended.

How It Expands Your Audience:

  • On-Demand Access: By offering recordings of your webinar, you can attract people who weren’t able to attend the live session. This extends your content’s reach and gives new viewers a chance to engage with your brand.
  • Repurposing Content: You can repurpose your webinar content into other forms such as blog posts, social media snippets, or eBooks, which can reach different segments of your audience.

Example:

A thought leader in the health industry can record their wellness webinar and offer the replay on their website, YouTube, or other platforms, allowing more people to watch it over time and increasing overall visibility.

4. Targeted Audience Through Niche Topics

Webinars are highly customizable, making it easy to target specific audiences based on your niche or area of expertise. By offering specialized, valuable content, you can attract a more engaged and relevant audience that is genuinely interested in your products or services.

How It Expands Your Audience:

  • Attract Interested Participants: Niche topics help attract participants who are specifically interested in the subject matter, leading to a more engaged audience.
  • Establish Expertise: By delivering expert insights, you position yourself or your business as a thought leader, which can attract a dedicated following.

Example:

An e-commerce consultant can host a webinar on “Improving Conversion Rates for Online Retailers,” attracting business owners specifically looking to enhance their online sales, which could lead to more targeted and engaged leads.

5. Interactive and Engaging Content

Webinars allow you to interact directly with your audience in real-time through Q&A sessions, polls, chat features, and live demonstrations. This interactive element helps build stronger connections and allows attendees to feel more involved in the event.

How It Expands Your Audience:

  • Build Rapport with New Audiences: Engaging with attendees during the webinar helps establish a relationship and builds trust, encouraging future interaction and loyalty.
  • Address Pain Points: By allowing your audience to ask questions or vote in polls, you can better understand their needs and provide tailored solutions, increasing the likelihood of converting them into long-term followers or customers.

Example:

A SaaS company hosting a live Q&A during a product demo webinar can address specific questions from potential customers, providing direct value and boosting confidence in their product.

6. Partnerships and Co-Hosted Webinars

Collaborating with other brands, influencers, or industry experts on webinars can significantly expand your audience. By partnering with someone who already has an established following, you can leverage their audience while also adding credibility to your event.

How It Expands Your Audience:

  • Tap into Existing Networks: When you co-host a webinar, your partner will promote the event to their own audience, giving you access to potential new followers or customers.
  • Cross-Promotional Opportunities: Cross-promotion with partners can introduce your brand to a larger, highly relevant audience, leading to greater exposure.

Example:

A fitness app could co-host a webinar with a well-known nutritionist to discuss the benefits of diet and exercise, promoting the event to both the app’s user base and the nutritionist’s followers, thus expanding the audience for both.

7. Social Media Promotion

Social media platforms offer a significant opportunity to promote your webinar to a broader audience. By sharing your event across multiple platforms and encouraging your audience to share it as well, you can attract a wide range of participants from different demographics.

How It Expands Your Audience:

  • Viral Reach: Social media sharing can exponentially increase the visibility of your webinar. The more your event is shared, the greater your reach becomes.
  • Targeted Ads: Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram offer targeted ad options that allow you to promote your webinar to specific audiences based on their interests, professions, or demographics.

Example:

A digital marketing agency can use Facebook Ads to promote their webinar on “SEO for Small Businesses,” targeting users who have shown interest in digital marketing, SEO, or entrepreneurship.

8. Networking and Building Relationships

Webinars provide a great opportunity to build relationships with your audience, industry experts, and peers. Participants get a sense of your expertise and personality, and you can use webinars to establish lasting connections.

How It Expands Your Audience:

  • Networking Opportunities: Hosting a webinar gives you a platform to connect with potential customers, collaborators, or industry influencers who may promote your brand to their own networks.
  • Follow-Up Engagement: After the webinar, you can continue engaging with participants through email follow-ups, social media, or even inviting them to future events.

Example:

An entrepreneur hosting a webinar on “Scaling Your Startup” could follow up with attendees by offering additional resources, starting discussions on LinkedIn, or inviting them to future networking events, thus growing their professional network and audience.

Conclusion

Yes, hosting a webinar can significantly expand your audience by providing value in a flexible, accessible format. From increasing brand awareness to generating leads and nurturing relationships, webinars offer a highly effective platform for reaching new people and deepening connections with your existing audience.

By focusing on content that delivers real value, promoting your webinars across multiple channels, and engaging your participants in real-time, you can grow your reach, establish authority in your niche, and achieve your business goals. Whether you’re a small business, an individual entrepreneur, or a large corporation, webinars are an essential tool for expanding your audience in today’s digital landscape.

Check out our Webinar for ON24 :Teaching the Importance of Simplicity

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SlideGenius Founder and CEO Rick Enrico spoke last Thursday on the importance of simplicity in presentation design as a part of ON24’s very first installment of its Webinar Academy.

To view the webinar, titled, “Avoiding Information Overload: The Importance of Simplicity in Presentation Design,” do the quick, 1-minute registration here and view the entire webinar series created by ON24, a leading virtual communications company. Along with Rick’s, you’ll find several other Webinars that have a lot to teach about presenting in the digital age.

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While most presentations designed by SildeGenius are given in person, the attention ON24 is giving to Webinars is indicative of a growing trend toward Internet-based presenting and how this is expanding our scope of how we can reach an audience. By viewing our webinar, you’ll see that all the key elements of an effective PowerPoint presentation are still there, but coupled with it is the ability to reach millions of people at the click of a button by creating your presentation online.

How to Humanize Your Virtual Presentations

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In the age of remote work and virtual meetings, it’s more important than ever to humanize your virtual presentations. Engaging a remote audience requires extra effort to create a connection and keep viewers engaged. Here’s how to add a human touch to your virtual presentations and make them more interactive and personal.


1. Make Eye Contact with the Camera

In a virtual presentation, eye contact helps create a sense of connection with your audience. While you can’t see your viewers directly, looking into the camera can simulate the feeling of eye contact and make your presentation feel more personal.

Why It’s Important:

  • Creates a Connection: Eye contact builds rapport and makes the audience feel like you’re speaking directly to them.
  • Increases Engagement: When the audience feels seen, they’re more likely to stay focused and engaged.

How to Do It:

  • Position your camera at eye level to maintain natural eye contact throughout the presentation.
  • Avoid looking at your screen too often; focus on the camera as if you’re speaking to an individual.

2. Use Storytelling to Build Empathy

Telling stories is a powerful way to create an emotional connection with your audience. Whether you’re sharing a personal experience, a customer success story, or a relatable challenge, storytelling helps humanize your message.

Why It’s Important:

  • Builds Emotional Connections: Stories resonate with the audience on a deeper level, making your message more memorable.
  • Engages the Audience: Storytelling keeps viewers interested and can help illustrate complex points in a relatable way.

How to Do It:

  • Start your presentation with a relevant story that aligns with your message.
  • Use personal anecdotes or real-life examples to make abstract ideas more tangible.

3. Encourage Interaction with Polls and Questions

Virtual presentations can feel one-sided if the audience isn’t involved. Break up your presentation by encouraging interaction through polls, Q&A sessions, or live chat.

Why It’s Important:

  • Fosters Engagement: Asking questions or conducting polls keeps your audience involved and attentive.
  • Creates a Two-Way Dialogue: Interaction humanizes the presentation, making it feel less like a monologue and more like a conversation.

How to Do It:

  • Use platforms that allow for live polling, like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, to gather audience feedback in real-time.
  • Ask open-ended questions throughout the presentation and invite viewers to share their thoughts in the chat.

4. Be Authentic and Relatable

Virtual presentations can sometimes feel detached. To combat this, embrace authenticity and vulnerability to make yourself more relatable to your audience.

Why It’s Important:

  • Increases Trust: Authenticity builds trust and rapport, making your audience more likely to engage with and trust your message.
  • Humanizes the Experience: Showing your human side helps the audience connect with you on a personal level, even through a screen.

How to Do It:

  • Don’t be afraid to show your personality or admit small mistakes; it makes you more relatable.
  • Use a conversational tone rather than overly formal language to create a more approachable presentation.

5. Personalize the Content

Tailoring your presentation to the specific interests and needs of your audience helps you establish a personal connection. The more relevant your content, the more engaged your audience will be.

Why It’s Important:

  • Keeps the Audience Engaged: Personalizing your content makes it more relevant and engaging for your viewers.
  • Shows Empathy: Tailoring your presentation to your audience’s challenges or interests demonstrates that you understand their needs.

How to Do It:

  • Research your audience in advance and customize examples or stories that align with their industry, challenges, or interests.
  • Use the audience’s feedback or questions to guide your presentation in real-time.

Final Thoughts

Humanizing your virtual presentation is essential for building connections, engaging your audience, and delivering an impactful message. By maintaining eye contact with the camera, using storytelling, encouraging interaction, and being authentic, you can create a virtual experience that feels personal and relatable. These strategies will help you leave a lasting impression, even from a distance.