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So You Want to Host a Webinar?

More than ever, businesses and other agencies are using the Internet to share information with clients, partners and stakeholders, and webinars are becoming a popular method to distribute news and ideas. Using these online presentations, organizations can invite people from around the world to attend the same event without requiring travel or large physical facilities. However, not all webinars are created equal, and just as in-person interactions mandate certain behaviors and rules, so do addresses in cyberspace. Luckily, by remembering and implementing some easy and almost basic practices, groups can attract an audience and host a successful online seminar.

Thomas Masotto, the vice president of product management and business development at ON24, explains that webcasts have gained popularity because they reach a dispersed crowd and are cost effective. His company assists organizations with hosting webinars. “They’re a good way to engage an audience and communicate a complex message,” he says. Webinars are akin to keynote addresses at large conferences; they offer a platform for distributing information and responding to direct questions from audience members. Of course, webinars are only effective if people attend.

Masotto shares that an educational agenda is a key feature that attracts participants to webinars. Even if a business’s main goal is to promote a product, the host organization should present its information in an informative manner. Webinars that are demonstration-focused generally draw small, uninvolved audiences. “That is the kiss of death,” he says. Webcasts that involve analysts and talk about trends are more highly attended, so organizations should relate their products and services to current events in their field. Masotto states that the educational element is the biggest recommendation he makes to ON24’s customers.

Also critical to the success of the online presentation is a clear comprehension of its purpose. When preparing for the event, planners need to understand their objectives and goals so they can give clear guidance to everyone involved.

Once organizations have established their objectives, they can decide how best to present their information and attract an audience. Masotto suggests traditional techniques such as e-mail and advertising campaigns to encourage participation. Another tip he recommends based on studies he has seen is the use of video versus audio. A video of the presenter used in conjunction with slides results in higher registration and attendance levels. 

No matter how good the presentation is, the focus for most audience members is the question-and-answer session. Masotto explains that industry standards call for a webinar to be no longer than an hour in length because at that point audience numbers start to drop off. Of that hour, only 35 to 40 minutes should be filled with a presentation to allow ample time for audience-speaker interaction. “A live Q&A is really the main draw,” Masotto says. If the presentation involves multiple speakers, the total speaking time should still remain within the 40-minute time limit. In the case of panels or other multiple presenters, a moderator can select queries and direct them appropriately.

If questions remain at the end of the time allotted for the webinar, hosts can make a quick decision to extend. They also can include additional answers in the webinar’s archive, which is usually available for at least three months after an event. Additionally, organizations can follow up directly with an individual at a later time. Another option is to have extra staff members answer questions via text during the webinar to respond to more queries during the hour and reduce the number directed to the speakers. Webinars can have thousands of attendees, so answering every question during the event is not always feasible.

Masotto does not advise organizations to charge for attending a webinar and says all of the events run by his company have been free. The only exceptions to the rule are when consumers are paying a small fee for training or the webinar is part of a conference that includes an attendance charge. Most webinars are either internal to companies and agencies or external communications such as lead generation when hosts want the highest possible number of people to listen. Organizations should eliminate any barriers to attracting attendees that they can, Masotto says.

Another consideration for webinar hosts is whether to set up a registration process. These processes are common and enable the host organization to see who it is attracting. For government agencies, registration processes may be unnecessary—for instance when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency presents a public outreach event—because who attends is less important than how many.

Benefits for organizations employing a registration process, especially for lead-generation webinars, include customization and reporting. Back-end reporting can inform hosts who registered, who actually attended, how long they attended and if they asked a question.

No matter who hosts a webinar or for what purpose, Masotto has one strong recommendation—practice. Presenters and other staff should be comfortable with the technology and prepared with the topic material. “The audience wants you to be comfortable,” he shares.