Social distancing being the new normal in the pandemic-stricken economy around the globe, businesses are finding innovative ways to connect with their audiences, today. From several marketing tools available, Webinar empowers marketers to invest in two-way real-time communication with their audiences.

Research suggests;

• 75% marketing and sales leaders prefer webinars to generate high-quality leads
• 40% webinar attendees convert into qualified leads
• 25% of consumers participate in webinars on their mobile device
• 92% webinar attendees prefer live Q & A session at the end of the webinar

Undoubtedly, the webinar is an impactful virtual tool for achieving sales and marketing goals, as they replace trade shows, face to face meetings, and events especially when businesses operations are adapting to the new normal.

Why should you use webinars for your business?

Qualified Lead Generation

Audiences who register for webinars indicate a genuine interest in a business offering. They validate as qualified leads, which enables marketers to engage in conversations and conversions. Prospects are interested in the discussion by marketers, while the sales team can follow up with them to discuss the products/services and guide them through the sales funnel to close the deal. Webinars create qualified marketing and sales leads and connect them to the next stage in the buyer’s journey.

Drive Engagement

Webinars are vital to the success of a content marketing strategy because they promote and drive greater user engagement. A live webinar visually stimulates audiences and encourages them to pay more attention to your presentation and ask questions. Through Q&A sessions, live polls, and audience feedback, marketers can analyze at what stage the prospects are in their buyer’s journey and guide them towards the purchase stage. Additionally, webinars help to measure buyer’s readiness and enable marketers to create more compelling content to drive higher user engagement focused on brand awareness, trying and buying the product and product advocacy.

Growth and Expansion Globally

Companies can now easily expand their business to offshore markets through virtual events. Webinars facilitate real-time conversations between businesses and consumers. This interactive marketing tool allows businesses to share industry-specific expertise and establish thought leadership – vital for building recognition in the competitive global marketplace.

When companies present valuable insights on current industry trends or solutions to recurring business challenges, they establish credibility among their global audience. Sharing valuable information in a crisp and transparent presentation through webinars with targeted audience enables businesses to establish their leadership role in the competitive landscape. It eventually leads to ease of doing business and generating greater profits.

Build and Repurpose Content

Producing content to fill distribution channels is a constant battle for marketers to win. Upon exhaustion of content pieces like blogs, articles, email campaigns, and social media posts, webinars come to the rescue!

Repurposing your existing content to feed your audience and keep them hooked leads to growth and expansion of your business, eventually. You can convert your content (white papers, newsletters, blogs, articles) into interactive webinars and add them to your content library manifolds. The more content you can share with your prospects proactively the stronger you are in their minds and greater is the possibility of doing repeated business with them.

Tips to Leverage Webinars

Webinars are a fantastic virtual business communication tool to connect with your audience and prospects, globally. So, how can you leverage this remarkable tool to expand your business during the pandemic?

Pre-Webinar Promotion – Targeting, Tracking, Time Zones & Schedules

• Use unique tracking parameters like UTM Listing on third-party webinar applications to track sign-ups or potential leads from these applications.
• A compiled list of email addresses enables marketers to target their audience across multiple channels and gain more leads for conversion.
• Use B2B and B2C advertising platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Google for webinar promotions,
• Create a 15-second spoiler – a short video on the webinar’s contents – to generate interest and attract more attendees.
• Evaluate the demographics, geographies, time zones, and availability of the targeted audience to run the webinar optimally for generating high quality leads.

Post-Webinar Promotion

Often, hectic work schedules and demanding personal time can avert your attendees to join a live session. Nonetheless, you need to continue your efforts in engaging with them. For an interested audience who are always running short on time, you can record the live session, edit it, and host it as a gated asset (on-demand webinar) on your website or share the link in your regular communication pieces (newsletters, articles, blogs) via email.

Best Practices on Webinar Planning 

• Create content for 30-45 minutes long webinar
• Tuesday and Wednesday is perfect for hosting webinars
• Audience prefer 10 -11 AM time slot for attending webinars

Webinars are great interactive tools for engaging with potential customers. Any thoughts?

Tags: Engagement, Facebook, Google, Instagram, Lead Generation, LinkedIn, Marketing strategy, Virtual event, Webinar