how to give a webinar presentation

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Webinars 101: how to create a webinar, share this article.

Welcome to the dynamic world of webinars, where 73% of B2B marketers and sales leaders have found their goldmine for generating high-quality leads. If you’re aiming to connect, educate, or inspire from any corner of the globe, you’ve hit the jackpot. In this guide, we cut through the complexities of webinar creation, offering you top-notch insights to craft your successful online event.

From pinpointing the ideal topic that sparks curiosity to leveraging the powerhouse of tools like Thinkific for your webinar courses, we’ve got your back. Dive into the nitty-gritty of engaging content , nail your technical setup, and discover the art of keeping your audience hooked. And when the curtain falls, we’ll show you how to keep the applause going with savvy post-webinar strategies.

Are you ready to boost your digital presence and create the best webinar for your audience? Let’s turn that virtual stage into your playground!

Skip ahead:

What is a webinar?

Planning your webinar, preparing your webinar content, selecting the right tools and software, promoting your webinar, hosting and delivering your webinar, post-webinar activities.

A webinar is an online event that connects individuals with viewers across the globe. Imagine an online stage where the world is your audience. That’s a webinar for you — a digital bridge connecting you with viewers globally — a virtual event that promotes connectivity and collaboration without borders. 

Picture real-time chats, presentations zipping through the internet, and interactive discussions. Webinars are your go-to for everything from snappy workshops and enlightening lectures to dazzling product demos, catering to an array of fields like education, marketing, and business training.

Benefits of hosting webinars

Let’s explore why hosting your first webinar can be your best bet for lead generation, expanding your reach, and much more:

• Expert positioning: A webinar positions you as an expert in your field, enhancing credibility and trust with your audience. It’s a platform to showcase your in-depth knowledge and address pain points directly, making your brand synonymous with solutions and expertise.
• Lead generation powerhouse: Webinars are fantastic for lead generation. By offering high-quality content that resonates with your target audience, you attract potential clients who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer.
• Global reach: The digital nature of webinars breaks down geographical barriers, allowing you to reach a global audience. By considering different time zones, you can schedule your live event to maximize attendance from around the world.
• Building personal connections: Live webinars provide an opportunity for real-time interaction, helping you build personal connections with your audience. This interaction fosters a sense of community and loyalty towards your brand.
• Flexibility and convenience: Webinars offer the host and the attendees flexibility. They can be accessed from anywhere, making it convenient for a broader audience to join in without the need for travel.
• Content repurposing: The content from your webinar can be repurposed in various formats like blogs, social media posts, and email campaigns, extending its value beyond the live event.
• Immediate feedback and insights: Hosting a live event gives you the advantage of immediate feedback. You can gauge audience reactions, gather insights, and understand the effectiveness of your content on the spot.
• Cost-effective marketing: Compared to in-person events, webinars are a more cost-effective way to reach out and engage with your target audience, reducing expenses on venues, logistics, and more.

Incorporating webinars into your marketing strategy can significantly boost your brand’s visibility, authority, and lead-generation efforts. They are an effective tool for addressing your audience’s pain points while positioning your first webinar as the best solution they’ve encountered.

Types of webinars

There are several types of webinars, each serving different purposes:

• Zoom webinars: The crowd-pleasers, known for user-friendliness and peppy interaction. They’re perfect for live chit-chats, engaging polls, and breakout brainstorming sessions.
• Webinar presentations: The structured, often pre-recorded type, delivering your content with crystal clarity. Ideal for educational nuggets, sleek product demos, and in-depth lectures.
• Webinar courses: Like a series of educational episodes, these webinars unfold over multiple sessions, diving deep into topics, complete with bonus materials like readings and assignments.

Ready to jump onto the webinar bandwagon? Let’s unwrap the planning essentials. Picture your webinar as a masterpiece, blending your know-how with your audience’s curiosity.

Choosing a topic

When picking a topic for your webinar, it’s essential to balance what you’re passionate about and what sparks interest in your audience. Here’s how to nail it:

• Trendy and relevant: Pick a specific topic that’s buzzing right now. A webinar on emerging technologies like AI could draw a crowd if you’re in tech.
• Passion meets demand: Choose a subject you love that also has a strong audience interest. If you’re into fitness, a webinar like “5 Home Workouts to Transform Your Fitness Routine” could be a hit.
• Unique perspective: Offer something different. If you’re a cooking expert, instead of a generic cooking class, how about “Cooking Gourmet Meals in 30 Minutes”?

Target audience

Knowing your audience is key to a successful webinar. Here’s what to consider:

• Who are they?: Figure out their age, job, and interests. If your webinar is about advanced photography techniques, you’ll likely target professional photographers or serious hobbyists.
• Customize your content: Tailor your webinar topic to fit your audience’s expertise level. Beginners in digital marketing? A “Basics of SEO: Getting Started” webinar would be ideal.

Setting goals and objectives

Clear goals are crucial for a successful webinar. Keep them specific, measurable, and aligned with what you’re all about:

• What’s your aim?: Clearly define whether you want to educate, generate leads , or sell something. If lead generation is your goal, aim to capture a certain number of email addresses.
• Reflect your brand: Make sure your webinar embodies what your brand stands for. If your brand is about simplicity, your webinar should, too.
• Measurable outcomes: Set goals you can track. Want to educate? A quick quiz at the end can measure how much your audience learned.
• Efficient planning: Save time with a solid plan. Cover everything from prep to how you’ll promote the webinar , conducting the webinar, and the follow-up process. For on-demand webinars, consider the timing of their release for the best impact.

With a well-chosen topic, a clear understanding of your audience, and defined goals, you’re all set to create a webinar that engages and drives your brand’s message home.

Crafting the content for your webinar is where you get to blend creativity with strategy, ensuring every element aligns perfectly to deliver an effective webinar. Let’s dive into how to make your content engaging, structured, and visually appealing.

Creating engaging content

Your content is what will inspire, educate, and empower your webinar attendees to come back for more. Here’s what to keep in mind when creating your content :

• Dynamic interaction: Transform your webinar from a standard presentation to an interactive experience. Incorporate live polls to engage your audience, spark discussions with Q&A sessions, and include interactive exercises encouraging active participation.
• Clarity and relevance: Ensure every piece of content is clear, concise, and relevant to your subject matter. Your audience’s time is precious, so make every minute informative and engaging.
• Storytelling and examples: Use storytelling techniques to make your content relatable and memorable. Bring in real-world examples to illustrate your points, making complex ideas easier to grasp and more tangible.
• Guest speakers: Inviting guest speakers can add a fresh perspective to your webinar. Choose experts who can contribute valuable insights and experiences related to your topic, enriching the overall content.
• Step-by-step guidance: If your webinar is instructional, provide step-by-step explanations. This approach is particularly effective in digital marketing webinars where practical, actionable advice is crucial.

Structuring your presentation

Your presentation structure is the skeleton that holds your webinar together. Be sure it includes the following:

• Personal introduction: Start with a warm, personal introduction that establishes a connection with your audience. This sets the tone for the rest of the webinar.
• Logical flow: Organize your content in a logical sequence. Break it down into digestible segments, each focusing on a specific aspect of your webinar’s subject matter.
• Interactive segments: Intersperse your presentation with interactive elements. This can include live Q&A sessions, polls, or short discussion breaks, keeping the audience engaged throughout.
• Powerful conclusion: End your presentation with a strong conclusion. Summarize key takeaways and leave your audience with a call to action (CTA), motivating them to apply what they’ve learned.

Visuals and media

In the visual arena, it’s all about complementing, not overwhelming. Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Relevant visuals: Select visuals that are directly related to your content. Each visual element should add value and enhance the understanding of your topic.
• High-quality media: Use high-resolution images and videos to maintain a professional standard. This reflects on the quality of your webinar.
• Balanced design: Avoid cluttering your slides with too many visuals. Aim for a clean, aesthetically pleasing design that captures attention without overwhelming your audience.
• Format consistency: Maintain consistency in your visual presentation. This includes using a cohesive color scheme, font style, and layout that aligns with your webinar format and brand image.

The tools and software you pick can be game-changers for your webinar. They’re the unseen heroes working behind the scenes to make your webinar a hit.

Zoom webinar setup

Zoom has become a go-to platform for webinars, offering a range of features to facilitate interactive and engaging sessions. Follow these steps:

• Sign Up/Login: Start with a Zoom account, and opt for a plan that suits your needs.
• Schedule your webinar: In the Zoom portal, select ‘Webinars’ and then ‘Schedule a Webinar.’ Fill in the details like date, time, and description.
• Customize settings: Choose options for registration, audio, video, and interactive features.
• Invitations: After setting up, use the provided link to invite attendees.
• Rehearse: Test your setup before the event to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Presentation tools

When it comes to crafting engaging presentations for your webinars, the tools you use can significantly influence the impact and clarity of your message. Here are some top tools to consider:

• PowerPoint: A pillar in the presentation world, PowerPoint offers a familiar, user-friendly interface with a vast array of templates and design options. It’s ideal for creating slide-based presentations that are both professional and visually appealing. With PowerPoint, you have the flexibility to incorporate various multimedia elements, create custom animations, and leverage its widespread compatibility.
• Prezi: For those seeking a more dynamic and visually engaging approach, Prezi is a standout choice. Unlike the traditional slide-based format, Prezi allows you to create non-linear presentations with a zoomable canvas, making it perfect for storytelling and keeping your audience engaged. Its unique presentation style emphasizes relationships between concepts and offers a memorable visual journey.
• Canva: Canva has gained popularity for its simplicity and stylish design capabilities. It’s a go-to for users seeking to create presentations quickly without sacrificing aesthetic appeal. With a vast library of templates, easy-to-use design features, and the ability to collaborate in real time, Canva is an excellent tool for those who prioritize ease of use and visual impact.

Course platforms

When it comes to hosting webinar courses , the platform you choose can greatly impact the success and reach of your program. Here’s a closer look at some top platforms:

Thinkific is a top choice for those seeking a comprehensive solution for creating, marketing, and selling online courses. Here’s what makes it stand out:

• Intuitive course builder: This feature is designed for ease of use, allowing anyone to create professional courses without needing technical skills. It’s a straightforward, user-friendly way to bring your course to life.
• Advanced customization: You have the freedom to customize the look and feel of your courses and landing pages , ensuring they align perfectly with your brand’s identity. This customization extends to course structure, design, and user experience.
• Diverse content types: Thinkific supports a variety of content types, including videos, quizzes, surveys, and downloadable resources. This flexibility allows you to cater to different learning styles and keep your content engaging.
• Marketing and sales tools: The platform comes equipped with an array of marketing tools, such as the ability to offer coupons, run email marketing campaigns, and set up affiliate programs. These features help in attracting and retaining students.
• Student engagement tools: You can create an interactive learning environment with forums and discussions. Certificates of completion add an extra incentive for students to complete the course.
• Detailed analytics: Monitor your course’s performance and student engagement with Thinkific’s analytics. These insights can help you fine-tune your content and teaching approach.
• Community and support: Join a thriving community of course creators where you can share experiences, ideas, and get inspiration.
• Secure hosting and data ownership: Your content is hosted securely and remains under your control, ensuring your data and intellectual property are protected.

Teachable is renowned for its user-friendly approach, making it ideal for those new to online course creation. Key features include:

• Easy content upload: The platform offers a drag-and-drop functionality, simplifying the process of building your course. It’s a great way to quickly get your content online without any hassle.
• Customizable landing pages: Create landing pages that attract and captivate students, with easy customization to fit your branding.
• Integrated payment options: Teachable simplifies the monetization process, allowing you to focus more on content creation and less on the technicalities of payment processing.

Kajabi provides a comprehensive all-in-one solution for course creators. Its standout features are:

• Robust course creation tools: Build and structure your course with a range of powerful tools. Kajabi gives you the flexibility to design your course exactly how you envision it.
• Marketing capabilities: With built-in tools for email marketing, landing pages, and sales funnels, Kajabi is not just a course platform but also a marketing powerhouse.
• Membership site creation: This feature allows for ongoing engagement and revenue, providing a space for your community to grow and interact beyond the course.

While Teachable and Kajabi offer excellent functionalities, Thinkific stands out with its blend of user-friendly course creation, extensive customization options, powerful marketing tools, and a supportive community. This makes Thinkific an ideal platform for creators looking to launch, market, and scale their webinar courses effectively.

Laying out the red carpet for your webinar registration means more than just spreading the word — it’s about creating a buzz that resonates with your potential audience. Here’s how to ensure your webinar is the talk of the town:

Marketing strategies

To maximize attendance, use these promotional strategies:

• Email marketing: Whether you’re preparing to launch a webinar for the first time or emailing attendees that have attended previous events, your webinar email flow should be enticing, empowering, and inspire readers to register. Craft compelling emails that entice readers with the promise of valuable insights. The subject line should grab attention, and the body of the email should succinctly convey the benefits of attending your webinar. Don’t stop at one — keep the momentum going with a series of reminder emails, stirring up anticipation as the webinar day approaches.
• Social media savvy: Harness the power of social media platforms to amplify your reach. LinkedIn is perfect for targeting professionals, X for snappy, attention-grabbing announcements, and Facebook for broader audience engagement. Customize your content for each platform, using graphics or video teasers to pique interest. Remember, your social media posts are not just notifications — they’re invitations to a can’t-miss event.
• Collaborative charm: Partnering with influencers or brands can catapult your webinar’s visibility. These collaborations open doors to new audiences and add a layer of credibility to your event. Choose partners whose audience aligns with your webinar’s theme and message, creating a synergy that benefits all parties involved.
• SEO-optimized landing page: Create a landing page that looks good and ranks well on search engines. Utilize SEO best practices to ensure your registration page appears in relevant searches. The content on this page should clearly articulate the value of your webinar, encouraging visitors to take the next step and register.

Registration process

For a smooth registration process:

• Keep it simple: Your registration form is the gateway to your webinar. Design it to be straightforward and user-friendly. Request only the essential information to minimize barriers to entry, making the sign-up process quick and effortless.
• Confirmation and reminders: Automation is key here. Set up an automated system to send out a confirmation email as soon as someone registers. Leading up to the webinar, schedule reminder emails. These can include a sneak peek of the slide deck, special messages from your guest speakers, or any last-minute information about the live stream, keeping your webinar fresh in the minds of your registrants.
• Crystal clear instructions: Clarity is crucial. Ensure your emails provide explicit instructions on how to access the webinar. If your webinar platform might be new to some attendees, consider including a simple ‘how-to-join’ guide or a link to a tutorial. This approach helps reduce any anxiety or confusion about attending the live event, especially for first-time webinar attendees.

By implementing these strategies, you set the stage for a successful webinar, filled with engaged attendees ready to absorb what you have to offer. Whether it’s your first webinar or one of many, these approaches ensure a smooth experience for your participants and a rewarding outcome for your efforts.

When it’s time to host your webinar, think of it as your moment to shine and connect. It’s about bringing all your preparation to life and creating a memorable experience for your audience. Here’s how to ensure your webinar is an event that resonates:

• Test your tech: Before the big day, do a trial run to ensure all your technical equipment is in tip-top shape. Check your internet connection, audio and video clarity, and familiarize yourself with the webinar software’s features. This will help avoid any technical hiccups during the live event. You can also use a moderator on the day of to ensure your tech is working, the conversation is flowing, and everyone is enjoying your webinar. 
• Create a welcoming environment: As you start your webinar, set a warm and engaging tone. A friendly introduction can put your audience at ease and build a connection right from the start.
• Engage and interact: Throughout the webinar, encourage participation. Use interactive features like polls, Q&A sessions, and chat functionalities. This keeps the audience involved and provides valuable feedback and insights.
• Deliver high-quality content: Ensure your content is well-researched, relevant, and presented in an engaging manner. Use your slide deck effectively to highlight key points and maintain audience interest.
• Manage time effectively: Be respectful of your attendees’ time. Start and end the webinar as scheduled, and keep each segment of your presentation concise yet informative.
• Provide value: Your attendees are there for a reason. Make sure they leave with new knowledge, insights, or skills. The content should address their needs and offer real solutions.
• Follow up post-webinar: After the webinar, send out a follow up email , share a recording of the session, or provide additional resources. This follow-up is an excellent opportunity to keep the conversation going and nurture your relationship with the attendees.

Hosting a successful webinar is about blending seamless technical execution with engaging content delivery. By focusing on these aspects, you can ensure your webinar not only imparts knowledge but also leaves a lasting positive impression on your attendees.

The work doesn’t stop when your webinar ends. Post-webinar activities are crucial for maximizing the impact of your session and setting the stage for future success.

• Collecting feedback: Gather those immediate reactions with post-webinar surveys and direct chats. It’s like having a backstage pass to your audience’s thoughts.
• Repurposing content: Turn your webinar into a content treasure chest. Share recordings, spin off blog posts, pepper your social media with highlights, and enrich your emails with webinar wisdom.
• Analyzing success: Measure your success by attendance rates, engagement levels, and feedback quality. It’s like taking a telescope to your webinar stars, helping you navigate better for the next one.
• Engage your attendees: Touch base with past attendees and offer value with content that will resonate. You can even use your webinars to promote your online courses and other helpful content. 

You now have a roadmap to creating and delivering a successful webinar. From planning and preparation to post-webinar activities, each step is crucial in crafting an engaging and impactful experience. 

Remember, the key to a great webinar lies in understanding your audience, delivering valuable content, and continuously improving. So, start creating your webinar today and unlock new opportunities for growth and engagement!

What equipment do I need to host a webinar?

To host a webinar effectively, you’ll need a few essential pieces of equipment:

• Computer: A reliable computer with sufficient processing power is crucial. It should be able to handle your webinar software smoothly.
• Microphone: Good audio quality is essential. Invest in a quality microphone that can clearly capture your voice without picking up too much background noise.
• Webcam: A good webcam is necessary for visual engagement. Ensure it provides clear, high-definition video.
• Stable internet connection: A consistent and high-speed internet connection is key to prevent buffering or connection issues.
• Headphones: To avoid audio feedback and enhance sound clarity, consider using headphones, especially if your webinar involves interactive components.

Are there any free webinar hosting options?

Yes, there are several free or low-cost options for hosting webinars:

• Zoom: Offers a free basic plan with a 40-minute time limit for group meetings.
• Google Meet: Free for users with a Google account and supports up to 100 participants.
• Skype: Suitable for smaller, more informal webinars.
• Cisco Webex: Has a free version with limited features.
• Jitsi Meet: An open-source platform that is completely free and doesn’t require an account.

How long should a webinar typically be?

The ideal length of a webinar varies based on its type and purpose:

• Educational webinars: Typically last between 45-60 minutes, with additional time for Q&A.
• Product demonstrations: Usually shorter, around 20-30 minutes.
• In-depth workshops or training: Can extend up to 90 minutes or longer, with breaks.

The key is to ensure that the duration aligns with the content’s depth and the audience’s attention span.

Can I charge for my webinar course?

Yes, you can charge for your webinar courses. When monetizing, consider the following:

• Value proposition: Ensure your course provides significant value and unique content that justifies the price.
• Market research: Understand what similar courses are charging and position your pricing competitively.
• Platform capabilities: Use platforms like Thinkific or Teachable that facilitate course monetization.
• Payment options: Provide multiple, secure payment options for accessibility.

How do I handle technical issues during a live webinar?

To manage technical issues during a live webinar:

• Pre-webinar testing: Conduct a thorough test of your equipment and software before going live.
• Backup plans: Have alternative options ready, like a backup microphone or a secondary internet connection.
• Quick fixes knowledge: Be familiar with common issues and know how to quickly solve them, such as restarting the software or checking audio settings.
• On-call support: If possible, have a technical support person available during the webinar.

What are the best practices for promoting a webinar on social media?

Effective strategies for promoting webinars on social media include:

• Teasers and countdowns: Generate excitement with teaser posts and countdowns leading up to the event.
• Engaging visuals: Use eye-catching graphics and videos to grab attention.
• Hashtags: Create a unique hashtag for your webinar for easy tracking and visibility.
• Influencer partnerships: Collaborate with influencers to expand your reach.
• Live snippets: Share live snippets or behind-the-scenes looks to engage your audience.

How can I improve audience engagement during my webinar?

To enhance audience engagement:

• Interactive polls and surveys: Use these tools to encourage participation and gather instant feedback.
• Q&A sessions: Allocate time for questions and encourage audience interaction.
• Engaging visuals: Use slides and visual aids to make your presentation more dynamic.
• Real-time chat: Utilize chat functionalities for instant engagement and feedback.
• Breakout rooms: If your platform allows, use breakout rooms for small group discussions.
• Storytelling: Incorporate stories and anecdotes to make your content more relatable and engaging.

Stephanie is a content marketing expert with a passion for connecting the dots of strategy and content. She has worked with industry leaders including HubSpot, Oracle, Travel + Leisure, and Forbes.

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How to create a webinar presentation to win over attendees

March 29, 2021

If you want to convert your webinar attendees, get our tips on how to create a webinar presentation. They’re straightforward and will help you wow your audience.

You’re getting ready to put together your slide deck for your next webinar presentation.

And you find yourself staring at a blank laptop screen.

Sure, you can open PowerPoint and quickly bust out some presentation slides.

But, what’s going to make it an engaging webinar that actually converts?

The last thing you want to do is waste time creating a lengthy slide deck that prematurely ends up in your archive folder.

Today, we’ll fill you in on how to put together a successful webinar, including seven straightforward steps, plus webinar slide examples.

Let’s hop to it.

7 steps to create a high-converting webinar presentation

Step #1. begin with your title slide concept.

Before beginning any design work for your presentation slides, it’s worth outlining the content for your slide deck, starting with your title page.

While your title page should be a visually pleasing slide that’s easy to digest, it’s also important to carry this general rule from your title slide throughout your entire slide deck:

Stick to the 1-to-1 ratio rule of including one concept per slide.

It’s very similar to the 1-to-1 attention ratio when designing a high-converting landing page. The highest converting landing pages include one single link .

The reason why the single-focused approach works so well is that it’s a way to keep your target audience away from overchoice and cognitive overload .

Specifically with your title slide, you can leverage this less-is-more idea by sticking to these basic elements:

Your webinar title

A subheading

The webinar presenter’s name

A compelling visual

We’ll address more details about the visual design later, but for now, just understand that the main goal for your title page is simplicity, and the visual image is a prominent part of it.

This also means it’s a great branding opportunity where you can show off your brand identity and personality a bit.

To put it into context, check out this title slide template , which is both compelling and simple.

Alternatively, this one from leading branding expert Mark Lack includes his webinar title, his headshot, and four quick visual points about what to expect.

The gist is to start with a clean title slide that leads into an equally simple slide deck presentation.

Before diving into the meat of your presentation, there are two steps that help you build credibility and trust among your attendees.

Step #2. Include a brief overview of your experience

To say that building trust and credibility is important is a big understatement.

A mighty 81% of consumers need to trust the brands they purchase from.

On top of that, another 66% of consumers believe transparency is one of the most attractive qualities of a brand.

That being said, it’s vital to give your target audience a reason to trust you.

Presenters can accomplish this in the form of sharing a bit of their own story.

Back to our Mark Lack example, at the intro of his webinar, he shares his transformation from a “punk and failure in school” to becoming a “multi-millionaire and top personal branding expert by the age of 30”.

If you don’t want to divulge how you’ve morphed from your teen years, you can also share your business experience.

Like webinar presenters Aidan Booth and Steve Clayton did, who started their first online business ideas back in 2005 and 2003 respectively.

While Aidan and Steve squeeze in a lot of info on their background slide, they’re able to share credibility-boosting qualifications, like their “30 years of combined online business experience” and how they “run multiple 7-figure businesses”.

In sum, provide a few slides explaining why people should listen to you. It doesn’t have to be elaborate — just share some points that build your credibility as an expert in your field.

Your background story isn’t the only aspect that builds trust, though.

There’s also your happy customers’ stories — head to our next step for more.

Step #3. Introduce testimonials and social proof

Your next step for creating a successful webinar presentation is to include a healthy dose of testimonials and social proof.

Testimonials are so powerful that 72% of consumers claim positive testimonials and reviews increase their trust in a brand.

Not to mention, if people see that others are getting results, they’ll believe they can get results, too.

To feature your happy customers, you can include screenshots of people sharing their wins in social media posts, like in this example from Mark Lack’s webinar .

Or individual client success stories that are more drawn out.

Of course, the more you have, the better. Here’s how to show off a range of client testimonials in one slide .

Basically, the point here is short and sweet:

It’s a good idea to include testimonials and social proof both before and after your main webinar content.

It’ll help your viewers pay more attention to your main lesson and be more inclined to follow your next steps.

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Now, for your webinar’s main course.

Step #4. Outline your main webinar topic

Whether it’s jotting down bullet points or scripting out your key points, it’s important to lay out the main chunk of your webinar content in a clean and clear way before heading into any slide deck design work.

Simply map out the flow of your tutorial and try to keep your perspective scaled back when outlining your main webinar content.

Bonus tip: While you may be the expert in your field (and you certainly want to position yourself as a thought leader in your niche), it’s important to stick to a specific topic in your webinar.

The point of your webinar presentation is less about sharing everything you know about your webinar topic or subject matter, and more about sharing a very focused tutorial that teaches your audience how to achieve one main goal.

One way to stay focused while crafting your webinar slide content is to think of your outline in terms of an agenda or table of contents.

In slide form, here’s another screenshot from Mark Lack’s Masterclass webinar presentation. It puts you in the mindset of the purpose of your webinar, anticipating the upcoming lesson layout.

If you want to dig a little deeper, you can map out a simple framework for your webinar tutorial, like in this Introduction to Blockchain webinar description, which breaks up the presentation into three main points:

Introduction

Who the webinar is most beneficial for

Just adapt the format to suit your specific topic.

Pretty simple, right?

This simplicity applies to not only the flow of your presentation slides, but also the content of each slide.

Given that a whopping 90% of marketers believe that visual content is either very important, quite important, or that their strategy is nothing without visuals, it’s wise to rely heavily on graphic content throughout your webinar presentation.

Take, for example, successful entrepreneur and expert marketer Blake Nubar’s Partner Program webinar presentation.

It’s not unusual for one of Blake’s slides to include mainly visual content, like this one:

Even his text-heavy slides include images, like this one:

Notice that, while Blake includes several bullet points, they’re all super short.

His slides that are text-only are also very focused, like this one that highlights a single idea.

The main point to glean is: If there’s an opportunity to slim down the information while still getting your main point across, do it.

With graphs, for instance, cut out any clutter possible, like in this chart that grays out the extra colors making it super simple to understand the graph’s trend.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, less is more. Keep it simple — from your presentation flow to the content on each presentation slide.

After the meat of your webinar presentation is mapped out, you’re ready to inspire your webinar attendees to take action — our next tip.

Step #5. Focus on your call-to-action

The final slides of your webinar presentation should focus on your main call-to-action (CTA).

In question form, what specific action do you want your attendees to take next?

This is particularly important if you’re selling with webinars .

KIBO Code Quantum ’s CTA is to redeem a free discount gift for enrolling in their program by heading to their featured URL.

Coach Trainer Kendall SummerHawk ’s CTA is to click the button below her webinar or head over to her site URL to join her coaching program.

Course creator David Siteman Garland even adds a layer of urgency to his final CTA page with a blue timer at the top right of his slide screen.

In addition to his CTA’s URL at the top of the slide, David also adds a CTA at the right of his webinar screen to time the countdown of his 20-minute closing Q&A session, which you can do using WebinarJam’s webinar platform.

Fancy CTA boxes aside, the common theme here is your attendees take the next step toward converting into customers.

Even if it’s not to purchase on the spot, make it an obvious CTA that urges your attendees to take action.

Beyond your CTA, it’s also important to include a Q&A if you’re hosting a live webinar.

After all, out of all webinar resources, people see Q&A sessions as a resource that’s 81% better than all other webinar resources.

This makes sense, especially when you consider the overwhelming 92% of attendees that want a live Q&A session at the end of webinars.

If you can, invite a colleague to be your webinar moderator, so they can feed you questions from the webinar platform ’s chatbox. This allows you to focus on answering questions instead of fishing through comments.

If you’re worried about going over your set webinar time, just be sure to build the Q&A time into your presentation time.

These days, the average time attendees spend consuming webinar content is 53 minutes .

So try to find a slot in there, and of course, experiment and iterate as needed.

In a nutshell:

At the close of your webinar, include a Q&A for live webinars to overcome any objections, and end with a very clear CTA that your attendees can follow next.

As far as your webinar slides go, that’s a wrap. It’s time to put your ideas and bullet points into an actual slide deck design.

Step #6. Use a slide deck template to design your presentation slides

Now that you’ve done most of the heavy lifting, the fun part is to add your webinar content to actual slides.

To do this, we recommend using presentation slide templates.

Why? For one, it saves a ton of time.

As in, going from between 5–8 hours to between 45–120 minutes when you start with an existing presentation template.

Another reason why we love templates is most of them are beautifully pre-designed and available at a low cost, without having to hire a designer.

Venngage , for instance, offers a wide range of professionally designed templates to choose from.

Same with Canva , which offers hundreds of customizable presentation templates.

And if you’re a Microsoft Office user, PowerPoint has built-in slide deck templates that you can customize and design as you input your content.

If you do the pre-work, this step is also short and sweet:

After you’ve completed the bulk of work by outlining your webinar flow and content, transferring it to presentation slides should be straightforward if you use a slide deck template.

If you’ve made it this far, congrats . You’re well on your way to presenting an impressive webinar. We’ll leave you with just a few more details to seal the deal.

Step #7. Practice and prepare for your webinar presentation

Beyond your slide deck, there are a few more key points worth sharing, the first being — practice.

Do a dry run and rehearse your webinar presentation as many times as you need to feel comfortable.

The more you run through your subject matter, the more you’ll overcome your presentation jitters .

And to help boost your camera confidence , look the part. People who dress the part have more confidence.

In fact, your attendees will subconsciously take you more seriously, and most importantly, so will you.

Even if you focus the majority of your webinar on your slide deck, you can still face your webcam and present face-to-camera, either at the beginning or end of your webinar.

Another option is to show up in a small corner alongside your webinar slides, which most webinar software lets you do.

Like in this recording layout using Zoom ’s webinar platform, for example.

Or in Buffer’s Optimizing your Social Channels for Success webinar, which displays their presenter’s face-to-camera shot in the corner of the main presentation window.

Either way, it’s worth making an appearance in front of your target audience to build credibility and get your audience to know, like, and trust you.

From a tech standpoint, it’s also vital to have your audio quality come through as crystal clear.

No matter the webinar format — whether you’re presenting as a guest speaker at a live event or hosting your own webinar as a prerecorded online event — make sure your audio set up is clean.

It’s also worth getting your hands on a reliable headset, so you can express yourself hands-free. The last thing you want to do is get distracted by unclear audio or fumble around with your tech setup.

And, last but not least, our final bonus tip is to nurture your email list and follow up with your webinar attendees.

Given that 80% of sales are made in the fifth to twelfth contact, it’s important to continue nurturing your webinar attendees.

Here’s the recap:

While your slide deck may be the meat of your webinar presentation, it’s not the only thing that needs fine-tuning before, during, and after your big day. Don’t forget to practice, check your equipment, and snag yourself a spot for some face-to-camera interaction during your webinar.

And, of course, don’t forget to follow up. No one likes to be left on read, and that definitely includes your audience.

Here’s to hosting a successful webinar presentation and growing your business

While there’s no shortage of webinar presentation formats and types out there, if you focus on your main goal of teaching your attendees how to achieve one main result, the rest should take care of itself.

Especially with a trusty structure to follow.

Just follow our seven steps to craft a successful webinar presentation:

Start with a compelling and simple title page that sets the stage for your whole webinar.

Build trust by sharing a story that positions you as an expert in your field.

Nurture even more credibility by sharing testimonial stories and social proof.

Outline your main webinar content in a clean streamlined format. Use lots of visuals.

Include a clear CTA at the end of your webinar (and Q&A if it makes sense).

Transfer your webinar content to a slide deck format using design templates.

Practice your webinar, dress on-brand, properly set up tech details, and continue to nurture your target audience.

In the market to sell your webinars ? Podia is the perfect platform to manage, schedule, and sell your webinars — along with all of your other digital products like online courses and digital downloads.

Get started for free today.

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About the author

Cyn Meyer was a content writer for Podia , an all-in-one platform where online courses, digital downloads, and communities scale with their creators. Cyn also enjoys playing music, helping retirees live active, healthy, engaged lifestyles, and hopping into the ocean.

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Blog Beginner Guides What Is a Webinar & How Does It Work? [Beginner’s Guide With 10+ Presentation Templates]

What Is a Webinar & How Does It Work? [Beginner’s Guide With 10+ Presentation Templates]

Written by: Aditya Sheth Apr 08, 2021

With a global pandemic taking the world by storm and forcing people to work from home, webinars have seen a resurgence in popularity and usage across the globe.

In the last decade (especially in the last few months) webinars have become a staple for educating students and potential customers, lead generation for your business, and captivating large online audiences.

If you’re new to webinars, you’re probably asking yourself…

• What is a webinar?

How does a webinar work?

• Why are webinars so effective?

What are the different types of webinars?

• How do I create and host a webinar?

In this guide, I’ll give you a crash course on what is a webinar, how you can create a webinar and showcase plenty of presentation examples to answer all your webinar-related questions!

Let’s dive right in.

What is a webinar? Webinar definition:

According to  Merriam-Webster , a webinar (or web seminar) is “a live online educational presentation during which participating viewers can submit questions and comments.”

You might be wondering, “well, what is a seminar?” Seminar definition: “a meeting for giving and discussing information.”

Webinars are events, video presentations, workshops, seminars, training sessions, or classroom lectures hosted and delivered online using webinar software .

What makes webinars effective is that they’re a two-way form of communication where the attendees and presenters give, receive and share information with each other, in real time.

Webinar vs. Webcast

A webinar is not a webcast. Webcasts are pre-recorded sessions that broadcast online (on TV or YouTube). Webinars are live sessions allowing real-time interactivity between the presenter and attendees.

For example, our growth by content live webinar teaches business owners how to use content marketing to drive business growth without a massive budget:

If you’re new to webinars, a great way to familiarize yourself is to attend other webinars (like the one above) and take notes.

Hosting webinars has plenty of uses and benefits, but before we dive into creating a webinar it’s important to understand how and why webinars work in the first place.

Webinars allow presenters to share documents of all kinds including but not limited to voice notes, videos, presentations and other documents, etc with their attendees.

Webinars have plenty of uses (often business-related) but the most important and biggest use for webinars is to educate and engage an audience).

Your audience could be anyone from new or existing customers, industry peers or even the students in your classroom.

This means webinars are useful in any industry where communicating with your audience is a key factor in your personal or professional success.

Webinars can also help you with all of the following: 

• Educate your audience about your business.
• Build authority in your industry or niche.
• Demonstrate your product to customers. 
• Onboard new customers to your product. 
• Training both new and existing employees. 
• Generating leads for your business. 

In the marketing world, the main use for webinars is lead generation.

For example, our “ Infographic Design 101 ” webinar is aimed at helping our current customers visualize their ideas and attracting potential customers to sign up for Venngage:

If you’re new to webinars or want to learn how to visualize your ideas, I highly recommend checking out this webinar.

Another way marketers use online webinars is to build authority, credibility and thought leadership in their industry.

Drift ’s approach to thought-leadership webinars is a prime example:

Drift leverages webinars for multiple purposes ranging from educating new and current customers, establishing thought leadership, and collaborating with other SaaS companies.

This helps Drift position themselves as a subject matter expert in the SaaS industry.

Another example is  R&D tax credit software  Boast.AI.

Boast Events  produces two webinars per week in their community, branded Traction, bringing founders and leaders from some of the fastest-growing companies to share actionable, tactical advice on business growth.

If you’re creating a marketing plan and your goal is consistently generating high-quality leads for your business, webinars should be a crucial piece of your strategy.

Webinars are also used extensively in eLearning. As an educator, your ability to reach more students expands dramatically. Right from the comfort of your home.

Students don’t need to travel and with the current crisis that’s forced everyone to stay home, online webinars can be the most important learning tool in a teacher’s arsenal.

Here’s an example of how HBR approaches educational webinars:

After reading this guide in its entirety, you’ll have a better understanding of how to replicate their approach to webinars for your own institution or classroom.

Why are webinars effective?

What makes webinars effective (compared to physical events or workshops) is that with webinars, you don’t need to rent out a physical location or deal with complex logistics that arise from hosting in-person events. 

In fact, in 2020, the number of organizations planning a virtual event has doubled .

With a plethora of webinar pros (vs physical events), rich-feature sets, support for multiple content types, the possibilities are essentially endless.

Advantages of webinars

Since webinars are online events , they’re convenient for both presenter and attendee as you can host and attend webinars right from the comfort of your office (or home.) 

Whether it’s presenting to a small group or a group of 100+ attendees, webinars work in both these scenarios.

Webinars can be pre-recorded and played at any time for participants. This makes them easier to set up, repurpose, and budget-friendly compared to in-person events.

Offline events have their own merits, but with live webinars you don’t need to spend time agonizing over venue rentals, food, beverages or making sure your presentation equipment works. 

People have used webinars creatively for education, marketing, sales, branding, human resources, user onboarding, etc. So when it comes to what you can do with webinars: the sky’s the limit.

A lot of webinar tools come with interactive whiteboards, surveys and polls, live-chat features which make them far more personalized, engaging and interactive for your audience.

These are just some of the reasons why webinars have been exploding in popularity in recent times. 

Webinar formats

Webinars come with tons of customizable features as well as support various content formats such as:

• Live video: the most common type of webinar. Live webinars tend to garner the most engagement.
• Pre-recorded: most webinars are live, but you can always record a live webinar and future participants can register for them as they please. Most Ideal for evergreen topics.
• Text: Most webinars tools come equipped with text chat features. Ask and answer your audiences’ questions, in real time.
• Whiteboard: used to draw out and explain important concepts.
• Surveys and polls: want to keep your audience engaged? Use surveys and polls to get attendees to answer questions and organize it all in one place.

But the most common way to conduct webinars is by creating and presenting a slide deck presentation .

Here’s an example of a webinar presentation you can edit and customize right now:

Once you learn how to make a great webinar presentation, you can always kick things up a notch by experimenting with different webinar tools as well as whiteboards, polls, surveys, etc.

Venngage has a fair amount of experience when it comes to participating and hosting webinars for marketing, lead generation, and joint collaborations.

But that’s not their only use. Here are just some ways you can harness the power of webinars:

Webinars for marketing, lead generation and partnerships

When it comes to lead generation, there’s a lot you can do: 

• Creating in-depth industry white papers , 
• Publishing case studies to promote your product, and 
• Designing ebooks and offering them up as lead magnets.

But, the greatest bang for your marketing buck can come from hosting webinars due to the high-quality leads they help generate.

Companies like Drift , ConvertKit , G2 , etc have successfully leveraged webinars to scale their lead generation and in turn, increase revenue.  You just need to learn some essential webinar statistics if you’re planning to create one. If webinars worked for them, they can work for you too. 

For example, G2 hosts webinars regularly with the goal of generating leads for their software:

G2 covers a wide variety of topics in their webinars. Not only that, joint webinars are the perfect way to team up with other companies and subject matter experts in your industry. 

Conducting joint webinars allows you to:

• Partnering with other companies gives you access to their audience. They could even be potential customers who would otherwise be oblivious about you. 
• Collaborating with other companies adds credibility and authority to your content establishing you as a thought leader in your industry. 

At Venngage, we use webinars to educate our audience and lead generation becomes a natural by-product of this goal:

With this webinar our goal was simple: helping businesses navigate the pandemic by outlining how they can grow using content marketing (like we have).

With physical event cancellations and the world being forced to work from home, companies are slowly transitioning from hosting physical events to events hosted virtually (with webinars).

For example, Wishpond opted for a virtual event to make it easier for participants and attendees to partake (even from home):

Pro Tip: If you provide massive value to your audience in your webinars, chances are you won’t even need to promote your product. Help your audience with their struggles, and they’ll not only become a customer but also a raving fan.

Webinars for education

Webinars have exploded in popularity in the last few years as a powerful learning tool, not only for marketers but also for schools and universities.

For educators, webinars are the best way to reach and engage students. No classroom required. For students, they get to learn from the comfort of their own homes.

Due to the pandemic, colleges and universities have transitioned to distanced learning. So webinars as a learning tool have surged in popularity.

My alma mater, Seneca uses educational webinars for all occasions—from educating potential students to onboarding new students and also hosting virtual open houses:

If you’re a college or university trying to onboard incoming students for the new semester, webinars are an absolute no-brainer. Here’s an onboarding webinar template you can use:

I f you’re a professor looking to experiment with webinars as a learning device, you can use this webinar presentation template for your next online class:

Pro Tip: Want to make your webinar even more engaging? Invite external educators and subject matter experts to collaborate with you on your next webinar.

Webinars for product demos

Companies have started adopting webinars for product demos to strategically sell their products and build a deeper relationship with prospective customers.

But when is the ideal time to start using webinars for product demos? The answer: Now!

Today’s buyers are digitally savvy and comparing competing products to make the best buying decision. Sending over a business proposal and hoping for the best isn’t going to cut it anymore.

A product demo webinar is an opportunity for you to showcase real case studies of your current customers, how they’ve used your product successfully, and how your prospect can achieve the same results.

OroCommerce, the B2B eCommerce platform  does a great job with product demo webinars . Every time they release a major product update they hold product demos going over the benefits of every new feature.

When presenting a live webinar that targets your audience’s pain points , strategically tie in your product into your presentation and how it helps your attendees solve their burning problems. 

Here’s an example of a product demo webinar presentation you can use to demo your products or services:

Pro Tip: Product demo webinars also helps you gather critical customer feedback . If you’re a startup, start conducting regular webinars to gather crucial feedback to make your product better.

Webinars for employee training

Webinar tools can double as meeting software and training tools for training both new and existing employees.

This is especially useful if you’re communicating with a remote team . Or even a team that’s too big to sit in one room together.

You can start by including webinars in your onboarding materials or conduct a webinar-esque orientation where you outline your company’s expectations, vision, mission and address questions your new hires might have.

They can also be used to showcase your company’s culture and how it will matter to your new recruits. 

Related : How to Create a Successful Employee Training and Development Program

Webinars are the perfect tool for educating your employees on niche but important topics like productivity, workplace diversity, safety, employee engagement, etc.

Want your next company-wide webinar to cover the topic of workplace accessibility? Here’s a presentation you can use for your next webinar:

Webinars for user onboarding and retention

Webinars have been among the most popular marketing  trends among SaaS businesses .

If you’re a digital storefront or Software as a Service (SaaS) company like us, you know how important customer onboarding and retention is for the bottom line of your business.

You may already have onboarding flows in your product, but it’s never a bad idea to explain to your new customers how your product works by inviting them to a user onboarding webinar. Also, utilizing a user onboarding software can help create a seamless user journey.

With your user onboarding webinar, make sure you cover the most important aspects of your products, keep the learning curve as low as possible and invite users to ask questions while you’re presenting.

Saas company Drift takes the cake with their ingenious use of webinars (especially the third one) to onboard new customers:

Once you sign up for Drift, they send you an email with a webinar-style video tutorial on how to get started with Drift. Genius.

Pro Tip: It’s 5x more expensive to acquire new customers than to retain an existing one. Use tools like onboarding emails, push notifications, webinars, etc. to retain your new customers so they stick around, upgrade to your paid plans and spread the word about you.

How to create and host a successful webinar

There are plenty of free, paid as well as ad-supported webinar tools available in the market. And most of these webinar hosting tools come with similar features.

Picking a webinar tool that’s right for you comes down to your business goals, budget as well as what you value in a webinar tool.

Here are some webinar tools to help you get started:

• Zoom (freemium): The most well-known online meeting tool also doubles as a webinar tool. Starts with a free plan and offers paid business plans with robust features.
• WebinarJam (paid): Starts at 499$/year and includes features such as live chat and automated recordings.
• WebinarNinja (paid): Starts at 39$/month for upto 100 attendees. It also comes with a free 14-day trial so you can take them for a test drive.
• ON24 (free trial): Comes with powerful attendee, reporting and marketing features. Integrates with plenty of other tools, but every integration is priced.
• Zoho Meetings (paid): Starts at 15$ for 25 attendees. You can also host up to 250 attendees for just 63$/month.

Want to dig deeper? Our friends at G2 have reviewed every popular webinar tool to help you make the right buying decision for your specific needs.

Create your own webinar in five steps:

Once you’ve spent the time on picking the right webinar hosting tool, now onto better things: creating your first webinar!

Creating your first webinar can be overwhelming but I’ll outline the exact steps you need to follow to make your first webinar a roaring success. Here they are:

1. Identifying the goal of your webinar

Webinars have many uses and by extension, webinars also help you accomplish different goals.

Start by asking yourself, “What’s my goal with this webinar?” Is it:

• Generating more leads for your sales team?
• Educating your students studying from home?
• Selling an idea or concept to potential customers?

Once you’ve identified the goal of your webinar, think about what your key performance indicators ( KPIs ) will be to determine the success of your webinar. 

After determining your goals and KPIs, make sure everything you do: creating your webinar content, promoting it, etc ties back to this goal.

If the goal of your webinar is to teach potential clients motivation 101, your best bet would be a purely educational and non-salesy presentation:

Pro Tip: Above all else, put your audience first. What are their pain points? What kind of content do they care about? If you tailor your webinar to your audience’s needs and pain points, success is imminent.

2. Attend other webinars

The best way to plan, create, and host a webinar successfully is to scope out the competition.

Look at your industry and start researching companies that are successfully using webinars to educate or sell to their audience.

What can you do differently or do better? Can you better interact with your audience? Can you ask better questions? Can you improve the content of your webinar?

Be curious and take notes whenever you can.

Once you attend a few webinars, you’ll have a general understanding of which webinars are hits and which are misses. All that’s left is to emulate webinars that were a roaring success.

To start, check out our webinar on driving business growth with the help of content marketing:

3. Plan and outline your content

In this step, you’ll start putting together your webinar outline and lay down the groundwork i,e. Invite your attendees, plan your event logistics, and decide on a webinar promotion strategy.

Creating an outline for your webinar content is easy if you already have a goal in mind.

For example, if the goal is to educate new users on how to create an infographic using Venngage, here’s what an outline might look like:

• Introduction
• What is an infographic?
• Use cases for an infographic
• How to make an infographic?
• How companies use infographics

A webinar outline can help you stay focused on the topics your audience cares about (based on research) and prevent you from getting side-tracked. 

The best part? You will eventually end up with a webinar presentation like this:

Pro Tip: Like any presentation, you need to rehearse for your webinar. This is even more important if you’re presenting to a large crowd online many of which could be potential customers. First impressions are everything, as they say.

4. Design your webinar presentation slides

Once you’ve identified the contents of your webinar, time to start designing the actual webinar presentation!

To start off, hop onto Venngage and pick a presentation template you like. We’ve got 100s of templates for all occasions and types ranging from professional to quirky:

Starting from a blank presentation is hard. Trust me, I’ve tried. 

So pick a presentation template you like, you can customize it to your heart’s content anyway.

Start playing around with the template, editing various elements like fonts, headers as well as the presentation layout .

If you’re on our business plan, you can use MyBrand Kit to automagically import your brand guidelines (logos, colors, and fonts) into your designs:

Need a helping hand? Bring on your team to edit your presentations and bring your webinar to life! Turn on real-time team collaboration (a business plan feature):

Once you’ve put all the final touches, export or download your presentation:

The real kicker? Venngage’s presentation maker can export your presentation in a .pptx format for importing within Powerpoint. Pretty cool right?

If you’re a fan of keeping it simple, you can present your webinar from right within Venngage using our presenter view feature.

And that’s it — once you’ve made an engaging presentation , prepared your speaking notes, and tested your webinar you’re officially ready to present your webinar to a live audience! 

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to collect feedback from your audience after the webinar! A tool like Paperform can help you survey attendees and improve your future webinars.

5. Marketing (or Promoting) your webinar

You’ve front-loaded the most important work: planning your webinar, setting up webinar tools, goal setting, competitor research, etc.

But unless you promote your virtual event , nobody will know how valuable it will be for them. So the final piece of the puzzle is webinar marketing.

Webinar marketing isn’t complicated, all you have to do is create event posters , social media visuals as well as event timelines informing attendees about the agenda of the event.

Here’s an example of a virtual event poster template you can edit (paid plan only) right now:

If you’re a business that engages in email marketing and has an existing email list, leverage it.

 If not, use email marketing software like Brevo or Hubspot to build your email list and automate your email marketing campaigns.

We promote all our webinars to our customers through our email newsletter and I recommend you do the same. 

Here’s a webinar invitation newsletter template you can send out to your email list:

Promoting your webinars on different social media networks is the lowest hanging fruit you should go after.

Head over to our templates page and you’ll find a huge collection of eye-catching designs for every social network (all sized to the right dimensions).

Need to promote your next non-profit webinar on Instagram? But don’t want to use boring stock images? We’ve got you covered:

Creating, customizing, and sharing promo materials for your next webinar is easy and intuitive with Venngage.

With access to 1000+ professional templates, an ever-growing collection of icons and illustrations (all of which are free), features like Brand Kit and real-time team collaboration :

Looking for a one-stop shop to design event posters , banners , social media graphics , email newsletters , and much more? Sign up for Venngage today!

Now you know the basics of everything from what’s a webinar, how to make a webinar, and the webinar conferencing software you will need to host a webinar. 

If you’re ready to start creating webinars that educate and captivate your audience regardless of industry or profession, make sure you keep the following webinar hosting best practices in mind:

• Pick the right webinar tool. This comes down to your budget, goals as well as features you want in your webinar hosting software.
• Identify your goal. What are you trying to achieve with your webinar? What content does your audience care about? What are their pain points? Clarity on your goals is crucial above anything else.
• Snoop on your competitors. How are your companies leveraging webinars? Take notes and think about what you can do differently or better with your webinars.
• Promote your webinar. You’ve worked days, weeks (or even months) to create an awesome webinar. Let the world know about it! 

This article is also available in Portuguese: O que é um webinar e como ele funciona? [guia para iniciantes]

Did you enjoy this in-depth guide on webinars? What was your favorite tip? What are you struggling with? Drop them in the comments below, and let’s talk about it! 

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How to Make an Infographic in 5 Steps (Guide)

How to Write a Business Pro posal [Examples & Templates]

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13 Tips for Webinar Presenters: A Guide to Engaging Webinars

• Engagement & Interactivity
• Published: September 21, 2023

The Power of Webinar Presentations

In the world of virtual communication, webinars have emerged as a game-changer.

Webinars connect businesses, organizations, and individuals to connect with their audience in an engaging virtual environment. 

As a webinar presenter, you hold the key to unlocking a treasure trove of knowledge. Inspire your attendees to take action. 

Mastering webinar etiquette and best practices helps you conduct seamless and successful webinars.

Our comprehensive guide covers tips and strategies for presenters on all aspects of webinar presentations from planning to follow-up.

Use these tips to become a better webinar host, whether you’re new to it or have experience.

Learn how to successfully engage your audience and make your webinars unforgettable.

Embracing Your Role as a Webinar Presenter

As the face behind the screen during a webinar session, you play multiple roles:

• Subject Matter Expert (SME): You need to be familiar with the topic at hand to answer questions confidently while providing valuable insights.
• Master Facilitator: Your role is much more than information sharing. Keep the content flowing smoothly and encourage participation from attendees. Guide participants through the material with skill, manage your time wisely and quickly address any technical issues.
• Engaging Dynamo: Actively engage with your audience by asking thought-provoking questions, encouraging participation, and promptly responding to comments.

4 Essential Skills for a Successful Webinar Presenter

As an expert webinar presenter, you possess a unique set of skills essential for delivering a captivating and impactful presentation. Let’s dive into these skills in detail:

• The Power of Effective Communication : Communication lies at the heart of every successful webinar presentation. Practice strong verbal and non-verbal communication skills to connect with your audience on a deeper level.
• Technical Know-How of Webinar Tools : Have a solid understanding of the technical aspects involved in hosting webinars. Be familiar with various webinar platforms, troubleshooting common issues seamlessly. Use screen sharing or interactive polls for interactive engagement .
• Presentation Techniques for Audience Engagement : Keep your audience engaged throughout the entire duration of the invested in your webinar by adding storytelling techniques and unique examples or case studies. Create visually appealing slides to support your message.
• Time Management Expertise and Strategic Planning: Master time management during your presentations by planning ahead . Always outline or script your content. Ensure you cover all necessary points within the allocated timeframe while leaving room for questions or discussions.

Delivering an Engaging Webinar Presentation

A well-structured presentation keeps your audience engaged from start to finish.

1. Craft an Organized, Engaging Presentation

How can you connect with your audience?

• Create a logical flow.  Organize your presentation in a way that tells a coherent story and moves smoothly from one point to the next. Use transitions between key sections.
• Hook the audience early on . Start strong to grab attention right away. Consider an intriguing question, statistic, or anecdote on your topic.
• Focus on key takeaways.  Don’t try to cover too much. Highlight the 3-5 most important points you want viewers to remember. Reinforce these.
• Use striking visuals.  Webinars are a visual medium. Slides with compelling images, charts, and graphics will boost engagement. Avoid text-heavy slides.
• Add interactive elements.  Get the audience involved with polls, Q&As, and live demos. These activities keep participants attentive and provide valuable feedback.
• Practice your delivery.  Rehearse your webinar with slides to polish your pacing, tone, and smooth transitions between concepts. Time yourself.
• Check timing.  Leave room for questions and interactive portions. A 45-60 minute webinar works best for most topics.

2. Introduce Yourself Professionally

Your introduction sets the tone for the webinar and builds your credibility. What does a strong intro include?

• Welcome. Thank attendees for joining and express enthusiasm for the topic and having them attend.
• Agenda overview. Give a quick rundown of the webinar sections and topics you’ll cover.
• Speaker bio. In 1-2 sentences, highlight your expertise and background related to the subject. Keep it concise and relevant.
• Company information (if relevant). Briefly share your role and key facts about the host organization. Keep branding subtle.
• Housekeeping. Cover any key webinar features to highlight such as how to ask questions.
• Transition to content. End your intro smoothly and transition into the meat of your presentation.

3. Speak Slowly, Clearly and With Expression

Your voice is a crucial means of keeping viewers engaged during a webinar. Follow these vocal best practices:

• Pace yourself. Speak slowly and clearly to be easily understood. Pauses give participants time to digest information.
• Enunciate and project. Articulate words fully and avoid mumbling. Project your voice to be heard through speakers.
• Vary tone for emphasis. Use inflection and volume strategically to stress key points. A dynamic tone keeps interest piqued.
• Show enthusiasm. Bring energy to your voice. Passion for the topic is contagious for the audience.
• Avoid filler words. Reducing “um” and “ah” improves professionalism. Pauses work better for transitions.
• Check audio quality. Make sure audio is clear without echoes or background noise on your end.

4. Use Body Language That Aligns With Your Message

Presenters on video should match their body language to their message for maximum impact:

• Make frequent eye contact. Look into your webcam often to feel connected with participants. Don’t just read slides.
• Limit distracting movements. Adjust your position infrequently. Shifting around is visually disruptive.
• Use purposeful gestures. Reinforce key points with relevant hand movements and facial expressions. 
• Sit up straight. Good posture projects confidence and engagement. Avoid slouching.
• Lean into the camera for emphasis. Subtle forward movement during key moments helps reinforce your point.
• Stay within the frame. Keep your full face visible within the webcam shot. Avoid cropping at the forehead or chin.
• Have a consistent background. Pick a plain backdrop and keep it the same in every webinar. A professional background adds credibility.

5. Engage Attendees With Questions

Questions give participants an active role and provide feedback for you as the presenter:

• Ask early questions to warm up the audience. Start with easier questions to get responses flowing. Offer quick polls or icebreakers.
• Spread questions throughout the webinar. Insert 2-3 questions per 10-15 minutes. Leave room for wrapping up with Q&A.
• Offer a mix of open and closed questions. Yes/no and multiple choice polls are good for quick feedback. Open questions provide more detailed responses.
• Repeat or rephrase questions as needed. If participants seem confused or don’t respond, clarify the question.
• Allow enough time for participants to respond. 10-20 seconds is usually sufficient for polls. Leave 30-60 seconds for open questions.
• Acknowledge all responses neutrally. Thank everyone for participating without judgment of quality.

6. Manage Live Q&A Smoothly and Efficiently

The live Q&A allows participants to get direct answers. Manage it effectively with these tips:

• Set Q&A guidelines upfront. Explain if questions should be held until the end or can be asked anytime in chat or unmute.
• Repeat each question out loud before answering. This ensures all attendees hear the question.
• Keep answers focused. Provide direct, concise responses tailored to the question asked. Don’t go off topic.
• Modify unclear questions. It’s OK to rephrase convoluted questions for clarity before answering.
• Defer questions if needed. If faced with a question you don’t know the answer to, let the asker know you’ll follow up with them after the webinar.
• Don’t get dragged into arguments. Stay professional and neutral if questions feel hostile or combative. Move on swiftly if necessary.
• Wrap up when time is up. If the webinar time is ending, let attendees know you need to wrap up even if hands are still raised.

7. Appear Relaxed and Confident On Camera

Appearing relaxed, comfortable, and confident on video keeps participants engaged and builds credibility:

• Smile and make eye contact. A friendly expression and direct eye contact makes you seem approachable.
• Avoid stiff or nervous body language. Keep movements fluid and natural. Shake out tension before going on camera.
• Sit up straight. Good posture projects confidence without seeming tense.
• Have a drink available. Take small sips of water if your mouth gets dry. Avoid noisy gulping sounds.
• Breathe deeply. Slow steady breaths reduce stress and racing thoughts. Inhale before speaking if needed.
• Channel your excitement. Think of your enthusiasm for the topic rather than any nerves about presenting. Passion is contagious.
• Imagine you’re speaking to a friend. Envision a supportive, familiar face rather than an anonymous audience.

8. Troubleshoot Minor Technical Issues Smoothly

Despite thorough preparation, small tech issues may still pop up. Handle them with poise:

• Have tech support’s contact handy. Keep the email/phone of your webinar tech assistance within reach. Don’t hesitate to contact them.
• Take a deep breath. Acknowledge the issue calmly and remind attendees that technical glitches happen. Stay cool under pressure.
• Narrate your actions to fix the problem. Let participants know step-by-step what you are doing to address the issue.
• Apologize briefly. Offer a simple “sorry about that” and move on once resolved. Don’t dwell or get flustered.
• Have backup slides/activities ready. Be prepared to go to a backup agenda if needed due to technical difficulties.
• Take it offline. Ask the attendee with the problem to connect with you offline for complex individual issues.
• Remain visibly unflappable. Keep your composure even if you are feeling anxious. Participants will follow your cue.

9. Monitor Chat Questions and Participation

Actively monitoring the chat and participation metrics ensures you respond at the right times:

• Position chat where you can see it easily. Place the chat box near your webcam to make reading questions natural.
• Scan for questions often. Check for new questions or comments every 2-3 minutes. Respond promptly.
• Designate helpers to monitor the chat. Make co-hosts or assistants responsible for chat questions.
• Review participation metrics after polls. Note the percentage of attendees responding. Follow up if it seems low.
• Save time for written Q&A. Allow 5 dedicated minutes for chat questions at the end. Scroll up to address unanswered questions.
• Acknowledge chat responses when possible. Give quick verbal or non-verbal recognition when participants write answers.
• Keep responses concise. Provide short, focused answers in chat. For longer replies, address verbally or follow up later.

10. Wrap Up with Key Takeaways and Next Steps

Close out your webinar by summarizing key points covered and next steps for the audience:

• Repeat the main takeaways. Remind viewers of your webinar content’s 3-5 most important points.
• Provide resources for learning more. Share links, downloads, or other tools if attendees want to delve deeper.
• Clarify the next steps. Explicitly tell participants your recommendation for what actions they should take after the webinar.
• Promote future events or offers briefly.  Mention upcoming webinars  or offers tied to the topic without an overly salesy pitch.
• Thank attendees again. Express gratitude for those who attended and their interest in the subject.
• End punctually. Finish within the promised webinar time. Avoid cutting into the next hour unexpectedly.
• Keep the webinar open briefly. Give participants 1-2 minutes after your presentation to view resources and connect.

11. Follow Up After the Webinar

The work doesn’t end when the webinar does. Follow up for maximum impact:

• Send a thank you and follow-up email. Reiterate your appreciation and key takeaways in  a prompt email to registrants . Include any promised resources.
• Share the recording and slides if appropriate. Give access as promised to attendees who missed the live event.
• Analyze webinar metrics and feedback. Review analytics and survey data to improve future webinars.
• Respond to outstanding questions. Address any questions you couldn’t answer during the live event via email.
• Reach out to high-value attendees. If desired, start a conversation with attendees who could be qualified leads.
• Adjust future webinars based on feedback. Use attendee reactions and suggestions to enhance your ongoing webinar program.
• Highlight webinar performance in reports. Quantify the webinar’s reach and engagement for stakeholders.

12. Optimize the Presentation Experience

Beyond your presentation skills, optimize the experience with these tips:

• Start with an engaging webinar title and description. Use keywords attendees are searching for. Provide details on what the webinar will cover.
• Build buzz with promotions. Get the word out by promoting through social media, email lists, and colleague networks.
• Send reminder emails. Gently remind registered attendees 1-2 days prior and again the day of the event. Include a calendar invite and login instructions.
• Open the webinar 15 minutes early. Allow participants to get settled with audio, video, and materials beforehand. Greet early arrivals.
• Use an organized webinar dashboard. Enable clear controls for muting, chat, screen sharing, whiteboarding, and other features you plan to use.
• Create well-designed visual slides. Craft slides with large text, relevant graphics and ample white space. Use slide themes consistently.
• Test connectivity beforehand. Do a full webinar run-through on the platform to spot connection issues before going live.
• Start right on time. Don’t make attendees who show up promptly wait. But don’t panic if some straggle in late. Carry on professionally.

13. Select the Best Webinar Platform

Choosing the right webinar software can make or break the presentation experience:

• Evaluate essential features. Assess which platforms offer must-haves like screen sharing, recording, chat, Q&A, and polling.
• Compare audience capacity. Make sure the platform can handle your expected number of live attendees. There’s often tiered pricing.
• Check mobile functionality. Test attending from a mobile device if you expect viewers to use phones or tablets. Optimize for mobile if needed.
• Review platform reputation. Search for reviews and use free trials to assess the platform’s reliability and ease of use.
• Assess visual appeal. Compare how customizable, professional, and visually engaging each software’s webinar environment appears.
• Confirm tech support options. Look for 24/7 tech troubleshooting via chat, email, and phone. You never know when you’ll need help.
• Evaluate price and value. Weigh pricing tiers based on features offered and expected frequency of use. Don’t overpay for unnecessary bells and whistles.

Presenting successful webinars takes practice and preparation. 

Are you ready to take your webinar hosting skills to the next level? Master the art of the webinar. 

By following these key tips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a dynamic and engaging presenter who delivers real value to your audience.

With the right mix of organization, visuals, engagement, and technical execution, you will create a webinar experience that your audience will crave. 

Establish your authority, and generate more leads and results. 

Remember, stay focused on your audience, refine your methods, and aim to turn each attendee into an active participant. 

So, what are you waiting for? 

Stop settling for lackluster webinar results. 

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For over 20 years, we’ve helped clients captivate audiences, achieving up to 7X higher attendance. 

Our passionate team of experts will craft a customized webinar strategy to engage participants, spark meaningful connections, and drive conversions. 

Unleash the full potential of your webinars. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with our specialists and discover proven techniques to deliver your message powerfully. 

Claim your free consultation now to learn how we can work together to create show-stopping webinars that exceed expectations and generate real impact for your business.

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Creating a Webinar Presentation: Tips for Successful Webinars

A guide to creating webinars: how to be a success.

Webinars are the latest trend. They are convenient for both audience and presenters and can be used for countless different topics and scenarios. Whether it’s online marketing, lead generation, building a brand or conveying content, a webinar is a flexible tool that reflects the current zeitgeist.

But the webinar is still a fairly new medium and planning and conducting one can be a pain in the neck for many. Here you’ll find useful information about the unique nature of a webinar and what you need to consider when creating one.

What exactly is a webinar and what’s unique about it? A webinar is a presentation conducted over the Internet. Unlike a video uploaded somewhere else, the webinar takes place in real time and with participant involvement. Participants are integrated into the webinar through various interactive tools – short surveys, quizzes or Q&A periods.

A webinar can serve various purposes; most often it’s used to communicate content, but it sometimes has another purpose, such as part of a marketing campaign.

How does a webinar work? Webinars require an online platform. Zoom, Skype or Microsoft Teams are all popular choices. PowerPoint is also a good choice for webinars.

Media content, such as documents or videos, can also be shared with the audience using compatible programs. Recommended, but not a must, is the use of a camera so that the audience can see the presenter.

The webinar presentation: just a typical presentation? So, a webinar presentation is basically not much different from an ordinary presentation, right? Yes and no. In fact, many elements are similar, but the virtual space offers many unique features. These features are what you need to understand to ensure your webinar is a success. So here are the crucial differences between presenting in real and virtual space.

• Communicating is different This is something no one should underestimate. When presenting in person, communication goes far beyond what is being said. Audience and presenter are in the same room and can actually see each other. Facial expressions, gestures and eye contact are important communication tools. Even though there is a lot one can do with video technology, it can’ t replace direct, in-person interaction. This means that the content and how it is presented is all the more important. At the same time, the voice becomes more important. Avoid a monotonous delivery by paying attention to inflection.
• Informal environment: There is always a degree of formality during an in-person presentation and there’s usually little opportunity to be distracted. At home or in the office, things are a bit different. If a webinar is dry and slow, the temptation to quickly take a look at the documents or to send an e-mail on the side is strong. This is why it is all the more important to communicate the value of the webinar and structure it accordingly.

Presenting in webinars: different, but not more challenging Keep in mind that these differences are often double-edged swords – they can both advantages and disadvantages. An example: If you’re not aware that your webinar audience is slipping away from you, you won’t be able to draw them back in, but you also won’t be thrown off track, either.

A webinar shouldn’t make you more nervous than any other presenting situation. Having a bit of webinar know-how can help you avoid issues and feel more confident. Here are some useful tips.

Creating a Webinar Presentation: Key Factors and Tips

Factor 1: Careful preparation and planning Tools to share content in a webinar are limited. This means it can be hard to make spontaneous changes during a webinar presentation. If you add something to your spoken content, you may not have the visual material to support it. 

The option to write or sketch something down on a flip char or board – something we take for granted during in-person presentations – is possible with the right equipment, but not always easy.

Choose and promote your topic wisely Your challenge is to engage an audience and keep their attention. You need to plan very carefully what you want to communicate and how. This starts with the topic. Think about what appeals to your audience and how they can benefit from it.

Also remember to advertise your webinar early (four weeks in advance is a good rule of thumb). E-vites are a great way to do this. Afterwards, don’t forget to send out more than one reminder.

Time management is key A webinar presentation usually has a set time and length (usually 60-90 minutes). Running too long can annoy your audience – coming up short can give the impression you didn’t prepare well enough. The best thing to do is to create a kind of script in which you determine how many minutes you dedicate to each stage of the presentation.

Incidentally, there is no such thing as a perfect time of day for a webinar. Your target group and goal are the decisive factors here. Employees are generally available in the evening, whereas self-employed people are often available in the morning.

Factor 2: Choose and present content intelligently There’s actually not too much to say here, because it’s your webinar and you most definitely know your topic. Your webinar will normally have some kind of goal or purpose. Now you need to generate an audience.

Supply and demand The basic rule is: Identify your audience and try to put yourself in their position. Who do you want to address? What is interesting for these people? What added value can your webinar offer them? No one will sign up for a webinar to hear that a circle is round. But the topic shouldn’t be too specific and complicated either. Align your webinar with the interests of your target group.

Find the intersection between what you have to say and what people want to know!

Factor 3: Know your software and equipment In a webinar, success hinges far more on the technology than in other presentations. Technical difficulties, or even failures, are difficult or impossible to make up for. On the other hand, you can score major points in a webinar if you are a pro at using the software and multimedia.

This is reason enough to dedicate enough time and attention to your equipment and how it works.

The right software There are so many software solutions that can be used for webinars or have been specially developed for them. Choose one that fits your requirements and is easy to use. The PowerPoint presentation webinar is popular with many users – it can be used on many devices and most people have used the program for in-person presentations. Using PowerPoint for a webinar is an obvious choice.

The visuals If you decide to use a camera, make sure it’s properly aligned and positioned. The camera should at eye level, and your face should be lit from the front. When using a laptop camera, a laptop stand can create a better angle. FYI: artificial light usually works better in video than natural light. Light sources in the background (e.g., windows or mirrors) can be distracting.

Setting the scene When using a camera, also consider your surroundings. Depending on the purpose of the webinar, you can choose a neutral or complementary background (e.g., bookshelves). Think about small things that should be left off camera, like that framed photo of you in full Klingon gear at last year’s Star Trek convention. If you want to go pro right away, you could purchase a green screen.

During the presentation, make sure you actually look into the camera and are aware of your posture.

The audio There are also a few points to consider when it comes to sound. Make sure that the audio settings are adjusted to your surroundings and try to minimize background noise. Close windows and switch off devices (phone, smartphone, PC notifications, etc.) or mute them. If necessary, ask people in the next room or house to be quiet.

Something that is often overlooked: Feedback and distortion can occur if an internal microphone and speakers are used simultaneously. An external microphone, headphones or a headset may be a good idea. If you’re using a lot of equipment, a checklist can help you keep track of all the necessary steps and settings.

The golden rule for every piece of equipment: Familiarize yourself with it before using it!

Factor 4: Clear, concise structure!

The preshow Webinars are often started with a “warm up”. This could be a short introduction (about five minutes), during which the participants can join the webinar. Or, you can join in directly and chat a little with the first participants, just like an in-person presentation.

Have a few small-talk topics ready to go; this relaxes the atmosphere and can help with any nervousness.

The introduction Check the technical features and welcome your audience. If necessary, give them a few technical notes and instructions on how to proceed. Then start with a short, concise overview of your content. If you want, you can use a slide to communicate this.

The very beginning is also the best opportunity to capture the audience’s attention by summarizing the purpose of your webinar and what added value it will offer your audience.

The main event The main presentation should be clearly structured and easy to understand. Your audience should always be aware of a central theme – a leitmotif. More tips on this can be found in the following sections.

The conclusion Summarize your content and key messages again and/or include your call to action. If you’re giving a sales and distribution webinar, this is the right time to introduce any offers, promotions and/or campaigns.

Remember to ask your participants for feedback. A final, short survey is a good way to do this.

Factor 5: Clear and diversified slide structure The ideal number of slides and how they should be designed always depends on the presentation itself and its content. This is when you have to rely a little more on your own expertise. However, the following tips are worth considering:

Less is more Avoid using too many slides. Although it’s hard to set a concrete amount, as a rule of thumb we recommend about 10-15 slides for content and another 5-7 slides for instructions, interactive elements, etc.

Never overload the slides. They should only contain the essential information and have a clear structure. Limit yourself to one point per slide. A few meaningful words will be remembered better and more concisely than a lot of complicated text. The content of the slides should offer variety. Supplement text with tables, pictures, diagrams and other media to attract the attention of the audience.

The right layout The layout should be the same for all slides and, if applicable, align with the corporate design. Master slides can be extremely helpful. Make sure that the font is large enough. Not all participants will be using a large screen.

Keep the slides simple and use colors and effects sparingly. Otherwise, they’ll distract from the content and can also lead to display issues and problems with some programs. Highlighting important content should be your focus.

Factor 6: Practice, check, back up

A test run is a must Even if you prepare everything perfectly, always assume that mistakes and problems will creep in somewhere. A test run is a sure-fire way to detect any weak points. It will also help your delivery and confidence. Run through your webinar a couple of days in advance, perhaps with a friend or colleague as your test audience. This will provide you with useful feedback.

Constructive self-criticism If you’d rather rehearse alone or can’t find a test audience, you can record yourself. These kinds of recordings can be a bit awkward if you’re not used to it – hearing your own voice for the first time can be a shock! Nevertheless, they’re a great tool for practicing and improving as a presenter. Just remember to not be too hard on yourself. We are always our own worst critics!

Check processes and equipment If you’ re not the only one organizing the webinar, coordinate the processes and content with the other participants well in advance of the event. Make sure that your equipment is ready and working on the day of the webinar (laptop, software, camera, sound, Internet connection, etc.).

When it starts: Double check your equipment so you can begin the webinar on time. Always expect that something may not work at the last minute. If possible, have back-up devices and options on hand.

More tips and hints:

• Try to incorporate lots of different tools (chat, survey, quiz, etc.) to make the webinar even more interactive and varied. Those who feel involved are always more engaged than a purely passive listener!
• Think about how you would like the interaction with the participants to happen. For example, how and when can they ask questions (chat box, requests to speak, …)? Explain these rules to the audience right at the beginning (and again in between if necessary).
• It’s always a good idea to prepare a script or at least notes. Even if you are a bona-fide expert on the topic, you may your train of thought. A script can also help you manage your time more effectively.
• The webinar situation might be unfamiliar to many participants. You can help them feel more comfortable by letting them know how the webinar will proceed and by addressing any technical questions they may have. Also try to create a relaxed atmosphere by behaving like you would in a normal meeting or presentation.
• A small detail that many forget: Have a glass of water ready. For longer presentations, it can be a lifesaver.
• A person’s average attention span is about seven minutes. This means you’ll probably have to “wake up” your audience throughout your webinar. A dry tropic can make this even more challenging. Add a bit for entertainment by throwing in some short anecdotes or funny stories. This generates attention, shows your personality and keeps the atmosphere relaxed.
• A good webinar is one that helps participants remember you and your content. You can encourage this with a recap. Create a summary or recording of the webinar and send the material to the participants after the webinar. Added bonuses like this are typically well received.
• Many webinars take place at a desk and there’s nothing wrong with this. But you may want to think about standing up during your delivery. Your posture and voice will automatically improve.
• If you use PowerPoint for your webinar, don’t be tempted to simply recycle a presentation you’ve already given in person. As mentioned earlier, a webinar is completely different from a “live” presentation and needs a different approach.
• Certain organizational issues arise in almost every webinar. People usually want to know if the webinar will be recorded and if such a recording or other material will be available to them. It’s best to clarify these issues right at the beginning. If you plan to hold webinars frequently, you can create a slide outlining this information and use it over and over again.
• A well-designed webinar can be used over and over again. Why do all that work for a one-off event?

No amount of tips and advice can guarantee that nothing will go wrong. In webinars – as in everything else – there are no guarantees. But we hope these tips provide a solid starting point to help you design successful webinars.

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How to Give a Good Presentation: 8 Tips For Better Webinars

If you’re planning a webinar event , you probably have one question on your mind: How do I give a good presentation to my audience and make sure they engage with my content?

The simple answer is, follow the tips, tricks, and best practices outlined in this article!

The truth is, public speaking—whether in-person or online—is a difficult skill to learn for most people. But to succeed with webinars, you must master it. Fortunately, we’re here to help. Keep reading to learn how to give a presentation you can be proud of.

Table of Contents

Giving a Presentation: Content

We’ve separated this article into two parts: content and delivery.

If you want to learn how to give a good presentation, you need to learn how to create good content and how to disperse it to your audience in an engaging way .

Let’s start by talking about the actual content you’ll share during your webinar presentations:

1. Keep it Simple

The best presentations are easy to understand.

When creating content for your webinar, ask yourself, “What are the three things I want my audience to learn during this presentation?” Then make sure everything you share during the online event relates to these three things in one way or another.

We also suggest using the “10-20-30” rule, which was pioneered by marketing expert, Guy Kawasaki, and states that effective presentations should have less than 10 slides, take less than 20 minutes to deliver, and use, at minimum, a 30 point font size.

You can’t overcomplicate your presentation if you stick to these principles!

(Note: Successful webinars are usually between 30 and 60 minutes long . This does not contradict the “10-20-30” rule. You can deliver a 20 minute presentation and make up the extra time with a quick introduction at the beginning and a Q&A session at the end.)

2. Create a Structure

Your webinar presentation should flow from one topic to the next. This is easy to accomplish when you follow this simple structure: introduction, body, conclusion.

Start with a compelling introduction that (you guessed it!) states the topic of your webinar and tells your audience why it’s important. Then move to the body portion of your presentation and share the facts, quotes, and other bits of evidence that support your main points. Finally, conclude your webinar with a quick conclusion that sums up key details.

That’s it. If you follow this structure, you’ll be able to present your content in a cohesive, logical way that really resonates with your webinar attendees .

3. Use Visual Aids

Text-heavy webinar slides are a recipe for disaster.

Use visuals whenever possible to spice up your presentations. This includes pictures, charts and graphs, videos, and even props. That’s right, we said props .

Like images and videos, props can help reinforce the information you share during your webinar. Depending on the ones you use, they might help make your presentation more memorable, too. As an added bonus, many public speakers find that props act as an emotional support, which is really handy if you’re terrified of speaking in front of strangers.

Just make sure the visual aids you choose fit your webinar content and company brand. 

4. Get the Design Right

Lastly, make sure the design of your webinar slides is on point. Here are a few suggestions:

• Limit the amount of text you use on each slide. Your audience doesn’t want to read a novel when they attend your webinars. Keep things short and sweet.
• Consider what’s behind your text. The background of your slides should be minimalistic and plain. That way they don’t distract from your content.
• Don’t go crazy with color. In general, we recommend using muted shades, so as not to distract your audience. When you do use bright colors, use them sparingly.
• Aim for consistency, especially when it comes to your fonts. Stick to the same fonts and text sizes throughout your presentation. It will look more professional.

You don’t need to be a design wizard, to create a stellar webinar presentation .

Follow the four tips above and you’ll create slides that look good and, more importantly, don’t distract your audience from the content you share with them.

Giving a Presentation: Delivery

Now that you know how to create engaging content for your webinar attendees, we can talk about delivering that content in a compelling way. Here are four techniques to master:

5. Start Strong

Best-selling author, Jim George, once said , “It’s not how you start that’s important, but how you finish.” This is usually true—except when it comes to webinar presentations.

The beginning of your webinar is crucial. Get it right and your audience will hang on your every word. Get it wrong and they’ll tune out. They may even leave your event before it ends, which is never a good sign. No pressure, right? Don’t worry…

Here are a few ways to start your next webinar presentation with a bang:

• Tell a Joke: A bit of humor goes a long way. Start your webinar with a quick joke, get your audience laughing, and then dive into your pre-planned material.
• Share a Story: Stories are naturally engaging. Share one and easily capture your attendees’ attention. (More on storytelling in the next section.)
• Ask a Question: Draw your audience in by asking them a question. The right query will prepare your attendees’ minds for the content you plan to share with them.

6. Tell Stories

The best public speakers are fantastic storytellers. Why? Because the human brain is wired to engage with stories. We can’t help it. As soon as we hear a story, we’re hooked.

Use this to your advantage and share funny, emotional, and/or impactful anecdotes throughout your webinar presentations. Doing so will help you capture the attention of your audience, connect with them in a real way, and make you more likable.

Now, the stories you share must be relevant to your webinar topic and attendees, of course. As long as they are, a bit of storytelling will instantly make you a better presenter.

7. Be Passionate

Here’s a wild idea: actually care about the content you share and the people you share it with. More than that, be enthusiastic about these things and let your passion show.

If you’re bored—or even appear bored—during your presentation, you won’t be able to engage your attendees. They’ll think, “Well, if this person isn’t even interested in the material, why should I be? Then they leave your webinar and go do something else. No bueno.

So get excited. Show your audience how much you care. One of the worst things you can do is keep your passion bottled up. Let it out and connect with attendees on a deeper level.

8. Practice. A Lot.

Finally, run through your presentation before you deliver it to a live audience. Then run through it again. And again, and again, and… You get the idea.

The more you practice your webinar presentations, the more comfortable you’ll feel giving them. And when you feel comfortable, your webinars will feel more authentic. As such, your attendees will be able to connect with you in a real way and you’ll become more successful.

If you really want to learn how to give a good presentation, practice in front of a mirror so that you can see your delivery. Or use your phone to record yourself. Then watch the replay, offer up a few critiques, and try to do better the next time you do a run-through.

While it may seem tedious, practice is the best way to improve your webinar presentations.

Final Thoughts

Public speaking is a valuable skill. To master it, implement the tips listed in this article. Once you do, you’ll be able to present your ideas with clarity and confidence.

Just remember, the best presenters use the best tools. When it comes to webinar technology, it doesn’t get better than ClickMeeting. With our platform, you’ll be able to host engaging online events thanks to a host of industry-leading features, including custom branding , presentation mode , polls and surveys , moderated chat , in-depth analytics , and more.

Sign up for a free 30-day trial today to experience the power of ClickMeeting for yourself!

Posted by Jacob Thomas

Content writer @ ClickMeeting

Time to move your events online. Do it with ClickMeeting

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How to Create a Webinar Presentation: Tools and Tips to Make it Easy

Written by Molly Hocutt

Drive webinar registrations with this webinar promotion Ebook.

When hosting webinars and meetings, it's easy to lack emphasis and rhythm. This impacts the end goal of your presentation: passing a message.

Getting your audience hooked to your presentation while being as clear as possible can be harder online than in the real life. You will have to fight for their attention: after 30 minutes, people start to lose interest.

In this article, we'll show you how to design a deck for your webinar presentation, the right tools to use, and how to use them efficiently.

You can learn some other webinar best practices in our complete guide.

Webinar Promotion Handbook

Everything you need to promote your webinars and increase attendance.

How to design a deck for your webinar presentation?

The design of your presentation will set the tone of your webinar. A good design creates a professional look that reassures your attendees. Here are some tips on how to design your webinar presentation:

Tip 1: Choose a presentation tool

Determine where you’ll design your presentation. You can always create your slides in tools like Canva, PowerPoint, or Adobe Illustrator and share your screen.

But if you want to have control over your presentation and interact with it without changing screens, pick a tool that integrates with your software for live events .

If you’re using Livestorm, choose Visme, Slido, or Miro.

Tip 2: Outline your webinar presentation

Working on the skeleton of your presentation will help you determine what needs to be said and in what order. A webinar presentation deck usually includes the following slides:

• Title slide
• A brief introduction of the topic
• The main points or agenda of the webinar
• A slide for each main topic
• A summary of the key takeaways
• Additional resources

From showcasing a product demo , delivering customer training , or hosting a sales webinar , establishing an outline straight away will make designing your slides much easier.

Tip 3: Start your webinar with a powerful introduction

A compelling title slide and engaging introduction will reel in your audience from the start. The title slide should be simple and to the point, giving your audience an idea of what to expect.

Here are a few ideas of what to include:

• An intriguing question
• A statistic or data point
• Stating the outcome
• How-to-formulas
• List of best practices

When creating the intro slide, ask yourself the question: what will my audience learn from this presentation?

Tip 4: Use bullet points to break down the main points

Follow the “keep it simple, stupid” (K.I.S.S) rule, and avoid writing a full script on your slides.

Too much text will distract your audience and encourage presenters to simply read the slides aloud instead of adding value for your audience. Don’t go over 30 words and 8 lines per slide.

Use the same font family throughout, but use different sizes or bolding options to add texture.

Bullet points are easier to digest than large paragraphs of text. Use short sentences or phrases to keep your audience engaged and prevent information overload.

But it is important not to overdo it with the bullet points.

The "2019 Annoying PowerPoint Survey" by David Paradi revealed the top three things that annoy people the most about PowerPoint:

• when the speaker reads directly from the slides
• slides with small text
• slides that are text-heavy.

If your presentation ticks the above points, your audience is trying to read and listen simultaneously. So they're not focusing on either.

The solution here is to use bullet points strategically to break down complex topics, list key points and takeaways, and guide the viewer's gaze.

Tip 5: Use your company branding

Webinars mostly help you increase brand awareness and invite your audience to connect with your company. Not all of your attendees will be people who’ve heard of your company.

Subtle branding across all communications and assets will make everything more visually appealing and keep attendees focused on your brand.

Pro tip: Choose a video engagement platform, like Livestorm, that lets you customize your room design and add plugins—for actions like file sharing.

Tip 6: Use strong visuals in your webinar slide deck

Switching things up helps keep webinars interesting. Use image-only slides or videos to give the audience a rest from intently reading slides or listening to your voice.

Every webinar should include visuals to illustrate the content and highlight key points, especially if the aim is to share complex data or statistics. Here are some ideas for visuals to use in your webinar presentation:

• Graphs and charts
• Infographics

Visualizations are memorable and can help your audience retain information.

Tip 7: Emphasize important information with colors

Color plays an important role in your presentation. You can use it to communicate your brand, and to highlight the keywords or phrases you want your audience to remember

You can also use color to show a connection between two ideas or to highlight a cause-and-effect relationship. For example, you can use a green arrow to show an increase or a red arrow to show a decrease.

Tip 8: Add simple fonts in your webinar presentation

When choosing fonts for your webinar presentation, less is more. Stick to one or two simple fonts that are easy to read. Sans serif fonts are typically the best choice for presentations because they are legible from a distance and easy to read on a screen.

Some of the best fonts for presentations include:

You can experiment with bold fonts and text weight to draw attention.

Tip 9: Use templates to save time

Designing a presentation from scratch can be time-consuming. Luckily, there are many free and paid templates available online. Simply choose one that fits your brand identity and style. Then, add your own text and visuals.

When using templates, ensure you don't simply replace the placeholder text with your own content. Templates are meant to be a starting point, not a crutch.

Here are a few ideas to help you make the most of a template:

• Opt for a minimalistic template with plenty of white space.
• Choose a template with built-in animations and transitions.
• Look for a template that is compatible with the software you are using.
• Replace the placeholder text with your own text.
• Add visuals, such as images, graphs, and charts.

Tip 10: Plan interactive elements

Webinars that rely on the presentation alone tend to get boring fast, especially online. If people aren’t summoned to participate they can start to feel like they’re not there and zone out. Make interactivity a core part of your presentation.

Use an interactive whiteboard, ask poll questions, and invite them to participate in the chat or by raising their hands. Plan these interactive interventions ahead so they don’t get forgotten.

Tip 11: Include a call-to-action

The last part of your presentation should include a call to action (CTA). CTAs direct your audience to take the next step, whether that's to follow your social media accounts, download more resources, or sign up for future events. With Livestorm, you can add a clickable CTA directly in your live webinars, which is handy!

Follow these best practices for writing a CTA:

• Make the offer sound appealing
• Include a sense of urgency
• Be clear, concise, and actionable
• Use strong language

What are the top webinar presentation tips ?

Our list of webinar presentation tips can help you create a successful presentation that engages your audience and drives results.

Tip 1: Know your attendees

When you host a webinar , always prioritize your audience. If you don’t understand their pain points and desires, you won’t be able to create a rapport with them or give them the information they need.

Ask yourself questions like:

• Who are my attendees?
• What is their level of expertise?
• What challenges do they face?

The more specific you can be about your target audience, the easier it will be to create a webinar that appeals to them.

With Livestorm’s contact profiles feature, you can collect information about your attendees (job profiles, demographic info, social media profiles, etc.) when they sign up for your webinar. You can use this information to segment your audience and send them targeted follow-ups after the webinar.

Tip 2: Encourage audience engagement

If you want your webinar to be successful, you need to encourage audience engagement. You can do this by using webinar live polls and surveys .

• Use an engaging opening : get your audience’s attention from the beginning with an interesting story, statistic, or question.
• Include polls and surveys : pose questions to your audience throughout the webinar to gauge their understanding and get them involved.
• Encourage questions and comments : make it easy for your audience to ask questions by providing a dedicated chat box or Q&A section. And don’t forget to answer the question with the most upvotes!

This two-way interaction can help break barriers between the presenter and the attendees, increase viewing time and improve attendee satisfaction.

Using rich media elements like images, GIFs and videos can also help to make your webinar more engaging.

Tip 3: Be passionate and energetic

When it comes to webinars, energy is key. Keeping your audience's attention will be difficult if you’re not passionate about your topic. Showcase your personality and let your energy levels shine.

This doesn’t mean you have to be bouncing off the walls – but try to avoid sounding monotone or bored. Instead, sound like you’re having a conversation with a friend.

Remember, webinar scripts are meant to guide. So don’t rely on them too much – improvise and have fun.

Tip 4: Keep your time limit in mind

Be respectful of everyone’s time and write an agenda that you’ll stick to. Get a moderator to help you with backstage processes like handling the Q&A panel and changing your slides, but also, to message you in private and alert you on how much time you have left.

Practice the presentation with the moderator before the event to ensure you have enough content to meet the proposed duration or determine if you need to cut things off.

Tip 5: Keep your webinar presentation concise

Your webinar should be focused and to the point. No one wants to sit through an hour-long sales pitch masquerading as a webinar.

The best webinars are those that get straight to the point and deliver valuable information in a concise way. So, before creating your webinar, ensure you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what points you need to hit.

Once you know this, it will be much easier to structure your webinar and keep it on track.

Tip 6: Gather feedback

Meeting the expectations of your audience, or serving user intent, can only be done if you know what they are.

For example, if your webinar promotion guarantees registrants that you’ll teach them ‘How to improve website conversion rate in 5 minutes,’ but your webinar only covers the basics of copywriting – you would have failed to meet their expectations.

Gathering feedback is a great way to ensure that you’ve delivered on your promises and that your attendees found your webinar valuable. This can be done in a few ways:

Surveys : use surveys to collect data before, during, or after your webinar. This is a great way to gauge interest levels and get detailed feedback.

Polls : include interactive video engagement elements in your webinars such as polls to encourage audience engagement and make it easy for them to provide feedback.

Tip 6: Practice, practice, practice!

Webinars are live events, which means anything can happen. That’s why it’s important to be prepared for anything that might come up – from technical difficulties to awkward silences.

One of the best ways to ensure a smooth webinar is to practice, practice, practice! Before going live, test that your microphone and webcams for the webinar are working properly.

It’s also a good idea to do a few run-throughs of your presentation with friends or colleagues to get feedback and identify any areas that need improvement.

By taking the time to prepare and practice, you can avoid any stressful surprises on the day of your webinar.

What are the best webinar presentation tools ?

When selecting webinar software , consider a few factors such as ease of use, useful features like virtual backgrounds , price, and integrations. Here are the best tools for engaging webinar presentations:

Simple plugins for a better screen-sharing experience

1 . Mouse Pointer Highlighter 2 . Muzzle 3 . Clean

Whiteboards for an engaging webinar

4 . Prezi 5 . Miro

Audio and video tools for a flawless webinar presentation

6 . Krisp 7 . Manycam

Live chat tools for an interactive webinar

8 . Intercom 9 . Drift 10 . Help Scout

Let's take a look at each one in more detail.

Simple plugins for a better screen-sharing webinar experience

Webinars are all about sharing information in an engaging way – and one of the best ways to do this is by sharing your screen.

Screen-sharing tools allow you to show the audience your computer screen in real-time. This is a great way to showcase presentations, product demonstrations, or step-by-step instructions.

Here are a few:

1. Help your audience follow along with Mouse Pointer Highlighter

For: Mac OS - free

This chrome extension is specially designed for presenters who give webinars or presentations frequently. It makes your mouse pointer more visible on the screen so your audience can easily follow along.

This simplicity makes it a great plugin for those who want to focus on their presentation without worrying about the technicalities.

2: Silence embarrassing notifications with Muzzle

For: Mac OS only — Free

Speaking of external disturbance, we're overwhelmed with desktop notifications all day. So, when you are hosting a webinar presentation, you want to avoid all of those distractions.

On Mac and Windows OS there are already built in features to mute your desktop notifications.

But you can also look at Muzzle. The beauty of Muzzle is that it turns on automatically as soon as you start screen sharing, and it works with Livestorm!

Plus, it's 100% free.

3: Clear your desktop with Clean before your webinar presentation

If you're like us, your desktop is probably your main computer folder, which means that it's probably filled with a few hundred screenshots and random files.

Webinar presentations are like staging houses for sale, if there's too much "you" in the room, people won't be able to contextualize the demo for their use case. Removing the clutter of your desktop will definitely help.

On Mac, Clean does just that. In a single click, you can turn on and off the icons on your desktop. PC users may want to test Fences as an alternative.

Whiteboards for an engaging webinar presentation

Whiteboards are an essential part of any webinar presentation. They help you engage with your audience, add visual interest to your presentation, and make it easy for viewers to follow along.

Here’s a list of the best whiteboard tools:

4: Powerful presentations with Prezi

For all devices - Starts at $3/mo

Prezi is a cloud-based whiteboard tool that allows you to create engaging, visually-stunning presentations. With Prezi, you can zoom in and out of your presentation to highlight important information. This makes it easy for viewers to follow along and understand your message.

Prezi also offers a wide range of templates and tools to help you create your presentation.

5: Collaborate visually with Miro

For all devices - Offers a freemium

Miro is a cloud-based whiteboard tool that allows you to collaborate with team members in real-time. Miro also offers a wide range of templates and plugins to help create an engaging and interactive webinar presentation.

Pro tip : use Livestorm’s Miro interactive whiteboard integration to share and get feedback or ideas from team members during your presentation.

Perfecting your audio and video quality is essential for any webinar presentation. After all, if your audience can't see or hear you, they won't be able to engage with your content.

There’s a wide range of audio and video tools available, but here are a few of the best:

6: Krisp for zero noise distractions

For all devices - Offers a freemium and starts at $3/mo

Krisp is an AI-powered noise-canceling software for your microphone. It also adds a virtual filter between your microphone and your calling app. This ensures that your audio is crisp and clear of any background noise.

Pro tip : use Livestorm's integration with Krisp to boost the quality of your webinar presentation

7: Manycam — Virtual webcams

For: Mac OS and Windows — Free and starts at $29 / year

Manycam, just like Loopback, enables you to virtualize devices. This means that you can use different sources as video inputs and combine them into one single video input compatible with the browser, and, therefore compatible with Livestorm.

With Manycam during your webinars, you will be able to:

• Manage multiple cameras with a different setup for physical round tables,
• Use YouTube as a video source,
• Use web pages as video sources,
• Add overlays of text on top of your videos, webcam, etc. for your live events,
• Play different media as a playlist for pre-recorded webinars,

Interactions are key before, during, and after a webinar. You'll want to hear from your attendees, take questions, and give the audience a voice. Here are some of the best live chat tools to do just that.

8. Intercom to boost registrations and nurture leads

For: Mac OS and Windows — Starts at $11.99 per user/month.

Intercom is a live chat tool that aims at building customer relationships. It's a great way to nurture your leads and give them the right information at the right time.

With Intercom, you can:

• Add a live chat widget on your registration page
• Automatically send follow-up emails to registrants who didn't attend
• Send personalized emails to webinar attendees
• Track how many people registered, attended, and watched the replay

Pro tip : use Livestorm's Intercom integration to scale registration conversion rates and webinar attendance.

9. Generate qualifying leads with Drift during virtual events

For: Mac OS and Windows

Drift enables you to build relationships and engage with attendees by answering questions, scheduling a demo, qualifying leads, and more—right from your live chat. You can set triggers for certain actions to happen based on how your attendees interact with you.

With Drift, you can:

• Start a live chat with an attendee to answer their questions in real-time
• Prompt conversation with FAQs
• Schedule a demo with a lead after the webinar
• Send follow-up emails to attendees

Pro tip : use Livestorm's Drift integration to start conversations with your attendees and turn them into qualified leads

10. Use Help Scout Beacon to provide answers to common questions

Help Scout Beacon is a live chat tool that allows you to provide quick answers to common questions. It's great for FAQs, product information, and webinar details.

With Help Scout Beacon, you can:

• Display different messages based on which page of your website someone is viewing
• Customize the look and feel of your live chat widget

Pro tip : use Livestorm's Help Scout integration to add Beacon to your webinar registration pages and on-demand event rooms.

Ready to create a webinar presentation?

Webinar presentations are a great way to engage with customers and increase leads. Now that you know the basics of how to create a webinar presentation, it's time to start planning your content. Remember to keep your audience in mind and make sure that your content is engaging and useful.

With the right tools and a well-rounded webinar platform like Livestorm that integrates seamlessly with your existing tools, your webinar presentation will be a success. You can also use Livestorm features like automatic email reminders and calendar syncing to help automate your workflows. Compelling events inspire action and leave a lasting impression.

Frequently asked questions about how to create a webinar presentation

How to create a webinar presentation on zoom.

To create a webinar presentation on Zoom, create an account or sign in, click on the 'Webinars' tab, and click start.

How to prepare a webinar presentation?

To prepare a webinar presentation, you must first create an outline of your presentation, create or use a presentation template, add visuals and a CTA, and finally upload your presentation to a webinar software to ​​avoid any technical glitches during your live presentation.

How do you structure a webinar presentation?

The structure of your webinar presentation will depend on the purpose of your presentation. A typical webinar presentation structure includes an introduction, the body of the presentation, and a conclusion.

How do I start a webinar presentation?

To start a webinar presentation, have a clear idea of what you want to present, and have an outline of your presentation and any supporting materials such as slides or an infographic.

What makes a good webinar presentation?

A good webinar presentation is well planned and structured, has interesting and relevant content, and is easy to follow. Keep your audience engaged with Livestorm's live Q&A, polls, survey, and chat features.

Increase webinar attendance

Read this Ebook to grow your webinar attendance rate and generate leads.

About the author

Molly Hocutt - Content Manager

Molly joined Livestorm in 2019 as a Content Manager and manages written content production. Her work focuses on lead generation and organic website traffic.

Related articles

The Perfect Microphone and Webcam for Webinars

16 Webinar Best Practices for an Engaging Event

Create a Webinar Dashboard With Google Spreadsheets

10 Creative Webinar Ideas to Engage Your Audience

How to Make Webinars More Interactive

Webinar Dry Run: Getting Ready for Your Event [Checklist]

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How to create and host a webinar

Ace your next virtual webinar with these best practices.

How to create great webinars, step-by-step

If you’re ready to start your first webinar then follow these steps to make sure everything is prepped to go without a hitch.

Step 1. Choose your webinar topic

Make sure the topic will inform and motivate attendees . If the subject matter calls for it, guest speakers are always great.

Step 6. Build webinar content

Take care with the content you’ll present during the webinar. Engaging slides, polls and handouts will make a big difference.

Step 2. Choose a date and time

Based on our experience , certain days and times work better when trying to attract the largest audience possible. Schedule your webinar for a time that works well for attendees in different time zones.

Step 7. Do a practice run

Get your speakers comfortable with the webinar platform and make sure things go smoothly by doing a test run using the webinar software or tool beforehand.

Step 3. Customize your branding

Choose a theme for your webinar, pick a relevant image for your landing page and add your logo to make sure the design reflects your brand.

Step 8. Host your webinar

The day’s arrived. This is when your preparation pays off. Don’t forget to record your webinar as well in order to upload it to a video-sharing platform or your website later!

Step 4. Create a hashtag for your webinar

Successful webinars require promotion. Creating a hashtag is a great start, and it gives people an easy way to talk about it on social media.

Step 9. Follow up

Check up on your attendees shortly after the webinar, preferably within 24 hours. Ask whether there are any more questions or requests.

Step 5. Send out your webinar invitations

This is when you should really publicize the event. Send the invite to your email list. Post about it on your website or blog. Use the hashtag on social media. Get creative and you’ll get more people to attend.

Step 10. Make your webinar recording available

A recorded webinar is a great way to keep generating leads long after you’ve finished hosting. Publishing the recording can broaden your reach and attract extra interest for the product, service or information you offer.

What are the benefits of hosting a webinar?

Knowing how to do a webinar is one thing, and knowing why you should is another.

Reach and qualify more prospects, more often.

• With just a few simple steps, webinars can help you generate more qualified leads in your target market than you would get through other channels.

Present to more people in less time.

• You can have up to 3,000 people attend your events with GoTo Webinar. This helps you effectively share your message to a wider audience.

Build greater brand awareness.

• Showcase your products and business through online events where you can easily engage your audience and drum up interest.

Conduct cost-effective employee meetings.

• Webinars work great for internal presentations, too. Even if you have offices all over the country, they can get the same presentation in real time.
• When you know how to host a webinar, you no longer have to gather everyone in one physical location for presentations, which cuts down on travel costs and helps the environment.

Expand reach with reusable content.

• Record your webinar and use it afterward as a gated asset to drive additional leads. GoTo Webinar  captures your screen, audio and webcams.

Engage audiences with HD video.

• Even the best message can get muddled if the video quality is poor. GoTo Webinar allows up to six presenters to jump on HD webcams for better engagement.

Streamline your marketing processes.

• Integrate GoTo Webinar with your customer relationship management (CRM) solution to manage your lead generation and event creation in one place.

Easy, engaging webinars with GoTo Webinar

Create custom email invitations, confirmations and reminders – or let GoTo Webinar handle it with automated email templates.

Email automation

Custom branding, audience interaction, videos and handouts, webinar recording, reporting and analytics, how to create a webinar in goto webinar.

If you’re ready to begin, follow these steps to schedule your first online event in GoTo Webinar.

• Sign in to GoTo Webinar . Don’t have an account? Start a free trial .
• Click the Schedule a Webinar button.
• Specify the details of your webinar . This includes the title and description of the webinar as well as the session type, date, time and time zone.
• Click Schedule when you’re finished.
• On the Manage Webinar page, customize your webinar settings by clicking edit next to the section you’d like to change.
• Set up reminder emails by clicking edit right beside the Reminder Email setting.

Four tips for hosting a successful webinar

Sometimes the unexpected can happen, even when you know the ins and outs of how to conduct a webinar. While you can’t always be fully prepared, here are several tips that will not only help your webinar be successful but make it engaging and informative for everyone.

Promote your webinar early and often.

• When promoting, it’s best to start at least a month in advance. But put in extra effort at the end! The majority of registrations occur in the last week.

Create polls to get attendees involved.

• Polls are an awesome opportunity to engage your audience. They’re also a valuable source of feedback and audience insights.

Add presenter bios to the registration page.

• People join webinars to hear thought leaders speak. Add social authority to your landing pages by featuring the speakers’ photos and bios.

Connect to the Internet by cable.

• Since Wi-Fi can be spotty at times, make sure your computer is connected to your router by a cable. This will keep your broadcast smooth.

Scheduling pre-recorded webinars

Once you know how to set up a live webinar, take advantage of other useful features in GoTo Webinar like Simulated Live.

Automate everything

Simulated Live simplifies the webinar experience by automating the entire event. Your webinars can run themselves without you even having to be there!

Reuse your recordings

To use Simulated Live, just select Simulated Live when you schedule a webinar in GoTo Webinar. Pick the recording you want to use, schedule it to auto-play (or make it available on demand) and then sit back and relax.

Get answers to all of your webinar questions

To pre-record a webinar with GoTo Webinar, you can use Recorded (formerly called “ Simulated Live ”) webinars. First, host a Classic or Webcast webinar and record like you were presenting live (you don’t need to have anyone in attendance). Then schedule a new webinar and select Recorded as the webinar type. Choose the recording you just created, select a date and click  Schedule Now . You can even incorporate polls, add handouts and configure Q&A settings to make it feel as vibrant as a live event!.

If you want to record what you share on screen during a GoTo Webinar session, simply click Start Recording (Windows) or Record (Mac) at the bottom of the Screen Sharing pane.

If you would like to record your presenters’ webcam , select the “Show webcams in the recordings” box within your GoTo Webinar settings. And finally, if you want to capture the video clips that you share live during your event, make sure that the video you upload ahead of time is an MP4 file. Any YouTube video you add will be cut from the recording.

Talk to a specialist

Try gotowebinar free for 7 days.

Or contact us to learn more about live webcasting for larger events with GoToWebcast.

Call 1 800 514 1317

MARKETING INSIGHTS

How to create a webinar: The complete guide

• Talia Cohen
• Nov 26, 2022
• 12 min read

In today’s digitally connected world, there’s no shortage of ways to share your knowledge with your audience - even from within your home. Whether you create a website , host a podcast or write a blog about your industry, you have several platforms and marketing strategies to choose from.

One such option is creating a webinar. Though easily overlooked, webinars are powerful tools that help participants learn important new skills or gain industry insights from expert speakers. Not only that, but they’re also a great way to build profound connections with your audience and engage users with your brand.

Not sure where to start? We’re going to break down how to create a webinar below.

How to create a webinar

Pick a subject

Determine your format

Choose a platform

Gather your equipment

Develop content

Assign roles

Schedule your presentation

Promote your webinar

Perform a dry run

Host your event

01. Pick your subject

The first step in creating a webinar is to select a compelling subject. No matter how much you already know about your chosen subject, research the latest information your industry has to offer so your webinar is relevant and fresh. A good place to start is by taking a look at your competition and other similar webinars available online. Take notes on how they’re structured, the slides they use to illustrate their points and how you would change things if it were your own.

Take equal note of whether similar webinars are charging for access. If your competitors are requesting payment, consider offering yours for free or charging substantially less, as this could give you the advantage in the long run. If you do decide to charge a fee, be sure to provide your audience with extra value that your competitors aren’t offering.

02. Determine your format

Once you’ve researched your subject and your competitors, the next stage in creating a webinar is to focus on the presentation itself. Start with the format: What kind of presentation will you be giving? The complexity of the topic and how many speakers you plan to have can help you narrow down your choices

The four main webinar format options are:

Panel discussion: This involves a moderator guiding the discussion and asking questions of the panel members. This is a great way to showcase multiple perspectives on a similar issue or topic and is also a more conversational style.

Single speaker: Single speaker presentations are ideal for smaller audiences and require one individual to lead the webinar and answer any questions asked by attendees.

Live Q+As: While Q+As are typically included at the end of webinars, you can also create a webinar that primarily focuses on answering audience member’s questions. If you choose to go this route, it’s highly recommended to alert attendees of the format ahead of time so they can prepare their questions. You can even ask audience members to submit questions ahead of time. As the host, you should also have questions ready that people may not think to ask. This way, you’ll be prepared to fill any lulls or awkward silences.

Interviews: Interview webinars are highly engaging because they encourage a more conversational flow. Interviews involve an interviewer asking pre-arranged questions to the person of interest. You can also choose to have your audience members add to the conversation by allowing them to ask questions if time allows.

03. Choose a platform

The next step is to choose the best platform for your webinar. The format you choose will help you determine the best one to use.

If you want an all-in-one solution, you can live stream with Wix Video , allowing you to engage with your audience in real-time directly from your website. You can also use paid platforms such as Demio , GoToWebinar, or Zoom .

When choosing your platform, consider your needs and the goals of your webinar. Take into consideration how big your audience will be, how much you’re willing to spend, and what kind of tools you’ll need for your presentation. Do you need a platform that allows for multiple speakers and a Q+A session? Make sure you choose a service that has all the functions you need to deliver your presentation.

04. Gather your equipment

Next, you’ll need to choose your physical equipment. Because webinars are not conducted in-person, you’ll need reliable tools that ensure high-quality audio and visuals.

Here’s a basic list of the things you’re going to need for this type of content creation:

A capable computer or laptop

Ensure that the computer you’re using can handle running multiple heavy applications at the same time. The last thing you need is for your computer to slow to a crawl because you’ve put it under too heavy of a load.

In addition, make sure you have a reliable internet connection so that your presentation is smooth and clear. You may even want to consider having a backup laptop with all the data from your webinar saved, just in case your primary computer decides to malfunction.

Webcam or camera

Depending on your webinar format, you have a few different options for the type of camera you use. A single speaker discussion will do fine with a standalone webcam — just make sure it can record or stream a minimum of 1080p HD at 30 frames per second. If you’re pre-recording your webinar, you should record it with the highest quality camera you can.

Lighting devices

This may not be necessary for everyone, but it’s a good thing to consider if the lighting in the space where you’ll be delivering your webinar isn’t ideal. You can invest in a ring light, box light or even accent lights to brighten up your space and make sure your speaker is seen clearly.

Whether you're teaching an online course or presenting your latest findings, it’s essential that your words come across clearly. Invest in a USB microphone that’s compatible with your webinar software. The Blue Yeti microphone, for example, is popular with podcasters and will ensure that your voice sounds clear during your webinar.

05. Develop content

Now that you have all the tools you need, it’s time to start creating your webinar content. Here are some tips for building your presentation:

First, create a script for your entire webinar so you can keep yourself on track. It’s not imperative that you follow it word for word, in fact, you most likely won’t. But writing it out will help you structure your presentation. Make sure to leave some wiggle room for deviations and on-topic tangents, as your audience may appreciate these additional insights.

You have several options for creating slides, including Microsoft PowerPoint, Keynote for Mac, and Google Slides. Whichever you choose, remember that the number one rule with any slide presentation is not to include too much text on each slide. Your slides should be more of a guide and outline that help the presenter deliver the webinar. Visually appealing slides will help pique your audience’s attention, so be sure to include any charts or graphs that can help get information across.

06. Assign roles

Depending on which webinar format you choose, the roles you’ll need to assign may vary. But, essentially, there are three primary players when creating a webinar:

Organizer: The organizer is the main individual responsible for the webinar. Typically, this person creates the content, promotes the event, gathers resources, finds speakers and communicates with attendees both before and after the webinar.

Presenter(s): The presenters are experts in their field, and have deep knowledge of the subject at hand. These are the individuals responsible for giving the presentation and conveying all the necessary information to the audience.

Assistants: Assistants are vital for resolving any technical difficulties and ensuring everything runs smoothly. They’re also available to help organize audience member questions and moderate the comments section.

Interviewer or moderator: While not all webinars will have an interviewer or moderator, these roles can also be extremely important. An interviewer would be the person responsible for asking the expert at hand questions, and a moderator would help guide the presentation and oversee that it runs smoothly.

07. Schedule your presentation

Now that your content is complete and roles are established, you can finally solidify the date and time of your webinar. Take into consideration where the majority of your audience lives, and go from there.

According to a study conducted by GoToWebinar, the best times to hold webinars vary depending on the topic. Personal finance and development webinars get the most attendees when held at 5pm. This makes sense because the subject matter is of a more personal nature, as opposed to work-related, and the time falls right after the workday. However, globally, the times that get the most number of registrations and attendees are 10am and 11am.

But on which day should you schedule your webinar? Turns out, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday see the highest number of both registrations and attendees, so go for one of those.

08. Promote your webinar

Before you go live with your webinar, you’ll need to create marketing assets to promote it. This ensures that you’ll have an audience - the ultimate reward for all your hard-earned work. Here are some ideas to help get the word out:

Send a newsletter: Email marketing campaigns are effective for reaching audience members who will be interested in your webinar. If you have an existing newsletter, this is the perfect place to market your upcoming presentation. You could even go the extra mile and offer an incentive to your subscribers, such as an early access pass to chat with the presenter or a discounted price. Also, don’t forget to send reminder emails to registered attendees the day before your webinar.

Add banners to your website: One of the best places to promote your webinar is on your website. Create a banner or a popup lightbox that adorns the top of your website so your visitors will immediately be greeted with information about your upcoming event.

Create a landing page: To promote an event, many people like to create a landing page. This can serve as a one-stop shop for logistical information about your webinar, from the time you’re streaming to the link they need to connect. To get started, you can check out these free landing page templates by Wix, or use this landing page builder.

Write a blog post: As an expert in your field, if you don’t have a blog covering your industry, it’s time to get one. Creating a blog allows you to show off your knowledge and become an authority in your industry others can learn from. It’s also fantastic for your website’s SEO capabilities. Once you set up your blog, write an article outlining the details of your webinar.

Share on social media: What better way to spread the word than through social media marketing? Share posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn to promote your webinar and reach new audiences. To expand your reach, you might consider using hashtags or investing in paid posts. Tip: You can use a link in bio tool like Hopp by Wix in order to direct users to your webinar, website, social media and other online assets all from one designated URL.

09. Perform a dry run

As your webinar date approaches, prepare yourself by rehearsing the entire webinar experience.

Performing a dry run will help you catch issues that are easily fixable and that may otherwise be glaring when you’re presenting in front of an audience.

Practice your script several times. This will allow you to spot inconsistencies, determine how much time to spend on each topic and more smoothly present your information to your audience.

This is also the time to test your equipment. Put your computer, software and any other equipment through its extreme paces. To make sure that your computer can handle it all, try running all the software you’ll be using on your computer at the same time. Then, switch between programs quickly. Open additional software and see if you can see if there’s any lag. If there are any issues, you may need to borrow a faster computer with more memory.

Think about every aspect of your presentation setup and test them each rigorously. Not only will this give you a working knowledge of how all pieces fit together, but it can also give you a chance to mitigate potential issues before you even start your webinar.

As you practice, have a friend or assistant watch your entire presentation online. They may catch errors that you overlooked.

10. Host your event

The time has finally come for your webinar to go live. On the day of, make sure you give yourself ample time to set up. Before you push the record or stream button, double check your script and slides to ensure they appear the way you prefer.

Once you’ve delivered your presentation and wrapped up the Q+A session, emphasize how viewers can contact you. Provide your company website, the contact information of your speakers and social media channels so attendees can get in touch.

Post-webinar promotion

Now that you’ve completed your webinar, it’s time to decide what you’re going to do with the recording. You worked hard on your presentation, so you’ll want to make sure it will be available online for years to come.

If you’re offering it for free, you can upload it to YouTube and embed it on your website. If you want to continue charging people, consider creating a special members area on your site and making the webinar available to paying members only.

If you begin to see questions about some of the topics you discussed, you could even go as far as creating another webinar or video, such as a live Q&A or even an online course for those hungry to know more.

Additionally, make sure to follow up with attendees, especially if the intention of your webinar was to make sales. Send a thank you email and ask for feedback. Advice from your audience can be helpful and give you insight into how you can improve for the next time.

Are webinars right for you and your business?

By sharing valuable knowledge, you establish your business as a credible leader in your field and generate new leads. When people register for your presentation, they’ll provide their contact information which you can use in the future to move them through your marketing funnel. Additionally, attendees are particularly interested in learning the subject at hand, so they’re more likely to be highly engaged. These reasons are why webinars are an essential part of a successful content marketing strategy and a great content marketing example .

While not every marketing effort will be worth creating a webinar for, keep in mind the types of ideas that will draw a crowd and help bolster your business. Webinars can be quite time consuming to sit through, so you want them to be engaging and interesting enough to entice people to register.

Here are a few examples of webinar-worthy content ideas to add to your content strategy :

A complete guide for marketing your product

A Q+A session with your CEO

A panel discussion on a pertinent industry issue

A presentation on your branding strategy

Expert tips to ensure a flawless webinar

Know your audience

Whether you are doing B2C or B2B content marketing, you need to understand who your audience is and what their main pain points are. Understanding your target demographic and why they have decided to tune into your webinar will help you reach them better.

Remember that people have taken a significant amount of time out of their day to hear what you have to say. How can the topic you are speaking about help them with their job, business or future? Make sure they have the answers to these questions before the webinar is over.

Make it engaging

This point cannot be understated. Webinars rely on conveying information through a presentation, which can get boring if not done interactively. Instead of giving a lecture, keep the style conversational. Tell stories and give real world examples to relate to your listeners and get them excited about the topic at hand. Be enthusiastic and avoid talking too much, using extremely text heavy slides or coming across as preachy - you may start to lose your audience.

If it’s in keeping with the tone of your webinar, ask your audience a question every 3-5 minutes, or think of a creative way for them to contribute. This is an effective way to hold their attention.

Only share what’s useful

We can’t hone in on this point enough: your webinar needs to captivate your audience and hold their attention. Avoid droning on with unhelpful content and be sure to provide actionable tips and advice. If you’re holding an interview, find ways to bridge the gap between your guest and your audience. A great way to do this is to make sure you incorporate questions on what your audience can take away from the interview and apply to their everyday work or life.

Use high-quality slides and imagery

When creating a webinar, the visual components of your presentation are going to help keep your audience engaged. You want to avoid too much text and incorporate more graphs, charts and infographics. Keep your images on-brand, high quality and relevant to the text on the slide you’re speaking about. You can also use branded slide templates specific to your business to convey professionalism and elevate your visuals.

Webinar types and examples

Before creating a webinar it can be good to understand what types of webinars you could create - be they personal, professional or for educational purposes. Research the different platforms, formats and styles established webinar creators use to get their messaging across. To help with that we're sharing some of our favorite Wix webinars to inspire you.

How to grow your business webinar

We love how this webinar takes a broad topic and breaks it down into something all potential and current business owners can apply to their brand.

How to build your own website app - no code needed

This webinar does a great job of breaking down what could be a complex topic, into something manageable.

Competitive analysis with SEMrush

This is a great example of how a webinar can take a very specific tasks, competitive analysis, and show watchers how to break it down into something they can do almost immediately with a specific tool.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How to create a webinar as a beginner?

Generally the steps for creating a webinar as a beginner, are similar to those even a pro would follow. Creating a webinar involves defining the goals of your webinar and the audience you want to reach, choosing an engaging topic that you can talk confidently about, a content plan including script and visuals, choosing the right platform to host and distribute you webinar, a plan to promote your webinar online and through your website, following up on your webinar and the audiences reaction to it, in order to plan more webinars.

How to create a webinar for free?

Can I create a course with webinars?

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How to Create a Webinar in 10 Easy Steps

If you’re wondering how to create a webinar, chances are you’re already familiar with its relationship-building capabilities. 

But if you’re not, here’s a 30-second introduction. 

A webinar is an interactive online seminar that lets you present virtually to anyone in the world. 

You can invite people to attend in real-time, as well as record the presentation and send the replay to those who registered but weren’t able to attend the live event.

Meanwhile, you get to collect attendee information you can use to conduct personalized outreach. 

What’s more, you can integrate a Q&A session into your webinar to directly address any queries or concerns your audience may have. 

So how do you create a webinar? Follow these 10 steps to learn how to set up a webinar, and start engaging your audience today.

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How to create a webinar presentation

1. choose a specific topic .

Your webinar can be about anything, but make it about one specific, relevant thing that your audience will find useful. 

For example, if you’re targeting people interested in ecommerce marketing, you can host a webinar on ecommerce SEO in particular.

To find out what will most likely resonate with your audience, try one of these methods:

• Analyze your social media pages. Look for posts and images with the most shares. These will lead you to content that could convert nicely into a webinar. 
• Review your FAQs. Do your customers and prospects always ask the same questions? Identify any gaps in knowledge that you might be able to address.
• Research your customers’ queries: Use a tool like AnswerThePublic to find out what people are asking. Look through the results and choose the questions you could answer through your webinar.

Once you have an idea of your audience’s interests, you’re ready to finalize the webinar topic. Expertise is very important here, so be sure to choose something that aligns with your capabilities and skills.

2. Select a webinar format

Identifying the best way to present your topic can help you structure your webinar more efficiently. This comes down to choosing a format that will complement your personality and goals. Here are some popular formats:

Presentation

This is one of the most used webinar formats. 

Presentation webinars involve a single presenter delivering a PowerPoint presentation with audio or video running in the background. 

You can choose this format if you’re targeting a small audience. 

Pro tip : Add polls and Q&As to create a more visually stunning webinar and keep your audience engaged.

Another option is to invite an expert from your field to discuss a particular topic and answer attendee questions.

This could be a thought leader, a knowledgeable professional, or a micro-influencer . 

To get the most out of this webinar format, provide your expert with a list of questions beforehand, asking them to prepare answers in advance. 

Product 

Product webinars allow you to demonstrate how to use your product or service effectively.

You can show the participants how to use a product physically on camera, or with tools such as screen sharing if it involves software. If someone is still wondering how a certain feature of your product works, they’ll have their answer, after which they may decide to purchase. 

3. Choose a webinar platform

There are many paid and free webinar tools you can use to host your webinar. 

For example, there’s WebinarJam and GoTo Webinar if you’re looking for a well-established platform.

There’s also YouTube Live , which allows you to host webinars for free. 

Then there are livestreaming platforms that let you deliver many types of webinars.

When deciding between options, consider your needs. How many participants are you expecting? Do you need a record function? What’s your budget? And can you do without customization and branding? 

Based on these questions, pick a webinar software that makes sense for you and start using it. 

Pro tip : Use a free tool to record your first webinar. Doing so will help you get a practical feel of how webinars work and what additional functions you may need to enhance the attendee experience. 

4. Create the registration page

Once you’ve chosen your platform, you can set up your webinar registration page. This is essentially a landing page that encourages people to sign up. 

First, write a few pointers highlighting the agenda of your webinar. Next, mention the background of the hosts and what they’ve achieved in a professional capacity. Then, put a registration form where attendees will leave their contact information and close it with a clear call to action.  

If you’re using a paid webinar tool, you should see an option to create a registration page. But if you don’t, or if you’re using a free tool for webinar hosting, consider using a landing page creator like Leadpages .

Leadpages has pre-made webinar templates for you to choose from. Pick your desired template, then customize it using a drag-and-drop builder. 

Another tool is JotForm . It’s free to use for up to five registration forms and up to a hundred registrations. If you’re hosting a webinar for a small audience, this might be the perfect option for you.

But regardless of whether you use Leadpages or JotForm, you should be able to integrate them with your webinar solution.

Important: Don’t forget to mention the date and time of your webinar on the registration page. If you’re targeting working professionals, it might be best to choose an evening or weekend slot. Be sure to mention the timezone if you expect attendees from all across the globe.

5. Sort out the space and equipment 

It’s best to record your webinar in a quiet room, as it’s likely to be free from outside noises and disturbance. 

Before the recording, talk to your family members and explain that you have work to do and don’t want to be disturbed for the next few hours.

Also, put your phone, tablet, and other devices on silent. You don’t want notifications to interfere while you’re in the zone.

Having the right equipment is another important prerequisite for conducting webinars. While you don’t need to invest in a lot of gear, make sure that you have access to the following:

• Camera: You don’t have to jump straight into buying an external HD webcam for your webinar. Test your inbuilt computer camera first (in a setting with plenty of light). You can also test your smartphone’s camera for webinar recording.
• Microphone: Unlike the camera, I don’t trust the quality of built-in computer mics. That’s why I recommend investing in an external unit. Blue Yeti and Samson are two good microphones for hosting webinars. They’re also easy to set up, as you only need a USB cable to connect them with your laptop.

When planning a webinar checklist, make sure to add these essentials under the equipment section.

6. Produce your content

Here’s where all your hard work shines.

As we discussed earlier, your webinar can take several forms, like a slide deck, a video of you using your product, or a video of you interviewing a guest.

Regardless of the format, there’s one golden rule on how to host a webinar that accomplishes your goal: It has to be engaging. Another way to think of this is that it can’t be boring!

So put on your creativity hat. How can you make something special that keeps people interested and logged on for the entire webinar?

Don’t be afraid to break some expectations. Now’s the time to stand out.

Even if your webinar stays on the tame side, there are some webinar best practices to keep in mind for your content:

• If you have the resources, create beautiful custom visuals to make your brand and mission stand out.
• Keep your slides short and sweet, with one main idea per slide.
• Focus on visuals over words. Include videos, GIFs, and animations where you can — just to shake things up and keep people’s attention.
• Don’t type out giant blocks of text. Instead, type a few key words for attendees to follow, then elaborate on them verbally.
• Include a poll in the middle of your presentation. This is another technique to shake up the structure and flow while making sure your audience is engaged.
• The average webinar is 45 to 60 minutes long. I recommend staying in this timeframe, especially if you want to add engagement opportunities like a poll and Q&A session.

Pro tip: I recommend using Canva to design your slide deck. Canva offers a free plan while you learn the ropes of making amazing webinar presentations. It also has plenty of presentation templates to choose from.

7. Send out invitations

You won’t have any webinar attendees if nobody knows about it, right?

Send an email to your marketing list to let them know.

When you write this email, focus on the benefits. What’s in it for them? Why should they attend? Why should they even care?

In general, showing your audience the benefits will be much more effective than just boringly listing the details of the webinar.

But of course, you do need to give them the main details, like the title, what you’ll cover, and the date and time. Add a clear call-to-action (CTA) button that takes them directly to your landing page so they can sign up.

Here’s a short and sweet example from project management platform Asana:

8. Promote the webinar outside your email list

If you don’t have an extensive email list (and even if you do), the best way to get more attendees is with solid promotion.

Just like any event or sale, there are plenty of digital marketing techniques you can use to generate interest for your webinar.

Let’s go over some options.

Social media platforms

In the one-to-two weeks leading up to the webinar, post regularly on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media channels. 

You can use Canva to create promotional images, as well as record yourself talking about the webinar.

Another option is to create a webinar event page on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, which allow you to invite your followers directly and lead them to the landing page to register.

Don’t forget to create a special hashtag for your webinar, and do some research on other popular hashtags that can generate extra attention.

Paid promotions and advertisements

If you can swing the extra investment, paid ads will help you reach a bigger audience than your organic channels.

You can run ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Google.

Another option is influencer marketing, where you pay influencers in your industry to promote the webinar and ask their own audience to register.

If you’re not sure how to run paid campaigns, check out these helpful resources:

• The Definitive Guide to Facebook Advertising
• Instagram Ads Made Simple: How to Create Instagram Ads In 2023
• The Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn Ads: How to Get Started With Your First Campaign
• How to Crush Your Online Revenue Goals With Google Ads

9. Do a test run

A critical webinar best practice is to never skip your test run.

While it might feel like you have a handle on everything, you’d be surprised what can go wrong despite the best planning.

When you do your test run, make it as close to the real thing as possible. If you plan to have a guest, have them join you to run through the presentation, interview, or demo.

Use all the same tech, as well as the finalized version of your presentation materials.

This is also a great opportunity to iron out the smaller details that you may have missed up until this point. For example, how you’ll transition between two speakers or two topics, or how long someone’s speaking part should be.

Depending on what’s left to plan, hold your dry run one to two days before the final presentation. This way, it’s close to your live date while still giving you time to address any issues or last-minute changes.

10. Go live!

You made a killer presentation. You set your stage and created your slide deck. You promoted it to your network and beyond.

It’s showtime.

Host a live webinar and unleash the power of your knowledge.

One more thing: the webinar isn’t over once your 60 minutes are up.

Your follow-up can make a huge difference in working toward the goals you were trying to accomplish in the first place, like getting more leads or sales.

Be sure to send an email to all of your attendees thanking them, with a link to the replay if you’re offering that option.

In that email, you can also send them a special offer or otherwise lead them further through your sales funnel . You should continue to nurture these relationships regularly so they grow and deepen.

That’s the whole point, after all.

Host a successful webinar today

There you have it: 10 steps to planning and executing an awesome webinar.

If it feels overwhelming at first, don’t sweat it. There’s a lot of work that goes into hosting an event like this, and you’ll continue to get better with every one you do.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is to make sure you’re always providing unique value to your audience, while keeping them engaged and entertained along the way.

If you can manage to do this, you’ll captivate them, nurture them, and turn them into a warm lead, then a paying customer—and eventually a loyal customer who keeps coming back for more.

Want to Learn More?

• The Complete Guide to Video Marketing for Businesses
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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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How to Do Strategic Webinar Planning: A Step-by-step Guide

Webinar Experts

WebinarNinja Editorial Team is a diverse group of professionals passionate about webinars, sales, and marketing. We update you on the latest trends, dive into technical topics, and offer insights to elevate your business.

For marketers and sales professionals, webinar planning is vital. It’s a means to engage directly with their targeted audience, generate high-quality leads, and ultimately drive sales.

By carefully planning a webinar, including its content, timing, and promotional strategy, you can address the pain point of low engagement and conversion rates.

In this post, I’ll show you how to plan a webinar strategically step-by-step and present some of the best practices.

Hang on till the end.

What Exactly is Strategic Webinar Planning?

It is the process of designing, organizing, and executing webinars with a clear, purposeful strategy in mind.

Over the years, webinars have become an indispensable tool for businesses, educators, and organizations, and you need definite plans to achieve optimal results out of webinars.

The strategic aspect involves a series of steps and considerations to ensure a webinar effectively achieves its intended goals.

Here’s an overview of what such strategies typically entail:

• Target Audience Identification
• Objective Setting
• Content Development
• Platform Selection
• Promotion and Marketing
• Rehearsal and Technical Preparation
• Follow-up and Analysis

A webinar planning strategy is all about ensuring that every aspect of the webinar is thoughtfully considered and aligned with the overarching goals, whether it’s educational, marketing, or community building. This calculated approach helps maximize the impact of the webinar and ensures it delivers value to both the host and the audience.

A Step-by-Step Strategy to Create a Winning Webinar Plan

Creating a successful webinar involves careful planning and execution. Let me show you how to go about it.

Define Your Objectives

Clearly outline what you want to achieve with your webinar. Objectives could range from educating the audience to generating leads and selling a product or service.

For example, if your objective is lead generation, set a specific goal like, “Acquire 100 new leads in 3 months.”

Your objectives will guide every decision you make moving forward.

Pro Tip: Make your objectives SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) to evaluate the success of your webinar better.

Choose Your Topic and Speaker

Select a topic that is not only relevant and engaging to your target audience but also showcases the speaker’s expertise.

Similarly, the right speaker can significantly impact a webinar’s success by attracting more attendees and delivering valuable insights.

Partnering with a renowned digital marketing influencer as your speaker for a webinar on digital marketing trends is a good case in point.

Co-hosting like this with an industry expert will enable you to expand your reach and add credibility to your webinars.

Determine the Date and Time

Choose a date and time that maximizes attendance. Consider the time zones of your target audience and avoid scheduling conflicts with major holidays or industry events.

Remember, hosting your webinar on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday can increase attendance rates as these days are generally the most convenient for professionals.

If you’re targeting a global audience, pick a time that falls within the overlapping business hours of your main audience segments to ensure greater participation.

Select a Webinar Platform

Choose a platform that supports your technical requirements, such as the number of participants, interactive features (Q&A, polls), and integration with marketing tools.

For example, the best webinar software systems are flexible to host live, automated, series, and hybrid webinars. They let coaches, trainers, teachers, and consultants connect with their audience in real time or at any time, wherever they are.

What You Can Do: Take advantage of free trials to test the platform’s reliability and ease of use before committing to it. If engagement is a key objective, select a platform that offers robust interactive features like live polls and chat functions.

Promote Your Webinar

Utilize multiple channels to promote your webinar, including email marketing, social media, and paid advertising. Tailor your promotional messages to highlight the value and unique insights attendees will gain.

Pro Tip: Create a branded, compelling, and high-converting landing page for your webinar that includes all the key details, speaker bios, and a registration form.

Leverage email marketing by sending a series of reminder emails leading up to the event to keep your webinar on top of mind.

Prepare Your Content

Your webinar content should be informative, engaging, and relevant to your audience’s needs and interests. Develop a structured agenda that covers all key points while allowing time for Q&A.

Use visual aids, such as slides and videos, to enhance understanding and retention. Keep slides clear and visually appealing to maintain audience engagement.

Break down complex information into digestible chunks using infographics or charts to make your content more accessible.

Rehearse Your Webinar

Conducting a rehearsal is crucial to ensure that your presentation flows smoothly and that all technical equipment works correctly. It also makes speakers more comfortable with the material and timing.

Record your rehearsal to identify areas for improvement and get comfortable with the pacing of your presentation. For example, during the rehearsal, practice transitioning between speakers and segments to ensure a seamless experience for attendees.

Host the Webinar

On the day of the webinar, log in early to prepare and troubleshoot any last-minute technical issues. Engage with your audience through interactive elements and keep the presentation dynamic.

Remember: Have a backup plan in case of technical difficulties, such as a pre-recorded segment that can be played while resolving issues.

Start the webinar with a fun icebreaker poll to engage attendees from the beginning and set a positive tone for the event.

Following this webinar planning checklist will help you create and execute webinars that not only meet but exceed your objectives.

Check out this sample webinar planning template .

Webinar Planning Best Practices

Let’s now dive into some of the best practices for webinar planning. These tried and tested approaches will enable you to improve your webinars’ efficiency and effectiveness, besides helping you standardize the process and gain a competitive advantage.

Leverage Storytelling & Narrative

Storytelling is a powerful tool in communication that engages audiences at an emotional level and makes complex information more relatable.

By weaving your webinar content into a compelling narrative, you can capture attention more effectively and make the information memorable. This approach breaks down barriers and makes technical or dry topics interesting.

A strong narrative with a clear beginning, middle, and end can significantly enhance audience engagement by making the content relatable and emotionally resonant.

Airbnb has effectively used storytelling in its webinars to share hosts’ experiences and journeys. This approach not only engaged the audience but also helped to humanize the brand and deepen audience connection .

Use Engagement Techniques

Engagement is key to a successful webinar. Traditional webinars often rely on a one-way flow of information, which can lead to audience disengagement.

By incorporating interactive techniques such as live polls, quizzes, and breakout rooms, you transform passive viewers into active participants. This not only keeps the audience engaged but also provides immediate feedback and insights into their preferences and understanding.

Interactive engagement with the audience will lead to better retention of information and a more enjoyable experience.

For example, Duolingo frequently hosts webinars on language learning techniques by utilizing interactive quizzes and polls to make the learning process fun and engaging for participants.

Additional Information: Plan these interactive elements ahead of time but be flexible enough to adjust based on the flow of the webinar and the audience’s responsiveness.

Incorporate Visualization & Multimedia

The effective use of visual aids and multimedia can significantly enhance the learning and engagement experience in webinars. This approach involves integrating relevant images, videos, infographics, and live demonstrations into your presentation.

Visual content can help clarify complex information, maintain audience interest, and cater to different learning styles. By diversifying the types of content you present, you make your webinars more accessible and engaging for a wider audience.

Scenario: A digital marketing agency is planning a webinar on the latest trends in social media marketing. Understanding that the topic involves a lot of data and case studies, they decided to incorporate a variety of multimedia elements to make the content more digestible and engaging.

Moz , a company specializing in SEO, regularly uses webinars to educate its audience on SEO strategies. Their webinars often include a mix of live screen shares, videos demonstrating tools in action, and slides rich with charts and graphs. This multimedia approach helps demystify SEO concepts for their audience, making complex data and strategies easier to understand.

Additional Information: When incorporating visuals and multimedia, make sure that the content is directly relevant to your topic and adds value to your presentation. Overloading your webinars with unnecessary visuals can distract from the key messages.

Plan your visual aids to complement and enhance your narrative, not overshadow it. Always test your multimedia elements before the webinar to avoid technical issues during the live session.

Conduct Post-Webinar Follow-Ups

Audience engagement doesn’t end when a webinar ends. Post-webinar follow-ups are crucial for maintaining a connection with your audience, gathering feedback, and providing additional value. This can include sending resources related to the webinar topic, offering a recording of the session, or inviting feedback through surveys.

Such strategies enhance the overall experience and help convert attendees into customers or repeat attendees.

Look at this example scenario : A health and wellness coach hosted a webinar on stress management techniques and wanted to keep the audience engaged after the event.

He developed a follow-up strategy to continue the conversation with his attendees. He sent a thank-you email, a survey to gather feedback, additional resources related to the webinar topic, and invitations to future webinars.

Pro tip: Tailor your follow-up content based on the interaction during the webinar to make it as relevant and valuable as possible to your audience.

Optimize for On-Demand Viewing

Not everyone who is interested in your webinars will be able to attend the live sessions.

By optimizing your webinars for on-demand viewing, you can extend their lifespan and reach. 

This involves ensuring the content remains relevant and engaging outside of the live context and making it easily accessible post-event.

On-demand viewing can significantly increase your webinars’ impact and audience size over time.

TED Talks are a prime example of content initially presented to a live audience but they have found a significantly larger audience through on-demand viewing, thanks to their engaging, evergreen content.

Remember: Record your webinars and make them easily accessible for on-demand viewing. Ensure the content is structured in a way that remains relevant and engaging, even when not viewed live.

Provide additional resources alongside your recordings, such as downloadable slides or a PDF summary, to enhance the on-demand viewing experience.

Crafting a successful webinar goes beyond just presenting information; it’s about creating an engaging, memorable experience that extends beyond the live event.

By incorporating storytelling, interactive elements, strategic follow-ups, and guest speakers, and optimizing for on-demand viewing, you can significantly enhance the impact of your webinars. 

Remember to continuously seek feedback and iterate on your approach to keep improving with each webinar you host.

Real-Life Success Story

When are you planning a webinar.

Webinars stand as a cornerstone, blending education, networking, and brand advocacy into a single, impactful event.

This guide has walked you through the importance of clarity in goals, meticulous audience targeting, engaging content creation, and robust promotional strategies. It has also touched upon the significance of leveraging technology and post-webinar follow-ups.

As I conclude, let me tell you this: webinar planning is not just about orchestrating a successful event but also about enhancing brand visibility and generating tangible outcomes.

If you need help implementing these best practices, look no further than WebinarNinja . It’s an all-in-one platform with built-in tools and features to host amazing learning experiences.

About the author

Webinarninja editorial team.

WebinarNinja Editorial Team is a passionate group of experts dedicated to improving your webinar experiences with top-notch content. We stay ahead of the curve on trends, tackle technical hurdles, and provide practical tips to boost your business. With our commitment to quality and integrity, you can be confident you're getting the most reliable resources to enhance your webinars.

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