There are a lot of obvious reasons why virtual events such as webinars are a must in 2021. Maybe most obvious is that we’re still amid a global pandemic forcing us to social distance and communicate digitally. But believe it or not, they aren’t just convenient, webinars and virtual events are amazingly effective demand generation channels.
If you’re exploring new marketing avenues for your business, keep reading.
Webinars offer a unique opportunity to inform and engage your audience while generating new leads and nurturing established relationships. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about webinar marketing and why you need to include it in your 2021 plan.
Why Webinars Work for Demand Generation Marketers
When it comes to demand generation, you’re probably thinking about paid search and other conventional methods. While traditional tactics are useful, the reality is that webinars deliver the results demand generation marketers need, with a higher ROI. Recent research by Xant discovered that 70% of B2B sales and marketing professionals said webinars were the best lead generation method.
Because of their immersive nature, webinars go beyond single-touchpoint marketing tactics like ads or drip campaigns. With a webinar, you’re no longer limited by a 60-character email subject line. You can devote the time and attention necessary to address complex issues, discuss questions, offer educational how-to’s, provide demonstrations, and more.
Webinars also allow you to record your virtual event, making it available on-demand and allowing you to build your evergreen content library.
What Webinar Marketing Is: A Broad Definition
In its simplest form, webinar marketing means using an online webinar to promote your organization or brand.
Webinars are effective lead and demand generation tools, because they attract audiences to your company through the value they offer. Webinars that include Q&A sessions can be exceptionally useful as they allow attendees to engage directly with your brand on a personal level.
Why Webinars Can Work Better Than In-Person Events
In addition to increased accessibility and flexibility when going down the webinar marketing track, virtual events are generally more cost-effective than their brick and mortar counterparts. They render comprehensive data and analytics and can also scale with significantly greater ease and efficiency.
Broader Audience – Fewer Geographical Barriers
Without the need to physically travel to an event location, virtual events and webinars open your organization and brand up to a global audience (if that’s what you’re after).
And by using a web-based webinar provider, presenters and attendees won’t need to download any software. They simply open a link in their browser, and they’re ready to go.
Generate More Sales With Fewer Staff
Virtual event and webinar providers that feature automation tools reduce event organizers workload. Less work means you’ll need fewer people to complete essential tasks.
Webinar Marketing Makes Your Business and Representatives “The Industry Expert”
When you host a virtual event or webinar, you position yourself as an authoritative resource within your industry. Potential clients looking for information will find you as a reliable source, nurturing trust in your brand.
Want to save millions on your content and event marketing strategy? Think about combining them by repurposing your event content. Read our article on content marketing for events: how to repurpose your event content.
Gives Vetted Leads Immediate Access To You
Because people who attend your virtual event or webinar signed up on their own accord, they take the time to ensure the information they provide is accurate. No more mistyped phone numbers or misspelled names, causing false leads.
These attendees are also already somewhat familiar enough with your brand to register for your virtual event. This familiarity allows them to have better questions and a greater interest in your services and products than those not engaging in virtual face-to-face interactions.
More Leads Are Generated Simply by Registering for the Webinar
With webinar marketing, You don’t have to wait until your virtual event is live to begin accumulating great leads. You can customize your registration form to collect the essential information you need to determine the best possible leads and nurture them.
Inviting Guest Speakers and Partners Expands Your Audience and Lead Possibilities Even More
Guest speakers and invited partners automatically expand your audience.
When you invite an industry leader to speak at your webinar, you’ll instantly be putting your brand in front of their audience. And the same goes for partners, sponsors, and special guests.
When utilizing webinar marketing, you can quickly generate leads when you target influencers or other industry leaders who compliment your business and brand offerings.
7 Meaningful Tips for Promoting Your Next Webinar
You want to utilize webinar marketing but need to know how to market your webinar? Check out our top 7 tips.
Tip #1) Your Webinar Marketing Plan Should Showcase Video Highlights From Previous Webinars or Events Your Speaker Has Participated In
Include recorded highlights from past events, in addition to short interview segments highlighting presenters and speakers. This helps generate excitement and give a “behind the scenes” glimpse of what attendees can look forward to seeing at your event.
Tip #2) Promote Your Webinar Across Several Channels
Promoting your virtual event or webinar on different channels allows you to reach the broadest possible audience. To maximize visibility, you can make sure you show up in front of them in the format that they prefer to digest content. If you’re like to engage your audience through lengthy written blog posts, don’t promote your event with a meme.
Tip #3) Promote Your Webinar Across Different Types of Content
With various channels comes various forms of content. Increasing brand awareness means meeting your audience where they are and engaging with them according to that environment’s best practices.
Ensure your promotional strategy aligns with the channel you’re using, whether that’s a blog, audio, social post, video, email, etc.
Tip #4) Partner With Another Aligned Industry Expert For A Bigger Webinar Audience
When you partner with an industry expert, you not only get your brand immediate access to a larger, targeted audience, but your webinar can benefit from having attendees from both audiences.
Partnerships also solidify your position in the industry and can lead to opportunities for special editions of merchandise or other direct-sell opportunities. Get two or three partners, and you’re on your way to forming a much larger event with unlimited lead generation potential.
Tip #5) A Webinar Marketing Must: Choose The Right Time For Your Event
Does your industry have predetermined peak or lull periods? Are Monday mornings always crazy? Are Wednesday afternoons dependably dull? Selecting the appropriate day of the week and the best time during the day is vital for reaching the largest possible audience with webinar marketing.
If your target audience includes corporate tax professionals, running a virtual event or webinar will see very few attendees done in late April, for example.
Feeling a little overwhelmed by the planning process? Check out the best virtual event planning checklist to help organize your thoughts.
Tip #6) Say Thank You While Confirming Attendee Registration
Life has a habit of getting in the way, and too often, the best-laid plans fall through. Sending a quick thank you to attendees for registering is more than just good manners. It confirms that their registration was successful and can automatically add to event to their calendars (some webinar providers have automation features that automatically populate registrant calendars), increasing the odds that they’ll turn up. Call it proper webinar marketing etiquette, if you will.
Tip #7) Add An Event Link And Registration Link To Your Email Signatures And Online Profiles
It sounds obvious, but it’s overlooked more often than you might think. Making it simple for those already doing business with your brand, or anyone interested in your brand’s social media posts, to sign up can positively impact attendee numbers. The easier you make registration, the more registrations you’ll get.
Looking for more tips to take your webinar promotion strategy further? Check out 18 Tips for Marketing Your Next Webinar Event.
Ready To Put Webinar Marketing To The Test?
If you’re interested in hosting a webinar for your business, there’s no time like the present. With everything you need to host an engaging, lead generating virtual event or webinar within one platform, SpotMe has you covered.
SpotMe makes it easy for you to engage your audience in a way that resonates with interactive features like polling and Q&As, video breakout rooms, and one-on-one meetings.
Try a free SpotMe demo and see for yourself how SpotMe’s slew of integrations and automation options, customizable features, and genuinely incredible customer support can make your virtual event memorable.
