How to create and host a webinar

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

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

• 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.

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

• 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.

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

• 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.

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

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

• 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.