Olive & Co
Search
Close this search box.

Using Webinars to Amplify Your Marketing Strategy

You know all about content marketing and the importance of establishing your business as an authority in the industry. But have you added webinars to your inbound marketing bag of tricks? Research shows 62 percent of marketers use webinars in their B2B marketing strategies, and that these marketers rate webinars as one of their top three most effective tactics overall.

Looking for inspiration? Start with these top marketing webinars.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to amplify your marketing strategy by hosting a webinar.

First, let’s talk about why you should add webinars to your marketing strategy.

Establish Authority

You want prospective buyers to view your firm as an authority in your industry. A webinar is the perfect opportunity for you to share your knowledge with these individuals. Additionally, webinars are authentic, because you’re able to weave in your personality, knowledge, and advice throughout the session.

Increase Engagement

Webinars are interactive; they often involve Q&A sessions between the host and the audience. If someone signs up for your webinar, they already see you as a reputable company, and are interested in what you have to offer. This means you have the opportunity to further tap into an already captive audience. While hosting your webinar, consider encouraging your audience to join the conversation on social media.

Collect Data

Webinars are middle of the funnel content, meaning their offering is typically requested from prospects who are further along the buyer’s journey and ready to make a decision. Registering for a webinar requires users to provide contact information, which means you are able to glean more insights and further nurture those leads after the webinar wraps up.

You can also monitor when audience members are engaged or disengaged during your webinar, which allows you to cater your content to fit the audience’s needs later on. After your first few webinars, you can use the data collected to inform your content strategy, making sure your promotions engage consumers.

Generate Leads

One of the reasons marketers love webinars so much is because they offer an excellent opportunity to generate leads. When users sign up and attend your webinar, you are given an audience that views you as an authority on whatever topic you’re covering. This also means you have a receptive audience that is interested in your expertise, so take advantage of this and be sure your webinar offers value to those who signed up. Highlighting a case study is a subtle way to incorporate your company’s service offering into your message, but remember: webinars are not sales pitches. Encourage future conversations with your audience members in order to foster an eventual uptick in prospective leads.

Repurpose Content

If your business or institution is struggling to produce enough content to fill your distribution channels, hosting a webinar can help. Recording your webinars allows you to feature the video on your site for users to download or watch at a later time. You can also share the videos with current or prospective clients to show off your knowledge and establish your company as a thought leader. Long story short, webinars are not just a one-and-done deal. If done right, successful webinars can live on to serve multiple purposes.

So, how can you get started on your first webinar?

Olive Webinar Tips.jpg

Find the Right Tools

The first step to creating an impactful webinar is to find the right tools. With Google Hangouts, you can host a webinar for no cost and reach a relatively wide audience. If you have a larger following and really want your webinar to standout, software like Zoom, WebinarJam, or GoToWebinar may be better options. These programs allow you to host an interactive webinar with hundreds of participants and broadcast it to Facebook or Youtube later.

Set an Agenda

Like anything else, it’s important to have a plan in place when creating your webinar. Ask yourself what you want audience members to learn from your webinar—what should they walk away knowing? There are a number of things to consider before diving in. Once you’ve established an end goal, create an outline to help organize your thoughts and the key messages you want to hit.

Then, make sure you stick to the script. If your audience members sign up expecting to learn about a predetermined topic, you won’t want to disappoint. Outlining your agenda and key messages beforehand ensures everyone is on the same page from the get-go, and leaves with a smile on their face. If you’re having difficulty narrowing down your ideas, consider planning multiple webinars. This results in more content (that you can repurpose later) and is a great way to get audience members coming back. You can introduce a topic or theme in one webinar and invite the audience to tune in for part two at a later date.

Spread the Word

Once you’ve planned out your webinar and solidified a time and date, it’s time to promote it. To effectively promote your webinar, consider the following best practices: Create an optimized landing page that includes information about what will be covered in the webinar, as well as the date and time, and a form users can fill out to register. As always, users should be directed to a thank you page after filling out the form, which should provide them with next steps and also encourage them to continue clicking through to more content on your site. Another way to promote your webinar is to include it in a Call to Action (CTA) on your blog, especially on the posts directly related to topics you’re covering in the webinar. Remember to send out email reminders about your webinar to those who signed up, as well as to those who subscribe to your blog. You can also promote your webinar on your social channels.

There are plenty of ways to get the word out about your upcoming webinar. Get creative.

Webinars are proven to be effective in gaining leads and generating buzz, and with so many tools at your disposal, there’s never been a better time to dive in.

If you haven’t already considered adding webinars to your content marketing strategy, it’s time you start. Webinars are proven to be effective in gaining leads and generating buzz, and with so many tools at your disposal, there’s never been a better time to dive in. Remember: Find the tools that work best with your team and help meet your needs, set an agenda, and spread the word about your upcoming webinar. By following these tips, you’re sure to gain authority as an expert in your industry.

Erika Voeller
Erika Voeller
Erika is passionate about content creation and brand growth. As a copywriter, she uses her talent for writing to help elevate brands. When she's not writing, you'll find her practicing yoga, exploring Minneapolis, or sipping on iced coffee.