According to some data, the use of webinars grew by 300% following the pandemic. With restrictions of personal contact and travel, webinars provided a much-needed platform to conduct client meetings, make sales and servicing presentations and continue business as usual.
But while many clocked up a lot of hours in virtual interactions and grew in experience, there is often more that can be done. We have put together a list of ideas to consider for your next webinar, which we will dive into over the course of the next few blog posts.
4 dos and 2 don’ts for engaging webinar audiences
Do … plan you script
This would seem obvious, but it is easy to fall into the trap for having a rough structure for the webinar, rather than a detailed outline or script. The more detail you put into your preparation, the better the presentation will be. Regular presenters will have done this for conference presentations; the same is needed for webinars. Extended preparation will help you be clear in your messaging, drive a logical conclusion to your key take-aways, stick to time, and engage audiences throughout the entire programme.
Do … look at the camera
Video is recommended over audio when it comes to webinars. Your audience will have joined because they want to hear from you, not just look at your slides. And when the camera is on, look directly into the camera. Direct eye contact is far more personal and will connect better with your audience. If this feels uncomfortable at first or unnatural, practice, record, watch and refine your rehearsals before recording your webinar. The technique will become easier the more you do it. If your webinar platforms allows, also enlarge the size of your video window so that audiences can clearly see you.
Do … use interactive features
Most webinar platforms offer audience polling and Q&A features. In addition, there are opportunities for participants to chat with other participants, download materials, follow links to your website or online resources and request 1-1 meetings. As the objective of many webinars will be to stimulate further interaction, you will get a higher response rate if your audience can activate that interaction in the moment, while you are still presenting.
Do … use video content to break up your presentation
In television or cinematic experiences, the audiences will be treated to a new scene every few minutes. When applying the same technique to online presentations, audiences will be more engaged as the draw of distraction in lowered. Using a short video clip of an interview or infographic every 5-7 minutes to illustrate a point or introduce a new theme will help break the flow and reset the audience attention span.
Don’t … rely on slides
Slides have always been intended as a speaker support tool. The focus of your presentation should always be your storyline, the narrative. The rule should be that you are able to explain your message without the use of any slides. Once you are at that point, consider what added value your slides can bring to the presentation. Of course, slides play an important role if you have to show charts or factual information that could be misunderstood or is difficult to explain without seeing it. But in all instances, put your presentation first, and slides second.
Don’t … make your slides too complicated
This follows of course from the previous point, but it is a distinct consideration. Think of ways in which your slides can help you make your presentation more memorable, for instance to visualise an illustration. If you simplify the on-screen content, the main messages will be easier to take in, and the audience will stay on the same track that you are following. Refined and reduced content will minimise audience distraction. If you are required to show broader context from a regulatory perspective, you can always refer to the downloads, where you can provide the full detail. Finally consider that many will watch your presentation on a portable device or small screen. If you speaker support content has a minimalist approach, you will be able to communicate effectively across platforms.
In the coming weeks we will be posting a couple more editions in our “Better Webinars” series. Check back for ideas on how to make webinars easier to produce, and how to get your audiences to return for future episodes.
Signet Marketing helps businesses improve the quality and ROI of their video content and virtual events. Contact us to explore what we can do for you.