This year, with the advent of COVID-19, you might have found yourself locked inside your home, experimenting with various video conferencing software tools to stay connected with friends, colleagues, customers, and so on. Aside from the individual level, this exposure also resulted in many organizations seeing the benefits of using online tools to stay connected instead of in-person efforts to derive the same results.
While most of these organizations decided to move their conferences online in order to reach their target audience, they also preferred to replace physical seminars with webinars within their virtual conferences.
What is a webinar?
A webinar is an online seminar that usually takes place in real time and is conducted over the web. It is shared with audiences, either live or on demand, depending on the host’s preference. A webinar enables you to address the masses and acts as a platform for two-way communication between the audience and yourself.
What are the benefits of hosting a webinar?
Webinars have not made their way to the top just like that. The numerous benefits that they reap have caused them to become a popular choice for organizations across the spectrum of industries. Most of these benefits include:
- Cost-effective lead generation
- Brand building
- Increased authority in your industry
- Repurposing content into blogs and other projects
Want to learn more? Read about the 12 best practices to host a striking webinar in 2020.
Unfortunately, while there might be endless gains from hosting a webinar, not everyone is able to make the most out of this tool. Let’s admit it — you can’t just line up a number of webinars and expect to have a successful virtual conference. If not done right, most webinars fall flat with very disappointing attendance and high drop-out rates — not just from the session, but also from the virtual conference itself.
So how do you make sure that your webinar doesn’t crumble down halfway through?
This simple guide will help you enhance the quality of your webinar and turn it into an unforgettable experience for your audience.
Tips for producing pro-quality webinars for your virtual conference
#1 – Choose the right video conferencing software
Earlier this year, the sudden hike in demand for video conferencing software created opportunity for a number of new entrants in the market. Therefore, with many new and old video conferencing software tools to choose from, many organizations saw themselves juggling between these to fulfill their needs.
To make sure you’re not one of the jugglers, list down clear goals before planning your webinars. Then, match your needs with potential solutions. The most commonly used video conferencing software platforms include:
Inquire about the video conferencing software that your online conference platforms use and whether the process is user-friendly or not.
Bonus tip: Read through the reviews of potential video conferencing software tools before you make a decision.
#2 – Set up your space
Find a private place to host your webinar. Make sure you minimize any external noise that may disrupt your session. In addition, since remote audiences are more likely to get distracted by the slightest of objects in your surroundings — moving or stationary — make sure you’ve cleared up the area around you.
In case you’re unable to control your surroundings, certain video conferencing software tools such as Zoom let you create a virtual background for a more dynamic experience.
#3 – Test your equipment
Your webinar is a tool to engage with the entire world on a single platform. Sharing of valuable information and two-way communication cannot be effective if your equipment lacks efficiency, especially in the case of live webinars.
Prior to the event, test your mic, camera, and most importantly, your internet connection to ensure seamless distribution of information.
#4 – Light up your face
Nobody is interested to engage with dull visuals — there, we said it!
Use natural lighting or side lighting for best results. In case you have an unavoidable window at the back, make sure you add light in front of your face to cancel out the back light. Just make sure your audience is able to engage with a real person instead of a shadow image.
#5 – Follow the dress code
Hosting a webinar while you’re working from home does not mean you can hop on a session in your sweats. Like any other conference, a virtual conference also requires you to be dressed as per the event’s requirements. Make sure you adhere to the rules of the conference and dress for your webinar professionally.
Read more on how to take webinars from good to great, according to Hubspot marketers.
Key takeaways
If you’re planning to set up a platform for networking and sharing valuable information within your niche, there is no doubt that hosting a virtual conference makes the process incredibly seamless. In doing so, your webinar is a primary tool that contributes to the success of the event. Therefore, how you place yourself in the industry is also defined by the quality of your webinars.
By following the above tips, you can redefine the entire experience of your virtual conference and stand out within the saturated world of webinars, with the highest attendance as well as engagement.
Curious to know more? Read our Ultimate Guide to a Virtual Conference.
About vFairs
vFairs strives to deliver top-class virtual events for all audiences, with an intuitive platform that recreates physical events through an immersive online experience. With a range of powerful features and dedicated support for users around the world, vFairs removes the hassle from organizing, exhibiting at, and attending events such as conferences, trade shows, and career fairs. Contact the vFairs team to learn more or request a demo to see a virtual event in action.
