Webinars can be a powerful element of your marketing strategy. The key is not to treat them as a bonus action, but as an integral part of the whole plan. Some business people might think about it as something additional because webinar marketing is still quite a new advertising market tactic, but what might be a cause of uncertainty is actually one of the many advantages of video content.
Although many of the myths that have built around webinars are being rapidly debunked, it's time to say it once and for all - online video conferences should become a part of your plan and play a significant role in it. This is the only way to benefit from the super-strengths of webinar online marketing and to benefit from a huge ROI.
What exactly can you do to make a successful webinar marketing plan?
Why webinars are gaining popularity (and will continue to do so)
Webinars sometimes seem to be underestimated by companies. Webinar marketing also. In general, freelance marketers tend to put more faith in implementing video content into their strategy actions. Due to the differences which underlay in the perception and experience, sales and marketing teams tend to disagree about the ability of webinars to generate a quality pipeline. In general, PR reps than vendors place more value in video content. Although this topic might stir high emotions, the studies are quite clear about the usefulness of webinar marketing plans, and webinar online marketing efforts.
First of all, webinars can achieve high conversion rates of even 30 to 40% according to one case study. This is an important metric for sales, but video content has much more to offer. This research says that 83% of companies choose webinars as the best method for generating new leads. Also branded video is the most memorable type of content - 43% of respondents agree with this statement which is a useful insight from the client’s perspective.
As you can see, the writing is on the wall - digital videos are going to push out traditional television. Business Insider reports that audiences who use linear TV will switch to online solutions that offer both live and on-demand films. This is a threat for marketers who still invest the most in conventional television ads. An explosion in the popularity of online videos affects both the entertainment industry and the business world. Implementation of LinkedIn advertising with blog and video content into promotion actions recently saw the most significant increases in adoption since 2013, and it is still on the rise.
How to create a cross-channel marketing plan?
The reasons that webinars are becoming so prominent as webinar marketing tools are numerous. All of them can be reduced to one most important motive, which is that they simply pay off.
Base your webinar online marketing on content that your audience needs
Webinar online marketing is essential and webinars are successful because there's a demand for such content from customers. And that's why webinar marketing is essential. People tend to browse the internet, searching for information. Besides looking for descriptions or opinions about products, many users seek career advice. Providing any of these things would be an excellent start for your video content strategy. You can create tutorials on how to use your goods, make a course on how to leverage skills to become better at a particular job or enter into a new field entirely. All you have to do is adjust the best ideas to your niche to make the most of them.
Get a bigger picture of your webinar marketing strategy
Treating webinar marketing as a bonus to other promotion actions is one reason why many companies might not get significant revenue from it. Understanding that videos are equally important as any other part of your content is the key to success. Thanks to this, you can plan your budget in a complex manner and assign reasonable amounts of money to the relevant projects.
Some might say that webinars won’t rank in a search or on social media without the right copy, so they are less important than the text. This is partially true, as only by using the right keywords will your page appear at the top of search results. But let's repeat it - any marketing action consists of many facets. To make online webinar marketing effective, you have to invest in a description that's on point as well as in paid promotion to enhance the reach of your event. It doesn't matter if you're selling one-time access to a live webinar or an on-demand course. Each promotion plan has to be robust and consist of smaller parts that make the whole project work just right.
How exactly can webinars leverage your marketing?
Webinars have your back at every stage of the marketing funnel. They can be used to reach new audiences and make them aware of your brand's existence. They also help you build a trustworthy image of your company, no matter if you're the leader of a corporation or a small business, or you want to create personal branding. The numbers speak for themselves - 93% of companies got a new customer because of a video on social media, and now it's your turn.
#1 introduce your company to new clients
Before you can offer anything to a new client, you need to introduce yourself - that's obvious. Can you think of a better way to do this than by talking to someone (almost) in person? A video call is much more similar to real-life contact than "talking" to your potential clients solely via social media posts. This way, you can show that behind your brand stands qualified people who have in-depth knowledge about a particular field or a product. These days, interactions with people are highly appreciated and might work better than a simple ad. Thanks to the option of customizing your webinar, you can create a branded video that would be seared in the minds of your audience.
You can reach the right target group by webinar online marketing - streaming your live video, for example, to Facebook. Many people like to watch webinars on this platform because of how easy they are to view. Users don't have to switch between tabs, and they are sent automatic notifications. Plus, after creating a separate event for your webinar, you can enhance it with paid promotion, which should be included in your budget plan as already mentioned.
#2 Gaining trust & becoming an expert
When your potential clients already know who you are and what you do, it's time to show yourself off a little bit. With webinars and webinar marketing, you can combine these two stages. During a video, you can both introduce yourself and share your expert knowledge in order to gain respect from the participants.
The market is flooded with ads that try to sell everything - from high-quality products to gimmicks that might burst your bubble. No wonder consumers have become distrustful towards marketers. Webinars are a great way to counter this tendency and win potential clients’ hearts (and pockets) with your content.
#3 Lead generation
One of the essential purposes of any webinar online marketing plan is to encourage customers to make a purchase. Generating new sales might bring a ROI and drive more income.
We all know how successful expos and conferences are for expanding contact lists and gaining new clients. Research shows that online webinar marketing can be almost as successful as attending real-life events, ranking the former with an effectiveness index of 73% compared to the 77% given to small executive events!
#4 Keeping in touch after the webinar
Having a group of loyal followers who might also be your dedicated clients is the dream of every business owner. If you build a comprehensive webinar marketing plan, you'll be able to create a list of such consumers and easily keep in touch with them.
You can contact these clients with email marketing, which can easily be connected to the webinar platform. LiveWebinar provides integrations with 15 of the most popular email automation tools that can become your secret superpowers. Also, think about creating a special group on social media (preferably Facebook) to introduce newbies to your audience and help them build a community that's devoted to your brand's products or services thanks to sharing similar values. The more creative you get, the better - consumers love to be entertained in an unusual manner.
Webinars as 2-in-1 solutions
The form of webinars is unique, which is why they hide so many secrets that you can benefit from in many fields. Here are two areas where you can use videos to generate a double income.
Promote & sell
It's hard to think of another strategy that can give you both sales and promotion, which is why webinars are so exceptional. They can be either a marketing instrument that helps you build a brand image, or a product itself. By recording on-demand video material, you can create a complete course or workshop that you will be able to sell to your audience.
A sample of such content might provide a sneak-peek that would encourage potential customers to buy the full version. This is a simple way to monetize your product while still benefiting from webinar online marketing.
Become competitive as an employer on the job market
These days, when remote work has started to become a necessity in many companies, webinars are a good solution to overcome the distance. Knowing that you can start your webinar marketing efforts. Webinars are not only a tool that you can use to make the most of your employees' abilities but so many people think that way and you can change it. Besides leveraging your workflow, using professional software like LiveWebinar can help you build a specialist image of your brand. As an employer, you probably want to hire people who are the best at their jobs. To attract such experts, your company needs to be perceived as a place where they can develop themselves.
If you decide to offer the possibility of working remotely, you should take care of reputation management. If your potential employees can see that you invest in high-quality tools, they might think about your company as a place where they would like to work. With webinar platforms, you can have both a top-notch software system and a tool that allows you to measure employee engagement after you have hired them - which is another example of a two in one solution.
Wrapping up the benefits of webinar online marketing
Now you know more about webinar marketing and webinar online marketing. Making significant changes to your marketing strategy doesn't sound appealing - we're aware of that. But counting the benefits you can get from implementing videos to boost your promotion might be convincing. Before you decide to do anything, read this short summary of the best reasons for creating an end-to-end webinar marketing plan, because that decision can make or break your upcoming advertising actions.
- According to the statistics mentioned in this article, webinars are continually gaining popularity and will develop in the future to push out traditional television.
- With online webinar marketing, you can implement traditional schemes such as funnels and boost them with new practices from which you may profit. You can move your participants from being audience members to site visitors, and then customers. With a comprehensive plan and email marketing integrations, you can maintain contact with clients and make them loyal to your brand.
- You can reach specific audiences thanks to webinar marketing, by promoting your products or services with a new form of advertising, being more audience-friendly, and providing valuable content.
- If you have expert knowledge that might be valuable for your clients, you can sell access to live or on-demand webinars. Online marketing opens up new possibilities that could save you money on promotion while earning on sales.
- The studies that we highlighted in this text show that webinars are one of the best ways to reach new, quality prospects, and to build brand awareness and credibility.
These are the things that you can develop with an effective webinar marketing plan, and webinar online marketing efforts as a marketer or business owner. If you want to know more about LiveWebinar solutions, you can read our expert blog articles or send us a message.