Get B2B webinars right and they can be really powerful for nurturing potential leads, finding out more about your audience, and showcasing your expertise. But before you get to that stage, there’s a lot of learning and planning needed.
We’ve helped many of our clients run and repurpose webinars, as well as our own, and there are a few big questions that often come up. If you’re thinking of running your own webinars, you’ve probably asked yourself some of these too…
What if no one shows up? What if something goes disastrously wrong? How do I keep people interested in what I have to say? How do I convert attendees to customers?
Behind every seamless, polished webinar is a whole lot of planning, learning and practice (and maybe a dash of chaos at times too).
If you would like to find out more about running webinars check out our ultimate guide: Marketing Webinars: The Ultimate Guide to Planning, Promoting & Repurposing B2B Webinars to Drive Growth.
The guide also shares four podcast episodes that form part of our webinar miniseries on the show, where we dig deep into planning, promotion, hosting and repurposing webinars.
In this episode of the Content 10x podcast, we look at the most common questions we hear all the time about running successful B2B webinars.
Watch in full below or keep reading for the top takeaways.
1 What if the tech goes wrong?
You can do all the checks and rehearsals in the world, but tech likes to pick its moments (usually on the day you go live). But a tech blip doesn’t automatically make your webinar a disaster as long as you have a backup plan. For guidance on how to run checks and tests before a webinar check out episode 334 of The Content 10x Podcast called How to Plan a B2B Webinar.
Here’s what you can do if things go wrong:
Don’t go silent
If screenshares freeze or one of the hosts loses connection, it’s okay to acknowledge that and let your audience know. Staying silent is more unnerving and confusing. So just be honest and ask your audience to bear with you while you fix the issue. They’re people who use tech too, so they’ll get it.
Have a co-host or moderator as backup
Even if you’re the only one talking in the webinar, it’s always good to have a backup person like a moderator or co-host who can step in if things go wrong. That way, if the connection drops, they can keep the show running and let your audience know.
Get a holding slide ready
If your issue is a bit trickier to fix, a holding slide with “Tech issues. Back soon!” keeps everyone in the loop, especially any new people joining late.
Print off your presentation
Print off a hard copy of your slides as backup in case of a screen share fail. You can still use them to read from or prompt you while you’re talking. That way you can still keep the webinar going and aren’t left struggling for what to say because you’ve forgotten what your slide said (not a good look!)
Log in on multiple devices
The last thing you want as the host is to get kicked out of your own webinar. But it can happen.
The easiest failsafe is to just log in on multiple devices. So if the connection dips or your laptop plays up, you can switch to a phone, tablet or another computer and still keep things going (thank the WiFi gods for 5G!).
Save your bloopers for later
When disaster strikes and webinar tools decide they don’t want to work how they should, don’t panic. Or if you make a mistake and mix up your words, that’s fine too.
Remember, you’re human, your audience is human – and people connect with people more than brands. Making light of tech issues or slip ups is a good way to break the tension. But you can take it even further – repurpose those blooper moments into new content!
Relatable content is what people want these days, so don’t be afraid of it.
For ideas on how to make the most of mishaps, check out our blog and episode, Repurposing Bloopers: 3 Ways to Repurpose Your Mishaps!
2. Why aren't people signing up?
Nothing stings more than tumbleweeds in your inbox after weeks of planning and promoting your webinar.
Here’s a few things you can try:
Revisit your messaging
Your topic might be solid and just what your audience needs…but the way you’re promoting it just isn’t hitting the spot. Maybe your title doesn’t grab attention or it’s too vague.
Have another look at your webinar title, social media posts, and how you’re selling the benefits of your webinar. Think about the challenges your audience is facing and lead with that in your messaging if you’re not already.
Want some guidance on marketing your B2B webinar? Listen to episode 335 - How to Promote Your B2B Webinar (And Why Follow-Ups Matter).
Test different email subject lines and CTAs
A vague email subject line, like “we’re launching a webinar, sign up today” is not really selling it. They might not even open the email.
Your audience needs to know that there’s something in it for them. Use your subject line to mention a challenge, solution, a common pain point…something that ties into what your audience is already experiencing and will want to know more about.
In the body of your email, also look at your call-to-action. Is it clear how to sign up? Is it clear what people will get if they do? Remember, you’re asking them to take time to tune in, they need to know without a doubt that it’ll be worth it.
Don’t be afraid to switch up your messaging mid-way
If something’s not working, it’s not too late to change things up. Scheduled posts can be tweaked, titles can be changed, and emails ready to send out can be rewritten.
Don’t be afraid to take a different approach if the one you’re using right now isn’t getting results. It’s not too late!
Speak to your audience
Sometimes, if you want to know what someone’s thinking…you have to just ask them.
If there are people in your email list or followers who’ve interacted with you before that you thought were a sure thing, reach out to them.
Ask them why they didn’t sign up (nicely, of course). Or ask them what they’d like to see in a webinar, what their biggest challenges or questions are. Then gently remind them of your upcoming webinar. You might find out something you didn’t expect – like your messaging didn’t grab attention or it’s the wrong topic.
Or even this common issue…
Check for tech issues
You might have people who want to sign up…but they just can’t.
Maybe your sign-up form is broken or links point elsewhere. Just a little bit of friction and confusion when signing up is enough to put people off.
And they’re not always going to tell you about these things!
So make sure you test out all links and forms before sending them out. Run a rehearsal of your webinar and make sure that people can join on the day.
If you were expecting 30 sign-ups and suddenly you only see two, don’t assume it’s the content. The issue could be entirely technical!
3. How do we keep people engaged during the webinar?
You have some sign-ups and the big day is approaching fast – how do you keep people engaged when they join?
Because even if people show up, there’s no guarantee they’ll stay or participate.
Just think, have you ever jumped off a webinar if it wasn’t what you were expecting? Or maybe it dragged on so long, you lost patience?
Try these steps to keep people engaged:
Start with energy
First impressions matter, so make sure you start your webinar with energy, positivity, and value right off the bat.
Skip the boring intros if they’re not providing value. Get to the point and make sure your audience knows they made the right decision to join ASAP.
Share the agenda upfront
Keep it brief but give a quick overview of what your audience can expect in the webinar. It gives them a sneak peek at what’s coming and encourages them to stick around.
Don’t save the good stuff for the end
Just because you know there’s good stuff coming doesn’t mean your audience will. Even with a great intro and a clear agenda, your webinar needs to be valuable all the way through.
In fact, front-loading your webinar with great value is only going to keep people watching. So don’t be coy and save the good stuff for the end.
Use polls and icebreakers
Ease people into your webinar and encourage participation with a short quiz, poll, or an icebreaker. Just keep it relevant to the topic and tailor it around top challenges or questions they have –then follow that up with answers and value.
Bring in a co-host
A co-host can make a webinar much more conversational and gives the audience a bit more variety to keep them interested rather than listening to one person talking the whole time.
Your co-host can also grab questions or comments from the chat and integrate them into the wider conversation, while you lead so you’re not trying to do everything.
Let the audience choose which topics to explore more
Q&As and asking about your audience’s top challenges can help you steer the conversation closer to what they’re looking for – giving them a positive, memorable experience to walk away with.
Tip: Let your audience know in advance that there will be a Q&A. That way, they’re ready, instead of scrambling to think of something on the spot.
How do we convert after the webinar?
First get clear on what conversion means for you. What do you want the webinar to drive? Booked demos? Whitepaper downloads? Sales calls?
Once you know that, you can start planning your post-webinar strategy. Here’s how…
Segment your follow-up
Break your sign-up list into attendees vs. no-shows because you’ll want to say different things to each one. For your attendees, you could point them in the direction of other resources or to learn more with a personalized call. For no-shows, you could lead with a prompt to watch the replay.
When we worked with BambooHR on their HR Unplugged webinar series, we edited live webinars and built additional content for their audience so they didn’t miss out even if they didn’t attend. Read more about our work with BambooHR in our webinar case study.
Personalize your outreach
A small, niche audience gives you an opportunity to reach out with more personalized messaging after the webinar.
You could mention how they engaged or the questions they asked in the webinar in your follow-up messaging, showing that you remember them. While it might be easier to send automated follow-ups, the personal approach is more likely to have an impact.
Repurpose your webinar
A webinar doesn’t have to stay as just a webinar. In fact, repurposing it into a podcast, blog post, or short-form videos can help you extend the reach. You can also capture those who weren’t interested in the webinar format and prefer to read or provide a summary for those who couldn’t make it.
You’d be surprised how much we do with our clients’ webinars. Just one can turn into months and months of content that capture a wider audience. Webinars are hugely impactful in the B2B world, so don’t just leave a webinar video to gather dust on your website. Repurpose it, make it go further.
For some repurposing inspiration, see our post and episode on 10 Ways to Repurpose Webinar Content.
Ask for feedback
End your webinar with a short survey to ask what your audience thought and what they’d like to see more of in the future. From this, you can get direct insights into what your audience wants more of (or less of) in the future. Use those bits of feedback to tweak any other webinars you have planned or to inspire other content you create.
An important note! It’s not always the number of people who sign up that matters. A small, engaged group of the right people is more powerful than hundreds of passive attendees. So if you’re disappointed with your signup numbers, remember that it’s all about who turns up and how you follow up with them.
Build a post-webinar strategy that builds on your webinar and delivers extra value long after, and you’ll start to see those prospects turn into real leads you can nurture.
Should the webinar be gated or ungated?
Resist the urge to automatically gate your webinar. Yes, we know you want those emails, and gated content is ideal for that. But think about your main goal and where your webinar sits in the marketing funnel.
If your goal is brand awareness, boosting your visibility or reach, then stick with ungated content. Make it easy for people to access and share.
If your goal is lead generation or you’re aiming at middle of the funnel people, go gated. People who are already interested or considering companies in your niche may be more inclined to hand out their details.
But either way:
- Keep the experience frictionless
- Don’t ask people to fill out long forms twice
- Let people access replays without barriers
- Focus on building trust, not just collecting emails
We’ve seen more marketers opting for ungated content these days. It makes sense in a lot of scenarios because less resistance could mean bigger results. But think about where your audience is in their journey and what you want your webinar to achieve.
Final thoughts on B2B webinars
Remember, a successful B2B webinar isn’t about perfection, it’s about preparation, connection, and learning how to adapt. Listen to your audience, try different approaches to promotion, test your tech, and most important of all – keep learning and improving. No one’s born able to run B2B webinars, they learn and adapt their strategy.
For more tips on how to nail your B2B webinars, download our free B2B Webinar Playbook below.
Thanks for reading. We hope you found this helpful, let us know on LinkedIn.
Content 10x is the world’s leading authority on content repurposing. Specializing in transforming your content into multiple formats and distributing it across various platforms, Content 10x helps maximize your reach and impact. Our expert team takes your core content and creates a diverse array of high-quality, engaging assets, including videos, podcasts, social media posts, and more. Trust Content 10x to enhance your content strategy and ensure your message is seen and heard by the right audience.
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