Webinars are adding value with the rise of the new normal
With the sudden rise of the Coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, the companies were forced to work from home, it led to a boom in WEBINARS.
As the employees and students were locked up in homes, the brand markets found a blessing in the tough times. They began to look out for options to increase brand visibility by adding value to their services. Webinars are not new to the industry and hence, social distancing was a great opportunity for the brand to promote their products and services along with generating consumer insights and connecting with customers on a personal level.
What is a Webinar? Why are they effective?
A webinar is a combination of 'web' and 'seminar'. A video workshop, lecture, a live session where an expert speaks and adds value by promoting his/her product or by teaching a skill.
Many marketers are looking out for creative ideas to increase brand visibility in the light of the crisis. However, webinars prove to be reliable and effective for brands that ensure sales pipeline to get replenished and generate leads.
According to reports by InsideSales.com, before the lockdown 73 percent of marketers and sales leaders find webinars to be one of the most reliable ways of generating quality leads. It can be easily identified that the statistics would've changed over time after lockdown. As per recorded data, there was a whopping 330 percent increase in the number of online events hosted by companies and creators, and the number of participants is increasing gradually.
Webinars are effective as they help to engage with your existing audience. Customer engagement is the most important aspect to increase brand visibility and loyalty.
Webinars are emerging and becoming the new normal as it is the cut-throat way to reach out to the relevant audience from across the globe. It also helps in the mandate of maintaining social-distancing as a person can host and attend a webinar from their homes.
Why do marketers prefer Webinars?
Marketers are constantly planning and creating new webinars as it is the best way to get the attention of the audience. They can create a personal relationship with their audiences by webinars where the participants attending the webinars get a chance to interact with the brand and industry experts. It also gives the audience insight into the brand which serves as an assurance.
Today, webinars are not only limited to brands as hosts but famous digital creators have also adapted to the trend and adding value for their followers.
What is the main aim of the creators on social media to conduct webinars?
Digital creators who have a large number of social media followers, while being locked up in their homes, found an opportunity in the difficult times through which they can create new content by teaching their skills to their followers and help them become influencers. Isn't it interesting?
You must've always wondered how these brilliant video creators or food photographers make their social media profile worth following. Well, you can now get an opportunity to learn from the creators themselves.
For example, Mad over Marketing (MoM) has been conducting informative sessions on marketing and how to build your presence on social media, Patrick Colpron along with Capturing WOW conducted webinars on photography and Instagram growth hacks.
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While the time is changing rapidly, content creators all over social media have adopted this at a fast pace. This has led to tremendous value addition by creators for their followers. With the help of webinars and live sessions, people can gain knowledge and be productive at all times rather than sharing memes.
Gone are the days when social media was only for fun and entertainment. Millennials and Gen Z are making productive use of social media where the main motive is to learn new skills and apply them for personal growth and even earn full-time income.
It is not too late to start attending webinars
"I feel relaxed and refreshed after attending an insightful session on mental health by a doctor", says a participant who attended a webinar on coping with mental health during COVID-19 organized by me.
Feedback like these can make your day and motivate a marketer or a creator to work hard and add value to someone else's life.
Webinars have a lot to offer. Right from internal insights, hacks, growth strategies, and tips for personal branding, all of these factors are important if you want your brand to succeed.
Make the most of free sessions or live sessions on apps like Instagram or Facebook where hosts share knowledge about their industry. It will help you in making points for yourself and use them for your growth.
Reduce your time for binge-watching and invest that time in signing up for a new course on Coursera or Udemy. These courses can help you get a job in your area of interest as the certificate adds value to your resume.
Make time for yourself to learn something new every day as there is plenty of information and information providers out there in the online world who are ready to share their knowledge. You will understand better when learning from your peers. Hence, this is the best opportunity to learn new tips and tricks from the creators of this new age. They understand the current trends and they know your attention span. They will use smart tricks to grab your attention and you will be awed by the skills and knowledge.
Social-distancing has brought webinars on the top of the list for marketers and it should be on the top of your list too for gaining as much knowledge you can. In this way, you will be productive and you will be able to create additional value for your social media community as well.
Opinions and Perspectives
Background distractions during home webinars can be challenging. Need good time management.
Looking forward to seeing how AI might enhance webinar experiences in the future.
Started a whole new career path thanks to skills learned through webinars last year.
Miss the coffee break networking of in-person events, but webinars are more time-efficient.
Screen sharing during technical webinars has been a game changer for learning new software.
The article's point about attention spans is crucial. 45-minute sessions work better than 2-hour ones.
Recording features are fantastic. Can review complex topics at my own pace.
Small group breakout rooms in webinars can be really productive when well-planned.
Interactive polls during webinars keep me engaged. Love seeing real-time results.
The shift to webinars really helped my work-life balance. No more traveling for training.
Audio quality can make or break a webinar. Wish more hosts invested in good microphones.
Found my current job through a connection made in a webinar chat. They're great networking tools.
The article could have mentioned more about certificate programs through webinars.
Started hosting my own webinars after attending many. It's harder than it looks.
The trend of paid exclusive webinars is interesting. Some are definitely worth the investment.
Really appreciate webinars that provide downloadable resources afterward.
Wish the article covered more about choosing the right webinar platform. Makes a huge difference.
The social aspect of webinars is underrated. Chat features can lead to great connections.
My team's productivity actually improved with regular training webinars. Great for skill development.
Curious about the ROI metrics for companies investing in webinar programs.
The rise of niche webinars has been fantastic. Found some super specific to my interests.
Started my day with a webinar and feeling motivated. They really can be energizing when done right.
Love the suggestion about learning from peers. Some of my best webinar experiences were industry-specific sessions.
The time zone challenge for global webinars is real though. Often have to watch recordings instead.
Interesting how webinars have evolved from simple presentations to full interactive experiences.
Been to hundreds of webinars since 2020, and the quality really depends on the presenter more than the platform.
The article underplays the importance of interaction. Good webinars need strong audience engagement.
Really relate to the quote about feeling refreshed after attending a mental health webinar. These sessions can be so powerful.
The personal branding opportunities through hosting webinars are incredible. Started hosting my own last month.
Wonder what the future holds for webinars once everything fully reopens.
Not my experience at all. Found some fantastic free training webinars in my field recently.
I find most webinars are just glorified sales pitches nowadays. Miss the purely educational ones.
The article makes a good point about using webinar time instead of binge-watching. Better use of screen time.
I've actually built my entire business network through webinar connections. It's amazing what's possible virtually.
The part about reduced attention spans is spot on. Good presenters now keep segments shorter and more interactive.
Anyone noticed how webinar hosts have become more creative with engagement techniques? Polls, breakout rooms, live exercises.
I love that the article mentions Coursera and Udemy. These platforms really complement live webinars well.
Valid point about tech issues, but most platforms have improved significantly since 2020.
The article barely touches on technical challenges. My worst webinar experiences have been due to poor connectivity.
Try taking notes by hand during webinars. It helps me stay engaged and retain information better.
I find it harder to stay focused during webinars compared to in-person sessions. Anyone else struggle with this?
The shift from social media being pure entertainment to a learning platform is fascinating. Really shows how we've evolved.
Just registered for my first photography webinar after reading this. Hope it helps improve my Instagram game!
True, but let's not ignore the digital divide. Not everyone has reliable internet access for webinars.
I appreciate how webinars democratized learning. We can now learn from experts worldwide without leaving home.
The mental health webinar mentioned in the article resonates with me. These online sessions became crucial support systems.
Interesting point about creators teaching their skills. I learned food photography through a webinar series last year.
My company started hosting weekly webinars and our lead generation has improved dramatically. They really work.
The statistics from InsideSales.com are interesting. 73% found webinars reliable for leads even before lockdown. That's significant.
I totally get the fatigue, but it's about choosing the right ones. I've found some real gems that helped advance my career.
Anyone else feeling webinar fatigue? There are just too many these days and the quality varies drastically.
The article mentions Mad over Marketing webinars. I attended one and learned so much about social media strategy!
Actually, I find webinars more efficient. No travel time and I can multitask during less relevant segments.
Sure webinars are convenient, but I miss the energy of in-person seminars. Nothing beats face-to-face networking.
The 330% increase in online events is mind-blowing. I remember when my calendar suddenly became packed with webinar invites.
I've noticed such a huge shift in how we learn and connect since 2020. Webinars really became a lifeline for professional development.