Why conduct webinars?

Webinars are virtual events that empower both businesses and individuals to organize interactive online training sessions, seminars, and workshops, allowing participants to engage and learn from anywhere.

There are many reasons to conduct a webinar meeting, from training internal teams to generating leads. Marketers, teachers, and influencers from many fields conduct online webinars for multiple purposes.

Why conduct Webinars - Zoho Meeting

Improve user engagement

Hosting interactive webinars to educate your users about new updates and improvements on your product can help create a positive impact. You can also use webinars to make important organizational announcements and increase your overall engagement.

Train and educate

Whether it's for internal employees or external customers, you can always use webinars as a tool to influence, educate, and train your audience effectively. You can interact with a wide audience, build rapport, and communicate with greater efficacy using online webinar sessions.

Lead generation

Lead generation is an integral part of any business; without any leads, there's no business. You can generate leads in multiple ways, but generating high-quality leads can be a challenge. With Zoho Meeting's webinar software, you can easily conduct online webinars pertinent to your field to get to know your customers better and generate quality leads.

How does a webinar work?

A Webinar is an interactive online event where a group of participants can listen to a speaker who delivers a presentation or seminar by sharing their remote screen. The organizer of a web-based webinar can also conduct interactive polls and Q&A sessions to keep the audience engaged.

Difference between webcast and webinar

The process of live streaming a video webinar online is called webcasting. While webinars can be a tool to help you influence, educate, and engage your audience; live streaming your webinars can help you expand your global out reach. Using Zoho Meeting's webcasting software, you can effortlessly live stream your webinar for up to 5000 attendees. Learn more on how to webcast your webinars

How to schedule and host a webinar?

You can host effective webinars to communicate with your business prospects efficiently. Hosting webinars will help you generate high-quality leads, train internal employees, and many more. You can create and host your own webinar meeting using Zoho Meeting's video webinar software.

Learn more on how to create and host a webinar

 

How to record a webinar?

Recording webinars is a simple process. Zoho Meeting's webinar software allows you to record, replay, and share your online webinar sessions in a jiffy. Using our webinar platform , you can record and store your live webinars and share the recordings with people who missed the session.

Learn more on how to record webinars using Zoho Meeting

 

How to join a webinar?

Learn more on how to join a webinar

How to cancel a webinar?

How to create and manage an effective webinar

Creating and managing a successful webinar involves several key steps to ensure it engages your audience and delivers valuable content. Here's a guide to help you with the webinar planning.

  • 01

    Choose a topic

    Select a topic that resonates with your target audience and aligns with your objective.

  • 02

    Set a date and time

    Schedule the webinar at a time when your target audience is most likely to attend.

  • 03

    Promote across channels

    Use email marketing, social media, and your website to promote the webinar and drive registrations.

  • 04

    Develop an outline

    Create a structured outline for your webinar, including key points, subtopics, and transitions.

  • 05

    Create engaging slides

    Design visually appealing slides that support your content and keep attendees interested.

  • 06

    Engage participants

    Encourage interaction through polls, Q&A sessions, and chat to keep participants engaged.

  • 07

    Deliver value

    Stick to the agenda, provide valuable insights, and address participant questions effectively.

  • 08

    Follow up with participants

    Send a thank-you email to attendees and share resources discussed during the webinar.

5 Tips on how to conduct webinars effectively in 2024

Time is money

1. Respect their time

It is crucial that you value your attendee’s time by keeping your webinar within the specified duration. A focused and concise webinar maintains higher participant engagement and satisfaction.

Offer quality content

2. Offer quality content

Provide quality content with clear objectives. You'll be more successful in communicating your ideas to your audience with direct and concise presentation style in your webinar session.

Understand your audience

3. Know your audience

Understanding your attendees' needs and challenges is key to conducting a successful online webinar. Tailor your presentation to your target audience for a more effective session.

Schedule and promote

4. Plan and promote

Select the optimal time to conduct your webinar based on your attendee's preferences. Promote your webinar meeting on social channels and email campaigns for better outreach.

Encourage attendee engagement

5. Encourage attendee engagement

Keep webinar attendees engaged with thought-provoking questions and interactive content. Make your webinars more interesting than a simple webcast by conducting audience polls and encouraging questions using features like Raise Hand and Allow to Talk.

Look at what leading experts have to say about Zoho Meeting’s online webinar tool

★★★★★ 4.6 / 5
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★★★★★ 4.55 / 5
★★★★★ 4.55 / 5

Must-have features in webinar software

The main goal of a webinar organizer is to ensure they have access to a flexible tool with features that’ll help keep the audience engaged in their webinar. Here are some key features needed in your choice of webinar platform:

     Video & Audio Conferencing in Zoho Meeting

Video and audio conferencing

Quality video and audio conferencing technology are incredibly important when it comes to conducting a successful webinar. Zoho Meeting’s webinar technology is backed by comprehensive WebRTC Multipoint conferencing unit-based architecture, which helps you conduct webinars without any technical issues seamlessly.

       Recording Webinar Sessions - Zoho Meeting

Session recording

Some webinar attendees may not be able to attend live webinars. In such cases, it’s good to have a recording of the live webinar session to share with anyone who missed out. These recordings can help attendees in the loop and can also be used for future references.

Learn more about screen recordings

     Screen Sharing During Webinars - Zoho Meeting

Screen sharing

While conducting a presentation online, you may have to explain some intricate concepts. The screen sharing feature in your webinar software can come to your rescue in these situations and help you share your data and ideas more efficiently. Screen sharing can also be used to train internal teams, conduct demonstrations, and more.

    Session materials During Webinars - Zoho Meeting

Session materials

Effortlessly share materials without screen sharing. Use the Share Material feature to upload necessary webinar files from your local system or Zoho WorkDrive prior to the session. Once the session starts, you can share the uploaded files, be it pdf or video, with the webinar attendees.

   Surveys and Polls Webinar Sessions - Zoho Meeting Surveys and Polls Webinar Sessions - Zoho Meeting

Surveys and polls

Want to increase engagement by asking your attendees questions or starting off with an audience survey? With Zoho Meeting, you can conduct surveys and polls to gather information from your audience and give direction to your engagement efforts.

Session analytics Webinar Sessions - Zoho Meeting

Session analytics

Monitor attendee engagement for all your webinar sessions in one place. Use key metrics such as Session Count, Session Duration, and Session History to analyze your past webinars and gather useful insights. Choose a period and export reports with the click of a button.

How to create webinars

Webinars allow businesses to connect with a global audience, facilitating interactive discussions and knowledge sharing. You can create a webinar using Zoho webinar in just a few steps:

Step 1

Sign in to Zoho Meeting

Don’t have an account? Sign up for a 14-day free trial.

Sign in to Zoho Webinar    

Step 2

Create and Schedule

Create and schedule your webinar at an appropriate time with an informative title.

Create and Schedule    

Step 3

Select your date and time

Select the date and time in which you are scheduling the webinar and choose your repeat occurrence based on your preference.

Select your date and time    

Step 4

Promote

Promote your webinar session by sending out custom email invitations, embedding webinar registration links, and posting them on social media platforms.

Promote        

Benefits of hosting a webinar

Benefits of hosting a webinar

Cost-efficient

Using webinar software, you can cut down on the cost and effort that's spent on organizing offline sessions. You can conduct full-on webinar sessions remotely with a basic setup like a webcam, a microphone, and good internet connection.

Wider audience

Besides being cost effective, remote webinar sessions can help you reach a wider audience. Unlike offline sessions which only allow limited people to gather at a specific location, hosting a webinar remotely opens up opportunities to interact with large audience.

Live interactions

With remote webinar sessions, you can broadcast and interact with several attendees one after another in real time. By doing so, you can gain crucial insights and get all the attendees' questions answered.

Join webinars from your mobile

Use Zoho Meeting for iOS and Android and attend webinars from your mobile phone.

Read more 

Join online meetings and instantly collaborate from mobile - Zoho Meeting
Join online meetings from mobile devices - Zoho Meeting

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a webinar?

A webinar is an online seminar organized over the Internet, connecting a panel of experts with a diverse global audience. With the help of webinar software, hosting one is effortless, enabling organizers to deliver engaging content without complications.

What is the difference between a meeting and a webinar?

A meeting is a collaborative gathering with equal interactions between the host and participants. Everyone has the opportunity to share their ideas, provide feedback, and contribute to the discussion. Meetings can range from formal business discussions and project updates to brainstorming sessions and team-building activities. 

A webinar, short for 'web seminar,' is a virtual seminar conducted over the internet. It's more like an online event that is presented by an organizer and broadcasted to selected audience. It serves as an online platform that empowers individuals and businesses to host presentations, workshops, or interactive sessions, allowing participants from different locations to join, engage, and collaborate in real time.

What is the purpose of a webinar?

The purpose of a webinar, which is a blend of "web" and "seminar", is to provide audience from all over the world the ability to remotely gain in-depth knowledge on a subject, showcasing expertise using a webinar software.

How do I start a webinar?

You can initiate a webinar instantly with the Broadcast Now feature, facilitating real-time engagement with your audience. Alternatively, you can plan, prepare, and schedule a webinar in advance, providing interested attendees opportunity to register and ensuring ample time for your preparation.

How do I attend a webinar meeting?

You can attend a webinar session by invitation through Zoho Meeting right from your browser or our desktop and mobile applications.

Can I attend a webinar on the phone?

Yes. You can attend webinars and collaborate efficiently right from your phone using Zoho Meeting mobile apps.

Does a webinar have to be live?

No, not necessarily. A webinar can either be live or pre-recorded or made on-demand, depending on the objective of the organizers.

Are Zoho Meeting webinars secure?

Yes. In all the Zoho Meeting webinars, audio and video are encrypted using DTLS-SRTP encryption.

What are some free webinar meeting features available in Zoho Meeting?

Zoho Meeting offers features like screen sharing and webinar analytics for free with the webinar sessions. Learn more about Zoho Meeting's pricing and features.

What are some common use cases for webinars?

Webinars are versatile tools that can be used for a variety of purposes, including:

  • Educational seminars: Delivering lectures, tutorials, or workshops on various topics.
  • Product demonstrations: Showcasing new products, features, or services to potential customers.
  • Customer training: Providing in-depth training sessions for customers on how to use a product or service.
  • Customer onboarding: Welcoming new customers and guiding them through the initial steps of using your product or service.
  • Virtual conferences: Hosting multi-session events that feature multiple speakers and topics.

Conduct effective webinars using Zoho Meeting