Webinars Are Dying: So Now What?

In the early days of the pandemic, webinars were all the rage.

They were seen as a way to stay connected with customers and prospects while everyone was stuck at home. But now that the pandemic is over, are webinars still producing the same results?

Unfortunately, the answer seems to be no.

A recent study showed that only 37% of people who registered for a webinar actually attended it.

And of those who did attend, only 18% stayed for the entire duration.

This is a marked decrease from two years ago, when attendance rates were closer to 50%.

So why are webinars becoming less and less effective?

There are a few possible reasons:

First, the novelty of staying home has worn off. In the early days of the pandemic, people were more willing to try new things out of sheer boredom. Now that everyone is settled into their “new normal,” they’re less likely to take time out of their day to attend a webinar.

Second, there are simply too many webinars happening right now. In 2019, there were an estimated 100 million webinars held worldwide. In 2020, that number increased to 300 million. And with so many options available, people are more selective about which ones they Attend.

Finally, many companies have moved away from in-person events and are instead focusing on virtual events such as webinars. This has led to a glut of virtual events, which has made it harder for any one particular event to stand out from the crowd.

How to overcome webinar fatigue and get more butts in seats for your next webinar

1. Let people know what they’ll learn.

When people register for a webinar, they’re looking for answers to their questions and solutions to their problems.

When you’re creating your webinar title and description, make sure to let people know exactly what they’ll learn and how it will benefit them. Be specific, and include as many details as possible.

For example, “How to Increase Webinar Attendance: 10 Tips Guaranteed to Fill Up Your Room” is more likely to generate interest (and registrations!) than “How to Have a Successful Webinar.

2. Make it interactive

Webinars don’t have to be boring!

In fact, one of the best ways to keep people engaged is by making your webinar interactive. This can be as simple as taking polls throughout the presentation or allowing time for questions from the audience at the end. You can also get creative with games or give-aways.

The key is to keep people engaged so they don’t tune out or click away.

3. Promote, promote, promote!

You can have the best webinar in the world planned out, but if no one knows about it, you’re not going to get many attendees.

That’s why it’s important to start promoting your webinar well in advance—at least 2 weeks ahead of time, if not more. Utilize all of your channels—email list, social media, blog, etc.—to let people know about your upcoming webinar and why they should attend.

And don’t forget about follow-up emails closer to the event date!

4. Keep it short and sweet

No one wants to sit through a 2-hour long webinar (except maybe your Grandma).

People are busy, and their attention spans are shorter than ever before thanks to constant distractions from things like email notifications and social media alerts.

For this reason, it’s important to keep your webinars short—around 60 minutes is ideal—so you can make your point without losing people along the way.

What else can marketers do to generate leads instead of webinars?

There are many ways to generate leads, and one method that has been popular in recent years is hosting webinars.

However, as more and more businesses catch on to this tactic, webinars are becoming less effective at generating leads.

So, what are some other options? Here are a few ideas:

1. In-person events are back

Hosting events such as trade shows or conferences can be a great way to generate leads.

This is because you will have the opportunity to meet potential customers face-to-face and get them interested in your product or service. You can also collect contact information so that you can follow up with potential customers after the event.

2. Develop strategic partnerships

Developing strategic partnerships with other businesses in your industry can be a great way to generate leads.

For example, you could partner with a complementary business to offer a joint package deal or bundle your products/services together. This could introduce your business to their customer base and vice versa, leading to an increase in potential customers for both businesses.

3. Use social media to your advantage

Social media is a powerful tool that can be used to generate leads.

By creating engaging content and using relevant hashtags, you can reach a wider audience and attract potential leads. For example, let’s say you are a real estate agent. You could create a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #FirstTimeHomebuyer and offer tips for those who are looking to purchase their first home.

By doing this, you will not only be helping those who are interested in purchasing a home, but you will also be able to generate leads.

Lead generation is essential for any business looking to grow its customer base. While webinars have been a popular lead generation tactic in recent years, they are becoming less effective as more businesses catch on.

Luckily, there are many other options available. By hosting events, developing strategic partnerships, or creating helpful resources, you can generate leads and grow your business.

Wrap Up

It seems clear that webinars are on the decline.

While they may still have some value as a lead generation tool, companies should not rely on them as their primary means of engagement.

If you do hold a webinar, make sure it is well-planned and marketed so that people actually show up and stick around for the entire duration.