Webinar

A webinar (from the words web and seminar) is an interactive seminar, lecture or workshop held in real time over the internet. Unlike an ordinary online video, a webinar allows two-way communication between the speaker and the audience, most often through chat, polls or a questions and answers (Q&A) section. It is a key tool of content marketing, serving to educate the market and build trust among potential customers.

Webinars are exceptionally popular in the B2B sector and in education, because they make it possible to convey complex information to a large number of people regardless of where they are.

From a marketing standpoint, webinars perform several jobs:

Lead generation: registering for a webinar requires an email, so the company gains a contact for a potential client.
Building authority: an expert sharing valuable advice becomes a trusted partner in the audience's eyes.
Selling: a webinar often ends with a special offer or a call to action (CTA).

Advantages

High value for the attendee: it provides a deep look at a subject, worth more than a short article or a social media post.
Geographic freedom: both organiser and attendees can join from anywhere, which significantly saves travel and venue costs.
Interactivity: the ability to ask questions in real time increases engagement and helps dispel customers' doubts on the spot.
Content recycling: a webinar recording can later be used as a lead magnet, cut into videos for social media or turned into a blog article.
Precise analytics: the organiser sees how many people registered, how many actually came and at what moment they left, which helps improve future content.

Disadvantages

Technical risks: problems with the internet connection, audio or software on the organiser's side can ruin the whole impression.
Demanding preparation: a good webinar requires a precise script, a visually attractive presentation and a technical rehearsal.
Fixed timing: although recordings exist, the main value lies in the live broadcast, for which attendees have to set aside a specific time.

Practical example

A software company offers a project management tool. Instead of mailing out leaflets it organises a free webinar on “5 mistakes holding back your team's efficiency”. 150 managers sign up. Over 45 minutes the expert shows them solutions to their problems and gently demonstrates how their software solves them. At the end he offers attendees a free 30-day trial. The result is 40 new sign-ups from people who already know exactly how to use the tool and what value it brings them.