Webinars have become one of the most effective digital marketing tools for B2B businesses today. 73% of marketers view webinars as the most effective method for generating high-quality leads. They offer an opportunity to educate, engage, and convert your audience while building brand authority. However, webinar promotion is crucial to ensure a successful event. Whether hosting a live webinar or an on-demand session, you need to put as much effort into promoting your event as you do into the actual webinar production.
This blog will explore the ten strategies for increasing webinar attendance and ensuring you get the most out of your efforts.
1. Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to promote your virtual event. Over half (56%) of webinar registrations are generated through email marketing. Your existing contacts and subscribers are already familiar with your brand, making them prime targets for your upcoming webinar promotion.
Begin your email campaign early, sending out “save the date” emails about 3-4 weeks before your live webinar. Follow these with a registration email and periodic reminders as the event date approaches. To maximize the impact of your webinar invitations, tailor each message to your target audience’s specific needs and interests. Highlight why attending the webinar is essential for them and what valuable insights or benefits they will gain by participating. Make sure the messaging addresses their pain points, offers solutions, and emphasizes the unique value the webinar will provide. This personalized approach will increase engagement and attendance. Don’t forget to include clear and compelling CTAs (Call-to-Action) that encourage them to register immediately.
2. Social Media
Social media is the second most popular channel for driving webinar registrations, accounting for 15%, just behind email. Use these spaces to create excitement about your live or on-demand webinars. Platforms like LinkedIn, X, and Facebook can reach a wider audience, including potential registrants outside your email list.
Create a content calendar leading up to the event, with teaser posts, event countdowns, behind-the-scenes looks at your webinar production, and snippets of key takeaways. Consider using short video clips where your speakers discuss the live event’s content.
To boost engagement, encourage followers to share the event with their networks. Additionally, hosting a poll or Q&A related to your event topic can help build momentum. Many virtual event platforms also allow you to embed social sharing buttons directly on the registration page, making it easy for registrants to share the event with their connections.
3. Paid Advertising
Paid advertising can be an effective strategy to promote a virtual event. Whether you use Google Ads, Meta Ads, or LinkedIn Sponsored Content, paid ads can help extend your reach beyond your existing target audience.
When setting up ads for your webinar promotion, target specific demographics that align with your event’s topic.
Moreover, leverage paid ad capabilities to offer different messaging based on where your audience is in the funnel. Someone unfamiliar with your brand may need more general messaging, while someone who has engaged with your content in the past could benefit from more specific calls to action that push them toward registration.
4. Industry Influencers
Partnering with influencers or thought leaders can significantly increase your webinar promotion efforts. Influencers typically have large, engaged audiences who trust their recommendations, making them a valuable promotional channel for your live or on-demand webinars.
Reach out to industry influencers who align with your webinar’s topic. Ask them to promote your event on their social media channels or newsletters. This partnership can add credibility to your virtual event and expose your content to new, relevant audiences.
Additionally, if your webinar tools allow it, you could invite influencers to co-host the event. Having a respected voice share the virtual stage with you can elevate the perceived value of your event and draw in more attendees.
Pssst… if you’re looking for the perfect B2B industry influencers, impulze.ai is a great tool for finding them.
5. Optimize Your Webinar Registration Page
Your webinar landing page is often the first touchpoint for your potential attendees. As such, it needs to be optimized for conversions. Start with a clean design, with all critical information—such as the date, time, and benefits of attending—displayed.
Emphasize the webinar’s key features, such as expert speakers, interactive Q&A sessions, and live chat opportunities designed to boost audience engagement. By showcasing these elements, you’ll demonstrate how the event will be informative, interactive, and valuable for participants, encouraging them to stay engaged and make the most of the experience. Testimonials, past success stories, or a list of previous attendees can also add social proof and encourage more sign-ups.
Don’t forget to optimize for mobile! Ensure that your virtual event platform is accessible across all devices, making it easy for people to register at their desks or on the go.
Look at Slack or Wix for great examples of effective virtual event registration pages.
6. Offer Incentives for Attendees
People love incentives. Offering something in return for attending your live webinar can significantly boost attendance rates. Consider providing exclusive access to content, downloadable guides, or an early peek into a new product or service.
Additionally, offering a raffle or contest for live attendees—can create excitement and encourage more registrations. Ensure the incentives align with your target audience’s interests and needs to maximize impact.
7. Create Engaging Content Previews
Teasers and content previews can drive curiosity and anticipation. Share snippets of the webinar content on your blog or social media, or create a short video showcasing some key webinar features. These content pieces should be designed to entice potential attendees, offering just enough insight to pique their interest but leaving them eager for more.
This is an excellent example of a webinar teaser template by Renderforest.
8. Personalised Outreach
Direct, personalised outreach can powerfully impact your webinar promotion efforts. Contact your key contacts, partners, and relevant industry peers through email, phone, or even social media to personally invite them to your live webinar or demand webinar.
When sending personalised invitations, emphasize how the virtual event aligns with their needs and challenges. Explain why they would benefit from attending, such as gaining actionable insights or networking opportunities. A personalised approach can often yield higher conversion rates than broader promotional tactics.
9. Take Advantage of Retargeting
Retargeting campaigns can help bring back potential attendees who visited your registration page but didn’t sign up.
Retargeting ads across platforms like Facebook or Google remind users about your upcoming webinar and provide an easy registration path. Pair these ads with persuasive messaging emphasising the benefits of attending your virtual event.
10. Utilize Countdown Timers for Urgency
A sense of urgency is a powerful motivator for action. Implement countdown timers in your email marketing campaigns and on your virtual event platform’s landing page to give a visual reminder of the approaching date. As time ticks down, people may feel compelled to register before they miss out on the opportunity.
In conclusion, hosting a successful webinar involves more than top-notch webinar production—it requires a well-thought-out promotional strategy to drive registrations and boost audience engagement. By applying these 10 webinar promotion strategies, you’ll increase your chances of attracting a larger, more engaged audience to your next virtual event.
Sit back and let the experts handle the entire virtual event promotion for you. Contact us today, and let’s discuss how we can make your next virtual event a success!
