The popularity of webinar hosting tools has skyrocketed over the past year. More people are working from home and most events are now being hosted and run remotely, and selecting the right webinar tool has become a critical decision for many organizations.
The secret to choosing the right webinar platform is asking the right questions. Today, we’ll go over some of the key questions to ask yourself that will help you identify the ideal webinar platform for your needs.
Eight Must-Ask Questions When Choosing Webinar Hosting Tools for Your Organization
- Who Will Be Your Audience?
Pick a tool that works for your target audience. For example, what if you have a demographic that is older? You should consider a webinar platform that’s easy to use and won’t require installing plugins or add-ons. If your audience is younger, you’ll want a tool that works with mobile devices. You should also be able to connect it to social media outlets.
- What’s the Budget?
The cost of webinar hosting tools varies widely. Platforms usually base the cost on the features and value you get from the tool. When searching for the ideal tool, remember this: Separate the features that are nice-to-haves from those that are must-haves.
Don’t fall victim to choosing a feature-rich tool that is expensive if it’s likely that you’ll only use a few of the options. Decide on what features you need immediately, and choose a tool that falls within your budget and meets those needs. If you’re unsure, you can always start small and then upgrade plans or change tools as your needs change.
- How Many Attendees Will There Be?
Consider how many attendees you are likely to have attend your average webinar. Do you need to accommodate 50 people, or do you need to accommodate 500 people? Make sure the tool you’re using can support the number of attendees you’re anticipating. Most tools have limitations on the number of attendees.
- Will You Have Any Guest Speakers?
Are you planning to have any guest speakers on your webinar, or will there be only one speaker? How many people will be presenting? If you plan to include presentations from more than one person, make sure the webinar platform has an admin console. The console should let different presenters receive assignments.
- Is It Necessary to Record the Webinar?
Only 30 percent of those who register will show up for the webinar. You see, many people prefer to register for the webinar and watch the recording later. Recording the webinar can allow you to convert the people who didn’t show up for the live broadcast into customers.
- Do You Want the Audience to Participate?
Some webinar platforms let attendees have more interaction and participation than others. It’s, therefore, important to decide what level of audience participation you want during the webinar. Some tools will allow attendees to interact and communicate verbally or via a chatbox. In some instances, you might want to consider adding a survey or poll during the live session.
- Are You Going to Need Any Integrations?
Integrations let you add more functionality to the webinar platform. Choose a tool that allows you to integrate with whatever services you may already be using. For example, you may consider sending e-mails through your e-mail marketing system. Or you may transfer the attendee lists to a CRM tool.
- Do You Need Custom Branding?
Custom branding your webinars allows you to add an extra layer of professionalism to your events. It also makes your webinars more memorable, and the audience tends to have more confidence in you.
Conclusion
Webinar hosting tools are a dime a dozen. But if you’re looking for an enterprise solution that checks all the right boxes, you should give Webinar.net a shot. Our platform lets you own and customize your online presentations to represent your brand and not your organization’s meeting tool. See what the buzz is about – sign up for a demo, today.
