If you’re looking for how to promote a webinar, one of the most effective, trending methods is to reach out to social media influencers. By partnering with an influencer with a large following, you can significantly increase the reach of your promotion and potentially get a co-host to present your topic.
Furthermore, since influencers are trusted sources of information, their endorsement can help build your company’s credibility. Of course, partnering with an influencer is challenging – they are busy and get many requests for their time – but it can be well worth the effort if you’re looking to take your webinar promotion to the next level.
Find social media influencers who are relevant to your webinar topic
Finding social media influencers relevant to your webinar topic can take time and effort. You want someone popular but not so popular that their audience wouldn’t overlap with yours, and it would be nearly impossible to get their attention (at the extreme, think Barack Obama).
To strike that perfect balance, here are some tips for finding the ideal influencer to help you host and promote a webinar.
1/ Take a look at who’s talking about your topic. The obvious first place to look is through a Google search on your topic. See who comes up in the top 20 or 30 search results. You can also search for your topic using hashtags on Twitter and LinkedIn. Look for popular bloggers who cover similar ground. If they have a sizable following, reach out and see if they’re interested in helping you.
For a paid option, SparkToro is an influencer discovery engine where you enter any topic keyword and get an immediate list of websites, journalists, and social media feeds that are popular for that keyword, along with contact information for outreach.
2/ Check out who’s promoting similar events. See if any social media influencers have previously promoted or co-hosted similar webinars or conferences. If they’re already familiar with your topic, they’ll be more likely to co-host or promote your event to their followers.
3/ Remember the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Ask your friends and colleagues if they know of anyone who might be interested in promoting your webinar. Their recommendation could be just what you need to get the word out about your event.
4/ Look to podcasters. Podcasters are already producing multimedia content, are generally good hosts, and have a following. If you’re looking to promote your webinar, partnering with a podcast is a great way to reach a wider audience. Search Apple or Spotify podcasts and find out who is popular on these platforms. By partnering with a popular podcast, you can tap into their already-established audience and significantly boost registrations for your event.
Prepare a customized webinar briefing that includes all the information they need
A webinar briefing is a great way to get organized and ensure you have everything you need when promoting a webinar. It should include a brief overview of the event, the benefits of co-hosting or promoting, and links to relevant existing content, articles, and other marketing materials.
Write a brief, one or two-paragraph summary of the topic, the target audience, the key takeaway, and the call to action (CTA). Outline the mechanics of the webinar, such as who is responsible for content creation and the webinar platform that will be used to host the event.
Explain the benefits of hosting or promoting, including access to an audience they don’t have, a topic that would interest their audience, or a chance to co-host with a fellow influencer. Then, come up with 3-5 benefits for hosting.
Include contact information and bios for the current event organizers and hosts. Add a list of suggested hashtags so they can think about how they would promote your event.
Creating a webinar kit will give potential attendees everything they need to know about your upcoming webinar.
Run An Email Outreach Campaign
Once you have your kit organized, it’s time to make your pitch. First, create a spreadsheet with details on each influencer, such as name, social handles, email, and audience size.
Next, type an individual email for each target influencer, making sure to try and include something unique about why you would like them to participate. Don’t send a generic blast to all recipients. Influencers get many requests and can spot spammy ones right away.
Send an initial email, then plan 2 to 3 more follow-ups over the next month. Remember, you only need 1 to say yes, so keep trying until you get there!
Follow up with them regularly to ensure they are promoting your webinar as expected.
Promoting your webinar in advance is always a good idea to get the word out and generate interest. But once you’ve sent out the invitations, more is needed than to sit back and wait for people to register. You must follow up with your speakers and promotees regularly to ensure they do their part to promote the event. Send them reminders, give them bonus materials to share, and track their progress. The more effort you put into promoting your webinar, the more successful it will be.
After the event, thank them and deliver post-event assets
After the webinar, be sure to thank your influencer for their help. It’s important to remember that influencers are people too, and they deserve to be appreciated for their efforts. A simple thank-you can go a long way in building a solid relationship with an influencer. It may encourage them to promote your brand even more in the future or refer other influencers to create a virtuous cycle of partnerships.
And if you agreed to deliverables such as a replay or a lead list be sure to deliver it promptly.
Conclusion
Now that you know the ins and outs of webinar promotion, it’s time to put this knowledge into action! Follow our tips for creating a successful webinar outreach campaign. Remember to personalize your pitch to each influencer and keep following up until you get a yes. And be sure to thank everyone involved once the event is over. By putting in the extra effort, you’ll be able to create a successful webinar that boosts your brand’s image and generates leads.
By Brian BloomKing, GrowBlox, A B2B Loyalty Program company.
