Interaction and engagement are pretty much the be-all and end-all of webinars. A well-organized webinar will generate leads only if your audience finds value in it. This is where interactive webinars come in — open two-way communication between speakers and attendees makes for an enriching session.
So, how does interaction facilitate learning and pave the way for a successful webinar? And how exactly do you go about hosting interactive webinars? We’re here to answer all your questions, so keep reading.
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Interactive webinars: The benefits of interaction
- A dynamic learning atmosphere – Several studies have revealed that engagement and interaction boost learning, because interactive webinars encourages participants to be attentive and take an active part in the discussion. Interaction can occur at three levels — speaker-speaker, attendee-attendee, and speaker-attendee — all equally important.
- Increased understanding of subject matter – In taking an active part in the webinar, participants are putting their own minds to work. Unlike passive note taking, this promotes an increased grasp of the discussion.
- Greater lead retention – In providing your audience with a dynamic learning atmosphere and a positive learning experience, you’re essentially providing them maximum value for their time. Interactive webinars are fantastic for generating and nurturing leads as your audience continues to come back for more.
How do I host interactive webinars?
- Ask and answer questions – At the very heart of interactive webinars is establishing a free flow of ideas. What better way to achieve that than through asking and answering questions? You can take questions through the live chat function or, for a small audience, simply encourage your attendees to take turns and ask their questions out loud. Directing some questions to your attendees can also be an effective way to build a rapport with them.
- Polls and surveys for the win – We can’t stress this enough; polls and surveys are your best friend when trying to engage your audience. They serve a dual purpose. First, they draw your participants’ attention to the webinar and keep it there. Second, asking for your attendees’ input makes them feel valued.
In the case of surveys, make sure that you ask 3-4 questions at most; longer surveys may cause participants to feel overwhelmed. Webinar performance and attendee information are examples of topics that you can base your polls/surveys on.
- Stimulate a discussion – Once again, establishing bilateral communication both between the speaker and the audience and among the audience, is essential. Stimulate a discussion by asking a question or striking up an open-ended conversation. You can also use the breakout room feature available on many webinar hosting platforms to encourage your attendees to sound out ideas amongst themselves.
- Provide a platform for skill sharing – Use your webinar to provide a platform for your audience to share their relevant skills. Not only will this promote active participation, but it will also make them feel like acknowledged and valued customers.
For instance, if you’re delivering a webinar on writing compelling blog posts, ask your audience to write a blog post title. Then critique the titles that they turn in and offer your input.
Key Takeaways Delivering an immersive webinar experience is crucial for driving pipeline growth. Implement the tips we’ve shared in this article to start hosting your own interactive webinars.
