10 Webinars Tips and Tricks

Anybody can organise a webinar. But that doesn't mean it's an easy task or that you will attract the right audience... or any audience at all.

Thanks to the pandemic, you are probably running interactive workshops that have multiple elements like presentations, activities, and Q&As online. Or a conference you had to move online with keynote presentations and expert discussion panels.

Events and presentations are challenging enough offline. But how do you translate your presentation into an online format? Luckily, the tech we have at our disposal will make things much easier, more enjoyable and more productive for everyone involved.

Here are my top 10 tips:

1. Have a meeting agenda/production schedule ready

It's really important everyone involved in the webinar is aware of the schedule and the order of the presentation. Don't forget to send this agenda/schedule to all involved in the production and don't be shy to practice and run through it a few times. You don't want any surprises whilst you are live. It will also make all your presenters a lot more comfortable before the event as there won't be any surprises.

2. Consider the presentation method

You want to be the most comfortable whilst you present and therefore you need to choose how you will present your information. Do you prefer to use slides? Or only answer live questions from the audience or an interviewer? It's important that you feel comfortable so choose a presentation style that works well for you as well as the audience.

3. Think about your audience

Who are you trying to reach? And what do they want to know? It's probably worth it to ask your audience through social media or any other platform you may use. It's super easy to setup a quick poll on LinkedIn and can give you great insights into what your audience is looking for. Always try to put yourself into your audience's shoes and think what would you like to hear about and what would you need to understand the message.

4. Choose the right layout for your meeting

Just like if you were in a physical room, you would organise the room before your presentation. Maybe you need roundtables or no chairs at all. So what do you need during your online presentation to be able to deliver your message succesfully?

Do you need to share your camera or slides? If you are sharing slides, you probably want to stop sharing at some point to show your face to the audience. It's a lot easier to concentrate when you see the person talking.

5. Make sure you know what the audience sees

Technology is great but we are not all at the same level. It's important to know exactly what the layout for your audience looks like so you can inform them where to click to ask questions, chat or just turn up the volume. Don't automatically think the audience knows the platform you are using and take some time to talk them through a few features.

6. Don't forget about the recording

If you are recording for people to watch on-demand, don't forget to incorporate this into your presentation. You need to build the presentation so it makes sense when watching on-demand. If you have live polls or live Q&A, mention that it is for live viewers only.

7. Prepare in advance

You will want to prepare everything as much in advance as possible. You already have to deal with stress on the day, you don't need to be panicking with last minute hiccups. If you are preparing slides, you can create a template in advance. If you are sending marketing emails, those can also be prepared well in advance. If your platform allows you to upload slides, videos and images beforehand, then do it as soon as possible. There's always many little details you need to deal with closer to the time so if you can do something now, do it!

8. Practice, practice and practice again

I can't say it enough, there's not enough practice you can do! The more you practice, the more you will feel relaxed on the day and it will reflect on your audience. Practicing also allows you to find any potential problems in advance and find quick solutions to fix them before they happen. It makes everyone feel more relaxed and it looks so much more professional.

9. Find someone to support you

On the day, you won't be able to do everything yourself. You have to totally focus on giving your best presentation and engaging with the audience. Find someone who can be your technical support. Can they share their screen and move the slides for you? Or answer quick questions in the chat? It's also great to have someone watching as if they were a guest so they can let you know if there is a technical issue.

10. Relax and have fun!

It's your time to shine. Don't forget to have fun and relax. It will be much more engaging for the audience and don't worry about the small technical gremlins. They happen to the best of us! :)