Webinars not only capture high-quality leads but also build a strong awareness of the brand. It allows your brand to showcase expertise in your field and build authority in the marketplace.
That is why you need a technology that will not only help you seamlessly engage with your target audience but also enhance your lead generation strategy.
Selecting the appropriate virtual event platform is important to make your virtual webinar impactful and successful whether it is live, on-demand, or hybrid. This guide will assist you in selecting the ideal webinar software solution for 2024.
1) Ease of Use:
The webinar platform must be user-friendly so that you and your attendees can seamlessly navigate the software, engage efficiently, and have a pleasant experience throughout the event.
In fact, webinar software with a simple design and layout minimizes the time that it can take presenters and attendees to familiarize themselves with the platform.
Remember, many people are going to use your webinar system such as presenters, speakers, guests, hosts, and more.
If you want everyone to have a good experience and have no trouble while using the event platform, then see its UI and UX, ease of use, event setup process, and overall site structure.
2) Live Streaming Capabilities:
A webinar platform must have live broadcasting support to engage and interact with virtual guests in real-time.
Live streaming stands as a fundamental element of modern webinar platforms as it offers a dynamic and engaging experience for both presenters and attendees.
With a live webcast, you can attract a huge number of people to your event. Because it allows for real-time interaction and engagement, attendees can ask questions, participate in polls, and connect with the speaker directly.
A personalized experience like this can drastically boost event participation.
Your potential audience is no longer restricted to geographical boundaries thanks to live-streaming webinars, which can be attended from any location with an internet connection.
If you want to upgrade your overall webinar experience and maximize engagement & reach, pursue an event platform that supports live video streaming.
3) Audience Engagement Tools:
Interactive elements play a vital role when it comes to engaging a virtual audience during a webinar. They promote two-way conversations between presenters and attendees, making the event experience more tailored and interactive.
Engagement features like live polls, chat, and Q&A sessions actively involve the audiences in virtual events. As polling allows attendees to share their feedback, the chat function promotes direct conversation with the presenter, and Q&A helps address concerns by asking questions.
By leveraging the event platforms’ interactive tools, you can effectively connect with your guests, create an engaging environment, and ultimately deliver a memorable online webinar that drives results.
4) High-quality Video & Audio Support:
The webinar platform should support high-definition video and crystal-clear audio quality if you want your attendees to have a seamless viewing and listening experience.
In fact, the success of a virtual event platform hinges on two essential elements: high-quality video and audio. These two factors ensure that attendees do not feel bothered throughout the webinar and the session will go off without a hitch.
A platform with excellent video and audio capabilities represents a professional event. Considering these capabilities when choosing a platform guarantees attendees can clearly see & hear the speakers and have a superior online webinar experience.
5) Branding & Customization Feature:
One of the significant features of a virtual event platform is branding and customization. It allows you to tailor the event to match your company’s identity and specific event needs. Customizing your webinar can create a more professional and engaging experience for your attendees.
This feature greatly enhances your brand voice by personalizing your event with logo, color, theme, style, and more. A well-branded webinar helps you provide a personalized event experience to your people, making it easier for them to remember your brand.
If you want to make your event stand out, look for a webinar platform that has top-notch branding & customization options such as a custom landing page, email template, registration form, logo design, and more.
Try Airmeet, a popular and widely used webinar platform that offers a wide range of branding and customization features for creating a professional webinar experience.
The platform provides fully customizable options that have the potential to make your event unique, special, and stand out from the crowd.
Here is a list of branding and customization features that Airmeet offers:
- Customizable landing pages: This feature allows you to design branded landing pages with your brand logo, colors, style, and more. With Airmeet’s customizable landing page, you can create different layouts as well as add carousel Media, CTA, text font colors, and more.
Check the full guide here
- Customized registration form & attendee card: With this feature, you can tailor your registration form for a webinar hosted on our platform and also customize attendee cards with their name, job title, organization name, city, and country.
Check the full guide here
- Welcome video: Make a personalized welcome video to make participants feel special at an event. Through an introductory video, you can welcome your attendees, highlight the event agenda, showcase key event details, and create a buzz about your webinar among attendees.
Check the full guide here
- Custom emails: With this, you can create tailored emails to invite the guest to your webinars. You can include images, & GIFs, change the font, add links, and super customize your email template.
Check the full guide here
- Whitelabeled events & app: It is known as a branded or custom event app that allows you to do extensive customization for your event. You can display your brand name from event URLs to mobile apps and everywhere in between.
Check the full guide here
- Customized themes: A custom theme means a custom background that helps differentiate your event from others. You can modify elements such as color, logo, font, layout, background image, and more to suit your brand identity.
- AI-powered branding: This function will automatically generate a color, logo, and even more things that fit your brand, simplifying your branding process. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, you can create a unique brand personality and effectively connect with your participants.
6) Data Privacy & Security:
When it comes to hosting digital events, data security & privacy become extremely important. It guarantees that the sensitive information of attendees is protected such as personal details, payment information, login credentials, and more from breaches or unauthorized access.
Hacking and data theft have become genuine concerns for users attending virtual events all over the world and hence secure platform has become a top priority for everyone who wishes to attend an event.
Check whether the platform adheres to relevant data protection regulations such as the “General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)” as it is the world’s most stringent data protection law. Also, verify if the platform has achieved “ISO 27001 certification”, which is a globally recognized standard for information security management systems.
Along with that, see other crucial certifications such as SOC 2 Type 2 and PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) to ensure the highest level of data security and compliance.
By carefully considering these factors, you will know the webinar platform’s commitment to data security, privacy, and compliance which is crucial to securing your guests’ confidential data and creating a safe and trustworthy environment for them.
7) Scalability & Reliability:
You need to prioritize scalability to accommodate a wide range of attendees at your event. A scalable platform can handle a huge number of users without compromising the quality of performance.
If you buy a platform that can be scaled, you can be sure that it will meet your event needs & goals, no matter whether the event is small or big.
On the other hand, reliability ensures that your webinar runs smoothly without any technical glitches or interruptions. Reliable technology minimizes the risk of frequent technical issues such as audio or video quality issues, platform crashes, connection problems, and more.
8) Networking Feature:
The virtual event software should have networking capabilities in order to encourage networking among attendees at webinars. Networking actually allows attendees to connect with other participants, industry professionals, and potential partners in a friendly way.
Through networking, audiences can share valuable knowledge, exchange ideas, and build long-term relationships with others. They can broaden their professional network by connecting and collaborating with people from different regions and industries.
Similar to in-person settings, networking elements in virtual environments significantly aid in creating a sense of community among participants.
Be sure the webcast platform offers networking opportunities such as networking lounge, breakout rooms, group video chat, and more to foster potential partnerships and meaningful interactions among participants.
9) Data Analytics & Reporting:
Data analytics and reporting are critical components of virtual event platforms because they provide valuable insights into event performance, audience engagement, attendee behavior, and more. Their insights empower you to make data-driven decisions to optimize your future events and deliver exceptional experiences for your virtual event attendees.
In fact, data analysis and reporting features assist you in determining whether the event hit its goals, such as driving registrations, boosting sales, etc. The more robust the platform’s data analytics and reporting capabilities are, the more informed decisions you can make to drive your company’s success.
The following Key metrics (KPIs) you get from data analytics and reporting tools:
- Attendance & engagement rates
- Session performance
- Networking stats
- Leads generated
- Post-webinar engagement
- Survey and feedback responses
- Sponsor content engagement
By tracking all essential metrics, you can effortlessly assess the return on investment (ROI) of the event. And analyzing data will help you identify trends in attendee behavior and preferences. Additionally, detailed insights will enhance your future event planning and engagement strategies.
10) Customer Support/Assistance:
A virtual event platform should have adequate customer support to deal with challenges that may arise during a session. You actually rest assured when you know that you have a reliable support team behind you that will fix any issue immediately that comes up during the event.
You may face technical glitches such as audio/video issues, internet connectivity problems, platform failures, and the microphone not working, in such a case customer support team plays a big role. They provide immediate assistance in real-time, proactively communicate with attendees about the problem, and efficiently resolve concerns in a timely manner.
Ensure that the platform provides 24/7 customer support and has a team of professionals to handle any technological issues that may happen during virtual events.
11) Automation System:
The webinar technology should have automation capabilities since it helps streamline tasks such as scheduling event reminders, sending follow-up emails, and more. The automation feature significantly reduces the manual work required to manage webinars.
Like Airmeet offers a custom/automated workflow that allows you to trigger specific actions such as visiting a booth, sitting at a table, and participating in a poll.
You can even set up automated email sequences to nurture leads and keep attendees engaged before, during, and after your event.
With our automation feature, you can easily handle larger webinars or multiple events without needing to do much work manually.
12) Budget-Friendly Pricing Option:
Just as you look at a platform’s features, user-friendliness, and scaling ability, it’s equally important to see if it offers a budget-friendly pricing model. When evaluating a platform, you should definitely check whether its cost fits your budget or not.
A cost-effective digital event technology saves a lot of money on hosting an event, especially for smaller-scale companies and those that hold frequent webinars.
Many platforms offer flexible pricing plans or usage-based charges, allowing you to tailor costs to your specific needs.
Like Airmeet which offers affordable plans for hosting webinars whether you want to host live, simulive, or on-demand webinars.
Our monthly package starts at $199 which includes all of our premium features. You can host unlimited webinars with that plan, starting from 100 attendees, and is scalable to up to 10,000
13) Recording Capabilities:
The platform you choose should have a recording option to document your event. This feature actually allows you to record the entire webinar session, from beginning to end, including all of the points you present and discuss. The truth is evergreen webinar software lets you record live webinars and makes it accessible for on-demand viewing.
Not all your attendees will be able to attend your live event. In that case, if you have a recording clip of the event available, you can share it with them and allow them to watch it whenever it’s convenient for them, thereby expanding the reach of your webinar even further.
This functionality will not only benefit your event attendees but also your organization. You can repurpose the content of your recorded webinar into a blog post, podcast, and training or workshop. By doing so, you will be able to broaden the scope of your event and attract additional potential leads.
14) Mobile Phone Accessibility:
In the digital age, mobile devices have become a vital part of our daily lives because they offer flexibility and convenience. According to Statista report, 96% of the global digital population uses a mobile device to connect to the internet.
The webinar platform you choose must be mobile-friendly if you want to expand your audience’s reach while offering a seamless user experience. Because, mobile-first event platforms allow participants to attend webinar sessions from anywhere, making event attendance easily accessible to them.
Participants can easily access the event from their smartphones without needing a desktop, laptop, or computer. In fact, mobile-friendly technology guarantees that viewers will have an intuitive and wonderful virtual webinar experience.
People are more likely to attend webinars if they know they can easily access them from their cell phones. By investing in a mobile-responsive platform, you can enhance the user experience, promote interaction, and drive greater attendance rates.
15) Third-Party Integration Platforms:
Online event platforms often integrate CRM systems and other marketing tools to streamline your event planning process. Generally, integration apps and software have the ability to automate many of your tasks, minimizing the need for manual work. They are well capable of handling the growing workload. You can use external software according to your needs and preferences.
The virtual event and webinar platform usually supports the following integration tools:
- CRM Integration: Customer relationship management (CRM) software allows you to capture attendee information, track their engagement, and nurture leads. Common types of CRM integrations are email integrations, salesforce, e-commerce, and accountings.
The reputed CRM software is
- Hubspot
- Zoho
- Salesforce
- Hubspot CRM
- Pipedrive
- Zendesk
- Marketing Automation Integration: Marketing automation software handles a variety of marketing activities in order to automate repetitive tasks. It gives you the ability to operate marketing campaigns at scale.
Top marketing automation tools are
- HubSpot
- Mailchimp
- Marketo
- ActiveCampaign
- Constant Contact
- Payment Gateway Integration: Payment gateway integration allows businesses to make online payments securely. Event registrants can efficiently pay their registration fees with their preferred payment options.
Leading payment gateway applications including
- PayPal
- Stax
- Stripe
- Authorize.Net
- Braintree
- Razorpay
- Social Media Integration: Such integration capabilities enable you to interact, connect, and engage with your audience in real-time via social media channels, right within the webinar platform. You can promote the webinar on social media, creating buzz about your event and reaching a wider audience beyond your initial guests.
The most popular social networking integration platforms are
- Youtube
- Calendar & Scheduling Tools: These integration capabilities make your scheduling and managing events easier and simpler. You can add your event to their calendar and remind attendees about your upcoming session.
The most effective calendar and scheduling tools
- Google Calendar
- Calendly
- SimplyMeet.me
- Motion
- Cal.com
- Communication & Collaboration Tools: These integration platforms allow for real-time communication. Team members can engage through live messaging, start a video or a group chat, share important files, and more.
Some of the notable communication tools are
- Slack
- Flowdock
- Igloo
- Asana
16) Multiple Webinar Formats Supported:
Look for a webinar platform that supports multiple formats such as Live, Simulive, On-demand, Hybrid, Interview style, and more. Because different formats cater to diverse learning styles and preferences.
For example, visual learners may benefit from infographics or videos, while auditory learners may prefer podcasts type webinars. For those who prefer an engaging format, interview-style webinars or panel discussions are best. By offering a variety of formats, you can ensure your content reaches a wider audience and increase the likelihood that attendees will participate.
If you want to enhance your webinar reach & engagement and boost its popularity, you need an event technology that accommodates a range of webinar forms. Thanks to this you will be able to create highly customized experiences that meet the needs of your target audience.
17) Browser-friendly Webinar Software:
Make sure the online event platforms you choose support browser-based attendance because it eliminates the need to download software, making it a convenient option for attendees to take part in the event on the go.
Browser-based solutions often support a broader range of devices such as computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. It allows participants to join the event directly from their web browser and access it from any device they prefer. without needing to download or install virtual event software.
Prioritize browser-based applications if you want to provide your participants with an easy and convenient way to participate in a webinar.
Conclusion
Selecting the right webinar technology is a strategic move that will greatly impact the success of your virtual events. As the primary goal of businesses hosting a webinar is to attract potential audiences and convert them into high-quality leads. To accomplish that you need a versatile webinar platform to deliver a seamless and engaging experience for your event guests.
By considering factors such as user-friendly design, live broadcasting, branding & customization, automation features, and networking tools, you can make informed decisions, you can choose a platform that empowers you to create engaging, productive, and successful online experiences. With the right webinar platform, you can create memorable experiences that drive engagement, generate potential leads, and achieve your webinar goals.
FAQ
If you want more people to come to your webinar, you need to plan effective marketing and promotion strategies including running email campaigns, promoting webinars on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Linkdln & running paid ads. Apart from this, you can promote your past webinars, offer attractive incentives and create a FOMO to boost your webinar audience.
Learn more about increasing your webinar audience in our Boost Webinar Attendance with the All-Inclusive Handbook Article
You need to conduct keyword research before you optimize a webinar site for search engines. Next, you can include low & high search volume keywords into a webinar landing page or a website, optimize meta title & description, include high-quality content copy, images & video, add relevant internal links, build backlinks and promote the webinar on social media.
Read our Optimize Webinars for SEO Guide to learn more about how to optimize your webinars for search engines.
You can tailor the webinar landing page/website by including eye-catching visuals, writing compelling titles & engaging content copy, highlighting the benefits of attending webinars, optimizing it for mobile devices, putting a strong CTA (call-to-action) button, highlighting social proofs, and embedding a registration form.
- Attendance tracking: With this feature, you may see the exact number of attendees for your webinar in real-time.
- Engagement metrics: You can track audience engagement through live polling, chat interaction, survey responses, and Q&A sessions.
- Lead generation & conversion tracking: Track the number of leads generated from the webinar and converted into customers.
- Customizable reporting: You will be able to create custom reports based on the metrics that matter most to your business, like engagement, lead conversion, etc.
