Creating A Webinar That Converts: The Timing, Format, And Structure Of Your Next Webinar

If you're using webinars to grow your business, there is nothing more important than the timing, format, and structure of your presentation. Some marketers argue that these technical aspects of your presentation are even more important than the content itself!

Why?

Because it is the timing, format, and structure that determine whether your prospect converts into a paying customer by the end of the webinar.

Here are proven best practices to follow when deciding how long your webinar will be, what format it will be presented in, and how it will be structured from beginning to end.

Presentation Format

Some presenters like to be on camera, speaking to webinar attendees via video feed. Others prefer to create and share PowerPoint presentations while narrating with voice over. Still others use a combination of these and other techniques, such as group video chat.

So, which format is best for you and your business?

The answer is simple: it is whichever format you're most comfortable with.

There's no reason to force yourself on camera if you're camera shy, just as there's no reason to create PowerPoint slides or animated graphics if you prefer to talk to people face to (virtual) face.

You know yourself best. If your audience really resonates with a simple, straightforward message delivered directly from you, then opt to speak right into the camera. (You can use Google Hangouts for this.)

If the presentation of your product or brand requires the assistance of a slide show or video clips, then voice over narration might be more effective for you.

Keep things simple, especially when creating your first presentation, and make sure you feel 100% comfortable with the format you choose.

Timing

Remember that your customers are busy and don't have endless hours to spend listening to your presentation, no matter how valuable the content may be.

While many webinars last 45-60 minutes, yours needn't necessarily last that long. The most important thing is to deliver massive value while you have your audience's attention, and to then leave them wanting more.

Instead of feeling antsy and distracted by the end of your webinar, a shorter presentation will leave attendees energized and inspired to follow your Call to Action (CTA).

Test different lengths and see what your audience is most responsive to.

Structure

The structure of your webinar refers to the various sections of your presentation and the order in which they appear.

A typical webinar structure looks something like this: 

1. Introduce yourself and any special guests, and give a bit of background (establish yourself as an expert)
2. Give some statistics as to why the topic of your webinar is crucial for the listener
3. Dive into the 'meat' of the presentation, educating the attendees with tips, tricks, insight, and actionable advice
4. Sum up what they've learned
5. Q&A session
6. CTA (next steps - purchase a product, sign up for a course, download a lead magnet, etc.)

While it's important to spend some time prepping the listener in the beginning and summarizing at the end, you want the bulk of your webinar to be comprised of fresh, valuable content.

If you spend too much time "talking about what you're going to talk about," the attendees may lose interest or feel cheated when you present your CTA at the end.

When creating your next webinar, be sure to take into account its format, timing, and structure.

Remember that... 

1. The best webinar format (video, slideshow, etc) is the one you're most comfortable with.
2. Your webinar doesn't have to be an hour long if you don't have an hour's worth of great content. If unsure, shorter is better. Leave them wanting more!
3. When structuring your webinar, first establish yourself as an expert, then dive into relevant statistics, the 'meat' of your presentation, and finish with a specific, urgent CTA.