According to a report by ON24 (a reputable marketing company), over 60% of entrepreneurial startups use webinars to push their sales content. That goes to show how much of a treasure webinars are to marketers and entrepreneurs.
Webinars are quite simply, interactive seminars or classes held online by companies and organizations. It involves a live presentation that is intended to supply apposite information about a particular subject. Etymologically, it is derived from the concept of a seminar held on the web- hence the offshoot webinar. We bet you got it.
Over the years, Webinars have proven effective for sales marketers looking to promote their content. If you are a marketer or entrepreneur looking to host one for prospective customers, below are 32 webinar statistics that will ensure that you get it right even if it’s your first time.
Top 32 Webinar Statistics & Benchmarks 2020
1. 60% of Webinars are Hosted by B2B Companies and Marketers
If you take a day to browse through the several webinars available on the internet, about 60% of them are hosted by B2B companies. B2B is an abbreviation for “Business to Business”. It is a marketing term used to describe business conducted between companies, as opposed to transactions between companies and consumers. B2B marketers see webinars as a chance to prove their capabilities to their target customers and earn their trust in the process.
2. 71% of Marketers Host Webinars to Promote Their Sales Content
Whilst it is true that webinars are of great benefit to other companies and prospective customers, webinar hosts also stand to gain a lot. In fact, a little over 70% of hosts admit to hosting webinars majorly to boost their sales and online engagements.
3. Almost 30% Of Webinars Are Hosted By Tech Companies
Since tech companies develop the webinar platforms in the first place, it is not far fetched that 29% of webinars are hosted by them. Webinars have been fully incorporated into their systems making it one of their most preferred marketing strategies.
4. About 37-40% of B2B Marketers Categorize Webinars as a Major Revenue Source
About 40% of B2B marketers and companies have noted a surge in their revenue which could be accurately attributed to webinars. The Return on investment(ROI) has been described as “massive and major” and webinars only trail white papers on the list of major revenue drivers for B2B marketers.
5. Video Webinars are 78% More Successful
Webinars can be held through various mediums thanks to the emergence of social media alternatives. However, studies have shown that video webinars are 78% more successful than the other mediums. Apart from more obvious benefits, there is a greater inclination to face to face seminars, and in a virtual world, video webinars are the closest to that.
6. 58% of Webinar Hosts Combine Going Live With Video-on-Demand
Video is the best way to make your Webinar interactive and makes it almost as effective as an offline seminar. Whilst some companies just go live, other companies have prerecorded videos on demand for their audience. 58% of webinar hosts use both live and on-demand videos, and that number increases by the day because the method guarantees an increase in conversion rates and the much-desired engagements.
7. 25% Of Participants Watch Webinars On Their Smart Phones
Millions of people spend more than a thousand hours staring at their mobile screens every year. So it does not come as much of a surprise that 25% of webinar participants watch on their mobile devices. Marketers should see this as a call to make their webinars mobile-friendly.
8. The Average Webinar Gets as Much as 250 Registrations
Getting people to register might just be one of the easiest things you have to do in hosting a successful webinar. As long as you do not attach a hefty price to it, you could get over 200 registrations. However, the tedious part is getting half of them to actually show up.
9. Only 35% of Registrants End Up Attending the Webinar
Just as it is with offline seminars, only about 1/3 of the people who show interest in a webinar by registering actually attend the webinar. Please note that this should not be a basis for dismissing webinars as ineffective. Most organizers never get anything close to a perfect attendance rate except they will be handing out thousands of dollars. A 35% to 50% attendance rate can be considered effective and successful.
10. About 30% of People Prefer Prerecorded Webinar Videos
Since we do not all have similar schedules, the time you choose to go live with your webinar might be pretty inconvenient for a section of your audience. This accounts for YouTube having the option of saving videos to watch later. You can copy that idea and make a recorded version of the webinar available to members of your audience that need it. About 30% of webinar attendants watch a recorded video and there will be an increase in that number as the years go by.
11. Over 65% of Marketers Have Doubled Up on Their Webinar Efforts Since the Corona Virus Outbreak
The Corona Virus Pandemic dealt a huge blow to companies all over the world. Thankfully, attending Webinars have had no impact on its spread and marketers have capitalized on this. About 67% of marketers have augmented their webinar investments. Additionally, there was a 36% increase in webinar offers by American brands between February and March 2020 when major cities began to effect total lockdowns.
12. 26% of Attendees Prefer Webinars Held on Thursdays
You might be wondering why a particular day seems to be favored more than the other. Well, it is not far fetched. Mondays are typically busy for most people while Friday is kind of like a rush day when people try to meet up with their goals for the week. Midweek is usually more convenient for people and that accounts for 26% of viewers preferring to view webinars on Thursday, 23% favoring Tuesday, and 21% favoring Wednesday. Weekends are the least preferred.
13. 84% of B2B Participants Want to be Kept Apprised of Recent Developments
Your B2B viewers, be it wholesalers or retailers, want to know the latest trends in their industries and sectors so it is important to plan your webinar content meticulously. Content that will keep them updated and help them navigate the industry better should be incorporated as 84% of the participants consider it a priority.
14. 92% of Participants Prefer Webinars With Q/A Sessions
92% of participants want a question and answer session. As a result, it is important to leave room for questions from time to time. This will help provide clarification for some who are confused and will help refresh the memories of others.
15. 34% of Marketers Use Polls as a Webinar Engagement Tool
Whilst most participants prefer webinars with Q/A sessions, 34% of marketers still consider polls as a major engagement tool. That’s because polls have been shown to encourage participation amongst participants. We advise that marketers seeking to host an effective webinar should incorporate as many engagement tools as possible, prioritizing Q/A sessions and polls.
16. 29% of Participants Will Wait Out Registration Until the Final Day
A lot of people are generally inclined to getting stuff done just few days or even hours before the deadline. Apparently this applies to Webinar Registration so you might want to keep the registration portal open until D-day. That’s because 29% of your prospective attendees are likely to register on the very day the Webinar starts. Furthermore, it is important to keep sending out reminders to those who have already registered.
17. Webinars Convert As Much As 20% of Participants Into Buyers
Adopting a webinar strategy to push your sales content has proven to be more effective than most other strategies. Webinars converts between 5% of 20% participants into customers and the number could go even higher with the right strategies in place.
18. 66% of People Exit a Webinar Early
You might find people signing out of your webinar after a few minutes- and that is definitely not a good look. In fact, 66% of people exit a webinar early; so what you need to do is find out why.
19. The Average Participant Will Stick Around For About 50 Minutes
One of the reasons why people leave webinars early is because they are not comfortable sitting behind their screen for hours just watching a webinar. The average participant can only endure 52 minutes at the most and you should put that into consideration when setting the duration.
20. 42% of Webinars End in 45 Minutes
As we mentioned earlier, the average participant can only stick around for 52 minutes due to reasons ranging from boredom to short attention spans. In 2020, more marketers have taken note of this hence, 42% of webinars now last for 45 minutes.
21. 68% of Participants Want Instructors to be Ardent and Engaging
You might find people leaving a webinar because they consider the presentations drab and uninspiring. It is why 68% of attendees prefer presenters who are passionate and speak to the soul. An engaging presentation style needs to be incorporated in a webinar.
22. 83% Would Show Up For Just One Webinar Per Week
A study conducted back in 2018 showed that 83% of people would only attend one webinar in a week. The Corona Virus pandemic has resulted in a profile ration of webinars, thereby giving people loads of options. You have to make sure every webinar you organize is of the highest quality in terms of content and presentation so as to retain participants who will be eager to show up for the next one.
23. 57% of Marketers Hold as Much as 50 Webinars Annually
The number of marketers who hold more than 50 Webinars has skyrocketed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. About 60% of marketers are now on pace to have conducted over 50 webinars by the end of the year and about 30% of marketers hold over 100 webinars. This borders on not just the financial capability of the companies but their eagerness to add value to their businesses and to prospective customers.
24. A Webinar Can Cost You Between $100 To $3000
Some companies especially start-ups shy away from Webinars because of the cost. Putting up a top-notch Webinar can cost as much as $3000 and it might vary for people who opt for live videos, recorded videos, or both. Considering the value a webinar can add to your business, that price range is definitely worth it. However, if you are on a budget, try getting excellent webinar software at the very least.
25. 45% of Marketers Have Emails as Their Top Promotional Tool
Marketers try to get as many people as possible to attend webinars so they have to exploit the available online promotional tools. About 45% of marketers have emails as their first choice and this is a step in the right direction. A recent survey showed that 73-75% of webinar registrations are notched through email.
26. 9 A.M is The Best Time to Send Out Promotional Emails
People are more likely to check their mails and register for an event in the morning so as to get it off their plates and attend to other business afterwards. To improve your chances, send out the emails at 9 A.M. You may consider it a lucky time for webinar registration because of its 14- 15% success rate.
27. Webinars Held in The Morning are 93-95% More Effective
Most people think the timing of a webinar has little or nothing to do with its success and whilst this could even sound logical, studies have shown that timing is very crucial. The common times are 12 pm to 1p.m but a research has shown that mornings around 10a.m to 11a.m is the most preferred time for webinars. Learning in the morning is usually very effective as learners are less likely to get worn out and their level of alertness is usually at an all time high.
28. Communications Webinars Have 55% Conversion Rate
Webinars across the web have various focal points and some particularly deal with the communications industry. Studies have shown that communications webinars with 100 participants or more have a staggering 55% conversion rate. If you are having a communications webinar, this is an auspicious statistic. However, your content has to be top-tier and unique to reach or even surpass that rate.
29. Training Webinars Have a 68% Conversion Rate
Training webinars are very common, and the number has skyrocketed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of people are looking to get additions skills and there are several options available. The first thing you need to get right is your promotion: it needs to be airtight and effective. Then, you need to organize the best training possible. Let people realize the value of the webinar within the first 10 minutes. That way, you get to convert close to half or more than half of them to buyers.
30. Lists Titles Rank 1st on The Catalog of Most Effective Webinar Titles
Choosing a webinar title is one of the pivotal aspects of running a successful webinar as a marketer. What you want is to get as many people to attend as possible and in order to do that, you need a catchy title that would spur them to action. You can do that with lists. A lists title convinces potential participants of your expertise. An example is: “10 Ways to Increase Conversion Rates”.
31. “How To” Titles Rank 2nd on The List of Catchy Webinar Titles
Lists are without a doubt, the most preferred way to title a webinar, however, “how to” titles are not far behind. As a matter of fact, they rank a close second on the list. This is because “how to” titles tells people you know your onions in an authoritative way. It demonstrates your excellence, experience and adeptness in that particular field.
32. “101” Titles Rank 3rd on The List of Alluring Webinar Titles
College students have most of their courses in the first semester suffixed by “101”. That number stands for an introductory class with valuable information that will guide you through similar courses in subsequent semesters. A webinar title with “101” gives your audience a “college feel”, and makes the webinar look and sound a little more professional. This title form is bound to attract a lot of participants.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has awakened companies and marketers to the reality of engaging virtual options in generating leads and growing their businesses. Hosting a webinar is one of the most effective ways to do this as we have reiterated several times in the article. However, much more than just hosting the webinar, there is a need to understand the dynamics so as to properly make the best out of it. The 30 statistics listed above will surely guide your choices, and make webinars effective for you as it has been for millions of other marketers over the years.
We understand that financial capabilities vary and might impact the success or otherwise of certain webinars. If you are on a budget, we suggest you engage viable webinar software. A webinar is essentially an investment and if done right, it will most certainly yield desired results. Holding off on webinars till a more convenient time is much better than organizing a haphazard, half baked webinar that could ruin your company’s reputation. Consider the afore-listed webinar statistics as a safe benchmark for your next big webinar.