How to Take the Tech Headache Out of Webinars

​One of the reasons why webinars are so great for online marketing is that they’re cheap and easy to produce. Although technology is central to holding these events online, it shouldn’t be a huge obstacle. You can create excellent professional webinars without the tech headaches — if you do it right. 

Choose the Right Platform 

There is a huge variety of platforms and software programs available for holding webinars. When choosing yours, the main consideration should be ease-of-use. You’ll need to learn how to use it before you can start planning your event.  

Two great platforms that are very common and easy to use are Zoom and GoToWebinar. Each has more than enough features for your event. If you find these options lacking, then you can expand your search. 

Simplify Your Presentation 

When planning your webinar, try to make it as simple as possible from a tech point of view. For example, rather than bothering with survey or chat features during presentation portion, it’s easier to create a Q&A at the end that you can do live. Try not to get bogged down in features that may present a challenge. 

Use Minimal Gear 

If you talk to people who’ve done webinars in the past, they might start recommending a laundry list of equipment that they claim is absolutely essential. However, you probably already have most of what you need to get started. 

Your computer’s camera is enough to hold a professional-looking webinar. The only other essentials are a stable Internet connection, all the necessary cables and adapters, and a microphone. You should probably invest in an external microphone as PC mics don’t offer the best quality, and sound quality is very important in webinars. 

It’s best to use what you already have at first and upgrade only as needed.
 
Cutting Down on Tech Catastrophes 

There are a few ways you can cut down on anything going wrong during your webinar. The first is to practice. Run through your webinar with actual live guests. You can enlist coworkers or family members to do this for you. In this practice run, you’ll discover any glitches to correct before you have actual customers joining. 

It also helps a great deal to have a dedicated tech person on-hand during the event. This doesn’t have to be an IT professional but just someone who can turn things on and off and deal with issues if they arise so you don’t have to. It’s very disruptive if the host has to stop and take care of something. 

Don’t Sweat the Tech Stuff 

Keep in mind that the value your webinar offers doesn’t come from the fancy, high-tech bells and whistles. It’s the actual content that will help your audience solve their problems. Focus on making it smooth and easy, and also keep in mind that it’ll get easier with experience.  

About The Author    
   
Pat Simes  is a Business Strategist, blogger and Founder of Innovative Business Solutions and Innovate Academy. She currently resides in the Midwest and is committed to inspiring and empowering entrepreneurs to transform their vision to reality.