On this episode of Content Logistics, Baylee Gunnell welcomes Lindsay McGuire, Associate Director of Content and Campaigns at Goldcast, to discuss why webinars remain a powerful B2B engagement tool. Lindsay highlights the interactive nature of webinars, emphasizing their potential for two-way communication and building brand affinity. She discusses how webinars, as a form of virtual event, offer a more engaging video experience compared to standard one-way video content. She advocates for using webinars to foster trust and encourage repeat engagement.
Lindsay addresses the challenge of building an audience, particularly in the current digital landscape. She stresses the importance of a repurposing strategy to maximize content reach and attract attendees. Lindsay also emphasizes the need for content alignment between the registration page and the actual webinar to avoid disappointing attendees. She suggests focusing on audience needs and delivering valuable content.
Lindsay and Baylee discuss content creation strategies. They explore how to balance authenticity with business goals. Lindsay shares examples of how Goldcast creatively integrates its product into webinars, like showcasing Snoop Dogg’s brand voice. She also discusses distribution strategies, including gating content and repurposing it across different platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, and blog posts. Lindsay emphasizes the role of webinars in a comprehensive SEO strategy and encourages a fun, engaging approach to webinar content.
Featured Guest
Name: Lindsay McGuire
What she does: Associate Director of Content and Campaigns
Company: Goldcast
Noteworthy: Webinar expert at Goldcast, passionate about engaging video content and repurposing strategies.
Featured Guest
Key Insights
Webinars: Not Just Videos, But Two-Way Conversations
Webinars offer a unique advantage over traditional videos: interaction. They allow for real-time engagement with your audience, fostering a sense of community and building stronger relationships. This two-way communication is crucial for establishing trust and brand affinity. Think polls, surveys, live Q&A sessions – these tools transform a passive viewing experience into an active dialogue. By leveraging these interactive elements, businesses can gather valuable feedback, understand audience needs, and create more targeted content. This approach moves beyond simply broadcasting a message to cultivating a conversation, leading to deeper engagement and more meaningful connections with potential customers.
Repurposing Content: The Key to Reaching a Wider Audience
In today’s fragmented media landscape, simply creating great content isn’t enough. You need a solid repurposing strategy to ensure your message reaches the widest possible audience. Consider how a single webinar can be transformed into multiple pieces of content: short video clips for social media, blog posts summarizing key takeaways, email newsletters teasing upcoming events. This approach maximizes your investment in content creation, allowing you to connect with different segments of your audience across various platforms. By strategically repurposing your webinar content, you can amplify its impact and drive engagement long after the live event has ended.
Balancing Authenticity and Business Goals in Webinars
The most effective webinars strike a delicate balance: providing genuine value to the audience while also achieving business objectives. No one wants to attend a thinly veiled sales pitch. Instead, focus on educating your audience and addressing their pain points. Organically weave in your product or service where it makes sense, showcasing its relevance to the topic at hand. Think of creative ways to demonstrate your product’s value without resorting to a hard sell. By prioritizing audience needs and offering helpful insights, you build trust and establish your brand as a thought leader. This approach creates a more receptive audience for your message, ultimately leading to greater success in achieving your business goals.
Episode Highlights
The Power of Recurring Webinars
Recurring webinars offer a consistent platform for engagement and lead nurturing. They provide a predictable touchpoint for your audience, fostering a sense of community and allowing for ongoing dialogue. This consistency is particularly beneficial for sales teams, providing opportunities to connect with prospects and customers. Recurring webinars also help establish your brand as a reliable source of information and expertise in your industry. By creating a regular cadence of valuable content, you can cultivate a loyal following and build stronger relationships with your target audience. This approach offers a sustainable way to drive engagement and generate leads over time.
“So we ran for a long time, we ran CMO Diaries. I want to say we did our Event Marketers Live, which was twice a month for a very long time. And then we ran our Donuts and Demand show. So we always had something happening, an authentic, real moment in time that people could look forward to.”
Building an Owned Audience Through Webinars
Webinars provide a valuable opportunity to build an owned audience, a group you can directly connect with outside the constraints of social media algorithms. Unlike relying on third-party platforms, owning your audience gives you greater control over your messaging and outreach. Webinars often involve registration forms, which provide a natural way to collect contact information and build your email list. This direct access to your audience allows for personalized communication and targeted campaigns, fostering stronger relationships and driving conversions. A strong repurposing strategy is vital for attracting attendees and maximizing the impact of your webinars.
“A big part of that is your repurposing strategy. So it’s figuring out how do you repurpose the content you’re making, put it out on your social channels, on whatever channels you’re using to reach your audience and have them compelled to then figure out how to be at that webinar.”
Creating Engaging and Authentic Webinar Content
The key to successful webinars lies in creating content that is both engaging and authentic. Avoid dry sales pitches; instead, focus on providing real value to your audience. Share insightful information, address their pain points, and offer practical solutions. Infuse your personality into the presentation to create a more genuine connection with your viewers. Think of creative ways to showcase your product or service without resorting to a hard sell, perhaps through demonstrations or real-world examples.
“It needs to be positioned in a way where your main goal is helping your audience learn whatever it is that you positioned that content to be around, staying true to that, delivering on that. But then also finding creative, fun, engaging ways to weave your company or your product or your service in where it makes sense.”
Overcoming Camera Shyness and Delivering Engaging Video Presentations
Stepping in front of a camera can be daunting, but with the right approach, anyone can deliver engaging video presentations. Practice is key. Rehearse your presentation multiple times to build confidence and identify any areas for improvement. Consider investing in good quality equipment, such as a decent camera and microphone, to enhance the viewing experience. Focus on creating a comfortable and inviting atmosphere, and don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through. Remember, authenticity is more engaging than forced perfection. If camera shyness persists, explore alternative formats like screen shares with a smaller video inset. Find what works best for you and focus on delivering valuable content with confidence.
“Getting started is going to be one of the hardest things you do. So know that, and then once you get started, it’s likely going to get easier from there. The best thing to do is do some training and some practicing. That’s the best way to get comfortable. Figuring out what that is about yourself that’s going to make you feel like, ‘Oh, I can do this’, instead of dreading it.”
