Mastering the art of immersive webinars: Insights from industry leaders

This article was created in collaboration with Hubilo

In the dynamic landscape of modern marketing, webinars have emerged as a powerful tool, yet they present a formidable challenge to marketers aiming to create engaging and immersive online events.

At a recent webinar organised by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a panel of influential industry speakers explored the intricacies of this challenge and offered valuable insights into the strategies for success.

The relevance of immersion

Tamara Dinneen, the global alliance partner marketing director at Oracle, opened the discussion by sharing her perspective on the elements that contribute to a truly immersive webinar. Central to her insights was the significance of relevance.

Dinneen stressed that the content must resonate perfectly with the audience. Drawing from her personal experience, she discussed the remarkable increase in engagement when the content addressed the audience’s immediate needs. According to her, this tailored approach creates an immersive experience that captivates the audience, leaving them eager for more.

XR and direct engagement

Jerome Ng, the APAC server and cloud marketing team lead at AMD, delved into the world of extended reality (XR) and its transformative impact on webinars.

Ng shared his insights on breaking down the barriers that often exist between hosts and participants. He underlined the remarkable sense of direct connection that XR technology can create, making it seem as if the presenter is in the same room as the audience. This, he explained, fosters a higher level of audience engagement and a profound sense of immersion.

Curating compelling content: The art of matching and problem solving

The creation of interesting and engaging content for webinars is a skill that Dinneen and Ng passionately discussed. Dinneen reiterated the significance of matching the right people with the right topics. She recounted her experience running wine exam sessions, highlighting how participants were eager to engage when the content directly addressed their pressing questions.

Ng added to this by emphasising the importance of problem-solving and value addition in content. According to him, content should focus on solving real-world challenges and be presented in a way that adds value to the audience’s daily work.

The critical metric of conversions

Deepak Lamba, vice president of global sales at Hubilo, introduced the crucial metric of conversions in the context of webinars. He emphasised the need for organisers to define what conversions mean to them.

Whether it’s gaining new leads, moving existing pipelines or increasing brand visibility, he highlighted that the key lies in finding compelling reasons for the audience to attend, remain engaged, and remember the event. This, he explained, is a prevailing trend in the industry – providing answers to the audience’s fundamental questions.

Conclusion: The quest for immersive and memorable experiences

In conclusion, the world of modern marketing demands the creation of truly immersive webinars that require a fusion of relevance, problem-solving, direct engagement, and the ability to answer the fundamental questions of the audience. This reflects the evolving landscape of technology and the changing expectations of audiences.

Staying abreast of these trends and challenges is paramount for achieving success in the competitive domain of webinar marketing. Immersive webinars not only captivate, but also leave a lasting impact, making them an essential tool for marketers in the digital age.

This is not to say that marketers aren’t facing legitimate challenges when it comes to getting the most out of their webinar strategies. To see the top five challenges marketers face with webinars, and suggestions on how to overcome them, check out this report by Hubilo in partnership with Forrester Consulting.