Be honest, what is more likely: opening an e-mail with a shitload of information, numbers and attachments which have been designed extremely dull or watching a video or other visual content. You’d probably go for the visual content. Over the past few years our information consumption has moved from actually reading large amounts of text to wanting short posts and visual content. With visual content we mean: infographics, videos, pictures and last but not least webinars. As a consequence it means adapting your communication strategy and adding some new channels to your communication mix. This blog will be all about webinars since they could be very powerful. With a webinar your employees are fully updated within an hour and you receive a lot of feedback.
Discover the value of webinars for internal communication
As said, nowadays people would like to consume fast information which is visually attractive. In a split second we decide whether we keep on reading an article or watching a video. So, the pressure is very high to keep someone’s attention right away. Where we used to inform employees on a certain topic in a face to face briefing or newsletter, employees now want to gain information on demand. Webinars could be extremely effective when it comes to giving more information on a certain topic.
You could choose to give a webinar for periodic updates, incidental updates or for training your employees. Research has shown that the average duration and viewer time of a webinar is 30 to 60 minutes. So, the topic of the webinar needs to be big enough to make an hour of content. Further more a webinar is a communication tool with which you could interact with your employees. The magic of a webinar is that viewers could turn into participants by enabling them to give feedback and ask questions (realtime).
Various types of webinars
Periodic updates: Monthly or quarterly webinars on the companies’ strategy, numbers, sales & marketing activities etc. Some webinars are interesting for all employees, some only for specific departments.
Incidental updates: A webinar could be useful if you want to inform your employees about organizational changes or developments which require some clarification. This way you could clear the sky, answer questions immediately and gather feedback.
Training employees: Share knowledge with your employees through webinars. It is very effective because you’re able to tell, show and interact through one (on demand) channel. Some organizations swear by quarterly knowledge weeks; a week with several webinars on various topics.
What you need to set up a webinar
There are two types of webinars: the “DIY” webinars and the “professional” webinars. The DIY webinars are easy to set up, you can start one in front of your laptop as we speak. All you need is a webcam, headset and private room where you won’t get disturbed. There are plenty of free solutions to give webinars, such as GoTo Meeting. This is a good set up for incidental updates. You can save costs on expensive equipment.
The professional webinars are harder and more expensive to set up but, when you are planning on doing webinars regularly it is worth the effort. You can think of setting up a small studio with professional camera’s, audio equipment and a desk or outsourcing it to a company specialized in broadcasting webinars.
Tips when using webinars for internal communications
- Set SMART goals on what you are aiming to reach
- Define your target groups (sales has other needs than logistics or facilities)
- Define the subject of the webinar (it needs to be relevant and distinctive)
- Think about the webinar promotion
- Practice with a colleague before you go live
- Make sure the webinar can be watched on demand
- Enable interaction with polls and let viewers ask questions
Keen on brainstorming on this topic? Don’t hesitate to give us a call, we’d be happy to brainstorm with you!
