6 Reasons Webinars Are an Important Part of a Content Marketing Strategy

According to the Content Marketing Institute^[1], over 60% of B2B marketers are using webinars as a part of their content marketing programs. And there are a lot of good reasons for that. 

Here are six of them:

1. Webinars are convenient

With today’s pressed and stressed workforce, finding time to leave the office for an event is a challenge. Webinars offer the ability to attend an event and consume educational content from the viewer’s location of choice. Offering a recorded on-demand version provides even greater convenience and flexibility for viewers to watch when their schedule permits.

2. Webinars establish trust and credibility

 Webinars are a great platform to deep dive into topics relevant to your audience and demonstrate        your industry knowledge and expertise. They also add a human element to your business. The combination of education and putting a face to your organization with a subject matter expert helps earn the trust of prospects and nurtures existing customer relationships.

3. Webinars generate quality leads

With the right promotional plan, every webinar you produce will generate new marketing qualified leads. In fact, according to a ReadyTalk^[2] study, up to 40% of webinar attendees turn into qualified leads. This is because niche webinar topics allow you to attract and identify potential customers who have a specific interest or need that aligns with your organization and its products or services. Webinars can also be a lead generation machine long after the event is over by placing the on-demand version on your website and promoting through other channels like social media.

4. Webinars help move the sales process along 

Webinars aren’t just for lead generation. They are also a perfect tool to assist in progressing buyers through the sales pipeline. As leads move through the buyer’s journey, building and establishing trust is a significant factor in your organization’s products or services being considered against those of your competitors.

5. Webinars are cost effective

Web-based events offer marketers the ability to expand their audience reach to anywhere in the world at a significantly lower cost than their live, in-person counterparts. A ReadyTalk^[3] report indicates that the average cost of conducting a webinar is between $100 and $3,000 depending on promotion and technology costs. Compare that to the cost of hosting an in-person seminar/road show in multiple cities and a virtual event is a no brainer.

6. Webinars can be repurposed

In addition to placing the on-demand version of your webinar on your website, you can create additional content that will continue to create brand awareness, thought leadership and lead generation. For example, you can take the webinar recording and create a podcast series that people can take with them on the go. Alternatively, you can create a white paper based on the webinar content and repurpose into infographics, blog articles, eBooks and more. The possibilities are endless when you have one piece of great content already in place.

Webinars are one of the most effective tools a marketer can use in their content marketing strategy. Are you incorporating them into your plan?  If not, let us help you establish an integrated content marketing strategy that will deliver results.

[1] Source: Content Marketing Institute – New B2B Content Marketing Research: Focus on Documenting Your Strategy(http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2014/10/2015-b2b-content-marketing-research/)

 [2] Source: ReadyTalk – Why Webinars Produce More Qualified Leads [Infographic] (https://www.readytalk.com/resources/webinar-marketing/infographics/webinars-qualified-leads#.V1nGquYrLq1)

 [3] ReadyTalk – Debunking Webinar Myth #1: Webinars cost an arm and a leghttps://www.readytalk.com/blog/bo-bandy/debunking-webinar-myth-13a-webinars-cost-an-arm-and-a-leg