Webinars are one of the best virtual events you can host with how engaging they can be for attendees. There are many ways you can make your webinar fun and engaging for your guests, and we’ll go over some of our favorites! 

The Benefits of Interactive Webinars

Interactive webinars are beneficial for many reasons. One of the main reasons is it improves the focus and attention of your attendees. With the right interactive webinar, guests won’t feel inclined to switch tabs or exit your webinar. Due to the virtual nature of the event, attendees don’t have to worry about getting super dressed up and can instead join in comfortable clothes! The money that guests would have to spend on travel they also get to save when attending an event that’s completely virtual. 

How to Make your Webinar More Interactive 

<span class="mid-size-title">1. Ask a Question</span>

One of the best ways you can make your webinars more interactive is by asking your guests questions. Use your presentation as a starting point where attendees can ask anything that jumps out at them. Spark the conversation by asking your guests first what they look forward to learning; this will warm them up to speaking with you in the audience. 

<span class="mid-size-title">2. Use Polls</span>

If you prefer to ask questions in a way that doesn’t disrupt your presentation, polls are a great option. They’re a great way to ask questions in a more structured way and still allow you to gain insights on what kind of content your audience wants to learn about. Issue different polls at different points during the webinar so you keep the attention of your attendees the entirety of the event. There are many different kinds of polls that you can use - ones before your event, during your event, and even after your webinar event. 

<span class="mid-size-title">3. Use Quizzes to Test Your Participants</span>

Quizzes can be a fun addition to your webinar event and can help you measure where your audience’s expertise level is when it comes to your webinar topic. You can see what information your guests retained by sending out any sort of quiz once your event is over. Make it fun, too! Tell your attendees that a quiz or contest will be happening and whoever wins gets a prize. If your audience is the competitive type, they’ll love to participate and see who can win! 

<span class="mid-size-title">4. Interactive Webinar Formats</span> 

There are a few types of webinar formats that you can choose from for your event. They include: 

• Interview - This type of format is where you sit down with a guest speaker and interview them on your topic of choice. Typically, webinar guest speakers are highly regarded individuals in the selected industry and can touch on their experiences. 

• Ask Me Anything (AMA) - An AMA webinar format is an unscripted discussion where the audience typically asks questions to the webinar host or guest speaker about a certain topic or product. 

• Panel Discussion - A panel discussion is a kind of format where a group of panelists, usually a number of industry experts or members from a company, sit at the front of a stage and answer questions asked by the event moderator or audience. 

• Case Studies - Case studies are a great way to have guest speakers discuss their experiences. Companies can also benefit with case studies by bringing in past customers to talk about their positive experiences. 

<span class="mid-size-title">5. Puzzles</span>

Add another fun and creative part to your webinar by distributing any kind of puzzle to your audience. You can make the puzzle about any subject related to your industry or product and have guests win a prize if they solve the puzzle. 

<span class="mid-size-title">6. Conduct a Survey</span>

What better way to get feedback from your audience than with a customer survey! After your event, you can ask what attendee’s favorite parts were along with any unfavorable parts to use as a tool for future events. The shorter your survey, the better; having a survey with too many questions will have attendees less than thrilled to fill it out. Keep it 3-10 questions max and keep it on the subject of your webinar industry or the webinar experience itself. 

<span class="mid-size-title">7. Games</span>

Make your webinar fun with a few games! Platforms like Hubilo give webinar hosts the opportunity to add elements like contests and fun quiz games for attendees to participate in. 

<span class="mid-size-title">8. Start a Discussion</span> 

Hosting a webinar should be a two way street, not just you speaking at your audience; ask questions to engage in conversation to make it enjoyable for everyone there. Getting a discussion started with your guests sets the engagement high for your event. Discussions are beneficial for both you and your audience!

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<span class="mid-size-title">9. Do a Critique</span>

Critiques are a great interactive element to add to your webinar for your audience. You can have your audience send in any work of theirs, like a design they’ve completed, a first draft of their newly written novel, a piece of music and so much more while having your guest speaker give any feedback they have on it during the event. Your attendees will not only have the chance to showcase their own work, but they can learn so much from the feedback your guest host provides. 

<span class="mid-size-title">10. Challenge Your Audience</span> 

Don’t just have your audience sit and watch your presentation - follow up with a challenge for them! If you hold a webinar with multiple sessions, a great idea is to give them “homework.” After your first webinar session, give them something that they can work on before your next event. This way they can take the valuable information they learned at your webinar and apply it to their work! When they return with their completed work, a critique can take place so attendees can learn even more from your speaker. 

<span class="mid-size-title">11. Answer Questions</span> 

As you request attendees to submit any and all questions they have, set aside 15 minutes once your presentation is done to answer those questions. This way, questions can be answered live as the audience watches. Allow them to give their feedback by sending messages or have them use a custom hashtag on social media to see what they think. 

12 Tips to Make a Webinar Interactive

<span class="mid-size-title">1. Create Better Titles</span>

The key to drawing your audience in to make them register for your webinar is a catchy and compelling title. Make it one that’s short but attractive and gets the message across as to what the webinar is about. Even if members forget they’ve signed up, getting an email about the webinar with its catchy title should get them excited to attend. 

<span class="mid-size-title">2. Use Content You Have</span>

Many hosting platforms have great features that you can use to make your webinar more engaging and interactive - so utilize them! Platforms like Hubilo give you the opportunity to have breakout rooms, live chats, polls and more. Before your event arrives, make sure you spend time getting familiar with the platform and those features so you know what your attendees will see and what they will experience firsthand. If any issues arise with attendees using those features, you will have the knowledge to help them out.

<span class="mid-size-title">3. Design Appealing Content</span> 

No one wants to enter a webinar only to find the content is less than exciting. Prepare content that’s both engaging and informational for your audience to keep their attention throughout the event. Adding premium video content is key for this, too - videos keep people engaged for a long period of time, making it a great addition for your webinar. 

<span class="mid-size-title">4. Use Other Presentation Software</span>

These days, there are so many presentation softwares that you can incorporate into your event to make your content more appealing to your audience. To improve your webinars, choose a platform like Microsoft Powerpoint or Prezi to enhance the presentations you show your audience. 

<span class="mid-size-title">5. Pick the Right Timing</span>

As you plan your webinar, make sure to plan out the timing of your presentation. When you’ve set aside the ideal time you’d like to spend presenting, you can avoid going over or going under that limit for your audience. Make sure to plan the times of every part of your presentation, including webinars and Q&A sessions. 

<span class="mid-size-title">6. Leverage Storytelling</span> 

A way to re-engage your audience if you feel you’ve lost their attention (or to avoid losing their attention) is to tell a story. Make sure to keep the stories you tell professional and appropriate!

<span class="mid-size-title">7. Run Tests and Polls</span>

Assure everyone has been paying attention to what you’re presenting by sending out a quiz once your webinar is over. By collecting everyone’s results and seeing what they absorbed, you can see if there’s anything about your presentation that should be adjusted to keep the audience’s attention. Letting the audience know beforehand that they’ll be quizzed on the presentation afterwards will motivate them to pay attention so they don’t fail the test! 

<span class="mid-size-title">8. Use Icebreaker Questions</span> 

Icebreaker questions are a quick way to have your audience open up and make everyone feel comfortable. You can choose questions that cover the topic of your webinar or ask unrelated questions that get the audience’s attention. Some good icebreaker questions include “What unique skill do you bring to your job?” or “If you had a superpower, what would it be?” These questions will leave room for you to know some guests and get a conversation going. 

<span class="mid-size-title">9. Add Surprise Elements</span>

A few surprises can go a long way during a webinar event! Examples of a great webinar surprise are an unexpected guest speaker, a raffle or contest, or free tickets to your next event. Event surprises will keep attendees interested in your event and can take them from boring events to exciting ones. 

Read and Learn: How to Add Energy, Impact, and Results at Every Stage of Your Webinar

<span class="mid-size-title">10. Engage Your Audience</span>

What makes a webinar great is one that engages the audience throughout the event. Make it a point to talk with your audience throughout your event either by talking to the audience directly or use features like live chats to talk to attendees. Breakout rooms are also great for attendees to chat amongst themselves; choose a event hosting platform that has these engagement features to host a successful webinar. If attendees are given plenty of chances to talk with you and other members, they’ll want to return for future events! 

<span class="mid-size-title">11. Always Be Prepared!</span> 

One of the most crucial tips in planning any kind of event is always having a backup plan! Make sure you stock up on any extra equipment in case something breaks, like microphones or speakers. You never know when those backup pieces may come in handy! 

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Frequently asked questions about interactive webinars

1. Why is interactivity important in webinars?

Interactivity keeps participants engaged, promotes learning, and makes webinars more memorable and enjoyable.

2. What are the benefits of incorporating interactive elements into webinars?

Interactive webinars can lead to increased attendee participation, better retention of information, and a stronger connection with your audience.

3. Can you explain what interactive elements are in the context of webinars?

Interactive elements include activities like polls, Q&A sessions, live chat, quizzes, breakout rooms, and hands-on demonstrations that actively involve attendees.

4. How can I use polls effectively in my webinars?

Use polls to gather feedback, gauge audience knowledge, or spark discussions. Make them relevant to the webinar topic and use the results to tailor your content.

5. Are there tools or platforms that can help facilitate interactivity in webinars?

Yes, many webinar platforms offer features like chat, polls, and breakout rooms. Explore these tools to enhance interaction during your webinars.

6. What are some creative ways to engage the audience during a webinar?

Consider interactive storytelling, live demos, audience challenges, role-playing, or inviting guest speakers for a panel discussion.

7. How can I encourage audience participation in Q&A sessions?

Encourage attendees to ask questions throughout the webinar, address questions in real-time, and allocate dedicated Q&A segments for deeper discussions.

8. Are there best practices for managing breakout rooms effectively?

Assign moderators, set clear objectives, provide instructions, and ensure a smooth transition in and out of breakout sessions.

9. How do I strike the right balance between content delivery and interactivity?

Plan your webinar content strategically, intersperse interactive elements at appropriate intervals, and keep the audience engaged without overwhelming them.

10. Should I offer incentives to encourage participation in interactive activities?‍

Incentives like prizes or certificates can motivate participation, but ensure that the primary motivation remains the value they gain from the webinar.

11. Can you share examples of successful webinars that have effectively used interactivity?

During the webinar, we'll showcase real-life examples of webinars that have leveraged interactive elements to engage and educate attendees.

Host More Interactive Webinars

An interactive webinar is always a good idea if you want to share valuable information in a fun way! Choose a webinar hosting platform that allows you to incorporate as many of the ideas and elements we’ve included. Another key tip for hosting a successfully engaging webinar is to keep track of everyone’s attention levels. If you feel some of your audience is drifting off or the engagement is decreasing, use the above tips to keep it interesting and keep everyone focused! Make every webinar memorable and engaging with features like Watch Parties, Gamification, Group Portrait, Interactive Polls and Chats, Reactions, Contests and a whole lot more. See how Hubilo can transform your webinars and elevate your virtual attendee experience. Request a demo today!