Nowadays, many people want to know how to hold a webinar or an online lesson. This is not so surprising, considering that we’re in the digital age and these ways of interacting with the audience have become so popular. You can gather like-minded people and hold an event you’ve always wanted to without stepping out of your room. Tempting, right?

How to host a webinar successfully?

A great webinar consists of several parts:

• Good equipment (software),
• preparation of the room for an online meeting (don’t you dare use a green screen of a cat or your dream vacation destination) and,
• the actual content you will present to your audience.

So, how do you host a webinar without messing up the choice of technical equipment, arrange a comfortable environment and maintain your psychological mood? Oh, it’s pretty simple — follow our simple but effective advice. We’re here to save the day — as usual.

Choosing equipment for a top-quality webinar

If you’re trying to figure out how to host a webinar and haven’t considered which equipment or platform to use, you’re already on the wrong track. Hold up, and reconsider your priorities. After all, it’s an online event. Technical equipment is like water to plants — very necessary. So taking it seriously is a key part of the overall success of your webinar.

Choosing a webinar service

There are various cloud platforms for hosting webinars. However, truly high-quality services can be counted on just one hand. First of all, we recommend that you try out MyOwnConference.

We guarantee

• A powerful technical base
• Mobility
• Ease of use
• Assistance at every stage of working with us

MyOwnConference is an excellent choice for a platform that combines quality, intuitive operation and convenience.

Choosing a microphone and camera

Most modern gadgets have good microphones and cameras, which generally give good sound and video quality. One of these saves you from buying additional body kits (audio headsets, webcams, etc.).

However, if you purchase additional equipment for your device, remember to choose things like a webcam or microphone carefully. Don’t just go for what looks nice on the outside. Such accessories should be purchased in specialized stores that provide a guarantee for their goods.

There are so many different microphones and cameras to choose from. Naturally, everything will depend on the price range you are looking for. But you can buy a quality product even for a relatively small amount. So definitely check out the reviews for your desired device before purchasing it.

In our article, read more about how to choose a camera and microphone for a webinar.

How to host a webinar and not screw it up? — Do some tests

Okay, you have chosen the platform and equipment for the webinar. What’s next?

Carry out a test on a mobile phone, tablet or computer. We recommend that you install the latest version of the browser on your device.

It is important to check all material (slideshows, presentations, video content, text and music) a few days before the event so you can make timely edits if necessary.

This is especially significant if you plan to send a newsletter that includes the information described above.

Additional advice

• During the webinar, disable third-party applications.
• Do not ignore device updates suggested by the developer.
• It’s not bad to install additional plugins to improve video communication. IMPORTANT: You only need to download third-party software from official sources.

There is no need to panic if your webinar has an audio and/or video delay for a few seconds. This happens. It is important to understand that there’s only a serious inconvenience if a delay lasts for 15 (or more) seconds. It’s okay if it lasts 4 to 7 seconds.

By the way, the quality of your webinar depends on your internet connection speed. So make sure to connect to a high-speed, unoccupied network.

Test the webinar room. Get an assistant who will act as a participant. This is necessary to check if the webinar room is working properly. What is the video quality? What is the sound quality? How do the control buttons work? By the way, MyOwnConference offers one of the best webinar hosting options, with free participation for up to twenty people.

How to conduct a webinar professionally — think about the background

Having expensive equipment and super-fast internet alone cannot guarantee a successful webinar. At this stage, you need to pay attention to what can be seen behind the scenes throughout the entire online meeting.

If you plan to hold a webinar in the office, you may need to ask your colleagues if they can leave the office when it’s time for your online meeting. It’s better to ask the boss for a conference room.

For a webinar held at home, think of anything that could affect your meeting. For instance, try to convince a neighbor who has been drilling a wall for days to postpone this activity for another time. The last thing you want is to pause your webinar and stomp off to his house to complain, risking your chances of successfully completing the session.

Tidy up the room where the online meeting will take place. Conduct a rehearsal by inviting a few speakers and participants to the upcoming event. Experiment with seating arrangements. Everything in the frame must look good and peaceful.

Remember the newsletter

An excellent webinar practice is to send out invitations and reminders. Usually, the date and time of the event are indicated there. Separately, you can send a link to the webinar room, contact details of the organizer, or a press release. This can be done several days before the event. But do not overdo it so you don’t end up in “Spam”.

Writing cheat sheets

How to host a webinar if you are completely nervous? In addition to rehearsals and calming techniques, a webinar script can help. During a webinar, it is best to have a cheat sheet with the general points and notes of your presentation handy. Be sure to include your greeting there as well. “Can I forget to say hello?” — so you think.

You’d be surprised at how often this happens during videoconferencing. We will not dwell on the reasons for such mistakes, though. All we’re saying is any cheat sheet should begin with words of welcome. A performance plan can help you calm down, reduce stress levels, and add a sense of being in control.

Final preparations

Okay, the online webinar will start in a few minutes. You’ve practiced your presentation, the cheat sheets are done, everything looks great in the frame, and the visuals and sound are good. What could go wrong? Do not be afraid. If you took all our advice, approached the preparation responsibly, and chose a webinar room at MyOwnConference, then the probability of failure is slim.

As a final touch, you need to have a glass of water next to you, an open laptop or a notebook with a rough outline of the webinar, your opening remarks and presentation notes.

If you want to record the webinar, it’s best to do it a minute before it starts. Also, our video editor will help you smooth out all the “corners,” i.e. remove hitches, pauses, and so on.

And finally

A high-quality webinar is a great way to attract a new audience to your project, idea, or business model. But you need to understand that an online conference can either raise your awareness positively or pull it down negatively. Everything will depend on how much you prepare and how organized the webinar is.

We are sure you will succeed, and the MyOwnConference service is an excellent platform for your ideal webinar.