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How to Host a Successful Webinar for Your Atlassian App

In the past year, the number of attendees at webinars has grown by 250%. With this demand, webinars are a marketing tool you can’t afford to miss! You can use webinars to market your Atlassian apps through every stage of the buying process. 

But how do you get started? App developers often dismiss webinars as too costly and time consuming. Without video or production experience, hosting a webinar is a daunting task. However, with the many platforms available, it’s not as difficult as you might think, and the increased engagement and conversions make it worth the investment.

We’ll give you all the steps you need to take to start running your own successful webinars to market your Atlassian apps.

Four Steps to Setting Up Your Own Webinar

Hosting your own webinars requires a platform subscription, extensive planning, promotional marketing, and effective presentation skills.

1. Choose a Platform

To host your own webinar, you’ll need to choose a platform to produce and broadcast it. There’s a wide range of platforms from the simpler online meeting-style to the more sophisticated conference/event-style.  These platforms run on an annual or monthly subscription basis with prices varying greatly depending on features and number of attendees.

It’s important to select a platform that allows engagement like handouts, Q&A, and polls.  You’ll also want to consider live and on-demand options, and how many guests/co-hosts/panellists the platform allows. Live webinars boost engagement, while making them available on-demand gives you constant lead generation material. On-demand webinars can also be used as onboarding tutorials.

2. Plan Your Content

The next step is to choose an engaging topic and prepare slides, polls, and handouts. To maintain viewers’ attention, use a variety of content, and include video clips and graphics. When you discuss your app, sharing how it works onscreen may be helpful.

Avoid promoting your app too much in the first webinar, and consider inviting at least one expert guest. Another way to leverage webinars when you’re just getting started is to collaborate or co-host with partners. This could be an Atlassian solution partner, an app developer that makes related but non-competing apps, or a partner in your field that’s not related to Atlassian. A partnership will drive interest and widen your audience when you’re promoting the webinar.

3. Promote the Webinar

To get people to attend your webinar, you’ll need to promote it effectively. Studies show that 39% of registrants for webinars tend to sign up more than a week before, and it’s recommended to start promoting your webinar early to get the most attendees. Reminder emails are also key, especially for these early birds.

Some platforms come with built-in promotional tools like landing pages and automated emails. If you already have your own marketing automation system like Hubspot, this feature may not be necessary for you.

4. Host the Webinar

Before you host, practice first to make sure your timing is right and all your equipment is working. You don’t need expensive equipment, but you want to have clear sound quality from your microphone and a reliable internet connection. If you have guests, check that they understand how to use the platform and any features as well.

Engage with attendees using polls and Q&A to improve the live experience. Encourage attendees to download the handouts as a reference. After the webinar, analyze who attended and follow up with them.

Checklist for Hosting a Webinar

Here’s a checklist to make sure you’ve considered everything you need.

Platform Options

  • Does it allow handouts, polls, Q&A?
  • How many attendees are allowed?
  • How many guests/panellists are allowed?
  • How easy is it for them to log in?
  • Does it look like a meeting or a full conference?
  • Does it have both live and on-demand options?

Content Planning

  • Presentation deck
  • Short videos/other visual aids
  • Handouts/polls
  • Interview questions for panellists
  • Prepared answers for possible audience questions

Webinar Promotion

  • Marketing automation system or built-in platform promotions
  • Plan registration and reminders
  • Prepare email copy

Hosting

  • Check sound and connections
  • Practice!
  • Make sure guests are onboard with the system

Conclusion

Webinars are an invaluable tool to draw in leads and engage with Atlassian app buyers who are interested in learning more about the solutions you provide. Setting one up and effectively promoting it requires time and expertise that you may not have available. Some full-service marketing agencies can provide you with access to the platform, a presentation deck and all the promotional tools you need. 

If you’d like to find out how Brighttail can help you market your Atlassian app, contact us today.

The Author

Susan Swier

Susan spent most of her writing and editing career in educational publishing. She’s a voracious reader who can quickly grasp complex subjects, a useful skill when transitioning into the B2B field.

Susan Swier