Webinar Promotion Methods

I've attended 6 webinars/virtual events in the last 2 weeks. These have been hosted by very small teams/early-stage startups to billion $ companies whose brand names are synonymous with B2B SaaS. A few things I see across these events that are problematic: - Not enough context was given before the event - beyond the title and speakers, I don't know what to expect from a flow of the session perspective. - I have the event on my calendar but the pre-event reminder email frequency is super low. My recommendation is to use the 7-1-4-1 approach. 7 days out, 1 day out, 4 hours out and 1 hour out. Build excitement and drop hints on discussion points, value to the audience and who is attending in these emails. - Speaker and host energy - this is a big one. If the people on stage aren't excited about being there, your audience isn't going to be either. One Slack DM, one WhatsApp notification or an email and you've lost their attention. You need to think of your event as a captivating show on your favourite OTT. They need to be gripped as a result of your energy and the value you are bringing to the event. - Engage outside of the stage - Whether it's summarizing points from the stage to replying to chat or sharing resources in real-time. The chat better be active AF. - Always start with housekeeping - Run through the agenda and flow, and let people know about the assets they can expect, and what will they be able to learn and apply after. Getting them there IS NOT ENOUGH! - Post-event follow-up - every single event host sent out a follow-up email but only with the recording link. You need to share key takeaways, the assets and resources shared during the event and give them something they can engage with further. One and done is not going to drive your results here. What did you think of these observations? Is there something else you feel virtual events for marketers should have? Let me know in the chat. This is a topic close to my heart! LFG! #virtualevents #webinars #marketing

Client ran 12 webinars last year. Average attendance: 31%. Watch time: 11 minutes. Pipeline generated: Zero. They'd blast the database, get 200 registrants, 60 show up, 50 drop after the intro. Meanwhile sales is asking why webinars are such a waste of time. Because you're not running webinars. You're running hour-long product demos nobody asked for. Here's the system that actually gets people to show up and buy: 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 1: 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 Most companies: Blast everyone, hope someone shows up. We flipped it. Pick 20 target accounts. Build the entire webinar for them. One client went from: - Old: 200 registrants, 31% show (62 people), zero pipeline - New: 40 invites, 85% show (34 people), 3 opportunities Fewer people. Actual pipeline. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 2: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 72% 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 3 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁: Call your top 20 accounts. Actually call. "We're covering [problem you mentioned]. Want a spot?" 2 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁: Get a customer to co-present. Their network shows up. 1 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁: Send the actual deck. People show up when there's no mystery. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲: Text your top 10 registrants. Yes, text. 90% show rate for those who respond. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳: Calendar hold 1 hour before. Start exactly on time. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 3: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 30-𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 - 2 min: What you'll learn - 10 min: Customer shows actual results - 10 min: How they did it - 5 min: Live Q&A - 3 min: Next steps No company overview. No product tour. Just value. Watch time went from 11 to 27 minutes. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 2 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀: Everyone gets: - Recording + customer's templates - Implementation guide Target accounts get: - Personal video - 15-min working session offer (not a demo) Others: - 3 emails on implementing what they learned Result: Client went from 12 useless webinars to 6 that drove $1.8M. Half the webinars. Triple the results. The problem isn't webinars. It's that you're running them for everyone instead of someone. This week I'm fixing fundamentals: Monday: ICP Yesterday: Events Today: Webinars Tomorrow: ABM Pick 20 accounts. Build your next webinar just for them. Watch what happens when you stop trying to please everyone.

How I went from 0 followers to 1,000 webinar RSVPs: A strategic Blueprint When I started my webinar journey, I made every mistake in the book. I was posting content hoping for likes instead of building genuine connections with my target audience. Here’s what actually moved the needle: Strategic Targeting Over Vanity Metrics Stop broadcasting to everyone. Start speaking directly to your ideal client’s pain points and aspirations. Leverage Collaboration Networks- The fastest path to growth isn’t competition- it’s collaboration. Guest appearances on podcasts and strategic partnerships with complementary businesses can tap into established audiences. Build Before You Sell- Content marketing creates awareness, but lead magnets create commitment. A well-crafted mini-challenge or valuable freebie transforms casual browsers into engaged prospects. Systematic Follow-Up- What is the difference between 30% and 100% show-up rates? Automated reminder sequences and strategic bonuses that create anticipation. Strategic Ad Spend- You don’t need a massive budget. Targeted ads with clear messaging to your ideal client profile can dramatically amplify organic efforts. The key insight: Successful webinars aren’t built on great content alone—they’re built on understanding your audience and creating systematic touchpoints that build trust and urgency. Discussion Question: What’s been your biggest challenge in filling webinar seats? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments. Interested in the complete methodology? Comment “1000” and I’ll share the detailed guide that outlines this entire system.

Most people think their registration page is killing their conversions. It's not. After 120+ webinars and masterclasses,  I can tell you exactly where the real problem is. And it's not the headline. Not the button color. Not the copy. It's what happens after someone registers. The 48 hours between registration and the live event that window is where you either build enough trust and anticipation  that someone shows up, or you lose them to their own doubt and distraction. Most hosts send one confirmation email and go quiet. Then they wonder why 30% of registrants actually show up. I had a client last year sharp offer, clean funnel, decent traffic averaging 21% attendance on a $3,000 offer. We didn't touch the registration page. We rebuilt what happened after the click. A short video from him the same day they registered.  A single question the next morning asking them what they most wanted to walk away with. One reminder that felt like a personal message, not a broadcast. Attendance hit 54% within three events. And the registration page hadn't changed at all. The page gets people to say yes once. What comes after gets them to show up and stay. That's where the real conversion happens. -------------------------- - Nick Graz

If you told me 2 years ago that our webinars would generate almost 1,000+ sign-ups, I wouldn’t have believed you. But here we are. A couple of things I learned about filling webinars with decision-makers: Webinars are one of the most effective ways to build pipeline. But most companies promote them like this: 1. Publish a generic post promoting your next webinar 2. Pray that your ICP sees this post and signs up 3. Get frustrated when nobody shows up Even when running ads, most B2B webinars are only half full at best. In 99% of those cases, the battle is lost months before the last desperate reminder post goes online. Social media is no magic pill. It takes A LOT of time to work. Before even mentioning a webinar or promoting anything, your job is to build trust around the people behind your brand. Or would you attend an event some random stranger invites you to on the street in front of your home? Me neither. That’s why we’ve been building trust on LinkedIn for 5 years: > daily POVs about real life problems our ICP struggles with > case studies with real outcomes from real companies > thoughtful commenting and DMs to provide value If you have the money, you can boost your organic content with Thought Leader Ads or collaborate with external business creators for additional reach. By the time your webinar is announced, people already know you. They understand your thinking and are genuinely curious to see your marketing philosophy in action. You’re basically inviting like-minded people into a conversation that already started weeks, months or even years earlier. In B2B, where buying journeys are long and multiple stakeholders are involved, that matters a lot more than one desperate campaign days before the event. Build a trust foundation. Then send out the invitation.

🎯 Hosting an event is one thing. Driving RSVPs is another. But making sure people actually show up? That can be the toughest part of the process! The reality: industry benchmarks show 35–60% no-show rates for free events, ~10% for paid ones, and around 35% for webinars. That means even with a packed RSVP list, you need a plan to keep seats filled. Over the years, I’ve learned that attendance comes down to more than just sending invites. Here are a few proven strategies: ✅ Create a sense of exclusivity - Frame the event as something special (limited seats, curated guest list, unique experience). People value what feels scarce. ✅ Send reminders (but don’t spam) - A confirmation email, a calendar hold, and a reminder the day before are usually the sweet spot. ✅ Leverage social proof - Share who else is attending by making attendee lists public by default (or at least accessible to trusted partners). Highlight notable speakers, companies, and attendees, so people know they won’t want to miss out. ✅ Make the logistics easy - Clear directions, parking info, and simple check-in all reduce friction. Don’t let a confusing process be the reason someone skips. ✅ Keep the energy high pre-event - Build anticipation with sneak peeks, speaker highlights, or behind-the-scenes posts. ✅ Follow up quickly post-registration - Reinforce their decision to attend with a warm, personal confirmation. 👥 What’s worked best for you to ensure strong turnout at your events? #EventMarketing #CommunityBuilding #B2BEvents

LinkedIn Conversation Ads offer a personal touch by reaching users directly in their inboxes. They aren’t for every audience, but they can be powerful when used right. Here are 5 tips for this Ad format: 1. Retargeting Works Best: Conversation Ads are ideal for reaching warm audiences who already know your brand. Cold audiences are often too costly, as they don’t engage as well. 2. Offer Multiple CTAs: Unlike regular Message Ads, Conversation Ads let you include several call-to-action buttons. This allows users to choose how they want to engage—whether it’s requesting a demo, signing up for a webinar, or learning more. 3. Leverage Retargeting Features: LinkedIn supports retargeting based on user actions within Conversation Ads. This lets you reach out again to those who’ve shown interest by opening or clicking a CTA, helping to build stronger engagement in the funnel. 4. “Audience Penetration” Metric: LinkedIn’s recent audience penetration metric shows what portion of your target audience has seen your ad. This can help you gauge the effectiveness of your reach and identify potential inactive audience segments. 5. Keep It Simple and Personal: Personalizing with a simple greeting like “Hi, [First Name]” is often all you need. Overusing details like job titles or company names can make the ad feel less authentic if they don’t align with how users see themselves. Conversation Ads can drive real engagement when used thoughtfully. They’re best for targeted retargeting rather than cold outreach, and LinkedIn’s recent tools make them more versatile and measurable than ever. #B2BMarketing #SaaSMarketing #DemandGen

16% lower cost per registration. 20% higher click-through rate. 32% higher lead form completion. Same event. The difference was running it as a full-funnel motion instead of a single day event. Most B2B teams still build events around one moment: drive registrations, host the session, move on. The teams getting those numbers run three connected phases, and each one feeds the next 👇 → Before: Video Ads and Thought Leader Ads build curiosity and credibility first, then Event Ads and Sponsored Messaging convert registrations. Virtual events need 2 to 3 weeks of runway. Anything involving travel needs 3 months. Output is a qualified registrant pipeline, not a headcount. → During: Event Ads shift automatically from registration to live viewership. Company-hosted events promoted with Event Ads see 31x more viewers than those without. Live viewers also convert later: companies see a 3.6x lift in InMail acceptance from members who watched their LinkedIn Live. → After: Registrants, attendees and video viewers are the warmest audience you'll target all quarter. Retarget no-shows with the replay, push deeper content to viewers, move everyone into lower-funnel campaigns. Members exposed to the event campaign convert 20 to 32% higher in what comes next. Then measure across the full funnel, not just the middle: → Reach: did you get in front of the right accounts and decision-makers? → Engagement: did they register, attend, and take meaningful action? → Revenue impact: did it open pipeline, accelerate deals, or influence closed revenue? Your CFO wants ROI this quarter. Your buyer is 200+ days into a decision with 6.8 people in the room. Events are one of the few formats that serve both, but only if the campaign runs as a motion instead of a date. ♻️ Save and repost if you found this useful. Stats above are from a Workday case study. #digitalee #risingtide #B2BMarketing #EventMarketing

I used to only run campaigns on Google Ads (an artifact of the agency I worked at + the client base). But over time, that shifted and for the past few years I've spent increasingly more time managing LinkedIn Ads campaigns. Because of that, I’ve been able to test a bunch of different LinkedIn Ads campaign tactics for lead generation. Here are some of my favorites: 1️⃣ Lead gen asset download campaigns: This is top of funnel, but with a bit more intent since you’re getting the lead info. I will let the content of the asset drive the targeting. For example, if there is webinar replay that is focused on providing valuable info to folks in the talent acquisition space, then I’m going to target more of an HR/TA audience. I try to match the content with the audience most likely to be interested. Different pieces of content that we prioritize will have their own campaigns. For some clients, having different asset-based lead gen campaigns is our complete awareness strategy because they produce really qualified leads that sales can easily meet with and convert. I’ve done this with ebooks, webinar replays, and checklists. 2️⃣ Lead gen webinar sign up campaigns:  A lot of my B2B clients invest time in content creation and knowledge sharing. With that in mind, webinars come up quite a bit (no, they are not dead!). To help drive registrations, I’ve experimented with a couple of different tactics: 1) Drive LinkedIn Ads traffic to the webinar registration landing page or 2) Run a lead gen campaign that allows people to register right from the ad. The 2nd option is usually the winner, so I default to that now. If it’s a LinkedIn event, then I’ll create an event ad. 3️⃣ Customer list “lookalikes”: I upload the list into LinkedIn Ads and look at the audience insights that LinkedIn provides. This tells me industry, job titles, interests, job seniority and anything else that might help create a relevant prospecting audience. 4️⃣ Retargeting Whether it’s a list, ad interactions without a download, or no converting site visitors, retargeting is a must. Now it can take some time for me to roll these campaign out because I want to make sure our prospecting traffic is hitting the mark. No use retargeting an audience that doesn’t make sense! What is your approach to lead generation for your B2B clients? Are you a B2B company looking to get started on LinkedIn Ads? Let's chat! ______________________________ 👋 I'm Emily - a PPC expert helping B2B science & tech companies get started with PPC the right way. 💻 Interested in a PPC consultation or freelance mentoring? Reach out! I’d love to see if I can help. 🔔 Follow to stay up to date with my insights and findings.