How to host a webinar: a complete guide for your first one

A webinar is a talk or session broadcast live to an audience watching on their screens. They see and hear you, write in the chat, ask questions and answer polls. You don't see them, unless you invite someone up to speak. That is the difference from a Zoom meeting, where everyone talks to everyone.

If this is your first one, it's simpler than it looks. This guide walks through each step in order, from the idea to the email you send the next day.

Step 1: one topic, for one audience

The most common mistake in a first webinar is trying to cover everything. A good webinar answers one question your audience is actually asking. "How to get your home ready to sell in 30 days" works far better than "Everything you need to know about real estate".

To find that question, think about what clients ask you again and again, by phone, by email or in meetings. The one that comes up most is usually the right topic. Then write a title that says exactly what the viewer will walk away with, and who it is for.

Step 2: choose a platform

A few things are worth checking before you decide where to broadcast:

• Does your audience need to download an app or create an account to join? Every extra step loses some viewers, especially on phones.
• How many viewers can you have, and for how long?
• Does the broadcast look like your business, with your logo, colors and address? Or does the audience mostly see the platform's logo?
• Is there chat, Q&A and polls, and can you bring a viewer on screen?
• What happens to the recording afterwards, and how long is it kept?

We cover this in more detail in how to choose a webinar platform.

Step 3: basic equipment

You don't need a studio. You need three things: clear sound, a well-lit face and a stable connection. Of the three, sound matters most. Viewers will forgive an average picture, but they leave when they can't hear you.

• Microphone: a headset, or a simple USB microphone, beats the laptop's built-in mic almost every time.
• Light: sit facing a window or a lamp, not with your back to it.
• Internet: use a cable if you can. If not, sit close to the router and pause downloads and other video calls in the house.

Our article on webinar and podcast equipment goes through the options.

Step 4: date, time and length

Pick a time when your audience is free, not the time that suits you. For business owners that is usually morning or lunchtime. For a consumer audience it is usually evening. If your viewers are spread across time zones, give the time in the main zones on the registration page.

As for length, 45 to 60 minutes is enough for most topics, questions included. If you're unsure, plan shorter. Nobody complains about a webinar that ends five minutes early.

Step 5: registration and reminders

You can broadcast to anyone with the link, or ask people to register first. Registration gives you two things: a list of who was interested, and a way to remind them. Many people who register forget, and a reminder an hour before brings a good share of them back.

A name and an email are enough on the registration form. Every extra field lowers sign-ups. For getting people to register in the first place, see how to promote a webinar.

Step 6: build the content

A simple structure that almost always works:

1. A two-minute opening: who you are, what you'll cover and what the viewer will get out of it.
2. Three to five main points, each with a real example.
3. A short summary.
4. Questions and answers.
5. One clear next step: book a call, download a guide, join a course.

Slides help, but with less text than you think. A slide with one sentence and a picture works better than ten lines viewers try to read while you talk.

Step 7: rehearse

A day or two before, run a full test broadcast from the same room with the same equipment. Ask a friend to join as a viewer on their phone and tell you what they saw and heard. That is how you find out in time that the mic is quiet, the light is harsh or screen sharing doesn't work.

On the day

• Join 15 minutes early and check the camera, microphone and screen sharing.
• Keep water nearby and silence your phone.
• If you have a co-host, let them handle the chat and questions so you can focus on the talk.
• Start on time. The people who came on time shouldn't wait for latecomers.
• Look at the camera, not the screen. It makes viewers feel you're talking to them.

After the webinar

The webinar doesn't end when the broadcast does. The same day or the next, email everyone who registered with the recording. That includes the people who didn't show up, who need it most. Add the next step you offered on air. It's also worth looking at the report: who joined, how long they stayed and what they asked. Those questions make great material for your next webinar.

More on this in what to do after a webinar.

Try it without committing

Kolcast lets you run a webinar for free, up to 50 viewers and up to 60 minutes, with no credit card. Your audience joins in one click from any device without downloading anything, and the broadcast carries your logo and colors. To see what it looks like from the audience's side first, there's a live demo broadcast that runs every few minutes. If you're planning more than one webinar, here are the plans and prices.