Webinar software is a popular trend that is here to stay. It provides hosts with the necessary tools to run engaging events over the internet, which generates long-lasting relationships with customers and also generates high-quality leads. Webinar platforms are the perfect way to raise your brand’s awareness, build trust among your audience, and increase the company's authority – all necessary for a business to thrive. Depending on the organization's objectives, webinars can have up to thousands of attendees or just a few dozen, making it a flexible platform that fits with any company's marketing strategy.
Best Webinar Software of 2024
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1. GoToWebinar
Sibling of GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar is one of the most popular webinar platforms on the market, offering a powerful and reliable service that supports up to 3,000 attendees. Besides the usual features found in most webinar software, GoToWebinar also presents some advanced tools, such as its built-in video editor to edit recorded sessions and webinar transcriptions. It's quite expensive though, since enjoying the full package requires users to pay $199 per month with yearly payments. That being said, the entry-level price that still offers all the necessary tools to run live webinars is pretty reasonable, costing $49 per month with an annual billing cycle. There’s also a 7-day free trial that users can take advantage of to test the platform and see for themselves if it's the right webinar program for them.
2. Demio
As professional webinar hosts, Demio’s founders had one objective when developing this webinar software: to create a platform where running webinars was a painless experience. Proclaimed by its users as one of the most user-friendly webinar software products on the market, we have to say the creators accomplished their main goal. Even though it's packed with both basic and advanced features, the software is designed in a way that makes the process of running webinars a breeze. Furthermore, the company's customer service is one of the best we've found in the industry. There's always a helpful customer agent to ensure that any problem happening during a webinar is resolved within minutes. Live events for an audience of up to 50 attendees cost $34 per month with yearly payments, and automated webinars that go up to 150 participants cost $69 per month, also with an annual subscription. It's possible to test Demio's capabilities through its limited 14-day free trial.
3. LiveWebinar
Although relatively recent, LiveWebinar stands out for the wide array of features it provides. On top of the usual webinar software tools, LiveWebinar allows you to create breakout rooms, edit your recorded broadcasts within the platform, and even check if your attendees are paying attention through pop-up buttons. The platform supports 1080p HD broadcasting for up to 1,000 attendees, and you can have as many hosts as you want. Better yet, LiveWebinar’s customer service is always open to receive feedback and offer personalized solutions when a feature you need is missing or needs improvement. You can use LiveWebinar for free through its limited free version, which supports up to five attendees and five hours of recordings. However, with prices starting at $11.99 per month and a 14-day free trial, it’s worthwhile to pay for all the features LiveWebinar has to offer.
Main Webinar Software Features to Look For
While essential webinar features will change depending on your goals, there are some core functions that you should always look for.
Maximum Number of Attendees
It's easy to understand why the number of attendees is the first feature on our list. Webinar software providers support different numbers of attendees, and it's essential to opt for one that offers the required amount for your objectives. Depending on your needs, it can be as low as only 20 participants or as high as 5,000.
Features Focused on Engagement
Regardless of the webinar's room size, there’s one thing you’re always going to need: ways to engage your attendees. These can be as simple as having the ability to share your screen, distribute handouts, and scribble your ideas onto a whiteboard. Or they can be even more interactive, like offering polls, Q&As, and a live chat. Fortunately, most webinar software companies provide these features, so you won't have to look far to find them.
Mobile Support
To be honest, it’s most likely that you’d be running your webinar from your work desk. However, that's not true of your attendees: everyone has a busy life, so using a webinar platform that enables participants to join on-the-go through a mobile app or a mobile-optimized platform is a must.
Third-Party Integrations
Having a webinar platform that integrates with other services saves a massive amount of time. Workflow improvement by sending webinar invitations via email or sharing sessions automatically on social media, and information flow improvement by integrating with CRM platforms, are just a few ways to push your work to the next level.
How to Choose the Best Webinar Platforms for Your Business
Webinar software comes with different features and at various price points, so how do you choose the best option for your business?
1. Understand Your Goals
You'll never find the perfect webinar software for your company if you don't have a clear idea of why you're running webinars. Are you looking for a way to educate your customers, or do you wish to run paid seminars over the internet? How many participants are going to attend your webinars? Answering these types of questions is essential for saving precious time in the next step.
2. Research
When you’ve come up with your guidelines, do some research by reading some top lists to get an overview of the most popular providers. Then go into more detail by reading comprehensive reviews and comparisons.
3. Try the Software
Most webinar software providers offer time-limited free trials that you can take advantage of to see if the platform works as well as it looked on paper.
4. Get the Best Deal
Before purchasing the service, look for ways to save money. From committing to longer subscriptions to using exclusive coupon codes, there's always a way to get a discount.
Webinars as a Marketing Strategy
Customers are becoming more demanding of how companies market their services. It was never viable to create a product and expect it to sell without raising its profile. However, spamming social media or running a bunch of TV commercials and online ads is no longer enough. Customers are looking for a connection with the company where they spend their hard-earned money, and webinars are the perfect tool to create such a relationship.
Content creation is a hot topic right now, and webinars provide the tools to come up with a video library showcasing your product. Not only can you record the event to upload onto YouTube at a later date, but it's also possible to share the webinars on your social media outlets. Furthermore, webinars are known to drive participants' engagement, which generates high-quality leads. In essence, a customer is more likely to click on a call to action leading to a purchase after they feel they were part of something. This means you'll also be able to create long-lasting relationships with your customers more efficiently compared to the traditional ways of marketing. Without a doubt, webinars are an excellent way to improve customer relations and increase sales, making them an essential asset to any organization's marketing strategy.