Do you dream of conducting professional online training, building an expert image, or increasing sales? Webinars are your chance for success! In this complete guide, you’ll find answers to the most important questions about webinars – from basic definitions to advanced online earning strategies. Discover how to harness the power of webinars to grow your business!
Table of Contents
What is a webinar?
A webinar is a modern form of knowledge sharing over the internet that combines the advantages of a traditional lecture hall with digital technology capabilities. Imagine being able to reach hundreds of people simultaneously with your expertise, regardless of whether they’re sitting in London, Manchester, or on the other side of the world. A webinar enables the presenter to deliver content in real-time, while participants actively engage in the event through various communication channels.
Key features of webinars:
- Global reach: reaching audiences without geographical limitations
- Two-way communication: presenters receive immediate feedback from participants
- Format flexibility: from intimate training sessions to mass conferences
- Cost-effectiveness: no venue rental, travel, or catering costs
- Measurability: precise data on engagement and conversions
What are the types of webinars?
There are three main types of webinars, each with unique advantages: live (real-time with full interaction), automated (played according to a script without a presenter), and on-demand (available 24/7 as a recording). Live webinars work perfectly for product launches and sales, automated ones save you time with repetitive content, and on-demand allows you to scale reach without time limitations.
Main types of webinars: 
- Live: maximum engagement, real-time chat
- Automated: scheduled interactions, team time savings
- On-demand: 24/7 access, passive lead generation
- Online meetings: two-way communication, breakout room work
- Paid events: knowledge monetization through ticket sales
Who can conduct webinars?
Any expert with knowledge worth sharing can conduct webinars – regardless of industry or company size. From tax advisors to fitness trainers to bakers – everyone can monetize their knowledge online. The most important things are having specific expertise, communication skills, and access to a professional webinar platform that supports you technologically.
Who will succeed with webinars:
- Industry experts: consultants, advisors, specialists
- Trainers and coaches: personal, business, sports development
- B2B companies: product demonstrations, customer training
- Educators: online courses, certifications, workshops
- Anyone with unique knowledge: from hobbies to advanced specializations
How much can you earn from webinars?
The earning potential of webinars is impressive – record holders earn up to €33,350 on training series or €29,900 on individual conferences. For example, a coaching conference organizer earned €22,103 on a live webinar for 881 people, then an additional €8,782 selling 350 on-demand tickets. Success depends on content quality, promotion, and systematic action.
Real webinar earnings:
- Individual events: from thousands to tens of thousands of euros
- Training series: up to €33,350 annually
- Online conferences: over €29,900 per event
- Certified courses: steady income from automation
- Lead generation: long-term value through follow-up sales
What features are most important in a webinar platform?
A professional webinar platform must offer a complete set of tools: screen and presentation sharing (the foundation of every webinar), interactive features like chat and Q&A (build engagement), recording and automation (scalability), and branding and integrations (professional image). Choose a solution that doesn’t require additional software installation and works in browsers.
Must-have platform features:
- Presentation and screen: slides, video, application sharing
- Interaction: chat, Q&A, polls, virtual whiteboard
- Automation: automated webinars, reminders, recordings
- Personalization: branding, registration pages, waiting room
- Analytics: attendance statistics, conversions, reports
How to prepare an effective webinar?
Webinar success depends on three pillars: valuable content (solve specific audience problems), professional promotion (effective registration page and email campaign), and engaging presentation (interactions every 5-7 minutes, practical examples). Plan an agenda with clear benefits, prepare additional materials, and always end with a strong call-to-action that leads to the next step in the sales funnel.
Effective webinar plan:
- Preparation: clear objectives, agenda, supporting materials
- Promotion: attractive registration page, multi-channel campaign
- Delivery: interactions, practical examples, Q&A
- Follow-up: recording, additional materials, CTA
- Analysis: statistics, feedback, future optimization
How to increase webinar attendance?
You’ll achieve high attendance through a thoughtful communication strategy: send a series of reminders (day before, hour before, 15 minutes before), create an attractive waiting room with introductory materials, and ensure a value proposition that clearly communicates participation benefits. Typical attendance is 35-60%, but effective promotion and reminders can significantly increase it.
Attendance-boosting tactics:
- Reminders: automated email and SMS sequences
- Waiting room: preliminary materials, countdown, participation rules
- Value proposition: specific benefits, agenda, expert bio
- Timing: optimal days and hours for target group
- Social proof: references, number registered, expert opinions
Are webinars secure and GDPR compliant?
Professional webinar platforms ensure full security and GDPR compliance. When choosing a solution, check security certificates (ISO), data transmission encryption, personal data protection law compliance, and access control capabilities (passwords, tokens). Always inform participants about recording and collect appropriate marketing consents at registration.
Webinar security elements:
- Encryption: secure audio and video transmission
- Access control: passwords, tokens, participant moderation
- GDPR: privacy policy, consents, right to data deletion
- Moderation: chat filtering, user blocking
- Audit: activity logs, security reports
How to automate webinars?
Webinar automation is the key to scalable online business. Create an automated webinar from recorded material, set up a timeline with interactions (polls, CTAs) at precise moments, and configure automatic sends and follow-ups. This allows earning 24/7 without your presence, while participants receive a consistent experience every time. One recorded webinar can generate revenue for years!
Benefits of automation:
- Scalability: 24/7 events without your participation
- Consistency: identical experience for every participant
- ROI: one-time work effort, multiple returns
- Testing: ability to optimize elements
- Follow-up: automated sales sequences
What materials support webinars?
Valuable additional materials significantly increase webinar value: workbooks with exercises (active engagement), checklists and templates (immediate application), downloadable presentations (reference), knowledge tests (gamification), and event recordings (long-term access). Materials should complement, not duplicate webinar content – create a value ecosystem around the main event.
Types of supporting materials:
- Workbooks: interactive exercises, note-taking spaces
- Templates: ready solutions for implementation
- Checklists: step-by-step guides
- Presentations: slides for download and later use
- Tests: knowledge verification, completion certificates
Ready to start your webinar adventure? Everything you need for success can be found in ClickMeeting – from professional presentation tools to advanced automation. Test the platform for free and see how easily you can create your first webinar that attracts participants and brings tangible benefits to your business!
BASIC CONCEPTS
Attendance
Attendance is the percentage of attendees relative to registrants, signaling promotion quality and topic attractiveness. Typical target is 35-60% depending on industry, with influence from reminders, day/time, and invitation segmentation.
Key attendance features:
- Industry target: 35-60% as orientation benchmark
- Reminder influence: pre-event communication effectiveness
- Event timing: optimizing days of week and hours
- Segmentation: higher attendance in targeted groups
- Promotion quality: communication fit indicator
Participation time
Participation time shows how much time participants actually spent in the webinar room. This is a measure of form and pace fit to audience, correlating with content quality and helping in agenda redesign.
Key participation time features:
- Quality correlation: direct relationship with content value
- Interactions and rhythm: engaging elements impact on retention
- Agenda redesign: data-driven structure optimization
- Presentation pace: adaptation to reception capabilities
- Critical points: identifying attention drop moments
Lead / Potential customer
A lead is a person who left data during registration or during webinar through CTA and enters follow-up activities. Requires lead scoring, CRM/marketing automation integration, and quick follow-up to increase conversion chances.
Key lead features:
- Lead scoring: engagement and potential assessment
- System integrations: CRM and marketing automation
- Quick follow-up: increasing conversion chances
- Behavioral segmentation: based on webinar activity
- Long-term value: relationship building and nurturing
Conversion
Conversion is the percentage of people who performed desired action – purchase, demo, registration. This is a key KPI for sales webinars, measuring CTA and offer effectiveness and requiring variant testing and social proof.
Key conversion features:
- Effectiveness measure: CTA and value proposition efficiency
- Post-webinar landing: sales funnel continuation
- Follow-up strategy: lead nurturing after event
- Variant testing: A/B testing different approaches
- Social proof: utilizing social evidence
AUTOMATION AND INTEGRATIONS
Automation
Automation eliminates repetitive tasks through automatic recording publication, message sending, and CTA and poll display according to script. Enables scaling without team participation and integration with marketing funnel.
Key automation features:
- Scaling without team: reducing manual operational work
- Experience consistency: standard processes for everyone
- Funnel integration: automatic flow in marketing funnel
- Recording publication: automatic material sharing
- Follow-up communication: automatic post-event sequences
Timeline (Automated timeline)
Timeline is an automated webinar script containing sequence of video, polls, CTAs and messages at precise moments. Offers display accuracy, testing and optimization possibility, and effect repeatability.
Key timeline features:
- Display precision: accurate timing of interactive elements
- Testing capability: A/B testing different variants
- Effect repeatability: standard experience
- Planned sequence: video, polls, CTAs in schedule
- Optimization: continuous improvement based on data
Integrations
Integrations are connections with business tools – CRM, email, payments, calendars, social media. Ensure automatic lead flow, segmentation and personalization, and end-to-end reporting.
Key integration features:
- Automatic lead flow: direct data transmission
- Segmentation and personalization: targeted communication
- Comprehensive reporting: full sales funnel picture
- Business systems: CRM, email marketing, payments
- Data synchronization: real-time updates
API
API is programmatic access to platform functions – creating events, managing participants, downloading reports. Enables automation at system level, flexible enterprise implementations, and SSO and IT policy compliance.
Key API features:
- System automation: programmatic management
- Flexible implementations: enterprise needs adaptation
- SSO and compliance: IT security policy compliance
- Event creation: automatic webinar generation
- Report downloading: integration with analytics systems
Sub-accounts / Roles
Sub-accounts and roles are access and responsibility management in team through function assignment: host, presenter, moderator, participant. Ensures operational order, activity audit, and task delegation.
Key role system features:
- Operational order: clear team responsibilities
- Access security: permission control
- Activity audit: user activity tracking
- Task delegation: responsibility division
- Permission hierarchy: different access levels
SECURITY AND PRIVACY
GDPR
GDPR defines personal data processing rules, legal bases, and information obligations and individual rights. Requires privacy policy, marketing communication consents, and data processing agreements with suppliers.
Key GDPR features:
- Privacy policy: data processing transparency
- Data scope: collected information minimization
- Marketing consents: follow-up communication basis
- Processing agreements: supplier compliance
- Individual rights: data access, correction, deletion
Recording consent
Recording consent is information and legal basis for participant image/voice recording. Requires clear communication before start, markings in room and invitations, and recording retention policy.
Key recording consent features:
- Clear communication: information before beginning
- Markings everywhere: webinar room and invitations
- Retention policy: recording storage time
- Legal basis: consent or legitimate interest
- Transparency: clear recording purpose communication
Password / Access token
Password and access token are additional protection layer against unauthorized participation. Includes unique links and codes, sharing control, and access expiration/revocation capability. Allows participation limitation to specific audience group.
Key access security features:
- Unique identifiers: links and codes for each participant
- Sharing control: access transfer limitation
- Automatic expiration: time-limited validity
- Access revocation: permission cancellation capability
- Participant segmentation: different access levels
Chat moderation
Chat moderation is a set of tools for content filtering, spam blocking, and user muting. Includes banned word lists, moderator-only mode, content reporting and removal, and netiquette rules for participants.
Key moderation features:
- Automatic filtering: word lists and spam detection
- Moderated mode: message publication control
- Content reporting: participant reporting capability
- Message removal: quick response to unwanted content
- Netiquette rules: participant guidelines
Roles and permissions
Roles and permissions are precise capability assignment in webinar room – turning on cameras, screen sharing, poll publishing. System based on minimal permissions as standard, quick role change during event, and responsibility audit.
Key permission system features:
- Minimal permissions: secure access standard
- Role change during event: flexibility during event
- Activity audit: activity and responsibility tracking
- Precise functions: specific capability control
- Access hierarchy: different permission levels
ADVANCED APPLICATIONS
Simultaneous translation
Simultaneous translation realized through external audio mix and RTMP enables multilingual events. Requires independent language channels, production team coordination, and audio testing before live transmission.
Key translation features:
- Independent language channels: separate audio tracks for each language
- Production coordination: technical team collaboration
- Audio testing: quality verification before event
- External mix: professional production software
- Multilingual support: global content accessibility
Mass events (webcasts)
Mass events are scaled transmissions for very large audiences with emphasis on stability and quality. Require technical regime and redundancy, offer Full HD/low latency, and support team and emergency plan.
Key webcast features:
- Technical regime: advanced infrastructure and redundancy
- Premium quality: Full HD and low transmission latency
- Support team: dedicated support during event
- Emergency plan: backup procedures for problems
- Massive scaling: handling thousands of participants simultaneously
Workshops and education
Workshops and education are practice-oriented sessions in small groups using breakout rooms, whiteboard, and shared screen. Have structure: introduction → group work → summary, offer downloadable materials, final tests, and participation certificates.
Key educational workshop features:
- Three-phase structure: introduction, group work, summary
- Additional materials: resources for download and further learning
- Final tests: knowledge absorption verification
- Participation certificates: completion confirmation
- Practical work: exercises and group projects
Ready for webinar success?
Now you know all the key concepts from the webinar world! This complete dictionary is your roadmap to professional online event hosting – from basic functions to advanced monetization strategies.
Want to move from theory to practice? Test ClickMeeting for free and see how easily you can create your first professional webinar. All the described features are waiting for you in one, intuitive platform!
Presenter / Speaker
A presenter is the person conducting the webinar who presents materials, moderates interactions with participants, and answers their questions. They can collaborate with other speakers, passing them the floor at appropriate moments, and control the entire session flow. This is a key role responsible for the substantive side of the event and its dynamics.
Key presenter features:
- Material management: slide control, video, screen sharing
- Audience interaction: answering questions and comments
- Team collaboration: ability to transfer permissions
- Pace control: keeping to agenda and event rhythm
- Building engagement: shaping webinar atmosphere
Host (organizer)
A host is a person with full administrator permissions who plans, configures access, and manages all aspects of the event. Responsible for creating registration pages, assigning roles, managing recording, chat, and security. This is a strategic role overseeing the technical and operational side of the webinar.
Key host features:
- Event creation: designing registration and access parameters
- Role management: assigning team permissions
- Recording control: decisions about registration and publication
- Quality oversight: monitoring progress and moderation
- Final responsibility: for technical event success
Participant
A participant is a person taking part in the webinar who consumes content and engages in interactions. Depending on format, they may turn on camera and microphone (meetings) or use only chat and Q&A (webinars). They have access to various interaction tools and post-event materials.
Key participant features:
- Participation modes: passive (webinar) or active (meeting)
- Interaction tools: chat, polls, Q&A, reactions
- Multi-platform access: computer, tablet, smartphone
- Additional materials: recordings and resources (if provided)
- Personalization: ability to customize interface
Webinar room
A webinar room is the virtual event space with audio/video modules, presentation, chat, and interactive tools. It works in browsers and mobile apps, offering modular structure adapted to different formats and participant roles. This is the technical environment where the entire event takes place.
Key webinar room features:
- Modular structure: configurable video, slide, chat sections
- Format support: webinars, meetings, workshops
- Privacy settings: access and branding control
- Compatibility: works on all devices
- Personalization: layout adaptation to needs
EVENT TYPES
Live webinar
A live webinar is a real-time session with active interaction between presenter and participants. Works best for product launches, sales webinars, and training requiring discussion. Offers high engagement through ability to respond to audience needs in real-time.
Key live webinar features:
- Real-time interaction: chat, Q&A, polls with immediate responses
- High engagement: spontaneous reactions and authentic connection
- Content flexibility: adaptation to audience reactions
- Unique experience: each event is unrepeatable
- Recording capability: preserving valuable content
On-demand webinar
An on-demand webinar is a shared webinar recording available for viewing at any time. Ideal for scaling reach and passive lead generation without time constraints. Participants can watch at their own pace, pause and rewind content as needed.
Key on-demand webinar features:
- 24/7 access: viewing at any time and place
- Viewing flexibility: pausing, rewinding, multiple plays
- Global scalability: no time or geographical limitations
- Built-in CTAs: integrated forms and action buttons
- Evergreen content: ideal for timeless materials
Automated webinar
An automated webinar is an event played according to a script without live presenter participation. The system automatically displays video materials, polls, and CTAs according to a programmed timeline. Optimal solution for repetitive content and team time savings.
Key automated webinar features:
- Timeline script: precise element display according to schedule
- Resource savings: no need for personal presentation
- Consistent flow: identical experience every time
- Testing capability: A/B testing different elements
- Planned interactions: polls and CTAs on timeline
Online meeting
An online meeting is an interactive format where many participants can turn on cameras and microphones. Preferred for workshops, teamwork, and consultations. Enables two-way communication and breakout room work for smaller groups.
Key online meeting features:
- Two-way communication: everyone can speak audio-video
- Equal participation: similar rights for all participants
- Collaboration tools: breakout rooms, shared whiteboards, screen sharing
- Small and medium groups: optimal size for interaction
- Workshop character: ideal for exercises and discussions
Paid webinar
A paid webinar is an event requiring payment for access, enabling monetization of training and premium content. Participants buy virtual tickets, filtering the audience to the most interested. Offers payment system integrations and promotional code creation.
Key paid webinar features:
- Knowledge monetization: direct earning from expertise
- Tickets and donations: various pricing models and promotions
- Payment integrations: Stripe, PayPal, PayU
- Offer segmentation: different access levels
- Premium experience: higher quality content and service
INTERACTION AND ENGAGEMENT
Chat
Chat is live text communication between presenter and participants, used for asking questions, reactions, and announcements. Offers moderation tools, ability to use emojis and links, and pinning important messages. This is a channel supporting FAQ and moderated discussion.
Key chat features:
- Real-time communication: immediate thought exchange
- Moderation tools: content filtering, spam blocking
- Expression elements: emojis, links, formatting
- Message pinning: highlighting important information
- FAQ support: answers to frequent questions
Q&A (Questions and answers)
Q&A is a dedicated module for collecting and organizing questions, facilitating clear answer sessions. Allows categorization and marking of questions, offers view of only questions (without chat noise), and ability to respond in writing or verbally.
Key Q&A features:
- Content segregation: only questions, without chat communication
- Question categorization: marking and prioritizing
- Dual responses: verbal during live and written
- Quality moderation: filtering by organizer
- Questions-only view: without communication noise
Polls and surveys
Polls are quick audience questions during events that help research needs and maintain participant attention. Offer real-time results, multiple question types, and detailed post-event reports.
Key poll features:
- Real-time results: immediate voting results
- Format variety: multiple choice, scales, open responses
- Needs research: learning audience preferences
- Attention maintenance: interactive element engaging participants
- Post-event reports: detailed response analysis
Quizzes / Tests
Quizzes are knowledge-checking tools, particularly useful in educational webinars and compliance training. Offer single and multiple choice questions, immediate feedback, and gamification and certification elements.
Key quiz features:
- Knowledge verification: questions testing material understanding
- Immediate feedback: information about answer correctness
- Gamification: scoring, rankings, competitions
- Certification: ability to issue certificates
- Game elements: timers, difficulty levels
CTA (Call-to-Action)
CTA is a call to action during or after a webinar – a button or message encouraging specific action. Can lead to registration, material download, demo booking, or purchase. Offers precise display timing and measurable effects.
Key CTA features:
- Precise timing: display at optimal moments
- Click measurability: detailed conversion statistics
- Various action types: registrations, downloads, purchases, demos
- System integration: connection to landing pages
- Targeting: adaptation to audience segments
Whiteboard
Whiteboard is a shared space for live drawing and annotation, useful for explaining processes, diagrams, and conducting exercises. Enables individual or group work, offers various creation tools, and ability to save and share results.
Key whiteboard features:
- Real-time drawing: creating diagrams on the fly
- Group work: co-creation by participants
- Creation tools: various colors, shapes, texts
- Work saving: exporting results to files
- Marking and notes: annotations to presented content
TECHNICAL FEATURES
Screen sharing
Screen sharing is real-time presentation of selected application, window, or entire desktop. This is a basic tool for product demos and technical training. Allows source selection, system audio transmission, and requires work environment preparation.
Key screen sharing features:
- Source selection: specific window, application, or entire desktop
- System audio: computer audio transmission
- Quality control: resolution adjustment
- Environment preparation: notification disabling
- Real-time demo: showing step-by-step processes
Recording
Recording is event progress registration for later publication, enabling content library creation and on-demand mode. Offers various recording layouts, editing and download versions, and requires appropriate consents and recording notifications.
Key recording features:
- Various layouts: presenter video, screen, slide combinations
- Usage versions: files for editing and direct publication
- Complete registration: audio, video, presentations, interactions
- Legal consents: notifications and required participant consents
- Content library: building educational resources
Live streaming (RTMP)
Live streaming is transmission to external services via RTMP or using production software. Enables full audio-video mix control, simultaneous translation addition, and reach scaling with technical redundancy.
Key live streaming features:
- Full production control: mixing cameras, audio, graphics
- External platforms: YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook
- Production software: OBS, vMix for advanced production
- Simultaneous translation: support for multilingual events
- Technical redundancy: backup systems and reach scaling
Multistreaming
Multistreaming is simultaneous broadcasting to multiple social platforms or own RTMP server. Maximizes reach without additional presenter work, ensures consistent message across platforms, and enables unified transmission status monitoring.
Key multistreaming features:
- Simultaneous channels: transmission to multiple platforms at once
- Consistent message: identical content everywhere
- Central monitoring: one control panel
- No additional work: efficiency for presenter
- Various platforms: YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, own servers
Breakout rooms
Breakout rooms divide sessions into smaller working rooms for group work, exercises, and discussions. Enable creating multiple rooms, manual or automatic participant assignment, and host management with broadcast and time control functions.
Key breakout room features:
- Multiple room creation: from few to dozens of spaces
- Participant assignment: manual or automatic division
- Host management: time control, broadcast, monitoring
- Group work: ideal for exercises and team projects
- Return to main room: automatic or manual
Social media streaming
Social media streaming is built-in connections to popular social platforms directly from event room. Offers simple setup without additional tools, brand awareness increase, and collaboration with platform live schedules.
Key social streaming features:
- Simple setup: without additional tools and configuration
- Awareness increase: building social proof
- Popular platforms: Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn
- Live schedules: collaboration with platform calendars
- Organic reach: utilizing social media algorithms
ORGANIZATION AND PROMOTION
Registration page (Landing page)
Registration page is a dedicated webinar signup page whose quality affects participant numbers and leads acquired. Should contain clear value proposition, social proof, and minimal friction in registration process.
Key registration page features:
- Clear value proposition: topic, benefits, agenda
- Social proof: speaker bio, references, reviews
- Minimal friction: simple fields to fill
- Conversion design: layout optimized for registrations
- Responsiveness: works on all devices
Registration form
Registration form collects contact data and consents, enabling segmentation and communication personalization. Should contain only essential fields for conversion maximization and GDPR and marketing consents with CRM integrations.
Key registration form features:
- Only essential fields: conversion maximization
- GDPR consents: privacy policy, legal compliance
- Marketing integrations: CRM and email marketing
- Lead segmentation: personalization questions
- A/B testing: variant optimization
Invitations and reminders
Invitations and reminders are pre-webinar communication increasing attendance and participant readiness. Includes email and SMS sequences, time-interval reminders, and A/B testing of subjects and sending times.
Key reminder campaign features:
- Communication sequences: email and SMS at optimal moments
- Time reminders: day/hour/15 minutes before
- A/B testing: subject and timing optimization
- Expectation building: communicating participation value
- Technical instructions: access links and guidelines
Waiting room
Waiting room is the screen visible before event start that prepares participants and reduces uncertainty. Can contain agenda, participation rules, countdown timer, and links to preliminary materials and recording information.
Key waiting room features:
- Agenda and rules: participant preparation
- Countdown timer: countdown and organizational information
- Introductory materials: links to additional resources
- Recording information: legal notifications
- Event branding: consistent visual identification
Profile page (organizer/speaker)
Profile page is where organizer and speaker competencies and achievements are presented. Contains biography, photo, resource links, and builds trust and conversion through expert branding consistency.
Key profile page features:
- Bio and competencies: experience, achievements, specialization
- Professional photo: building visual trust
- Resource links: portfolio, social media, certificates
- Trust building: references, reviews, case studies
- Consistent branding: alignment with personal/company brand
ANALYTICS AND BUSINESS PURPOSE
Event statistics
Event statistics are a set of metrics about participant behaviors and promotion effectiveness, forming the basis for optimization. Include registrations vs attendance, average participation time, interest peaks, CTA clicks, and traffic sources.
Key statistics features:
- Registrations vs attendance: no-show indicator
- Average participation time: content engagement measure
- Interest peaks: identifying best moments
- CTA clicks: measuring call-to-action effectiveness
- Traffic sources: promotion channel effectiveness analysis
Loading...
