
Referrals are still one of the most effective forms of marketing. If an event is recommended by someone you trust, well, you are far more predisposed to go check it out than if all you’d seen about it previously was some random ad. This is particularly true of webinar promotion where a personal endorsement can significantly influence sign-up and turn-out.
Next, when discussing word of mouth webinar marketing, it’s more than assuming individuals will just naturally pass around your webinar. It’s strategic tactics to be able to incite and empower real recommendations from your audience, partners, and industry connections. In this all-in-one guide, you’ll discover exactly how to use word of mouth to fill your webinar seats and create lifelong audience relationships in the process.
And you’ll hear tried-and-true methods for building streams of organic sharing, utility from your established network, from influencers outside your reach, and simply content that people are happy to recommend.
Why Word of Mouth is Effective when it comes to Webinar Marketing
Individuals trust advice from friends, associates, and industry leaders more that they trust advertising. Studies repeatedly reveal 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people over brands. This trust element is what makes word of mouth such a powerful channel for webinar promotion.
If you know people have to invest a section of their time in attending a webinar wich is the same thing if have to invest a portion of your life in some documentary. Unlike clicking through to a blog post or watching a short video, joining a webinar is a bigger ask – pledging to focus for 30-60 minutes. This higher bar to commitment makes personal recommendations all the more important.
What’s more, referrals tend to get in better-quality people. If someone has actually been recommended to attend your webinar by someone they know, then the chances are they are going to be interested in what you have to share, and going to be more engaged with the content.
The Psychology Behind Webinar Recommendations
Once you know why people share webinar invitations, you can design your events to make them more shareable. People typically recommend webinars when:
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This topic deals with an issue they have had
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The speaker has some expertise that they respect
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They believe it will benefit someone in their own network
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The content promises actionable insights
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They want to be helpful and knowledgeable
Laying the Groundwork for Word of Mouth Success
Create Compelling Webinar Content
Your webinar has to offer real value; a topic and content to that end. People don’t suggest things that waste the time of their network. Focus on:
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Solving Actual Problems: Pick themes that your audience already has problems with and is searching for better ways to solve them.
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Give Them What They Need: Promise something useful they can use today.
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By Having Quality Speakers: Your speaker or presenter should be someone who has proven credentials in developing valuable content.
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Writing Catchy Titles: When crafting the title for your webinar, it’s important to both communicate the benefit while creating curiosity.
Optimize Your Registration Process
A painless registration process is the key to people finish signing up and share it to others. Keep the sign-up process simple, make the value proposition crystal clear and include all relevant information up front.
Develop Your Messaging Framework
Develop clear, consistent messaging that makes it simple for people to understand and share the value of your webinar. Develop:
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A compelling one-sentence description
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Key benefits and takeaways
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Speaker credentials and credibility markers
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Clear call-to-action language
Leveraging Your Existing Network
Engage Your Email List
Your email subscribers have already raised their hands for your content. Provide them early access to the registration and encourage sharing of the webinar:
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Invitations before the public is notified
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Early Bird Invitations
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Referral Bonuses
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Social Media and Email Copy Templates
Mobilize Your Social Media Followers
Your social shares of the event can generate massive traffic to your webinar from THEIR social media audience as well.
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Behind the Scenes: Post preparation process, interviews with speakers, or some sneak peeks for excitement.
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User Generated Content – get followers to tell you why they are looking forward to the webinar.
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Use Stories: Instead of posts, use stories and live features to generate some in-the-moment buzz.
Collaborate With Colleagues and Connections in the Industry
Professional connections can lead to some great webinar promotion potential:
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Cross-Promotion
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Speaker Networks
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Professional organisations
Influencer Marketing for Webinar Promotion
Collaborating with influencers can increase the reach and credibility of your webinar tenfold. The secret is in selecting the best influencers that influences share, and developing relationships that are mutual win-win.
Identifying the Right Influencers
Look for:
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Audience Fit
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Engagement Quality
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Content Relevance
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Authenticity
The Various Types of Influencers
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Micro-Influencers (1–100k followers)
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Industry Experts
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Macro-Influencers (100K+ followers)
Creating Successful Influencer Partnerships
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Guest Speaker Opportunities
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Affiliate Partners
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Content Creation
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Product Exchange
Strategies to Encourage Organic Sharing
Create Anticipation with Teaser Content
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Educational blog posts
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Teaser Videos
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Countdown Campaigns
Implement Referral Programs
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Signup Incentives
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Reward Tiers
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Recognition
Make Sharing Easy
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Social Media Buttons
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Copy/Paste Messages
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Graphics
Tap into FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
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Limited Seating
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Early Bird Bonuses
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Exclusive Material
Word of Mouth That Enhances Content Marketing
Educational Content Series
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Blog Post Series
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Podcast Appearances
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Video Draw
Community Building
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Discussion Panels
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Social Media Groups
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Professional Connections
Thought Leadership
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH: SURVEY OR STUDY
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Industry Commentary
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Guest Content
Measuring Word of Mouth Success
Registration Source Tracking
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UTM Parameters
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Referral Codes
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Sign Up Surveys
Social Media Monitoring
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Brand Mentions
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Hashtag Tracking
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Sharing Metrics
Engagement Metrics
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Quality of Recommendations
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Viral Coefficient
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Growth of Network
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Focusing Only on Quantity
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Neglecting Relationship Building
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Ignoring Negative Feedback
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Over-Promoting
Advanced Word of Mouth Strategies
Multi-Touch Campaigns
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Message Sequencing
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Promotion Across Platforms
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Orchestration of Influencers
Community-Led Promotion
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Ambassador Programs
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UGC
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Peer-to-Peer Networking
Real-Time Amplification
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Live Tweet
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