6 Ways to Boost Online Event Registration
1. Choose the right day and time for your audience. It seems like a simple point, but if you're offering an online event on the right day for your audience, registration will go up. For example, generally, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. are the best days and times for scheduling webinars. But again, that's a general rule, which means there will always be exceptions.
So how do you figure it out? Well, if it's your first webinar, these days and times are a good place to start (unless you have compelling evidence that suggests otherwise). If you have multiple events under your belt, look at attendance over specific days and times. Which worked best? Did you ask people in your post-event evaluation? (If not, you should.)
2. Create a website landing page that won't allow your prospects to click away before registering. If it's your first online event, look at other marketing materials or programs that converted well for you. How was the copy written? What did the design look like? What was the call to action and how was it worded? Create a landing page that uses elements of what's worked in the past.
If you've conducted events like webinars before, look at the stats. Which landing page performed best? Ask yourself why. Make this your control, but now create a second landing page (completely different from the control) and conduct a split test. See which one converts better. The control might pass muster, or the second landing page might become the new control.
Tip: Consider hiring a professional copywriter to write your landing page's content. But be sure to check out the writer's credentials. Ask to see examples of writing that boosted online conversions (it doesn't necessarily have to be for online events either).
3. Remember the registration page. The landing page and the registration page are two different things. The landing page sells your online event. Its goal is to get site visitors to click on "Register Now." The registration page is where these folks end up after they click that button. The last thing you want is for people to abandon this page because it's confusing or it doesn't work.
Testing is critical, and not just once. You should be testing the registration page regularly during the registration period. Technology hiccups. If it worked fine last Tuesday, that doesn't mean it's going to be working flawlessly next Friday.
Tip: Be mindful of bounce rates. If you have a lot of traffic to your registration page, but you don't have a reasonable percentage of registrations based on the traffic number, then something is wrong. It could be the copy, the form itself, or something technical.
4. Shout the VALUE from the rooftops. In contemporary terms, this means making sure you promote your event's value across ALL channels you're involved in: Twitter, Facebook fan page, blog, LinkedIn, website, email newsletter list, networking organizations (Chambers, BNI), and even your own personal email list.
Yeah, you're probably thinking, this is a no-brainer. Okay, but how strategic are you in planning your "shouting from the rooftop" activity? Tweeting once is not enough. Tweeting the same day you write a blog article, do a status update on Facebook, and send out your email newsletter might be overkill. Then again, it might not. But you won't know unless you and the thought leaders in your organization discuss and implement a strategy.
Tip: Remember, think value. What will attendees get out of your webinar? Think of your audience members, think of their pain points, and think of a concrete high-value benefit the person will get from attending. Simply saying you're having a webinar on successful tax planning strategies isn't enough. Saying you're having a webinar that will simplify tax planning to one hour a quarter for small business owners shows a real concrete benefit.
5. Offer two-for-one registration. How does the old saying go? Every person knows at least 250 people. Well, if one person is interested in your event, chances are he or she knows someone else who is. If you're charging for your event, this is a great way of getting bodies in the virtual room (upping your odds of a conversion down the road).
6. Use a coupon code incentive. If you're charging for the event, the coupon can be for a discount. If you're offering a free event, the code can be for some other incentive, like access to premium content or a free thought paper.
Tip: Use different coupon codes for different mediums. So you'd offer Facebook fans one coupon code and your email list another coupon code. This allows you to easily identify which medium is converting best.
Do you have a creative way to boost registration? We'd love to hear about it. Email me now.