Hi Andrew

We've looked at running webinars a number of times. 

Our take so far has been that they're not as easy to do as it may seem. There are technology challenges (e.g. plug-ins, getting audio to work, synchronising slides, editing down and encoding content post event, ensuring bandwidth etc.). There are marketing and delegate management challenges (e.g. getting registrants to 'turn up', sending reminder e-mails).

All our costings to date have actually made a webinar (if done properly) as expensive to run as a real world event. Furthermore, all our evidence, and that of other publishers, suggests that the "turn up" rate for webinars (live attendees) is typically only around 20% which is far lower than for real world events where it is more like 50%-70%. 

So the cost/effort vs. return (measured by leads generated, data, sales etc.) just doesn't stack up that well.

There are a number of more positive elements to counter this which means we're keeping a watching eye on webinars:
- Longer term content value. We see the value in doing a webinar not in the live attendance but in the post-event 'attendance' i.e. look at the webinar as a way to create a piece of compelling and engaging content rather than as an event. You'll get much more value (I believe) out of the 'Long Tail' of attendees who'll continue to experience the content long after the event itself.
- Cultural shift. As more people get more comfortable with webinars I expect them to become more commonplace, cheaper to run, higher turn out rates etc.
- Improved bandwidth / technology. Rich media will become more commonplace etc.
- Brand / PR. There is still some brand and excitement value in doing something a bit new / a bit differently...

Let me know how it goes!

Regards

Ashley Friedlein
CEO, E-consultancy.com