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Webinars: worth it?

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Webinars: worth it?

Webinars had their moment during the pandemic. We persist with them in 2025, but let’s take a moment to assess if they are still valuable to your association. 

On the plus side,

They are invaluable for data collection and insights. If your association is in growth mode you can acquire quality data on prospective and active members. 

The quality of analytics are far in excess of in person meetings, allowing you to track which issues and which people garner the most interest from your audience.   

You will reach more people with a webinar than any other in-person format. For multi-territory or global associations it might be your primary means of feeding information to your membership. 

However, 

Let’s be honest, they are not always engaging for the duration 

They can easily get pushed aside in the calendar. We’ve all thought that we can catch the recording later. Do we ever? 

You will be a second screen or a background soundtrack - especially since AI software can now take notes and summarise webinars for listeners

For your audience, the format is not always interactive and feels like one-way traffic. 

At Hexagon we think there’s definitely still a place for webinars in associations’ outputs. And they won’t trigger a trauma response of endless virtual meetings and digital fatigue, if they are done right.

Here are our 5 top tips for winning webinars for your association: 

1. You can get Three Bites of the Cherry

A webinar isn’t just a one-off event—it’s an opportunity for continuous engagement.Before: Tease it in advance, but don’t overdo the promotion. During: Live tweet key moments, use a hashtag, and create buzz. After: Record it, clip highlights, share them on social media, and email the full session to your list. Follow-up: Thank attendees and encourage continued discussion. If you’re using the webinar as prospective member development, do that follow up! Call and email your attendees and convert them.

2. Tone is Everything

Be conversational! A webinar isn’t a formal lecture, so keep the tone natural and engaging. Light-heartedness is okay, when appropriate, a bit of humor and personality can go a long way. But don’t force it – Inauthenticity is a major turnoff. Keep it real.

3. Keep It Visually Dynamic

People will zone out if your webinar is just talking heads in a grid. We’ve all done it. Instead, Consider an in-studio setup – Even if the audience is remote, your speakers don’t have to be. Choose the right format – Panels, fireside chats, or Q&A sessions keep things engaging. If you go with a panel, ensure it’s a real conversation, not just a series of individual statements.

4. Questions: Make Them Work for You

Audience interaction is key, but it needs structure. Encourage anonymous questions. Members may be hesitant to ask tough questions publicly, especially in competitive associations. Better yet, collect questions in advance – This ensures a smoother flow and more thoughtful discussion. The key to getting it right is having an experienced chair/facilitator who can move between different inputs and knows their subject matter. 

5. Ask Yourself: Why Are You Doing This?

Before you even start planning, consider: What’s the goal? – Is this a one-off webinar, a series, or part of a larger initiative? Why should people tune in? – What’s in it for them? Ensure you’re delivering value, not just another meeting.

Final Thoughts

Webinars can still be a powerful tool—if they’re done right. By focusing on engagement, format, and clear objectives, you can create an experience that’s genuinely valuable (and not just another digital obligation). Your association's webinars can become the thing your members and wider community look forward to, talk about and engage with!

Webinars had their moment during the pandemic. We persist with them in 2025, but let’s take a moment to assess if they are still valuable to your association. 

On the plus side,

They are invaluable for data collection and insights. If your association is in growth mode you can acquire quality data on prospective and active members. 

The quality of analytics are far in excess of in person meetings, allowing you to track which issues and which people garner the most interest from your audience.   

You will reach more people with a webinar than any other in-person format. For multi-territory or global associations it might be your primary means of feeding information to your membership. 

However, 

Let’s be honest, they are not always engaging for the duration 

They can easily get pushed aside in the calendar. We’ve all thought that we can catch the recording later. Do we ever? 

You will be a second screen or a background soundtrack - especially since AI software can now take notes and summarise webinars for listeners

For your audience, the format is not always interactive and feels like one-way traffic. 

At Hexagon we think there’s definitely still a place for webinars in associations’ outputs. And they won’t trigger a trauma response of endless virtual meetings and digital fatigue, if they are done right.

Here are our 5 top tips for winning webinars for your association: 

1. You can get Three Bites of the Cherry

A webinar isn’t just a one-off event—it’s an opportunity for continuous engagement.Before: Tease it in advance, but don’t overdo the promotion. During: Live tweet key moments, use a hashtag, and create buzz. After: Record it, clip highlights, share them on social media, and email the full session to your list. Follow-up: Thank attendees and encourage continued discussion. If you’re using the webinar as prospective member development, do that follow up! Call and email your attendees and convert them.

2. Tone is Everything

Be conversational! A webinar isn’t a formal lecture, so keep the tone natural and engaging. Light-heartedness is okay, when appropriate, a bit of humor and personality can go a long way. But don’t force it – Inauthenticity is a major turnoff. Keep it real.

3. Keep It Visually Dynamic

People will zone out if your webinar is just talking heads in a grid. We’ve all done it. Instead, Consider an in-studio setup – Even if the audience is remote, your speakers don’t have to be. Choose the right format – Panels, fireside chats, or Q&A sessions keep things engaging. If you go with a panel, ensure it’s a real conversation, not just a series of individual statements.

4. Questions: Make Them Work for You

Audience interaction is key, but it needs structure. Encourage anonymous questions. Members may be hesitant to ask tough questions publicly, especially in competitive associations. Better yet, collect questions in advance – This ensures a smoother flow and more thoughtful discussion. The key to getting it right is having an experienced chair/facilitator who can move between different inputs and knows their subject matter. 

5. Ask Yourself: Why Are You Doing This?

Before you even start planning, consider: What’s the goal? – Is this a one-off webinar, a series, or part of a larger initiative? Why should people tune in? – What’s in it for them? Ensure you’re delivering value, not just another meeting.

Final Thoughts

Webinars can still be a powerful tool—if they’re done right. By focusing on engagement, format, and clear objectives, you can create an experience that’s genuinely valuable (and not just another digital obligation). Your association's webinars can become the thing your members and wider community look forward to, talk about and engage with!