17 B2B Webinar Ideas to Drive Growth in 2024 (with Examples)
Who says B2B webinars have to be boring? Picture this: your next webinar is packed with viewers. They’re blowing up the chat with questions. Your boss is impressed. That's not just possible; it's doable with the right B2B webinar ideas. In this article, we’ll show you 17 cool B2B webinar ideas to drive growth in 2024.
What are B2B webinars?
91% of B2B professionals prefer webinars over other formats. And here's why—they work.
B2B webinars are online workshops or presentations for businesses. They’re not just lectures. You can interact, answer questions live, and connect with your audience.
Suppose you're promoting a real estate investment software platform. Instead of trying to reach potential customers one at a time, you can speak to many with a webinar.
Here are the 17 ideas for B2B webinars:
- Emerging industry trends webinars
- Regulatory changes and compliance webinars
- Masterclass series
- Certification and training workshops
- Introducing a new tool
- New product launch webinars
- Product mastery webinars
- Scheduled product demo webinars
- Case study webinars
- Q&A webinars
- Product onboarding webinars
- Expert panel webinars
- Best practices webinars
- Interactive workshops
- Partnerships
- Hackathons and brainstorming webinars
- Virtual coffee breaks or happy hour webinars
Let's dive into a breakdown of each
Difference between B2B and B2C webinars
B2B webinars are typically more informative because their target audience is business professionals looking for solutions to specific challenges. B2C webinars, on the other hand, are often broader. They might aim to entertain a general audience.
That doesn’t mean your B2B webinar ideas have to be boring. Get content inspiration from B2C webinars as most of the tactics used there can be applied to B2B webinars.
Imagine launching a new fitness app. A B2C-style webinar might include a live demo or a fun quiz to keep the audience engaged. It could also be a free live group class. You can find ways to incorporate those into B2B webinar ideas.
It could be a live walk-through of your product mixed with a gameshow that everyone participates in. This way, you keep it lively and informative!
In the following sections, we’ll dive into specific B2B webinar ideas you can use in your business.
Create Engaging and Effortless Webinar Experiences
Start for free with up to 50 registrants. No credit card needed.
Start for freeIndustry Insight Webinars
These B2B webinar ideas are likely unique to your industry. Think to yourself “What’s going on in my industry that needs to be talked about?”.
Emerging industry trends webinars
Keep your finger on the pulse of your industry. Host B2B webinars on emerging trends and invite experts to engage your audience in a discussion.
For instance, if you host a webinar about using AI in everyday business processes, you might inspire your attendees with ideas. You could invite an industry leader to talk about how to stay ahead. Or you could even hold a panel discussion with tech experts, just like Contrast customer Census did.
They brought together industry legend Scott Brinker from chiefmartec.com, Darrell Alfonso from Indeed, and Boris Jabes from Census and Phil Gamache from the Humans of Martech podcast. They talked about how AI, cloud data, and new tech are changing marketing and data teams' work.
Regulatory changes and compliance webinars
Webinars on regulatory changes and compliance can be dry but important. Host a webinar session with a compliance expert to break down new regulations. Make it interactive and answer live questions.
By providing updates and training on industry-specific regulations, you'll position your business as a go-to resource. You'll build trust with your audience and show them that you are knowledgeable about the industry.
Skill Building and Professional Development
These B2B webinar ideas are audience-first. They’re all about providing real tangible value to them.
Masterclass series
A webinar masterclass series is all about digging deeper into specific skills that matter in your industry. Don't just skim the surface. This B2B webinar idea is all about going deeper into the subject matter.
Say you're targeting potential entrepreneurs. Host a webinar masterclass on different types of businesses they could build like B2B marketplaces or consumer apps. Share specific examples from experts with hands-on experience.
Take this masterclass from Gorgias for instance. They hosted a webinar using Contrast where they taught participants how to set up and manage a "Chat channel" from scratch. This included everything from basic to advanced customization, demonstrated live with a Q&A session.
Certification and training workshops
Certification and training workshops are a great way to bring new people into your audience. This B2B webinar idea is great for career development. Attendees learn and earn credits or certifications that help them build their professional profiles.
For example, a B2B webinar series on project management that ends with certification can improve attendees' resumes. Training webinars help attendees build their careers, which attracts more professionals.
For example, Contrast users, Let’s All Talk Mental Health, offer CPD certificates to professionals who attend their webinars.
Introducing a new tool
You can use B2B webinars to introduce a new tool or feature on the market. It doesn’t even have to be your own product. Host a webinar to introduce it, demonstrate how it works, and answer any questions live. You can educate potential users about the tool and show them its benefits in real time. Plus, you get a chance to see what people think and answer real concerns.
Having a feedback session is a win for both you and your audience as you'll build relationships by learning more about their needs. Also, you can generate leads and expand your business.
Here’s an example from Contrast users Figures. AI is impacting every industry in different ways. So they hosted a webinar covering its impact on compensation practices.
Product Demos and Innovation Webinars
These B2B webinar ideas get your product in front of more people.
New product launch webinars
Turn your new product launch into a webinar everyone will remember. Show off your latest features and innovations in real-time.
Be creative and make a splash. Show how your product works and tackle questions as they come up. Use visuals to clarify your points and keep everyone engaged. Throw in some humor and stories to make your presentation memorable. Wrap up with a clear call to action to get viewers to take the next step.
Product mastery webinars
Take your product support to the next level with this B2B webinar idea focused on mastering your product. These sessions are about getting to know your product better.
These webinars turn customers into experts, and by extension, ambassadors for your product. Use real-time demos and step-by-step guides to spark their interest.
Here’s a great example from RevOps Automated. They used Contrast to host a webinar about the nitty gritty of integrating HubSpot and Salesforce.
Scheduled product demo webinars
Why limit your product demo to one-time events? Set up a series of scheduled demos. You can run these weekly or monthly, letting potential customers try out your product. Contrast makes managing recurring webinars simple. It allows you to create and schedule them quickly, customize your branding, and access detailed analytics to measure engagement.
Scheduled product demo webinars give your potential customers more flexibility. They’re also a great way to announce updates or new features as they roll out. You can also track customer feedback and adjust your product accordingly.
Customer Engagement and Support
These B2B webinar ideas are all about engaging your leads and customers and getting them closer to your product.
Case study webinars
Show how your product is helping your clients. Real people getting real results will resonate with your audience. It's powerful.
Your audience sees what’s possible and thinks, "That could be me”. This encourages them to take action and invest in your product.
Here’s an example from one of our customers. In this example, Airfocus is hosting a webinar to present a relevant case study to its audience.
Q&A webinars
Set up regular Q&A webinars to let your customers talk directly to the people behind your product. These sessions are gold as they give a chance to interact with the experts.
Customers can ask anything, from simple how-to’s to complex queries. And here's the best part: when customers see you're there to help, trust grows. They feel supported. This builds customer loyalty, driving higher sales and more referrals. And customers help spread the word if they feel supported.
This is a B2B webinar idea that’s often overlooked. Here’s an example from a webinar we hosted ourselves - obviously using our own product.
Contrast makes running engaging Q&A webinars a breeze. Our webinar platform lets you interact with your audience, boosting participation and satisfaction. You can highlight questions on screen with a click. You can also turn them into polls to increase audience engagement.
Product onboarding webinars
Product onboarding webinars help new customers get comfortable with your product. And they do it fast. In these webinars, you don’t just walk through the product. You show your customers how to get real value from it. This means showing them the features they’ll use most and answering their questions live.
These webinars save you time too. Instead of one-on-one meetings, you reach many customers at once. It also helps customers feel part of a community.
For example, check out this webinar from Contrat customer Metabase: Tour of Metabase for Beginners. This webinar walks new users through its features, helping them become proficient users.
Thought Leadership and Best Practices Webinars
These B2B webinar ideas are about promoting your company’s expertise and point of view.
Expert panel webinars
Expert panel webinars engage your audience by discussing current events and trends. To make your panel webinar successful, choose a topic that resonates with your audience. This keeps the conversation focused and valuable.
Host industry leaders with expertise and excellent communication skills. Make your webinar interactive with Q&A sessions. This will engage and involve participants.
Here’s an example of a panel hosted on Contrast by Women in Work US.
Best practices webinars
Webinars that focus on best practices help develop professional skills. Invite industry analysts to share actionable tips. To structure these webinars effectively, provide clear, concise content that addresses your audience's needs.
Start by outlining common problems your audience faces. For instance, you could ask questions like "What are the biggest challenges you are currently facing?" Or "What are the top three best practices companies should adapt?" to engage the audience.
Here’s an example of a best practices webinar hosted by one of our users - Escape.
Networking and community-building webinar ideas
These B2B webinar ideas are all about building a community around your company.
Interactive workshops
Interactive workshops are about teaming up and learning by collaborating together. Before the workshop, send out materials so everyone comes prepared.
Use digital tools like whiteboards and shared documents to let everyone chip in during the session. Break out into smaller groups if needed, so everyone can contribute. This setup makes it easier to manage and keeps everyone involved. Make sure your moderator is capable of keeping the session on track.
Here’s an example of an interactive workshop hosted on Contrast by the team at JigSpace.
Partnerships
If your company regularly partners up with others, think about running a webinar together. This can be mutually beneficial as it cross-promotes both companies and draws a big crowd. Choose topics that play to both your strengths. Sharing different perspectives can lead to exciting opportunities and insights for everyone watching.
For example, Linear hosted a webinar on Contrast with Meter to chat about using Linear's tools for better product planning.
Creative and Fun webinar ideas
These B2B webinar ideas are about getting creative and having some fun events. You’re not boring. So why should your webinars be?
Hackathons and brainstorming webinars
Want to get people together to solve problems and have fun at the same time? Try hosting a webinar as a virtual hackathon.
Pick a challenge that fires up people's imaginations and use a platform that lets everyone interact easily. Contrast is a great webinar hosting platform because it makes you feel like you're all in the same room. Make sure to include some chill time too, like a Kahoot session. This way, people can relax and share ideas casually, which can spark even more creativity.
Here’s an example of a hackathon kick off webinar. Webinars can be used throughout longer hackathons to kick things off, keep participants motivated, and recap results.
Virtual coffee breaks or happy hour webinars
Now, how about setting up a virtual coffee break or a happy hour? These are perfect for when you want to keep things light and easy. People can hop in, chat about whatever's on their minds, and connect over a cup of coffee or a drink.
This is similar to the water cooler experience but online and a great way to keep remote teams engaged.
Here’s an example of a virtual happy hour hosted by Professional Connector.
Conclusion
So, we've dished out 17 webinar ideas. They’re all about making connections that count. B2B webinars are more than just slides and talks. They’re your stage to interact, answer questions, and engage with your audience. Spice things up in the live chat using Q&As and polls. Use these sessions to show off new tools, share insights, and have a little fun.
If you’re looking for a tool to make running B2B webinars easier, we’ve got you covered. Just create a free Contrast account and test out all of our features for yourself. Want to see our software in action first? Just check out any of the videos on our webinar channel.
Create Engaging and Effortless Webinar Experiences
Start for free with up to 50 registrants. No credit card needed.
Start for free