Viewership of Webinars Averages 42 Minutes, According to 2018 Study

SAN FRANCISCO, June 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to new data released today by BrightTALK, the leading content and demand marketing platform, webinars are increasingly important for companies looking to influence their buyers and are evolving into a wider format of professional talks. Although live attendance is usually considered the key success metric for webinars, on-demand viewings of recorded webinar sessions are growing quickly and becoming just as important in attracting audience.

BrightTALK, which has been publishing webinar benchmark data since 2010, analyzed more than 14,000 webinars, 300 million emails, feed and social promotions, and a total of 1.2 million hours of engagement from the past year. This annual report helps B2B marketers compare their performance to those of their industries and see which practices lead to the greatest success.

BrightTALK's study offers insight into how to maximize distribution of webinar content, from optimal timing for promoting webinars to patterns of signups and viewership. The report also offers clues into the types of webinar content that attract the largest and most loyal audiences.

Among the report's key findings:

• In 2017, participants spent an average of 42 minutes watching each webinar -- a 27 percent increase year-over-year from 2016.
• Email conversions to webinar signups were up 31 percent from the previous year, a direct result of marketers' improved insights into audiences' preferred topics.
• Total volume of webinars on the BrightTALK platform increased 40 percent year-over-year, suggesting that webinars and professional talks are an increasingly essential tool in marketers' storytelling arsenals.
• Webinars are transforming into on-demand video content. Almost half of a webinar's viewing takes place in the first 10 days following the live event.

"This year's study clearly demonstrates the growing importance of conveying your company's story in an open and conversational format, be it a webinar, video panel, or interactive online talk," said Paul Heald, CEO and co-founder of BrightTALK. "As webinars continue to evolve, they are becoming an increasingly core part of the marketing mix. We will continue to develop new content formats and delivery tools that inform our audiences and delight our customers."

To access the full survey report, please visit http://go.brighttalk.com/BrightTALK_Benchmarks_Report.html.

About BrightTALK 
BrightTALK brings professionals and businesses together to learn and grow. More than 7 million professionals engage with more than 75,000 free talks and 1,000 online summits to discover new technologies, learn from trusted experts and enhance their careers. Thousands of businesses use BrightTALK's AI-powered content and demand marketing platform to grow revenue. BrightTALK was founded in 2002 and has raised more than $30 million in venture capital. Clients include Symantec, JP Morgan, BNY Mellon, Microsoft, Cisco, and Amazon Web Services.

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SOURCE BrightTALK