How to Do a Webinar The Effective Way [Free Planner]

How to Do a Webinar The Effective Way [Free Planner] There are so many amazing ways of connecting content with your audience: video shows, podcasts, epic list posts, free resources, and yes, webinars. But when your workload is already full (and whose isn’t?), how do you add another marketing channel into the mix? In this post, I’m going to show you how to do a webinar the smart way when you already have heaps of work on your plate. But before you invest more time reading this, answer two questions (especially if you lead a marketing team): â€Å"Will webinars really increase sales and should my team invest in them?† I can’t answer that for you. But I can present a few stats to help you decide if they’re a worthy investment. How To Do A Webinar The Effective Way (Free Planner)Webinar Statistics Highlights According to a 2016 study  that analyzed 12,780 webinars: Webinars attract  an average of 233 attendees. Webinar viewers watch an average of 50 minutes. Watchtime has increased by 31.5 percent since 2010. â€Å"Question and answer† time is the most popular- and expected- form of interactivity. Of global attendees, 20 percent downloaded content, 7 percent submitted questions, and 31 percent responded to polls. Those numbers are a virtual all-you-can-eat buffet for marketers†¦ Naturally, we want in. Whether this is your first, or fiftieth, webinar, you’ll find value in the path-of-smartest  resistance we’re about to travel. Here’s what’s ahead. You’re going to: Learn how to host a webinar like a seasoned pro. Choose the best webinar software and tools for you. Learn how to record a webinar and promote the replay. Obliterate the technical barriers with step-by-step instructions + visuals. Get our free Webinar Planner  + Webinar Talking-Points Template + Email Follow-Up Template so you can work our proven process for hosting efficient, effective, and engaging webinars. Grab your free planner and templates so you can follow along. We’ll be using them throughout the post. Now, let’s crank out a crazy-good webinar, shall we? Use The MVP Approach To Knockout Your Next Webinar Our approach is dead simple; and we’ve written about it before. It’s called the â€Å"minimum viable project† (MVP) approach. It’s a play on the famed â€Å"minimum viable product† of The Lean Startup  fame. An MVP’s goal is to get you through a loop of â€Å"idea → ship → analyze† as quickly as possible. Our own Nathan Ellering  says it like this: â€Å"The idea behind a minimum viable project is to eliminate risk by helping you: Create and publish quickly, Measure your success, Learn to improve.† Our aim is to make your webinar an MVP. It’s to find the baseline that will produce the largest return from the  smallest amount of effort. Sounds nice, right? To do this, you’re going to do one of two things: Repurpose a piece of high-performing content  you already have; Or, repurpose a piece of content you’re going to create. For our purposes, we’re going to repurpose an existing piece of content. But if you’re going to opt for path number two and create something fresh, check out this post so you know exactly what your audience is dying to know  from you (it’s called your â€Å"content core†). Now, if you don’t know your top-performing pieces of content, you should start there. To snoop out your winners, you can of course use Google Analytics. One of my favorite ways, though, is using the analytics dashboard right inside of .   It’s a quick way to run a report of what content has performed the best on social media. To generate this report, start by logging into your calendar. Then, click on the â€Å"Analytics† icon on the left sidebar: From here you can run one of three reports. In this case, we’ll run the â€Å"Top Content† report: After our digital elves crunch your numbers, it will generate a report like the one below. In this case, you can see that our post, â€Å"How to Write Emotional Headlines That Get More Shares† has resonated well: Now, after 15 seconds of clicking, I have an incredible candidate for an MVP webinar topic. My audience is interested in this content. And even better, they believe their  audiences are interested too. I know this because they shared it with them. To further corroborate this, I can check out this post’s 30-day traffic in Google Analytics: Now, with just a few more seconds, I see that this post got 2,084 page views in the last 30 days and 1,126 unique visits- not bad for a post that’s over 6 months old. After 30 seconds of clicking around, I’m sold! (I know, easy sell right?) However, I’m really confident this topic will play well because not only do I have the traffic data on my site- but I see the social side as well. As you narrow down your webinar topic, I urge taking social stats into account alongside traffic to your article or blog post. Recommended Reading: The Best 30-Minute Content Marketing Brainstorming Process How To Do A Webinar: Our 4-Stage Approach Once you’ve landed on a subject, the rest is a matter of process. So we’re going to walk through the 4-stage approach we use for webinars at . We’ll cover each in detail, below. The stages are: Adaptation:  Adapt your top-performing content into a webinar. Promotion:  Get the word out so you have as many registrants as possible. Delivery:  It’s showtime- smile big, use the right tools, and have fun! Nurture:  Follow up, thank your new friends, give them gifts, and use their feedback to optimize for next time. Notice that this is exactly how your free MVP Webinar Planner  is organized. So make sure you download it and follow along! Stage 1: Adaptation There are five steps to adapting your content for a webinar: Decide what content you will repurpose as your MVP. Choose a webinar format. Adapt your content into a script. Create beautiful visuals. Craft a giveaway resource as an incentive to stick around, come back for more, and put your ideas to work. We can already cross step one off the list! We’re going to host a webinar on writing emotional headlines that people want to share. Boom. Step One: âÅ"… Format Now, we need to decide which format will work best for this webinar. Chances are you’ve attended a webinar or twelve and already have an idea. Search Engine Journal  has a nice roundup of webinar formats and explanations: Presentation:  This is one of the most common formats where a presenter shares a PowerPoint presentation and gives a rehearsed speech. It’s easy to create, but is also less engaging. Interview:  You can interview an expert either together on-screen, over the phone, or with a screen share. This format is engaging, but make sure you’re familiar with the guest in case they go off-script. QA:  This is similar to an interview, except the questions are coming from the audience, which will boost engagement. You can have guests submit questions beforehand so there’s enough content to fill the allotted time scheduled for the webinar. Panel:  Just like a live a panel, this is where you have several speakers discuss a certain topic. Panels are great for offering different perspectives and opinions from experts. Just make sure the panel members get along. Product demo:  If you have a product or service, this is a great format to increase leads and reach customers who are interested in making a purchase since you’re showcasing your product. In our case, a presentation or interview makes the most sense. Also, we can add QA breaks throughout and at the end. So, I could either interview the original author, our CEO Garrett Moon, or have him present. Alternatively, I can adapt his content into a presentation of my own. To keep things (and schedules) simple, I’ll take the risk of being a bore and prep a webinar where I present the content myself. To keep things engaging, I will also have opportunities for QA with my attendees. Otherwise... Step Two: âÅ"… Script Next, it’s time to adapt the actual content into my script, or talking points. The key here is to pull the main points and simply bullet-point them. You’re not creating a manuscript to read from. You’re creating an outline to talk from. In this case, it’s also worth revisiting the social media stats for insight into what people loved most about it. This post got CRAZY love on Pinterest- which is of course all about pics. As I read through the post to begin writing my script, I see some beautifully designed + highly informative images. Especially this one, with 180+ power words for writing emotional headlines (which you should share/download and start using in your work immediately!): I know that this needs to be a centerpiece to my presentation and will certainly become a part of my slide deck (more on that in the next step). Here’s where the â€Å"MVP Webinar Talking Points Template† comes in: This template is setup to map your existing content straight into a presentation webinar format. When you open it up, you’ll notice introductory content, and then five sections for each slide. We like to layout our content color coded like this: [Purple] = slide title [Black] = talking points [Blue] = links to copy/paste into webinar chat window [Green] = reminder to pause for questions (this can be every few slides) [Red] = transition statement so you can move seamlessly from one slide to the next From here, simply open up the template and use its structure to map your content into talking points, links to pertinent resources you want to mention, and transition statements. A great way to adapt your post into a script is to think about structure. For instance, the post I’m adapting  in this example breaks down into this structure: Hook:  After analyzing 5,556,914 headlines, we found the secret to writing headlines that spread like wildfire. The common denominator of the top-performing headlines was surprising. But numbers never lie: it’s all about a nerdy metric called the Emotional Marketing Value (EMV) score. â€Å"What’s in it for me?† statement:  The findings of our research allows you to predict the success of your headline before you ever hit publish. After implementing our findings, you can have complete confidence your headlines will get attention amidst the flurry of content online. You can be sure of this because we built a free tool called the Headline Analyzer  that scores your headlines and helps you improve them via empirical data. Thesis:  The key to effective headlines is in their emotional resonance- a metric called the Emotional Marketing Value (EMV) score. Body: Our findings:  We know this is true because we crunched the numbers and learned that posts with higher EMV get more shares every time. Why we trust our findings: We calculate a headline’s EMV based on accepted research dating back to the ‘60s and ‘70s- research corroborated across multiple languages. How the measurement works: There are three layers of emotional resonance: intellectual, empathetic, and spiritual. How to write better headlines: To start, use our free tool that will break your headlines down and show you exactly where to improve them. How sentiment impacts performance: You’ll notice positive headlines consistently outperform negative ones. Examples (before/after): Seven examples of poor headlines, how to rewrite them for optimal performance, and why. A process for writing emotional headlines: Write 25 headlines Calculate the EMV for each Cull the poor performers Amp up the emotion Publish, test your work, and evaluate to optimize Conclusion: An overview of what we covered. A succinct explanation of how it will help you. A clear call-to-action so the audience understands their next step. From this outline I can add bullet-points below each item to explain it. Those become my talking points and, as you’ll see in the next step, each point becomes a slide. Easy as pie because the hard work has already been done. ^That’s why this qualifies as an MVP project :) Your content will then drive the slide deck you design. And when you move through the process this way, your slide deck will be much easier because you’ll know exactly how many slides you need and what’s going to be on them. Recommended Reading: How to Repurpose Content And Make the Most of Your Marketing Step Three: âÅ"… Design Slide Deck Next, we like to actually sit down with Ashton, our designer, and walk through the outline with her. This is also a frictionless process because she’s the one who designed the post graphics. Now, we simply need to cover the content that needs to be on each slide and the presentation’s flow. If you don’t have the benefit of a professional designer, though, no problem! It’ll take a bit longer, but you can still use excellent tools like services like Slidesmash  or Canva  for free Powerpoint, Keynote, or Google Slides  templates, or Graphic River  for paid templates. If you’re doing this yourself, make sure to work through a guide like Canva’s â€Å"Presentation Design 101.† This article is an excellent primer on things like how much info to include per slide, how to choose great fonts, color palette choices, and more. This article walks through ten principles with an example slide presentation to illustrate each. Another helpful article is â€Å"The Know It All Guide To Color Psychology In Marketing.† This post walks you through the nuts-and-bolts of which colors go well together and why it matters. Step Four: âÅ"… Create A Free Giveaway Finally, it’s time to create a free giveaway for your webinar viewers. You can get pretty wild here- however, remember the reason behind this step. Your giveaway simply needs to help your viewers put what you taught them into action. Obviously, the format of your giveaway resource is largely dependent upon your content. In my example post, I would create a 3-part giveaway bundle like this. First, I’d include the â€Å"180+ Power Words For Writing Emotional Headlines† graphic I embedded above. It’s incredibly actionable and  easy to reference. So it will add value to anyone who wants to write shareable headlines. Second, I’d create a headline writing template in either Excel  or Google Sheets. The most helpful way to do this would be to take the five steps to writing emotional headlines (listed in the talking-points outline above) and give the viewers a place to work through each. It could look something like this: It covers the five steps working from left-to-right. This way, it gives the user an option of either using our tool (notice the link at the top of the sheet) or of working the process manually. Either way, it eliminates any additional prep work on their part. This allows them to simply fill in the blanks following a proven formula for success. When you create resources, the sure-fire way to make sure they’re helpful is to ask this question: â€Å"How can I help my audience implement the advice I’ve given?† Your giveaway resources should answer that question. Notice also that this example resource also serves a business purpose for . It offers them a simpler way to accomplish the task- using our tool- without forcing them to use it. They can get the same results using this resource, but it helps them see how much legwork our tool saves them. Now that my giveaway resources are finished, I can drop them into a file and then compress them into a .zip file. To do this, I simply right click on the desktop file and choose â€Å"Compress† (Mac) or â€Å"Send to Compressed† (Windows): Voila. I now have a solid 2-piece giveaway resource for my webinar viewers. And because it’s compressed, it’s ready to be emailed out or easily downloaded via a link. Step Five:   Ã¢Å"… Stage 2: Promotion Now that we’ve adapted existing content into a webinar format, it’s time to make sure we get people to register! Your strategy on this is highly dependent upon three factors: What size audience do you currently have? What segment of your current (or prospective) audience do you want to register? What budget can you allocate toward advertising your webinar? To get eyeballs on the screen, this stage has three steps: Create a landing page. Setup the webinar in your chosen software. Write and schedule your promotional emails (or messages). For our example, we’ll look at promoting to an existing audience. However, here’s a quick note on whether or not to invest in advertising your webinar. To decide if spending money on advertising, you obviously need to forecast what kind of return to expect- also called â€Å"Return on Ad Spend† (ROAS). ROAS is straightforward. To calculate it, simply divide the gross revenue your ad campaign generated by what it cost. So, if your campaign generated $5,000 in gross revenue and you invested $1,000 in ad spend, your ROAS = $5. [] This could also be expressed as 500 percent or a 5:1 ratio. You can also calculate this as revenue minus spend divided by spend. (e.g. $5,000-$1,000 = $4,000 → $4,000/$1,000 = $4 or 4:1.) Of course, if this is your first webinar, you don’t have the benefit of past metrics! As a guideline, when we test advertising on a new channel at , we set a budget of about $20 per day. Then we measure impressions, CTR, and ROAS before investing more heavily. Create A Landing Page Creating landing pages has become something of an art. But their core function is simply to act as a clear signpost and vehicle for conversions. For an in-depth strategy behind creating landing pages, check out this article  we published. For our purposes in this post, we’re going to cover how to set one up using a service like Unbounce  (though there are plenty others to choose from, including Leadpages  or Launchrock). The first thing to understand is that a landing page must include three basic elements: Headline Body Call-to-action Create an Unbounce account, then sign in. Once you’re in, it’s time to click on â€Å"Create New Page† to launch your first landing page: Next, you can opt to design a landing page from scratch- or easier- work from a template. In this case, Unbounce has magical templates designed specifically for webinar promotion. Choose â€Å"Webinar† in the templates column: Next, you’ll find a few pre-designed templates. Click on the one you like (I just went with the first one) from the selection. Then, enter the name of your landing page on the right-hand column of the interface. Then click â€Å"Start With This Template.† Now we’re into the fun stage- designing your page and writing your copy! Unbounce uses a standard WYSIWYG  interface that’s pretty straightforward. You can go as wild as you want here†¦Ã‚  But the bones are adding your headline, your body copy, and creating your CTA. Your flow will depend on your copywriting style. Maybe like you’re like the folks at Copyhackers  and believe you should start with the button  and write backwards from there†¦ Or dive headlong into writing an appetizing headline  like the Copyblogger  team suggests. Whatever your cup-o-tea, knock out your landing page content, then move onto the geeky integrations stuff so your CTA button has a place to send form info. Next, you can integrate your email service with Unbounce. Here are the directions for integrating with four major providers: Campaign Monitor Mailchimp Infusionsoft Constant Contact Now, everyone who opts-in via your landing page can be neatly organized into an email list ready to receive more info about the upcoming show! (If you can also go further in your analytical snooping with a Google Analytics integration  if you want more insight into your visitors.) Step One: âÅ"… Webinar Setup At this stage, we have our webinar content ready to roll. We have a sweet slide deck and a killer landing page hooked into our email service. Now it’s time to setup the webinar itself so you can officially begin promotion. However, this is where people often get hung up. Why? Because there are so many webinar platforms to choose from! In this example, I’ll be using Zoom, the platform we at use. Though there are plenty of solid choices like Livestorm  that you can test run for free. The big deal here is to stick to your basic needs and then jump into the tool. When you’re hosting a webinar, the main technical considerations you need to make are: How many viewers do I need to make room for? Will I be sharing my screen + a webcam feed of myself/presenters? Do I want the ability to record and replay the webinar? Will my viewers want the opportunity to chat, ask questions, and follow links? There are a bunch of other details to think through, but these are the main questions you need to answer so you adequately prep for showtime! Let’s walk through setting up a webinar in Zoom. To start, make sure to grab yourself an account by clicking on the â€Å"Sign up† button in the upper-right. Once you’re in, click â€Å"My Webinars† in the column at left, then the â€Å"Schedule a Webinar† tab at the top of the dashboard. From here, enter the deets like the webinar title, description, date/time, duration, timezone, whether you require viewers to register, and your video settings (these control whether or not viewers can see you and/or your co-hosts). When you scroll down, you’ll see more settings. Select your preferred audio and whether or not your viewers need a password to view (we like to let ‘em view as easily as possible). Also, notice you can choose to have the webinar start recording automatically- this is a really good idea so you don’t accidentally forget to record it. If it’s your first go ‘round, you’ll be surprised at how easy this is to do because you’re focused on so many different things at once. So make it easy on yourself and tick this radio button. And now, polish it off by choosing â€Å"Schedule.† Once scheduled, you’ll see your webinar’s rap sheet. This dashboard displays the info you input as well as your webinar ID (which you’ll want to keep handy for sharing and organization). Additionally, if you plan to reuse these settings, go ahead and select â€Å"Save this Webinar as a Template† for efficiency’s sake. Step Two: âÅ"… Sending Promotional Messages Next, there are two more essential tabs: â€Å"Invite Attendees† and â€Å"Email Settings.† And these bring us into the next step†¦ Sending those promo messages! The important item in the invitation tab is the â€Å"Registration URL.† You’ll want to grab this to share with your email list, on your website, and on your social channels. (And remember, if you selected the setting that requires individuals to register, they’ll need to visit this link to gain access.) The next tab to note is â€Å"Email Settings.† Here you can set reminder emails for everyone who registers. (Or, if you’ve added them to a segmented list via your email tool- like we do- make sure to schedule them now!) This is a great idea because it takes one more detail off your plate- and an important detail at that. So choose your settings using the â€Å"Edit† text to the right of each option. Once your webinar is set up and scheduled, it’s time to roll out the digital red carpet and promote it. Because your webinar may be outside of the norm for your content, I recommend approaching it as its own marketing project. If you’re a r, here’s how to painlessly setup and automate the entire thing! Recommended Reading: The Complete 16-Step Marketing Project Management Process (If you’re not a user, snag a free 14-day trial  to promote the heck out of your webinar and get as many eyeballs on the screen as possible 👀) Now, the promotional channels we use aren’t surprising: Landing page, Website, Email, Social media, Ads, And webinar partners. Landing page: We covered how to set up your landing page- now it’s time to make sure your registration link or email opt-in is correct. This is important because you’ll be sending all of your traffic here to convert traffic into an audience with your stellar CTA! Website: This is one of those, â€Å"Duh†¦ Of course we’ll post about it on our site†¦Ã¢â‚¬  line items. However, in the flurry of promotion, it can be easy to forget about this one until the last minute instead of posting ahead of time. Email: Get the word out through your email list- and get even more effective by listening to our conversation on getting bigger email marketing results  with Kim Courvoisier  from Campaign Monitor. Social media: As with all social media marketing, if you marry solid strategy  with awesome content, you can expect results. Our two favorite tools to make sure we get this right every time are: The free social message optimizer, which optimizes your messages for engagement and traffic. And the best time scheduling  feature, which uses a data-based algorithm to share pre-written social messages at peak-traffic times customized for every network. Ads: If you anticipate your webinar will drive business (which if you’re investing the time, I hope you do!)- test some ads on Google Adwords  or Facebook. Or whichever channel you get the most traction on. If you’re torn on where to allocate budget, here’s a nice breakdown of the difference between Adwords and Facebook ads. Webinar partners: Finally, if you’re co-hosting a webinar with an industry influencer, make sure to give them all relevant details so they can promote it on their channels as well. Also, if you play your cards right, you can use guest blogging  as a promo strategy. Alright, now that you’ve promoted your webinar like a pro, it’s time to execute. Recommended Reading: How to Promote Your Blog With 107 Content Promotion Tactics Step Three: âÅ"… Stage 3: Delivery As with any skill, practice makes perfect. To deliver the best webinar you can, it’s important to rehearse and prepare. To help you prepare well, this stage has five steps: Perform a dry run with your chosen webinar software. Account for show details. Show up early to say hello + press record. Invite questions and prioritize answering them. Log all feedback or unique questions for future use. There are a million articles  and tips  to become a great presenter  out there†¦ However, my favorite thing to do when I want to sharpen my presentation skills (which is always) is to watch phenomenal presenters and learn by example. For example, here’s one of my favorite Seth Godin  talks: Dry Run Once you’re sufficiently inspired, it’s time to login and test out your webinar tool. We’ll continue with Zoom. I suggest creating a test webinar using the steps outlined above. This way you have a pressure-free opportunity to test all of the buttons, features, and potential kinks. When your webinar window launches, you’ll see an interface like this (except with your face instead of mine): Here’s a quick rundown of the controls: Record toggle: This is the button you can select to start, pause, or stop your webinar recording. Mute mic:  This icon will mute your selected audio input- meaning viewers can see you, but they can’t hear you. Video stream control:  If you stop sharing video, a profile picture will be displayed and your audience can still hear you. Essentially, this is like â€Å"muting† video for an audio-only stream. Participant count:  This is the total number of viewers and panelists. (This number includes hosts and co-hosts.) QA box:  The question and answer function allows viewers to ask questions privately, outside of public chat. You then have the option to answer the question â€Å"on air† or privately via â€Å"text.† After the webinar is finished, you can download a log of these questions- which can be super helpful for analyzing how things went! Share screen:  This feature allows you to share your screen rather than your webcam. Remember, this means your audience sees exactly what you see. So ensure any private information like passwords or proprietary information isn’t open. Webinar chat:  This is the public chat available to everyone on the webinar. Additional options:  You will find additional options by clicking on the â€Å"More† icon. These include streaming live on Facebook or YouTube, and sending individual invitations to the webinar-in-progress. Once you’re comfortable with the interface, hit record and run through your presentation. This will allow you to practice your talking points, switch from being on-camera to narrating your slide deck, and then ending the webinar with style. (If you’re really hard core, record your run through and watch it back to make improvements or notes of sticky spots.) Step One: âÅ"… Account For Show Details Now that you’re comfortable in the tool, spend a few minutes double-checking the details. These may include: Recruiting help for chat and QA moderation during the webinar. Setting up your gear in a quiet and well-lit room. Exhibit A: li Have your earbuds or headphones handy to avoid an echo on the webinar audio. Mute your phone and onscreen computer notifications to avoid interruptions. Have your mic ready and plugged in. (You can use the built-in mic or upgrade to something a little nicer like a Samson C01U  like we use at .) If you decide to opt for an external mic, simply select the â€Å"Caret† icon next to â€Å"Mute† and choose your preference beneath the â€Å"Select a Microphone† title. Congrats- you’re ready to webinar with the best of them! PS: Don’t forget hair and makeup 🠤 ¡ Are you ready to webinar with the best of 'em? Get started here:Step Two: âÅ"… Show Up Early + Press Record Our rule of thumb is to log on 15 to 20 minutes early- especially when we’re co-hosting with multiple panelists. This gives us all the ability to ask final questions and ensure everyone’s equipment is working. Then, we take the webinar live about 5 minutes early for some banter with the early comers! This is where you can ask classic webinar questions like: â€Å"Where’s everyone from?† â€Å"How’s the weather where you’re at?† â€Å"What are you hoping to learn today?† â€Å"Can everyone see/hear us okay?† â€Å"What is the meaning of life?† ^ You know, to keep it light. This helps you warm up and connect with your audience while also giving you a final technical check to make sure all systems are go. Just don’t forget to press â€Å"Record† when you officially kick off the webinar. Now, it’ll be (mostly) smooth sailing to the end! Step Three: âÅ"… Invite Questions And Prioritize Answering Them When you’re live in a webinar, you naturally want to watch the clock and make sure you’re getting through your content quickly enough. However, as noted in the talking points template, make sure to give your viewers every chance to ask questions as you can. It’s tempting to plow through your content- especially if you’re running behind. However, webinars give you a unique opportunity to connect directly with your audience. So take it. If people are asking you relevant questions, answer them! (The QA pauses are color coded in green.) Our webinars are untraditional because we’ll even jump out of the deck to answer questions- especially when they're about our product. Never be afraid to rock an impromptu product demo when it makes sense and directly answers your viewers’ questions! Sometimes off-script moments are the best! A framework we use to present content is to always begin with the content our audience most wants to talk about →  then move to the intersection between our desires and theirs →  and finish with what we want to talk about. This way, if you’re going to do a product demo (whether planned or impromptu), it can act as the bridge. This way, you can show how to apply your advice using your product. So your talking points move from left to right over the course of the webinar. This way, you don’t end with a product demo- which often sends drop-off rates through the roof! Pro Tip: If you’re simply overwhelmed with questions and out of time, share your Twitter handle or email address and direct further questions there. In the case of Twitter, you can also have questioners use a unique hashtag (e.g. â€Å"#[webinarname]?†) so everyone interested can search for and find the questions. Step Four: âÅ"… Log Feedback Finally, webinars are a great way to gather feedback for specific content. You can use viewers’ questions and comments for this. And you can also use the â€Å"Poll† feature. This is also a nice way to encourage interactivity midway through your presentation. To use it, click on the â€Å"Poll† icon at the bottom of your presentation window. This will launch a dialog box that allows you to add questions on-the-fly, or select from a pre-made poll. Once you click on â€Å"Add Questions,† a poll-creation page will load in your browser. You can name your poll, write questions, select single or multiple-choice formats, and craft answers for your audience to select from. Once you’re finished, choose â€Å"Save.† Your poll will now be available in your webinar window. And when you’re ready to use it, simply click â€Å"Launch Poll† to collect the data. Anytime you have the chance to gain real-time feedback from your audience, take it. The more insight you have on your audience’s problems, thought processes, and buying motives, the better you can help them- and in turn, position your product or service. Step Five: âÅ"… Way to go! You just knocked out your first (or fiftieth) webinar! Now, do a little dance to celebrate before wrapping up this MVP ðŸ’Æ'🠏 ½Ã°Å¸â€¢ ºÃ°Å¸  ¾ Stage 4: Nurture The final stage of your MVP webinar is short and sweet. It’s all about three things: Following up with a recap email + THANK YOU! Publishing + promoting your webinar replay. 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Does Black Seed Oil Really Work Scientific Analysis of Benefits

Does Black Seed Oil Really Work Scientific Analysis of Benefits SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The world of natural supplements can be confusing because there are so many misleading claims about their benefits floating around the internet. Black seed oil is one of the more intriguing natural supplements on the market because of its rich history as an herbal medicine. In this article, I'll provide all the most current information on black seed oil, including what it is, black seed oil benefits, what it can't do (according to recent scientific research), and the best places to buy black seed oil. Unlike other guides, we don't want to dwell on hype and false promises- we only want to give you clear, scientifically-supported information. What Is Black Seed Oil? Black seed oil is a substance derived from the small, black crescent-shaped seeds of the Nigella sativa plant. The plant grows in southwest Asia. Black seed oil is usually taken orally, either taken straight as an oil or in a gel capsule. Black seed oil also goes by many other names, including: Nigella cretica oil Black cumin seed oil Roman coriander oil Nutmeg flower oil Fennel flower oil Ajaji oil Kalonji oil Black caraway oil Black sesame oil Onion seed oil The active ingredients found in black seed oil are the following three chemicals: thymoquinone (TQ), thymohydroquinone (THQ) and thymol. TQ has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and it also may help promote healthy liver functioning. Researchers are in the process of testing its viability as a cancer treatment. THQ is a natural acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, meaning it increases the level of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine can help improve memory and motor function through stimulation of the muscles, glands, and the central nervous system. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are used to treat Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative conditions. THQ is also being investigated for potential in treating cancer. Thymol has antimicrobial properties, so it accounts for black seed oil’s potential viability as a natural antibiotic. Thymol also has anti-tumor properties that are still being investigated. The flower of the nigella sativa plant How Is Black Seed Oil Typically Used? Though many people in the western world are less familiar with black seed oil, it has been used in the Middle East and Asia for thousands of years as an herbal remedy. It is said to treat varied ailments including asthma, hypertension, diabetes, inflammation, bronchitis, headache, eczema, and the flu. In the face of these big claims, it's important to focus on what's been scientifically proven. You’ll see many people promoting black seed oil based on the fact that it’s been used in medicine since ancient times, but this doesn’t prove anything about its effectiveness in a modern context. While black seed oil has shown some promise in lowering triglycerides and blood pressure, treating allergies, improving memory in older people, and treating certain infections, it will not solve serious medical problems. As far as we can tell from the research that’s been conducted, black seed oil has very mild positive effects on a variety of different human health conditions. Black Seed Oil: Benefits and Limitations Are you thinking about buying black seed oil as a dietary supplement? First you should know what these types of supplements can really do for you and why it’s important to remain wary of the dramatic claims sellers make about their effects. Why Should You Be Skeptical of Natural Supplements? The companies and individuals that sell supplements have every incentive to exaggerate their positive effects. Doctors often get monetary incentives for pushing these types of products as well. Always, always look at the research before allowing anyone to convince you that a supplement will cure your medical problems. Ideally, the supplement should have been tested in randomized control trials and shown to have a statistically significant impact on the ailment in question. This is the gold standard for making a strong argument that a substance has a particular effect- if it hasn't been put to this test, then all you're trusting is hearsay. While it’s unlikely that most natural supplements will do harm to your health, in many cases they are a waste of money that could be spent on more effective treatments. Some people make a living by preying on the public's tendency to trust their self-proclaimed "expert" opinions. Verified Uses for Black Seed Oil There are many who claim that black seed oil has hundreds of uses and can treat almost anything under the sun. Although it may be beneficial for some conditions, its health effects aren’t as wide ranging as some people want you to think. There are quite a few scientifically supported black seed oil benefits, but most of them have been shown to produce only minor effects. Here’s a list of various uses in order of how viable they are according to scientific research: #1: Alleviating Allergy Symptoms Several studies have shown black seed oil to aid in the reduction of allergy symptoms like asthma, eczema, and overall congestion. These studies were conducted on people of both genders in varying age groups, so they show wide-ranging validity. #2: Improving Lung Function Black seed supplements have been shown to improve pulmonary function in asthmatics and people who have been exposed to agents of chemical warfare. This evidence is pretty solid because the effects of the seed were compared to a placebo and shown to be statistically significant. Asthmatics were even able to take less anti-asthmatic medication following the treatment. However, these studies had very small sample sizes, so more research still needs to be conducted. #3: Improving Memory and Cognition There is some evidence that black seed oil can mildly improve attention, memory, and cognition in older individuals. This is based on one study conducted on a small group of older male subjects, so more research still needs to be done to confirm the effects of the supplement. #4: Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain from arthritis has shown to be mildly reduced through the use of black seed oil supplements in a small group of test subjects. Stiffness, swelling, and joint pain all decreased modestly with a 1000 mg daily supplement of black seed oil. #5: Treating Hepatitis C Hepatitis C is an infection caused by a virus that attacks the liver. One small study showed a 38 percent reduction in the presence of viral RNA in the livers of patients treated with 1350 mg of black seed oil a day for three months. This was without the addition of any other medications. Though this is promising, more research on a higher volume of test subjects must be conducted before any major conclusions can be drawn about black seed oil's effectiveness as a treatment for Hep C. #6: Reducing Blood Pressure, Triglycerides, and LDL Cholesterol There is some evidence that black seed oil can play a very small part in reduction of these risk factors in people who already have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. However, this is so minor that it would likely have almost no effect on overall health, so black seed oil isn’t a valid overall treatment for any of these issues. There is evidence that black seed oil can help you manage all of your most annoying allergy symptoms. Things Black Seed Oil DOESN'T Do There are some commonly-advertised black seed oil benefits that are not strongly supported by scientific evidence. As far as we know, black seed oil will NOT treat cancer in any significant way. It has shown potential for reducing tumor growth based on studies in rats, but we don’t know yet whether it can treat cancer in humans, and it may not interact favorably with other more aggressive cancer treatments. Always consult with your doctor before supplementing your treatment with herbal medicines. There have also been studies done on black seed oil as a potential treatment for diabetes. However, the effect of black seed oil on blood glucose levels has been overall negligible. Positive effects were only noticeable if people were also medicated in other ways or if no placebo group was used for comparison. This is not a viable treatment for diabetes on its own. Black seed oil also doesn’t help with weight loss. In general, you shouldn’t let anyone sell you a supplement that they advertise as a weight loss miracle drug. The only way to accomplish long term weight loss is to reduce your food intake gradually over time and try to exercise more frequently. Just taking black seed oil won't help you lose weight- you gotta put in the work in other areas. Side Effects and Interactions While black seed oil is pretty benign in terms of its side effects and interactions with other drugs, there are a couple of potential problems that you should know about using it. Skin Irritation Some people get what’s called â€Å"contact dermatitis† from black seed oil, which essentially means their skin becomes mildly irritated. You may experience itching, blistering, pain, and tenderness along with a red skin rash. Allergic Reaction As with any other herbal supplement, you may experience an allergic reaction from ingesting nigella sativa. This could cause swelling, hives, and other common allergy symptoms. (Potential) Kidney and Liver Damage Rats given high doses of nigella sativa experienced kidney and liver damage. We don’t know yet whether these findings can also be applied to humans, but to be safe you should avoid taking more than the recommended daily amount of the supplement. Interaction with Blood Pressure Medications Use of black seed oil in conjunction with medication that lowers your blood pressure could potentially lead to hypotension (excessively low blood pressure). This can be dangerous because your body is unable to get enough oxygen to your vital organs. However, since studies have shown that black seed oil only has a minor effect on lowering blood pressure, this seems like it shouldn’t be a huge concern. Discuss this with your doctor before supplementing your treatment. Risks Associated with Pregnancy You should also avoid taking these supplements if you’re pregnant just because there isn’t enough information on the effects they might have on the child’s development. If you're worried about a natural supplement interacting with medications you're taking, talk to your doctor first to find out about the potential risks. Purchasing Options Here are a few of the best options for supplements in either gel or oil form. The recommended dosage for black seed oil is 250-1000 mg daily. The oils are more expensive, but they also contain a lot more doses in each bottle. An 8 oz bottle of oil will last you at least three times as long as a bottle of softgels, so you get much for your money. It’s a matter of your personal preference - many people just find it easier to take supplements like this in pill form. Softgels Best Naturals Black Seed Oil (90 500 mg softgels for $14.99) Contains gelatin It says to take two softgels twice daily for a total of 2000 mg a day, but I would advise taking just one or two pills a day. Health Logics Black Cumin Seed Oil (100 500 mg softgels for $14.49) Contains gelatin It says to take one softgel 2-4 times a day as a dietary supplement, but as with the other softgels, 1-2 should be sufficient. Oils Amazing Herbs Black Seed Cold-Pressed Oil (8 oz for $19 or 16 oz for $29.95) Organic Non-GMO The recommended dose is 1-2 tsp (500-1000 mg) Sweet Sunnah Black Seed Oil (16 oz for $30) Vegan Non-GMO Organic Glass bottle The recommended dose is 1-2 tsp (500-1000 mg) How to Use Black Seed Oil (And How Not To) Black seed oil is a substance derived from the seeds of the nigella sativa plant, and it has been used in herbal remedies since ancient times. It is also commonly known as black cumin seed oil or kalonji oil. Medical uses for black seed oil that have shown some promise in scientific studies include: Alleviating allergy symptoms Improving lung function in asthmatics and those exposed to chemical toxins Improving memory and cognition in the elderly Treating pain from rheumatoid arthritis Treating Hepatitis C Reducing blood pressure, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol in those who already have elevated concentrations of each (very minor effect) Black seed oil will not cure cancer or diabetes or make you lose weight without other lifestyle changes, so be wary of dramatic claims about its extraordinary health benefits. If you do choose to take black seed oil supplements, remember that 250-1000 mg is the recommended daily dosage.