Webinars can be excellent ways of developing your knowledge and skills in small, accessible chunks and from the comfort of your office or favourite armchair. Not tried one yet? Here’s your chance…
by Emma Howard
A part of my role with GovDelivery involves organising and delivering useful industry webinars. I was talking to someone recently about our next webinar and I quickly realised that they didn’t know what a webinar was.
I was a bit surprised at first. But then thinking it through some more it reminded me of the importance of never assuming things.
If there are other people unsure of what a "webinar" is then they are possibly missing out on some useful free training and development..
So I thought it might be useful to write a post about what webinars are and where they might be useful to you if you're unsure.
10 things you need to know about GovDelivery webinars
1) Our webinars are free online seminars / discussions with people we think you can learn from.
2) They usually last one hour inclusive of a Q&A session with the presenters.
3) They are fairly relaxed and you should feel very, very welcome to attend.
4) All you need to do is register for the webinar in advance online, and we’ll send you joining instructions. You will need to use a computer to log in to the webinar via the link we’ll provide, then sit back, relax, watch and listen.
5) Someone in our team usually moderates the webinar, while one or two interesting people in digital government share their wisdom with everyone who’s logged in to listen.
6) You’ll listen to the presenters talk live and you can look at their presentation slides on your computer screen (you’ll also be able to browse some online guides and case studies).
7) Only the moderator and presenters can speak on the webinar. We can’t hear you. To hear us, you’ll need to activate the speakers on your computer.
8) Although you (the attendee) cannot contribute verbally, you can use the text chat box to ask the speakers private questions. We’ll then type back an answer, or if it’s a question other people are asking too, our moderator may ask it as part of the Q&A session with speakers at the end.
9) If you register for one of our webinars but can’t attend the live event, we’ll send you a follow-up email the next day with the recording, so you don’t miss out.
10) Spend an hour 100% focused on the webinar, or have it on in the background and dip in and out when you can.
Don’t be mystified or intimidated by the word webinar. A webinar is simply another great opportunity for you to listen and learn online. No one attending will be able to see who else is on the webinar, and you won’t ever be put on the spot to answer questions (you’re not miked up!). If you do want to ask questions please use the text chat box or follow our hashtag on Twitter #GovD16.
We run a series of webinars throughout the year and our next one is Citizen Engagement That Supports Change In Modern Government,
Fancy it? Join us on Tuesday 29 November at 11am GMT
You’ll hear from public sector digital strategists about how they’re engaging citizens and improving services with the help of digital technologies. Find out what engagement techniques are working and why it’s so important you find effective ways to connect with the people you serve now, and in the future.
We hope you can join us. It'll be a great chance to take some ideas back to your team.
You can register for other GovDelivery events and webinars here.
Emma Howard is Marketing Strategist for GovDelivery Europe
image via the US National Archives
