12 Tips to Engage Your Webinar Audience From the Start (+ Welcome Speech Examples)

No one likes to sit through a long, boring presentation. As the presenter, it’s your job to hook your audience with your welcome speech and keep them interested until the end.  

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Here are things you’ll learn with this guide:

  • The importance of keeping your audience engaged right from the start of your webinar
  • Helpful pointers on how to get your audience’s attention
  • Great welcome speech examples that you can use as a guide

So, read more about creating the best webinar welcome speech.

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Why Audience Engagement Is Important for Your Welcome Speeches

Employee are meeting via video conference.

You’ve finally worked up the nerve to give a great opening speech and feel pretty good about it. But there’s one thing that’s bothering you: you’re not sure how to keep all your distinguished guests engaged.

Here’s the thing: engagement is essential if you want your conference welcome speech to be successful. If your audience isn’t engaged, they’ll tune out, and you’ll lose their attention.

Here are four reasons to keep your audience engaged in your welcome speeches:

  1. People have shorter attention spans. They’ll easily leave if you deliver a boring webinar introduction right from the start. By keeping your audience engaged, you’ll ensure that they stay interested in what you have to say.
  2. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember your message. If people actively pay attention to your welcome speech, they’re more likely to remember the key points you wanted them to take away.
  3. Engagement creates a connection with your audience. When people feel like they’re a part of the conversation, they’re more likely to be invested in what you’re saying.
  4. Engagement is just plain fun. If people truly enjoy your good welcome speech, it will set the tone for the rest of the event and make it enjoyable for everyone involved.

Just like any good seminar welcome speech, a webinar introduction needs to have a captive audience that is listening to every word you say. Remember that engagement is essential if you want your welcome speech to be a successful event.

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How to Make Your Webinar Welcome Speech Engaging

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Your webinar welcome speech is your chance to make a great first impression on your audience. Here are tips to help you make your  opening remarks engaging and memorable: 

1. Start with a greeting

When you’re about to give a webinar presentation, making a good first impression is important. The best way to do this is with a friendly, warm welcome speech that instantly connects with your audience.

“Hello, everyone!” is always a great way to start. You could also try something a little more creative, like “Welcome, everyone! I’m excited to share what I’ve been working on.” Whatever you choose, make sure it sounds natural and sincere.

2. Thank your webinar audience for their time

Time is a precious commodity. Your audience has chosen to spend some of their time with you. Whether your webinar was live or recorded, let them know how much you appreciate their attendance and express gratitude for being part of your session.

Remember, a little thank you is a way to build relationships with your audience.

3. Introduce yourself in an engaging way

Give your name, your title, and what you do. Then tell the audience a little bit about your journey, like if you’re one of the respected teachers or businessmen who loves to share a journey. People love hearing stories, so share one relevant to your topic.

4. Introduce the guest speaker(s)

Introducing all the speakers can be daunting, especially if you’re unsure what to say. However, a few key points ensure your introduction is friendly and professional.

  • Familiarize yourself with the speaker’s work.
  • Give a brief overview of the speaker’s credentials and accomplishments. 
  • Conclude with a statement of anticipation, such as “I’m looking forward to hearing what [speaker] has to say.”

5. State the purpose of your webinar

Think about it this way: if you’re joining a webinar, wouldn’t you want to know why it was being held? What benefit would it provide for you?

By providing this information upfront, you can help people decide whether or not your webinar is right for them. They can stay tuned for the rest of the presentation if it is great. If not, they can bow out without feeling like they wasted their time.

6. Outline the structure of your presentation

Once you’ve captured the audience’s attention and set the tone, it’s time to give them an overview of what’s to come. This doesn’t need to be too detailed – just hit on the main points you’ll cover throughout the webinar.

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7. Let people know how they can ask questions during the webinar

If you’re hosting a webinar, it’s important to let your audience know from the start how they can ask questions. This way, they can participate actively in the discussion and get the most out of the experience.

There are ways to do this using your webinar platform:

  • You can open up the floor for questions at certain intervals throughout the webinar. 
  • You can also provide a chat function so people can submit their questions in real-time.
  • You can always encourage people to ask questions in the comments section if they’re watching the webinar live on social media.

8. Keep it short and sweet

How often have you joined a webinar to be greeted by a long speech? It can be downright painful to sit through, and very few people are likely paying attention.

That’s why a few minutes or 30-60 seconds is all you need to set the tone for your event and get your participants engaged. Keep the energy up in your short welcome speech.

9. Make your welcome speech so it doesn’t feel too scripted

You want to deliver a speech that feels friendly, telling, and inspiring without sounding like you’re reading from a script. A great way to do this is to practice your delivery beforehand and not worry about the words.

10. Use humor

Humor is a way to break the ice and get people to relax. When people are relaxed, they are more likely to pay attention and be receptive to what you say.

Use humor sparingly, though, as too much can be distracting. A few well-placed jokes can go a long way in making your webinar more enjoyable and successful.

11. Use multimedia

Adding visual interest to your introduction will help to keep your audience engaged. For example, if you have a topic on personal development, consider using slides, images, or even video clips related to it.

12. End with a call to action 

Simply, this is an instruction for your audiences or webinar seminar delegates to do something. Encourage your audience to participate in the webinar and take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about your topic.

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Sample Welcome Speech for Your Next Webinar

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Writing the right opening can set the tone for your entire event. Whether you’re hosting a business presentation, a product demo, or a large conference, your welcome speech should be warm, confident, and well-paced.

Here are a few engaging welcome speech examples you can adapt for different webinar types.

Business Presentation Webinar

Perfect for professional or client-facing sessions. Keep the tone formal yet engaging.

Duration: 1–2 minutes.

Sample welcome speech for business presentation:

“Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our business presentation webinar. I’m [Your Name], [your role] at [Company Name], and I’ll be your host today.

We’re thrilled to have you join us as we explore [brief topic overview—e.g., how data-driven marketing can improve your customer retention rates]. Over the next hour, we’ll share insights, strategies, and real examples you can apply to your own business.

A special welcome to our returning clients and new participants tuning in from around the world. We encourage you to ask questions in the chat box at any time — we’ll cover them during our live Q&A.

Let’s get started by welcoming our first speaker, [Name], [Title], who will walk us through [topic].”

Educational Webinar

Best suited for schools, universities, or training organizations. Keep it friendly, inclusive, and encouraging.

Duration: 1–2 minutes.

Sample welcome speech for educational webinar:

“Hello everyone, and welcome to today’s educational webinar on [topic]. I’m [Your Name], and I’ll be guiding you through this session.

It’s great to see educators, students, and professionals all coming together to learn and grow. This webinar will cover [brief overview], and we’ll be sharing resources and tools to help you apply what you learn right away.

Please don’t hesitate to use the Q&A feature — we want this to be an interactive learning experience.

Without further delay, let’s welcome our speaker, [Name], an expert in [field or subject], who will start us off with [topic or concept].”

Product Demo Webinar

Ideal for showcasing new products or software features. Keep the tone upbeat, clear, and customer-focused.

 Duration: 1–2 minutes.

Sample welcome speech for product demo:

 “Hi everyone! Thanks for joining us for today’s product demo webinar. I’m [Your Name], part of the [Company] team, and I’ll be your host.

Today’s session is all about showing you how [Product Name] can help you [solve a key pain point or achieve a benefit]. We’ll walk you through the main features, real use cases, and end with a live demo.

If you have any questions as we go, drop them in the chat — our team will be happy to assist.

Let’s dive right in and start with a quick overview of what’s new in [Product Name].”

Conference or Virtual Event

For large-scale virtual events or online conferences. Keep it formal, inspiring, and community-focused.

Duration: 2–3 minutes.

Sample welcome speech  for conference or virtual event:

“Welcome to the 2025 Virtual Innovation Conference! I’m [Your Name], your host and moderator for this exciting event.

We’re honored to have participants joining us from across the globe for two days of learning, collaboration, and inspiration. This conference brings together thought innovators, leaders, and changemakers to discuss [conference theme or main topic].

Before we begin, I’d like to acknowledge our sponsors and partners who made this event possible.

We have an incredible lineup of speakers, starting with our keynote guest, [Name], [Title/Organization], who will share insights on [topic].

Thank you all for being here. Let’s make this an engaging, insightful, and memorable experience together. Let’s get started!”

Kick Off Your Webinar Introduction!

We hope you feel excited and confident to start planning your own speech for your upcoming virtual events. Make sure you put just as much effort into creating valuable and engaging content as you do into marketing your event.

Kick off your webinar introduction now with this helpful guide. We can’t wait to catch you up on the other side!

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