Let's get your point of view as a webinar attendee and see how it matches other people's opinions about webinar polls. I would like you to answer this poll from your experience attending webinars, not hosting or presenting them.
(I have no idea what will happen to this widget inside of an email or feed reader. If you can't see the poll above this line, please visit the online blog at www.TheWebinarBlog.com or click directly to the poll itself at http://poll.pollcode.com/wjzw7)
My intent with those answer choices was literal. If you are negative about polls, I'm asking if you think they waste your time as an attendee. Time that could be better spent getting more information from the presenter, or giving other types of feedback, or simply reducing the webinar duration. If you are positive about polls, it's because you think there is some sense of worth... which to you could be a better sense of community, a feeling of participation, a way to get information, etc. The specifics are up to you.
The background behind this poll is an online exchange I have had with Craig Hadden at Remote Possibilities. Craig is really down on the entire concept of interactive polls introduced during a live webinar. He says the audience could always be better served by asking the questions during the registration process or in separate surveys before the webinar. I disagree and think that WHEN PLANNED AND EXECUTED CORRECTLY, they can be not only useful for the presenter, but engaging and worthwhile for the attendees.
If you want to read the arguments for and against, you can start with my own Tips For Webinar Polls, which Craig commented on. Or you can read the longer discussion chain in the comments on Craig's post Do You Make This #1 Mistake When You Present Online? (which concentrates on not wasting your audience's time... A concept with which I am in complete and total agreement!).
Craig and I have weighed in with our opinions... Now it's time to get the opinions of the people who really matter -- webinar attendees. Please take a moment to let us know how you feel about polls.
Thank you for your help!
