What is a seminar? Meaning, format and examples

A seminar is a room full of people who want to learn something, and an expert who tells them. An afternoon on the new privacy law, a morning on leadership in a tight labour market. Coffee, slides, questions from the floor. The word comes from the Latin seminarium: a seedbed. A place where something is meant to grow.

Why a seminar matters

For experts who sell through their knowledge, a seminar is one of the oldest and strongest counters there is. In a few hours your audience sees how you think, which examples you have and whether it clicks. Nobody gets that from a brochure. For a law firm, a training provider or a consultancy, a seminar is often the first time a potential client experiences you in real life.

How a seminar is structured

A classic seminar has a fixed format:

Arrival. Coffee, badges, networking. The first conversations happen here.
Opening or keynote. Someone sets the tone and establishes the topic.
Content sessions. One or more speakers share knowledge, often with real-world examples.
Questions and discussion. The difference with a lecture: the room joins in.
Closing. A summary, and ideally: what now?

An online seminar is usually called a webinar. A blend of web and seminar, same idea.

Seminar, workshop or symposium?

In a workshop, participants get to work themselves. In a seminar, they listen and ask questions. A symposium is bigger and more academic, with several speakers shedding light on a topic from different angles. The boundaries are blurry and many organisers use the words interchangeably. Pick the word your audience uses itself.

Where it goes wrong

The seminar that ends with “thank you for coming, drinks are served”. Everyone has had a good afternoon. Everyone goes home full of knowledge. And nobody knows what the next step is, because it was never mentioned. You filled the room, paid the speakers and sorted the catering, only to give a free course.

The OMB view

A seminar isn’t knowledge sharing with drinks afterwards. It’s a counter. Knowledge proves your value; your offer cashes it in. That doesn’t mean you have to pitch, but it does mean daring to say what can happen after today: a call, a scan, a programme. And following up personally with everyone who was there within a few days. A full room is the start, not the finish. How to build such a meeting from offer to follow-up: read about event marketing.

Explained by Rubin Koot, Online Marketing Bakery. Updated 10 November 2026.

In the Sold-Out Recipe

Seminar belongs to Counter: selling and following up. This is how the recipe works. Together the four steps make up event marketing the way we do it: a full room that also buys.

Related terms

Questions about seminar.

What does seminar mean?

A seminar is a meeting in which experts share knowledge on one topic, with room for questions and discussion. The word comes from the Latin seminarium, a seedbed. A place where ideas are meant to grow.

What is the difference between a seminar and a workshop?

In a seminar, participants mainly listen and ask questions. In a workshop they get to work themselves. A seminar is about transferring knowledge; a workshop is about doing or making something.

How long does a seminar last?

Usually half a day to a full day. A short seminar of an hour or two is often called a knowledge session or lunch-and-learn. An online seminar is usually called a webinar, a blend of web and seminar.

Is a seminar free?

Both happen. A paid seminar is the product itself. A free seminar is used to introduce new clients to your expertise, and then needs a clear next step.