Zoom, How to Host a Webinar Using Meeting Functions

Tags zoom webinar

Overview

Instead of using a Webinar (where a special license and new training is needed), you can adjust settings with a Zoom Meeting so that it functions like a Webinar using the steps below.

Requirements

You must be the host of the Zoom meeting to enable the settings below.

Instructions

What settings are we changing?

  • Can accommodate up to 300 people
  • Can spotlight up to 9 speakers
  • Can mute / disable video for all participants
  • Can utilize Q&A
  • Can curate questions and answers for panelist(s)
  • Can utilize meeting functions many people are familiar with

Before the Event Considerations

  • Ask viewers to register for the meeting. This makes it more official and you have some idea of the number of people to expect online. Also, you will have a way to contact them before the event to send reminders of meeting etiquette. It looks like this happened last year, so it’s not unprecedented.
  • If you want to be presented as a neutral moderator (Host), consider changing your name (from personal) to the name of the organization 
  • Decide ahead of time how you want to curate the Q&A, especially if this is a hybrid event (some people in person and some people on Zoom). Options include having the moderator curate the questions and ask the panel on behalf of the audience, have the panelists choose the questions they want to answer out loud from submitted questions, answer questions in the written form, or any combination of these options. 
    • Will you have a pre-set list of questions? Or, will audience members get to submit questions before the event?
    • How will virtual participants ask questions? (Recommend: Q&A)
    • How will in-person participants ask questions? (Recommend: Having a moderator repeat the participant’s question)
  • Will you record this event? And, how will you record consent for recording?

Host Zoom Settings

If you are the primary Host or will be creating the meeting invite, here are the settings you will be changing. 

Zoom Profile > Settings (link to page where you will make adjustments)

  • Under Recording, enable the following:
    • Cloud recording 
      • Record active speaker with shared screen
      • Record audio-only files
      • Record one audio file for all participants
      • Save chat messages from the meeting / webinar
      • Add a timestamp to the recording
      • Display participants' names in the recording
      • Record thumbnails when sharing
      • Create audio transcript
      • Save closed caption as a VTT file
      • Allow cloud recording sharing
      • Require passcode to access shared cloud recordings
      • Embed passcode in the shareable link for one-click access
      • Viewers can see the transcript
      • Viewers can see the chat
    • Allow cloud recording sharing
    • Require passcode to access shared cloud recordings
      • Embed passcode in the shareable link for one-click access
    • Viewers can see the transcript
    • Viewers can see the chat

Pre-Event Settings

 Use these settings when you are creating the meeting invite:

  • Registration - Required?
  • Enable Waiting Room
  • Only users admitted by the host can join the meeting
  • All video (Host and Participants) off
  • Allow Audio all (Both)
  • Options
  • Enable Q&A
  • Enable Mute participants upon entry
  • Enable Alternative Hosts (they must have @williams.edu Zoom accounts)

Prep for Event

 Use these in-meeting settings and controls while running the meeting:

 

  • In-meeting security options set by the host (link to all possible settings). 
    • Lock meeting: no new participants can join (recommend enabling after X amount of time after start of event)
    • Enable Waiting Room: could do this in conjunction with the registration in the pre-event settings as well (e.g., crosslist them with the info provided in the registration)
    • Enable Hide Profile Pictures: this prevents people from showing profile pictures (including you), but maybe it’s best to create uniformity?
    • Manually pick and choose which you disable Participants ability to:
      • Share Screen
      • Chat (with each other)
      • Rename Themselves
      • Unmute Themselves (Note: The host, any co-hosts, and any language interpreters are exempt from this.) 
      • Start Video
      • Share Whiteboards
      • Annotate on Shared Content 
      • Start Recording Local Files
      • Request Recording Permission
    • OR, you can Suspend Participant Activities (Turn off all participant's video, audio, Zoom Apps, and ability to share their screen. Also lock the meeting to prevent participants from joining)
    • If you need to, you can Remove Participant (The participant can not re-join unless Allow removed participants to rejoin is enabled in Meeting settings)
  • Enable Show captions

During the Event

Additional Help

Please reach out to OIT if you need additional assistance. Please use the service request button on the top to request additional help. 

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