Summary
Review of when a webinar or meeting should be used, different participant roles of a webinar, and important decisions to make prior to requesting a webinar.
Body
Included In this Article
Overview
When to Use a Webinar
Webinar Roles
Key Decisions Before Requesting a Webinar
Overview
Zoom Webinars provide a structured presentation environment where attendees primarily view content and interact through Chat, Q&A, polls, and other engagement tools.
This article helps you determine whether a webinar is the right solution for your event and what decisions must be made before submitting a request.
When to Use a Webinar
Use a webinar when:
- Presenting to large audiences
- Hosting external guests
- Limiting attendee microphones and cameras
- Managing questions through Q&A
- Tracking attendance or registrations
Use a Zoom Meeting when audience participation and discussion are expected.
Zoom Documentation
Webinar Roles
- Host
- Responsible for managing and running the webinar.
- Co-Host
- Can start/stop the webinar and manage webinar controls.
- Panelists
- Panelists are presenters or speakers who need to be seen and heard by attendees.
- Attendees
- Attendees can view webinar content but are not visible or heard by the audience.
Tip
Limit co-hosts to individuals familiar with hosting functions. If IT support is assisting with the event, IT staff should generally be the only designated co-hosts
Key Decisions Before Requesting a Webinar
Registration
Consider whether registration is necessary.
Tip
Registration is typically used on a limited basis because attendees must either be individually approved or auto-approved. Auto-approval may create security concerns if registration links are shared publicly.
Recording
Determine:
- Will the webinar be recorded?
- Who will receive access to the recording?
- Will recordings be shared publicly?
Audio Options
Decide whether attendees should have:
- Computer audio only
- Computer audio and phone dial-in options