What is Zoom Video Webinar and how does that differ from Zoom Meeting?

Zoom Video Webinar allows you to host a virtual webinar with up to 500 participants. The webinar platform allows the host to designate panelists. Webinar participants, or viewers, are can see and hear the host and panelist but cannot share their screens or speak themselves. Most interaction between viewers and panelists is via the Q&A screen. In Zoom Meeting, all participants can speak and share their screens.

• Attendees are in listen and view-only mode
• Q&A panel is used to interact with panelists. This is on by default.
• Zoom has a chat feature in the webinar. The webinar host can turn this on or off.
• The Raise Hand feature for attendees

Scheduling a webinar

The Webinar license can be reserved by Extension personnel by completing the EIT Webinar Request Form.

Your webinar can be customized in several ways. In general, we recommend that you invite any additional presenters at the time that the webinar is scheduled and that we schedule a practice session prior to the webinar.

In-Session Hosting Features

Once your webinar is underway, host controls appear at the bottom of the Zoom window.

• Participants list. There is a tab for Panelist and a tab for Viewers. Several options can be accessed from this section
  • Mute Participants on Entry (affects panelists only in webinar)
  • Play enter/exit chime (affects panelists only)
  • Lock meeting (no one else can join)
  • Lock screen sharing (only the host can share screen)
  • Lower hands (can also lower hands from the Participants > Viewers tab)
  • Allow panelist to start video
  • Allow viewers to raise hands
  • Merge to Meeting window (docks setting to right of meeting window)
  • Can promote viewers to panelists from the Participants > Viewers tab. Hover over their name and click Promote Panelist
• Q&A
  • This section has two tabs: Open questions and Answered questions. You can answer by text either publicly or privately or you can “answer live” if you answer it verbally in the session. Typically the host/panelist will read the question and then state the response. This information is available after the session in the Q&A Report, which you will be sent after the session.
• Polling
  • This section can be accessed by using Polls button in the menu along the bottom of the Zoom screen
  • Only the host can manage polls
  • Polls can be edited in the session or set up ahead of time.
  • Select the tab and then use the Launch button to display the poll.
• Share Screen
  • This is the same as in Zoom meetings. Any application window that is not minimized can be shared.
  • You can also share sounds from your computer or play a video clip using the check boxes at the bottom of the screen sharing controls.
  • To change from sharing one application to another, use New Share in the top menu. You do not have to Stop Share and share. You can pause your screen sharing between application.
  • Annotate
    • Select the pen in the top menu during screen share. Spotlight allows viewers to follow your mouse pointer.
    • Any panelist or host can draw on the screen.
    • You can annotate anything that you are sharing via Screen Share
• Remote Control
  • Can give people keyboard and mouse control so that people can click through a shared deck of slides. This can be useful if panelists are sharing a deck of PowerPoint slides.
• Chat
  • Participants can select “Only to Panelist” or “Everyone”
• Recording
  • Please remember that all video content, including recorded webinars, should be subtitled to meet the NCSU accessibility guidelines. Refer to the IT Accessibility Quick Guide’s section on videos section for more information.