Webinar Best Practices

1. Conduct a Dry Run

Use the same equipment, network, and setup that you plan to use during the webinar. Ensure all presenters attend to avoid unexpected issues.

2. Set Expectations for Questions

At the beginning of the webinar, inform the audience how questions will be handled—whether they’ll be addressed at the end, taken throughout the session, or selected based on relevance.

3. Maintain a Steady Pace for Demos

When demonstrating software or sharing content, avoid moving too quickly or scrolling rapidly. Screen refresh rates vary with user bandwidth, so allow about 5 seconds for the audience to see on-screen changes and 3-5 seconds for slide transitions.

4. Plan a Clear Ending

Define a clear stopping point for the core content within the scheduled time. This allows attendees to leave without feeling like they’re missing essential information. If you choose to extend for additional Q&A, ensure the official session has a proper closing.

5. Close Unnecessary Applications

Before the webinar starts, close all unnecessary apps, especially email, instant messaging, and notification-heavy programs. This prevents distractions, interruptions, and accidental exposure of sensitive information.

6. Start 2 Minutes Past the Hour

Begin the webinar 2 minutes after the scheduled time. This allows latecomers to join without making punctual attendees wait too long. Avoid delaying further—starting on time encourages better attendance habits.

7. Join Early and Use Pre-Webinar Slides

Log in at least 15 minutes early. Display a slide with a message such as "The webinar will begin in 10 minutes," so attendees know they've successfully joined. Update the slide periodically with a countdown, and make verbal announcements confirming the audio is working.

8. Follow Up with the Recording

Send out the recorded presentation within 24 hours and inform attendees in advance that they will receive it. This proactive approach reduces follow-up emails and maintains high engagement while the content remains fresh.

By following these best practices, you'll ensure a smooth and professional webinar experience for both presenters and attendees.

Schedule a Webinar Leveraging the Webinar Add-On

1. Navigate to "Webinars" via the Webinar Icon in the top menu in your account dashboard
2. Select "Schedule."

3. Set the Title, date, time, and duration of the Webinar. A description is optional. All these items will appear on the registration page if you choose for people to register before attending.
4. Set available Timezones by clicking the "Timezones" button to open a modal to add timezones for your participants and create Polls using the "Polls" Button
5. Webinar options:
   1. Set the Chat options in advance via the Webinar Options dropdown: by default, users will only be able to send messages to moderators
   2. Require Registration: Selecting this option will provide you with a registration link at the end of the scheduling process. Share this link via your preferred method so people you want to attend can register in advance. Registered attendees will receive an email confirmation and reminder.
   3. Additional options: Choose to show or hide dial-in numbers for your panellists, and decide whether attendees can see the total attendance and other attendees' names.
6. Select "Next" to invite Panellists who will be presenting with you in the webinar. They will receive a meeting link via email. NOTE: DO NOT add email addresses here for 'Attendees' (people you want to watch your webinar). In step 8, you will receive either a registration link or a direct webinar attendee viewer link to share via social media, on your website, or through your preferred method.

• Enter a name or email to search the Hosted PBX directory.
• Click the "hamburger" menu to upload a CSV or VCard.
• Select the "Star" icon to flag Panellists as moderators.
• Click the "Add" button to add the contact as a Panellist. 
• Click the "Add Contact" button to manually add a Panellist.
• Click the "Back" button to return to the previous screen, or the "Next" button to return to the Schedule a webinar screen. 

7. If you choose to require registration, the next page will show a list of optional Registration Questions to select from. After you have made your selections, click the "Next" button. 

7. A summary page loads, confirm your webinar details, then click the "Schedule" button to send out panellist invites.

8. Click the "Invite attendees" button to copy the URL, and share it via any platform or method you prefer to get the message out to attendees you want to watch your webinar. The URL will bring them to a system-generated registration page that looks like this:

9. Copy the "Panellist Link" and share it via any platform or method you prefer to reach the panellists. 
10. Click the "Done" button. 

To check or edit the webinar details, click the "Webinar" icon as you did in the first step. Select the "Upcoming webinars" tab.  Click the "Edit" button to update the details, click the “Preview” button to see who has registered, or click the "Cancel" button to cancel the webinar. 

How to schedule a meeting in a Webinar format using standard features without an add-on?

For advanced functionality, including the ability to autogenerate a landing page, you will require the Webinar Add-on.

Click "Schedule" to open the schedule-a-meeting modal. 

Title: Enter a Title for your meeting. This is optional, but it helps your participants. You can find meetings in your account using the search function.

Date & Time: Choose a date, time, and duration.

Description: Add an optional Description (Agenda) if required.

Set to repeat: Select this option to enter recurring meeting details:

• Repeat period:  Daily, Weekly, Monthly
• Select the radio buttons to indicate the frequency.
• How many times: Indefinitely, 1 time, 2 times, 3 times, 4 times…12 times.

Timezones: Allows you to configure multiple time zones for the call

• Start time: enter the call start time and select the time zone.
• Select the +Button to add additional time zones.

Security Settings: Select the radio buttons

• Meeting room access code: 
  • Personal Meeting Room: Select this option to use the same access code for each scheduled meeting.
  • Generate automatically: Use a random access code for each scheduled meeting. 
• Passcode:
  • No passcode
  • Shared passcode: Add an extra layer of security to all meetings
  • Unique meeting passcodes: add a unique code for each participant in a scheduled meeting. Uninvited attendees will be blocked from entering.

Conversation/Collaboration Mode

Click Meeting Mode to open the selection; choose "Presentation/Webinar mode" from the available options, and it will be highlighted. 

Default Recording preference: Select from the dropdown options. 

• Audio & video
• Audio Only

Automatically record: Set your conference to record automatically.

• Automatically Record
• Automatically generate: Smart Summary provides search, key-term highlights, vocabulary, and a machine-generated transcript of your meeting. Transcription is a premium feature. If you do not see this option, check with your account admin to verify if you are subscribed.
• Automatically live stream

Add Participants

• Start typing a name or email in the "To" field to search through your list of contacts, and then hit "+ ADD" or copy and paste an email address in the 'To' field. Remove participants by clicking on 'Remove' next to the relevant contact.
• If you are inviting someone for the first time, their email address will be automatically added to your contacts list so you can quickly add them the next time you book a conference.
• It is not necessary to add someone to the schedule for them to participate in your meeting.
• Make an invitee a moderator by selecting the star icon next to their name. Everyone with the STAR next to their name will now have access to all moderator controls during a meeting. 
  
  You can only invite moderators with a host account within your company when scheduling. During a live meeting, you can make any participant a moderator via the participant list.

Dial-in Numbers

1. Your Primary number(s) will automatically be selected.
2. Search or scroll to select local country numbers for international participants.
3. *Premium 800 (toll-free) - provide a number where the caller will be guaranteed not to be charged to call in.

Click the "Next" button to select a dial-in number, if numbers are available on your list; otherwise, select the "Next" button again to review a summary of your meeting. Select the" Schedule" button to schedule the meeting or the "Back" button if you would like to go back and change any of the options in the summary.  

Sumamry

Click the "Next" button to select a dial-in number, if numbers are available on your list; otherwise, select the "Next" button again to review a summary of your meeting. Select the"Schedule" button to schedule the meeting or the "Back" button if you would like to go back and change any of the options in the summary/

TIP: If you need to set up a meeting on the fly or prefer to use an in-house scheduling system, you can also easily copy your conference details from your account homepage via the "Copy Details" button on the top left. Then use "Ctrl V" or right-click and paste this into an email or another messaging service. You can also find and copy these details via the ‘Dial-In Information’ button. Here you will also find the full list of dial-in numbers if you need to provide a local international number.

* Toll-free is an add-on feature.

Breakout Rooms Instructions for moderators and organizers

1. While in an active meeting, click on the "Breakout" button in the bottom toolbar.

1. Choose the number of breakout rooms you want to open, select whether to automatically or manually assign participants, and click "Next."

2. Drag and drop participants between rooms or auto-assign them; add rooms; edit room names; and click "Open all rooms."
    

1. As a moderator, you can come to this window at any time to join any of the breakout rooms that have been opened by clicking the "Join" button next to each room.
    
2. To close the breakout rooms, click the "breakout" icon and select "Close all rooms". All participants will be notified that the rooms are about to close. After 60 seconds, all breakout rooms will automatically close, and participants will be returned to the main meeting room.

Once the moderator exits the waiting room, they can return to the breakout room by clicking the "Join" button at the top of the dashboard.

Instructions for web participants

1. When you have been assigned to a breakout room, you will see a message at the top of your screen. Click "Join" to connect to your assigned breakout room.

2. While in the breakout room, you can return to the main meeting room at any time by clicking "Return to main meeting".
    

   

    
3. When the moderator closes breakout rooms, you will see a warning message at the top of your screen indicating the breakout room is about to close, with an option to return to the main meeting. You will automatically be returned to the main meeting room after the breakout rooms are closed.
    

4. The participant can return to the breakout room by clicking the "Join" button at the top of the dashboard. The message at the top of your screen will still be present if the host has not closed the breakout room.

Instructions for phone participants

1. When you have been assigned to a breakout room, you will hear a message telling you that you have been assigned to a breakout room. Tap *3 to go to the breakout room. After 60 seconds, you will be automatically sent to the breakout room if you do not press *3.
2. While in the breakout room, you can return to the main meeting room at any time by tapping *3.
3. When the moderator closes the breakout rooms, you will hear a message and can return to the main meeting room by pressing *3. Otherwise, you will be automatically returned to the main meeting room after the breakout rooms close.
4. You and your panellists can join the webinar up to 15 minutes before the scheduled start time. Use the meeting link in your email invite, or click "Join now" from the "Upcoming webinars" section of your account.

Invite people to join you:

1. Click "Copy meeting link". Paste this information into an email or another messaging app to send to anyone you want to participate in the webinar as a panellist.
2. Or click the "Add people" button to select your existing contacts to send them an invitation.

View Participants

Open the participant list to view Attendees watching your webinar in real time.
 

End the Webinar

Pause or end the webinar at any time by clicking on the "X" Icon in the bottom toolbar. Ending the meeting will also end the webinar. A modal will pop up, allowing you to leave the webinar or end it for all participants.