Planning your event

1. Event considerations
2. Choosing the proper Zoom tool
3. Zoom settings recommendations
4. Recommendations during the event

Event Considerations

How many people are attending?

The standard UIUC Zoom license includes the Zoom Meeting tool with a capacity of 300 guests.

Large meeting options of 500 and 1000 as well as Zoom Webinar options of 500, 1000, 3000, 5000 attendees are available at the U of I WebStore. Please discuss licensing options with your college or department to determine availability and shared use policies.

Do you have someone to help you moderate the event or meeting?

We recommend you have one moderator or meeting assistant per 40-50 guests. Online events are generally more successful when the host/speaker is not running the entire event alone.

Do you have a guest speaker?

Your guest speaker will need to have a Zoom account. If they do not have one, they can create a free account on the Zoom website.

Can you pre-record your event or meeting?

Make a recording if production quality is a priority or if you do not require audience interaction. Recordings can be edited from multiple takes, produced on your own time line and distributed later. Recording allows you to focus your efforts elsewhere during the broadcast.

Choose a Zoom tool appropriate for the audience interaction you need

General Zoom tool recommendations:

• Use a standard Zoom Meeting if you would like to maximize audience interaction. 
• Consider purchasing a Zoom Webinar license if you have the funding to procure a license and believe you may need to invite the general public or cannot determine who may attend your event. 
• Use the Zoom Live Stream tool if you require more security, or do not have the support resources needed to manage the event.
  
  

What is Zoom Webinar?

The Zoom Webinar tool is an additional purchased license that allows Hosts to schedule a "view only" Zoom event. This "view only" functionality allows you to publicly share links to join the Zoom Webinar.

Zoom Webinar may be a good option if your event has a small number of people to present information to the attendees, and attendees will not need to interact with each other.

• Attendees who join the Zoom Webinar will only be able to listen to the Presenter and Panelists.   
• Webinars allow for the use of in-webinar chat or the Q&A tool if the Host has made them available. 
• Attendees can be unmuted and allowed to talk, but not allowed to turn on video.
• Zoom Webinars do NOT have access to Breakout Rooms.

Please see the article Zoom, Meetings vs Webinars for more information.

What is Zoom Live Stream?

Zoom Live Stream is the most secure way of hosting event, but the least opportunity for audience interaction (by default). Both Zoom Meetings and Zoom Webinars can use Zoom Live Stream. For more information on using Live Streaming during your event, please see Zoom's articles on streaming to YouTube, Facebook, or a custom service.

• Presenters and support staff will join a Zoom Meeting or Webinar as they would normally, but Attendees will navigate to the streaming endpoint (YouTube, Facebook Live) to watch the Live Stream. 
• Event moderators have fewer guests to pay attention to as compared to a Zoom Meeting or Webinar full of attendees. However, because guests will not be included in the actual Zoom Meeting or Webinar it can be difficult to interact with them. 

Zoom settings recommendations

Click the link in the table below for recommended Zoom settings based on the type of event or meeting you are planning.

Recommendations during the event

Please review the in-meeting security tools to learn more about how to help react to a disruption during an event.

Set up an alternative mechanism to handle issues with attendees joining your Zoom event.  

• This can be email or a separate Zoom or Teams instant messaging chat.  Be sure to build this into your plans when defining support/moderation resources for your event. Ideally, having attendees check their ability to use Zoom ahead of your event is best.
  
  

Start your event or meeting off with a short description of which in-meeting tools are available to your attendees in your Zoom session, and how you want them to be used.  

• For example, if you have enabled chat for guests to speak directly to hosts and co-hosts, and you want it to be used for technical help, make that be known at the beginning of the meeting.