You can now host interactive sessions using Zoom Meetings, which came highly requested by many of our users. With this integration, you can conduct those virtual sessions which call for more collaboration or face-to-face interaction. Let's take a look at how it works.

If you've already used Zoom in Backstage, you'll have the integration set up in your portal. If this isn't the case, go to the Settings tab in your portal, then click Integrations and follow the instructions under the Zoom section. Configuring Zoom for your portal will mean that it will be available for all the events in that portal.

 

You can also do this setup from an event. Go to the Webcast service section in the Event details tab inside the Microsite Builder. Select the Zoom option in the Webcasting service section. Then you can click the Webcast settings link and select the Zoom Meeting radio button under the Zoom engagement type section. Keep in mind that you may have to re-establish the connection between Backstage and your Zoom account if you're doing this for an older event. In this case, click the Reconnect link in the Zoom engagement type section and provide the necessary permissions. Then select the Zoom Meeting radio button.

Select the Auto-record all meetings in Zoom toggle button if needed. This setting will be saved for all sessions that are hosted with Zoom via Backstage in that event. You can then continue entering other event details as usual.

Before your session, have any session materials ready in your local system. This way, you can easily share them with the audience during the session. If you'd like to distribute any handouts for the session, you can upload them and enable session participants to download them at any time when the session is happening.

To help participants get involved, you can create poll questions beforehand. Go to the Sessions tab under Manage Dashboard in the Event Console and click the Polls link associated with a session. Pick a poll type based on the question and answer format you want to use. Polls that you create in Backstage will be populated in your Zoom account too.

 

You can also gather feedback from your audience once the session is over by enabling the Get session feedback toggle button for all sessions. To set this up, click the Session settings link in the Sessions tab under Manage Dashboard. Backstage uses a default form to collect feedback, which you can customize by adding more fields to get any other specific information.

The Zoom Meetings integration enables sessions to be interactive due to the control that each person has in the session. The host, speaker, and attendees can unmute their mic to speak and switch on their camera to see everyone who is taking part in the session. This is especially useful for smaller sessions or sessions where you want more participation from the audience. During the session, you can also encourage attendees to post questions for the speaker in the Questions tab and talk to other participants in the Chat tab.

All participants will be prompted to provide their feedback when they exit the session if you have this option enabled in the session settings.

 

The Zoom Meetings integration is only available for members subscribed to the Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate plans and for events that use the Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate add-ons.  

 

Make your session interactive with the Zoom Meetings integration for Backstage. Let us know what you think in the comments below. For product-related questions or suggestions, write to us at support@zohobackstage.com.

 

Happy organizing!