How to set up a webinar
Jamie Lubiner avatar
Written by Jamie Lubiner
Updated over a week ago

The "Watch now" feature allows you to host a video - recorded or live streamed - that is only accessible to registered users for a limited period of time. You are able to host a single video or multiple videos each associated with an individual session.

This article details

To see the Automating Webinars tutorial video, please click here.

Host a single video

Set up single videos on the Event Details screen, which can be found via the Event tab and Details menu item. Add the video URL that you want to host under the "Video" section. This URL can link directly to the video feed, to a livestream, or webinar service such as Adobe Connect.

Note: The URL must be secure, meaning it must use the https:// protocol (rather than the http:// protocol).

Ensure that the timezone, date(s), and time(s) are set correctly via the Dates menu item on the Event tab. By default the video link will be active 30 minutes prior to event start until 15 minutes after the event end time (on the last day if there are multiple days). See below on how to change these times by editing the Event Info block.

After adding the video and setting date and time you are able to turn on the "Watch now" functionality. To do this, ensure it is enabled on the Event Info and/or the Attendee Registration block.

How to enable "Watch now" functionality on blocks

Enabling the "Watch now" functionality on the Event Info block

Enabling the "Watch now" functionality on the Event Info block will display the "Watch now" button (and link to the video) on the Event Info block. This will be accessible from whatever page the Event Info block has been added to.

From the Website tab, select the Site Manager menu item and choose the page on which you want to set up the "Watch now" functionality. Generally this will be the homepage.

You are now on the Page Editor screen where you see a preview of the event page. Next, add the Event Info block - or if already present select it. If it has previously been added it should look similar to the example below - including information such as event name, description, location, dates, times, and a "Register" button.

To add a new Event Info block, click the "Add Block" button on the bottom of the screen. In the dialog that appears select the "Information" section, and then the Event Information block. Fill out the "Event Description," "Event Location," "Event Dates," and "Event Times" fields and click the "Add" button. If there are any of the aforementioned fields you do not want to appear simply leave them blank.

Once you've added an Event Info block or determined that one is already present on the page, you'll need to edit it to set the "Watch now" functionality. Hover your cursor over the block and then select the "Edit" icon from the top right-hand corner. A dialog box will appear with the content and preferences options. Select the "Preferences" tab.

Ensure that the "Has watch now behavior?" toggle is enabled. Then, if required, you can customize:

  • The button label

  • The duration the video link will be available before the event start time

  • The duration the video link will be available after the event end time

  • The various messaging a user will see when they interact with the "Watch now" button

Enabling the "Watch now" functionality on the Attendee Registration block

Enabling the "Watch now" functionality on the Attendee Registration block will display the "Watch now" button (and the link to the video) on the Attendee Registration block after a user has completed registration. This will allow the user to access the video immediately after registration (rather than needing to navigate to the page with the Event Info block).

From the Website tab, select the Site Manager menu item and choose the "Registration" page (or if one does not exist - create one). Following the same steps as detailed above, add or edit the Attendee Registration block. Ensure that you enable the "Has watch now behavior after registering?" toggle on the "Preferences" tab.

What attendees see with "Watch Now" functionality

Once the "Watch now" functionality has properly been set up, the "Watch now" button and video link will behave in the following way:

  • If a registered user arrives before the video link is available they will receive a message that instructs them of when they are able to log in.

  • If a registered user arrives when the video link is available and they click the "Watch now" button, the video will load fullscreen with a "Close" button in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

  • If a user arrives after the event end time (and after the duration set for the video link to expire) they will see a message informing them that the session has ended.

Enable auto check-ins

You are able to set up the "Watch now" button to automatically check-in a user when it is clicked by a user. This allows you to track how many registered users actually attended the webinar - or at least accessed the video link.

To enable this, click the Registration tab and then the Options menu item. Under the Attendee Accounts section, ensure that the checkbox next to “Allow apps and websites to process attendee check-ins” has been selected.

To see which registrants accessed the video link and thus were checked-in, go to the Registration tab and then click the Attendees menu item. Check the "Arrived" column on the right-hand side of the screen. This will show if, and when, a registrant accessed the video link.

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