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In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, mastering virtual event hosting has become more crucial than ever. Hosting engaging and successful virtual events has emerged as a vital skill for professionals. Whether you’re organizing a large-scale conference or a small team meeting, Zoom is a leading platform offering many features to ensure your event’s success.

I previously shared Tips for Using Zoom as an attendee. Those tips are relevant for hosts as well. This article goes beyond the basic tips and will guide you through some essential tips and tricks for hosts to make your Zoom events informative and captivating for all participants. Get ready to enhance your online engagement strategies and take your virtual events to the next level.

1. Effective Scheduling 

Utilize Zoom’s scheduling feature to set up your meeting in advance, allowing you to prepare and send out invitations in a timely manner. This ensures participants have ample notice and can plan their schedules accordingly, giving them a sense of control and organization.

2. Crafting your Invitations

When crafting your invitations, include all necessary details, such as the agenda, speakers, and materials attendees may need beforehand. Use calendar integrations to add the event to participants’ schedules automatically. This increases attendance rates and reduces the likelihood of participants forgetting the event.

Personalization is key. Address your audience directly in the invitation and highlight the benefits of attending. Using engaging language and clear instructions will make your participants feel valued and important, encouraging more of them to RSVP. 

3. Send Reminders

Consider sending reminders as the event approaches to maintain momentum and excitement.

4. Conduct a Technical Rehearsal

Before your event,  iron out any potential issues with a technical rehearsal. This includes testing audio and video equipment, checking internet connectivity, and ensuring all features function as expected. Taking a few minutes to prepare in advance will help you deliver a seamless and professional experience to your audience.

5. Ensure Privacy with a Waiting Room

Enabling the Waiting Room feature is like having a virtual bouncer, preventing unwanted guests from joining your meeting. This feature lets you see who’s attempting to enter before granting access, giving you and your participants a sense of security and control.

 Go to Account Management > Account Settings, click Meeting and enable Waiting Room.

6. Share Your Screen During Meetings

You can share your screen to collaborate with others or watch a video together before discussing by clicking the Share screen icon on the toolbar at the bottom of the meeting screen.

7. Master Zoom with Keyboard Shortcuts

Zoom offers numerous keyboard shortcuts for easier desktop navigation. These shortcuts allow you to access commands for joining a meeting, recording, entering full screen, and more. 

Check out Zoom’s complete list of hotkeys and keyboard shortcuts.

8. Hide non-video participants

Reduce visual distractions or staring at a name during calls by hiding participants who aren’t using video. 

Go to Settings > Video > Meetings and select Hide non-video participants.

9. Highlight with the Vanishing Pen

Use Zoom’s vanishing pen feature to draw on shared screens without worrying about erasing your markings later. 

Click Annotate, choose Spotlight, and select Vanishing Pen.

10. Record Meetings Locally or to the Cloud

Both free and paid Zoom users can record meetings on their computers using the desktop app. Paid subscribers can also record directly to the cloud. 

To enable local recording, go to Settings > Recording, and to use cloud recording, click Record at the bottom of the meeting screen.

11. Manage Chat Settings

As a meeting host, you can control chat settings to prevent distractions. You can turn off chat entirely or limit participants’ ability to send messages to only hosts and co-hosts.

12. Collaborate with Whiteboard Tool

The Whiteboard and annotation features allow participants to collaborate on a sharable canvas. These tools will enable you to illustrate ideas, brainstorm with participants, and make your sessions more visually engaging. Encouraging participants to use these features can increase interaction and information retention.

To enable it, update to the latest version of Zoom and select Whiteboards on the menu screen.

13. Facilitate Small Group Discussions with Breakout Rooms

Create up to 100 breakout rooms for smaller group discussions to make your large Zoom meetings more interactive. Breakout rooms are excellent for facilitating small group discussions and interactive activities. Assign participants to different rooms for workshops, brainstorming sessions, or networking opportunities, creating a dynamic and collaborative environment.

As the host, go to More > Breakout Rooms, and you can assign participants to different rooms automatically or manually.

14. Use Polls and Q&As

Polls and Q&A sessions are another effective way to keep your audience engaged. Use polls to gather instant feedback, gauge interest, or guide the direction of the conversation. Q&A sessions allow participants to interact directly with speakers, fostering a sense of community and involvement.

15. Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with thorough preparation, technical issues can arise during Zoom events. Being prepared to troubleshoot these problems swiftly is essential. 

Common issues include audio and video glitches, participant connectivity problems, and screen-sharing errors. Familiarize yourself with Zoom’s troubleshooting resources and, if possible, have a dedicated support person or team to assist participants during the event. Quick resolutions will minimize disruptions and maintain the flow of your meeting.

16. Wrapping Up Your Zoom Event

End on a positive note. Summarize the key points discussed and express gratitude for their participation. Provide a clear call to action, letting them know what to do next. 

17. Host Large Groups with Paid Plans

For groups larger than 100 people, you’ll need a paid professional account. The highest-tier Enterprise Plus plan allows hosting up to 1,000 participants.

Resources for Further Learning

Numerous resources are available for those looking to deepen their understanding of Zoom event hosting. Zoom’s official website offers tutorials, webinars, and FAQs to help you maximize the platform’s features. Additionally, online communities and forums provide opportunities to connect with fellow event planners and share experiences.

Mastering Zoom events is a vital skill for professionals in today’s digital world. By following the tips and tricks outlined in this article, you can create engaging, professional, and successful virtual gatherings that leave a lasting impact on your audience. From effective scheduling and engaging features to maintaining security and professionalism, each aspect is crucial in delivering a seamless experience.

The potential for growth and connection through virtual events is limitless and can be achieved by harnessing the power of Zoom and other online platforms.