Zoom Webinars

If you have a bunch of speakers for one virtual event, the Moderator is a VERY important role. This person also needs to take on the role of a Talk Show Host. They have to be quick on their feet, engaging, friendly, and interesting.

• Be prepared: Test that any presentation you want to share works and appears as created.

• Know how to record, mute participants, etc. Mute instructions are provided later in this document.

• Discuss with Host/MC how you’d like to manage audience participation - either to read a question out loud for an attendee or to unmute and allow for the attendee to ask themselves.

• Use names and address people individually

• Stimulus change for breaks like music and timers are helpful

• More than one person talking at one time is difficult

• Participants should see each other and be able to interact

• Ask participants at home to review a/v and tech requirements in advance, consider own viewing environments

• Prime participants on the schedule, what to expect, what is coming next, how much time do we have together, don’t panic if screen is lost, how to reconnect

• Help participants navigate the format

  • Where is the chat box

  • Raising hand/poll answers

• Prepare for tech difficulties

• Have a Producer run the show with you

• Be in a quiet space with a neutral background where people cannot interrupt or walk through. Remind people in your home what you’re doing

• Lighting: backlighting sucks, balanced lighting from somewhere in front of you is awesome

• Take a moment to get grounded - reduce rate of speech, allow space

• Look into the camera as much as you can

• Keep your energy high

• Vary your tone, pitch, and facial expression

• Be aware of your distance from the microphone

• Self-disclose if this is a new format for you, the audience will be sympathetic and understanding

• Minimize dead virtual air time

• Allow pauses, this is especially true in video conferencing where multiple people have mic access and there may be delays to one person's audio

• Make sure slides are tight to the timeline. If you go over your allotted time, you will be cut.

• It’s to rely heavily on Q&A and have a conversation with attendees.

• Close all applications and use only Zoom, use phone if you must use slack or other apps

• Make sure you internet is stable and no one else in your home is streaming

• If you have a slide deck, have it queued and ready to share when you are instructed. Be sure to know which window you wish to share if you have multiple windows open, or close all other windows in advance to reduce the options.

• Panelists are full participants in the meeting. They can view and send video, screen share, annotate, etc.

• Polling is a great form of audience participation! If you have a question you would like to poll the audience on during your presentation, please submit them by Thursday to level@burningman.org so we can preload the question. Include the question and answer options - multiple choice only.

• Hosts/MCs should verbally instruct audience members how to participate at the start of the breakout. People should type “1” in the chat window in order to signal they have a question.

• Moderators will be monitoring the audience to see if anyone has a question. Moderator can either alert the Host that there is a question and read the question aloud. Or the moderator can unmute an attendee and allow them to ask the question themselves.

• Coordinate with your Host/MC about how you will manage audience participation and inform your audience about how it will work.

• Consider the highest form of engagement.

• Have someone from communications on the backstage area so they can read the questions, OR make sure the team members doing the work capture as many as possible and Comms gets a copy of what was asked so we can keep track of the big picture tone of what people want to know.