Can you get ATTENDEES to be part of a practice webinar? Or invite them to it?

[ajordan]

As host, I ran a practice webinar with the panelists and it worked fine, but I was not able to experience it as an attendee. I specifically wanted to make sure the waiting room video played and wanted to confirm that the host was hidden. When I would send the invite link to an attendee email it would open the Zoom window but it would say the meeting was starting at the official start, days away, and NOT open up to the practice link.

[Ray_Harwood]

Welcome to the Zoom Community, @ajordan.

Attendees can only attend a Webinar that has been opened to attendees by clicking the little blue “Start Webinar” button inside the Webinar. This can still be done during a Practice session, if you want to open the practice session to attendees. 

[ajordan]

Thanks. But to confirm, if I hit "start webinar" do ALL the attendees get an alert? or can just one or two enter in? I woujld love to do a rehearsal with a few attendees to make sure it works but do NOT want eveyone to be notified. Also, if I start the webinar (from the practice link) a day or so before the scheduled time, does the original link and invite people signed up for still work?

Thanks!

[Ray_Harwood]

Unless you’re in a Zoom Events Lobby with attendees viewing the Lobby space, nobody gets an alert. Just tell the couple of attendees you want there what time you’re practicing – nobody else will know. 

If you are in a Zoom Event with an open lobby, yes, the Join button on the Session will be lit as soon as you hit the blue Start Webinar button, and anyone browsing the lobby could join.