Questions about hosting a conference in zoom events. Content Library and Test

[KatieL]

Hi We are working on setting up our first zoom conference. We wanted to be able to run a test session with our presenters.. like you can for a webinar. These are set up as meetings. Is this possible?

Also I believe there is a way to upload documents and power points slides into the zoom events platform, but I can not figure out how.   Can anyone help?  Thanks

[Ray_Harwood]

Hi, @KatieL – welcome to Zoom Events!

In my opinion, it’s a powerful platform, and takes a fair amount of studying to learn what works – and what doesn’t. 

May I ask when your event is scheduled?

If you’re in the initial planning stage for something a few months out, there are several of us that can help you out.  If you’re hoping to get an event going in a couple of weeks … you probably are going to have an uphill climb without some help. Not to discourage you – but just setting the expectation.

You can create an event – it can be simple, or relatively complete – then you can “clone” the event to another date range and play with it.

Uploading files can be done to a limited extent. But remember that the sessions with an Event/Conference are really “just Meetings and Webinars”. Someone – the presenter, an assistant, a host – still needs to share screen and display slides. Files can still be shared via Chat. If you are looking for ways to upload documents that attendees can “pick up,” I don’t think I’ve seen that done anywhere except in the a Expo by vendors. 

Let me know if you’d like a list of resources, and I’ll gather some links and post for you and anyone else that reads the thread. 

[KatieL]

Thanks Ray,  Our event is in a few weeks, it is a "conference" that meets about once a month for 6 months. So we are learning on the fly.  As we have no vendors I might see if I can set up the pick ups there. (thanks) 

Knowing our audience- academics- who are very familiar with zoom but don't read emails. We would like to do a run through with the presenters. Im guessing from what you are saying that is not an option?

Thanks.

[Ray_Harwood]

Actually, if the speakers are all included in the session's Speaker list, you or an alternate host can start the meeting/webinar any (coordinated) time and the speakers should also be able to join through the Lobby.  I had to do that with the onsite camera crew on the recent hybrid event I did... because I wanted to just add a new session on the day before as a "set up and test" session - but (a) you can't add a session on a day that the event isn't open and (b) you can't add days once a ticket is "sold".

Using the Expo as a "drop zone" for documents might work, depending on how many documents you have... I think there's a limit of 5 per booth. I hear there's a forthcoming change that would allow the term "Expo" to be replaced with something else.  I've been considering using it for a Poster Session... relabeling it as such would definitely help. Not sure when that's coming out though.

You are welcome to join Denise Lahat’s (@DeniseLahat) Facebook group for Zoom Events producers - it's a Zoom Conference that meets "sort of weekly" (she's taking the next two weeks off). See her posts about the regular meetings where we test out features most Tuesdays in an actual Zoom Event. https://www.facebook.com/groups/zoomeventpros 
I hang out there on FB as well and help with Q&A when I can.   Join there and post some questions, and you’ll get plenty of help... there are more people there that know something about Zoom Events!