Webinar Moderator Tips - Novice here needing advice!!!

[MariaWags]

Hi!

I am hosting a somewhat large webinar (125 participants) this Thursday and am a little nervous.

I've hosted just a handful of smaller ones.  Does anyone have any tips/advice?

One of my concerns is sharing my screen while being a host.  I've never done that in addition

to letting participants in and answering questions in the chat box.  I'd prefer my presenter share

their screen so I can focus on those other two tasks.  But my presenter may not be comfortable doing this.

Is there any advice about this? nAlso, is Canva the best slides presentation software when presenting on Zoom?

[Ray_Harwood]

@MariaWags – welcome to my world! As a solo Zoom event producer for the last 2 years, I’ve been there. That said, this is just my opinion, not a definitive answer.

• First of all – time is short, but practice, practice, practice. Open up a webinar, practice sharing screens, opening Participants and Chat, spotlighting speakers … everything. It’ll seem overwhelming at first, but you’ll get a comfort level soon enough.
•  Next, offer to work with your presenters in advance, to help them understand hire to do their own Screen Sharing. This one step is the most important thing you can do to help ease your burden on Show Day. You can educate them and give them a comfort level that you can help them if they get stuck. You’ll also get more experienced at helping others under pressure.
• Ask all presenters to send you a backup copy of their PowerPoint files in advance. I find a DropBox “File Request” URL works well for both me and my presenters. As files come in, move them to another folder, renamed as needed so they are easily distinguishable during the event.
•  Be the voice of calm at all times. Do this under pressure, and all people will remember is how helpful you were.

 My last piece of advice is to plan to do all of this more than a week prior for your next event.  You’ll be glad you took time in advance to get everyone in the same page.  Consider asking (requiring?) that whoever is your event client provide you with a moderator, someone to handle non-technical chat items; I make the Moderator a Co-Host and train them to assist with participant control, etc. 

 Looking forward to hearing of your success!

[anissat]

I love everything @Ray_Harwood said, and have a few extra goodies, if you're comfortable:

• If you have a friend handy (either of yours, or of the presenter(s)), you could ask them to help as well - if they feel comfortable.
• Keep a post-it note, notecard, or cheat sheet handy with Keyboard Shortcuts to help make things easier.
• Get familiar with Zoom's Security and Participants panels, and keep both handy. (My faves are ALT+V to toggle video, ALT+A to toggle microphone, ALT+F1 and ALT+F2 to toggle between Speaker View and Gallery View, etc.) Learn more: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/205683899-Hot-Keys-and-Keyboard-for-Zoom ►
• Use private chats as your "backstage walkie-talkie" system with any available assistants/co-hosts.
• Remember to breathe and stay calm - no one knows if you're nervous or if things are/aren't going smoothly unless you show/tell it 😉 

[Ray_Harwood]

@MariaWags – how did your event go??  What did you learn in the process that you wish you’d known before the event, and what issues did you have that others should be wary of?