Contents
- Webinars Introduction
- How to create a webinar
- Webinar Details
- Broadcast Type
- Content
- Stage Configuration
- Advanced Settings
- Finalizing your webinar setup
- Preview your registration and webinar space
- Attendee experience in a webinar
Webinars
Webinars are single-session virtual events that are up to 90 minutes in length. These simplified events are perfect for trainings, product demos, speaker roundtables, internal company meetings and more.
Note that webinars do not include Booths or Rooms - to create an event with Booths or Rooms, create a "Virtual and/or In-person event" from the New Event menu.
Read on to learn about creating a webinar event in Goldcast, or watch these intro videos:
Creating a webinar
The webinar attendee experience
Creating a webinar
- Select the New Event button from the top-right corner of the page.
- A popup will appear. Select the Webinar tile then click the Next button.
Webinar Details
Webinar Details is the first section you will see when creating a Webinar event. This is where you will name your event, assign it a date and time, primary language, and write a brief synopsis for future registrants. While this information is required to create your event, you may update and make changes to it at a later date.
Name and Description
- Enter a Name for your Webinar using the provided field. This will appear on both the Registration and Event pages for your event as well as any email notifications sent out to event registrants.
- Use the Description field to write a brief but informative synopsis of your webinar for potential registrants. This information will appear on the Registration page for your event.
- Once you have finished, click the Next button at the bottom of the page.
Date and Time
- Select a start and end time for your event. Please note that Webinars in Goldcast cannot exceed 90 minutes.
- Select your timezone from the dropdown. All registrants will see the event date and time in their own local timezone.
- Select the primary language for your event from the dropdown (if available for your organization).
Broadcast Type
Note: Once you have selected a broadcast type and created a webinar, you can further edit and change the broadcast type until one hour before the webinar starts. For example, if your webinar starts at 09:00 AM Oct 27, you can change the broadcast type anytime until 08:00 AM.
Select the Broadcast Type you plan on using for your event from the event type dropdown. You will have three options:
Live Broadcast
Live Broadcasts are what we typically think of when it comes to online events. This broadcast type allows Organizers to:
- Stream live video and enable speakers to communicate with the audience in real time.
- Add live Speakers
- Create and share polls
- Answer video and text Q&A
- Include assets such as videos, slides, and resources.
Prerecorded Broadcast
Prerecorded broadcasts are made up entirely of prerecorded content and do not allow for live video or on-stage audience interaction. This broadcast type allows Organizers to:
- Upload prerecorded videos
- Answer text Q&A only
- Include resources
RTMP Stream (if available for your organization)
RTMP streaming should be used if your event is being hosted somewhere other than the Goldcast platform (i.e. Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, in-person) but you would still like to provide virtual attendees with an interactive experience on Goldcast. This broadcast type allows Organizers to:
- Stream video content from an external platform
- Create polls
- Include resources
Learn more about connecting an RTMP broadcast to an external streaming platform.
Once you have selected a Broadcast Type, click the Create and Next button at the bottom of the page. Your webinar event will now be saved and can be edited at any time.
Editing Broadcast Type
You may edit the broadcast type of an upcoming webinar. Edit will be allowed until 1 hour before event start time.
To edit a Broadcast type:
- Navigate to the Events page and click the webinar name you wish to make the change.
- Go to the Broadcast Type section.
- Click the Choose broadcast type dropdown and select the required type.
- Click Save.
IMPORTANT:
- For the past events, you cannot edit the broadcast type.
- If you want to switch from RTMP/LIVE to PRERECORDED, make sure that you have added the video(s) as desired.
- When switching broadcast type to RTMP/PRERECORDED, video Q&A will be disabled as for these broadcast types it is not applicable.
- If RTMP/PRERECORDED test run is in progress, you cannot edit the webinar until the test run has stopped.
Content
The Content Section is where you can add speakers, slides, prerecorded content, polls, and other elements to your Webinar. Please note that the availability of these features will vary depending on the Broadcast Type you have selected.
Stage Configuration
Stage Setup
Select if you would like Public Chat to be enabled during your event - this is where all attendees, speakers, and organizers can post messages to each other. If you disable Chat, only organizers will be able to post messages for everyone to see.
You may enable or disable your event recording. If your recording is disabled, you will not be able to use other features such as captioning and subtitles (if enabled for your organization).
Attendee Engagement
Select if you would like to give attendees the option to ask questions via video, text, or if you'd like to approve questions before they are visible to others (moderate Q&A).
Learn more about Q&A options for your event.
Advanced Settings
Stage Setup
If your organization has access to captioning and subtitles, you can enable them from this section of the webinar setup menu. These toggles may be disabled - if so, please contact your CSM for assistance.
Determine if you'd like all attendees and speakers to see the count of the number of attendees watching the event, or turn this off to hide the count from everyone other than organizers.
Attendee Engagement
Select your engagement options, including whether you want the attendee profile page required or optional, if you'd like to allow direct messaging between attendees, speakers, and organizers, and if you'd like your People and Speaker tabs visible inside your event space. You may also rename the People and Speaker tabs by clicking the pencil icon.
Social Streaming
If social streaming has been enabled for your organization, you will be able to connect and stream your Goldcast event to other platforms, including Youtube, Facebook, LinkedIn Live, and others here.
Learn more about setting up social streaming.
Finalizing your webinar setup
To complete set up of webinar, make sure to visit the following sections in the left-hand menu of your webinar event:
- Registration - set up your registration form and web page here
- Branding - select your webinar branding, colors, fonts, and more to customize your event experience.
You can now add buffer videos for your webinar in the Branding settings.Buffer video will play before webinar start and post webinar end.
Learn more about setting up Buffer video.
- Email schedule - confirm the emails and templates your event registrants will receive
Preview your registration and webinar space
To preview your event registration page, click the Registration Page link in the bottom left corner of the page.
To preview your webinar event space, click the Event Page link in the bottom left corner of the page.
Attendee experience in a webinar
When attendees join a webinar, they will automatically be directed to the stage.There will be a slide on stage letting attendees know what time the event will begin.If buffer video has been added to the webinar, attendees will see the buffer video until the session starts.
If speakers join the stage or content is shared to the stage before the start time of your event, it will NOT be visible to attendees, they will continue to see screensaver or buffer video. Once the start time of your event is reached, speakers and content shared to the stage WILL be visible to attendees. 
During your event, attendees can interact with the Engagement Panel on the right side of the screen, or visit the People or Speakers tabs, if you have enabled these for your event.
After your event end time is reached, if your speakers, slides, or other content remains on the stage it WILL be visible to attendees until 30 mins after the end time.If during this time, speakers have left the stage or there is no content shared, attendees will see the screensaver with event name.
Once it's 30 minutes past the event end time, a slide letting attendees know that the event is now over will be presented onstage. If buffer video is added for the event, attendees will continue to see the buffer video.
