Webinars
Host large-scale presentations and events with panelists and attendees.
Webinars are large-scale online events designed for one-to-many communication. Unlike meetings where everyone can participate equally, webinars have a clear distinction between presenters and viewers, making them ideal for presentations, training sessions, product launches, and company-wide announcements.
Webinars vs Meetings
Understanding when to use a webinar versus a meeting helps you choose the right format for your event:
| Feature | Meeting | Webinar |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Collaborative, many-to-many | Presentation, one-to-many |
| Participants | All can share video/audio | Only panelists present |
| Interaction | Open discussion | Q&A, chat, polls |
| Capacity | Up to 100 participants | Up to 1,000 attendees |
| Roles | Host, Co-host, Attendee | Host, Co-host, Panelist, Attendee |
| Best for | Team meetings, collaboration | Presentations, training, events |
When to choose a webinar
Use webinars when you have a clear presenter-audience dynamic, need higher capacity, or want more control over who can share audio and video.
Webinar Roles
Webinars have four distinct roles, each with specific capabilities:
| Role | Description | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Creator of the webinar | Full control: start, end, edit, cancel, manage all participants, assign roles |
| Co-host | Assists the host | Help manage participants, mute/unmute, remove attendees, promote to panelist |
| Panelist | Presenters and speakers | Share video/audio, screen share, participate in backstage, answer Q&A |
| Attendee | Viewers of the webinar | Watch the presentation, submit questions, participate in polls, use chat |
Role Hierarchy
Host (full control)
└── Co-host (management assistance)
└── Panelist (presentation rights)
└── Attendee (view-only)Hosts can promote attendees to panelists during the webinar, and demote panelists back to attendees as needed.
Webinar Status Lifecycle
Webinars progress through the following states:
Upcoming → Live → Ended
↓
Cancelled| Status | Description | Available Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Upcoming | Scheduled for the future | Edit, Cancel, Start, Manage presenters |
| Live | Currently in progress | Join, End, Manage participants |
| Ended | Webinar has concluded | View details, Access recording |
| Cancelled | Was cancelled before starting | View details, Delete |
Webinar Links
Every webinar has two distinct links for different participant types:
Event Link (for Attendees)
The public link shared with your audience. Attendees use this link to:
- Register for the webinar (if registration is enabled)
- Join the webinar when it starts
- View webinar details and schedule
Backstage Link (for Presenters)
A private link for hosts, co-hosts, and panelists. The backstage allows presenters to:
- Join before the webinar goes live
- Prepare and test audio/video
- Coordinate with other presenters
- Review presentation materials
Keep the backstage link private
Only share the backstage link with your presenters. Attendees should only receive the event link.
Capacity Settings
Choose the right capacity tier for your webinar based on expected attendance:
| Capacity | Best For |
|---|---|
| 50 attendees | Small training sessions, team presentations |
| 100 attendees | Department meetings, workshops |
| 250 attendees | Large training sessions, product demos |
| 500 attendees | Company-wide announcements, external webinars |
| 1,000 attendees | Large-scale events, public presentations |
Plan your capacity wisely
Select a capacity that matches your expected attendance. Higher capacities may require additional resources and affect webinar performance. You can adjust capacity when editing an upcoming webinar.
In This Section
Creating Webinars
Schedule and configure your webinar with all the settings you need.
Managing Presenters
Add hosts, co-hosts, and panelists to your webinar.
Managing Attendees
Handle registration, invitations, and attendee management.
Webinar Settings
Configure registration, Q&A, polls, and other webinar options.
Running Webinars
Start, manage, and end your webinar successfully.
Quick Reference
Where to Find Webinars
- Home page — Shows upcoming webinars in your schedule
- Webinars page — Full list with filtering and search
- Calendar — Visual calendar view alongside meetings
Webinar Actions by Role
| Action | Host | Co-host | Panelist | Attendee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start/End | Yes | No | No | No |
| Edit settings | Yes | No | No | No |
| Cancel | Yes | No | No | No |
| Manage participants | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Share screen | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Share video/audio | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Answer Q&A | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Submit questions | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Participate in polls | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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