Webinar event: Configuring the activity panel

Webinar is a single-track event format that can last up to 8 hours. Compared with multi-track event formats, webinars offer limited features and settings, ensuring quick and easy setup. This guide explains how to configure the activity panel for a webinar. 

What is the activity panel?

The activity panel, situated on the right side of the online event venue, functions as an interactive space for audience engagement, comprising four tabs:

• Chat: Allows attendees to tag each other, reply in the thread, react with emojis, send GIFs, and more. Organizers can manage chat by pinning and deleting messages. 
• Polls: Enables creation and display of multiple real-time polls for attendee feedback, with results available in event analytics. Organizers, Moderators, and Speakers can create, schedule, and manage polls. 
• People: Displays the list of event registrants so that users attending can become more familiar with the audience.

  Note: Unlike in multi-track events, direct messages and 1:1 meetings are not supported.  

• Q&A: Allows attendees to ask questions, both anonymously and by displaying their names. Organizers and Speakers can announce the Q&A, while all event stakeholders will be able to answer questions in writing and mark them as answered. 

Enabling/disabling activity panel tabs

To configure the activity panel tabs for your webinar:

1. Go to Event Dashboard > Setup > Basics. Here you will find the fundamental webinar settings, including the activity panel settings.
2. Under Activity Panel, toggle Chat, Q&A, Polls, and People List on or off based on your preferences.
3. Click Save to implement the changes. 

Clearing chat

If your event spans several hours, you may need to clear chat to maintain clarity and assist attendees in keeping track of ongoing communications. To clear the Chat area in the event settings:

1. Go to Event Dashboard > Setup > Basics.
2. Under Activity Panel, click Clear chat. A pop-up appears asking you to confirm your choice.
3.  Click Clear chat again to continue, or Cancel if you've changed your mind.
   

To clear the Chat area in the event venue:

1. In the activity panel, click the Menu icon.
2. Click Clear chat.
   ✔ A pop-up appears asking you to confirm your choice.
3. Click Clear chat again to continue.
   ✔ Once you have cleared the chat, you and your Attendees will see a note at the top of the chat panel saying "The organizer has cleared the chat."
   

Enabling/disabling Q&A moderation

Q&A Moderation allows Organizers and assigned Moderators to review and approve attendee questions before they become visible to everyone. To enable or disable Q&A Moderation:

1. Go to Event Dashboard > Setup > Basics.
2. Under Activity Panel, toggle Q&A Moderation on or off.
3. Click Save to implement the changes. 

Adding apps

In-event experience can be enhanced by integrating various apps into the activity panel, including Slido, GoFundMe, Kahoot, Syncwords, and many more. Here's how you can add them:

1. Go to Event Dashboard > Setup > Basics.
2. Under Apps, you will see the configurations for engagement and transition apps added to your Organization.
3. If you haven't added any applicable apps yet, click Discover more apps to go to the App store where you can review and add various apps. 
   
   
   

4. In the App store, you can filter apps by event area (Stages or Sessions) to review those compatible with the activity panel.

   Tip: For more details on the available apps and their functionalities, refer to our guide: Which Apps are available on RingCentral Events plans?

   
   
   

5. Once added, return to the Event Dashboard, configure the apps, and click Save to implement the changes.