Creating a Virtual event

Here's a comprehensive step-by-step guide covering everything you need to know about launching a virtual event on RingCentral Events from initial setup to publishing it. Virtual events offer a multi-track & multi-day event format, suited for online conferences, and big internal or external events. They include multiple virtual spaces and advanced features and settings.

Step 1: Create your event

1. In your Organization Dashboard, click Create.

2. On the next page, complete the following:

• In the Name box, type your event name.
   Note: The name of your event can be changed at any time from the Event Dashboard.
• Under Starts at/Ends at, enter the start and end date and time of your event. The duration limit is up to 10 days on the RingCentral Events plan. 
  Note: Your event closes automatically 10 minutes after your specified end time, but you can extend your event by 15 minutes before it closes in case your program is running late. You can also extend the time of your event from your Event Dashboard before the event ends as long as you remain within your duration limit.
• Select Virtual event as the preferred event format.
• Click Create virtual event. 

3. Next, select the virtual event areas that you want to use. This can be changed later. Once ready, click Continue.

4. Finally, enter the description of your event. Once ready, click Continue.

At this point, you'll get redirected to the Event Dashboard. The Overview page features a helpful checklist designed to guide you through the event setup.

Step 2: Check your event details

Navigate to Setup > Basics in your Event Dashboard to access and adjust the fundamental event settings. Some of these settings may have already been configured during the event creation process.

Event name and time

Here you can change the name of the event or the start and end times you've previously selected. 

Description

Here you can adjust the event description you've previously added. It will display on your Classic landing page. In the Description box, you can embed widgets, videos, hyperlinks, file downloads, and extensive descriptions. Refer to our guide Customizing content and additional information areas to learn all supported customization options. 

Event areas

Here you can enable or disable event areas and set where your attendees will land first when entering the event. Depending on the goals and nature of your event, you can choose any combination of these areas or all of them.

• Reception serves as a lobby where attendees can learn about the event and get oriented. 
• Stage segments are for live speakers, presentations, talks, interviews, live-streaming, and webinars. Up to 10 people can present on Stage at a time and 100,000 attendees can watch the Stage at your event.
• Sessions are segments for live video group discussions, breakouts, and roundtables. You (and your attendees) can set up virtual groups in Sessions based on a topic. Up to 50 attendees can join a Session on screen. Up to 5,000 people can watch a Session (without participating on camera), depending on how many speakers you can on screen. See our guide Max On-Screen and Viewer Limits for more information.
• Networking is where you can set up Networking and allow attendees to connect, explore common interests, and share professional details with each other. 
• Expo can be used for virtual exhibitor booths, whether you have two or two hundred of them.
• Replay allows you to show event recordings to attendees during and/or after the event for up to 12 months.
• App Area allows you to share apps with your audience, without directing them away from the RingCentral Events platform. 
• Custom Area adds an additional icon to your event navigation and links to an external page of your choice.

Event format and visibility

If your event expands, you can transform your virtual event into a Hybrid or Onsite event by changing the event format. Under Event Format, select your preferred option from the drop-down menu, and save the changes. If you opt for a Hybrid or Onsite event rather than a virtual one, you'll be prompted to input the venue name and address. For further details, refer to the guide on changing the event format.

Event visibility can be adjusted to hidden, public, or private:

• Public events are indexed by search engines.
• Hidden events are joinable only via a link or invitation. Not indexed by search engines.
• Private events are password-protected. A great choice for test events and events with limited access for privacy reasons. Not indexed by search engines.

Event URL & Session display

To display the Event URL and Session Display settings, click Advanced setting. 

Event URL is the link to your event registration page and all pages inside your event. You can change the part after https://events.ringcentral.com/events to your preference, as long as it is not already in use by another event. For more details, refer to our guide on Changing event URL slug.

Under Session Display, you can adjust the visibility duration of a scheduled Session outside its scheduled time. By default, if a Session is linked to a Schedule segment, it will only display for 5 minutes before and after the scheduled time in the Sessions area of the event. For more details, refer to our guide on Accessing a scheduled Session before the start time.

Step 3: Brand your event

Navigate to Setup > Branding to personalise your event by customizing the event logo, banner and colors.

Step 4: Set up registration

At RingCentral Events, we’ve built our own registration systems so you don’t have to worry about using another platform to collect, track, manage, and accept payments for your attendee list. However, it’s completely possible to use a separate registration system and then import the registrations in bulk or send out Magic Link invites.

Landing page

The landing page is where attendees register for your event by claiming tickets. You can also use it to display the various components of your event, such as sponsors, schedule, and speakers.

To set up your registration page, navigate to your Event Dashboard > Registration > Landing Page. You have two layouts available: Classic and Advanced.  

Classic is our default option. It has a predefined design and automatically displays all of the available event information, so you don't need to spend time setting it up. 

Advanced is a drag-and-drop page builder that provides a customizable layout, branding, speaker bios, and custom fonts. There are four main themes to choose from, but all are customizable. 

Registration settings

To set up a custom registration close date for your event, allow bulk ticket purchases, change ticket currency, customize registration confirmation message or enable domain restriction, navigate to the Event Dashboard > Registration > Landing Page. 

Tickets

To create tickets, navigate to the Event Dashboard > Registration > Tickets. You will see a free ticket created by default which you can delete or edit to fit your needs. Here is a guide where you can learn more about ticket settings: Creating tickets.

Registration form

To create required and optional custom registration questions, navigate to the Event Dashboard > Registration > Registration Form. Learn more about question types here: Creating a registration form.

Step 5: Define your schedule

Establishing a detailed and organized schedule is crucial when managing a multi-track event. It serves as a vital reference point for attendees, offering clear insights into the event's proceedings, locations, and timings.

Once you create a schedule, it automatically populates on your event's Registration and Reception pages. To create a schedule, go to Event Dashboard > Venue > Schedule. Here is a guide where you can learn more about it: Creating a schedule.

Step 6: Add speakers

Let attendees know who is presenting and featured at your event by adding speakers.

Navigate to the Event Dashboard > Venue > Speakers to add, remove, and edit all of your speakers. You can either create a speaker profile or register them directly.

Speakers can also be added directly from the schedule. Check out our guide on adding speakers for complete instructions and details.

Go LIVE!

While there are numerous additional customization options available, you now have the fundamental components to kickstart your event.

Ready to share your event and open registrations? Head over to your Event Dashboard and click Publish.

Once your event is published, you can copy the Registration page URL to start promoting your event and use the test mode to rehearse with your speakers.

All details of your event are editable at any time if you need to make a change, so there’s no pressure to make everything perfect before publishing. You’re now able to keep track of registrants, ticket sales, and revenue on your Overview page.