Host a Zoom Webinar

Questions

  • How do I host a Zoom webinar at Bowdoin?
  • How do I get a Zoom webinar license?
  • What is the difference between a Zoom meeting and a Zoom webinar?
  • How do I schedule a Zoom webinar?
  • How do I invite panelists to a Zoom webinar?
  • How do I share the attendee registration link for a Zoom webinar?
  • How do I manage Q&A in a Zoom webinar?
  • Can attendees speak or turn on their camera in a Zoom webinar?
  • How do I run a practice session before my webinar starts?

Environment

This article applies to Bowdoin faculty and staff hosting large public or internal presentations, lectures, panels, or events using Zoom Webinars. Webinar licenses are not included in the standard Bowdoin Zoom site license — a limited number are available to borrow for short periods. You must request a license before scheduling a webinar. Instructions in this article apply to the Zoom desktop app and the Zoom web portal.

Resolution

Meetings vs. Webinars — Key Differences

Before requesting a license, confirm that a webinar is the right format for your event. The main difference is how attendees participate:

Feature Meeting Webinar
Attendee video and audio On by default; all participants can interact Off by default; attendees are view-only
Maximum attendees 300 500 (Bowdoin's license tier)
Who can speak and share video All participants Host and panelists only (unless host promotes an attendee)
Attendee list visibility Visible to all participants Hidden from attendees; only host and panelists can see it
Q&A panel Not available Available — attendees submit written questions
Attendee registration Not available Optional — host can require sign-up with a form
Practice session Not available Available — host and panelists can prepare before attendees join
Webinars are best for: large presentations, public lectures, panels, or events where the audience should observe rather than participate freely. For classes or team meetings where all participants need to interact, use a standard Zoom meeting instead.

Step 1 — Request a Webinar License

Contact the Service Desk or submit a request through the Service Catalog to borrow a webinar license. Include the date and time of your planned webinar so IT can ensure a license is available. License loans are typically arranged for the duration of your event.

Once IT has applied the webinar license to your account, sign out of Zoom and sign back in to activate it.

Step 2 — Schedule the Webinar

  1. Go to bowdoin.zoom.us and sign in with your Bowdoin credentials.
  2. In the left navigation, click Webinars, then click Schedule a Webinar.
  3. Fill in the webinar details:
    • Topic: The webinar title — this is what attendees will see.
    • Description: Optional. A brief description shown on the registration page (if registration is enabled).
    • Date and time: Set the start date, time, and expected duration.
    • Registration: Check Required if you want attendees to submit their name and email before joining. Leave unchecked for open access with a shared link.
    • Audio: Select Computer Audio only. Bowdoin does not subscribe to Zoom's dial-in phone service.
    • Webinar Passcode: Enabled by default. Keep it on for public-facing webinars.
  4. Click Schedule.

Step 3 — Add Panelists

Panelists are speakers, co-presenters, or guests who will have full audio and video capabilities during the webinar. They are different from attendees.

  1. On the webinar detail page after scheduling, scroll to the Invitations tab.
  2. Under Invite Panelists, click Edit.
  3. Enter each panelist's name and email address. Zoom will send them a unique panelist link — they must use this link to join, not the general attendee link.
  4. Click Save. Panelists receive an email with their join link automatically.
Co-hosts: To assign a co-host who can help manage the webinar (admit panelists, manage Q&A, start recording), promote them to co-host after the webinar starts. Co-hosts cannot be set before the webinar begins.

Step 4 — Share the Attendee Link

Attendees use a different link than panelists. On the webinar detail page, click the Invitations tab and copy the Attendee Registration Link (if registration is required) or the Join Link (if no registration). Share this link by email, on a website, or however you plan to promote your event.

Step 5 — Run a Practice Session

Zoom Webinars support a practice session that lets the host and panelists test audio, video, and slide sharing before attendees are admitted. Attendees cannot join until you explicitly start the webinar.

  1. At the scheduled time, open Zoom and start the webinar as you would a meeting.
  2. You will enter the practice session automatically. Panelists who join will also be held in the practice session.
  3. Test audio, video, screen sharing, and Q&A settings with your panelists.
  4. When ready, click Start Webinar to open the session to attendees.

Step 6 — During the Webinar

Participant controls

  • Open the Participants panel to see all panelists and attendees. Attendees are listed separately and their cameras and microphones are off by default.
  • To allow an attendee to speak, hover over their name and click Unmute or Ask to Unmute.
  • To promote an attendee to panelist (giving them full audio/video), hover over their name and click Promote to Panelist.

Q&A panel

  • Click Q&A in the toolbar to open the Q&A panel. Attendees submit written questions here — they cannot type in the regular chat by default.
  • As host or panelist, you can answer questions in writing (typed reply), live (verbal answer — the question will be marked as "answered live"), or dismiss questions that are off-topic.
  • Questions can be upvoted by attendees. Sorted by votes helps you prioritize.

Recording

  • Click Record and select Record to the Cloud. After the webinar ends, the recording transfers automatically to Panopto.

Step 7 — End the Webinar

  1. Click End in the toolbar.
  2. Select End Webinar for All to close the session for all panelists and attendees.
Return the webinar license. Once your event is complete, contact the Service Desk to let IT know the license can be returned to the pool.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.

Additional Resources

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