Zoom Webinar FAQs

What's the difference between a Zoom Meeting and a Zoom Webinar?

Zoom offers two video conferencing options: meetings and webinars. Meetings target small to medium groups like departments, teams, or one-on-ones and allow for virtual collaboration and communication. Zoom webinars are designed to allow users to virtually host panelists or presenters for large groups, conferences, and events while attendees watch and/or listen in a view-only format with limited participation. 

  • Ideal for large audiences or events
  • Open to participants outside of Tulane
  • Options for hosts to engage participants through live polling, chat, and emoji features

Who can host a webinar? 

Anyone with a Tulane Zoom account can host a webinar. However, hosts with a TU Zoom for Healthcare account must assign an alternative host with a TU Zoom Pro account to their webinar for HIPAA compliance.

How many can attend a webinar? 

The max number of attendees allowed in a Zoom Webinar is 3,000.

How do I reserve a webinar? 

To complete a webinar reservation, you must... 

  1. Determine the name of your webinar. 
  2. Identify the webinar host (and co-host/alternative host - required for Zoom for Healthcare users). 
  3. Know if you have a Zoom Pro or Zoom for Healthcare account (HIPAA Compliant). 
  4. Provide a list of panelists if applicable. 
  5. Confirm your date and time of webinar.* 

Now, you are ready to complete the Zoom Webinar Reservation form. Please fill out every section of this form or your reservation will not successfully book. Mac users should use Firefox or Chrome instead of Safari when reserving a Zoom Webinar.

  • Users requesting to host a webinar after 5:00 PM Monday-Friday must select the latest time available on the reservation calendar. Then, provide the preferred start time in the notes section of the request form. 
  • For weekend webinars, users must select a Friday date and the latest time available on the reservation calendar and provide the preferred date and time in the notes section of the form. 
  • All day Zoom Webinars require a separate reservation for each time available on that day.

Who is a host vs. a co-host? 

A host is the primary user or requestor who schedules the webinar. There is only one webinar host and this person has full permission to manage the webinar, panelists, and attendees. Hosts can: 

  • stop and start the webinar 
  • mute panelists 
  • stop panelists’ videos 
  • remove attendees from the webinar 
  • disable panelists features like starting video, screen sharing and recording 
  • and more

A co-host (or alternative host) oversees the administrative side of the webinar, such as managing attendees or starting/stopping the recording. Co-hosts cannot start a webinar and only hosts can assign a co-host to their webinar. If a host has a TU Zoom for Healthcare (HIPAA Compliant) account, they must assign a co-host to their webinar that has a TU Zoom Pro account. Tulane IT recommends assigning a co-host to help manage your webinar.

Who are panelists? 

Panelists are full participants in a webinar that can view and send videos, screen share, annotate, and more. Only a host can assign a participant as a panelist. It is important to include your panelists names and emails in your Webinar Request form. 

Pro Tip: Schedule a practice session in advance of your webinar if you are hosting a panelists in your webinar.

Who are attendees? 

Attendees are view-only participants. The view of the attendees is controlled by the host. Attendees can interact with the host, co-host, and panelists through features like polling, Q&A, and the chat.

How should I prepare for a webinar? 

You're already preparing if you've read this far! We also recommend doing the following to help you better prepare: 

  • Confirm you received a Zoom webinar reservation confirmation from zoomwebinars@tulane.edu. Hosts will receive this auto-reply once your form has been properly submitted. 
  • Look for communications regarding details of your reservation from tulane@service-now.com. All reservation requests are handled by our IT Service Desk. 
  • Schedule a practice session prior to your webinar, using the Webinar Reservation form. Under the "Select Staff" section, select the 100 staff option. Then, in the "Webinar Name" box list Tutorial with IT. Be sure to include your preferred dates and times in the notes section and the co-hosts/panelists names and emails you want to attend. 
  • Additional questions should be submitted to our IT Service Desk, help@tulane.edu.

How do I request webinar reports and recordings? 

Hosts can contact help@tulane.edu to request webinar reports once their event has ended. Tulane automatically records all Zoom Webinars for our users. 

  • Performance reports display engagement statistics on registration, attendance, and feedback. 
  • Reports capture the webinar’s Q&A, polling, and post-webinar survey results. 
  • All reports are exportable as CSV files. 
  • Recordings are accessible once the webinar is complete. 
  • Recording formats include video, audio, chat, and transcription.

Is Zoom accessible?

Can I setup a department/resource account? 

At this time, Tulane IT cannot setup Zoom Webinar Department/Resource accounts. If you wish to setup a Zoom Pro account for your department, please contact the IT desk for more information on costs and details. 

Is my webinar secure? 

All Tulane Zoom Webinars require a meeting ID and passcode to start and join the webinar. Hosts will receive a Meeting ID and Passcode for your webinar once registration is complete. The host has the option to turn the passcode setting off, but this is discouraged to ensure security during your event. 

How do I request an all day webinar on the reservation form? 

Currently, there is not an option to select an all day webinar on the reservation form. Therefore, you must submit a separate reservation for each time listed on the form for the day you wish to reserve.