Bizzabo Training Guide
Welcome to your Online Bizzabo Training Guide
In order to get the most out of Bizzabo, you should have a read through this guide, which will cover:
- How to access the Speaker/Moderator Portal in Bizzabo
- The layout of your Virtual Room
- How to add media, such as images, videos and PowerPoint slides
- Using the interactive features such as the whiteboard, quizzes/polls and breakout rooms
We've also created a quick video guide, which walks you through the guide in 25 minutes.
Let's get started...
This guide was written in January 2023. Last updated in March 2023.
If you've been added to a session in Bizzabo as a speaker, you'll be sent an invitation to the Moderator's Portal.
The invite should be from portal@bizzabo.com.
After following the link, you will need to register your details with Bizzabo (if you don't already have an account).
Once in the portal, you can enter each virtual room by selecting ENTER VIRTUAL ROOM beside the session name.
Once you've accessed your Virtual Room, you will be asked to choose your device (for microphone and video). If you don't want to connect just yet, just select anywhere else on screen and the popup will close.
Room Layout
- Navigation Bar - where to access the main features of the room.
- Presentation Space - where streaming, videos and media will appear to all present in the room.
- Side Panels - toggled from the Navigation bar (more below)
- Chat - text-based chat
- Participants - a list of all the people in the room
- Playlist - queued media content
- Notes - broadcast quick notes to everyone
- Webcam View at the bottom of the screen changes the webcam layout between gallery and active speaker view.
Navigation Bar
On the Navigation Bar you can:
- Toggle webcam and microphone on/off
- Open the File Uploader and App Selector
- Toggle the view for the side panels for Chat, Playlist, Participants and Notes.
- On the right hand side, you also have the following icons:
- Poll - Fire off a quick poll for participants immediately
- Cog - Device and Room Settings, including:
- Default participant restrictions, chat settings,
- Frame - toggles full-screen/window mode
- Leave - this icon ends the session (for everyone)
Side Panels
Chat Panel
The Chat Panel allows you to see and reply to text-based chats.
There are three types of chat available (if enabled for your room):
- General Chat (green icon) - participants and speakers/moderators can all chat here. Messages are visible to all.
- Q&A (?) - one to one chat messaging between participants and speakers/moderators (must be turned on in settings)
- Moderator Chat (star) - chat only visible to speakers/moderators
You can reply in-line to messages or delete single message by hovering over them and selecting the arrow. The whole chat can be cleared from the three dots by the X.
Participants Panel
The Participants Panel shows you everyone in the virtual room. Anyone with a star by their name indicates a speaker/moderator; everyone else is an attendee.
The icons beneath someone name appear black when they are live, or have their webcam/microphone on.
Participants can also raise their hand, which will make their name appear bold and move them to the top of the panel with a raised hand icon.
You can also disable chat and whiteboard functionality from here.
By selecting the arrow when hovering over a participant you can 'Remove from room' for participants who are being disruptive.
Playlist Panel
The Playlist Panel will show you all queued media, selected from the File Uploader.
Notes Panel
The Notes Panel allows you to write and broadcast notes to your participants. This could include links to department brochures or course pages.
Participants can open each note individually throughout the session.
Inside your Virtual Room, you can adjust which speaker can be seen: one at a time or all.
Please check your devices are working before the session by visiting: https://smart.newrow.com/kme-testLink opens in a new window
The Profile Icon
This can be selected by hovering over the target video/webcam to bring this video full screen in the Presentation Space (if not presenting something from the playlist)
This is what the video will appear like if it is presenting full screen.
By selecting the Profile Icon again, this will exit full screen.
Playlist and Presenting
If you are playing media from your playlist and you select the Profile Icon, your video will appear floating over the presentation space.
You can click and drag to move this camera view around the presentation space (in case the video is covering up content and needs to be moved).
Making yourself Live
You can select the Live button underneath your name in the Participant Panel to toggle whether you will appear as a speaker to participants.
This is useful for moderators who don't want to appear as speakers, but still want to join the session to answer questions in the chat, for example.
Before your session starts, you can pre-load all of your session media and add it to a playlist.
Session Files
Selecting the folder or file icon with the + overlaid will allow you to select files and folders from your device to add to the Session Files. You can also manage these files from here to delete, rename, download and link.
Once your files are uploaded, you can add them to your playlist by selecting them and then the 'Add to playlist' button. They will be added to your playlist window.
You can add multiple files (images, videos and PowerPoint presentations) and you can close the popup while you're uploading if you wish. Files are 1GB maximum each.
We recommend jpg/png (images) and mp4 (video).
Organising the Playlist
From the playlist:
- You can reorder items by using the three dots of the left side of the preview.
- You can delete items from the playlist (not the session files) by hovering over the item and selecting the x on the right.
When you select each item, they will be displayed in the Presentation Area and will be visible to all participants.
Each item must be selected to view it; the playlist will not automatically advance.
You can exit playlist items by selecting the X in the top right corner of the presentation space.
Bizzabo has lots of useful engagement features that can make your session more interactive and exciting for participants.
Apps/Tools
- YouTube - add a YouTube video to the playlist, so you don't have to download it and add it to Session Files.
- Whiteboard - an interactive drawing tool where you can scribble notes and pictures
- Desktop Share - share your desktop screen with all participants
- Quizzes - interactive polls and questions
- Video Library - a library of video content
- Recording - record the session to display as Video On Demand content after the session is over
- Breakout - organise and send participants to breakout spaces
Setting Up Quizzes
You can set up multiple quizzes and add them to the playlist to play at different times. You have a choice from multiple choice (single answer or multiple answer) and unscored.
You can also add quick polls by selecting the three bars from the Navigation Bar. These do not have to be set up in advance. For further information about this feature, please see this article.
Recording a Session
When your session is about to begin, select Recording from the Tools popup and then set a recording duration.
Recording your session will allow us to upload a Video on Demand, available to anyone who missed the session. You don't have to record the session but we do recommend it.
Selecting 'Record until manually stopped' will continue recording until the session ends and is the default/safest option in case your session overruns slightly.
It can take a minute or two for the recording to start. You will receive a confirmation message when recording had begun.
Messages in the chat will not appear on the recording, so make sure to read out each question aloud for the recording. If putting your email in the chat for participants, make sure to say it aloud too, if not on screen on a presentation already.
Please note: You must inform everyone in the chat that the session is being recorded and will be available after the session. Some participants may choose not to turn their camera or microphone on if they do not wish to be included in the video.
Using the Whiteboard
The Whiteboard can be selected from the Tools popup. Participant edit rights to the whiteboard are enabled/disabled from the participant panel.
From here you can make use of a range of drawing tools:
- Pointer - a way to point in real time with all participants
- Pen, highlighter, rubber and text tool
- Shapes - add a shape, such as a square to your whiteboard
- Colours - a range of colours for the different elements you can add
- Images - add an image from the Session Files
There are lots of fun features, such as grids, multiple boards and more. The easiest way to learn is to enter a virtual room and try them out.
Breakout Rooms
You can send all participants into Breakout Rooms by selecting it from the Tools popup.
Here you can:
- Manually (drag and drop) or automatically assign participants to rooms.
- Change the number of breakout rooms (maximum 25 per breakout room, 30 rooms)
- Set a time limit before the breakout session ends (reopen this window to add more time or end the breakout early).
There are additional room settings, which can disable/enable certain room features.
Once rooms are started, you can broadcast to all rooms using the top banner. For example, let everyone know they have 2 minutes left. You can also enter each breakout room.
Each breakout room has access to all the same features as the main room, such as the whiteboard and files. You can set up your breakout rooms pre-event in the same way as the main room.
Screen Sharing
You can share your screen by selecting it in the Tools popup.
You have the option to share:
- Entire Desktop Screen
- Application Window (such as MS Word)
- Chrome Tab
It is useful to select application or tab, so you can return to the virtual room to answer chat questions at the same time.
This is the only way to display PowerPoint presentations with animations and transitions.
Video Highlights
This video was recorded in 2020. Please check for any new featuresLink opens in a new window that may have been released since recording.
- 0:00 - Introduction
- 0:30 - Accessing the Virtual Room
- 1:19 - Your Virtual Room
- 4:00 - Adding Files
- 4:58 - Creating a Quiz
- 6:56 - Adding items to the playlist
- 8:40 - Checking your tech
- 12:26 - Recording the Session
- 13:51 - Participant View
- 15:00 - Live Chat
- 16:20 - Whiteboard
- 18:45 - Breakout Rooms
- 21:40 - Managing Participants
- 22:35 - Screen Sharing
- 23:55 - Webcam Only
- 24:50 - Ending the Session
Once you've been through the training, check out these additional guides:
Top Tips
Best practice and useful guidance for running a great virtual session
Virtual Event Checklist
As the event gets closer, what can you do to make sure you're ready?
Troubleshooting
Having problems with the platform or tech setup, check out these tips before getting in touch
Training
See our full list of Digital Platforms and Channels Training for upcoming Bizzabo Training Sessions.
The Virtual Rooms are hosted through Kaltura. They have a comprehensive guide to their Virtual Classrooms found hereLink opens in a new window.