After years of people using video calls both in business and for personal communications, “Zoom” has become a recognizable brand (and not just an onomatopoeia for a speedy sound effect). We’re used to Zoom calls, we join Zoom meetings, we even Zoom our friends and family. (Yes, “Zoom” has become a verb as well as a noun.)
But one term that doesn’t come up as often is “Zoom Events,” which is a distinct offering from your regular Zoom.
So what is Zoom Events, and what makes it unique?
Zoom Events
To begin with, it should be clear that “Zoom Events” refers to a specific Zoom offering, not events in general. (So yes, “What is Zoom Events?” is grammatically accurate, even if “events” is plural.)
Zoom Events (previously known as OnZoom) is a platform designed to provide large scale virtual and hybrid event experiences. It’s designed for multi-session and multi-day events, such as virtual conferences, sales summits, and consumer events, and includes tools to keep audiences engaged and connected.
Organizers using Zoom Events can create multiple Zoom meeting sessions for webinars, panels, and conference sessions, which attendees can access throughout the event. The events can support up to 50,000 people, although the exact capacity depends on the license. Tiered pricing starts at an option for 500 attendees or fewer, and goes up to over 10,000. Yearly licenses are also available.
Rather than just provide a list of sessions and links to their sessions, Zoom Events include virtual lobbies for networking and exhibitions, like you’d see at an in-person conference.
Attendees can chat with individuals or groups in dedicated virtual spaces, and a single virtual booth can host multiple discussions. Users can preview any ongoing discussions before joining.
Zoom Events Features
Zoom Events is designed to provide a full virtual event experience, and includes a wide array of features to help organizers manage their event and keep attendees engaged. These include:
- A virtual Expo Floor, where attendees can chat and sponsors can host content in online “booths”
- Online event registration and ticketing options
- Customizable privacy settings for events and hubs
- A video-on-demand library that hosts recordings and video transcripts after the event
- Virtual networking sessions to help attendees and participants connect
- An online hub to organize events and recordings
- Customizable designs for event branding, including wallpaper, name tags, and backgrounds
- Special sponsorship tiers, tickets, chat privileges, and more for event sponsors
- “Backstage” virtual gatherings for speakers between sessions
- Interactive features, including polls, quizzes, and live emoji reactions for event attendees
- Reports on ticketing and attendee engagement
- Live transcription and translation services
Event organizers can also add Zoom Event Services, where Zoom provides assistance from experts to help organize and manage the event. Organizations who purchase premier developer support will receive preferential support from Zoom engineers.
