When you choose a software system, you need to take into account two fundamental aspects. First, it has to be intuitive so that every user (and participant) can easily set up and run a video. Second, the platform should be packed with useful features to make the most of webinar marketing.
LiveWebinar offers various options and integrations to work with at every stage of implementing your webinar strategy. We know how beneficial they can be for your business, but it might not be so apparent for you initially.
That’s why we’ve launched the LiveWebinar explained series, to show how your company can use our features to your advantage. Today, we’re going to focus on breakout rooms, a feature that can simplify your life and be a real game-changer for online events.
What are breakout rooms?
Webinar breakout rooms are virtual sub-meetings within a webinar that allow participants to split into smaller groups for focused discussions, enhancing interactivity and collaboration.
How do I use a breakout room?
To use a breakout room, start by hosting a webinar and selecting the breakout room option in your control panel. Then, divide participants into groups manually or automatically using the 'randomize' button. As host, you can move between rooms to supervise and manage discussions.
Here is a full step-by-step guide to help you with setting up a breakout room and using this feature to its fullest.
Webinar breakout rooms aim to facilitate webinar interactions and leverage group work during online meetings. You can take advantage of this feature if your attendees need to discuss particular ideas and topics within several groups simultaneously.
Not sure what breakout rooms are or how they work? Read our complete guide to breakout rooms first.
Division into groups & supervision
To divide participants in breakout rooms:
- Choose manual grouping to assign participants yourself, or
- Use the 'randomize' button for automatic group assignment.
The host can move freely between rooms to supervise discussions
Above you can see what a webinar breakout room looks like. You can see more screenshots in our guide to get familiar with the interface and read the legend.
Record & repeat
Webinars can be recorded and saved to enable repeat viewing by participants later. How does this apply to breakout rooms?
It's also possible to record a webinar breakout session, but it's the host's task to capture the discussion. They are the only people who can click the "REC" button and then manage the final material. The video will be saved in the "Recordings" section of the host's storage. You can save the video from every breakout room, even if they're running simultaneously. No one will miss a meeting.
Using breakout rooms for your industry
Breakout rooms benefit industries by enabling smaller group discussions, facilitating brainstorming, enhancing networking, and allowing personalized interactions during webinars.
Education
It's hard to imagine learning without the possibility of working in smaller groups and talking about projects during personal meetings. Webinar breakout rooms are a perfect solution for the education industry, whether for a private language school or a public institution. While many schools and universities have had to switch to online classes during remote learning times, it's essential to make this experience as lifelike as possible.
When giving lessons online, you can use breakout rooms in webinars to enable students to work in pairs or groups. They’re also useful for having a quick discussion about a particular topic and letting your students have a short conversation about a specific topic. Each group can work independently on a given task and then present the results to the whole classroom, just like with face-to-face teaching.
Online events, courses and workshops
Breakout rooms can be used for meeting other people and scheduling business appointments with them.
- You can arrange a so-called "speed dating" session, during which the participants meet each other for short, one-on-one talks. This is made possible online thanks to LiveWebinar’s breakout rooms feature!
- If you organize meetings with special guests during an event, you can schedule a paid (or free) breakout room session. Participants who buy a ticket to attend such a meeting would be able to talk privately with an entrepreneur right after their performance and general Q&A session.
These are just two examples of how you can make a business conference more interactive and lifelike, by using webinar breakout rooms to facilitate networking between participants on many levels.
Remote workers
Leading a remote team at work can be a hard nut to crack - but you can make it easier with breakout rooms. They can facilitate brainstorming sessions, working on projects and have one-on-one conversations during meetings. You can divide your co-workers into interdisciplinary groups and ask them to conduct a discussion around a particular task.
Solo entrepreneurs
Are you focused on building your personal brand and giving speeches during real-life and online events? If you're also leading your own webinars, breakout rooms can help you create a bond with your participants.
To make your performances more customized for the audience, you can arrange a private, personal Q&A session with a smaller group. Only people who purchase access to attend this meeting after the presentation would become part of your breakout rooms in webinar. This can be a time for them to ask questions concerning their own issues and seek specific solutions. Breakout rooms can also help you engage your audience during the performance by dividing them into groups that work separately on particular tasks.
Psychology and group therapy
This use of breakout rooms might not be too obvious, but it is worth mentioning. Hosting group therapy online instead of doing it in-person can be challenging. That's why it's essential to have the possibility of dividing participants into pairs or small groups when necessary. Sometimes it's crucial to dedicate a few minutes to just one person for a private talk. Webinar breakout rooms provide a place where two (or more) people can talk away from the prying eyes of the whole audience.
Retail & sales
Watching a presentation of a product might not be enough for your clients. Making it personal, however, can enhance the promotion and selling process.
You could present a product to a whole group of people and then divide the audience into subgroups, allowing for more fluent communication. With one representative of your company in each team, clients can ask specific questions and specialists can answer them, as well as show particular features.
Hiring
If you're working with a group of potential employees, you can assign tasks to them, see how well they perform, and discuss the results in one-on-one meetings. To see which participants can perform the work most effectively, you can divide the candidates into pairs or subgroups to each complete the same tasks and compare the results. On our website, you can read about how you can use breakout rooms as part of the recruitment process.
Customization - breakout rooms tailored to your needs
Features work best when they fit your business needs. This means you can customize breakout rooms in several ways to create a version that matches your brand.
Room layout
Depending on the number of members in a breakout room and the meeting's character, you can change the layout of the view. There are six different types to choose from: visible communication models, pure content, enlarged chat areas and divisible spaces.
Other facilitations
During any meeting, an attendee might have a question or need some help. If the host or main presenter is not currently present in that breakout room, each participant can use the "Ask the Presenter for Help" option. The location of this button is highlighted in the screenshot below.
Start using the Break-out room feature today
Boost your webinars with special options that can make your content stand out from the crowd. You can use them to engage your audience, co-workers, or students during online video calls.
Now, it's your turn to think about how you can use special features to make your webinars more gripping and personal. In case you have any questions concerning adding the breakout rooms option to your plan, feel free to call us or send us a message. We'll be happy to help or dispel any doubts!
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How to Use Breakout Rooms for Business Meetings and Events
