Zoom Events -- Much more than a collection of Meetings and Webinars
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
I use Zoom Events primarily to host virtual events for clients whose needs demand something more than "just a meeting or a webinar". Clients who have conference-like, multi-day, multi-session events see Zoom Events as an opportunity to "scale up" their event without huge expense. While Zoom Events can accommodate hybrid events, those come with a degree of complexity that can be expensive. Many of my clients are staying with annual virtual events or alternating onsite and virtual events, with some wanting to convert their small-scale onsite events to hybrid. I've used Zoom Events for groups as small as 50 and as large as 800 (an upcoming event will be 1,200+), and once you learn the event configuration process, any event is easy to configure -- once you have your event details down on paper or in spreadsheets. A lot of it can be imported with CSV with no hand data-entry.
Pros
- Easy data entry using imported CSV files
- Full speaker and session images and text, with individual itineraries for attendees.
- Duplicate the structure and format of an existing event for your next event, or create an event template to easily replicate future events
- Automated language caption translation on-the-fly for a growing list of languages
Cons
- Like most Zoom products, Zoom Events is actively being improved and updated. The release cycle is monthly, which means event planners need to keep up with changes.
- While Zoom Events also works for in-person only events, this will require a certain mind-set shift to work well for many organizations.
- There is a core group of small business Zoom Events users who can provide help to new-comers, and an increasing number of helpful on-boarding resources, but Zoom Tier 1 support still starts out with the most pedantic questions; it's difficult to reach someone who can really help you with a difficult problem if you are not a large Zoom customer.
- Professional Services is available from Zoom, but it the cost is out of reach of most small businesses and non-profit organizations.
Return on Investment
- As a solo producer of Zoom Meetings, Webinars, and Events, the Zoom Events Pay Per Attendee (PPA) licensing plan allows me to provide custom virtual events for audiences of any size at a low cost per attendee. I've talked to many other "big event hosting" services, and so far none of them have what my clients want at a cost they can afford.
- I have my own Zoom Events "Unlimited" license for up to 100 attendees. Unlimited licenses are only cost-effective if you host numerous events throughout the one-year license period. If you organization or client base is larger, the cost can seem prohibitive for small companies, and I've consulted with clients who were on the verge of "buying the wrong license" (in my opinion) without understanding the licensing limitations.
Usability
Alternatives Considered
Whova and Hopin
Other Software Used
vMix Live Streaming Software, StreamAlive, Calendly
