We are here to support your efforts to assist your community in any way that you choose, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This guide will help you initiate and manage online meetups.
Platform
We recommend using Zoom. Zoom allows the participants to connect for free, take an active part in the meetup with audio and video, and also breakout to rooms for smaller sessions. If needed Download Zoom Client for Host.
- If you have a Zoom Pro plan you can use your own account.
- If you have a basic plan, we will add your user to our Pro account for the purpose of your meetup. In that case, please send Tali your zoom details. Please note that if you have cloud recordings you need to download them before we assign your account, otherwise they will transfer to our account. Alternatively, you can create a new basic zoom user dedicated to the meetups.
- You can test all essential features and breakout rooms with the basic plan.
Suggestions for Virtual Meetup Concept
Lecture
- One speaker + Q&A
- Recommended limit of participants – 50
Roundtables
- Divide participants into groups, using the breakout rooms feature on Zoom
- Recommended limit of participants- 30-50
Multi Speakers
- 2-3 Short talks (case study / Showcase) or a panel + Q&A
- Recommended limit of participants – 50
Socialising
- General topic/ Networking based on high interaction between participants. You can use the Icebreaker app
- Recommended limit of participants -30
We recommend limiting the number of participants by the meetup type. As the purpose of the meetup is still to give participants a place to talk, ask questions, and share their projects. That would be very difficult for a big number of people.
If you would like to speak in another Elementor meetup OR you are looking to invite a fellow Elementor leader to speak on your meetup – register here
Before The Meetup
- Choose a type of meetup.
- Build a clear agenda for the meetup, with exact times and speaker/s. People can join and leave without prior notice and, that way, they will know what to expect and when. See here the slides template.
- Contact us with all the details to get the online meetup approved. See the instructions below.
- Post a meetup event on the meetup group. Add to the event title: Online meetup.
- Please add this note to the event description: Please note that this session might be recorded and will be shared with you after the session is terminated (via meetup). For more information: [email protected].
- On event settings, choose “Online” and add the Zoom link there. It will be visible to the members who RSVP to the event.
Highlight on the agenda that this event will be held online via Zoom. - Get familiar with the features of zoom such as polls, chat, share screen, recording, and breakout rooms, and do a dry-run.
- Perform a dry-run to make sure you are proficient in managing the meetup on Zoom: check sound, video, the breakout rooms feature, mute/unmute participants, chat, and your network bandwidth.
- Ask the community for help in managing the online event: assign tasks- who will host the event, who will monitor the chat, etc. If you don’t have a team yet, ask a community member to help.
- 3 days before the event, send a reminder to the RSVPs including:
link for the Zoom meeting.
- Link to download the zoom app. (Can also be installed using the meeting link).
- Send the message via meetup messages. Although it’s a virtual meetup, ask members to confirm their attendance, or clear their spot for members on the waiting list (if applicable).
During The Meetup
- Enter the meeting a few minutes before, make sure your camera and audio are working.
- Make sure to ask a co-organizer of a member from the group to see if people are posting on the meetup group during the meetup (for example if they don’t find the link to the meeting).
- Start the recording. (If you decided to record the meetup)
- Welcome the participants by name, when they join the meeting.
- Wait until most of the participants join the meeting.
- Make sure everyone sees and hears you, ask them to mute their mic during the meetup.
- Introduce yourself.
- If you are recording the meetup, please say and show on screen: Please note that this session might be recorded and will be shared with you after the session is terminated (via meetup). For more information: [email protected]
- If possible, make a quick round of intros from everyone attending.
- Introduce the Code of Conduct (see below).
- Explain how participants can signal if they want to speak.
- Set the guidelines for the online meetup (when people speak, etc.)
- Share the meetup agenda on the presentation, so participants can see it.
- If you are doing a roundtable concept (breakout rooms), set time limits and clear tasks/topics for discussion and explain how to return to the main space.
- Use the chat to share links or ping specific members.
- Instead of pictures, take screenshots. You can ask all members to do the same.
- End the meeting, thank everyone for their participation, and ask them to share their feedback about the meetup. You can share the link to the survey on the chat. *(You will receive a template of the survey from us).
After The Meetup
Send a message via meetup to members, thank them for their participation, add a link to the meetup recording, and a link for the feedback survey.
Please read the full post “After the Meetup Event”
Set a Code of Conduct for Participants
- Respect one another, we are all here to learn.
- Members attending the rooms are not to use the discussion as a place for sales pitches.
- Nothing discussed at the meetup is to be used to obtain competitive advantages over other attendees.
If you never used Zoom before, please let us know, so we can help you get started.