Webinar Moderator

Webinar moderators make sure webinars runs smoothly by supporting speakers and host and interacting with the audience.

What is a Webinar Moderator?

A webinar moderator is the person who ensures the webinar runs smoothly by supporting the guest speakers and hosts, and creating interaction with the audience. This involves actively engaging in the chat and questions sections, where they address attendees' queries, manage discussions, and sometimes relay audience questions to the speakers.

By doing so, moderators help maintain an interactive and orderly environment, enabling speakers to focus more on their presentations without being distracted by the logistical aspects of audience engagement. This role is vital for the overall success and professionalism of a webinar.

What is the Role of a Webinar Moderator?

The role of a webinar moderator is primarily to handle the chat, question interactions, and engagement features, ensuring a smooth dialogue flow. They are responsible for replying to participant queries and maintaining an orderly environment, and can sometimes exclude disruptive attendees when necessary. Their role is pivotal in balancing active engagement and keeping the webinar on track.

Attendees in a webinar might be excluded for reasons such as representing a competing brand or making inflammatory remarks. The moderator ensures the discussion remains focused and respectful, intervening when necessary to maintain the webinar's integrity and purpose.

Moderators must keep an eye on all messages in the chat tab and monitor participant activity in the people tab, even when it's not visible to others.

Besides moderating content, they play a key role in enhancing engagement by managing features like polls or Q&As — making sure they are used at the right time. They can also send supportive messages to the audience, or answer short questions, easing the burden on hosts.

Why do webinars need Moderators?

Webinar speakers face the challenging task of presenting their material engagingly and accurately, which can be demanding. Dealing with this and monitoring the chat tab while addressing every attendee's question adds complexity. A webinar moderator steps in to facilitate this process, offering vital support to the host and guest speakers by managing audience interactions and ensuring the smooth conduct of the webinar.

In addition, some webinar tools can make it difficult to use all of their engagement features while putting on an engaging webinar. Using modern tools like Contrast can make it easier for the speaker or host to moderate the webinar, but having a moderator is always ideal.

How to Successfully Moderate a Webinar?

Successfully moderating a webinar, whether it's on Zoom, Contrast, or any other platform, involves a few key strategies:

1. Know the Platform: Familiarity with the webinar software is crucial. Understanding its features and functionalities enables smooth moderation. Remember to practice in the webinar green room before going live.
2. Subject Matter Expertise: The moderator should possess a good grasp of the topic. This knowledge allows them to answer questions comprehensively and contribute meaningfully to the discussion.
3. Prepared Questions and Talking Points: Having a set of questions for guest speakers or topics ready can invigorate the conversation, especially during lulls in attendee interaction.
4. Use of a Webinar Script: A script can guide the moderator through the webinar's flow, ensuring all key points and segments are covered.
5. Pre-Created Polls: Creating polls beforehand can significantly boost audience engagement and reduce the stress during the live, making the webinar more interactive and smooth.