Pre-recorded webinars are a powerful tool for delivering polished and engaging content to your audience at any time. With the flexibility to record, edit, and schedule your presentation, this guide will walk you through all the options when setting up and managing your Pre-Recorded Live webinars.
webinar.net offers three ways to present a Pre-Recorded Live webinar:
Pre-Recorded Live in Auto-Pilot
Pre-Recorded Live to Live Q&A
Multiple Pre-Recorded Live to Live Q&A Schedules
Pre-Recorded Live in Auto-Pilot
This is the easiest option for presenting your webinars. Simply set up the schedule, and the webinar will run automatically as a simulated live presentation. No presenter interaction is needed to start the playback—set it and forget it!
Pre-Recorded Live to Live Q&A
Want to mix automation with live interaction? This mode lets you transition from a pre-recorded webinar to a live Q&A session seamlessly. Here’s how it works:
Before the Pre-Recorded Presentation Ends!
For a smooth transition into Live Q&A:
Connect to the Presenter Console before the PRL countdown ends.
Ensure at least one presenter is connected within the final 60 seconds of the PRL.
Choose how you’ll broadcast your live content: Audio Only or with Camera.
Open the Live Q&A panel by clicking the [Live Q&A] button in the top right corner.
Enabling Live Q&A
From the Manage Live Q&A window:
Check Enable Live Q&A:
Choose which slide and audience layout will appear when the Q&A begins:
Once enabled:
The [Live Q&A] button will turn green and show a checkmark icon:
You may return to this window to make changes or disable Live Q&A at any time before going live:
How the Transition Works
60 seconds before the PRL countdown ends, the system checks for connected presenters.
If one or more presenters are connected:
The session will automatically roll over to Live Q&A when the PRL ends.
If no presenters are connected:
The [Go Live] and [End] buttons will appear.
Presenters must connect and then manually click [Go Live], or choose [End] to conclude the session:
Presenter Notifications
If no presenters are connected before the PRL ends, a notification will appear in the Presenter Console, reminding the user that no live feed is available for transition:
During the Live Q&A
Once Live Q&A begins:
The countdown timer switches to track session duration and will begin counting up.
End the session at any time by clicking the red [End] button.
On-Demand Playback
If an On-Demand schedule is added, the recording of your Live Q&A session will automatically be appended to the webinar.
To manage the recordings:
Click View Recordings in the header of your Presenter Console.
Choose which recordings to keep or remove from the On-Demand version.
3. Multiple Pre-Recorded Live to Live Q&A Schedules
This option allows you to schedule the same webinar multiple times using the Pre-Recorded Live feature. Each scheduled session can include its own unique Live Q&A segment. Follow the steps above for each scheduled instance to go live and interact with attendees.
Editing Your Live Q&A Sessions
You can edit your recordings by visiting The Lab. All scheduled recordings—including Live Q&A segments—will appear and can be modified as needed.
For detailed steps on editing recordings, click here.
Editing Restrictions for Pre-Recorded Webinars
To ensure a smooth experience for your attendees, webinar.net implements publishing restrictions close to your scheduled start time:
30 Minutes Before Start: Attempting to publish will trigger a warning message. You may proceed, but doing so could delay the start for live viewers:
5 Minutes Before Start: Publishing is locked, and a "Publish Locked" message will be displayed:
These safeguards help maintain the stability and consistency of your live sessions.
Additional Notes & Tips
Including Live Q&A in Pre-Recorded Webinars
To include a Live Q&A segment, check the box labeled “Include Live Q&A in the Pre-Recorded Live” during your webinar setup.
IMPORTANT: Your PRL webinar must include recorded content in addition to Live Q&A. If only the Live Q&A remains, the webinar will not start.
Can I use a pointer to highlight what I'm presenting?
While webinar.net doesn't include a built-in pointer tool, you can achieve a similar result by sharing your screen through presentation software like PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote. These tools have integrated pointer features that will be visible to your audience during screen sharing.
For further assistance, contact us through chat or send us an email at support@webinar.net.