Zoom has announced a new feature called Zoom Events. Zoom Events is an expanded live events product; an all-in-one platform with interactive and engaging virtual experiences. Zoom Events is set to launch later this year, and Zoom says that through Zoom Events, event organizers will be able to host “ticketed, live events for internal or external audiences of any size.”
Events could be described as an upgrade of Zoom’s previous paid event marketplace, OnZoom. It is layered in features that can support larger multiday events and non-video activities like chat. Zoom Events is a rebranding of OnZoom which is more small-business oriented. It will have new features that serve Zoom’s original pre-pandemic customers; enterprise companies and will Zoom Events, the experience for larger organizations will be improved.
Events will be more friendly to conferences or large group meetings that could be split over multiple sessions. For example, a person hosting a developers’ conference could have a main event page for the entire conference, with a schedule of separate sessions happening over the coming day and week. According to Zoom’s spokesperson, event pages will also be able to feature video event previews. with a paid meetings or webinar license. It will allow organizers to create customized ticketing and registration processes and also control access and billing information from one portal. Zoom Events will allow hosts to offer free, pair, one-time, or series type of events, and also track statistics like attendance, registration, revenue, and more. But a paid Zoom Meetings or Zoom Webinar license is required.
Also, the video conferencing platform is including access to text chat in places outside of a typical video call. A person who shows up to an event before the live video actually starts or stays around afterward will be able to see who’s in the event lobby, participate in a group chat channel, and also exchange contact information.
Zoom Events will likely accept ticket purchases with PayPal and credit cards, just like OnZoom. However, zoom did not reveal if it will receive a commission on paid events, or what payment methods users will be able to accept.
