Using Zoom for virtual PTA events
/The year 2020 is the dawn of a new type of PTA event, namely virtual events. Although born from awful global circumstances, these types of events can be music to a PTA’s ears given there is very little organisation and resource planning required! Sponsorship can still play a big part in additional fundraising income for these virtual events so they are definitely worth considering moving forward. There are various online platforms you can use but we like Zoom. Zoom meetings are perfect for hosting interactive events where you’ll want lots of audience participation.
Using Zoom if you are the Event Host/Organiser.
In order to host a Zoom event, you will need to sign in and create an account. A Zoom account is only required if you create your own events/meetings and send invitations to participants. The participants themselves DO NOT need to sign up.
As an event organiser you should use a Zoom meeting rather than a Zoom webinar. Zoom meetings are perfect for hosting interactive events where you’ll want lots of audience participation. It's really easy to sign up, just click on "Host a Meeting" and invite up to 100 people to join for FREE.
★ KEY FEATURES ★
✔Zoom is FREE to use for events with up to 100 participants
✔As a host you can assign a number of co-hosts to help you run the event
✔Easy to share your screen
✔Screen share photos, web pages and files - perfect for quizzes
✔Send group text, images and audio from within an event meeting
✔Invite participants using a clickable URL or meeting id
✔Works over WiFi, 4G/LTE and 3G networks
✔Connect with anyone on mobile devices, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and telephones
You can host unlimited 1:1 meetings for free but group events/meetings are limited to 40 minutes. If your 40 minutes are up before your event is finished, you can quickly create and send a new meeting link or id to all participants using the Broadcast feature on Ticket Tailor. This is a quick and easy way to use the FREE version of Zoom but continue with your virtual event after the 40 minute limitation.
Tips: As the host you should set screen-sharing to ''host only" if details of a meeting are shared publicly. You should also disable "file transfer" to prevent any unintentional malware being shared.
You can sign up for a free Zoom account at zoom.us/signup. Once you have signed up , it is good idea to check your settings are to your satisfaction. Check out https://zoom.us/profile/setting.
Using Zoom as an Event Participant.
The first question we always get asked is whether you need a Zoom account to join a Zoom event/meeting. The simple answer is no. It is definitely possible to join an event without signing up. You only really need to sign up for an account if you are an event host.
There are several ways to participate in a PTA virtual Zoom event. This depends what device/browser you are using. In summary, you can download the app from Google Play or the App store if you’re using a smart device or simply go to join.zoom.us to join using your desktop browser as follows:
Google Chrome
Open Chrome.
Go to join.zoom.us.
Enter your meeting ID provided by the host/organiser.
Click Join.
If this is your first time joining from Google Chrome, you will be asked to open the Zoom client to join the meeting.
You can check Always open these types of links in the associated app to skip this step in the future.
Click Open Zoom Meetings (PC) or Open zoom.us (Mac).
Safari
Open Safari.
Go to join.zoom.us.
Enter your meeting ID provided by the host/organiser.
Click Join.
When asked if you want to open zoom.us, click Allow.
If you have a bit more time or interest, there are more detailed instructions here : Joining a Zoom meeting.
Feel free to book on our exclusive PTA Virtual learning event here .
We hope you found this information useful. We have lots of helpful resources in our membership hub. It’s completely FREE to join and just look at what you get :
❤️ Editable PTA resources - posters, free to use images, sponsor templates
❤️ Online training - 'PTA how to' videos
❤️ Topical PTA videos to share with your school community (intro to new parents, zero waste initiative, etc.)
❤️ PTA Hub bulletin with the latest PTA tips and tricks
❤️ Partner offers and discounts
❤️ Exclusive PTA online ticketing rates
