Managing the Lobby Chat and Networking tab

After accessing the Lobby tab in the event creation flow, you can modify the lobby home masthead, enable or disable your event’s chat, and pause or resume expo.

The Lobby Chat and Networking tab helps hosts manage a centralized control panel for their lobby, chat, host announcements, and networking settings.

To view other settings in the Lobby tab, please visit Managing the Lobby tab.

This article covers:

• How to access the Lobby Chat and Networking tab in Zoom Events
• How to configure the Lobby Chat and Networking tab
  • Configure lobby chats
  • Configure networking settings
  • Configure host announcements

Prerequisites for managing the Lobby Chat and Networking tab

• Zoom desktop client for Windows, macOS, or Linux: Global minimum version or higher
• Zoom mobile app for Android or iOS: Global minimum version or higher
• Pro, Business, Enterprise, or Education account
• Stripe or PayPal Business account is required to create paid events
• Zoom Events Unlimited license or Zoom Events Pay Per Attendee license

Note: For access to the latest Zoom Events and Webinar features, we strongly recommend hosts to update to the latest version of the Zoom desktop client/mobile application.

How to access the Lobby Chat and Networking tab in Zoom Events

1. Create a Zoom Event or edit an upcoming event to access the event setup.
2. In the event creation flow navigation menu, click Event Experience, then click Lobby.
3. Click the Lobby Chat and Networking tab.

How to configure the Lobby Chat and Networking tab

Configure lobby chats

You can configure your lobby chat settings. The Chat section displays your lobby chat settings and if you have enabled or disabled chats. The following chats are displayed in this section:

• Lobby Chat
• Private Chat
• Exhibitor Chats
• Custom Chat Channel 1
• Custom Chat Channel 2
• Event Staff Chat

Enable or disable chat types

If a chat is enabled, a green dot next to Enabled will appear, along with the number of enabled chats. If a chat is disabled, a gray dot next to Disabled will appear, along with the number of disabled chats.

To enable or disable chats:

1. If the chat type is displayed as Enabled, click Disable to disable the chat.
2. If the chat type is displayed as Disabled, click Enable to enable the chat.

Reset lobby or expo chats

You can also Reset chats for the lobby, custom chat channels, and event staff chat. This allows hosts and moderators to remove all messages in chat after disabling chat. You can access this content in the event chat logs.

To reset chats:

1. Ensure that your chat is disabled.
   The Reset option will be available when chat is disabled.
2. Click Reset.
3. In the verification dialog box, click Reset to confirm.
   Note: All content for this chat will be removed for attendees. Please note that this action cannot be undone.

Configure networking settings

This section lets you manage which networking features are enabled. Networking allows attendees to share their profiles to make connections during the event.

Click the following toggles to enable or disable them:

• Enable Networking: When enabled, all networking features—profiles, profile cards, etc.—will be available.
• Enable Networking Directory: When enabled, the Attendee tab will display the profiles of attendees with profiles on the event's details page.
• Require Networking Profile: When enabled, attendees will be required to complete their Zoom Events profile—if they haven't done so already—when they first enter the lobby.
  Note: The window prompting attendees to complete their Zoom Events profile cannot be dismissed. Attendees that don't complete their Zoom Events profile will not be able to join and enter the event. 

Configure host announcements

You can create and prepare messages to be broadcast as announcements—to be read by all participants—in the lobby. You can also choose to use and edit a Custom Announcement template for chat behavior if you need to inform the users in the chat of the community rules and guidelines. The announcements are saved and can be broadcast at any time in a live lobby.

Note: Announcements can also be created at the time of broadcasting.

Create an announcement

1. In the Host Announcements section, click the + Create Announcements button.
   A pop-up window will appear.
2. In the pop-up window, select the announcement type you want to prepare:
   • Custom Link: This is a dismissible pop-up that asks participants to click a specific link.
     Note: A link must be included to create an announcement.
   • Custom Announcement: This is a dismissible pop-up that all participants see the first time they enter the chat lobby.
     Note: The title and body of the template can be edited. Skip to step 8 after you have edited these fields.
3. Click Next.
4. In the Headline field, enter or edit the headline of the announcement.
5. (Optional) In the Description field, enter or edit the announcement description.
6. In the Button Link field, enter a link for the button.
7. Under Button Label, click the dropdown to select the button text.
8. Click Save.
   The announcement will be available for broadcasting.

Use announcement actions

Additional actions for prepared announcements will be available under the Other Actions column:

• Preview: Click to see a preview of the announcement.
• Open Link: Click to open and test the link added to the announcement.
• Edit: Click to edit the announcement.
• Delete: Click to delete the announcement.