How can I create breakout rooms?

Note: This feature is available for Enterprise accounts only. 

What are breakout rooms?

During breakout sessions, smaller groups of attendees can have more in-depth conversations about event topics. Facilitating deeper conversations and one-on-one interaction, breakout rooms create a more intimate, meaningful guest experience. 

How do attendees enter breakout rooms? What interactive features and permissions are available to attendees?  

Breakout sessions are formatted as live webinars on the BigMarker platform, just like main agenda sessions. So on event day, guests will enter the breakout session just as they would any other live agenda session in the event, either through the Agenda page or a reminder link sent by email. 

Once they’ve entered the breakout session, guests are then automatically split into smaller discussion rooms. These are also structured as webinars on BigMarker, and attendees can interact with the session in the same way they would other live webinars. They can also talk to one another using microphones, microphones and cameras or a public chatbox. Interactive features like Q&As, handouts, and polls are also available in breakout rooms. 

How do I use breakout rooms? 

Breakout rooms are currently available to enterprise customers only. 

• Enable breakout rooms by logging into the webinar associated with your breakout session. Select the Manage Webinar tab. In the left-hand menu that appears, select Breakout Rooms. Toggle Breakout Rooms on. 

• Once you've enabled breakout rooms, use the subsequent prompts to create and adjust settings. 
  
  
  • Switch Breakout Rooms on so that the breakout session “splits” into discussion groups, then brings everyone back together at the end. 
  • Use the next prompt to give your audience members permission to use their microphones, cameras or both while in the breakout rooms. Note: Hosts can enter breakout rooms while they’re in session and manually activate and deactivate individual microphones and cameras. 
  • In the subsequent two prompts, choose how unassigned attendees and presenters will flow to breakout rooms. Unassigned participants can be automatically directed to a randomly selected breakout room, can choose to enter a room of their choice or remain in the breakout room. (Note: You can also assign guests to a breakout room, which will be covered later in this article.)
  • Using the dropdown menu, select the number of breakout rooms you’d like to create. Enterprise accounts can host up to 30 breakout rooms at the same time. Click Save to complete.
    

How Can I Pre-Assign Attendees to a Specific Breakout Room?

To pre-assign guests to specific breakout rooms, check Pre-assign participants. Each of the breakout rooms you’ve created will then open in the dropdown form seen below. Add participants to each room by clicking on its name. A webinar associated with that breakout room will open in a new tab. 

To assign participants to a specific room, press the three horizontal dots to the right of its name, then select Assign Participants in the dropdown that opens. 

In the pop-up that appears, select the presenters and participants you'd like to assign to that room. 

How can I name breakout rooms?

Name individual breakout rooms by clicking the three horizontal dots in that room's entry below, then select Edit Room. Enter the room's new name in the pop-up that appears. 

How Can I Activate Breakout Rooms During a Webinar?

In the upper right corner of the webinar room, select the Breakout tile.

A dropdown menu displaying all of the session's breakouts will open. Select the Start Breakout Room button to begin the session. Once the breakout session begins, assigned attendees will be automatically redirected to their breakout room. Unassigned attendees will proceed to their breakout room in the way you selected in the settings described above. 

How can I move unassigned attendees to a breakout room before the session begins?

Under Unassigned Members, locate that attendee's name, then select Move to. In the dropdown menu that appears, choose the breakout room to which you are assigning that attendee.

How can I change the number of breakout rooms in my session?

In the breakout room panel, select Reassign.

In the dropdown that appears, choose the number of breakout rooms you'd like to be active during your session. 

How Can I Bring Attendees Back to the Main Webinar Room?

To bring attendees back to the main session, click the same Breakout tile in the top right corner of the screen, then Close Breakout Rooms. 

Breakout Room FAQ: 

*Can I send a general message to all attendees during an ongoing breakout session?

In the main webinar room, select the Breakout tile on the top right corner of your screen. A menu listing each ongoing breakout session will open. Under Broadcast Message to All Breakout Rooms, type your message. then select Broadcast Message to All. Type your message in the provided text box and press send. This message will appear in each breakout room's chat box. 

If I share audio/video in the main session room, will it be available in the breakout rooms?

No. Each room displays its own audio and video.

How I can see which attendees are in a particular breakout room?

In the dropdown menu below, click the name of each breakout room to see the list of attendees present. 

Can attendees leave a breakout room before the session ends?

Breakout attendees can leave their breakout room before the session's scheduled end time. But upon leaving, they will not be able to re-enter the main session unless the host manually closes the breakout room first.

What mode do breakout room sessions use?

Breakout Rooms are in Consolidated Mode, meaning that 64 cameras and microphones can be shared in an individual session at the same time.

How many attendees are allowed in breakout rooms?  

There is no maximum on the number of attendees in a breakout room. However, only 64 cameras and microphones can be shared at any one time, per Consolidated Mode settings.