Live chat brings real-time conversation to your webinars, allowing attendees to ask questions, share reactions, and interact with your team—even during pre-recorded presentations. This two-way communication transforms passive viewing into active participation and gives you valuable insight into what's on your audience's mind.
💬 Real-Time Conversations
Live chat creates a direct line between attendees and your team. Questions get answered, objections get addressed, and engagement stays high—whether you're presenting live or running automated webinars.
How Live Chat Works
When enabled, a chat panel appears in the webinar sidebar. Attendees can:
- Send messages at any time during the webinar
- See responses from your team
- View their conversation history
- Ask questions related to the content
Your team monitors incoming messages and responds in real-time, creating a personalized experience even at scale.
Enabling Live Chat
Step 1: Navigate to Chat Settings
From your webinar editor, go to the Live Chat or Settings tab where chat configuration is available.
Step 2: Enable Chat
Toggle live chat on. Once enabled, the chat panel will appear for attendees during the webinar.
Step 3: Configure Chat Options
Depending on your setup, you may have options for:
- Welcome Message: Automated greeting when attendees open chat
- AI Assistant: Enable AI-powered responses for common questions
- Team Assignment: Who receives and responds to chat messages
- Hours of Operation: When live responses are available
Chat for Different Webinar Types
Realtime (Live) Webinars
Chat happens naturally alongside your live presentation:
- Designate a team member to monitor chat while you present
- Address questions verbally or have your moderator respond in chat
- Use chat activity to gauge audience interest and adjust your presentation
Just-In-Time Webinars
Pre-recorded content with live chat support:
- Team members can be available during scheduled slots to answer questions
- AI assistant can handle common questions automatically
- Creates the feel of a live event even with recorded content
Evergreen Webinars
Always-on content with chat options:
- AI assistant handles inquiries when team isn't available
- Team can respond during business hours
- Messages queue for follow-up if no one is available
💡 Pro Tip
For pre-recorded webinars, have a team member available for the first few sessions to understand common questions. Use those questions to train your AI assistant or create FAQ content that addresses them proactively.
Managing Chat During Webinars
Monitoring Incoming Messages
Your team receives chat messages through Zyntro's chat interface. Depending on your configuration:
- Messages appear in real-time
- Team members can claim and respond to conversations
- Multiple team members can handle volume during busy webinars
Response Best Practices
- Respond quickly: Fast responses show attentiveness and build trust
- Be helpful: Answer questions thoroughly, even if they're basic
- Stay on topic: Guide conversations back to webinar content when appropriate
- Use their name: Personalize responses when possible
- Know when to go deeper: Some questions deserve a follow-up call, not a chat response
Handling Common Scenarios
Technical Questions
When attendees have issues with video, audio, or access:
- Acknowledge the problem quickly
- Provide clear troubleshooting steps
- Offer alternative access if needed
Content Questions
When attendees ask about the webinar topic:
- Answer directly if simple
- Point to relevant handouts
- Note complex questions for follow-up
Sales Questions
When attendees ask about products, services, or pricing:
- Provide helpful information
- Direct them to offers or resources
- Offer to connect them with sales for detailed discussions
AI-Powered Chat Assistance
Zyntro's AI can assist with chat responses:
How AI Chat Works
- AI reviews incoming messages
- Provides suggested responses for common questions
- Can respond automatically to FAQs
- Hands off complex questions to human team members
Training Your AI Assistant
Improve AI responses over time:
- Review AI suggestions and correct when needed
- Add common Q&A to your knowledge base
- Provide context about your products, services, and webinar topics
When to Use AI vs. Human Response
| Scenario | AI Response | Human Response |
|---|---|---|
| Technical support | Standard troubleshooting | Complex or unusual issues |
| Basic questions | FAQs, definitions, simple info | Nuanced explanations |
| Sales inquiries | Basic info, direct to resources | Detailed discussions, objections |
| Feedback | Acknowledgment | Meaningful engagement |
💡 Pro Tip
Start with AI handling only clearly-defined FAQs while humans review all other messages. As you gather data on common questions and refine your AI's responses, gradually expand what AI handles automatically.
Chat Analytics
Track chat activity and effectiveness:
Volume Metrics
- Total Messages: How many chat messages were sent
- Active Chatters: Number of attendees who engaged in chat
- Chat Rate: Percentage of attendees who used chat
Response Metrics
- Response Time: How quickly messages were answered
- Resolution Rate: Percentage of questions successfully addressed
- AI vs. Human: Breakdown of who handled responses
Content Insights
Chat transcripts reveal:
- Common questions (content gaps to address)
- Objections (sales barriers to overcome)
- Feature requests (product development input)
- Sentiment (overall audience mood)
Business Use Cases
🎯 Sales Support
Scenario: You're presenting a product webinar and want to capture hot leads in the moment.
Implementation: Have a sales team member monitor chat. When attendees ask buying questions, engage immediately and offer to book a call.
Outcome: Strike while the iron is hot—capture leads at peak interest rather than waiting for follow-up emails.
📚 Training Support
Scenario: You're running educational webinars where attendees need help applying concepts.
Implementation: Enable chat so attendees can ask clarifying questions. Provide instant support that helps them succeed.
Outcome: Higher satisfaction, better learning outcomes, and appreciation for personalized attention.
🤖 Scaled Support
Scenario: You run evergreen webinars 24/7 and can't have staff available constantly.
Implementation: Enable AI chat to handle common questions automatically. Queue complex questions for team follow-up during business hours.
Outcome: Attendees get immediate responses to simple questions; complex issues get proper attention when your team is available.
Best Practices
Preparation
- Brief your team: Ensure everyone knows the webinar topic, offers, and common questions
- Prepare responses: Have templates ready for frequently asked questions
- Test chat: Verify chat is working before the webinar starts
- Assign roles: Know who's responsible for monitoring chat
During the Webinar
- Stay attentive: Monitor chat continuously, don't let messages pile up
- Be conversational: Match the tone of your webinar presentation
- Add value: Go beyond simple answers when appropriate
- Capture opportunities: Note hot leads and strong interest for follow-up
After the Webinar
- Review transcripts: Identify patterns in questions and feedback
- Follow up: Reach out to engaged chatters with personalized messages
- Improve content: Address common questions in future webinars
- Train AI: Use chat data to improve automated responses
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Slow responses: Unanswered messages frustrate attendees
- Canned responses: Generic replies feel impersonal
- Ignoring feedback: Chat insights are valuable—use them
- Over-selling: Be helpful first, sales-focused second
- No team coverage: Don't enable chat if no one will respond
- Technical issues: Test chat functionality before every webinar
Live chat transforms your webinars from one-way presentations into two-way conversations. Used well, it builds trust, addresses concerns in real-time, and creates opportunities that email follow-up can't match.