Skip to content
Account
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Guide to Using Replays in eWebinar

Replays work differently than any other session type in eWebinar. This guide explains what you need to know to use them with confidence.

What to consider when deciding whether to enable replays

The main difference between replays and other session types is control over the video.

Replays allow full video control, including skipping forward and backward freely. Replay links can be watched (or rewatched) at any time. 

Scheduled, on-demand, and just-in-time sessions run in real time once they begin. Even though the content is recorded, attendees cannot freely skip ahead. This preserves the structure and commitment of a webinar experience.

This also means that when these types of sessions end, they are over. They cannot be rewatched.

When deciding whether to enable replays in your schedule, ask:

  • Do I want attendees to watch the webinar in sequence, from beginning to end?
  • Is pacing, narrative flow, or timed progression important?
  • Am I using the webinar as a structured sales or training event?

If the answer is yes, you may want to leave replays off in your schedule to preserve the event-style experience, at least on first viewing.

If you’re comfortable with attendees having full playback control, leave them on. They give yet another way to access your webinar, on the registrant’s terms, which can increase attendance.

Limited video controls in other session types

You can allow limited video control in scheduled, on-demand, and just-in-time sessions:

  • Brief pausing (Settings)
  • Playback speed control (Settings)
  • Navigable Agenda items, similar to chapters in a YouTube video (Interactions)

However, viewers never have full control to freely skip around the video as in a replay.

If you leave replays off in your Schedule

Turning replays off in the Schedule tab means attendees cannot register directly for an immediate replay link from your registration page.

Replay links can still be included as links in follow-up emails — and they are included by default. If you do not want replay links to be sent, you will need to remove them from your follow-up emails.

Most teams include replay links in follow-up emails even when replays are disabled in the Schedule.

If you leave replays off in your Schedule but include them in follow-up emails

If someone registers for a scheduled, just-in-time, or on-demand session and does not attend, their first time watching your webinar may be through the replay link in a follow-up email.

In this case, you may want to adjust how chat behaves for replays.

Because replay links can be watched at any time, you may want to:

  • Switch replays to Email Form only, OR
  • Use the replay welcome message to clarify response expectations (recommended)

The replay welcome message only appears for attendees who did not attend a session and are watching for the first time via the replay link.

Replays and hours of operation

Replays are never affected by hours of operation.

If replays are enabled in your Schedule or included in follow-up emails, they can be watched at any time, including outside your hours of operation. For teams using Scenarios 2 and 3, this is another reason to switch Chat preferences for replays to the Email form or use the replay welcome message to clarify response times (recommended).

Do not share replay links publicly

Replay links are unique to each attendee and retain that attendee’s chat and interaction history. They are not meant to be shared publicly. If you wish to share a replay link publicly, like in a social media ad, consider using an ungated replay link.