Teams Meetings for Large Virtual Events
Recommended for: All DeSales staff, faculty, and students (Teams license required)
Capacity:
- Webinars: up to 1,000 attendees
- Town Halls: up to 10,000 attendees
Meetings can be scheduled independently by any staff, faculty, or student.
Registration Management
You have several options for managing attendee registration:
- Teams: Allows event registration within the platform. [Teams Instructions]
- Microsoft Bookings: Allows registration for Teams events, plus features like reminder messaging. [Bookings Instructions]
- Slate: Integrated RSVP tracking for marketed events.
Tips:
- Use our PowerPoint templates to maintain a unified University brand style.
- Refer to the chart below to decide whether a Webinar or Town Hall best fits your event.
Post-Event Follow-Up
- Recording: Teams allows you to record your event or webinar for later playback.
- Audience Reach: Extend your event to those unable to attend live.
- Support: Contact the Office of Marketing & Communications to post recordings on the University’s YouTube channel.
Feature Comparison: Webinar vs. Town Hall
| Feature |
Webinar |
Town Hall |
| Audience Size |
Up to 1,000 attendees |
Up to 10,000 attendees (up to 50,000 with Teams Premium) |
| Purpose |
Structured presentations, trainings, or workshops; engaged audience |
Large-scale one-to-many announcements like company-wide meetings |
| Attendee Interaction |
Chat, live reactions, moderated Q&A, hand-raising, breakout rooms (<300 participants) |
Limited interaction; mics/cameras off; engagement via moderated Q&A and reactions |
| Audio/Video |
Attendees can be allowed to turn on cameras and mics depending on setup |
Only presenters/organizers share audio/video; attendees are view-only |
| Registration |
Customizable event and registration site |
Attendees receive email invitations; no registration required |
| Custom Branding |
Registration page customization: banners, logos, color schemes |
Teams Premium: automated email customization |
| Advanced Features |
Teams Premium: waitlist, manual approval, automated reminders |
Teams Premium: green room, enhanced security, real-time analytics |
Choosing the Right Format
- Webinar:
- Ideal for trainings or interactive presentations.
- Smaller, engaged audiences.
- Requires pre-registration and supports live polls & Q&A.
- Town Hall:
- Ideal for large announcements to a broad audience.
- Minimal attendee interaction.
- Perfect for executive briefings or keynote presentations.