Use this link to share with your colleagues:
All About Virtual Events: https://help.pm.leapevent.tech/a/1252871
Sell tickets to livestreamed and pre-recorded content with PatronManager Virtual Events! You'll be able to gather your patrons' information for future marketing and fundraising efforts, track their buying behavior, and automatically record their attendance at your online events.
This article serves as an introduction to the feature, and as a directory for other useful articles:
- A webinar introducing the feature
-
Get answers to your burning questions about how it works, like:
- Is this feature for livestreaming or Video on Demand?
- How do the livestreaming modes work?
- What about video on demand?
- How do we gate access to our streamed content?
- Can I stop patrons from sharing links, i.e. access control?
- Can I use this feature in Classic, or do I have to switch to Lightning?
- Can I livestream pre-recorded content?
- Can I report on virtual events alongside other, non-virtual events?
- I've been doing a livestreaming workaround - how is this different/better?
- This sounds great! How do I get started?
- Have more questions? We've got more answers:
Let's dive in!
Webinar: Getting Started with Virtual Events - October 2021
Feature overview questions:
Is this feature for livestreaming or Video on Demand?
Yes to both! There are three ways to use Virtual Events:
| Livestream - PatronManager player (RTMP) |
Livestream - External player |
Video On Demand (VOD) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sell tickets through PatronManager? | Yes! | Yes! | Yes! |
| How do patrons get tickets? | Automatically via email | Automatically via email | Automatically via email |
| Access control? | Yes (see below) | Limited (see below) | Yes (see below) |
| Patron viewing experience | Player page created by PatronManager | Your chosen external platform (e.g. Zoom) | Player page created by PatronManager |
| Report on ticket purchases alongside in-person events? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatically track attendance? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Utilize closed captioning? | No | Depends on your chosen external platform | Yes |
See below for more about access control.
How does livestreaming work?
Livestreaming shows video and/or audio content on the internet in real time. While the content is normally happening live during the broadcast, it is possible to stream pre-recorded content, or produce a livestreamed event that contains a mix of live and recorded content.
Most importantly, the livestreamed event will happen at a specific date and time, and your patrons will all experience it at that time (distinct from video on demand, which allows patrons to access pre-recorded content at a time they choose).
What about video on demand?
PatronManager's on-demand component involves uploading recorded content and ticketing access to that content through PatronManager. Your patrons can then view the content either:
- Within a time limit from when they purchase access (e.g. 48 hours from when they click "Buy")
- Within a time limit from when they first access (e.g. 48 hours from when they click "Watch")
The choice is up to you, and can be different for each type of ticket you sell!
Q: Is this like Netflix, where my patrons can buy access to a library of videos and click to view whichever ones they want?
A: No. Each uploaded video will correspond to a separate Video on Demand Event Instance and be ticketed separately. You could sell access to those videos individually or via subscription package, but in either case your patrons will receive a viewing link to each video in their email. There is no "library" at this time.
How do we gate access to our virtual content?
There are three types of gating:
- Ticket purchase gating: your patron must purchase a ticket to access your event
- Access link gating: they must click a link to start watching, and we make sure their ticket is real and valid
- Concurrency protection: no more than one device per virtual ticket (see below)
How do I stop patrons from sharing links?
Both RTMP and VOD options offer concurrent view access control. This means each ticket purchased allows one device to access your content at a time.
Our platform checks for simultaneous viewers using the same virtual ticket every 30 seconds. The most recent viewer who clicked the ticket link will keep access, and all other viewers using that same ticket link will get booted from the stream.
Don't worry - this doesn't have any negative consequences for your rule-following ticket buyers:
- If a patron's connection is interrupted, they can still go back and click their ticket again to rejoin the stream.
- If a patron renting content via Video On Demand for 48 hours wants to watch it again within that 48 hour period, they can do so with their same ticket.
"Livestream (External)" mode has no concurrency protection; there is nothing to stop a patron from sharing their link with someone else.
While VOD has concurrency protection, there's nothing to stop one patron from purchasing a rental, viewing the video, and then sending that link to a friend to watch an hour later (until their ticket duration expires).
Can I use this feature in Classic, or do I have to switch to Lightning?
This feature is not Lightning-exclusive, but the documentation about it is. You can still use it in Classic, but we encourage you to make the switch to Lightning today!
What about pre-recorded content?
We recommend either:
- Livestream and ticket-gate your pre-recorded content with a "Livestream (RTMP)" Event Instance and broadcast it with software like OBS Studio. You'll need to have enough bandwidth to stream the content from your computer. Your patrons will view the Event at a specific date and time.
- Use Video On Demand to sell limited access to pre-recorded content already uploaded to the PatronManager virtual events platform. Your patrons can view the video at the time they choose (within the date range you define).
While it's possible to set up a "Livestream (External)" Event Instance that points to pre-recorded video on a platform like YouTube with an unlisted link, keep in mind that there is no way to prevent link-sharing for external livestreams, and anyone with the link could view your content.
It will also be more obvious to patrons that they are viewing pre-recorded content.
Can I report on Virtual Events?
Absolutely! Your Virtual Events appear in your regular Box Office reports, like the Door List and All Orders by Instance reports, similar to in-person events. You can also run Performance Reports for your Virtual Events.
When patrons attend a Virtual Event by clicking the link to access your content, their tickets will automatically be marked as Attended too--so you can even report on Virtual Events and their attendance using CRM Snapshots.
I've been doing my own workaround - how is this different/better?
Great question! PatronManager's integrated Virtual Event solution allows you to:
- Sell tickets on your Public Ticketing Site
- Use confirmation emails to send automatic, unique ticket links (and no PDF tickets!)
- Use PatronPortal to give Portal users access to their Virtual Event ticket links online
- Utilize Automated pre-show emails (livestreams only), which can also include that unique ticket link
- Utilize Automated post-show emails (livestreams only) and have them sent only to patrons who actually watched the stream (or all ticket buyers, your choice)
- Track attendance in PatronManager to understand patron behavior
- Report on your virtual events alongside your in-person events
- Host the event in our customizable player page
This sounds great! How do I get started?
First you'll need to get the feature enabled and configured in your account.
More FAQs and more answers:
Technical questions:
The following browsers are officially supported:
- Chrome for Android 34+
- Chrome for Desktop 34+
- Firefox for Android 41+
- Firefox for Desktop 42+
- Edge for Windows 10+
- Safari for Mac 8+ (beta)
Other modern browsers will likely work, but are not guaranteed.
Note: we have seen some people have trouble opening Zoom links with Safari. If your "Livestream (External)" Event Instance is hosted on Zoom, patrons using Safari will see a note suggesting they try a different browser if they're unable to open the link.
We haven't built anything like this into the platform yet, but we'd love to. Suggest a Product Idea via the Community and let us know if you'd like to see this functionality!
Meanwhile, we know that Chromecast on Android (casting the entire browser tab) and Apple Airplay both work. Patrons who can access their email via their Smart TV should also be able to click their ticket link and open it in a browser on their TV that way.
We've tested audience sizes up to 100,000, and we designed the product to handle even more - so sell as many tickets as you can!
Heads up!
Be aware of any policies/restrictions of the platform you choose (e.g. Zoom attendance caps if you're using it for a "Livestream (External)" Event Instance). Other companies may change their policies at any time, and we can't keep you abreast of those changes.
Nope! Sell as many tickets as you can!
Nope! Your video files are stored on our (PatronManager) service, not in Salesforce.
The "Livestream (RTMP)" platform can handle continuous livestreams up to 12 hours in length.
External livestreams are unlimited from the PatronManager side -- we'll keep providing the "Launch Stream" link to your patrons until the "Instance End Date" you defined when setting up the Event Instance.
Heads up!
Be aware of any policies/restrictions of the platform you choose (e.g. Zoom, Streamyard, etc.). Their policies may change at any time, and we can't keep you abreast of those changes.
The PatronManager platform can handle all resolutions up to 1080p HD. Your patron's experience will be determined largely by their internet connection and your internet connection (for livestreams). The platform automatically provides optimized versions of the content for different devices and connection speeds, in real time.
Heads up!
Be aware of any restrictions of the platform you choose (e.g. Zoom, Streamyard, etc.). Their policies may change at any time, and we can't keep you abreast of those changes.
Sure! If it can send out an RTMP stream, you can test it out and, if it works, feel free to use it. We've found pretty much any platform using RTMP can work with this feature - but always test first. If you have issues, check our troubleshooting guide for alternate Stream URLs to try.
This is up to your broadcasting software. Each Event Instance in PatronManager can only link to a single platform.
It can't, but you can customize our player page with different images and content below the player. If this is a feature you'd like to see in future, suggest a Product Idea through the Community to let us know!
Your contract addendum details this, so be sure to read it carefully. You're responsible for licensing rights and any consequences thereof.
Other frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Send us a support request via the Client Community to discuss adding Virtual Events to your account. You'll need to sign a contract addendum so that we can enable the feature for you. Then, you'll do a few additional steps to configure the feature.
Check out this article to get started!
You won't be able to convert in-person events to livestream events. Instead, we recommend creating a new Event Instance and exchanging ticket holders into that new, virtual Event Instance.
Yes to both! You can embed a PatronManager donation form on the player page, and place "tip jar" linked buttons on the page as well.
Closed captioning for Video on Demand is available - for instructions on adding caption/subtitle tracks, check out this article.
Closed captioning for livestreams is not yet supported, though it's something we're eager to add in future. Please suggest a Product Idea via the Community to let us know if you'd use this feature! For now, you can use the "Livestream (External)" option with a platform that offers live captioning.
Yes! PatronManager automatically marks the virtual ticket as "Attended" and populates the "Entry Date" field on the Ticket Order Item when the patron clicks the link to view starting one hour prior to the Instance Date/Time.
In other words, if they get excited and click the link a week early, PatronManager will ignore that click, but if they click starting an hour before and up to the end of the stream, the system will track attendance for that ticket.
You can then use this attendance tracking in reporting (for example, some CRM Snapshots have an optional filter for "Attended"), or when sending automatic post-show emails.
What if they click the ticket link more than once?
PatronManager will only track attendance for the first click (within the timeframe listed above).
Yes, absolutely! Note that you will need to adjust your Order Confirmation Email Template so that it will contain the links to view virtual events sold within a subscription.
Yup! Using the Virtual Events Dashboard in PatronTicket Settings, you can see how long patrons spent viewing your RTMP livestream or Video on Demand event.
For the Virtual Events Dashboard, you'll set a date range and be able to see the total number of minutes spent viewing your events.