Use this guide when you are deciding how live talks should run in HeySummit. The best option depends on whether you want HeySummit to create and manage the webinar for you, or whether you want to send attendees to a session you manage somewhere else.
Start with the attendee experience
Start with a native webinar host connection if you want HeySummit to create and manage the provider’s webinar or meeting. A native host lets HeySummit create the webinar, keep the talk connected to the host account, and give attendees a join route from the HeySummit talk page. Depending on the provider and delivery settings, viewers may watch an embedded session or follow a link to the external platform. If you already have a session elsewhere, or you want to use a platform that is not available as a native host, use an external URL or live stream setup instead. In that flow, attendees leave HeySummit or watch an embedded stream, and HeySummit cannot manage the third-party registration experience in the same way.
Native webinar host options
Current native host options in HeySummit include Zoom Webinar, Zoom Meeting, BigMarker, LiveWebinar, GoToWebinar, Webex, and BrainCert. The options shown in your dashboard are the best source of truth because availability can change as providers and account requirements change. Native integrations still require you to bring your own account with the webinar provider. HeySummit plans do not include a third-party webinar account, provider licence, capacity allowance, or paid provider subscription. To connect a native host, go to Event Settings > Integrations & Developer > External Webinar Accounts, choose Add Host, and connect the provider account you want HeySummit to use. After the host is connected, open the session’s Broadcast settings, choose Live broadcast and the matching Provider, then select its account holder. The Zoom provider option uses Zoom Webinars; Zoom Meeting is separate.
When to use an external URL or live stream
Use an external URL when you want to run the session outside HeySummit, when your chosen provider is not available as a native host, or when you want to use a direct link to a session already created in the provider account. A supported native provider may also offer a mode for using an existing webinar or meeting. Use a live stream or custom embed when attendees should watch inside the HeySummit talk page but the video itself comes from another streaming or embed provider. This is common for YouTube, Vimeo, custom embed code, and similar video sources. These non-native options can be useful, but they usually mean HeySummit is not creating the webinar for you and may not be able to sync third-party registrations, attendees, reminders, host privileges, or recordings in the same way as a native host connection.
How to choose
Choose a native host when you want HeySummit to manage the live talk setup and keep attendees joining through the HeySummit event experience.
Choose Zoom Webinar or Zoom Meeting based on the Zoom product your account uses. Do not use Zoom Events as the connected HeySummit webinar product.
Choose an external URL when the live session should happen fully in another platform and attendees should be sent there.
Choose a live stream or custom embed when attendees should watch on the HeySummit page but the video source is managed elsewhere.
Check the provider account directly for capacity, pricing, recording, language, and feature limits before committing to an event format.