--- title: Automated Webinar description: Simulate the live experience by automating your webinar --- [Skip to content](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/automated-webinar#main-content) English Show submenu for translations [![Size=36px, Style=On-light, Brand=BigMarker-1](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Size=36px%2c%20Style=On-light%2c%20Brand=BigMarker-1.png?width=171&height=36&name=Size=36px%2c%20Style=On-light%2c%20Brand=BigMarker-1.png)](https://www.bigmarker.com/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations Welcome to the BigMarker Knowledge Base! - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Knowledge Base](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge?hsLang=en) 2. [Getting Started](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en) 3. [BigMarker Basics](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#bigmarker-basics) # Automated Webinar ## Simulate the live experience by automating your webinar **Automated Webinars** are pre-recorded webinars that include all of the engagement features typical of a live session, including polls, Q&As and a live chat. This gives guests the interactivity of a live webinar, while giving hosts the freedom to host webinars more frequently with minimal supervision Automated webinars are configured using the automation timeline, where you add specific actions and events to happen at specific times relative to the start of the session. Automatically play videos, send chat messages, post offers, poll your audience, and take many other actions using this timeline. 1. [Creating an automated webinar](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/automated-webinar#create)  2. [The automation timeline](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/automated-webinar#timeline) 1. [Unique automation options](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/automated-webinar#options) 3. [Settings and FAQ](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/automated-webinar#settings) ### How to create an automated webinar At a basic level, automated webinars are no different than live webinars with automation. Creating an automated webinar will turn on some settings automatically to make it easier to set up, but any live webinar can use the automation timeline.  1\. On the Host Dashboard, select **Create a Webinar**.  ![](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-28-2025-07-24-25-6556-PM.png?width=375&height=228&name=image-png-Mar-28-2025-07-24-25-6556-PM.png) 2\. When creating a webinar, select the **Automated Webinar t**ype and fill out the webinar details.  ![](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-28-2025-07-31-55-2670-PM.png?width=600&height=313&name=image-png-Mar-28-2025-07-31-55-2670-PM.png) 3\. After putting in the basic details and creating your webinar, you'll be taken immediately to the **automation** settings in the [session admin](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/introducing-the-new-session-admin?hsLang=en) ![](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-May-04-2026-06-33-24-0287-PM.png?width=600&height=344&name=image-png-May-04-2026-06-33-24-0287-PM.png) ### **The automation timeline** The automation timeline is where you will add events that trigger at specific times during the live session. To add your first event to the workflow, first visit **Production \> Automation**. Click on the plus button to get started. ![](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-May-04-2026-06-34-59-7470-PM.png?width=600&height=257&name=image-png-May-04-2026-06-34-59-7470-PM.png) You also have an additional ability to click within the timeline to add an event at a specific moment. Hover your mouse between two events in the timeline to add a new event at that time. ![](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jan-21-2026-03-15-50-0329-PM.png?width=525&height=195&name=image-png-Jan-21-2026-03-15-50-0329-PM.png) For any event you'll have a number of different options of events to add to the timeline such as videos presentations, handouts, chats, and more. **Note:** If you've already hosted an automated webinar and want to use the same workflow in this session, select **Import** to add your past workflow from a previous webinar or  CSV file to this webinar. ![](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-May-04-2026-06-35-34-3332-PM.png?width=450&height=289&name=image-png-May-04-2026-06-35-34-3332-PM.png) Once you select an event, you will be presented with a number of options that are dependent on the type of event you are adding. All automation events will have a start time which is when the event occurs relative to the start of the session. Some may also have end times, such as when a video should end, when a poll should close, or when breakout rooms close. Additionally some automation events allow some additional controls to be part of that automation: **Captions can be added to automated videos** - If your channel has the ability to provide [closed captions](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/how-do-i-enable-closed-captioning-on-bigmarker?hsLang=en) then you are able to pre-set your captions of an automated video. Turn on closed captions for the automated video, then click on the **Closed Captions** tab. From here you are able to either process or upload your own captions for each video. This is a great option to ensure that your captions match your video content exactly, rather than relying on the live captions. ![](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-May-04-2026-06-38-59-2204-PM.png?width=450&height=180&name=image-png-May-04-2026-06-38-59-2204-PM.png) **Pick from existing pre-loaded content** - For polls, videos, offers and handouts, you can upload your content in the [pre-load section](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/how-to-pre-load-content-to-virtual-events-webinars?hsLang=en) of the webinar, then easily choose which item to use in the automation. ![](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-May-04-2026-06-40-00-9302-PM.png?width=450&height=163&name=image-png-May-04-2026-06-40-00-9302-PM.png) **Chat sender information** - For any automated chat, you can specify which presenter is sending it. ![](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-May-04-2026-06-40-41-9314-PM.png?width=450&height=244&name=image-png-May-04-2026-06-40-41-9314-PM.png) **Important**: The webinar start and end times are always going to be automated. ### **How do I adjust settings for my automated webinar? ** The rest of the settings available in the [session admin](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/introducing-the-new-session-admin?hsLang=en) are essentially identical to that of a live webinar. You'll be able to find all of the same settings in the same place for automated webinars. ### **Frequently Asked Questions** #### Can hosts share their camera/mic in an automated webinar? - Yes! Hosts can "go live" at any point in the webinar. Once the webinar is live, select the microphone and/or camera icon below to share audio and video, respectively.  ![Screen Shot 2022-05-02 at 2.26.30 PM](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tech%20Doc%20Images/Automated%20Webinars/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-02%20at%202.26.30%20PM.png?width=600&height=269&name=Screen%20Shot%202022-05-02%20at%202.26.30%20PM.png) #### Can hosts automate a live webinar? - Yes! Learn how to create a live webinar [here](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/live-webinars?hsLang=en). In the session admin, visit the **Automation** section within **Production** in the left-hand navigation. From there, follow the same steps shown above to create your automation timeline. ![](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-May-04-2026-06-42-15-6957-PM.png?width=225&height=307&name=image-png-May-04-2026-06-42-15-6957-PM.png) Can hosts turn Automation on and off? - Yes! Hosts can disable automation both inside and outside of the webinar room. ### Finding automation settings in the Classic Dashboard In the **Classic Dashboard**, automation settings can be found in the Automation section in the top navigation. ![Screen Shot 2022-05-02 at 2.30.56 PM](https://kb.bigmarker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tech%20Doc%20Images/Automated%20Webinars/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-02%20at%202.30.56%20PM.png?width=600&height=273&name=Screen%20Shot%202022-05-02%20at%202.30.56%20PM.png) - [Getting Started](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#main-content) - [BigMarker Basics](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#bigmarker-basics) - [Intro to presenting](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#intro-to-presenting) - [Basics of the attendee experience](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#basics-of-the-attendee-experience) - [BigMarker Troubleshooting](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#bigmarker-troubleshooting) - 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[Emails & Invitations](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/webinars-and-series?hsLang=en#emails-invitations) - [Attendee Experience](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/webinars-and-series?hsLang=en#attendee-experience) - [Design](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/webinars-and-series?hsLang=en#design) - [Promotion & Sharing](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/webinars-and-series?hsLang=en#promotion-sharing) - [Virtual & Hybrid Events](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/virtual-hybrid-events?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Event Setup](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/virtual-hybrid-events?hsLang=en#event-setup) - [Virtual Venue](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/virtual-hybrid-events?hsLang=en#virtual-venue) - [Registration](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/virtual-hybrid-events?hsLang=en#registration) - [Analytics/Integrations](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/virtual-hybrid-events?hsLang=en#analytics-integrations) - [Sessions and user journeys](https://kb.bigmarker.com/knowledge/virtual-hybrid-events?hsLang=en#sessions-and-user-journeys) - 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