Live polls and Q&A give attendees a space to engage with sponsors and speakers without sacrificing anonymity. Whether your event is in-person, hybrid, or virtual, presenters can access questions and responses instantly and then use the information to tailor presentations and facilitate lively, quality discussion.
Webex Events includes Polling and Q&A features for your Event App or Community. If these features don't suit your needs, we get it! As an alternative, there are a variety of third-party solutions that work seamlessly with Webex Events. Keep reading to learn how. 📖
💡 Keep in mind, we partner with and highly recommend Slido. For more information on Slido, read Slido & Webex Events.
Live polling and live Q&A software
As long as a provider offers an embed link, any polling or Q&A can work with Webex Events. Here are the top options:
💡 Keep in mind, some of these options offer free tiers, though most events will require a paid version.
How to
The method you use to include third-party Q&A and polling in your Event App or Community depends on your needs. Keep reading to learn about your options and use the links in each section for instructions on setting up each related feature.
Custom tab
If you want to show polls or Q&A during live streams, it's easy! When you add or edit a Session or Live Stream feature, activate the 'Custom Tab' option and then paste in a link. This embeds the poll or Q&A into the Event App's web version so attendees can interact without leaving the live stream. Attendees using the Mobile App tap the Custom Tab to open the poll or Q&A in their device's default browser.
The Custom Tab is also a great option if you're using one live stream for the whole event and have multiple polls or Q&As to address different topics covered throughout the day. Simply switch the Custom Tab link in the Live Stream feature after every session so the correct poll or Q&A is ready to go when folks come back after each break.
The Custom Tab isn't only useful for live streams — it's a great option for any Session, whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid. To learn more, read our article about embedding web content with Custom Tabs.
Web Link
The Web Link feature is perfect and simple when you want to highlight a single overall poll or Q&A that isn't tied to a specific Session or Live Stream feature. Read our Web Link feature guide to learn more.
External links
External Links let you link to polls from a wide variety of places in your Event App or Community. Link the poll or Q&A page to sponsor or speaker profiles, Sessions, and more. Read our External Links article for complete details on all the features that use external links.
Pro tips! 😎
Consider polling the audience on their experience level with the discussion topic. Tailor the Session accordingly to foster higher real-time engagement.
Place a poll at a time when you're getting ready to set up a point that you really want your audience to recall long term.
Consider how polling can help your audience think about a topic differently.
Consider how to best incorporate results into the discussion. If you're using the Webex Events Production Studio, show attendees the results in the stream.
Test your solution — Slido has some great resources for this. This is also a great time to familiarize your speakers with the functionality of the tool you are using.
Live Q&A via the Mobile App is a great way to supplement in-person Q&A so folks in the audience can ask anonymous questions if they're not comfortable being in the spotlight. Feel free to seed some questions ahead of time to get the party started. 🎉
Want more ideas on how to use live polls and Q&A to facilitate your event goals? Reach out to your Webex Events contact!
Questions? Chat Us or Email support@socio.events