Chat Moderation - Audience Engagement
Updated
Chat offers a variety of audience engagement features, including the ability to:
- Chat with other attendees
- React to specific messages
- Reply to a specific message within Chat
- Edit a message after it’s been sent
- @mention someone who is an active Chat user
- React using a general sentiment
- Direct Message the Moderation team
Chatting with Other Attendees
Adding Chat to your online event increases overall engagement of your audience. By encouraging them to engage with other attendees, comment and react to event content, or clarify questions with your Moderation team, you help them feel more connected during your event.
One of the ways we can help event audiences feel more connected, is by creating opportunities for them to express their general sentiment or react to other attendees’ chat engagement.
Responding to Others in Chat
There are several ways in which a user can respond to a specific message within Chat.
Responding to a Message
The most direct way to respond, is to use the Reply feature. This feature will help Chat users link the response to the original message, as shown below
When wanting to reply to a specific message, chat users can access the reply modal by clicking on the person icon next to the message
A reply modal will then appear
If you need to edit your message after it has been sent, you can do so here
Mention Someone in a Comment
Another way to respond to other Chat users - while getting their attention- is to use the @mention feature.
To use this feature, users can simply type the @ symbol, followed by the person’s name in the Chat who they want to direct the message to. Chat user suggestions, based on the current active Chat users, may appear to select from.
The Viewer who was @messaged will see their name highlighted in blue, to help get their visual attention in Chat
Direct Messaging the Moderation Team
For online events, our Chat feature offers direct messaging capability between attendees and the Moderation team.
There are two main options available for this direct messaging feature:
- Direct Messages must be initiated first by a Moderator (the Moderator toggle appears when a Moderator direct messages an attendee)
- Attendees can first Direct Message Moderators (the Moderator toggle in Chat is always visible)
The Moderation room is a private Direct Message room between the Chat user & the Moderation Team.
Here’s an example of how conversations appear in this private room
Other Important Features
Bad Word Filter
Sardius Media’s Chat filter includes a “banned words” filter. The filter includes a list of inappropriate words, along with variations of those words. If user comments include any of the content being filtered for, a message will appear indicating their message will not be delivered in Chat
Watch Parties (aka Chat Rooms)
For events that have larger audiences, it is helpful to segment your audience into different groups. We can do this through the use of Watch Parties/Chat Rooms, in which your audience can select to join a Watch Party/Chat Room upon entering Chat.
When an event doesn’t include Watch Parties/Chat Rooms, users simply land in one main Chat room that is used by all attendees.
Chat Announcement Feature
Depending on the layout you are using, you may also have the option to add a brief announcement to Chat. The announcement appears as a small banner in Chat whenever Chat is opened on the site. The message appears for a short duration and then disappears.
We recommend including a short customizable Welcome Message for your audience. For longer messages, have a Moderator pin messages of continued importance.
Screen Names
Our Chat feature also includes the option to allow users to change their screen name during an event (instead of displaying the name they registered with).
When Chat opens during an event, attendees will be prompted to set their Screen Name for the event (Once they do so, it will be remembered every time they enter Chat- so they only have to update it once).
