| Relevant to: | Guests | Speakers | Event Managers & Assistants | Account Owners |
| ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Want to message someone during your event? Whether you’re chatting with the whole room, your table, one person, or a selected group, Events.com Virtual makes it easy to keep the conversation going.
Table of Contents:
Types of Chat Available
Events.com Virtual has four types of chat available:
| Chat Type | What is it used for? | Can you delete or export this chat? | Additional Notes |
| General Chat | Messages are sent to everyone in the event space, no matter what floor or table they’re on. | Event Hosts can delete or export general chat messages, guests cannot. | Great for announcements, event-wide questions, and public conversation. |
| Table Chat | Messages are only seen by people currently sitting at the same table. | Event Hosts can only delete Table Chat messages. They cannot be exported. | Table Chat only shows messages from the table you are currently sitting at. If you move to a different table, you will lose access to the previous table’s chat history. |
| Private Chat | Send a direct message to one person in the event. You do not need to be at the same table. | Private Chat messages cannot be deleted by Event Hosts or Guests. They can be exported, but only by one of the users in that chat. | These messages are private, so Event Hosts cannot see them. |
| Group Chat | Send a private message to multiple attendees in one chat thread. You do not need to be at the same table. | Event Hosts can delete or export group chat messages, guests cannot. | Group Chats can be created using individual attendees, All Speakers, or pre-built Attendee Groups. They can only be created by Event Hosts. |
How to Send Messages
1. Click 'Chat' in your bottom menu toolbar
2. Select the type of chat you'd like to use (in other words, who you would like to chat with).
3. Type in the message you'd like to send into the textbox.
You can also tag specific people by entering "@" followed by the person's name you want to tag, and hit Send! This will send a notification to the person you tagged.
4. Click the blue Send button when you're ready to send your message!
5. You can also make your chats more fun and useful with a few extras:
- Add emojis to your message by clicking the emoji button (smile face)
- Send GIFs directly in the chat by clicking the GIF button
- Attach files directly to the chat by clicking the paperclip button
There is no restriction on the file format or size for message attachments.
How to Create Group Chats
Group chats are perfect when you want to send direct messages to multiple people at once without needing to be on the same table. For example, communicating with all your speakers or VIP attendees.
To create a group chat:
1. Click 'Chat' in your bottom menu toolbar
2. Click the + button to start a new group chat
3. Choose who you want to include. You can select:
- individual participants by entering their name(s)
- "All Speakers" for a pre-built group with all your invited speakers
- an Attendee Group you've created
If you select an Attendee Group or the All Speakers option, you cannot add another group or more individual participants.
4. Once you've selected who you want your group to include, type your message into the chat box and hit Send!
That's it! Your group chat is ready to go 🎉
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who can use chat during an event?
The Chat feature is available to all users in an event - Event Hosts, Speakers, and Guests.
- Are private chats actually private?
Yes. Private Chats (including direct 1:1 messages and group chats) are only visible to the people in that conversation. Event Hosts cannot see messages sent through Private Chat (unless they're part of the conversation).
- Who can create group chats?
Group chats can only be created by Events Hosts (Account Owners, Event Managers, and Event Assistants) currently.
- Why do I still see people in my private chat list if they already left the event?
Your private chat list includes all 1:1 and group conversations you’ve already been part of. If someone leaves the event, the chat will still remain in your list, and their status will show as Offline if they are no longer in the event.
- Can I use @mentions in chat?
Yes. To mention someone in chat, type @ followed by their name in your message, then click Send. The person you mention will receive a direct notification, which makes it a great way to get someone’s attention in a busy conversation/event.