Understanding Your Audience in Real Time
Glance at themes as you present. Address what matters at natural breaks — without ceding the stage to question after question.
Before Your Event
Great Q&A starts before anyone asks a question. A few minutes of preparation makes the difference between chaos and meaningful dialogue.
Set expectations upfront
Tell your audience how Q&A will work before you start. "We'll be collecting questions throughout - just scan the QR code on screen. I'll address the top-voted ones at the end."
Why it works: When people know questions are being collected, they submit throughout instead of forgetting by the end.
Choose your access settings
- Open access: Anyone can join with the event code. Best for public events.
- Email verification: Require email to join. Good for tracking attendance. Names still optional for public display.
- Anonymous always available: Participants can always choose to submit anonymously, regardless of access settings.
Prepare your co-moderator
If you have a co-host or assistant, give them moderator access. They can filter questions, group themes, and queue up the best ones while you focus on presenting.
During the Session
The key to great live Q&A is balancing engagement with flow. You don't want to interrupt your content, but you also don't want questions to pile up unacknowledged.
Acknowledge early questions
When you see the first few questions come in, acknowledge them: "Great, I see questions coming in about X - I'll address those shortly." This encourages more participation.
Use natural breaks
Address 1-2 top questions between major sections rather than saving everything for the end. This keeps the audience engaged and prevents question fatigue.
Let voting do the work
Don't try to read every question. Trust the upvoting - the best questions will surface. Focus on the top 3-5 questions that represent what most people want to know.
Address groups, not individuals
When AI groups 5 similar questions, say "Several of you asked about..." This validates everyone who asked and shows you're addressing common concerns.
Reading the Room & Your AI Co-Moderator
Q&A doesn't have to mean stopping for a formal question period. Let your audience submit questions as you go - then check in whenever you want to see what's landing and what's causing confusion. Your AI co-moderator summarizes the themes so you don't have to read every submission.
Questions as you go, insights on demand
Share your event code at the start and let questions accumulate while you present. Check in between sections - or at the end - to see what your audience is thinking. The AI groups similar questions and highlights themes so you get the full picture instantly.
Questions flow in
Audience submits questions whenever something comes up. No waiting for Q&A time, no raised hands, no interruptions.
AI summarizes for you
Instead of scanning 50 questions, glance at AI-generated themes: "12 questions about pricing", "8 about integration". Instant understanding.
When this approach works best
Dynamic presentations
Glance at incoming themes between sections. Adapt your talk based on what's resonating—or save Q&A for the end.
Product launches or announcements
See real-time reaction to your announcement. If 20 people immediately ask about pricing, you know to address it.
Town halls and all-hands
Presenters focus on their message while a co-moderator watches incoming themes. Pivot if something urgent surfaces.
Training and onboarding
See what needs more clarity as you go. Adjust your pace and examples based on real-time feedback from the room.
How the AI co-pilot helps
See "15 questions about remote work policy" instead of reading 15 variations of the same concern.
High-vote questions bubble up. You know what matters most without manual sorting.
Spot confusion or concern early. If a theme is forming around a misunderstanding, address it before it spreads.
Smart Moderation
Moderation isn't about censorship - it's about curation. Your job is to surface the questions that benefit the most people.
The 3-second rule
For each question, ask yourself: "Does this benefit the audience or just the asker?" If it takes more than 3 seconds to decide, skip it and move on.
- • Questions with high upvotes
- • Clarifications on key points
- • Topics you planned to cover anyway
- • Questions that spark discussion
- • Highly specific edge cases
- • Questions already answered
- • Off-topic tangents
- • Comments disguised as questions
It's okay to hide questions
Hiding a question isn't personal. You're curating for the audience. The asker still sees their question - they just don't see it prioritized.
Use "parking lot" for follow-ups
Some questions deserve answers but not during Q&A. Mark them for follow-up: "Great question - I'll send a detailed response after the event."
Don't over-moderate
A slightly messy Q&A feels authentic. If you hide too many questions, the audience notices and participation drops.
When to Use AI Grouping
AI question grouping is powerful, but it's not always necessary. Here's when it adds the most value.
Use AI grouping when...
- • 50+ attendees - More people means more duplicate questions
- • Technical topics - Same concept, different phrasings
- • Controversial subjects - Identifies where consensus exists
- • Limited Q&A time - Helps you cover more ground efficiently
Skip grouping when...
- • Under 20 people - You can read everything anyway
- • Open brainstorming - Every idea should stand alone
- • Diverse topics - If questions don't naturally cluster
- • Personal 1:1 context - Office hours, mentoring
Pro tip: Watch the theme detection
When you see themes like "5 questions about pricing" or "8 questions about timeline," that's your signal. Address the theme directly: "I see a lot of interest in our pricing model - let me clarify..."
Avoiding Chaos
Q&A goes wrong in predictable ways. Here's how to prevent the most common problems.
Problem: Too many questions, not enough time
Solution: Set expectations early. "We have 10 minutes for Q&A - I'll address the top 3-4 questions." Then stick to it. Better to answer 3 questions well than rush through 10.
Bonus: Export unanswered questions and send a follow-up email. Your audience will appreciate the thoroughness.
Problem: One person dominates
Solution: Digital Q&A naturally prevents this. When everyone submits through the same system and upvoting determines priority, no single voice can dominate. If someone submits 10 questions, only the most upvoted ones surface.
Problem: Off-topic or hostile questions
Solution: Hide and move on. Don't call attention to it. For repeat offenders, use the mute feature to prevent further submissions from that session.
Remember: The audience rarely notices hidden questions. They only see what you show.
Problem: Nobody asks questions
Solution: Seed the Q&A. Before your event, add 2-3 starter questions yourself. This breaks the ice and shows the system works. Real questions will follow.
Also: Anonymous mode is always available. People are more likely to ask when they can do so without their name attached.
Problem: Technical difficulties with joining
Solution: Show the QR code AND the URL. Say the code out loud. Keep the join information visible throughout your presentation, not just at the beginning.
After the Event
The Q&A session ends, but the value doesn't have to. Here's how to extend the impact.
Export and follow up
Download all questions from your event. Send a follow-up email addressing the top unanswered questions. This shows you value your audience's input.
Identify content opportunities
Questions reveal what your audience cares about. If 15 people asked about feature X, that's a blog post, webinar topic, or product improvement waiting to happen.
Review participation metrics
How many questions were submitted? What percentage of attendees participated? Use this to improve future events.
Save for your records
Questions are a snapshot of your audience's mindset at that moment. Archive them - they're valuable for understanding trends over time.
Quick Reference Checklist
Before
- Create event and test the code
- Choose access settings (open or email required)
- Add QR code to your slides
- Brief your co-moderator (if any)
- Seed 2-3 starter questions
During
- Announce how Q&A works
- Acknowledge early questions
- Address questions at natural breaks
- Focus on top-voted questions
- Hide off-topic submissions quietly
Ready to run your best Q&A yet?
Put these tips into practice. Create your first event in under a minute.