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Integrating events with YouTube

Use the YouTube integration to host pre-recorded and live video classes on Bookwhen

Anni avatar
Written by Anni
Updated this week

✨ Please note: The YouTube integration is available on the Standard plan or above.

The Bookwhen-YouTube integration allows you to host both pre-recorded and live YouTube videos, ensuring your customers can only access them after booking.

This article covers:


Setting up the YouTube integration

To enable YouTube on your Bookwhen account:

  1. Select Settings from the left-hand menu, then Integrations.

  2. Select View integration next to YouTube:

    Integrations page with an arrow pointing at the 'View integration' button

  3. Select Enable integration:

    Integration screen with an arrow pointing at the 'Enable integration' button

  4. Select Done when you have completed the integration:

    Youtube integration screen with an arrow pointing at the 'Done' button


Disabling the integration

To disable the integration, select View integration next to YouTube on your Integrations page:

Scroll down and select Disable integration in the bottom right-hand corner:


Setting up your video

For both pre-recorded and live videos, we suggest using the 'unlisted' option on YouTube so the general public can't find the video via YouTube.

Youtube settings with the 'Unlisted' option highlighted

✨ We recommend setting a scheduled time for the video so you have a link to share in advance.


Embedding a YouTube video

To embed a YouTube video in your entry:

  1. Open your Scheduling page

  2. Either add a new entry, or select your existing entry, then Edit entry:

    Scheduling setup with an arrow pointing to the 'Edit Entry' button.

  3. Select the Location tab, Online event and Add a new location.

  4. In the Location name field, name the location something distinguishable, such as "YouTube".

  5. Select Manually added joining details from the Online provider drop-down menu:

    Location tab on the entry settings showing all settings highlighted

    • The system will apply this location name to all dates/times listed within this entry.

  6. You will then need to locate your unique video code. For pre-recorded videos, you can find this either in your video URL, for example:

    Youtube sit with arrow pointing at the address bar

  7. Or in your Share options on YouTube:

    Share screen on YouTube

  8. For YouTube live, it's in the share link:

    Share screen on YouTube

πŸ’‘ To note: You will only need the code, not the whole URL or embed string. An example is cZVIJbg9GLo, and the format will be similar to your video.


Adding the video to your entry

To add your video to an event page:

  1. Open your Scheduling page

  2. Select your entry, the drop-down menu next to Edit entry, then Assign videos to this event:

    Scheduling page with an arrow pointing at the 'Assign videos to this event' option

  3. Paste the video ID into the Code section and add a name for the video in the Heading field (leave blank if you'd prefer). Then hoose the Type of integration (e.g. YouTube):

    Assign videos to this event screen with the heading, code and type fields highlighted

  4. Select the + Add a video button to add multiple videos per date.

Setting how long customers can access the video(s)

You can set the duration of customer access to the video(s), either indefinitely or only during the event. To do this:

  1. Select During the event (for access only during the event).

    • We recommend setting live events as During the event.

  2. Select During and after the event (for access during the event and indefinitely after).

πŸ’‘ If you don’t allow ongoing access, there will be a 15-minute buffer after the event ends, during which the video(s) will still be accessible.

Rearranging the order of the videos

You can rearrange the order of your videos. To do this:

  1. Select the 3 horizontal lines to the left of the Heading box and drag-and-drop them in the correct order:

    Assign videos to this event with arrow pointing at the drag and drop icons

  2. When finished, select Save changes.

πŸ’‘ If you have more than one event that you need to apply videos to, you'll need to repeat this step for each date.

Important note regarding changing the heading title

Changing a video's Heading title updates it across all events or entries where the same YouTube reference is used.

  • For example, if a YouTube video with reference 01234 is titled "Virtual yoga" in one event, and you add the same video to another event but rename it "Yoga at home," the title will change to "Yoga at home" across all instances in your account.


Viewing the embedded video

To view the embedded video:

  1. Open your Scheduling page.

  2. Select the event from your schedule, then Online event:

    Scheduling page with an arrow pointing at the 'Online event' button

  3. The Online Event button will take you to the same page your customers access after they complete their booking:
    ​

    Private event screen showing a youtube video


Embedding videos into your course dates

After embedding a video into the first date of the course, you can set up additional videos to appear on later course dates. This ensures that videos only become available when each course date opens, allowing you to stagger access as needed.

To add a new video to your second-course date:

  1. Open your Scheduling page.

  2. Select the event from the scheduling list, then attendee icon πŸ§‘β€πŸ§‘β€πŸ§’ next to the date:

    Scheduling page with an arrow pointing at the attendee button next to a date on a course

  3. This will open up the attendee list for that specific date. Select the Options drop-down menu, then Add online joining details / event-specific information:

    Attendee list showing the 'Options' drop-down menu

  4. You can then embed the video as you did for the first course date.


How customers access the video

Once your customers have made a booking, they will receive a booking confirmation email. Within the email, there will be a View [online] event button that they can select to view the event page with the embedded video:

Booking confirmation email showing the 'view booking' and 'view online event' buttons

Before the event, the page won't allow access to the video:

Event page showing a restriction message.


​

Once the event has started, the video will be visible to customers on the page:

Event page showing a youtube video


πŸ’¬ Any questions or feedback? There are two ways to get in touch:

Thank you! πŸ•Ί


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