Broadcasting a pre-recorded video in your Swapcard event is a great way to engage attendees with rich content. This guide will help you set up your pre-recorded videos from YouTube, Vimeo, or other platforms to autoplay at the start of your session, enhancing the viewing experience.
Which streaming tool can I use to embed my video into Swapcard?
If your video is already uploaded on YouTube, Vimeo, or another video source, you don't have to do anything but copy its link.
If your video has been recorded on another platform, we recommend that you use a broadcasting software such as Restream which allows broadcasting on many platforms including YouTube and Vimeo.
How to set up a Vimeo video to autoplay in Swapcard
When using a Vimeo video ID on Swapcard, the video does not automatically play. Once the countdown ends and the video appears, users will still need to press play, whether it is a live or a pre-recorded video.
If you would like to have the video autoplay as soon as the countdown ends, you will need to opt for the use of the video iFrame instead.
Navigate to your video on Vimeo and click the Share button in the upper right corner of the video player.
In the pop-up that opens, click on +Show Options.
In the list of options available, check the box next to "Autoplay this video". Then, you will have to copy the Embed Code and paste it onto Swapcard.
You can also do this manually, by adding the parameters suggested by Vimeo in this article.
Note: this method will only work for Public or Password-Protected videos. Also, keep in mind that some browsers specifically block autoplay.
How to set up a YouTube video to autoplay in Swapcard
When using a YouTube video ID on Swapcard, the video does not automatically play. Once the countdown ends and the video appears, users will need to press play, whether it is a live or pre-recorded video.
If you would like to have the video autoplay as soon as the countdown ends, you will need to opt for the use of the video iFrame instead.
To do so, you will first need to get the iFrame of the video in question from YouTube. For this, click on Share underneath the video and then Embed.
The iFrame will appear on the right hand side of the page. You will need to Copy the iFrame and paste it onto a text editing tool, such as Word or TextEdit.
You will then need to edit the iFrame to enable the autoplay feature :
Add ? right after the Video ID, and before the quotation mark.
Hit Enter to take everything to the next line.
Add &autoplay=1
Copy this new code from your text editing tool and open this link to test it
Delete all the code in the left column.
Paste your new YouTube embed code.
Hit green Run button.
Video will play in the right window.
Go to the specified session in Swapcard Studio.
Select Live Session.
Select Other iFrame.
Paste embed code.
Example of iFrame code from YouTube
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B0Kwn1PliSQ"title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Example of edited iFrame code with Autoplay capabilities (edits in bold)
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B0Kwn1PliSQ?&autoplay=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0"</iframe>
You are all set! Your video will now play automatically at the start time of your session on Swapcard.
Setting up videos to autoplay ensures a seamless viewing experience, eliminates the need for manual play actions, and keeps the audience engaged from the moment the session starts. Whether you're hosting a webinar, presentation, or panel discussion, autoplay helps maintain the flow of your event.