Syncing Chat with Video Playback

FOMOchat can sync with video playback to simulate live webinar experiences.

What is Video Mode?

Video Mode ties chat messages to video timestamps, so:

Messages appear as viewers watch
Creates "live" webinar feeling
Works with recorded content
Enhances engagement

💡 Key Takeaway: Video Mode transforms pre-recorded content into an interactive, seemingly-live experience—perfect for evergreen webinars and course content.

Setting Up Video Mode

Create or edit your FOMOchat
Select "Chat during a video" as the widget purpose
Choose your participant source:
- Load existing chat — Import real chat logs from a past event
- Create new chat — Generate participants and conversation with AI
Enter your video duration
Provide content (transcript for AI generation, or chat export for import)

Participant Source Options

Option A: Load Existing Chat

Upload a real chat export from a live webinar to replay authentic messages.

Best for:

Replaying recorded live webinars
Using authentic Q&A from past events
Recreating engaging attendee interactions

How it works:

Export your chat log from Zoom, eWebinar, etc.
Drag and drop or upload the file
Participants and messages are imported exactly as they occurred
An AI Rep is auto-added to answer new visitor questions

💡 Loaded participants display a "Loaded" badge in the editor to distinguish them from AI-generated ones.

→ Learn more about importing chat logs

Option B: Create New Chat

Provide your video transcript (the spoken words) and AI generates a relevant conversation timed to your video.

Best for:

Pre-recorded videos without existing chat
Course content and tutorials
Sales videos and demos

How it works:

Paste your video's spoken transcript in the Knowledge step
Set your video duration
AI generates participants and messages
Messages reference topics as they appear in the video

→ Learn more about video transcripts as knowledge

Participant Timing in Video Mode

Join Time Distribution

When AI generates participants for video mode:

60% join early — Before video starts or within first 1-2 minutes
25% join on-time — Within first 40% of video or ~7 minutes
15% join late — After the first quarter of the video

This mimics real webinar attendance patterns.

Leave Time Behavior

Customers & Prospects:

Leave 2-5 minutes before the video ends
Creates realistic viewer drop-off pattern
Some may leave earlier (mimics people who leave mid-webinar)

Staff (AI Rep):

Stays after the video ends
Continues to answer questions during post-video engagement
Essential for capturing leads from interested viewers

💡 Pro Tip: The AI Rep staying after video end is crucial—many viewers have questions after watching but before leaving the page.

Timing Messages to Video

Each message has a timestamp that corresponds to video time:

00:30 — Message appears 30 seconds in
05:00 — Message appears at 5 minutes
15:30 — Message appears at 15:30

Messages use MM:SS format in video mode (vs. relative timing in landing page mode).

How Visitors Experience It

Visitor lands on page with video
They start watching the video
Chat shows messages synced to playback
If they pause, chat pauses
If they seek, chat catches up
After video ends, AI Rep stays to answer questions

Integration Options

Embedded Players

Works with most video embeds:

YouTube
Vimeo
Wistia
HTML5 video

Custom Integration

For custom players, use our JavaScript API to sync playback state.

Best Practices

Match the energy — Messages should feel timely
React to content — Reference what's happening in the video
Build excitement — Ramp up engagement over time
Include questions — Show curious viewers asking about topics covered
Add social proof — "This is exactly what I needed!"
Review leave times — Ensure participants leave before video ends