All Tutorials

How to Protect Event Replays in Circle

Doug

Tech Stack Integrator

Video Summary

By default, if you post a replay directly inside a Circle event, anyone with access to that space can see it—which is a problem for paid workshops, private challenges, or member-only events. In this tutorial, I walk through three practical ways to protect your event replays in Circle, depending on your plan and use case.

Option 1 (My primary method): Resource Library + Access Groups.
For ongoing content like Q&As, masterminds, and recurring member workshops, I place replays into a resource library that’s protected by an access group (e.g., Convology+ Members). Instead of leaving the video hosted in the event, I either keep it in Circle or upload it to Vimeo and embed it inside the library post. This keeps years of content organized, searchable, and fully protected from anyone who doesn’t belong to the access group.

Option 2: Standalone Page with Access Control.
For one-off or paid events, I create a dedicated Circle Page for the replay. Pages support access control, so I can restrict the replay to a specific access group (e.g., “Email Workshop Attendees”). I then share the page link via email. If someone isn’t logged in, Circle prompts them to log in. If they don’t have access, they’re blocked. If they do, they see the replay page exactly as designed.

Option 3: Automating Access (Business plan or Zapier).
To automate who gets access to those replays:

  • On the Circle Business plan, I use workflows triggered by an event RSVP (or attendance) to automatically add members to the correct access group.
  • On lower plans, I use Zapier (or Make) to listen for a new event RSVP and then add that member to the appropriate Circle access group via the API.

Once someone is in the access group, both the resource library and standalone replay page unlock automatically—no manual work required.

The end result is a clean, flexible system that lets you confidently run public events, paid workshops, and private member calls without accidentally exposing replays to the wrong people.

Key Takeaways

  • Default Risk: Posting replays directly inside an event makes them visible to anyone with access to that space.
  • Best for Ongoing Content:
    • Use a resource library protected by an access group.
    • Ideal for Q&As, masterminds, and recurring member workshops.
  • Best for One-Off or Paid Events:
    • Create a Circle Page for the replay.
    • Lock it down using page access control tied to an access group.
  • Access Groups Are the Foundation:
    • Grant access once.
    • Use that group to unlock libraries, pages, and future content.
  • Business Plan Automation:
    • Trigger: Event RSVP or Attended Event
    • Action: Add member to access group
  • Lower Plan Automation:
    • Use Zapier or Make
    • Trigger: New event RSVP
    • Action: Add member (by email) to access group
  • Email Delivery:
    • Send replay links via Circle Email Hub or any external ESP.
    • Access is enforced automatically by Circle.
  • Video Hosting Flexibility:
    • Leave replays hosted in Circle, or
    • Upload to Vimeo and embed to save storage.
  • Scales Cleanly: Works for mixed public/private communities without duplicating events or spaces.