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    We Need to Talk About Speakers and Virtual Events

    Have you ever had a friend ask you for a favor, only to ask you for like 5 more while performing that favor? “Hey can you help me move? Oh also, I’m out of coffee; can you pick some up? Also I need to stop at the realtor’s office to get the key,” and so on. It might be an innocent mistake, but sometimes it feels like your generosity is being taken advantage of. And it’s kind of annoying.

    That’s how it’s felt over the last few years with the emergence of virtual events. I’ve spoken at several, and many of them follow the same format of putting a lot of the onus on the speaker while reaping all of the benefits.

    Now, a few caveats:

    • I’m not talking to any one event organizer, and I’m not mad at anyone. This is true for most virtual events and I think we’d all benefit from a few changes.
    • I’ve been considering hosting/organizing a virtual event myself, so this serves as a way to outline how I envision such an event going1
    • I also know that planning any event is a lot of work. I don’t think event organizers are undeserving of the benefits, financial or otherwise.

    That said, I think we need to rethink our approach to having speakers at our virtual events. In my opinion, the speaker has one job: to deliver a great talk.

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    Announcing the (Unofficial) WCUS 2020 Speaker Interview Series

    I’ve sorely missed going to WordCamps. I love traveling, I love hanging out with people, and I love public speaking. I also know how much time and effort goes into planning a WordCamp, as well as WordCamp talks. I was also super bummed about WordCamp US 2020 cancelling its virtual event (though I totally understand virtual event fatigue).

    I wanted a way to give back at least a little to those who worked so hard, so I have a plan…and the first part of it is interviewing potential WCUS 2020 speakers on my podcast, How I Built It.

    Saving Wasted Time

    I know how much time goes into figuring out a good topic and putting applications together.Because I don’t want that work to be wasted, I’m doing an interview series on the podcast.

    I’ll pick 15-20 people who applied to speak to do 10 minute interviews with – it won’t be a formal talk, but they’ll have the opportunity to chat about their topic. I have a decent platform, and I wanted to lend it to some people who were looking forward to speaking.

    Send in Your Applications!

    I should make it clear that this is an unofficial series – it’s not backed by the WordCamp Organizers or the WordPress Foundation…though I’ve been told by members of the team that this is a good idea 🙂

    If you applied to WordCamp US 2020, fill out the form here. Please only submit one form. If you submitted multiple talk ideas, pick your favorite.

    If you’re selected, I’ll be in touch. Applications close on August 31st.

    Apply to be interviewed about your WCUS 2020 talk

    PS – if you want to get news on what else I’m working on, join my Build Something Weekly newsletter using the form below!

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    Some Thoughts on Virtual Event Fatigue

    With the news of WordCamp US cancelling it’s virtual event due to fatigue, and subsequently the WordPress cancelling flagship (major/regional) camps in 2021, I’ve been thinking a lot about what to do about virtual event fatigue. I noticed it with my own webinar series, which I started when the pandemic hit the US. There was a stark drop-off in interest in May.

    So what can we do to continue putting out good content without people getting virtual event fatigue? I have some ideas.

    Read More “Some Thoughts on Virtual Event Fatigue”

  • How A Podcast Can Replace A Live Event

    Events are some of the best ways to learn, network, and engage with a community of people. With most in-person events being cancelled for the foreseeable future, we’re looking for a replacement – someplace to learn, grow, and meet new people.

    Virtual Events seems to be the most popular, and they’re fantastic! But they also take a lot of work. Replacing, or at least supplementing, your event with a podcast could be a big, long-lasting win for you, your speakers, your sponsors, and especially your attendees.

    Read More “How A Podcast Can Replace A Live Event”