For those who have not heard of a WordCamp, it is a WordPress conference. In fact, WordCamps happen nearly every week in just about any major city in the world. The conferences are sometimes 1,2 or 3 days and are jam-packed with topics from using to designing and developing with WordPress.
Becoming a speaker at a WordCamp can be fun, but not necessarily easy to become one as there are many people that apply. There are many things you should know before you send a speaker proposal in to any WordCamp.
You have to fully embrace the WordPress license. Nothing short of 100% GPL is allowed at a WordCamp. If you talk about it or review WordPress related products that do not have the same license that WordPress carries, then you will disqualify yourself from being considered as a presenter.
While it is not necessary to be from the area that the WordCamp is in, you actually have a higher chance of being considered as a speaker than say someone from the other side of the country, or even the world. Let us face it- you can get business from speaking at a WordCamp, especially if your presentation was extremely good. However, this conference is to help people and they are looking for people that show that they really care about helping WordPress users, designers, and developers of all sorts.
Make sure to contact the local WordPress meetup or the WordCamp organizers and check to see if they are are looking to cover certain topics that their community has requested. Working with them shows that you are eager to help in any way. Sometimes the organizers may see that you have a better and more interesting view on a topic that you mentioned on your own website and want you to present on that instead of your original proposal.
Be transparent about yourself and show that you have some type of authority and skill in your niche. You will be asked to for your site and the organizers will check to see who you are. They do want to select the best presenters for their WordCamp that their attendees will learn from.
Becoming a speaking is a volunteer job. You WILL either pay from your pocket or have to seek out a sponsor. WordCamp organizers sometimes hold speaker and sponsor dinners to thank those who helped make their conference awesome, but NEVER expect any form of compensation. As said earlier, this IS a conference that you are helping people. And by the way, you can put the expenses in your taxes. 😉
Be thorough and show your passion in your speaker proposal. It allows the organizers to see how you are knowledgeable and passionate about what you want to present. They want people that will inspire others to do their best with WordPress. List at least 3 take-away points. Also, be open to suggestions as the organizers may want to make sure some important aspects of your topic need to be covered.
Be prepared to be asked questions if you are a speaker. There are a lot of attendees at WordCamps, sometimes even as few as 150 and more than 750. There are some WordCamps that do have a question and answer bar, also known as a Genius Bar or a Happiness Bar. However, you will be approached at anytime and ask questions.
Bring your business cards. Correction- bring PLENTY of business cards. People will ask for them regardless if they will do business with you. They may have questions for you outside the conference or they might refer another person to you for business.
These are just a few things you should know about becoming a WordCamp speaker. If you are considering to apply to a nearby WordCamp, good luck. 🙂
Have you spoken at a WordCamp before? Do you have any advice for future speakers?
You have put together a nice list of tips for people who want to become a WordCamp speaker.
From my point of view, the speakers do a great job, especially taking into account they are not paid and have to manage the costs of the participation on their own. In addition, speaking in front of 500 people is very hard, therefore I cannot but appreciate their work.
It is very hard, but a lot of fun. I enjoy speaking at WordCamps as WordPress is one of my passions.
Hi Nile I really appreciate your post very nice tips provided with short and complete explanation.
Hey Nile
You have peaked my interest, have you ever spoken at a Wordcamp?
Hi Peter! I have spoken at 8 WordCamps.
I had always wondered how they chose the speakers for Word Camp. When you have it all laid out like that, it makes ever so much more sense than trying to sort through 10000 documents online to find out how it works. 🙂
I think you said before you are speaking on typography? I don’t know if that is true or if I am misremembering. Sounds like you are going to have a great time. I wish you good luck and a large audience. 🙂
Thanks Michael! Yes, I am speaking on Typography at WordCamp Kansas City…that is why I put a call out not long ago for sponsors.
Yes, being a speaker in word camp is not easy. It requires skills and knowledge. And certain people has the ability to speak in crowd unfortunately, I don’t have that 🙁 And I don’t think. I can be a good speaker; I can be a good listener but not a good speaker.
I would love visiting one WordCamp! I had no idea what they are but i guess it is a must for everyone that is using WordPress. Not a necessity but definitely a plus if you attend one!
I had not heard about WordCamp but I heavily use WordPress. I wouldn’t like to become a speaker but I will try and attend one or more to see what I can learn from this.
Thank you for the information!
I really haven’t heard about it again…
I think WordPress missed a key opportunity to call it “WordCon”, or maybe even “PressCon”, but I like the idea of the conference. I think it is a really great idea to hold an event like this,let’s get everyone together and figure out things that work, things that don’t, and important things that we should all be doing. Very cool, wish I could attend.
Oh I just knew about wordcamp from your post. Glad to got new insight. Thank you 😀
Wow – Sounds absolutely spectacular! I will be sure to do some more research – starting on the WordPress site.
Thanks for mentioning.
Cool! I just knew about wordcamp from this post. I ´ll keep it in mind! Thank you.
Very interesting topics and idea. Thanks for sharing informative post. 🙂
I’d never even heard of wordcamp but great tips and I’d sure love to attend some day
Thanks for the info Nile! It’s my first time to hear about WordCamp, and I am glad that I have found your blog here and know more about it.
Thanks Nile for the detailed info for applying as a speaker in wordcamp! being a speaker is indeed an awesome feeling! on the other hand to be speaker and to represent ourselves in front of a large group of people we need to work hard and produce that kind of information which everyone would love to listen and implement!
Hi Nile, I haven’t spoken or got a chance to attend wordcamp. I wish in our country there will be something like that. Surely I have a lot of stuff that needs to be learned that is why I am going to attend it if I have a chance.
Being a wordcamp speaker sounds really interesting. I would love to learn more. Gona have to get me some business cards!
This is the first time i ‘ve heard about wordcamp and I want learn more about this. Thanks for the information and i’m looking forward to learn more from you.
I would not survive a minute as a speaker. I get really nervous in front of many wordcampers!
Hi Nile,
I have not heard of wordcamp but thanks for the heads up. I see from the comments you will speak….You deserve that girl! I will go straight away to check this out. I wouldn’t want to speak, but find it interesting. This is what I love about blogging, I always learn something new. Especially from your blog!
Thanks,
Donna
Hi Nile!
What an awesome opportunity to be able to speak about a topic you know so well. This is really giving us a behind the scenes view of how to make it happen. It’s wonderful that you have appeared at so many WordCamps and educated others about WordPress. You’re awesome Nile. Btw – the blog is looking really sweet these days. Cheers.
The most important thing to understand about Wordcamps is that they are a community sponsored, community organized volunteer event and that each one is a little different.
Once speakers approach them understanding this (as you mentioned in the pay section) and understanding the need for flexibility, most speakers have little issues doing well there.
Assuming you know your stuff, it’s actually a very fun, very forgiving community (but don’t think you won’t be schooled if you goof up because of the highly interactive nature of the event!)
Great list and really valid points!
Kim
Excellent….
Never try speaking on a large crowd ever in my life…..
Don’t even know how it feels…
Thanks …
Would you believe, I’ve been blogging for 8 years and I’d never heard of a Wordcamp till I read your post??!!! Thank you for the informative post. You’ve got my curiosity up, and now I’d like to attend one. If and when I do, I will appreciate it that much more, knowing what goes into being one of the speakers!
Willena Flewelling
Thanks Nile for outlining the process of becoming a wordcamp speaker.
I will watch out to see if there are any in Australia. I believe you have spoken at one of these, and it gives you wonderful credibility.
Thanks Nile for sharing this amazing information. I really first time came to know about this WordCamp. Actually still i need to know more about worldpress so i think proposing for speaker will not be worthwhile for me. I will keep this advice in mind.
If you have the interest in the wordpress and you want to become the WordCam speaker then you must read this whole topic.
nice info
wordpress is knew to me as i’m a newbie
thnx for sharing btw
never heard about WordCamp before, i think its a must visit and a good place where one can learn a lot and network with like minded people