Defining the Event Speaker of the Future — Meetings Innovation Report
Photo Credit: Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson made Skift's Best Speakers List 2017. Marcus Samuelsson
Skift Take
Conference planners are shifting their criteria for sourcing speakers based on three disruptions: changing attendee expectations, the rise of digital engagement, and a batch of high-profile conferences redefining event design.
The Future of Meetings & Events
Conference planners are under growing pressure to pull together the best possible speaker lineup due to three shifts disrupting the meetings and events industry.
Changing attendee expectations are causing a lot of confusion among planners because everyone wants a different type of event experience these days. Some audiences just like to listen and others want to participate, but how they engage is the big question.
Also, digital content and social media are influencing speaker choices more every year because anyone with a strong social following can jumpstart online engagement fast.
Then there's the systemic shift in event design itself. SXSW, C2, TED, and others have changed how we think about traditional conference layout and programming, and everyone is trying to catch up.
Skift contributor Jeremy Kressmann put together a stellar analysis, Meeting Planners Guide to Best Speakers 2017, around the speaker of the future, along wit
